Well, HI! Fancy meeting you here! I know you never expected to hear from me again, but rest assured, I will not desert you :)

Edith is getting her top two teeth! They are just tiny white slivers right now and they aren't growing in as quickly as the bottom two did, but they're there. And SO CUTE!!!! I think she is definitely going to have the Wanat Gap like her aunts - but she is a Wanat woman, so what else would she have :)

We're working hard on Christmas stuff - almost all of the gifts have been purchased and wrapped, and we have quite a mound in the living room. Which means that Edith has fun stuff to look at while she plays on the living room floor. She's not crawling yet, so I can still leave things in reach, but she is rocking on all fours still, so any day now.

We're looking forward to meeting with Edith's birthdad after Christmas. He is going to be SO shocked at how big she is! The last time he saw her, she was 5 months old and not doing most of the cool stuff she's doing now. She is "talking" a lot - and she is eating like a pro. She is out of her first helmet, and in a transition period before her second one...and her head looks great! She loves Lucy - she watches Lucy constantly! She wants to touch and grab Lucy's tail, ears and fur, and Lucy is incredibly patient. Just moving out of the way of the grabby kid, but never making any aggressive noises or gestures. We are constantly working on "gentle hands" and "be loving" so Edith knows that hurting your puppy is not acceptable. They are already good friends, and I can see them growing up together and being besties :) Edith is talking and laughing to Lucy right now!!

We went to the Helmet Dr. today...and her current helmet is only going to last her about another month because after that, there won't be enough foam inside to shave down for adjustments. The problem is that although her head has changed a GREAT deal, it isn't as symmetrical as I (and the Dr.) would like. Her ears are still off and there is still a flat spot on the back of her head. So today, the Dr. asked if I had thought about a second helmet, and I told her that I would be open to a second one because I can't see everything shaping up in the next month. I don't want to settle for "good enough"...as long as we're doing this, I want to have the best possible outcome and I don't want to stop before we're done.

So they took measurements and photos to send to the insurance company, and we found out that Edith is still under the line and should be covered...which is awesome! After we were done there, we went to see Jeremy at work to talk about the new developments...I told him that we should be covered, but what if we weren't? He said that if she needs a second helmet, we would be doing a second helmet whether we were covered or not, and that I shouldn't worry about it. I feel so much better now,

I just want her to be happy with herself when she's older! I know we all pick some arbitrary part of our bodies that we hate or wish were different...I don't want Edith to have something real to hate.

Now, Edith has two teeth...the second one came in about 2 days after the first. She looks so cute - although I am a little sad to lose that gummy little smile! I would post a picture, but she is asleep and I'm not going to wake her up to flash the camera in her face...perhaps later :)

Teething has been an EXTREMELY easy experience (knock wood) because I took some advice from my Mom-In-Law that has made all the difference. She said that when her kids were cutting teeth, she would take a tongue depressor (she was a nurse) and rub their gums with it until she felt the tooth rubbing on the tongue depressor. Granted, you have to wait until the tooth is near the surface, but that has seemed to be the worst time for Edith, so it's easy to figure out the best time (because she is a grumpus). It has really made this experience better for us...and for Edith! Try it! I was lucky enough to get a box of tongue depressors from Michelle, who works at a dental office...she had ordered a bunch for a project and had tons left over, so she gave me a hundred or so. Gladly, I won't have to use them all because Edith doesn't have that many teeth.

Anyway, look for pictures of the shiny, white teeth tomorrow...I'll have to take a picture for posterity then.

ELECTION DAY TOOTH!!!!!

Houston, we FINALLY have a tooth, and as you can tell, I am super excited! Edith was really fussy yesterday and it wasn't for the normal reasons (hungry or tired) and I could see that little tooth right below the surface so I figured that was the culprit. This morning when she was eating breakfast, I saw actual tooth! YAY!!

Well, she was just the cutest penguin ever! We went visiting (my two most favorite temp jobs ever) and Edith was a hit!

