Orange...

Update on Orange:

We have completed about 5 sessions of grief counseling in the past few months. I am SO glad we went. I am SO glad we found a good place and a good counselor. I think this has helped us in so many ways. It isn't that Orange didn't talk about Ethiopia or missing her family etc. She just needed to talk to someone else who could give her the tools to deal with her grief. Someone besides her Mom. At the last visit, her counselor said that she was doing great and that we could come back as needed. So far, we haven't had to.

 

It was interesting hearing her tell her story to someone else. I wasn't in the sessions but her counselor would fill me in on the basics after each visit. Some of what she told her was very much fantasy but from what I hear this is pretty common. I think she was trying to make memories of things that she doesn't have any of. She needs to do this so we just go with it. I see her as she grows trying to figure out her story...in her own way. Not sure if that makes sense, it is hard to explain.

 

In the last month, I've seen another transformation in this resilient child of mine. I really honestly feel she knows now that she is here to stay. I know it has been over a year since we arrived home together but until recently, there was always a fear that I could see in her with anything new. Don't get me wrong. She still gets somewhat shy with new things and she still has a rough time with transitions but she comes out of it so much faster and she talks about things in the future. I was worried when camp first started because she was very pissy (this is her reaction to transition now). I worried because her camp this summer changes weekly..different counselor and different kids (same location). I was very concerned that we were going to be dealing with an entire summer of pissiness. My worries were needless, she is doing great! She definitely still wants to know, or needs to know what is coming next. I think she always will and I can't say that I blame her.

 

Let's see, what else...oh, she is entering the trying to lie phase and sucks at it (wooohooo). She hides her face or giggles when the truth is not being told. I am hoping that she stays this way:-) I was happy to read that this is pretty age appropriate. Speaking of age...how old is Orange really??? Oy...I am in another phase of it is driving me crazy that I have no idea. I told K the other day that I think she is older than I aged her. She just seems it around her peers. K told me that Violet just talked to her about this...that she thinks Orange is older than 6.5. I do believe that if she is, it isn't a whole year, maybe she is closer to turning 8 than 7. I will never know and it could very well be that her life experiences make her appear older than her peers. I mean really, when you look at her with kids in her class...she has lived a lifetime already compared to them.

 

Some things that have happened to Orange in the last month or so that I want to document.

1. She attended her first wedding and was smitten with the whole experience.

2. She finished Kindergarten with raving reviews from her teacher (yay).

3. She started camp and so far both counselors she has had have told me how amazing she is!

4. She is getting so good at swimming, not entirely sure of herself in the deep end but getting there.

5. She has hit a stage where she thinks her little sister is the biggest pain in the freaking ass ever, but still loves her! (and really, she is right:-)

6. At the same time, she is becoming motherly to Lemon. This is new and is very sweet.

7. Her button pressing is getting better (not gone yet but better)...and I don't mean my buttons..I still mean computers, phones, remotes. Oy the impulse control has been horrible. I am hoping that one day I will not have to say, "don't touch".

8. She is still very much in love with her first crush E. who is 12 years old. Convinced she is going to marry him and has not wavered on this.

9. Her favorite color is still Orange and I think always will be. She has never, ever changed her mind since she understood colors in English. 

 

I am sure there is more but this is all I can remember!! 

 

I guess to sum it up, Orange is doing great, she is a special girl...she is smart, funny, opinionated, sarcastic, sweet and full of life!! I am so lucky to be her Mom!!! 

 

Oh and FYI- I measured her tonight and she is just shy of 48". Yes, that would be 8" in 15 months. HOLY COW!

 

I leave you with Orange and Violet...Besties!!