Blossoming This Spring

The Jr. Daffodil Parade - Treya's first parade ever.

In spite of our unseasonably cold weather, spring continues it’s attempt to arrive. With a glimpse here and there of new growth, comes the promise that the sunshine will grace us with it’s presence at some point. Until then, we remain focused on the small changes we see from day to day, much the same way we focus on the small changes we see in our ever settling family.

I have this identical photo of Devi at her first parade too!

Nothing like licking the beaters!

While changing into our pjs one night, I noticed that the grafted skin on Treya’s had had turned unnaturally dark...the color of my brown leather slip-ons, to be precise. Why these small states of panic only happen at bed time or on the weekends, I’ll never know, but such was the case yet again. After turning our den upside down, I finally found the phone number for the surgical resident on call at Children’s hospital. For what seemed like the next hour, we tried our best to describe over the phone what the skin looked like, while simultaneously photographing Treya’s fingers attached to one small arm that never seems to hold still. In the end, the surgical resident calmed our nerves by ruling out rejection of the skin and infection - the two big evils. Further concluding the following day, that it appears that there was too much moisture under the new skin and that a few “dry” days should help the grafted skin “pink up”. So far, that has not happened, but the confident doctors are not concerned and we are following their lead as we watch in amazement, as her new finger continues to heal and become more viable in it’s function.

March 7th - the day before surgery. Our hands how they used to look.

After surgery Treya wears a cast for 3 weeks from armpit to fingertips.

March 29th, the cast is removed and a new pinkie finger is born! Note the line draw between her middle fingers is still there showing where the doctors contemplated the separation before deciding to wait.

No cast, but 6 weeks of wearing this brace.

Now healed, but the grafted skin on the inside of the 4th and 5th fingers remains dark in color. The middle two fingers will be separated in about 1 more month to give her 5 fingers on each hand.

At Coffee time and story time.

Just as spring blossoms bring an explosion of color, so has Treya experienced an explosion of vocabulary, mimicking everything that we say. Introducing our newest family member to our silly car games has us once again yelling out “forsythia” whenever we see a bright yellow bush, one of the first plants to come alive after a cold winter. To this Treya yells “ti-ti-ta!” and manages to yell it at appropriate times, actually recognizing the plant in question.

The small single width tunnel we drive through near our home requires the driver to sound the horn to alert oncoming traffic that someone is coming. Naturally, one horn blast is never enough for us, so the driver will sound the horn every time a child yells a little encouragement. It took us a long time to realize that what Treya was yelling, which sounded like “apple core” was really her proclamation “Honk the horn!” screamed repeatedly at least a full city block in advance.

Translation of other common Treya words are boop (book), pea-pudge (garbage), babewy (strawberry), daughter (water), ah-wa-vew (I love you), tuit-tea (cookie). When ever we are talking about shoes or coats we are getting ready to go somewhere so Treya's word for what we put on our feet is "twos-on" and our outer wear is, you guessed it, "tote-on". There is a bit of confusion over daddy and Devi. Daddy is “daddy” and Devi is “deddy”, with just a slight change in pronunciation. This has both of them confused as to whom she is speaking, making conversations at times, very difficult to follow.

With the most sincere and serious expression, she loves to sing. Instead of singing lyrics, however, she swoons heartfelt sounds for the words, similar to the popular Sing-A-Ma-Jig dolls, where depressing their tummies moves their lips and a sound comes out. It is hilarious and have to bite my cheeks to keep from laughing at her. Eyes, Burp and Amen are about the only words that are recognizable to everyone and to that I say...Amen!

Dev and daddy moved her groove things at the Grand Floral Parade while Treya and I, under the weather stayed home.

Devi brings a refreshing perspective to our adult world of logic, with questions like, “Momma, can a girl be a monk?” or “India is so crowded, why have so many people decided to live there?” As an adult, I can honestly say, I’ve never pondered either of those thoughts. She also noticed as Pat bent down one day that he had gray hair. "Daddy, you have gray hair. Are you old?" Daddy corrected, "It makes me look distinguished." Devi retorted, "No daddy, you're old because you have wrinkles too." "I don't have wrinkles!" daddy said defensively. "Yes you do...on your knees and elbows!"

We all ready get the answer, “I don’t remember” when I ask about preschool activities or what she had for lunch, but occasionally she’ll share a bit about her complicated day. For instance, one day she and another girl had to collect leaves - that were really paper bills - to give to another girl so that she would be nice to them. I kid you not! At 4 years of age this stuff is all ready popping up and sparked a lengthy conversation about the meaning of friendship. Thankfully, those occasions are rare and we are more likely to her hear that she and a little boy friend were pretending to be horses. Devi was “Crystal” and he was “Spider” and they were making wood chip birthday cakes for their foals. (Thank goodness the questions of how those foals magically appeared have not come into play!)

Purse strap slung over one shoulder and with a sophisticated look upon her face, she approached Pat and I one day saying, “Bye, I’m going to go visit my boyfriend!” Playing along we said, “Bye, don’t stay out too late.” “Late?” she questioned, never considering that one would visit a friend at any time other than the day time. I inquired, “Where are you going on your date?” She replied, “Date? What’s a date?” After an explanation she said, “Come on Treya, let’s go” I asked, “Is Trey your chaperon?” She asked, “What is a chaperon?” I told her, a chaperon is the person that you always bring on a date to keep you company. That way you always have someone around to talk with."Yep, I'm never gonna leave Treya home when I have a date." To this I say....good girl!

As she walked away satisfied, I have to admit I was shocked. Normally so focused on the bigger picture, I sometimes miss the small changes...the buds forming - our buds - beginning to blossom. The signs that our baby girls are growing up are everywhere.

Stickers from a pirate...nothing says "parade" like a pirate!