Enjoying the Moments



Japanese Tea Gardens, San Francisco







It's been weeks. A lot has happened...all good..well most of it. My hubby and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary this month by going to San Francisco....without the Littles. It was so amazing and needed. We enjoyed every moment we had together....walked a lot...talked a lot...drank tea...laughed...and remembered our honeymoon pizza and wine. We missed the Littles. I had the great idea of making packets for Jude to open every morning. Included was a letter with drawings, activities for the day (Playdoh, poppers, bubbles..etc.) Photos from when he was a baby, candy, confetti, small toys and homework. I forgot to mention that we started homeschool...I'll blog more about that later. We also took photos everyday and uploaded them so that my mom could show him what we did that day....I wanted to make sure that eventhough this was a "mommy and dada vacation"...he was still missed and included. It worked. He was actually upset that he didn't get one on the day we came home! 



Before the trip I had kidney stone surgery, an ovarian cyst the size of a grapefruit (I still do), a hurt back and knee....and I'm vitamin D deficient. So slowly I'm addressing these one at a time. I saw an OBGYN for the first time in 6 years (I still get a yearly check-up with my family dr.) for the cyst and they haven't decided what they are going to do. However they do want to help me figure out what is wrong... maybe PCOS, Lupus, enter other stupid infertility issue here...so I've been passing out blood samples left and right....and we are just waiting for the results. He also had me see an infertility dr.....cringe....who's also on this treck to figure out what's going on....I just want to be able to exercise...but enough about that.



Brother and Sister

Little Van Gogh

We started homeschooling Jude. It was hard in the beginning. He's an action boy...and only 4 years old...but we are now a well oiled machine. He read and wrote his first word yesterday..."bat"...he was so proud. I've enjoyed exposing him to the things I love...like Art. In San Francisco we went to an art museum...where my passion for art was awoken again. We saw Monet's, Renoir's, Caillebotte's, Whistler's and more...my first thought was how could I share this with Jude. So every week we "study" about one artist...the first one was Vincent Van Gogh...we talked about him, his career (or lack of it), cutting off his ear, and the technique he used...I had an old Van Gogh calendar I found while cleaning under our bed (perfect timing) and he loved looking through all of them. We then mixed glue and acrylic paint to make them extra thick...I drew a scene with swirly skies, hills and trees...and had him paint a starry day picture...he did so well....he then used a fork to make "brush strokes" like Van Gogh's painting had. We had a moment....and I hope that we continue to.  He also started soccer and music class. That is a blog all on it's own!

Whitesands, NM 5 months

found this fabulous dress in China Town!

Scarlytt is an amazing baby girl. She's 6 months already. She rolled over 2 weeks ago and sits up for a long time. She hates bananas and apples....but loves all the veggies...except peas. She's overly in love with watermelon. She has started to smack her lips when she's hungry. She is a mama's girl. I love dressing her up...but she spends most of her days in just a diaper. It's such a blessing to see Jude and Scarlytt interact with one another. They just love each other so much....Jude loves making up songs like "I love my sister...she's so pretty...I love my sister...she's so chunky...I love my sisssssssster....all while she laughs and coos and grabs his face. Hopefully we finalized next month!

So for now I'm enjoying the moments....

4 months

This summer has been full of firsts....Jude's first time playing T-ball, attending a preschool activity class by himself, going camping, being a big brother and seeing the Alamo. I made jam for the first time and Scarlytt got her first taste of rice and oatmeal. We've been busy. I've had little time to myself and much less time to craft. We finally have settled into a routine and I'm slowly adding stuff to my store. I miss it.

Scarlytt is growing so much. She is full of life and we are starting to see more and more of her personaility. She is a happy baby...easy to please....and has started blowing rasberries...Jude calls it "giving you addertoots" (attitude) She hasn't quite made a complete roll over...but she's trying. She's a drooler, spitter upper and blow out diaper girl. I'm sure that TMI. She turns 5 months in 3 days. One more month until we can petition for adoption!

Jude starts homeschool and soccer next week.
I'm ready to smell Fall.

