We are doing so well. Alison is so happy. Right now she is beside me humming as she waits for HS Musical Concert to start again. She is really trying to pronouce the words/songs. I am being induldgent hoping this will help her with English language.
But she has had a rough time. I wasn't home a week ago Thursday night to put her to bed. Friday morning she was up very early to see if I was in bed. She hasn't done that before. She is never up at 6 AM and she seldom comes in our room without an invitation and never when it is still dark. She climbed in bed with me and all seemed ok.
Friday afternoon was the first time that her sister or I had not picked her up from school. On this day she had to go to after school care and Dad was picking her up about two hours later. Alison melted into a puddle of tears. Her teacher was notified and she came to check on Alison. I guess there were such puppy eyes that Judy couldn't leave her behind. So Alison's teacher took her back to the classroom to wait for Dad to come get her. Alison was pretty anxious to get out of school and went with Lynn. She seemed fine but when they walked in the door at home, she burst into sobs.
When I got home about 40 minutes later, she was calm but before we left again to go eat she broke down and cried again. She was just so sad. She threw herself into my arms and cried. She was very sad all evening. When we got home from eating, I put her into our bed to watch a movie so we could all lay there together. At bedtime, she did not want to go to her room. She NEVER slept with us before. She not only slept with us Friday night but did so for the next three nights. She slept touching me each night. If I turned over and scooted her, she came right back and laid against me. Saturday and Sunday during the day she seemed ok but by nightfall, the sadness was back and she wanted to sleep with us again.
What did she think? Did she think we were not keeping her anymore? Did she think she was back in a school (orphanage)? Did she think she was being punished? I do not know. Maybe it was just something different that she couldn't handle not knowing what to expect. We may find out later but for now, we won't try that again.
That was last weekend. Monday things got back to normal with school and all. Monday night she slept in her room. She hasn't been as sad again.
Tuesday we went to High School Musical on Tour. OH MY GOODNESS. She didn't know we were going. Lynn brought her downtown with Michelle. Alyssa joined us and we ate before we went to the Murrat. When she saw the posters and we said we were there to see HSM, she just giggled and bounced. She sang and sang and sang. She played with Alyssa. She called to Alyssa, "come on Alyssa" several times. She was one happy girl.
I wish you all could see her now. Our shy, wall flower is acting out the songs and the story of HSM 2. She is singing all the songs. She is trying to do all of the motions and dance steps. She is taking all the best parts. Sometimes she is Gabriella and sometimes Sharpy. She is even Ryan now as she sings the songs while they are on the baseball field. She has Lynn dancing with her and he is Troy. She is jumping, kicking, throwing the ball and she just slid into home.
Now that is the fun stuff. Can I say stubborn?! She has four very pretty, new dresses. I knew it would take some effort to get her into one. I get the head shake and the hand saying no at the same time. I laid out a dress and panty hose on her bed this afternoon. I wanted her to get used to the idea. When she noticed the dress, she picked it up and carried it into my room. She was very animated as she pointed to the dress and then to herself shaking her head no and saying no at the same time. I got dressed and I put on panty hose and the whole bit. She didn't care. She wore her Chinese gotcha outfit (silk pants and shirt).
She has two new very distinct new words, "NO" and "Stop". She also will say "one more time", "sorry". She is drinking more water and lots of chocolate milk. She eats ham and turkey slices for breakfast, lunch and snack before dinner. She likes donuts and "peeps" but isn't really fond of chocolate eggs but likes M&Ms.
I guess she got tired of dancing. She did somersaults from the living room around the dining room, thru the sunroom and back into the living room. She turned on the light in the hallway and took Lynn in there to show him she can stand on her head against the wall. Now she singing (Gabriella) to Dad (Troy) which includes holding his hands. She is coming over to me and closing the computer so I will be Sharpy and say the words/lyrics (which I don't know that well).
Oh, I didn't tell you all about the dentist last week. She would NOT open her mouth. They have a basketball room that she kept going in shooting and running to tell me how many baskets she had made. I thought she was so comfortable that she would be fine but nope. They were only able to use her toothbrush to move over her teeth and try to see what might be going on. She liked putting the mirror in my mouth but we couldn't get it in hers. The doctor was able to see two abscessed teeth so she is going in next Thursday for extraction of at least two teeth but maybe four. She will be out and a deep cleaning will be done while she is under. She will be a wreck so I had better be prepared for the wrath of Alison.
So how do you balance the really good bonding with the attitude and demands? We are really trying to pick our battles. I guess a dress isn't worth a battle. She gets moody when we shop and she doesn't get everything she wants. She usually gets something. Today we were wrapping presents for the grandkids birthday and she understood the gifts were for others and seemed to accept that. There is a Sharpy doll that she has had her eyes on for sometime but it is for Alyssa. I had to put it up to keep her from taking it out of the box but she knows it is for Alyssa.
Well, that catches you up. We are going to Florida next weekend for spring break. A lot of new things to experience. It is very odd to have a child that has all of these experiences and talents that you know nothing about. Alyssa is coming with us. They play together so well.
She has become very affectionate but on her timing. Tonight at church I rubbed her back and I got the elbow and the shun. When she wants to be close, she is all over me. I believe we are close on her letting loose with words. She understands most everything. She is great at charades and I am too. I guess that is why we understand so much but now the words mean as much as the motions.
Tomorrow is Easter. The whole family will be here. The family dynamics at their finest. We will see how she is with all the kids together.
