We are deep into the throes of settling in our newest placements, Munchkin 2, Munchkin 3, and Munchkin 4. These sisters are super sweet, but boy oh boy do they have some serious issues stemming from their recent past. Munchkin 2 is 3, almost 4 years old. She has a shaved head because her mother decided to shave it to deal with the chronic lice that all three girls (as well as herself) have. M2 is pretty much scarred from having her head shaved and is terrified that everyone will think she is a boy. She is clingy, without any sense of personal boundaries (even for a 3 yr old), demanding, and extremely whiny. Still, one look at those beautiful brown eyes and your heart just melts. Munchkin 3 is 6 years old and in kindergarten. Of all three of the sisters, she is the most screwed up by all they've been through. Even though she's 6, she throws daily toddler temper tantrums (complete with throwing herself on the floor and kicking and screaming) anytime she doesn't get her way. She's got quite an attitude and is seriously behind in school. She's beautiful though and I think she's used to batting her pretty lashes and having people cave to her will. Munchkin 4 is the oldest at 7 years old (almost 8) and is in first grade. Though she is almost 2 years older than M3 they are the same height and M4 weighs significantly less. She's not even on the growth chart! She likes to speak with a baby voice to get attention and is the physical aggressor of the bunch. We've had lots of problems with pinching and hitting the other kids in the house covertly and then lying about it. I wonder if since she's so small she thinks she needs to make up for it by pushing others around?
Their situation that they came from just makes me sick to think about it. They lived in a trailer with no running water that was extremely unsanitary. The policeman who removed them had to leave the house multiple times while he was there to keep from vomiting from the smell. The girls had chronic lice that their mother refused to treat and went to school unbathed and in dirty clothes. All 3 were beat with a belt and made to drink hot sauce when they were in trouble. They were also food restricted and punished for taking food when it was withheld from them. With all of that, it's no wonder the girls have the issues they do and quite frankly it's amazing they came through as well as they have! If lying, stealing, mild physical and verbal aggression, tantrums, food hoarding/binging, and no limits and boundaries are all we have to contend with then I'd say the girls came out very lucky indeed.
Going from 2 kids to 5 has been a HUGE switch. Munchkins 2, 3, and 4 aren't easy kids to add to that mix either. Simply the logistics of getting 7 people out the door every morning has been a staggering adjustment for me! Then there's feeding seven people when truly I hadn't even adjusted to feeding 4 yet from when M1 joined our family. Everything we do is a production from getting into the car to brushing teeth. AND it's definitely going to take me awhile to get used to the stares when I go out with all 5 kiddos in tow. We definitely cause a scene since none of them really obey! We've even already been asked if we were a daycare when we were out at Pizza Hut once!
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