At 22 months, our Baby Love weighs a little over 17 lbs and wears size 12 month clothing. She has gained about a pound and grown 2 inches in the last year, which puts her just under the 1st percentile for height and weight.

She is perfectly proportioned and we love her small frame — in fact, we love everything about her, just the way she is.

Besides… everybody knows BIG things come in small packages.

In the spring, Lily’s pediatrician in Korea noted her lack of growth, ran some blood tests, and recommended a pituitary function test, which was deferred until she came home to the US. In all likelihood, the Korean pediatrician knew that 60 – 80% of children with Lily’s diagnosis (Optic Nerve Hypoplasia) have pituitary insufficiency.

In any case, we were finally able to get the Growth Hormone (GH) Stimulation Test (Stim Test) done at the pediatric endocrinologist’s office in Greenville. It turns out Lily has hypopituitarism — she is only producing trace amounts of growth hormone and her Free T4 level is low (a measure of thyroid function).

The long and short of it is she will need to begin taking thyroxine pills (PILLS!!!) and daily GH injections as soon as they can be approved by the insurance company ($$$$$) and she will need to have her pituitary function monitored by an endocrinologist every 3 – 4 months for the rest of her life.

For a scatterbrained momma like myself, it’s a little disconcerting to think about giving medicine like this every single day; but I’m thankful God has provided amazing doctors and, thanks to Umma, Lily has a sweet attitude about taking medicine. This is such a curious trait of hers that I wondered back in the hotel room in Seoul if it was a foreshadowing of things to come. Seriously, how often do you see a toddler who seems to enjoy taking medicine?

And how many times did I pray, “God go before me and make the rough places smooth?”

I continue to be awed by His provision for the little things since we said “yes” to adoption and I remain confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. [paraphrased from Philippians 1:6]

Below, Lily Love is at the doctor’s office taking everything in stride — even a 3+ hour test with an IV board on her arm. She cried hard when they inserted the IV and gave her a shot, thus the pacifier — Lily calls it a “gonkgong.” The wrap on her arm was in place to keep her from tugging on the IV.