It's been a long time since I blogged about Grace. Since my last blog Pat got a new job in Pennsylvania and life became a blur of the activities of packing, selling our house, buying a new home, moving, and now fixing up our new place and settling in to life in Bucks County, PA. It's been an exciting time and Grace has swung with all of the changes just beautifully. As we packed up her toys she helped put them into the boxes. As her room filled up with boxes and life as she knew it changed once again, she acted as if it was no problem at all. After all, this was her family, and wherever we went, she knew she was going too! And whatever crazy thing we were doing, she knew she was a part of.
Grace is now running, giving big hugs and kisses, playing with her baby doll, engaging her brothers in wild play at night, saying a loud "Don't!" when life doesn't go her way, and yes - sleeps wonderfully!! It only took her one year and a move but now she sleeps all night long in her own bed and I got to return to our bed as well. She takes a good 2+ hour nap and now that I have a little noise machine in her room, she doesn't seem to waken in the middle of it for every little bit of family (or dog) noise!
She loves puzzles and does them way better than any of our boys ever did at her age. Since we got her, she has liked things with lots of pieces and now we're seeing that it has reflects an analytical mind. She will strive to get the puzzle right then dump it out and do it over and over again until it comes with ease. If we explain something to her, you can be sure that the next time she does it the way you asked, or the way the problem can best best be solved. She is ever watching us and surprises me again and again when she joins me in some of my tasks with incredible specificity.
She still is quite attached to her mommy and cries when I leave the room. But with her increasing mobility, it is less of a problem because she just follows me - everywhere! She likes to grab my face and pull me close and kiss me long and hard on my cheek. Then she smiles that huge wrinkled nose grin of hers that just makes me want to eat her up!
She loves having her family home for the weekends. After our long summer together, on Monday mornings for several weeks she would grieve and cry and fuss terribly that they were gone. But now on weekdays, the first thing she does is look at me and say, "Daddy?" and I will say, "He's at work." and she smiles. Then she says, "Brubba?" (for brothers?) and I say, "They're at school." and she smiles. Then she says, "Mom Mom?" and I say that she is at her house and she smiles yet again. Then finally, she says, "Ruff ruff?" for our dog and I say, "He's downstairs." and yet one more smile. It's a lovely way to start each day!
Grace loves babies. If she sees one on TV she shouts "bebbe!!!" and we have to keep going back 10 sec with our DVR over and over until we tell her "baby must have gone to sleep". She cries when the baby is gone and gets so very upset. She now loves her little American Doll itty bitty baby (thank you for the great gift Mr. and Mrs. Perkins!) and covers her with a blanket, feeds her a bottle, rocks her in her arms, and pats her back. And did I tell you that she loves it when she gets a bow put in her hair? She also loves to find my shoes and my purse and put them on and walk around. Yep, she's a girl, that's for sure!
Grace has been home with us for now just over a year and what a year it was! Attachment is a real issue with adopted kids and for the most part, I think we weathered the initial storm. I'm sure there are times ahead when we will have to face all of the issues that have created a hole in Grace's life story, but for now, Grace is a happy, well-adjusted, darling little spunky near 2 year old. God created her to be a Fitzpatrick and a Fitzpatrick she is! What a blessing to have her as ours!!
Grace is now running, giving big hugs and kisses, playing with her baby doll, engaging her brothers in wild play at night, saying a loud "Don't!" when life doesn't go her way, and yes - sleeps wonderfully!! It only took her one year and a move but now she sleeps all night long in her own bed and I got to return to our bed as well. She takes a good 2+ hour nap and now that I have a little noise machine in her room, she doesn't seem to waken in the middle of it for every little bit of family (or dog) noise!
She loves puzzles and does them way better than any of our boys ever did at her age. Since we got her, she has liked things with lots of pieces and now we're seeing that it has reflects an analytical mind. She will strive to get the puzzle right then dump it out and do it over and over again until it comes with ease. If we explain something to her, you can be sure that the next time she does it the way you asked, or the way the problem can best best be solved. She is ever watching us and surprises me again and again when she joins me in some of my tasks with incredible specificity.
She still is quite attached to her mommy and cries when I leave the room. But with her increasing mobility, it is less of a problem because she just follows me - everywhere! She likes to grab my face and pull me close and kiss me long and hard on my cheek. Then she smiles that huge wrinkled nose grin of hers that just makes me want to eat her up!
She loves having her family home for the weekends. After our long summer together, on Monday mornings for several weeks she would grieve and cry and fuss terribly that they were gone. But now on weekdays, the first thing she does is look at me and say, "Daddy?" and I will say, "He's at work." and she smiles. Then she says, "Brubba?" (for brothers?) and I say, "They're at school." and she smiles. Then she says, "Mom Mom?" and I say that she is at her house and she smiles yet again. Then finally, she says, "Ruff ruff?" for our dog and I say, "He's downstairs." and yet one more smile. It's a lovely way to start each day!
Grace loves babies. If she sees one on TV she shouts "bebbe!!!" and we have to keep going back 10 sec with our DVR over and over until we tell her "baby must have gone to sleep". She cries when the baby is gone and gets so very upset. She now loves her little American Doll itty bitty baby (thank you for the great gift Mr. and Mrs. Perkins!) and covers her with a blanket, feeds her a bottle, rocks her in her arms, and pats her back. And did I tell you that she loves it when she gets a bow put in her hair? She also loves to find my shoes and my purse and put them on and walk around. Yep, she's a girl, that's for sure!
Grace has been home with us for now just over a year and what a year it was! Attachment is a real issue with adopted kids and for the most part, I think we weathered the initial storm. I'm sure there are times ahead when we will have to face all of the issues that have created a hole in Grace's life story, but for now, Grace is a happy, well-adjusted, darling little spunky near 2 year old. God created her to be a Fitzpatrick and a Fitzpatrick she is! What a blessing to have her as ours!!
