One Month Home

Wynn came home a month ago today.  She continues to show her personality, little by little, as she hides less.  She is impatient, easily frustrated, shy, and immensely generous.

At the Chinese Culture House, she answered direct questions directed to her in Mandarin, but briefly, and did not speak otherwise.  She did say that she would rather have her English lessons at my clinic, rather than me driving her to the teacher.  I thought that was a good sign of her growing comfort level in our family places.  English lessons start next Tuesday.

We bought a Besta translator.  We were having so many times when google translate was not helpful enough.  (What does, "Do you have the two tickets for the day before Halloween," mean?  It means, "Do you know where the sticker sheets went that I picked out at the Halloween store two weeks ago?"  And who knew that "Where is water wash?" means, "Dad, help me find fingernail polish remover?")  She was excited for the new translator to arrive, but when it came out of the box, she didn't know how to use it.  We couldn't help her right away because it's all in Chinese, and we had to look up online how to get the menus to English before we could even begin.  After all the time that took, she was not impressed.  (And it's true that it is not nearly as easy to use as an iPad app, but I hope for clearer communication over ease of use.)  She said, emphatically, on the iPad, "I am not at all satisfied."  Then, she went downstairs and noisily thumped some things around for a while.  Then, she came back up while I was washing dishes with "Please follow me to" on the iPhone.  I followed her as requested, and at the bottom of the stairs (out of sight of family), she pulled out the translator, on which she had prepared and apology for her "bad temper" and said she wished to be harmonious.  Sweet girl.  I told her I can't imagine how frustrating it is to not be understood.  Believe me, I want to understand and help.  And bad temper is always forgiven.

She was a bit overstimulated at the Jump N Party.  She said several times that the play was too "mad" for her.  She could not be enticed to jump or slide, even by the little 'uns.  But she did take the translator and told her Auntie, "Come play often."  Made my day, and Auntie's day too, I think!

Wynn using translator.  (Picture courtesy of Grandma.  Wynn still says no to photos - and while I really want some, I  have told her I will not take any without permission, and I am not going to burn that trust.)