A year ago today, we met our little Flora Jiwen in Nanjing. I should note that our poor girl was scared and hungry and angry and feverish and pretty inconsolable on that day. But as it turns out, as it often turns out, that first meeting was not indicative of her general personality!
What a year it has been. From that first meeting with Flora, I don't think anything we've experienced this year has gone as we imagined it would. We've needed to improvise and compromise and revise our ideas and plans and lives repeatedly throughout the year. And we're still doing it! I think that's just how life is.
Don't get me wrong, there have been some challenging and difficult things this year, but a lot of great changes too. So many good and amazing things have happened this year. And Flora, she is the best and most amazing thing of all. What a kid. I think about all that she has gone through this year - a new family, a whole new culture and language, a surgery, and so much more, on top of the usual changes any one-year-old goes through to become a two-year-old. And she has done it all with such a strong sense of joy and love and light intact.
Oh, I love this girl. She's a real "mama's girl" these days. She watches my every move, stretches when I stretch, sighs when I sigh. She wants to be with me all the time (which can be extremely exhausting indeed, but seems to be where she's at). She has taken to wearing a little tiny shoulder bag just like mama's everywhere - she insists upon it whenever we leave the house. She makes me laugh every day - every day. Something about her sense of humor really resonates with me. She's a real slapstick girl. And she is totally and utterly enamored with her "MA!" at the moment, which is just heart-meltingly sweet.
She's grown so much this year - from a little peanut who could not crawl to a strong and tall stair-climbing, couch-jumping, fast running, puddle-splashing, wild and crazy and very agile girl. Her little legs were so thin when we met her and now they are strong and muscular. Lars is good at tapping into Flora's physical, rough and tumble side, and Flora thrives on the goofy games they play together, like "run from one room to the next and then back again" or "Daddy is a trampoline" or "Chase me into the other room." But don't think that's all he does, no! He's an expert diaper changer, book reader, clothes picker outer etc. My husband is a wonderful father to our girls, and Flora is realizing that more and more. Things with Lars were rockier from the start - poor daddy was not, um, Flora's favored parent. It's been a gradual process, requiring a lot of patience from all involved, but she has grown to absolutely adore her "DA!" and I think no one makes her laugh harder than he does.
Her other big influence around here is her big sister! After a seemingly endless period of antipathy and limited interest, Flora eventually realized that her jie-jie is a fascinating person full of good ideas and plenty of hugs and kisses. Oh, Hazel. One year into big sisterhood, I've been so impressed with Hazel's patience and persistence with Flora - her willingness to keep trying even through those months that she wasn't getting a whole hell of a lot of love back. Sure, sure, sure it's been hard sometimes for these two girls getting used to sisterhood (and for their parents too, ahem). But sisters they are, unequivicolly, and ever more devotedly. When we pick Hazel up from school, Flora rushes into Hazel's classroom and gives her sister a huge smile and a huge kiss. Whenever Hazel has a snack or treat, she sweetly feeds Flora as much as she wants - even giving her the last bite. They cuddle on the couch, they read books together, they play, Hazel changes Flora's diaper and gets her dressed, they scream with joy together, they make each other laugh. I'll hear from the other room, "Mama look, come see, Flora's giving me a hug!" or "Flora's resting her head on my lap!" They delight in each other, even when they bicker and grump. Sisters. My girls.
And Flora has been an influence on all of us as well, as we have gotten to know her personality and watched her develop to the hilarious, strong-willed, salty and sweet little toddler she is today. She has made our lives so much richer, busier, funnier and more joyful. We've improvised around her needs, and she has adjusted to our routines and quirks as well. We are now, a year later, so utterly a family. Four people, each different in our way and each sharing similarities cultivated under our little roof. We four share our lives, our fun and play and grumpiness and stories and time and love love love.
Happy Family Day to my whole wondrous family. And Flora Jiwen, little Floof, how lucky we are to have you.
