Saturday, April 2, 2011

Home One Week

One week ago tonight we arrived home. After a 24+ journey we made it. It seems like ages ago. E. has been with me for one and half weeks and already I see her blossoming into her own little person. It is really delightful and sometimes incredibly frustrating (she's two after all :)

Things I've noticed...
In all of the three visit trips she rarely spoke - to me or her caregivers - here at home she is a chatterbox - she sings little songs out loud, she chats away to all of us and to her dolly - so very sweet - I need to figure out how to upload a video from my camera and I'll share one of her sweet little songs. I have to say the music teacher, Tatiana, at the Vladimir Baby House ROCKS in my book!

She is holding far less food in her mouth for lengthy periods of time - at the hotel in Moscow, Becky and I noticed quite often that she would still have food in her mouth an hour or more after we had eaten - sadly, I think she unconsciously was storing up in case she didn't get more. This has subsided quite a bit.

Her attention span is about as long as a flea's - or at least what I would imagine a flea's might be :) and oh my this is exhausting - all the moms of toddlers probably completely understand this. This morning we had play-doh'd, puzzled, colored, played this little piggy and danced around and it was only 9:30am - how in the world will I make it 'till nap time?

She doesn't push me away as often, she comes over to sit on my lap or right next to me more and more often. Thank you, Lord, our bond is growing.

We are finally getting over jetlag! Woo hoo!

I have to admit, while I thought I was prepared for how difficult this would be,
I wasn't...
It has been a long week
Adoption is messy...
language barriers...
getting to know each other...
me learning how to be a mom to a toddler right out of the gate...
E. learning how to live in a family...
grieving the loss of her life at the orphanage - not consciously, but grieving nonetheless,
yes, it's messy
and painful
and
WORTH IT!
I promise, more pictures soon...for now, good night.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for the honesty, Kimberly. All of us who are waiting for our Kyrgyz toddlers will likely face the same challenges. If we're lucky ;-)

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  2. It IS tough and it IS messy and it IS the most incredible, amazing gift you could ever be given!! Can't wait to see more pics soon.

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  3. oh--you put it into words so well. I remember those days and they slowly get less messy as you build your life together but every now and then the messiness rears it head again. Those good part is those moments get farther and farther apart.
    You are doing an awesome job.

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