My friend Beth took these pictures - and I must say, she took the only two that exist because as you can see from my short sleeves, it was nice and warm on Halloween...so Edith didn't wear her lovely warm costume for very long.

Edith is 7 months old today...and she is just amazing...the smiliest, happiest baby I have ever met. We are so lucky to have her in our lives!!

Edith's helmet is AWESOME!!! You can already see a marked change in the shape of her head...how can I tell, you ask? Because they made a MOLD of her HEAD and it's on a giant POPSICLE STICK!!! We get to keep the Edith-sicle when it's all said and done, and I plan to store her helmet on it for safe-keeping. She really doesn't seem to mind the helmet when it's on, she gets a little antsy when I take it off to clean it and put it back on. She wears it for 23 hours a day straight, with an hour off for airing out. The helmet smells like a combination of Fritos and dirty sweat socks, and consequently, so does her head most of the time. What're ya gonna do?

Other than that, she is getting so big and so amazing. We went to the pediatrician on October 9th and Edith got weighed and measured...she is in the 10th percentile for weight and the 50-75th percentile for height. Long and skinny, just like Mommy. Yep. Just like Mommy. Shut up.

We're missing Daddy this week...he's in Germany again for his annual conference and I'm a single mom again. It's SO much easier when Jeremy is here, he is such a good Daddy and husband...he gets up with her and plays with her, and he's always happy to give me a break. It makes life so much easier! He called tonight and I put the phone up to her ear and she got the biggest grin and started dancing. She LOVES her daddy :)

I'll post some pictures soon...I've got to download them from my camera and the camcorder...and my cell phone...so many devices and pictures, so little time!

Some of you may know that Edith has a moderate case of plagiocephaly, and will be wearing a Doc Band, which is like a helmet, but without the top part. I got this information from the Cranial Technologies website to explain a little more of what the condition is, and how we're going to be treating it.

Plagiocephaly (pla'je-o-sef'ah-le) is not uncommon, and often results from external forces applied to the soft infant skull. It might sound complicated, but plagiocephaly literally means "oblique head" (from Greek: plagio = oblique, and cephale = head) It's called a parallelogram deformity because, if you look down on the infant's head (bird's-eye-view), this is the shape you will see.


From this angle it looks as if half of the head has been pushed forward, often accompanied by misalignment of the ears, facial asymmetry and bulging forehead.

The DOC Band®, a 6-oz device, consists of an outer plastic shell with a foam lining. Mild pressures are applied to capture the growth of an infant's head, holding growth in the prominent areas and encouraging it in the flat regions. Adjustments are made to the band weekly or bi-weekly. Length of treatment depends on the age of the infant and severity of the condition. Because no two heads are identical, each patient's treatment is customized.

Edith will be wearing the DOC Band® for about 5 - 7 weeks, maybe a little longer, depending on how soft or hard her head is and how quickly the band works. Since we caught this so early, she shouldn't have to wear it very long...some kids have to have a second band because they are older and it doesn't work as quickly! From all of the other moms I've talked to, kids get used to the band really quickly and it doesn't seem to bother them at all. One really good thing is that one of Edith's Cradle cousins who just came home from Guatemala has the band, so they'll have that in common as well as their agency :)

We are really excited about the DOC Band® and getting Edith's head fixed...even though she is perfect in our eyes, we don't want her to be the "kid with the weird head" when she goes to school. We're certain to get stared at for a while, but I plan to tell her that it's because she is so cute :)

Edith has been talking up a storm lately, and a couple of times there have been real words that have come out of the gibberish. The first one was Hon daa...which is of course BRILLIANT because Mommy and Daddy both drive Hondas, so of course she would know that...

Her second "word" was Oba Maaa! Yay! Our little liberal activist is starting early! I would have liked to get either "word" on video, but I'll settle on the warm feelings I got knowing our daughter is so smart!

I'm going to add a video...hopefully this works because I'm a newbie at this.

