The one-year anniversary of Elena's adoption is fast approaching, as I noted a little while ago. That's got me thinking about how things have changed over the course of the last almost-year. How Elena's grown taller, for example. Or how her experiences have broadened.
We went to a new restaurant last night. New to Elena, but also new to Teresa and me. The Green Dot Stables, a place here in Detroit that opened fairly recently. Elena's been going to restaurants for a little while now, and she's usually pretty good (as she was last night). She actually likes going to restaurants quite a bit; she's unduly impressed by people bringing her food. She even incorporates the "baby waitress" part into her play at home, bringing us pretend food and clearing away the "dirty" dishes afterward.
She's less easily overstimulated than she was a year or so ago, as we bring her more places and she gets more used to loud, open spaces. One of the first times we felt comfortable enough to bring her to a restaurant at all was around Easter, when we went to a family dinner. The restaurant then was large and noisy and very busy, just the place not to bring an easily overstimulated toddler. However, Elena lasted for a whole hour-and-a-half, which was actually quite encouraging.
Since then, we've brought her to more places, and she's more used to the bustle; she generally has no problem sitting through the meal (although I think there's likely a time limit on her patience). It's good training for her, I think, to sit and watch in a busy place. Orphanage kids tend to be easily overstimulated, as they're used to a quiet and repetitive schedule. Elena was no exception, but bringing her out and about has significantly eroded her tendency to be overstimulated. The first few times, she insisted on getting down and walking around, but by now she's generally content staying seated for a reasonable amount of time.
She still get fidgety, but not a lot. That's a pretty significant shift from nearly a year ago. Part of the shift is because she's a year older, but I think she's now more comfortable going places, and more comfortable being part of a family.
We went to a new restaurant last night. New to Elena, but also new to Teresa and me. The Green Dot Stables, a place here in Detroit that opened fairly recently. Elena's been going to restaurants for a little while now, and she's usually pretty good (as she was last night). She actually likes going to restaurants quite a bit; she's unduly impressed by people bringing her food. She even incorporates the "baby waitress" part into her play at home, bringing us pretend food and clearing away the "dirty" dishes afterward.
She's less easily overstimulated than she was a year or so ago, as we bring her more places and she gets more used to loud, open spaces. One of the first times we felt comfortable enough to bring her to a restaurant at all was around Easter, when we went to a family dinner. The restaurant then was large and noisy and very busy, just the place not to bring an easily overstimulated toddler. However, Elena lasted for a whole hour-and-a-half, which was actually quite encouraging.
Since then, we've brought her to more places, and she's more used to the bustle; she generally has no problem sitting through the meal (although I think there's likely a time limit on her patience). It's good training for her, I think, to sit and watch in a busy place. Orphanage kids tend to be easily overstimulated, as they're used to a quiet and repetitive schedule. Elena was no exception, but bringing her out and about has significantly eroded her tendency to be overstimulated. The first few times, she insisted on getting down and walking around, but by now she's generally content staying seated for a reasonable amount of time.
She still get fidgety, but not a lot. That's a pretty significant shift from nearly a year ago. Part of the shift is because she's a year older, but I think she's now more comfortable going places, and more comfortable being part of a family.
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