6 months. Wow.
On a hot Beijing Summer Day, we got this skinny, pale, scared as heck little gal.....
Now, on this cold winter Chicago Day, we have this girl with color on her face, a big smile, hair that's growing & a belly that is also growing.
I like to say "Look at that Budda belly!" And Charlie likes to respond "Mama Budda belly". Well, can't argue that one! :)
So 6 months is the magical 'adjustment' number in adoption land where things start to feel somewhat normal. Do I feel like we are there? Yhea, probably.
The fits like they used to be, for the most part, are long gone. We still have fits, but they are more 'normal' fits. Fits like you would see with a kid who lives in your home and doesn't get their way. Where as before she went blank, checked out...... now she just says "NO" and usually throws something nearby.
Speaking of- No is absolutely her favorite word. As I've said before, developementally she's about a late 2 to early 3. That is the classic stage of 'NO' in normal development. And my friends, we are there. She REALLY likes that word.
She has totally picked up some attitude too & she makes me laugh when she yells out in an exasperated voice 'STOP' when you tickle her or try to make her blow her nose or chase her down. I'm pretty sure she got that from her sissies....
Medical wise- she's put on about 7 pounds & grew about 2-3 inches. She's growing right out of her 4T's. She came home in 2T's. Brittle hair is being replaced by new layers of thick silky hair... I often find her stroking her hair as if discovering it on her head. We are having some eye issues again & so we are trying to pinpoint what is happening there. One eye cleared up and now is clouding over again. So, we are trying to elminate some possibilities to figure out more what is happening.
A lot of these pictures she's kinda squinting because she had her eyes dilated the day before.
Language. We'll she's getting there. She has single words pretty much down. We are working on constructing sentences and incorporating more complex language skills. It will take time. But she's doing ok. She can get her point across for the most part. She LOVES to chatter. And chatter she does.
In the course of this update she has informed "Momma cuddle CharChar", "Momma cooking dinner", "Momma shoes on- Yes", "I want a tissue". "Charlie pee, Mama poop" (yhea, honestly I'm not writing this on the toilet so I have no idea why she's spouting that off). "Mama turn it on (her leappad). "Daddy fart". I'm not even halfway done yet too! ;)
We are working on conversational skills as well. Instead of just repeating- answering questions & identifying things. Also slow coming.. BUT...coming....
She knows most of her colors (she struggles with identifying yellow and red although yellow is by far her FAVORITE color) and she knows her shapes. Her pre-K teachers are very impressed with how fast she's picking up. They also put her on an early 3 level and feel she will be late 3 by year end. That would put her about a year behind. Which is good stuff!
Playing- she's playing more. She really enjoys playing Pet Shops with her sisters. She continues to LOVE to write, draw & color. We are working on making anything other than lines & circles. And we are working on coloring in the lines. Still have a ways to go on that. She also LOVES reading & being read to. Her favorite book is now "What do Fish Eat for Lunch". We read it EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. As she runs in to her bed she declares....... "MUNCH BOOK!" Okay. What do fish eat for lunch? Wiggly, wiggly worms- of course!
She still loves her food. 'MUNCH' is her favorite time of day! Girl can pack it away. And it's showing in her belly! :)
Bedtime. Well. The BIGGEST accomplishment is that we got her to GET OF HER BED in the mornings. This is huge. She would just sit there and wait & wait & wait till she got permission. Now she will get out. We worked a lot on that this month. "What do you do when you wake up Charlie?" She answers "Get out of Bed. Go find Mama" (with a tone of DUH....) Finally, it worked and she will get out in the mornings. But.....mornings only. Night wakings are still trance like. And still, no blankets (although she will go under blankets on the couch).
Only Mama can put her to bed. "Mama put night night". Big tears if Daddy tries. We have a good routine & she likes it. She will reassure herself over the course of the day. Like after breakfast she makes sure to tell me "Mama put night night". Yes, Mama will put you night night! :)
Attachment continues to grow in the right direction. We had a big CNY party and she did good with NOT working the room. Also, she seeks me out and asks (a lot) for cuddles and hugs. She prefers me over Daddy (although she does love him a lot). And on drop off at school she will frequently run up to me to get her hugs several times (where when we first started it was like she just walked off). I do feel we are getting there very well........ 6 months in & I'd say about 60-65% attached. I'm good with that!
We see more and more of her personality. Which is silly and sweet. She loves to laugh. And smile. The girl has a killer smile & she uses it.
She likes to shop. Tells her daddy EVERY DAY on pick up "Go shopping". She likes her baths. She likes to run after her sisters. And she likes to still hoard papers and baggies. :) That is one habit that is HARD to break!
She just fits in here... like she belongs. Like she always has. Like our life always had our Char Char in it. I saw her rocking the other day. Only she was doing it in response to music. It was similar to her early days of rocking for comfort and I could only smile thinking how far she's come in that she's using that rock to DANCE now... to live her life in her family that loves her...and not using it to comfort herself alone in grey sterile world.
Yup. Things are pretty good here. 6 months in.
Can't wait to see what happens in the next 6 months!
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