Beginning to Trust

Three scissors

Today we had a major break-through.  Lily left her scissors in the scissor bucket the entire day.  Why is this a major breakthrough?  Because she usually will use them and then pack them up in the backpack that we gave her in China and then she will zip that up and put it in a basket that I told her is just hers.  We think that she thinks that someone will take them.  She packs up all of the things that we have given her after using them.  She is the same way with her clothes.  They are all put back perfectly and she will go upstairs to check her things several times a day.  We are pretty sure that she did not have many things of her own at the orphanage and id she did have them she had to guard them or hide them.  We wonder if she didn't have two little sisters if this behavior might be different.  Maybe she would not feel threatened that they would take her things.  The other day I told her  to get her scissors and put them in the bucket.  I showed her Emma's scissors, Meilynn's scissors and her scissors.  I said, "These are Emma's, these are Meilynn's and these are Lily's.  I explained that she could leave them there rather than packing them away all of the time.  She was able to keep them there a few hours, but I noticed later that they were packed up again.  Each morning when the girls start cutting I ask her to get her scissors and tell her the same thing.  Tonight after I put the girls to bed I noticed that all three scissors were still in the bucket.  I take this as a little sign of trust.

Lily is making amazing progress.  We made a decision about school.  We are going to send her to pre-k two mornings a week for three hours.  It is a developmental program.  There are no worksheets.  It will be a time for her to just learn the things that she has missed out on. It will give me time to spend a lot of time with just her and it will also allow Emma and Meilynn time with just me.  Emma and Meilynn go on M-W-F and she will go on T-Th.  I felt it would be better for her to be in her own class even if it means that I will not have any break at all.  I will continue to homeschool her and then we will wait for the Fall to see what grade she will be able to handle.  This will also allow her more time to catch up on activity classes like gymnastics, swimming, etc.

 Yesterday I heated up the jacuzzi and we went swimming.  She loves the water and will already put her face in the water and blow bubbles.  I was not sure if she would just be so excited that she would not be able to listen, but she was great so I know she could handle swim lessons.

Emma cutting out letters with playdough during one of our school sessions

Meilynn

Lily cutting out circles after learning shapes

Emma proud of her name

Meilynn helping Lily work on her colors

Playing with make-up at Grandma and Grandpa's