Light

Light Therapy

My light and ion therapy lamp has arrived.  I'm using it for the first time as I type this.  I've had much more energy this week.  In fact, I think I'm bordering on normal-person energy levels!  So exciting.  I've gotten a lot done, at least relative to my sloth-like pace of the previous month or two. 

Gold Star

Now, I'd like to award myself with a gold star.  Since returning from Mexico, I've done an excellent job in keeping the house tidy and free of clutter. This is a huge step for me since it's a change to a lifelong habit of leaving things laying around and then doing a major clean every once in a while.   I think even D would agree with my self-award.  Maybe he'll actually comment on my blog for the first time ever. :)

Adoption Article

This article on adoption is a difficult read.  When the adoption disruption for the Russian boy who was sent back to Russia alone happened, I started reading a blog of a mother who has one biological child and several adopted children from Haiti.  Many suffer from RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder).  Reading her blog has been eye opening.  In fact, I am 99% sure she is Carol, the woman interview for this article. 

Avery & School

I love how much Avery loves to go to school.  She was asking to go to school as D and I were watching the end of the Brazil game on TV this morning.  I love that she pesters me to take her.  She's always happy to be left there and always happy when I pick her up.  She is, however, a bit more clingy on the evenings after she's been at school.  I have learned to get dinner mostly ready before I pick her up so that she and I can spend time cuddling immediately when we get home.  That makes the evenings go much more smoothly.    

Dance

Yesterday, we met Kerry & Lily (our neighbors from up the street) to do a drop-in dance class.  First we went to the playground in Laurelhurst Park for 30 minutes or so, then we went a little early to the class to watch the older girls do ballet.  When it came time to start dance class, Avery was so excited ... then the music started and she just froze.  She had a very concerned look on her face for a good 30 minutes.  She wouldn't dance, she wouldn't leave my side, she wouldn't do anything remotely resembling a child having a good time.  Finally, the teacher did an activity with scarves.  And just like that, Avery dropped all her reservations and started dancing and smiling and running around with the rest of the class.  I was a little surprised she was so hesitant, but even more surprised that the hesitation left all at once.  In fact, she loved it so much that she continued to dance after the class, even after I left the room to pay.  When I came back, I told her we needed to leave and she started bawling.  And it wasn't bawling like a tantrum as much it was sheer devastation that we were leaving.  We'll definitely be back for another class. I also really liked the teacher.  She was very good about talking to Avery even when Avery was scared.  She didn't coddle her, but wasn't scary, and was simply pitch perfect in her interaction with the kids.  It was impressive.   

Wednesday = Mommy/Daughter Date Day

On Wednesday, Avery and I went to see Wallace and Gromit for free.  Regal offers a Free Family Film Festival in the summers, which I didn't know about until Amber let me know about it.  Avery did very well in the movie.  She sat on my lap the entire movie without complaint and was interested the whole time.  She did ask for M&M's when the movie started, so I had to explain that we don't always buy candy and popcorn when we go to the theater, but she handled it well.

After the movie, we went to get sushi for lunch.  Avery LOVES raw salmon.  Loves. She cannot eat it fast enough.  In fact, she ate six pieces of salmon.  Every bite.  And did so with chopsticks.  Awesome.  I even took video because I was so proud.  I think because we had such a rough start with eating solids, I just burst from happiness that she is now a good eater.  She's still a toddler and has toddler-like moments related to eating, but for the most part, she'll try most things and eats a balanced diet without any pressuring from us.

Here's a video of sushi eating with chopsticks and of Avery after dance class. The video quality isn't the greatest.