Airport Day

Julia and I are in Chicago waiting for our flight to Madison. We are both so happy to be going home. Julia not only really missed her Daddy, her dog, her toys, and her home but she has been talking about it for days. I don't know if she felt this way before when we travelled and she is just now able to talk about it -- all the time -- or if this is the first time that she has missed home so much. I know it has something to do with David not being with us, but it is more than daddy that she misses. Julia also grew much closer to Cheshire during this week, and by the time Cheshire left to go home to Brooklyn yesterday, Julia did not want her to go.

Yesterday, after we dropped Ches off at the train -- love that PATH -- Julia and I went up to the hospital to help my mother transfer to a short term nursing home where she will be for 10 days or so while she finishes her radiation treatment. The transfer took a long time and we did not leave the hospital until after 7, did not sit down to supper until almost 8. During that time, my mother had many needs, and Julia was about as cooperative as you could ever imagine an 8 year old to be. She did not complain or whine. She was relatively quiet -- she chattered off and on and did disturb one very ill, very old lady. I apologized to the woman, tried to explain that Julia was only 8 which she did not at all understand. Then I pleaded with Julia to be quieter and she did try. Julia watched Animal Planet, played with clay and drew, with a bit of looking -- "reading" -- at books.

I marvel at how she was able to regulate and control herself when I was unable to attend to her. If my mother had been the same way, the day may have gone easier.

It was a long one.

Today, in the morning at Newark Airport, Julia did manage a bit of a melt down. We were sitting waiting the long wait; she was playing with her toys when she noticed a little boy across from us with a game boy. Julia is very interested in computer toys and she wanted to go over and watch him play. The boy was uncomfortable with Julia and so I called her back. She was very angry! I tried calming her down but she hit me and I grabbed her into a holding position. It took her a very long time to calm down. I had her in a way that she could not hurt me, and so she was able to shout and yell, and then to spit at me. We told stories, sang, and tried breathing. I asked Julia to let go of her anger and she understood what I meant and DID NOT WANT TO DO IT. We had lots of time and so we just kept with it until Julia could tell me that she was no long angry, would not hurt me with arms, legs, words, or spitting. It was a bit hard, and in public, but I am very glad that we can stick with this. Something is changing in her.

Julia has been asked questions during this week away and she is more likely to answer them than ever before. The questions are all simple, name, home, grade, etc. And most of the time now, she tries to answer. She is not always apt to look at the asker, but she answers.