Life is good

My mom watched Josephine today while I taught my classes.  This afternoon my mom "face timed" me while I was at work and when Josephine  saw me on the phone she said mamama and waved at me!  Then I blew her a kiss and she took her little face right to the screen for a slobbery phone kiss!  Not bad for an almost two year old that just met me 22 days ago!

                        

The first moment she saw me.  The rearing back happened often the first two weeks. I asked the orphanage about it...and they said it was not typical behavior for her....this put my mind at ease because I was worried that my new child often threw herself perilously about multiple times per day! But knowing that she was just trying to get away from me was understandable....and temporary....and now, she hasn't done it in at least 10 days!

Nervous-both kids and mom too!

So much more trusting...and laughs more and more

My mom had a mandatory meeting this morning, so my dad was left in charge for a few hours.  I was quite apprehensive about how Josephine would handle that, but she was happy and content.  It's a good sign that she refuses to go to all "strangers" (i.e. our friends, etc.) but has no problem with our immediate family (me, Madalyn, Aunt, grandma and grandpa).  As suggested,  I'm with her as many hours as possible, and I limit people holding her that are outside our family...but since I have a few more weeks until summer vacation, it's a relief to know she is happy when I do have to leave her with family.

Tomorrow we pick up her leg brace from Tony!  Then we will shoe shop to get her two sizes of shoes...one small for left foot, one larger for brace foot....what a difference a little experience makes.  Six years ago I first shopped for Madalyn's brace.  I didn't know how or what kind of shoe fits a brace...and I was so worried about how wearing a brace would be....this time....my only thoughts are that it will help her walk and help her foot grow properly....It's all good!

She had her first PT session and an OT and Speech Evaluation this week.  She still tests in the 12 month range.  As expected she spent most of the two hours crying.  It's going to take a little while before she gets to know Beth and Kristen and is willing to work for them.  It's hard not to scoop her up and postpone all the work that needs to be done....but, she needs it now...and they are warm and gentle with her, and I will stay in the room as long as I think she needs me to.  Unfortunately, I think having mom in therapy makes kids more emotional....but for now, I wouldn't dare abandon her to people she is afraid of.

I am feeling more optimistic about her progress in non-motor areas because she has  made giant leaps in the 14 days we have been home!  She is already understanding a lot of what we say, she is copying more and more words, and is mimicking us more, etc. 

Most moments I am in awe of how fortunate I am to have 2 awesome (but opposite in every way imaginable) little girls.  Sometimes I almost forget Josephine is really home and not just a picture in my computer.  Then when I remember it's REAL, I get excited all over again, like I did when I first knew she was meant for our family...or when I first held her in my arms....or the first time she said mamama......or the first time I looked in my backseat and saw two girls, or the first time she got excited when she saw Madalyn....so many huge moments in such a short amount of time.

Most people's first question to me is...."how is it with two".  Or the comment that I hear multiple times a week...."you'll certainly be busy with two as a single mom".  I generally say, "so far it's just how I expected it to be".  But the truth is that for about two years prior to this, I planned and thought about how it would be with two.  When I rushed in the morning, I would mentally plan for two...just to see if I could do it.  When I paid for the dentist for Madalyn and me, I would calculate what it would be for three of us....When Madalyn threw a fit at a store, I'd plan what I would do with a sibling.  All those subconscious exercises seem helpful, because so far, it's just exactly how I thought it would be:)  Maybe even better!:)