Last week we celebrated the first anniversary of Jaina's adoption. Where did the time go? I can't believe that at this time today we were arriving home from China with our new daughter. So many new and exciting things have happened since then and the most important has been watching Jaina grow into a happy, healthy toddler. Though she still doesn't say much, she has never had any trouble communicating her needs to us. She is very comfortable with us, with her surroundings, and her place in the family. She has completely lost her fear of our lab, Plato, and even climbs into his crate with him. Bless his heart, he lets her do whatever she wants and is nothing but gentle in his old age.
We decided on early intervention to help Jaina along with her speech and she is learning sign language as well as new words, though she does not use them regularly nor does she string sentences. When she wants to get my attention she taps my leg and motions for me to go somewhere with her, or will just have a jibberish conversation--which she fully expects me to understand!
Jaina is a full-blooded all-American baby who loves pizza, kool-aid, and ice cream. I will never forget the look of wild abandon when she tasted ice cream for the very first time. That is a priceless memory as is the time she took her first steps and got into scrapes along the way. She has become very independent and me even more vigilant as she tries to push anything that isn't bolted to the floor over to the pantry to use as a step stool. She is downright scary sometimes and I have noticed my trips to the beauty salon increasing to cover the grey hairs she is starting to put on my head! The most beautiful thing that has developed in her is the sense of affection and demonstrating it to others. I love getting kisses and hugs and hearing her cry when I have to leave. She has bonded so completely with us and she is my daughter so fully, that we celebrate this first anniversary of her adoption with the knowledge that she is completely and irrevocably ours forever.