Edith Plays With Daddy

Edith is 5 months old as of yesterday, but it was busy yesterday, so I didn't download the picture till now.

It was really hard to get a smile because she is busy saying da da da or ma ma ma or na na na or ba ba ba...or she is spitting. She is a little woman of many talents!

Gleep! I have been so neglectful of my poor little bloggykins...but I'm back! And I have pictures! And chit-chat! And a little soft shoe dance at the end!

So we've been busy little bees - we drove to Pennsylvania with Edith and my Mom to visit my Auntie Colleen, and we had a lovely couple of days there. We were in my Town of Birth, Meadville, PA (which is apparently close to Erie?) and we got to see the place where we lived when I was a small baby and the place we lived when I was a toddler. We also had delicious bread from a cool bakery and incredible ice cream from a place that hand makes it. My vacations are sometimes remembered by the food...I'm a girl who likes food, what can I say :)

After a couple of days in Ol' Meadville Towne, we drove to Wheeling, WV for a wedding of some friends of the family. I would love to tell you how incredible the wedding was, but one of our party was throwing a fit and we couldn't leave the hotel room in time to make the ceremony. Plus, after leaving late, we got lost. So there you have it. The reception ROCKED though...this couple did it right! We had filet mignon (my favorite of all the steak family), asparagus and red potatoes for dinner and a chocolate fountain afterward. The favors were edible (also my favorite) and they were locally made, which is too cool. One of them was a milk chocolate bar with a custom wrapper and the other thing was a bag of popcorn...but not just any popcorn, this stuff was drizzled in white chocolate and toffee. GAH, so delicious! The bride was beautiful and the groom was handsome, and everyone fawned over Edith. I tried to tell them that she was the reason we missed the ceremony, but no one believed us because she was so charming and fun. That little stinker!

So we're home now, and yesterday when I was rubbing some teething gel on Edith's gums (because she is SUPER fussy lately) I found the tiniest little nub of TOOFINS!!! And Mommy's little Vampira is getting a fang first! Just like MOMMY did 33 years ago. Yay!!! I would take a picture, but it is so small, I don't think it would show up well. Since finding Nubbie, it has been alternately quiet and loud around here. Edith is either sleeping or fussing...or when Daddy is home, she is smiling at him and wrapping him further around her little finger. That girl is no dummy, she knows which one of us is the softie Daddy person.

ANYWAY, poor Lucy had to go stay with Grannie and Papa and her dog-cousin Cleo while the rest of us were gallivanting all over the country, and Cleo was sick so they didn't even get to play as much as usual. Grannie and Papa dropped her off at home on Saturday a couple of hours before we got home and she was so happy to see us when we got there, she jumped and twirled and barked...man, I love that dog! She is currently sleeping next to me and the house is quiet because Edith is asleep. Teething takes a lot of sleep and not as much food it turns out.

So that's what we've been up to...here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

This is from the 4th of July, but I just got it recently from my Mom in Law:

This is from the other day...it was suddenly quiet while I was eating lunch, and this is what I found! Teething is hard work!

I sewed this little doll for Edith - this is one of her cloth diapers that she can't fit into anymore...I couldn't find many little dollies that fit my important criteria - 1. they had to be soft and snuggly. 2. they had to be inexpensive and 3. they couldn't be racist depictions - no Aunt Jemima or Uncle Remus. I wanted a doll just like this one, so I made it :)

UPDATE: As of the pediatrician visit on Monday the 4th, Edith is 12 pounds 4 ounces and 25 inches long! She is perfect in every way :)

Only a couple of days late...just pretend that I'm posting this on Friday the 1st.


Edith is 4 MONTHS OLD!!!!

Hello lovies! Long time, no talk...I can't imagine what's keeping me so busy! Oh yeah...this little chickadee:

This is Edith at 3 months old...and in exactly 5 days, she'll be 4 months old already! How the time flies! And how neglectful I have been of my little bloggykins!


