Leah

 
My newbie, Leah, is quite the character.

She's spunky and a total tease.  Leah loves to tickle and laugh and be goofy. By her second day in our home, I could take my morning break and hear the other girls laughing and running around like crazy--much, MUCH louder than they used to be.

She's independent and a leader.  She enjoys directing her sisters in play, but also can go on the balcony and play by herself for a solid hour without needing anyone else's interaction. We're working on teaching her she cannot run the house, and that toys are "hamare" (ours), not "tumhare" (hers).

Leah is creative and imaginative and very, very active.  She loves crafts, coloring, Playdoh, and stickers, and doesn't so much like sitting still and watching movies or reading books.  Leah builds walls of towers out of MegaBlocks and puts her dolly in the baby swing so she can swing her to "sleep."

She is starting to understand Telugu, but speaks only Hindi.  I can explain myself to her and she understands when I say I will return in two hours with new shoes or come back from Chennai in two days.  On the other hand, if I'm telling her to put something "upar" (up) on the top of something, she doesn't comprehend my meaning.  I was informed it's my American accent that is the problem... Six a.m. Hindi is also not my strong suit!

Leah is sensory seeking and loves learning, technology, and music.  She bobbed her head and her hands moved the whole time we were in an auto with some Tollywood music playing loudly on the speakers.  Even as I write this, she's staring at the pictures on my screen while listening to Bollywood on my earbuds.  My whole cot is shaking, she's moving so much while sitting "still" :)  Skype has become her favorite thing, and she thinks talking to the computer is great. (Side note, anytime a picture of a human is on my laptop screen, all my kids shout "Hiiiiiiiiiiii!" as they don't quite grasp the concept fully yet.)

She has some behaviors we're working on, too.  Like how we don't hit our blind sisters, and how no one likes someone else's fingers pushing on their eye sockets.  But she's improved drastically in just the week that she has been here, and I see great potential for her while she's living here.

Leah is attaching well, and seems to be quite familiar with how homes/families go.  She hasn't overeaten or eaten too quickly since she arrived, meaning that she's been well-fed for at least awhile.  She thought the overhead shower was the coolest thing ever the first night, and she begged to use the toothbrush the moment she saw it.  Leah knew how to call the workers at the bakery to get help, and seemed familiar with the whole waiter-customer relationship. (A tad too well, actually--we need to work on doing so with respect!)  She kisses me on the cheek, or pinches the little kids' cheeks to kiss them (they usually cry, as we're still working on learning how gently to push).  She's a good big sister and tries to comfort Chelsea when she's in time out and helps Angel swing "really high" in our living room.

Developmentally, Leah's a little behind at ten years old.  She colors mostly in the lines, she imitates well, her language seems a little disarticulated, and she comprehends "taking turns" in playing games. She separates by colors and even does the motions to English kids' songs with us. I have a feeling the delay might be more speech and behavior-related than an actual cognitive delay; given, I'm not exactly an expert on this area, but that's my prediction from what I've seen.

She's very much a typical girl:  loves her new dresses, and thinks her picture should be taken every time the camera is out.  Leah wants her hair done nicely, but then proceeds to make it a tragic wreck five minutes later from playing too hard.  She thought the beach was fabulous, and, just like all my other girls, thinks she needs her share every time I eat a mango.

Leah has definitely disrupted the "peacefulness" of my quiet little Faith Orange home, but she's livened it up in a beautiful way with her spunky and bright spirit.  And, the whole giving directions in Telugu, English, AND Hindi has made my mouth do a thousand tongue twisters.

But, we're so glad you're here, meri chhoti bahin.



Personal prayer request: I have a pinched nerve in my lumbar area, and it huuuuurts.  It also doesn't help that I occasionally have to lift my 12 year old with cerebral palsy, or that all of my littles want to be picked up and held when they're tearful.  Please pray for quick healing!