We all continue to transition. Transitions are easier for some of us than they are for others although I would say that we are all a bit stressed with the transition. Eli's figuring out how to be a big brother and how not to be the youngest anymore. Noah's figuring out how to homeschool with a fun, busy little sister around. Grace is figuring out how to do her normal life when she'd rather hang out with her sister all the time. I'm remembering how to parent a three year old and what normal three year old behavior is and I'm learning more and more "Emmy Chinese" everyday and how to juggle homeschooling and Emmy without neglecting either. Tricky! Steve is bonding with our girl and juggling work and being a daddy to a little one again…he missed a lot of the 3 year old years with the big three because he traveled a lot for work then. It's nice to have him home! :)
And Miss Emmy?…Emmy is still not in love with the dogs. But now she will check their whereabouts and sprint to her destination as quickly as her little legs can carry her before they can move. Her independence is more valuable to her than her (perceived) safety, I guess. She's funny, funny, funny! She will say, "Mama, bye-bye." and point at me and head off for the upstairs on her own. Today she put on chapstick in the car and said, "Mama, Ni ka! (You look! -- like Look at me!) So pretty!" and made a smoochy face and looked into the mirror. Every morning I am greeted with a demand for pigtails and each evening before bath she must remove them before she gets in the tub. She can clearly say "more," "up, please," "bye-bye," "thank you," "Hi, Ella," "I go, please," and probably other things I'm not thinking of. She frequently does a list of people she knows…Baba, Mama, Jie Jie, Ge Ge, Eli, Nai Nai, Ye Ye, Gigi, Tay-tay, etc. As I mentioned, homeschooling is tricky! Emmy has a difficult time attending to any particular task or toy for more than a couple of minutes. She spends a lot of homeschooling time attempting to figure out (by trial and error) what is hers and what is everyone else's. Mostly, she would like the computers to be hers…and the pens. Because washable markers are lame. But each day is better than the last and, somehow, we are still completing our work. It is important to Emmy that we're all "together." She's still a bit fearful of me leaving her. The car is especially scary and she feels better if I'm in my seat while she gets in hers…then she knows I'm going too. The big kids are getting very good at strapping her in! If I go outside, even to let the dogs out, she has to come with me. But tonight Steve gave her a bath and I wasn't even in the bathroom and she did fine. And she let him pick her up and gallop around the kitchen with her. And Gigi came over to play today and, while Emmy tried to boss Gigi around about where to go and when, she eventually adjusted to Gigi being there and playing with her. Nai Nai and Ye Ye came over tonight and both got to hold her (even though it was in a very fast game of "pass the Emmy" which she created and directed). So I think things are moving in a good direction and am encouraged…and tired. Sleep is still somewhat elusive though it is much better. Only up twice last night!
Thanks for your continued prayers!
1 comment:
HI Friend. We are enjoying reading your blog and following along, remembering so well those first days and weeks home with a new little person. Thank you for your authentic words and for sharing this experience with us. We are praying for sleep for both you and Steve . . . and also know that mostly it just takes time to settle in--fortunately you have plenty of time. Hang in there, know that you are loved and being held in prayer. It's fun to say "we sort of know how it feels" and believe those words are true. Your Emmy girl is so lucky to have you, and you are blessed to have her too.
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