Her Baby Doll

When God blessed me with the most amazing of all blessings that of becoming a mommy, something inside me just took over.  There were the times I consciencely thought about what I needed to teach my children and then there were the times that teaching happened without my planning or preparing. Loving, nurturing, and touching my children just came naturally from the moment I knew I was pregnant.  Then there were the times I had to plan or think "ok so I need to teach Ethan his manners" or "I want Madelaine to know how to tie her shoes".  Hugs and kisses just seem to happen without any planning (much to my 5 year olds dismay) no matter where we are or what we are doing.  It has been that way since the day my children were born.  For Carrington (as well as our other little ones who were adopted) that was not the case.  Even before Carrington was born, from what we have been told of her birth mom, she never experienced the natural feelings of love nor the incredible effects of a nurturing individual.  If you look at many children today who never experienced that they go through unnecessary pain and struggles.  We know that Carrington has a bit of an uphill journey laid out before her but we want her to have love and encouragement to not only strengthen who she is but also for her to share with others.  This is an instance in which we have to make a bit more of a conscience effort to help her.  How I mean this is not that we have to think "gee we need to give Carrington a kiss" or "have I hugged her the required amount of times today?', instead it is more of helping her to overcome the hurt and pain that was inflicted upon her with the absence of such love.  

Each day that poor little girl is showered by millions of hugs and kisses and that is just by me.  Can you imagine how many she must get when you start adding in Daddy and 6 other siblings?!  Well, I want to begin to show Carrington how to give that love as well.  Yes, she is still so very young in terms of her development but this is not something that you teach for a chapter than move on to next subject so it will take time.  

Carrington is now the proud mommy of her very first baby doll.  Last night we gave Carrington one of those little cloth like baby dolls to play with.  She is just now discovering toys and really beginning to play with them so we wanted to be sure to give her a dolly so she can learn how to play.  I hugged the dolly and rocked her back and forth to show Carrington how to love her dolly.  Then I put her dolly next to her in bed and was just talking to her about her dolly.  I have found that Carrington is paying more and more attention to my voice and facial expressions so I was sure to show her lots of smiles. Carrington looked at the dolly and looked back at me.  I know that inside her little body is a mind that is just ready to be immersed in learning and growing.  We are seeing signs that the damage the doctors feared from her severe lack of malnutrition may not have been permanent so we have been encouraged to just keep teaching her with lots of love and repetition.  Only God knows what my Princess will be able to do as she grows but I truly believe with all of my heart and mind that God will equip me to teach her not only with material things but with the knowledge to do so.  Each of my children learns in a different way (which makes home schooling so much more fun) and Carrington is no exception.  I am loving the fact that I get to learn as my children learn!  If someone asks me what is the best part of being a mom I like to say "learning and discovering who my children are each and every day"!!

Carrington just wrapped her arm around her dolly while trying to figure out who just entered her castle(a.k.a crib)

"Is this my new little brother?"

It looks like she is giving her dolly kisses.  I think she has how to do that quite well since our whole family kisses her like a billion times a day.

ma