Much better and a fun time

A combination of parents that are more aware of Alissa's trigger points and a child that has just grown in leaps and bounds emotionally over the last 8 months led to a good trip to see the grandparents. She had a harder time on our trip to see friends but even then she did really well. She tried to open up to the new people we were introducing her to, and had few real panic attacks.

Alissa had a great time learning about the easter bunny and finding eggs. This dress was my dress when I was little:) She got so many compliments on it, which my mom and I thought was pretty funny. We also talked a bit about Jesus with her, but we decided this wasn't the year to talk about the details so we just celebrated Jesus's life and saying thank-you. We decorated cookies and eggs. We had a picnic and flew kites and chased bubbles. Alissa got to ride on a kids train with Grandma and BIG NEWS she caught her first fish..... Yes, it was a little sunfish, but she didn't care. The shrieks of delight melted her grandpa's heart. Can't you see the little fish in the picture?

In Austin, there is a tradition of taking a picture of your kids in the bluebells at Easter time. The funny thing is that the "best" bluebells tend to be on the sides of roads or the median of highways. People just pull their cars over, jump out and take their pictures. I thought my parents had lost it, but indeed people were doing this everywhere. Now that we have the pictures I can see why this is a tradition. Aren't they the cutest kids....

Technical Transition Info--

On another front, Alissa has started wearing underwear to bed this week and has been successful each morning. Potty training had been so difficult the end of 2009 that we had decided not to worry so much about night time. However, we started getting her up at night this past month. Poor thing used to be sooo scared when we got her up. A combination of the PTSD and probably not being allowed to get out of her bed when the lights were out at the orphanage. We seem to have worked through some of this. We started reading a book, I'll love you forever and if I sing this song while getting her up it calms her down and I think helps her emotionally know where her physical self is.

She is now fully integrated into her preschool class and says hi and bye to her friends using their names. She plays with them, participates in the activities, etc. We enrolled her in the Audubon program again for next year for 1/2 day every day. Summer is coming up and we have had to find different programs for her since her preschool is just a school year program. So we are trying a combination of similar things and then an outdoor type day camp where she will go with her brother. We're keeping our fingers crossed that she is ready for some of this. We think she is with the proper support. She can't wait to go horseback riding and swimming at camp!

We still see panic attacks related to the PTSD, she is still testing, she is working through allowing her brother to have some level of positive attention without trying to punish him, she still NEEDS whatever someone else has or is doing. But, she has come so far. Just yesterday she said she didn't want to play she just wanted to snuggle and play tickle. WOW. Her language is amazing, her interaction with people she knows is full and trusting. She is practicing being calm and relaxing herself. Most importantly she is TRYING so hard to grow and learn. Every day I'm amazed what she is learning and doing.