The Big Thaw

The Big Thaw...

This winter seemed longer then usual. The storms were shorter but colder and icier. I kept hoping for an old fashioned Nor'easter but it was not meant to be this year. There was not one snow fall that produced enough "play" snow. The kind that might spark a snowball fight, building a giant snow man family in the front yard or was suitable for a sleigh ride. Sounds unbelievable doesn't it? Yeah I had a hard time explaining it to Tamara as well.

Picture you're putting you 4 year old to bed. You tell her "When you wake up we'll have snow.. we can build a snowman" Oh boy did she get excited. In the morning you discover you only have a few inches of snow covered with several inches of ice. And it's only 14 degrees and windy. She wakes up ... looks out the window and all she sees is snow. Every thing is white and pretty and look there's a spot for my snowman. It took a while to convince her that it wasn't such a good idea after all. One day I actually picked her up walked out onto the front porch so she can see what mommy means by too cold. As quickly as we stepped out she was ready to come back in again. At least that put an end to the constant and consistent nagging to go out an play. I refuse to argue with a 4 year old and as we all know reasoning with them is not always effective.

So this year she only wore her snow boots a few times which was disappointing. Her snow suit once. And her Lillian Vernon snowman kit is still new in the box.

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Below Tamara explores her first puddle. Seriously. There was a break in the cold one day in February. We took her for a walk and let her putter around in puddles.

Sounds so exciting doesn't it?

Mommy my shoes are wet

Doing what kids do

She still LOVES her shades

Cool .. the water moves when I walk

What did you say Mommy?

During our walk... "Come Daddy"

Love this picture.. she looks so small walking with Daddy.

Back home it's time to change. All that puddle jumping got her pants wet.

Time to play with her Tigger game.

Playing Dentist with her doll's (they have matching ones) flash light.

Open up Mommy.

Tamara seems to have a passion for helping people. She has consistently shown an interest in medicine. If I had to pick a career for her today I would have to say a Pediatrician. As she loves babies, children and yes her Dr. Some how she seems to understand that Drs. help people. This week when I took her in for a shot as we pulled into the parking lot she said "Mama Ouch" holding her arm. I said "Yes... small Ouch... but we have to do it so you stay healthy." She was ok with that. She happily went into the office. Greeted the staff. Started playing with a 6 year old boy that was in the waiting room. The boy told us he wanted to be a Dr. I asked him what kind .. he didn't know yet. I told him that Tamara wanted to be a Dr. too. "Maybe you two could start a practice together?" "Hum... I don't know about that" replied "I don't know what a practice is... I'll have to ask my mother first" lol. He then brought over a play Drs. kit. Took Tamara's blood pressure although he couldn't get the cuff on correctly. After that it was Tamara's turn. She put the BP cuff on perfectly... pumped up the cuff... checked her watch and nodded "OK" with a big smile.

Once inside the examination room .. she was pleasant.. agreeable and held her own arm for the shots.. yes there were 2.

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Yesterday we watched a Shirley Temple film that Aunt Olga had loaned us. I totally forgot that little Shirley for some reason played an orphan in most of her pictures. Everything was fine and Tamara enjoyed the show until this horrific scene where the little girl is taken... actually ripped out of the arms of this old light house keepers arms. The movie ends on a happy note as you would expect of Shirley's movies but that scene stayed with her for hours. She suddenly became very weepy and wouldn't let me out of her sight. Not even to go to the mailbox with Daddy. By dinner time she had pretty much come out of her little funk stage. Thank goodness.. we've never had her respond that way before. So it was a little freaky. So there are two more movies to the series. And for a split second I thought.. ok.. if she sees Shirley in 2 other movies maybe she'll understand that it is only make believe? And then I thought.. NO she might think this poor little girl... they always take her away from the people she loves.

I find I have to remind myself from time to time that she is adopted and what she has endured during her first 3-1/2 years. She's adjusted so well to us, our family and our way of life.. but we have to beware that underneath this cute little girl is hyper sensitive to situations that might reflect back to experiences she's had or perhaps fears may happen to her. Acceptance, stability and structure are all very important to her.

I actually watched a few hours of movies taken in Tbilisi the other night. Something I really haven't done before. Movies of our first night together, the foster home, the baby house visit. Movies she will not see for years but movies Mommy and Daddy need to watch once in a while to remind us how truly incredible her progress has been.

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So last night getting ready for bed I noticed a deer tick crawling on her leg. She played ball with Daddy in the back yard earlier in the day. Mommy of course freaked. Got the "thing" off. Disposed of it and checked her thoroughly for any other invaders. Followed with a Bubble bath. and an unscheduled linen change. Yup... ticks freak me out.. especially when it come to Tamara. This is the 2nd tick episode we've had with her. Last fall I found one that had just attached himself. Eeeek! Time for some chemical warfare out back.. time to call in the professionals. Obviously the deer fencing and home gardeners tick control products are just not enough.

Tamara enjoying her Bubble Bath.

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Much.. much.. more to come. Stay tuned.

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