We've been busy little bees - Edith is growing like a weed. She is already out of Newborn sizes (she was still in them till a couple of weeks ago since she was so small) and she is actually able to wear 3 month stuff now. We're going back to the pediatrician in the next week or so for her 4 month appointment, so we'll get an official weight and length, but Jeremy and I weighed her and she was around 11 pounds a couple weeks ago. She has started teething - early I know, but the kid is an over-achiever already LOL We've also been swimming - Edith is not so sure she likes the water, but I keep trying. Sometimes she is pleased to be in the pool, but usually I get her in for about 10 minutes and then she spends some time in her pack and play under the big umbrella. We'll get her to be a true water baby next summer.


She is fascinated with Lucy, especially her fur...she loves touching the soft fur and they are often together...I forsee a long friendship for my two girls :) Lucy has a bad habit of licking Edith, but I figure it's building the baby's immunities up. I try to limit the licking, but they're about the same size, so it's sometimes difficult. Lucy's not jealous, but she is very concerned about her baby...so if you're holding her, she wants to be sure you're doing it right!


Jeremy and I started cloth diapering...and before you smack your head and say "They're CRAZY!!" check these diapers out:

Not only are they super-cute, they go from birth to potty training and they are almost as easy as disposables! We have the whole routine down pat, and I have to say they are amazing to work with. I love the way her skin looks and I love the environmental aspect...plus I really love that we'll save about $1,500 going with cloth over disposables! That was the clincher for Jeremy LOL


What else can I tell you? Not much else is going on, Jeremy is going to Detroit for business through Wednesday, so I'm going to be a single mom for a few days and we're all going to West Virginia for a wedding in Mid-August, which we're excited about! I'm not sure we're going to do our annual summer party because the time is sneaking away from us, but if we do, it'll be the second to last week in August. Who knows, it may still happen.

These are some photos of Edith on her Boppy, playing in her Activity Gym...she LOVES it, as you can tell! She really likes to kick and talk when she's in there, it's a riot to watch!

Here she is, trying to get that sunshine rattle in her mouth! If only these damn hands would WORK!!

This is "Tummy Time", or as Edith calls it "WAHHHHHHHH!!!!!" She is not a fan. She'll thank us when she has good neck strength and a nicely shaped head.

Lucy will take EVERY opportunity to lick the baby.

It's been a busy couple of days...we're a little ragged!

Thursday, we woke up at 5:15 am...took showers and got ready and left the house by 6:30. We hopped on the 6:51 train to the city and got to Union Station at 7:27. From there, we took a cab to the Daley Center...where we went through security and rode the elevator to the 17th floor. In room 1705 (the adoption waiting room) we met our attorney, Kathleen, and we signed some paperwork. Then we rode the elevator down to the 7th floor, to the Sherrif's Dept, where Edith was served - the Sherrif's deputy actually has to touch her with the document:

Then, we travelled back up to the 17th floor, and back to room 1705 to wait for our turn in court. We were finally called into the courtroom where we answered the Judge's questions...and then she signed a few papers and the legal secretary/notary/whatever she was stamped them, and then we were done! Our petition to adopt Edith is filed, her Guardian ad Litum is appointed, we have custody of her and her name will be changed from Baby Girl to Edith Joan! Huzzah! Long day...but definitely worth it!

Today (Friday), we met Edith's birthdad! We were late getting there...let's just start there. It started with me in the morning doing 2 loads of laundry - don't know why, but I did. Then I needed to iron a shirt (I tried the Downy Wrinkle Releaser, didn't work on this particular shirt) and then I needed to take a shower. So I was later leaving than I wanted, later picking Jeremy up from work and then we ran into construction. There is a joke in Chicago that there are two seasons - Winter and Construction...except that it's not a joke, so therefore not so funny to be going less than 5 MPH on the highway.

