Monday Musings

I’m looking at my blog from last week, and I’m finally getting around to posting it! Two kids in school and one mommy picking up extra work projects is creating less and less time to blog! We’ve had a crazy couple of weeks between getting back into the school routine and going out of town. First, I have to report many prayers have been answered with Sidney’s smooth adjustment to preschool. Granted, we are still very much in the honeymoon phase, however I haven’t seen any teachers bringing her to the car that look like a deer in headlights. So far, so good.  So, where to catch up? Let’s start with last weekend.

Sidney = So much art work, so little time.

We couldn’t miss our adoption agencies reunion picnic. What an awesome time we had talking to other adoptive parents and celebrating families made through adoption. While Tom and I chatted with other adoptive parents, there was easy conversation on all topics surrounding our kids. Words like LID, all she wants is carbs, sensory issues, have you had surgeries, special needs, and so many phrases I could fill the page were a normal part of the vocabulary. It’s a huge support for our family to get together with other China families.

While selfishly Tom and I were excited for the opportunity, we were somewhat worried about Sidney’s reaction. Her reaction to Ch*nese people is typically one of fear.  And why wouldn’t it be? The last time she was around Chinese people of any number was in China which included being thrust it the arms of two large people who probably looked like aliens. There’s fear and frustration on her part. It’s obvious she doesn’t understand why she feels uneasy and easily upset or why she needs to be in close physical proximity to Tom and I.  I was surprised to see her frequently going over to Eli to be picked up and held. Eli was her shelter. And like so many other times she has been around other Chinese people or a Chinese accent, she had night terrors a couple of nights afterward. This is common. Typically, she doesn’t have night terrors right away. It’s after she calms down. It’s her minds way of processing all that is going on.

After ten years of having built in playmates right next door, our neighbors are moving. I thought Eli might be the most impacted. He’s played with them since the age of three. But I noticed myself avoiding looking over at the empty porch today. I can hardly think about not standing in my kitchen yelling at the kids to get along or come in. Change isn’t easy, but we are lucky to have had playmates all this time. It will be interesting next summer.

And I don’t know if I’ve shared, but there is a very boisterous trombone player in our home. Eli started in band this month. And it was MUCH louder than I could have anticipated inside my home. Sidney frequently stands at the bottom of the stairs and yells, “EEEYYYAIIIIII (Eli)!!!” She has an authoritative voice like she’s in charge. At least she likes to think she is!

 

OK, off to the next project.