Getting started...

As some of you know, I am writing THE BOOK on our adoption process. I have committed to an hour a day of writing, more if the inspiration is there. Some of my old posts from LJ are going into THE BOOK and will help define/write chapters, etc. I will be posting snippets from what I write each day as I would love to hear what you have to say about what I am writing.

Now, I am not asking you to be my editors, rather, I am asking for your comments on the feel of the text and if you want to know more. A lot of the books we read ventured into “too much information-land” and we don’t want to do that. Nor do we want to leave you scratching your head wondering what we were thinking.

So here's what I wrote this morning:
I was putting up the Christmas tree in our attic last year and Anna was busy playing and half watching Cailou on television. Anna and I have the ability to be in the room together and do our separate things without being in each other’s space, even back then as a two year old. We play a Marco Polo of sorts, it’s our version of sonar and it helps me keep in touch with her without being obtrusive. So as we pinged our comments back and forth to each other, we both carried on with the tasks at hand.

Me: Hey look, it’s one of Papa’s former student’s ornaments, isn’t it pretty?

Anna: Cailou is playing outside now

Me: Do you like Bugs Bunny?

Anna: Cailou has a coat on.

Me: Look, it’s Tinky Winky!

Anna: Cailou has a Mommy.

Great silence in the room. I go about my business.

Anna: Cailou has a Daddy.

More crickets chirping, I break out in a cold sweat.

Anna: Cailou has a Mommy and Daddy.

I put down the Yukon Cornelius ornament that I was about to hang up and gather my thoughts. I calmly ask, “What does Anna have?” and she responds as only a two year old can:

Anna has Daddy and Papa.

And she got a big smile on her face and went on with whatever she was doing. I broke out in tears and rushed over to give her the biggest hug I have ever given her. We had been asked how we would talk to Anna about her family structure, and we shared our home study ready answers with whoever asked. As teachers, we tend to over think just about everything in our lives, this being no different. It took a simple cartoon on television to show me that kids are really in tune, regardless of their age. I used to think that toddlers and babies were pretty much lumps, but now I realize that they aren’t lumps, but rather sponges, taking in everything in their environment.