So anyway, we got to our agency about 20 minutes late, and since Edith was pooping on the way up there, we had to stop off in the bathroom and change her! When we finally got in the meeting room, we were almost a half hour late. I loathe being late. We walked in the room and E gave us a huge smile - I can definitely see where my daughter got her good looks! E is a very attractive guy - much darker than Edith, but her b-mom is very light complected, and he said Edith is somewhere closer to her complexion. I asked E if he wanted to hold Edith, and told him that it was about time for her to eat, and asked if he wanted to feed her..."Yes Ma'am!" is what he said!

We talked about our families and E had brought pictures of his family and so we looked and he told us about all of his siblings (10 kids!!!!) and his mom and aunts and uncles...he said that his family wasn't happy that he had decided to place, and I asked if they would be interested in contact with her and he said yes. He said that Edith's b-mom's mom wanted contact too, which was great! We talked about how much contact with which we were all comfortable, and we decided that at our next meeting, he should bring his mom and his sons (aged 14 and 20) to meet Edith. I made sure to tell him that we are VERY committed to having a healthy, honest relationship with him and that we believe it's in Edith's best interests to know him and have him in her life. He seemed relieved to hear that! He said that he is going to ask his son how to set up an email address so we can email him pictures, and so we can let him know when we update Edith's special website (sorry, it's only open to Edith's birthfamily).

We were there for about an hour or so, and he had to leave to go to work, so we all got up and I gave him a hug and reiterated that we were glad that he wanted to be in Edith's life and that we were committed to making this relationship work and he thanked me, and told me to take care of her. I told him that he didn't have to worry, that we would do everything we could to make sure she grew up to be a happy, healthy and good person. He left first - and we went to the nursery to take pictures with some of the nurses for Edith's baby book, and then we went to eat something...we were STARVING!! All in all, it was a good day and we are so happy that we met him!!!

Hey, we got some professional pictures! Check out this baby!









AND, we had a shower! It was quickly thrown together by my mom-in-law...but it sure didn't look thrown together. Y'all, my mom-in-law can pull together a party like nobody's business! We had a torrential downpour on the way to her house, but then the skies cleared and it was a beautiful (and HOT) day! Edith and I had taken Jeremy to the airport the day before - he was going to Germany for another business trip, and was going to be gone all week. As I type this, he is jet-laggedly snoring like a steam train in the other room.

So, you want some more pictures? Here you go!

This is Edith being fed by her big cousin Kirsten!

This is my chubby cheeked girl, smiling at her Aunt Heather

This blanket was knitted by Jeremy's Grandma before she passed away. It was the most special gift, and it made Jeremy and I both teary!


This is her new activity mat - which she loves! She is so much more active and vocal since we brought it home!

This is the Christmas stocking that my friend Michelle made! She worked on it ALL week before the shower - no wonder she couldn't talk on the phone as much as we usually do!

This is the antique lamb planter that my mom brought!

It goes perfectly in Edith's lambie bedroom :)

Showers are hard work!

ALSO!! As of yesterday...

Ripped off from P.N.R. (one of the blogs I read)...it looked fun, so I decided to do it!

What were you doing five years ago?
We had just bought our house I think, but hadn't moved in yet.

What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order)?
Go to Target, pay my car payment, work on birth announcements, nap and play with my daughter!

What are five snacks you enjoy?
Toast, cookie, pretzels, veggies and chips.

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire? I would set up a foundation to help low income families go to school so they could get better jobs. Part of that plan would provide them with childcare, low cost housing and access to apprenticeships/schooling. At the same time, they would be required to take in at least one stray dog or cat, and provide it with a loving home. For my other four things, I would travel, buy cars, buy a couple of homes and create trusts for a few people.

What are five of your bad habits?
I swear like a sailor, I fart, I belch, I bite my cuticles and I hate to clean.

What are five places where you have lived?Manhattan, KS; Woodridge, IL; Meadville, PA; St. Louis, MO; and Lombard, IL

What are five jobs you've had?
I've been a temp, claims adjuster, accounts payable, receptionist and most recently, A MOM!!!

