A Lover & a Fighter

Rainer is a lover. He is constantly, randomly, exclaiming, "I just loves ya, Mama!" and "I really, really love you!"

He won't let anyone leave without kisses and hugs for everyone. Included kisses and hugs for yourself.

During the day he or I will say to the other, "Guess what?" "What?" the other will say. To which one replies, "I love you and I like you."It's become our little catchphrase and we've even written a song for it.

As a result of this love fest, Georgia has learned how to really pucker up when she kisses. For her part, anytime you enter a room she will say, "Hi, Mom!" or "Hi, Dad!" and give a little wave. And the once aloof little lady has become a full-body hugger. She's a lover, too.

She's also a fighter.

It's true, she is much happier lately. In general. It is SUCH a relief. DS stereotypes be damned, because my gal is not always happy. Though, thankfully, she is getting happier. Calmer. More relaxed.

I love watching her when she doesn't realize anyone is looking. She has a curious way of interacting with the world, though she gets so frustrated with things. Today, at a friend's house, she was setting up a drum set. She was trying to fix the kick stand for the bass drum because it had fallen over. She tried about ten times, but just couldn't get it to sit right. If it was upright it was facing the wrong direction, if it was facing the right direction it was upside down. Eventually she just knocked the whole drum set over and walked away, like the best impersonation of a badass drummer at the finale of a set.

I can see how, if you didn't see what led up to the destruction, one might think she was simply being impulsive, or a brute. But she's FRUSTRATED. I don't know if it's the lack of fine motor coordination, sensory dysfunction, or, more than likely, a combination of factors, but she has a very difficult time with these seemingly simply tasks. And it infuriates her. I totally understand it. I would be mad, too.

That's why, when I am spying on her, say through the little window in the door to her religious education class, and I see her knock a chair over five times, and then each time diligently pick it back up (in itself no small task) to try and push it under the table again (even though it keeps getting over turned when the little feet get stuck on the low rug), I can't help but feel my heart in my throat while doing a little rah-rah-you-can-do-it cheer inside my head while I watch her.

I've been noticing that I've had a few more victory dances lately when I get witness her accomplish these not-so-little tasks.She's building upon her skills, and starting to want to perservere more. She's trying and trying again. She is the little engine that could personified.

She's a tough cookie that one. She doesn't always get the credit she deserves. She can be very misunderstood. She's been called stubborn, willful, impulsive, destructive, impatient.

But the more her patience grows, the more I get to see that she's kicking ass and taking names.

Comments

[Erin]

Miles gets super frustrated too, and I'm still figuring out how to help/encourage him to have more patience or at least ask for help, but maybe it's just something that comes with time. Classic example is he won't be able to get a cap back on a marker and after several attempts will throw ALL the markers all over the room. But it used to just be one attempt, so I think he's making progress....

[Alison]

Biffle and I were talking about this very frustration in regards to Maybelle the other day. It's not impatience--it's tough to try and try and not be able to get something to work, particularly if your peers seem to do it easily!