Seven months with Lulu

The last I posted about Lulu's progress, it was after three months home. And these past four months? Well, let's just say it's been quite the whirlwind...time has flown by.

 

So let me back up...summer was such a great time for family bonding and for Lulu's overall transition. But then when the school year kicked in? It was like trauma set in all over again. We figured the school part out and acted quickly, thank God, but I believe the backlash wasn't just about her new schedule. It was also a trigger of fear-based behavior seeing her siblings leave the nest, too. So we were faced with a couple steps backwards for Lulu, and I'm not gonna lie...it was hard to see (and hear) her major emotional breakdowns all over again. Hard on her, hard on us, and hard on her siblings. And I know some of you are shaking your heads and saying, "Lulu? Not Lulu." But yes, friends. This is what happens behind closed doors sometimes when children from hard places finally get to their comfort zone at home--it's a time of testing boundaries--mostly to see just how much you'll love them--even when they're at their worst.  Lulu even managed to fracture her big toe in the middle of an epic meltdown. But the beautiful thing is? All that "letting it go" has moved our daughter into forward motion again, and here at seven months, I can honestly say that I think we're back to getting our groove on. Thank you, Jesus. And do you think for a second that a leg cast to her knee on one leg and an AFO brace on the other would slow this girl down? Not a chance. She is one busy bee.

About two months ago, shortly after I posted about her new bed, Lulu decided that she wanted to bunk with her brothers. So she left that beautiful princess bed for a time and chose to sleep on the floor between her brothers' beds. We were fine with indulging her. We knew she wouldn't make that choice forever, and I'm sure it felt cozily familiar to her sleeping arrangements in China with multiple children in one room. The boys weren't always crazy about it, Joey namely, but he suffered through it, and we reminded him that it wasn't so long ago when he came home and had the luxury of a built-in roommate in his brother. She just needed a little bit of the same. And just like that, one day in early November, she jumped back into that princess bed for good.

Lulu LOVES school still. I look back now and wonder what we were thinking to skip the important developmental step of preschool for her. God knew better! Yes, she is in a six-year old body, but she's so much younger in so many ways. As my friend Jennifer so beautifully stated, "Lulu never got to be two and throw fits and be awful and know her Mommy still loves her. She never got to be three and choose only pink clothes and pink cookies and pink toys and be understood and indulged. She never got to be four and cry and panic and watch everyone else cry and panic when they say goodbye to their parents at preschool. Now she won't be rushed to behave and sit still and pay attention. She can roll on the carpet and eat Playdoh and cry, and no one will call her a baby. Florida kindergarten isn't like other states: with half days and nap times- we push our kids and Lulu shouldn't be pushed she should be hugged closer." Amen to those sentiments. The smaller (10 kids) and playful environment is precisely what she needed. She adores her teacher, affectionately called "B" and the three-day school week could not work out better to meet her needs.

Our Tuesday and Thursday mornings have been filled with physical and occupational therapy and for extra mommy time. For a couple of months, our Thursday mornings were also filled by a beautiful sister-in-Christ, Jeanine, who graciously offered Lulu play therapy sessions. They were a Godsend during a very rough patch, and I believe that those sessions were instrumental in helping Lulu find peace in her tumultuous season of transition and upheaval.

I am constantly reminded (based on poor decisions basically) how Lulu's world still needs to be kept small. She is very easily overstimulated and that's when she tends to spin out of control. We plan to be very cognizant of this during the holidays, as we did with Joey his first year home. So far, so good. Separation anxiety is, for the most part, a thing of the past now! Lulu frequently takes outings with Daddy and easily says, "Bye bye, Mama" with complete trust that I'm coming back. She's stayed home with our favorite sitters, Jules and Ashley, quite often and willingly went over to Bubba and Grandpa's house with the boys while Jimmy and I took Madi out to dinner alone one night. It's a wonderful and gigantic step in her progress! I mean HUGE...this was a real hurdle for her and it's a relief to know that she finally trusts that we ARE coming back.

Lulu finished her first cheerleading season with The Miracle League. What a wonderful, unplanned blessing it was for her! She loved having a sport that she could call "her own." There was an occasion when big sister suited up to help as her buddy, but Lulu put up a fuss, and we finally figured out why. She wanted this to be all her, without any assistance from any of her family members. She wanted us to watch her every move, and she was so proud of herself, especially as the main stunt girl! It was awesome. 

Medically, our brave little girl is also making great progress. She wears her AFO leg brace (mostly) without complaint. She does four hours total of physical and occupational therapy each week, and you can definitely see that her left side is becoming stronger. Thank goodness for her determination, which certainly doesn't hurt!

 

It's overwhelming to think of the major progress this child has made in so many areas. I think of simple things--like her staring at an ipad in China without a clue how to operate it, and now she swipes that tablet like nobody's business. I remember trying to color with her on our first airplane ride in China and how she would take a crayon and strike certain areas without rhyme or reason. And my oh my, how her skill has blossomed...

Lulu's language is coming along so nicely. Just recently she's started putting together some sentences of five or so words. The most amazing breakthrough has been her recent ability to ask, "Are you mad at me?" It sounds crazy, but it's been transforming for her to articulate this! I'm starting to suspect that many months of meltdowns were for fear that I was angry at her. Who knows why...maybe she sensed a disapproving look or tone from me? Or maybe that's what she was used to in China? Anyway, her newfound ability to verbalize her concerns allows me to say, "No, Lulu. I am not mad at you" and to explain my thought process in that moment. It gives her great relief and perhaps more of an understanding of my reactions and feelings. I believe that this five word question has spared her a world of fear, and has prevented many meltdowns. I'm so thankful for these positive developments in her language. She understood much of our language very early on, but now she's beginning to better express herself verbally.

We've celebrated many "firsts" with our little girl over these past few months. She lost her first tooth. She helped carve a pumpkin, went to her first Pumpkin Patch and dressed up as a good witch for her first Halloween. We celebrated her first Thanksgiving together with Grandparents. She sang in her first preschool performance. And she had her first playdate sans Mama. Lulu is thriving in so many ways and she truly is a beautiful soul! We are so excited for her first Christmas with a family and all the joy that it will bring. Praise Jesus for all He has done. He is faithful!