It was in China, a year ago today, that my Hot-Shot Husband, Bee and I met our Posey. One very, very full year. In the meantime, we've been through hospitalizations, staph infections, recurring croup, sibling shenanigans, biting, co-sleeping, more biting, three unrelated visits to the ER, and - as of today - a possible viral rash.
She is upstairs right now, still co-sleeping, possibly infected with chickenpox (doesn't every happy story include that line?) asleep in her red plaid flannel nightgown, hugging her stuffed tiger.
I have called her an easy baby in the past, but that is so untrue. She is not easy. She is fairly demanding.
"Hold Posey!" she will say, stretching her hands up, and sometimes grabbing the top of your pants and pulling. If you happen to be earing pajamas, look out. Posey will pants you.
Posey is a leaner - she can bring all activity to a dead halt by simply leaning on the nearest adult. She looks up at you with a clear, smiling face that says, "Oh, just TRY to move, you amateur. How about everyone just s tand still for a few minutes, and no one gets hurt."
No, she's not easy. But she is happy.
In the morning, while we are struggling to get everyone ready for school, and Bee suddenly decides that whatever outfit we've chosen would burn her skin like acid, Posey will happily put on her own clothes. "I did it!" she says.
Of course, then she takes them right off again. It makes no sense to dress her until we are actually walking into her "classroom" at the daycare.
She's not easy, but she is happy, and that, in turn, is easier.
Smiley wrote me the other day and told me that Christmastime reminds her now of being in China, in Guangzhou as all of Shamian island was decking the halls. She reminded me of the elfin waitresses at the White Swan breakfast buffet.
It' no wonder that, this year, Posey is so excited about Santa.
And Smiley - she is expecting her own little girl right now, due to be born in January. We can't wait to see her beautiful face.
Clearly, the year has been eventful for Smiley.
And Z - well, she's now Mrs. B. She went and got hitched and everything. Eventful on that front, too.
I'm not saying we're changing lives here at Bookish Farm, but, well, you do the math.
As for our own lives, I can honestly say that I was unprepared for having two small children. It's harder than I thought, yet so, so, SO much easier than what other people experience. My kids are mostly healthy. They don't fight in a way that draws blood (yet). And they are still happy to take baths together.
But there are things I do not know how to handle. When Bee says, "My dress is prettier than hers." Or "Her dress is prettier than mine."
Or when Posey assumes authority in the house and declares us all in Time Out.
I have two daughters with strong personalities, and I'm not sure I'm up to the task. Consider this an open invitation for all you sisters in the reader ranks to tell me what worked, what didn't, how much your folks drank. Recipes, please.
