Happy September!

Wu Yi made it through an entire week of school, all by herself!  She made some new friends, was very excited to tell me about pictures she had colored, games she had played, and being able to sing and dance.  She mastered the big slide, and the monkey bars.  She did her best on all assignments.  The faculty at her school are asounded at the transformation which took place over the summer.  I am so relieved!  And so proud!

We are still enjoying a beautiful summer, with temps in the 90's.  I had a wonderful, and much needed, four days of "vacation" with time to myself everyday from 9-3:30!  Back to reality on Monday.

2nd grade ~ Going Solo!

Today Wu Yi started 2nd grade!  We have been preparing her all summer, but until today, I just couldn't predict how she would do. 

 We spent the Labor Day weekend camping with other families, and she made some new friends.  She happily held hands with her two BFF's (Elizabeth and Malyn) and even developed a little crush on Elizabeth's 16 year old cousin, Mason.  I was so pleased to see her forming these new relationships ~ just in time!

She proudly packed her new princess backpack, both with new American school supplies and also her treasured Chinese pencil box.  She helped me pack her lunch in her Hello Kitty lunch box (it has been a challenge to find foods she likes which don't have to be heated ~ she is a big meat/rice/noodle fan).  She said goodbye to her brothers ~ first Daniel off to the high school, then Kellen off to middle school, and finally she and Evan climbed into the car for their trip to Bryan Elementary.  She posed for photos both outside and inside the school (posing for photos on demand ~ woo hoo!!!)  She said "hi" to 3 new people in the hall (I was SO proud of that ~ I have been telling her that is the best way to make new friends and she was ON IT!)  We dropped Evan off at his new class and then went to her classroom.  She found her desk, sat down, unpacked her backpack, and finally looked around at the other kids and their moms.  She seemed pretty confident so I told her what time I would be back, hugged her goodbye, gave her teacher my cell phone number, and left. 

My phone was silent all day (Woo Hoo ~ free mom time!!) and I was eager to return at 3:30 to see how she did.  I spied from the hallway for the last 10 minutes and was so proud to see her confidently finishing an assignment, packing up her things, lining up to go to her locker, and finally leaving the classroom to find me when the bell rang.  She was happy and eager to show me her work.  She told me how fun recess was (3 of them!), how she saw Evan at lunch, how she shared chocolate kisses in the cafeteria (so I'm not above bribery!), and how she was quiet when her teacher was talking even though other kids were not.  (That's my girl!)  We drove home and she promptly pulled all the usual parent paperwork out of her folders (she wanted to know what they all said, too), then she opened the pantry, pulled out some microwave popcorn, cooked it herself, turned on the TV and started chillaxin!  Big day!  I hate to see Wu Yi lose her Chinese-ness, but she is becoming quite an American girl!

6 months

We are in the final countdown to the end of summer vacation.  The weather started off so crummy, but the past 6 weeks have been sunny and beautiful!  I love living in Coeur d'Alene! I am training for my first ultramarathon and the quiet weekend morning long runs are so peaceful and scenic.  Whether I'm up on the trails or down by the lake, I am always content to occupy this place.

Its been a good summer for our family of 6 as well.  We went on several camping trips, including a week at Glacier, and spent plenty of days on the beach.  Daniel and Kellen have discovered the local "rock jumps" around the lake, and I shudder to watch them taking the plunge from such heights!  It wouldn't be summer without at least one day at Silverwood Theme Park, and Wu Yi got her first taste of carnival rides.  Initially, she was panicky about the "funny tummy jumping" feeling, but after some reassurance that those feelings were normal, she delighted in the Tilt-a-whirl, roller coaster, carousel, and flying Dumbos.  She loves to be in the water and is less dependent on wearing goggles.  She is starting to notice that other kids swim in deep water without Barbie lifejackets, and I think she may be ready to start swimming lessons soon.  She is willing to jump off the side of the pool and put her face in the water to blow bubbles ~ this is amazing progress for a girl who was so upset by a drop of water getting in her face 6 months ago.

