Lauren is doing well..... still working on English.... her new favorite phrases are:
No-touch
Not bunny (not funny) bye-ah (especially uses this when he's teasing her)
Come - ear (here)
Stand up
Outside - outside!!
Daddy, daddy, daddy
Wimming, wimming (swimming)
and it goes on and one.... she's so very smart!
We went back to pullups -- potty training wasn't going so well. Here is the deal..... her IAC doctor told us that her adopted daughter was 4 1/2 before she was potty trained. Meanwhile, we were going through this struggle of her doing well at school (but of course they took her every 30 minutes)...but she would come home and we'd ask if she had to go to the bathroom - she would say "no" then go pee or poop in the living room- of course make a big mess in her underwear, pants, dresses, whatever she had on - and then she would get sad. She began to act out - and I just noticed her little spirit deflate -- and I didn't even shame her or anything. Then one night - going to bed she said, "momma's baby" and pointed to herself. I asked her - do you want to be momma's baby? she said, "yes" - and I said, "do you want to be in pullups or panties?" and in her Indian voice she said pullups - not very clear - but I could tell that is what she picked. So it occurred to me - she wants to be a baby still a little while longer -- and when she's ready.... she will probably be potty trained in a matter of days. Until then.... we wait.
One funny story that just shows the innocence of a child.... I was changing a PARTICULARLY stinky diaper one day and I said, "whew.... Doggies".... and she sat up, looked down at her dirty diaper and said, "puppies???" - it was hilarious.... she thought she had puppies somehow in her diaper! She's a hoot! Everyone loves that story - and I want to save in for future laughs and document here. Oh how I love this sweet innocent child.
Another happening is we went to the Louisville zoo - and played at the splash park. Now this is a sensory girl's heaven for sure!! She absolutely LOVED it.
Reading maps waiting for the tram -- what bye-ah does, Lauren does.
Making water come up the pants / errr. swim suit ... crazy kiddos.
where did that water go??
Down the slide!!
Joshua down the silde too ..... in 2013
Joshua - same slide.... in 2007...same boy....same love for adventure
Sibling love....sortof.... where is daddy for my rescue??
Interactive water play at Louisville zoo splash park...so much fun!!
This picture of Lauren and our friend, Beverly is very special. Beverly is a family friend that helped fund part of Lauren's adoption expenses. Even though Lauren has no idea about Bev's generosity..... Lauren took to her instantly...... it's like some bond between them just came about at their first meeting :)
As Lauren continues to love to mimic Joshua and do all the things he does.... she also has her own personality and interests..... like her piano playing.... "ABC remix" .... of course the fact that she doesn't have a shirt on is a direct correlation to Joshua.... if he takes his shirt off for night time PJs.... she notices when he comes downstairs....and she decides she wants her shirt off too! Oh how she LOVES her brother.
Last Lauren story..... at church this week in her small group classroom the teachers told us this story.... of course Brad was beaming.....
Teachers were talking about what to be thankful for to the children. Mind you - these are 3 and 4 year olds. When the teacher got to Lauren she said, "Lauren can you think of something you are thankful for?" and Lauren replied, "I love my daddy"..... oh my stars... this girl gets it totally! She has such love and compassion for others, she's sensitive to others' needs, and she loves deeply. I just can't wait to see what all God does in her life.
p.s. ...for the record, she still wants momma at night-night :) ..... and oh how I love that time.... of course it's usually after she's been in Joshua's room with Joshua and daddy listening to the nightly made up story... :) when the lights go out.... she wants momma.