3 months

You are such a delight. You have opened so many doors of creativity in me. I love making you "pillowcase" dresses,  ruffle bootie covers and headbands for every outfit. For the past 3 weeks, you have slept through the night. No sleep training required. You are discovering your laugh and are very ticklish. I can't tickle you long enough to get you to giggle because I start laughing so hard. I enjoy watching you discover the world around you...you grab everything in front of you and scream in delight. I love watching brother be a brother to you...he asks everyday when you will be big enough to play.  You weigh 13.4 pounds!

Just 3 months ago I was waiting for my miracle. I'm praying for all my friends that are waiting for theirs....

Belle of the Ball

Dear 2 month old Scarlytt: You are an amazing baby. You are beginning to coo and smile...and every once in a while, yell in delight. You weigh 11 lbs 5 oz and are 22" long. You love the swing and hate the bouncer. You have a talented gift of getting out of the swaddler...no matter how snug you are. You got you ears pierced today...and cried for less than 20 seconds...and then fell asleep. You love to sleep and you can do it anywhere. Brother came up with the name "tootie" for you...because you are a cutie patootie...He loves you so much. When you cry, he'll run over to you and whisper..."it's ok, brother is here"  I'm so grateful for you and thank God for such a precious gift.

love,

mama

Family of Four

Wow...I never knew it could take 20 minutes to get into the car. I've learned in the last 2 weeks...that adding another kiddo to the mix...someone always has to go poop. We are home home....and we haven't stopped. We are also preparing to throw my son's 4th B-day party this weekend...yes...2 months late...but a full force dress up kinda party...hey I should be hanging castle walls right now...so I'll keep this short. We are in the end stage of the adoption process...baby Scarlytt has to live here for 6 months to become a "resident" of our state...and then we can file for finalization.

She is a sweet baby. Sleeps well...eats well...and is super laid back. She's only thrown a couple of 2 am parties. She is a delight..and  we can't wait to see her personality unfold. Our son had a rough first week...trying to figure out his role...he is officially the diaper thrower and door opener. We are all adjusting well...

We are now a family of four.

Scarlytt Raquel

Our beautiful girl is here...and she's perfect. I will tell you the last couple of days are a whirlwind behind us. We got a call last Monday that the doctors decided to induce the birthmother..we threw things in a bag and headed 14 hours to the hospital. We didn't make it to her birth...I got to hear it by cell phone lol...and heard her first cries. She was born on my birthday.

God is amazing. His gifts are perfect. His mercy and tenderness towards me is undeserved....He is so gracious.

I've enjoyed hearing the little squeaks of a newborn...even smelling like puke n' poop....she is so peaceful...and has mounds of hair!

LOL

(enter whirlwind here)
We drove through the great state of Texas in record time...especially with a 4 year old. The birthmother had a amniocentesis done this past Tuesday....and we found out that she isn't as far along as we thought. They are guesstimating around 35 weeks or so. They don't know. I'm glad that baby girl still has some "cooking" to do. The reason they were going to induce was because for a 39 weeker she was measuring small...and they were concerned that she wasn't growing properly...so all along...she just isn't "done" I'm flying back by myself in 2 weeks...well that's the plan...but like we all know...plans change.

God's hand is very much in control...and I love it.

my "rescue guy"

Today is my son's 4th B-day. This is a day that God ended my sorrow, pain and longing for a child. This is the day that I became a mama. I will remember this day until I die.

I will remember that it rained that night as we slept in the car. We just couldn't go to a hotel...we didn't want to miss his birth. He was perfect. I will remember feeding him that morning and singing.."you are my sunshine"...and watching his every move. I love being your mama Jude...with all my heart.

I didn't know then..what I was in store for. A bright, witty, passionate, hard-headed, teaser of a boy...one who loves dirt, trucks, playing pretend and reading books. One who would say "I'm a leader"...with such declaration...that I believe him. One who argues with everything and likes things in a particular way...and I guarantee it was the exact opposite of how you wanted it. One who doesn't like to lose. One who loves to pray...and calls himself a "mighty man of God" One who is passionate about music...especially Johnny Cash. One who loves soft things and hates the cold. One who loves to love. 

I love you my Jude...and I'm so thankful God blessed us with you. You are my "rescue guy", my knight, and my precious gift from above! 

2 week count down!

