Recently, I have been less positive on our Belle. Developmentally, she had a good fall but winter has been different. I feel as though she is withdrawing from her sisters. She used to be in the mix and try to do what they do, but now she doesn't show interest and does her own thing. Her own thing would be great if it didn't always involve trying to find Mommy to hold her.
Adeline would like it best if I were reading her books. Great, you might say, "She likes books." Well, it is different than just liking books. She likes the same books over and over again doesn't finish the sentences like a typical 2.5 year old would do. She also should be engaging in her world differently, not doing the same things she was doing four months ago. The books of interest should be changing.
In addition, Adeline has become very defensive of Savannah's help. She used to crave attention from Savannah and now she is angered if Savannah sits down to play with her. If Lila comes around she is furious. She doesn't want anyone touching what she is playing with. "Typical twos, right?" Not really, because there is the terrible two component but that isn't 24/7. This is all day every day. There should be times when she can handle an activity I facilitate that involves her sisters. She should be able to tolerate Savannah's touch. Savannah and Lila Grace are becoming the best of friends, leaving Adeline where she wants to be. By herself!
More to the point. . . She SHOULD see what Savannah and Lila are doing and show interest. She SHOULD follow Lila and I on a walk around the cul-de-sac (today she didn't even want out of the garage). She SHOULD want what I give her sisters. But, she doesn't.
It is like she is trapped in her own little world. Don't worry, I am not hinting at autism. What is strange is that when therapists come and on school days, she is fantastic. But the minute is back home, she is doing her own thing and not wanting anything to do with her sisters. She is impatient, frustrated, cranky and not a lot of fun to be around these days. I am reminded by Alex, the overly optimistic parent, that Lila was cranky and big pain in the rear end for months on end. True, but she was still very engaged with her sisters and making progress along the way.
So what does it all mean? Why is she pulling away and uninterested in others? Why is she stuck in rut? Why is she tuning me out? I wish I knew. I have been giving it time to see if it would pass and it hasn't. We are going on at least a month of this now. I just need it to pass so that every time her sisters and I are engaged in some crazy, fun and loud activity while Adeline sits on the floor and looks at books, I don't think to myself that she is losing her shot at normalcy.
