It feels as though we are arriving at a new "normal" as a family of six. Our days with Kavya have a pattern, and things are humming along with Aaron, Nathan, and Anya as the school year and activities go on. Certain times of the day feel a little crazy -- especially the after-school hours until Kavya's and Anya's bedtime, when there is homework, practices, dinner prep, and a two-year-old who is crazy about being outside.
Highlights of this month:
We've had a cold spring, but have managed to take many stroller walks, draw with chalk, swing and slide in the backyard, and go to the park near our house.
Two weeks ago, we celebrated Nathan's birthday. I can't believe he's 12 -- that suddenly seems so old. And he is just a hair shorter than me at this point! I didn't think that would happen in 6th grade . . . I thought I'd have until high school before my sons passed me up. We celebrated with grandparents, and with our two local uncles. This kid loves a party, and enjoyed choosing our dinner and asking for his favorite homemade ice cream cake for dessert.
Aaron and Nathan had their spring Boychoir concert last week, and will be singing Rutter's Mass of the Children this weekend. Both of their voices are changing (Aaron's is already done changing), but they can still sing in falsetto -- and they love to sing, like their Dad.
Anya is blooming in first grade, and has grown about 4 inches during this school year! She seems so big, and so grown-up to me. My heart does a little squeeze each time I can see a glimpse of the lovely young woman she is going to be.
We are seeing a bit of a language explosion with Kavya. She says some sentences: "Close the door," "One second, Daddy," and "Bella Anya's friend?" I am amazed that she is using concepts like "friend" in a question already! She also loves to sing the "Happy Birthday" song, and the alphabet song -- up until Q R S . . . then she gets a little lost, but is ready with the final words "Now I know my ABCs," which sounds like "No no no my ABCs." So funny!
Kavya now has a favorite blankie (the flowered one from Autie Trina), and two favorite stuffed animals: the little puppy we got her in India, and a tiger from the boys' collection. She is the happiest morning person of all our children -- she wakes up with a smile every single day, and after every nap. She is still a bit of a picky eater, but has expanded her food preferences a little bit. Amazingly, she doesn't seem to like rice at all, even though it was a staple food at the orphanage. She did eat a little bit with some homemade chicken makhani sauce (not a fan of the chicken, though).
We've been to the doctor a few more times with her, once for a weight check, and once to see an ENT for a preliminary check of her repaired cleft palate. We will have to drive two hours to meet with a cleft palate team in another month or two. They wanted to wait until she had a better grasp of English to assess her speech, and so that she could better follow instructions for other parts of the visit.
And in one of the more hilarious parts of our lives, India requires some follow-up tests that require a urine sample. So I've been attempting to get a urine sample in a sterile container from a non-potty-trained 2-year-old. It's been going as well as you're probably picturing right now. :o) And we still do not have a sample. Maybe it's time for some chocolate bribery.
* * * * *
Mother's Day means that I've been thinking often about our girls' first parents. I'm certain we will have some conversations this weekend with Anya about her birth mother. Sometimes, I am the one to bring up the subject, and sometimes it's Anya. Each year, she processes her life story a little bit differently, and I'm curious to see what this year will bring.
As for me, I feel a sense of obligation to parent our daughters well. These girls are a gift we share with four people we've never met, and I pray that if we ever meet their first families, they will be pleased that Kavya and Anya are healthy, thriving, joyful, and utterly themselves. I pray that somehow, we will be able to communicate with them someday . . . and I just pray for them in general, especially for the hole in the heart of any mother who has to say goodbye to the baby they carried.
Highlights of this month:
We've had a cold spring, but have managed to take many stroller walks, draw with chalk, swing and slide in the backyard, and go to the park near our house.
Two weeks ago, we celebrated Nathan's birthday. I can't believe he's 12 -- that suddenly seems so old. And he is just a hair shorter than me at this point! I didn't think that would happen in 6th grade . . . I thought I'd have until high school before my sons passed me up. We celebrated with grandparents, and with our two local uncles. This kid loves a party, and enjoyed choosing our dinner and asking for his favorite homemade ice cream cake for dessert.
Aaron and Nathan had their spring Boychoir concert last week, and will be singing Rutter's Mass of the Children this weekend. Both of their voices are changing (Aaron's is already done changing), but they can still sing in falsetto -- and they love to sing, like their Dad.
Anya is blooming in first grade, and has grown about 4 inches during this school year! She seems so big, and so grown-up to me. My heart does a little squeeze each time I can see a glimpse of the lovely young woman she is going to be.
We are seeing a bit of a language explosion with Kavya. She says some sentences: "Close the door," "One second, Daddy," and "Bella Anya's friend?" I am amazed that she is using concepts like "friend" in a question already! She also loves to sing the "Happy Birthday" song, and the alphabet song -- up until Q R S . . . then she gets a little lost, but is ready with the final words "Now I know my ABCs," which sounds like "No no no my ABCs." So funny!
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| This is how she asks for a kiss. Who can resist?! |
Kavya now has a favorite blankie (the flowered one from Autie Trina), and two favorite stuffed animals: the little puppy we got her in India, and a tiger from the boys' collection. She is the happiest morning person of all our children -- she wakes up with a smile every single day, and after every nap. She is still a bit of a picky eater, but has expanded her food preferences a little bit. Amazingly, she doesn't seem to like rice at all, even though it was a staple food at the orphanage. She did eat a little bit with some homemade chicken makhani sauce (not a fan of the chicken, though).
We've been to the doctor a few more times with her, once for a weight check, and once to see an ENT for a preliminary check of her repaired cleft palate. We will have to drive two hours to meet with a cleft palate team in another month or two. They wanted to wait until she had a better grasp of English to assess her speech, and so that she could better follow instructions for other parts of the visit.
And in one of the more hilarious parts of our lives, India requires some follow-up tests that require a urine sample. So I've been attempting to get a urine sample in a sterile container from a non-potty-trained 2-year-old. It's been going as well as you're probably picturing right now. :o) And we still do not have a sample. Maybe it's time for some chocolate bribery.
* * * * *
Mother's Day means that I've been thinking often about our girls' first parents. I'm certain we will have some conversations this weekend with Anya about her birth mother. Sometimes, I am the one to bring up the subject, and sometimes it's Anya. Each year, she processes her life story a little bit differently, and I'm curious to see what this year will bring.
As for me, I feel a sense of obligation to parent our daughters well. These girls are a gift we share with four people we've never met, and I pray that if we ever meet their first families, they will be pleased that Kavya and Anya are healthy, thriving, joyful, and utterly themselves. I pray that somehow, we will be able to communicate with them someday . . . and I just pray for them in general, especially for the hole in the heart of any mother who has to say goodbye to the baby they carried.
1 comment:
Great update. Wow...how time flies right by. Seems we were just celebrating those first sentence milestones with Anya and Devi! Kavya face seems to look more and more relaxed with every photo you post. So happy for you that you are able to celebrate this Mother's day with your long awaited for Kavya sitting squarely in your lap!
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