We traveled to the Washington coast last month to spend a week with some friends at their beach house.  They have a daughter close to Wu Yi's age, and I am proud to report that Wu Yi made her first friend!  When first introduced, she was her usual suspicious self, but the lure of Barbies got the best of her and within a 1/2 hour, the two girls were playing together without me in the room.  By bedtime that night, they were snuggled up together in bed, giggling happily.  I'm not sure how much Wu Yi's new friend could understand her language (great English, still some cleft related speech issues though), but the two girls didn't seem to be concerned about communicating.  Wu Yi really admired Elizabeth's earrings, and once we returned home, she begged me to take her to get hers done too.  I was a little hesitant about this (had mine pierced 34 years ago and haven't had any experience with the process since!), but she saw some cupcake earrings in the store and was bound and determined to get them!  We researched the responsibility of taking care of pierced ears and Wu Yi promised to follow all directions.  She boldly climbed up in the chair, and the rest is history.  True to her word, every morning and every night, without fail, she asks Don or I to help her with her ear care.  She admires herself in the mirror and I am so happy to see her gain such confidence!

As for Wu Yi's best friend . . . she will be arriving to her new home in America in just a few weeks!  Wu Yi is eagerly setting aside clothes she is outgrowing to send to Yu Cheeong (Eva), and she routinely surveys her favorite toys to hopefully share with her someday.  It is unfortunate that Eva's new home is about as far away as she can be and still be in county, but Wu Yi is eager to Skype with her on the computer.  She tells me she can hardly wait to see her, but she is concerned that she won't remember enough Chinese to speak to her. :(  We have looked into Chinese language classes, but Wu Yi's speech issues are so significant, that she cannot even properly pronounce her native language.  She has been in speech therapy all summer, but unfortunately, her therapist feels she will need even more surgery than we thought in order to master many of the common language sounds.

School starts in 5 days.  The kids are all registered and supplies are in backpacks.  I haven't bought any new clothes as the boys are all running cross country (which means athletic shorts and T shirts everyday) and Wu Yi has plenty of new summer clothes which should be comfortable for most of September.  Daniel is growing so quickly that I don't dare buy anything until absolutely necessary!  It has been quite an adjustment for me, looking up at one of my children!

We were so lucky to have Wu Yi's grandma (who is a 1st/2nd grade teacher) working hard with her all summer to get her ready for 2nd grade.  Wu Yi is a challenge sometimes ~ she pretty much determines her own study agenda and Mary had to be very flexible!  Wu Yi's interest in reading has really taken off.  She tolerates writing and math.  She is a very bright girl with an amazing memory.  I thought she was so catatonic in China that she wouldn't remember much but, actually, she was constantly studying us and it is so interesting to talk to her about her inital impression of those traumatic days.  She continues to talk frequently about her friends and how much she misses them, but she no longer wishes to return to China.  She tells me she loves America and wants to stay with us "forever".  We are so lucky to have this special girl in our life!

Wu Yi continues to gain confidence in her relationships with new people.  She warms to new adults pretty readily (both men and women), but she struggles to trust kids.   If we are out in public and a child looks at her, talks to her, or is laughing near her, she gets mad and comes to me to ask their motives.  I usually tell her that other kids are probably just admiring her pretty clothes or beautiful black hair and this usually satisfies her.  (She doesn't dwell on her nose much anymore!)  The laughter always makes her suspicious though.  I've had to do some conversational role play with her to help her realize that she is not a target, and that other kids will want to be her friend.  She knows that most kids are nice, but that some might be a little naughty.  I have to encourage her to acknowledge kids who approach her.  She is quick to ignore or glare at them and I am trying to help her realize that this will make it hard for her to have friends to play with.  She definitely wants to make friends now, as she is so excited to have a "princess" party on her birthday (April) and wants lots of girls to come with tiaras on.  (She never had a birthday in China.  In fact, she had no concept of age at all.)  We are planning to start her in full day 2nd grade next week.  I know it will be tough for her at first, but I think she can do it.  Her teacher has been involved in tracking her progress through the summer, and she even invited her to spend time in the classroom last week ~ unpacking books together and giving her first pick of lockers.  We have an awesome elementary school!

Our adoption social worker came to do our first post placement home visit.  I am happy to report that I think they are going to let us keep her!  :)