Yesterday, I took Dalia to Munford House at Middlebury College -- where I work and share space with the most thoughtful, interested, generous, and fun colleagues. It was so good to see everyone, and Dalia loved being there! Mike came out with a special box... and gave it to her. Earlier she found the gnome that had been resting in the fake orange plant since Susan Veguez departed; Gnome is now on our dining room table (see photo from tonight at dinner). Rolling man with a huge mouth was a treat, as was a Midd Kid ball from Jennifer Q, twisty colorful wooden blocks from Jen B, lots of laughing and playing. I hated to pull her away.
Someone said, "you should just teach her a third language!" She has been picking up a lot of words in English but se doesn't try to say the Chinese words that I say to her. I hope that someday she will learn some Chinese and my speaking to her will make the learning easier in some way, or feel like something to which she is connected.
She says, "uh-oh," and is learning her versions of nose, eye, hair, ear, hello, goodbye, and Charley, the name of our dog.
Since she's into everything, and there are times when I need to stop her from doing something, she is hearing the word "no" a lot. I am trying to teach it to her by telling her "no" in a serious way when she does something "wrong". Usually she ends up squinting her eyes, smiling, and leaning forward at me, which just makes me laugh and want to hug her. The other day, she picked up the canvas carrier we use to bring in wood for the woodstove which had a pile of woodchips and sawdust inside. She twirled it around, scattering the mess everywhere. I ran over and said, "no, no, no." She walked away, then went back, picked it up, smiled, swung it around, and said "lo, lo, lo." Then laughed and laughed.
The "l" sound and "n" sounds are new for her -- she doesn't make an "n" sound very well yet. Now she uses the word "lo" for "no" in the right context -- except that she says it when she knows she is doing something naughty, "lo, lo, lo."
"Lo" in Hebrew means "No."
She is such a happy girl, laughing, talking, making faces and sounds. Today, when I took her to the doctor, she went running into the office where several women were working. Then running down the hall, smiling and laughing. Her doctor said, "I like her attitude." Then, later, "Where did she come from?" I often wonder this myself in amazement, as I think, "Is she really here forever? Is she really our daughter?"
Sunday night, we went to hear Brad Corrigan, Midd '96, former member of the band Dispatch, speak to the Middlebury Women's lacrosse team about his foundation, Lacrosse the Nations. Lacrosse the Nations teaches lacrosse and other sports to disadvantaged children around the world. Brad has taken LTN to the Managua, Nicaragua city dump, where an entire community lives. Dalia walked into Kenyon Lounge and Brad was standing right there. He took the green LTN bracelet off of his wrist and gave it to her. Thanks, Brad! On the way into the athletic complex, she saw the bronze Panther and roared out her best "rarrrrrr!" while future Middlebury students and their parents were having a tour. Go, Little Panther! www.lacrossethenations.org
Tomorrow we attend the Cleft Lip and Palate clinic sponsored by the State of Vermont, Dept of Children with Special Needs. We'll get a glimmer into what the immediate future holds for little D medically. Next surgery on July 12th for her soft palate.
No comments:
Post a Comment