Chelsee has grown in so many ways...physically, she is strong and can run faster than anyone ever could have guessed!! She has grown 15 inches and gained 16 pounds since we brought her home 3 1/2 years ago. Doctors, family and friends are amazed! Me, I still can't get over how big and tall she has gotten and how PROUD it makes me to see her thrive physically!
Academically, this precious child has taken to her native language beautifully. She speaks Chinese with a beautiful tongue and it brings such pleasure to hear it. She loves that she knows a second language that very few people know. She takes great pride in teaching us some key phrases and laughs at us constantly for butchering it as we do! Secretly, I think she tests me to see how little I retain from day to do, so she can laugh at her mom. She loves to tell people that she has been trying to teach her Grandma to count to 5 for two years now and she is only up to 3!!!
Emotionally, I believe Chelsee is as attached to us as though she has always been with us. She feels comfortable talking about her time in China and likes to tell me stories that I might not have heard before. She even talks about going back to China to visit her orphanage. We discuss birth mother, foster mom and nannies as often as she likes. We also talk about what mommies do and what daddies do and she shows pleasant nurturing skills. She has a fierce love and devotion to me and sometimes, when we just look into each other's eyes, it brings me to tears. This child defines the truest sense of faith and trust that I have ever witnessed and I am a better person just being in her presence.
Ok, but my oh my, the things she has said and done! I've tried to write them down as often as I can but man, it's hard to keep up! She loves Christmas time and her birthday. She loves to play outside with her neighbors. She loves to eat, lordy can she eat! She does now finally show preferences and guess what? It's pasta!! And candy! And dumplings!! Keep the purple cabbage, cinnamon and red peppers away from her plate and everything else will most likely go in! She has a wonderful palate and will almost always try something new. She loves seafood and going out to eat! She still eats so slowly and sometimes, I have to hurry her along - but she hasn't missed the school bus or a soccer practice yet!!
What I love most about age 7 is that she still wants to snuggle. We love to snuggle. It's often and soo good! 7 year olds are easy for the most part. She does a good job of taking care of her room, her body, her school work and her chores. She's so eager to help and feels so proud when she contributes! The pleasure is all mine, really! And I tell her as often as I can. She likes money a lot, but also is generous with ~ a trait I admire. There is a LOT I admire about this kid, above and beyond the regular admire-your-own-kid scale. She still shows me her survival instinct constantly. Because now at 7, she has figured out that life isn't always easy, fair or fun! She's learned a lot of life lessons at such an early age and yet, seems so willing to keep going....
It's remarkable to me that she is again so afraid of loud, sudden noises. Her reaction to them when we first came home was fear of the unknown (think blender). But as we explained things to her and warned her when we could, she quickly adapted. But now, when a low flying plane goes by or you walk past her in the bathroom when she didn't hear you coming, there can be a complete meltdown. Reassurance helps but you can just watch the wave of fear crash over her. Sometimes, she is quiet when others are discussing important matters, but you can see she is trying to comprehend and learn. The best part of her maturing at such a rapid pace is that she talks to me. She tells me what she is feeling and asks 1,000 questions about life in general.
I say she has compressed 7 years of learning into the 3 years she has been with us. It's almost like time travel. Fascinating! I have to have my seat belt fastened at all times....and I don't think that will ever change.
And no blog post would be complete without mentioning the most prized facet of all. Julee and Chelsee. They are the glue that will never, ever come undone. I am constantly in awe and it is my single most prideful achievement!!
Here are some recent pics of this precious child and her adored big sister:
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