Another milestone

As a mom, I look forward to and enjoy each milestone that my kids conquer: first step, first tooth, first day of school and so on. Well, although it may not be a typical milestone, Allison has conquered another one - she has officially spent more of her life with us than she did at the SWI. I'm not quite sure why this milestone has been such a big deal to me, but it has. Sometimes I can't help but think about my daughter's life in the SWI, being one of many children fighting for affection in a less than ideal environment and waiting to get the attention that every child needs and deserves. It's not something I dwell on, but as her mother it's something that I can't forget. Thankfully, as more time passes, I think about her previous life less often; however, I still can't look at the pictures that were taken of her while in the orphanage, it's just too heart-breaking.

Every child handles/digests their environment differently, and Allison didn't thrive well in the SWI. She came from a small orphanage, which is decent for SWI standards, but she left there a weak and nervous little girl. But no longer is that the largest part of her life, she has now spent more time being rocked to sleep, having her boo-boos kissed, playing with fun toys, reading books, exploring the outdoors and being loved unconditionally. She has been our daughter for most of her life. She is now an energetic, super-silly, smart, inquisitive (nosey) typical 19 month old girl. I know that the fun-loving girl she is today is a reflection of our nearly 10 months together.