Breaking the Bubble

                                                                                 

Well the bubble burst. Any adoptive mom understands positive school behavior is met with cautious optimism. As I picked up Sidney a sad face looked up saying, “I got in trouble Mommy.” After confirming the information with the teacher’s assistant, I fastened her into the car seat to hear the words I already understood. “Mommy I couldn’t keep my hands down. I want to be a good girl.” We spent time in a loud bright wedding reception over the weekend, meaning sensory overload.

I spent time after school visiting with her teacher on the phone. She let me know it wasn’t anything overly dramatic. She simply couldn’t keep her hands to herself.  She so understood, commenting that she is still young, and if you factor in her age with the amount of time she was in the orphanage; she spent more than 25% of her life in this unhealthy emotional and physical environment. She ended by saying “We will give her all the love and respect she deserves.”  This comment was an answer to our prayers. As adoptive parents we say a lot of prayers that teachers might get our kids individual needs. It’s tough to distinguish sensory behaviors, but she fully gets it.

But like everything else with a four year old, one part is up when the other is down. I’ve talked a lot about getting Sidney to eat. Between giardia and a lack of food, she has a very different attitude about eating than Eli had. Let’s just say at 4 years old he ate with gusto. She’s started asking for seconds and saying she’s hungry more often. This is a huge obstacle we’ve crossed.  It also helps that she’s old enough to communicate the importance of nutrition for her overall wellbeing.

We have a check up on hands at the university hospital next month. We are praying surgery isn’t needed, but I know with growth comes the need to tweak and adjust. If you’re just tuning in, a hand reconstruction was completed on each hand, in two different procedures, six months apart. She’d only been home six months when we had the first procedure. Its delicate work but doubly so when you’re working with only three fingers on each side and tiny hands.

I’ll push not to do another reconstruction if it’s not physically necessary. Her dexterity is so good. However I know if something physically needs to be done, it’s a blessing to know we can provide the best. It’s also advantageous to get it completed and fully healed before kindergarten starts next year. And according to Sidney’s preschool teacher she’s a “good little student.” And as moms of girls from China, we all kind of grimace when people repetitively say “She’s so tiny, she’s so small.” Sidney’s teacher is allowed. I don’t think she’s five foot.

Okay off to see what’s in my work que.