Yesterday we met with our lawyer...and all the paperwork is pretty much in order...phew! (enter huge sigh of relief) The lovely birthfamily had an appointment yesterday and they told her she was full term and that if she didn't go into labor within 2 weeks...they would induce! (after checking to make sure baby girl's lungs were developed)

I'm still in a state of shock...all I can think about is finishing her room, cleaning and packing...and making sure we have everything in order. I think I'm just too crazy excited that I don't know what to do with myself.

I'm feeling so much better, now that I had my gall bladder removed! It's so nice not to be in pain anymore! I ended up having over 1 inch gall stones!! And by the time baby girl arrives, I'll be off the not-lifting-anything- over-20-lbs-restriction...
Last week we decided to wash all the baby clothes, and prepare the room. Jude had a blast helping dada put up the crib and birchtree decals we got from creative walls off of etsy of course! They were easy to put up and they had great customer service!! I also finished making the crib skirt, bumber, pillow and sweet birdies for her mobile. Today we are going to finish sanding and staining the changing table and armoire...it's all coming along!

I'm in awe of God's grace, mercy and goodness.

Nesting

Well it's weeks before we bring our baby girl home, but I can't help but clean. It doesn't help that tomorrow I will be having gall bladder surgery...so all I think about is that I won't be able to clean clean. I'm taking a short break to blog and then it's back to shop vac-ing baseboards. :)

 Today I received the birchtree decals I ordered off Etsy...I want to put them up....but I'm still waiting until it's closer to the due date. I can't even make myself wash the clothes that our family has so kindly bought already. The one "failed adoption" that we had...the baby was a girl...so I'm trying not to compare that situation to this one...because it's nothing like this one...and I don't really have the fear that that the birthfamily is going to change their adoption plans for their baby....but it's really difficult for me to completely un-guard my heart. So I'll wait a couple more weeks. The room is going to be darling. I had already painted it an aqua and cream...with chocolate and aqua damask accents...and the floor is shades of terracotta. There will be birch trees, peacocks, damask, sweet bunnies and maybe an owl or two...her crib bumber I still need to make (which will be aqua and chocolate damask)...and stain the furniture I bought 3 years ago...I don't know if we will get that done before she's here. I figure we have 6 months before we need to get her room completely done, since she will be sleeping in a bassinet in our room anyway. I'm excited to get this surgery over with and recover.

I'm praying for the birthfamily everyday...that they are strengthen through this whole process and that they feel God's love for them. I also pray that they both get the rest and health that they both need. They are so precious...and we absolutely love them.

Sugar and Spice

As I sit here trying to figure out words to express God's grace, mercy and peace... I can't. It's been an amazing journey so far.  Miracles are happening throughout this whole adoption process...that I can't even begin. The birthparents are beautiful. During our first meeting...we just sat and talked like old friends...
We pray that God will continue to knit our hearts together.

So since the last time I've blogged...we were told that it was a boy...however today at the ultrasound we found out that it's a girl!!!! We are amazed. Plain and simple. I can't belive that we will be meeting her in a matter of weeks. Our son has prayed for a baby sister for over a year now...so when we told him that it was a baby girl and not a boy...he was confused and excited...lol.



Now to return some not-so-gender neutral clothing and make some slight changes to our registry....and make a crazy amount of hair wraps and sweet booties with flowers!

The most daring blog I've written.

To make a long story short.  We will be adding to our family in about 2 months!
Now, like most domestic adoptions...circumstances can always change...but we are trusting God that He would close doors and open doors. So far, doors are swinging open.....with every other "opportunity" in the past year...doors shut immediately. I don't know God's plan for our family, but I do trust him. So, yes this is the most daring blog I've written...meaning that an adoption is not final until the papers are signed...yet I'm sharing with family, friends...and you!

I'm grateful that God has heard the cries of my heart. I'm overwhelmed with His peace...which is different for me. We are meeting the birthfamily in less that a week.

Our agency will not be facilitating this adoption because the baby is in another state...for even that I'm thankful. We always said (and were told) that our son's adoption (private, independent through lawyers...and way cheaper) really don't happen as often...and not to expect it to happen like that again. God did it!
The baby is a boy!
I will update on our journey after we meet the birthfamily.