I love my Daddy...he's very snuggly and he holds me as long as I need him to!



I scooched all the way down here...good thing Daddy had his feet up on a chair so I didn't slip off his lap completely!



This is my play mat...I got it from my cousin Kirsten. It used to be hers, but she's MUCH too big for it now!

Thursday morning (May 22nd) I was in the bathroom getting ready for work, when I got a call from our SW. We were in the middle of a potential situation, so I was a little disappointed when SW told me that the e-mom had released all of the profiles so she could think a little more...but it turned out to be SUCH a good thing! There was a little girl in the nursery who was born April first and her mom (T) was finally able to make a decision about placement. Her dad (E) had signed TPR the day before, and T was supposed to, but had missed her appointment. T wasn't interested in looking at a bunch of profiles, she just wanted the longest waiting, heterosexual, married couple in the AA/BR program, which happened to be us!

Our SW told us to keep going about our daily lives and not to change any plans or buy anything...so we didn't. We had been planning a camping trip with our friends (we were planning to go out a couple of days early) so we both took a half day on Thursday, packed up my car and headed out to the campground. I had my cell phone attached to me at all times, and I was able to check my email, so I was in full contact with SW at all times! She had emailed me in the evening on Thursday and told me that T had an appointment for 12:30 on Friday and she would be calling us as soon as T showed up so we could pack our stuff and get on the road.

After Noon on Friday, I was beside myself. It was so hard to concentrate on anything, we were stuck in the tent in the pouring rain and we were curled up in the sleeping bag for warmth, reading. I looked at my cell phone at 12:23 and asked Jeremy if he thought we should start getting things ready to go, and he said that we should wait for the call instead of getting stuff ready and having to get it all out again if the call didn't come. About 10 minutes later, my phone rang with the special ring and our SW told us to get our stuff packed and get on the road. T was at the agency and she was meeting with the birthparent counselor.

You have never seen two people pack up a tent so fast. We had the stuff out of the tent and the tent down and in the car in less than a half hour, and we were on the road. We made a quick trip through the Wendy's drive-thru for lunch and we raced home as fast as we could. I believe I used some 4 letter words when we hit traffic, but we made it home in record time, got out of our wet and muddy clothes and jumped in Jeremy's car with the diaper bag. We had put the car seat in Jeremy's car "just in case" before we left on Thursday, so we just had to jump in and go.

We got to the agency in record time and met our SW in the lobby. She asked if we wanted to meet our daughter first or sign the paperwork first. We both decided to meet our daughter first. Who are we kidding?! So we met her briefly, and then she left so they could do the release forms. We signed paperwork for a while, and then the nurse left to go bring her back. We changed her, took a couple of pictures and then we got her bundled in her carseat and we took off! It was utterly amazing. Fast and furious, but amazing.

Hello from North Carolina! It's absolutely beautiful here, and we're having an amazing time! It's so nice to be connected - I got a call from our counselor and she said that the most recent baby situation is this: the baby isn't born yet, and they still don't know what the gender is. The mom and dad have all of the profiles to look through, and they should have a decision by next Tuesday.

Jeremy and I are having a wonderful time, we took Lucy for a walk on the beach yesterday, and she wasn't sure about the water, but she desperately wanted to investigate the dead jellyfish on the beach. We didn't let her. I did a little investigating, and it was beautiful and gross at the same time. Cool.

We've also stuffed ourselves on seafood (fried and grilled) and wonderful Carolina BBQ, which is vinegar based and delicious! We're having a great time, and are already looking forward to the next time we're in NC. I'll be sad to go home :(

UPDATE: They changed that category to Adopting Moms - which is still kinda stupid, but it's better than what they had.

**********************************

I have to wonder what goes through peoples' minds sometimes. The depth of certain peoples' ignorance astounds me and makes me alternately sad and so angry, I want to scream.

