03 March 2007

Winning the grandparents

"She is such a hand full."
"Does she ever sit down?"
"Why is she so curious?"
"Where do you find the energy?"
"Where do you find the patience?"
"I couldn't stand it."
"Why did you go and have another child when you were done already?"

My inlaws managed to get past preliminary greetings and onto the jucier topic of our Julia within 5 minutes of our arrival. And Julia was being incredibly well behaved!! She was exploring the house, but she had also greeted her grandpa (for the first time) with a hello and a big hug, and had gone searching for her grandma who was in another room. Julia, not daunted in the least by their reaction, found the candy dish and brought pieces back for all of us, and then snuggled between grandma and grandpa on the couch. No matter what her behavior on any day, there is no question about whether our 6 month home daughter wants a family and will make herself part of ours.

There is no way to explain 'another child' sometimes, especially a child who is not a cuddly little bundle wrapped in soft pastel but a spicy dragon girl whose enthusiasm overflows.

They were still dubious when they took us all to dinner at a Florida Deli. Julia prounced the chicken soup "so good" and thanked everyone who had anything to do with her dinner. She dutifully tasted Daddy's fish, Grandma's chicken, and ate all of the grapes out of Mommy's salad. She inhaled two black and white cookies after the meal and managed not to clutch the second one while she ate the first. It was a late meal for her and after a day of traveling she was tired and antsy, but Julia sat pretty quietly through most of the meal, coloring on the kids' menu and ocasionally climbing into her mom or dad's lap. The waiter decided he wanted to adopt from China.

"I guess you missed the love of a little girl."

Okay, this is not unconditional grandparental love being declared but compared to the negative feedback we have received from these grandparents, we are definitely making progress. She has a way, our Julia, of asking for and getting what she wants. She has a fountain of love inside of her (and we have so little idea of where it comes from or who fed it before we arrived in her life) that she is so so very willing to share with those she wants in her circle. And I am very proud and happy that she decides each day to share it with us. Now, just wait until she sings Happy Birthay, Grandpa tomorrow night.

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