Elise's biggest struggle is speech. It has always lagged behind. I think she is "officially" at a 3-4 year old's level. Receptive is a little higher than expressive, but as she is fifteen, it's not like dickering over a year is going to change the situation much. She is not even close to where she should be...and if you've ever chatted with a 4 year old, you know how much gets lost in translation.
I know that I regularly cheer over how she is playing, but the most recent play of choice is Littlest Pet Shop toys, and, thanks to YouTube, she has started casting her LPS critters in movies, which she then has them act out. Very recently, she has started breaking away from the scripts. They have been having conversations and even songs that do not belong in that particular movie. I know that does not sound like a big deal. But when her favorite drug to deal with stress is to loop 45 seconds of a movie, any kind of extrapolation is kind of a big deal.
There have been many things that we have not arrived at on time. Like, some milestones are literally 10 years behind at this point, and not looking like they are coming anytime soon. There are, however, things that are right on time, that I would have loved to be delayed until we had the emotional wherewithall to deal with. Like crushes on boys, and planning her future, and well, that list is way too long, too. It feels like there are just innumerable things that just cannot sync up...and are exhausting on their own. Not that they are a barrel of awesome when they come when they should, but without the emotional maturity, they are brutal to deal with,
But, honestly, that she is play acting her dreams with tiny plastic puppies is pretty precious to me. She recently expanded her play to include furniture. (I know, that I notice this is weird to me, too.) The lining up and sorting into "families" is just as comforting to me, as to her, because it is the one thing I can count on. That, and the incredible mess she will make as she sorts all her hoard of creatures.
She has fallen in love with Hulk lately. They are getting married. She is having a wedding cake and a wedding dress and it will be on a cruise or a beach. I am not sure why she loves him so much. I don't know if they speak the same language, have the same unbridled emotions, or what, but this crush fascinates me. I will probably get her a Hulk doll, to see if she will play Barbies with him, like she did with her Ironman doll. See if I get any clarity.
I shall keep you posted, of course.