One of my friends from my adoption board posted today about NBC's Mother's Day contest - http://www.americasfavoritemom.com/mothers-day-2008/static/semiFinalists which has a few different categories of moms. One of which is "Non-Mom" which includes Grandmothers, Step-mothers and ADOPTIVE moms. What the HELL?!?! Since when are adoptive parents NOT parents? And for that matter, when did grandmothers become non parents? And adding to that, I know some step-moms who are more mom to their step-kids than the biological mom. Who gets to say a mom is a non-mom??

The Heritage Dictionary defines Mother as A woman who conceives, gives birth to, or raises and nurtures a child, while Merriam Webster defines Mother as simply a female parent. To call adoptive mothers "Non-Moms" is a deep cut. I'm sure my friends who are adoptive moms would be surprised to hear that they aren't really moms when they're up in the night feeding and changing babies, or bandaging a toddler's skinned knee, or when teaching their teenager to drive. I'm sure that adoptees are shocked to find that the woman who they went to when they were scared or sick isn't really their mom. According to NBC, we're really more like glorified babysitters! Who woulda thunk it?

Here is the contact info for the contest if you'd like to complain...and I urge you to please do so.
1-800-225-7435
support@americasfavoritemom.com

Email for Donny and Marie Osmond
Kesti@marieosmond.com
email4donny@donny.com

And by the way, Marie Osmond is an adoptive mother herself, and I am really surprised she would associate herself with this bullshit. She should be ashamed of herself.

Well, it looks like the baby rush is starting again...we got a call last week about a baby girl, and we decided to put our profile in to be considered for her. Well, we weren't chosen for her, but we got a call today about a baby who isn't born yet and we don't know the sex, but we put our profile in for consideration.

If that weren't enough excitement, we're heading out to the parents' condo in North Carolina this weekend. We're driving (in case we need to head out early) and we're bringing Lucy with us! On the way down, we're going to stop in Nashville (one of my favorite places) and visit with Jeremy's oldest friend Kristian and his wife and their daughter...stay the night and head on to NC in the morning. We're looking forward to the sun, the seafood and the sand...and overall the relaxation! I can't wait to get on the road :)

Nothing new on the adoption front...we're still waiting for our baby :) I'm a little over 7 months Paper Pregnant, and we were told that the average wait is around 9 months and 3 weeks, so I'm not worried about it.

I probably forgot to tell you, Jeremy and I started Weight Watchers again - today is our third weigh in, and I'm looking forward to seeing the result. We were completely off all week - Jeremy was in Detroit from Tuesday morning through Thursday night, we went to a wedding on Saturday and a family get together on Sunday. It all made for a fattie weekend, but we tried valiantly. It's a new week, so we'll get back on track.

Last night, I had the coolest experience. A girl on one of the message boards I frequent was coming to Chicago from Texas and wanted brides (former or current) to pose for edgy photos in their wedding gowns! Mine still fits, so I jumped on the chance. It was so much fun; we met in the Polish National Cemetery and took some beautiful photos. Jeremy came with me and we brought Lucy, and I got some cool pictures with her. One of the best parts is that not only are the pictures free, but I'll get a CD with all of the photos and I'll be able to make prints if I want!

We had our living room furniture picked up to be reupholstered...the living room looks awfully bare. We put my office chair up there so Lucy has something to sit on, but it's still very empty. I'm looking forward to getting the furniture back - I think it's going to be gorgeous! The green couch and chair are going to be a mocha stripe and the odd chair is going to be the same color but a diamond print. If I can find the fabric samples, I'll post pics.

It's been awhile since I've written...sorry about that! We're getting our house ready for a homestudy update - yesterday, Jeremy pulled out a bush in the front and finished the retaining wall next to our front steps. As always, he did a great job :) While he worked hard, I planted iris bulbs, kept him company, got him tools when needed and then took Lucy to the groomer (she was pretty stinky!) All in all, it was a productive day!

