growing

She's more than 10 cm. taller
than when she came home.
That's over FOUR INCHES.

Over the holiday, while we were both so, so sick,
she came into the room with a glass in her hand.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Oh, I got some juice." she casually replied
with a sparkle in her eye.

"Lexi! You are amazing! You got that glass,
poured the juice by yourself, AND got up in
the cabinet for a straw? Wow."

"And I put some water in and mixed it up."

Also while we were sick she
mastered staying in bed until
the first number was seven.
At least, she did for a few days.

We went to deliver gifts from our school
to "my" orphanage. We had talked about
how excited "the girls" (their picture is on
our 'fridge and the ever-increasing donation
pile is always referred to as for the girls)
would be with their presents. I explained
that the boys and girls in the orphanage
had no mama or papa to buy them a
Christmas present.

On the ride home we talked about how they
didn't have a family; how they ate and slept
at the orphanage. (They were headed to lunch
when we left, and Lexi was confused about
where they would go--and didn't want them
to ride in the car to the restaurant with us.)

Lexi said that was "silly" (a current favorite
descriptive). I reminded her she ate and slept
in the groupa when she didn't have a mama.
We talked about how the girls and boys at the
orphanage didn't have a mama or papa.

Lexi added, "They only have grown-ups."

In my mind, the distinction she made
between a mama and simply a grown-up
was a big sign of growth.

We've FELT it for a long time.
It was just nice to hear.