2 Months

This is the two month anniversary of Charlotte's Gotcha Day. I never thought so much could change in two months! Everywhere I go ... pretty much every day (that I come into contact with other people) I'm asked how she's adjusting. And the answer is so much more complex than the "she's adjusting very well" that I usually give.

She is adjusting well (I think). The first few days home were quite a transition for her, and there were lots of tantrums. She didn't know what to expect or how to communicate her wants/needs. She completely melted down if I was out of her sight, or if she saw the dog, or if we stopped at a red light in the car ... lots of melt downs!

During these past few weeks, Charlotte has become so much more content as she has gotten used to our routine. She knows what to expect, and this is HUGE for her. Of course that means keeping things very simple ... and sometimes going days without seeing anyone outside my immediate family. (I welcome phone calls or visits from anyone who lives within driving distance of my house, by the way ;)

Charlotte is most attached to me. One of my biggest worries before going to China was that she would have trouble bonding with me.  Well ... God took care of that one in a big way! She is almost always either on my hip, in my lap, or under my feet! She mimics a lot of what I do ... everything from folding laundry and fixing my hair to gestures and expressions. When I rock her at night and sing to her she smiles and puts her little arm behind me to pat my back. She must wonder why Mommy has tears running down her cheeks when she sings.

These days are long and tiring and I don't have much time for myself lately. But the bond that is growing between me and my daughter as we spend every waking moment together is priceless. It's worth every sacrifice to watch this child literally drink in the love I give her. And boy do I love her.

Notice her little feet crossed to match mine!

Daddy ... well he's great as long as Mommy is in sight. :) Charlotte loves for Daddy to toss her in the air  and take her outside. Scott is so good with her, and makes a special effort to do things for her when he's home. 

Charlotte is also adjusting well to her siblings. I was a little worried about the boys overwhelming her with their ... ahem ... energy. But she is very entertained by them, and even joins in the action. Rylee and Jackson are very protective of their baby sister. They are so patient with her. 

Bryce has had his own adjustments. He gave up his position as "baby," and that has been ... tough. These two youngest spend lots of time together while big brother and sister are at school. We have moments like this.

And we have moments like this. (And some even uglier that I don't take pictures of!)

Keepin' it real!

Charlotte loves playing outside and she LOVES riding toys! It is so much fun watching her discover so many new things. The first few days home she would spend our whole time outside just walking around. She'd walk up the slight incline of the driveway, turn around, and walk back down laughing. I love seeing her explore and take so much joy in playing. 

She is eating and sleeping like a champ! She sleeps 10 hours at night and takes a 2 - 3 hour nap during the day! She eats everything we put in front of her ... with lots of enthusiasm! (I promise we feed her more than just desserts, but it's not as much fun taking pictures of her eating broccoli and carrots!)

Our "last frontier" with Charlotte is her speech. We can tell she is understanding lots of what we say because she nods, gestures, and follows commands. But she is still not talking. She says "hi" and "mama" but neither one on command or all the time. We are seeing an ENT with the high probability of having tubes put in her ears to get rid of fluid behind her ear drums. Maybe that is affecting speech. Maybe she's just not comfortable enough with the language to attempt speaking. It is a big unknown, but one we are trusting to God's capable hands. 

So I think Charlotte is adjusting pretty well. "Adjusting" is a process. There are lots of smiles and laughs, but still the scars of the past. It will take time to erase those ... if that is even possible. I pray that God gives me wisdom to know how to parent this precious child differently when necessary. I pray for the grace and patience to understand behaviors that don't seem "normal." But mostly when I pray I thank God for the holy privilege of being this child's mother.