What My Children Have taught Me (Part 3) - Adrian

Short Story: Ferocity can be a great quality in a daughter and a sister (big or little)!

Long Story:

I was determined to find one word that describes Adrian in all her unique personality traits- so I started by compiling a list of nouns and adjectives that best describe her. (It really was a lot longer than I first thought) They are: anxiety, ardor, concentration, depth, determination, earnestness, energetic, excitement, extreme, fanaticism, fervor, fierce, fire, forceful, frenzy, fury, impetuous, intelligent, intense, magnitude, passionate, power, rage, severity, tenacity, tension, tempestuousness, turbulent, weightiness, wildness, vehemence, vigor, volume and zeal. I started messing around with the thesaurus and determined that there was only one word that related all of the above qualities. That is ferocity.

This is what Adrian has taught me. That probably sounds like a horrible word to describe such a beautiful young girl. But the definition I most like is when it it is used as a noun - the property of being wild or turbulent; "the storm's violence" ferocity. (n.d.). WordNet® 3.0. Retrieved September 21, 2007, from ictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ferocity. Then we have the state or the quality of being fierce. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved September 19, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ferocity Ferocious may not a normal word for a four year old princess. However when you add the suffix (-ity) that means the appearance or looking and then put fierce. That word can be used to describe her in that moment when she turns from idyllic Disney Princess to demon spawn with her eyes glowing red and her head spinning counter clockwise when she is sent to spend some quality time in the "THINKING CHAIR"! As well as how she attacks life and goes about her daily activities!

The more I thought about it this mostly negative sounding word is the best description for my first biological child...and she does like to growl and bark occasionally... (not sure if it is a pretend thing or a four year old thing or just and Adrian thing)

Adrian was a complete surprise to Eric and I. We had given up on ever having any biological children...(actually after pregnancy and birth I think the adoption thing has a lot of benefits). Occasionally (no where near as often as before Miranda's adoption) I am still asked - "if you had known it was possible would you have waited longer" or " are you sorry that you adopted the others?" I always try to think they mean that in a "good" way. The answer to that is a huge resounding NO!! Our family is what made and makes Adrian so unique and I am 99.9% sure she wouldn't be here without them (yeah adoptive breast feeding!!!...my feeling on what helped along with Atkins...but another story)!!!

Again ferocity sound bad- but I see her as attacking every thing with a gusto or a fierceness that is seldom seen in adults let alone children. If you were to run into Adrian out somewhere she would likely introduce herself to you, she would introduce her siblings, She might ask you to shake her hand and make you shake all of theirs (ask the car dealer who sold us our van); She will remember your name; and she would look you in the eye - she looks everyone in the eye (accept when "lying" to mom or dad- she has yet to master this skill), and in that moment size you up and melt your heart, and most likely she would want to hug you before she left. She is a very personable,accepting, intelligent and out going little girl.

Adrian loves to help and to work hard ....as long as Sponge Bob is not on. (she gets into ruts with her viewing habits and we are on Sponge Bob right now) loves and accepts her siblings with a passion that I never remember having for any of mine. She will defend them, translates for them, talks about them, tells people about them. She really loves them and is slowly beginning to understand that there is something different about them compared to her and some of their peers. The beautiful little girl that understands the difference between "Tummy Mummy" and "mommy" and is sometimes jealous cause her mom is both of them to her. She is enthusiastic in every thing she "attacks" and accomplishes! But when she does lazy or unmotivated I believe she can do that with ferocity too!

Adrian usually does everything with her whole heart and soul, just watch her dancing- cause believe me it is this that makes it precious and unbelievable - not the technique or her ability. Just to see the energy and the excited fervor she brings to her little spontaneous productions. She seems to put 150% into almost anything she does....I do put that qualifier on there cause she is a little kid and she doesn't clean up her room and she has never met a pair of sock that comes off and goes into the laundry hamper. But she makes me proud and I hope that this is a preview of things to come

Adrian has taught me that ferocity is a good thing when wanting an advocate, a friend, a sibling and a daughter! And she is an awesome Princess Grumpy!