I bet some people were starting to wonder if we still have those other two... the answer is yes, we do. I've been blogging primarily about our new Princess because I see this as an opportunity to tell the world what adopting internationally is really like. I'd be remiss, however, if I left out the other kiddos.
Baby Girl is learning to share. She's not good at it. In fact, it's not that she doesn't have any idea about it at all. It's worse - she had entirely the wrong idea about it. She walks up to her sister and says "share! share!" and then proceeds to take whatever toy her sister was playing with. Sharing means taking things from other people.
I'm not terribly surprised, though. Due to the age difference between Baby Girl and Big Brother, she has lots of time during the day where he is gone and when he does come home they don't want the same things. I can also appeal to her older brother in a logical manner and easily correct scuffles by saying "whose toy is it?" Not so with two girls who are effectively the same age. They want the same toys, and they have a mutual pool of toys to share, so lines of ownership are not as clear.
I have, however, noticed some really cute interaction. Sometimes the girls will trade toys back and forth or play together, and that's nice. Baby Girl is very interested in her big sister and wants to help her. This whole experience might be helping Baby Girl to become more social, too. At church this week, she voluntarily went to Sunday School! And had fun!
Big Brother has reached a state of peace about his new sister. I try to ask him what he thinks and talk with him, and it's revealing. One day he said "Mom, she needs you all the time!" and then, a few minutes later, said "I changed my mind. Geri needs you a lot right now so it's good when you help her." I thought my heart would pop with pride when my boy said that little bit of selfless wisdom! I've been making a big effort to give him about 5-10 minutes of cuddle time before bed. We lay on his bed and talk about the sort of things a 5-year-old boy is interested in... mainly robots, superheroes, space travel, and electricity. Oh, and home improvements. He's very interested in talking about the various major projects I have in mind for the house. He's the next Bob Vila.
Just the other night he asked me if he could bring his sister to school as show and tell. He said he wants to introduce her to his class and tell them about how her eyes are bad so mommy and Nick give her drops and she hates it. As she is a person and not an object, she's not going to be her brother's show and tell. However, he has a class party for Christmas on the 15th and we will attend so he can introduce her to his friends.
He continues to do well in school, tempted by stickers that earn rewards, and I'm always amazed with the things he says. And the things he does. He's a ball of energy - lots of thrust, no vector - and I have to keep telling him to chill out and leave my butt alone. Sigh.
All in all, the kids are fine. They're coming together, no one seems to be feeling particularly lost or neglected, and everyone is basically getting along. Sort of. Mostly. In a way.
Close enough for government work!
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