I cannot believe we adopted Milli a little over a month ago. Time has really flown by, although she seems like she has been with our family for a very long time. She keeps me very busy from the time she wakes up to the time she finally falls asleep.
She seems to be adjusting to her new life. We had our one month post adoption visit recently, and our social worker said he thought she was doing very well with us. Even though I thought she was doing well, it was nice to get validation by a professional. There are many things she has improved upon and others that are not progressing as fast. Compared to four weeks ago, she definitely gives and receives affection more readily. She loves being carried and picked up all day long, which has led to severe back pain for me. I was finally able to put her in the jogging stroller today for the first time, so hopefully that will help. She seems to be able to understand English a lot more than she can articulate. We use our own version of sign language, and she is always so happy when I decipher her gestures. It's like playing charades every day. Luckily I love games so it works for me. She doesn't get mad too often and when she does, she only cries and has never had a fit. Bedtime is still a struggle because she still cries almost every night. I'm thinking it's her way of soothing herself. We are still figuring out where to sleep. It went from her bed, to Gus' lower bunk bed, to the floor in her bedroom. One night last week, she woke up so I laid down there with her. I fell back asleep only to wake up in the morning with our cat Samantha sleeping on the bed all to herself and looking smugly at us humans sleeping on the floor like she was the superior being. Luckily, for the last two nights, Milli has decided to sleep on her bed but on top of the comforter with her head toward the foot board. I'll try anything at this point to make her happy at bedtime. Because it takes so long to get her to sleep, it cuts into my Gus time which makes us both sad. He's feeling neglected during this transition, which he has a right to. I never thought it would be this hard to give attention to two children. I don't know how my mom did it with six kids, but she was the most amazing mother in the world.
We have taken her to our church the last two weeks, but have kept her with me. She sits on my lap the whole time without talking. She is so good. She has also gotten very good at going shopping and rides in the cart. She is so funny about her clothes though. I take her and have her pick out things, but when she gets home, she says she doesn't want to wear them. She wants to wear dresses all the time. She is very fussy about her shoes. Going to Stride Rite was quite the bad experience. We had to leave and come back because she was so traumatized at getting her feet sized and trying on one pair of shoes. We ended up going back and buying a cute pair of pink gym shoes, but she won't wear them. She says no to all the boots. I don't know how to tell her she can't wear flip flops in the snow in Mandarin. Hopefully she will figure it out.
We have had visitors every weekend since we returned, and she has embraced everyone that she has met. Our families have been amazing welcoming her into their lives and we are truley blessed that she has responded to their love. I think they have all been amazed at her also. She just soaks it all up like she can't get enough of it.
Overall, we seem to be adjusting with normal bumps along the way. She has so much joy in her and we are so blessed that she is part of our lives now.
