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Thursday, June 22, 2006

Well, what can I say about Sophie? She's absolutely amazing. I have read as many attachment and toddler parenting books as I can stomach and I did my best to be prepared for all that toddler adoption might present. But she has completely blown all of our expectations away. She is amazingly sweet, loving, smart and engaged in life. She loves to participate in anything that's going on and is usually at the center of the action. She is able to give and receive love in a way that I never would have dreamed. She was definitely loved by her nanny in a very motherly way. At nap time and at bedtime I lay with Sophie until she is sleepy and understands it's time for bed. It only takes 5-10 minutes, but it's a great opportunity for us to be together, without interruptions, to bond. She loves to lay on my chest and sometimes she'll rub my arm or run her fingers through my hair. She sleeps well, usually napping 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon and sleeping from 9:30 PM to 8:30 AM, rarely waking up before morning. She is still sleeping in the room with me, in the pack 'n play, since it seems to make her feel safe. We hope to move her to her and Isabelle's room in a few months, when she feels more comfortable and confident in her new home. She's a wonderful eater and usually will try almost anything I offer. She will actually eat only about 1/2 of what is offered but she can eat a lot of things she likes. She still loves noodles, rice, and hot dogs but the rest of her diet varies. I never know from one day to the next what she's going to want to eat! She has decided that she wants to have a bottle at night, like her sister (whom she lovingly refers to as 'Mei Mei') and will announce to me after bath time that it is time for Mei Mei's baala (bottle). Then she reminds me that I should also make XiaoXiao's baala. She still calls herself by her Chinese nickname, XiaoXiao, but will answer to Sophie also. So we call her both for now :)

She is quite advanced for her age it seems. She can do puzzles and if she has completed one a few times she can do it very quickly. She loves her shopping cart and usually has her purse on her arm, complete with Barbie cell phone. She can peel a boiled egg and tries to dress herself. I think she can even button up a sweater, but I am trying to teach her to be a child, not a little adult! It is both amazing and saddening all the things she was taught at the orphanage. She loves to tidy up, if I give her a napkin she will wipe off her face, her hands, the table, and even move her dish to clean underneath it! I often find her with a 'baby', usually her Baby Tad, all set up on the couch with pillows and whatever she can find for a makeshift blanket. She makes sure that the blanket is perfectly straight with no wrinkles or folds. As endearing as it is to see her do this, it is a stark reminder of what her life was like at the SWI, feeling responsible for those younger than her. One day Isabelle was crying because she was told 'no' and Sophie ran to the bottle cabinet, grabbed a bottle and Isabelle's formula, brought it to me and said "Mei mei baala!!" She tries so hard to please and gets very upset if I have to correct her. Just the other day she and Isabelle were caught in the act of 'helping' with the laundry by dumping the freshly folded clothes onto the floor. When Sophie saw I was upset she promptly pointed at Isabelle and said "No no, Mei Mei!!" I had to keep a straight face and remind her that she been Isabelle's partner and crime, but I was giggling inside.

Sophie loves to play with musical toys, and she can really get her groove on when the music starts to play. We have a toy that plays 'Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes' and she is trying SO hard to learn the movements to this song! She already knows eyes, nose and teeth for her body parts and loves it when we talk about her belly button. Other words she says are 'ligh ligh' for night night, drink, help, mama, baba, jie jie, gu gu, Asher, Dalton, Lellie (for 'Bellie' ~ our nickname for Isabelle), more, cry, sorry, pee pee, and Velvet.

Sophie is finally HOME!

Loving the swingset

Taking care of Baby Tad

Loves being outside, hates the sprinkler

Reading with Mei Mei

Sisters!

She is absolutely fascinated/terrified of Velvet, the dog. She watches her intently and swings between petting her and running away from her, screaming. She loves to retell the story of how Velvet ran around the house after she got a bath, jumping on everything. She is so animated, chattering in Chinese and motioning to show how Velvet ran everywhere. It is so cute to see her tell a story, even if I can't understand a word she's saying!! She is obviously VERY verbal, speaking, I believe, in full sentences. When we had the evaluator over for the Early Intervention program she commented on how bright Sophie is. She was amazed at all the non verbal cues Sophie picked up on. At one point the evaluator, there to discuss Isabelle qualifying for the program, asked if I ever worried about Isabelle. Just the thought brought tears to my eyes. Sophie, who had been in the middle of playing with a puzzle, came over and stood in front of me and said "Mama cry?" She then rubbed my arm and hugged me. It just blew both the evaluator and me away. What an incredible blessing this little one is. What joy she brings into our family every day, a blessing and a joy that we give full credit to the creator of all, Jesus. We thank Him for intending her for our family from the beginning and pray that we will do our best to raise Sophie in a way that pleases Him.

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