Growing Up

Lately Hannah seems older. It started after she turned four. We no longer have wet pants issues during the day, she buckles her car seat straps herself, she figured out how to count without skipping numbers, she can carry on short conversations, she tells jokes and laughs at others' jokes as well. She now carries on a continual make believe game with her dolls or little toys. Making up story lines as she goes that actually make sense.
I keep telling everyone that since Hannah turned four she has gotten sillier and seems happier. I just thought that she was growing up. Then one day it hit me. She has been with me almost as long as she was with her family in Ethiopia. Maybe it just took her this long to completely adjust. I am glad that she is happy but am saddened that maybe she wasn't happy for a long time. I know I shouldn't beat myself up about it because I can't go back and change things now. It just makes me feel like somehow I let her down.
I've learned from this. I'll think about how quickly I change her environment in the future. We'll take our time transitioning to pre-school in the fall. I am hoping though that smaller transitions will be easier now that she is happy at home.