How Is Ada Doing?

This is a question I get a lot, so I thought I'd share.

She's doing exceptionally well. She really isn't very shy at all, but rather quiet. If she's at home, she really opens up. She comes off as extremely quiet though compared to her older siblings.

She has a smile that brightens a room. Her eyes smile just as big as her mouth. Not many people can do that, but she can. Ada is full of love. Her hugs are strong, and her kisses come with a "muah!".

She's a very happy child. She rarely gets upset. She can get a little fussy when she's tired, and she's not our dogs biggest fan, but she's working on it. She will now pet them and even kiss them, but does it more as a dare. She's still learning to trust them. Nati has really helped her with this. He takes her outside and works on her relationship with the dogs.

Ada is one of the most resourceful children I've come across. When things are being put together, she studies it and looks at it at all different angles to see how it will work. (Ex. watching Braegan put together her tricycle.) She is very interested in how things work. She also took apart my super cool stylus/pen/pencil that I use for work. We haven't figured out how to put it back together. She is very good at dressing herself, and is doing quite well with potty training.

She LOVES music. I thought Claire liked music, but Ada likes it at a whole new level. Any music comes on, and she starts grooving. She also loves to sing. (all in Amharic).

She's doing amazing in daycare. I was so nervous with this. I wanted her to be happy, but I wanted to make sure she knew who her primary caregivers were (Braegan and me), and she seems to have mastered that. She loves her teachers, but always comes to me with a big hug when I drop her off and pick her up. Her teachers are amazing and they say she is doing wonderful. They told me last week that she was playing dress up, and out of all of the outfits (princess dresses included), she chose scrubs ( just like me!). I was flattered.

She is doing very well with both Nati and Claire. She looks at Nati as a big brother that's really "cool", and Claire as a perfect play mate.

She is definitely on the girly side. She likes bows in her hair and was so excited about wearing her new shiny Sunday shoes this morning. She loves having a Daddy. Once I dress her up, she runs to him so that she can show herself off and hear from him that she is pretty.

I cannot believe how blessed we have been.

I thought I'd include a picture of Ada from Ethiopia with her special mother. (each child from Gladney has a special mother which is a caregiver that becomes a mother to the child during the wait - They become very close, and the goodbye isn't easy.) These two love each other, and I know her special mother is a big reason that Ada has done so well with us.