Haircut!

The big reveal! Sidney was elated to receive her second haircut since coming home. Our first was more of a trim to even it out. This took a couple of inches off if you look between the last post and this post. As the stylist put the finishing touches on the cut, Sidney was more than happy to allow her to blow it dry, tilting her head dramatically in the mirror. Unlike her tomboy mother, Sidney is all girl. She couldn't get enough of being in the beauticians chair.I am slowly learning.

Today was dropoff day at daycare. Mom runs errands, goes to the gym, and in those three hours generally finds sanity. It is also time for me to get things done around the house which I cannot accomplish with Sidney here. I know that sounds strange. She goes through various stages of clingy behavior based on who is home. If she is here with only one parent, she tends to follow us wherever we go. This is fine, I have waited years to have that little voice finding me. However, many times, it is not enough to simply find us but to want to be held. It is like she is releived we are still here. I don't know why this was surprising after all the reading I completed on attachment prior to travel.

I think I was under the assumption that by now, this might have all magically disappeared. Either that or I thought she was really young when she came home at 15 months, and the emotional impact would have gone away for the most part. There is no schedule or clock for emotional issues to resolve themselves. And if I think about all that she has gone through with uprooting her from the orphange, bringing her home, and completing two reconstructive surgeries on her hands in the first six months home, I would also be clingy and unsure. As with all other emotional issues, if I think back over the last 19 months, we have seen incredible strides.

As I write this, the kids are watching the Cosby Show on Netflix. It is the anniversary episode when the enitre family starts dancing. Sidney is mesmorized by Rudy. Hilarious! I can't say enough about the good lessons written into the stories. This is great, because I have noticed a lot of negative references on popular kids channels to elderly people and few choice words I don't appreciate. This is in reference to the shows Eli watches more than Sidney. When one child is six years older than the youger child, a parent has to pay particular attention to not allowing the youngest to grow up too quickly from the influences the oldest brings into the family. This is just another way we can help that not to happen.