It's been beautiful around here lately...although today is a little chilly! My buddy Michelle and I have done some awesome dog transports, and I went with her last week to experience a home visit for a guy wanting to adopt an English Bulldog. I am hoping to get more into Pomeranian rescue, so I want to learn about that kinda stuff. It was weird to be on the other side of a home visit...OH the power! LOL

We have some fun things coming up - my work friend Jen's wedding on the 19th, a combo birthday party on the 20th and hopefully soon, a trip to North Carolina to visit the parents! I am really excited about getting away...this working thing really takes it out of you :)

It has been 6 months, two weeks and one day since we were officially on the "list"...which means we need to schedule an update for the homestudy. This one will be easier - as I understand, we don't both need to be there and it's just a quick look-around. At which time, I am going to point out our new garage door opener with the seeing eye thingy and a couple of other fun things. We're hoping to schedule this meeting in the next couple of weeks...

Last night I got a call from our counselor...B (the birthdad) has just come into the picture and thinks he may want to parent Baby J. In cases like this, all profiles are pulled until the kerfuffle is sorted out. We're not sure if or when we will know anything about this baby, or whether he will be parented by one of his parents.

There are currently 17 babies in our agency's nursery though, so perhaps one of those babies is ours. We will continue to keep our minds clear of any negativity and focus on the end result and hope that you can all join us in doing the same.

As written in the Tao Te Ching, chapter 33:

Knowing others is wisdom;
Knowing the self is enlightenment.
Mastering others requires force;
Mastering the self requires strength;
He who knows he has enough is rich.
Perseverance is a sign of will power.
He who stays where he is endures.
To die but not to perish is to be eternally present.

Jeremy and I thank you all for your enduring support, love and prayers.

Small but awesome update...we are still in the running, and it is down to us and one other family -- WAHOO!!

If you could do me a favor, in the words of my amazing friend Dianne, "lift up a thought, pray, yell, meditation - anything!" -- for Jeremy and I as we wait patiently (mostly) -- for our wonderful families and friends as they wait to become one person larger -- for little baby J as he waits for his family situation to work itself out -- and especially for his mom, C as she makes the most difficult decision of young life. And hell, while you're at it, throw in a word for Spring, because I am sick of this damned snow!!!

Much love to all of you!!

A little post to update you guys on our newest situation...Mom made some cuts over the weekend and we are still in the running. I don't know how many families are still in the running with us...probably 3 or 4. So we're still waiting patiently (mostly LOL) and we hope to hear more tomorrow.

I know the right thing will be done here; even if this little one isn't meant to be our son, he will have a loving, wonderful family when this is all said and done whether Mom decides to place or parent. I did some major soul searching this weekend because I was feeling possessive of this little guy and I reminded myself that I don't want just any baby, I want ours. I want the child who is meant for our family, and I don't want anyone else's baby. I need to remember that this is not in Jeremy's and my control. All of your loving thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be appreciated and felt, thank you!!

Not a baby related blog today...just a hey howyadoin blog. It was a fun weekend - Jeremy and I went out for Thai food on Friday night as a late Valentine's Day dinner. We really like this restaurant; it's just a little hole in the wall place-nothing special from the outside but the food is really good!

Saturday, I went to breakfast with my friend Annie and had a great chat with her...then we went shopping. If you know either of us, you know that we are marathoners and we both excel at shopping :) It was a quick trip to Carson's to look at baby clothes - I needed a gift, and while we were there, I found the cutest little Adidas tracksuit on the clearance rack...and for $7.50, I couldn't pass it up...especially since it was my favorite color (orange!).

After we were done with our little jaunt, I went to pick Jeremy's wool coat up at the cleaners and went home to "help" him pack. I mostly veto/approve shirts. I took him to the airport at 5 and came home to wait for Michelle to come over for our sleepover evening of piggery and talk. We had pizza, chocolates and cupcakes...delish! Sunday we went to the outlet mall where I got two very cool things that don't go together whatsoever! I found the cutest red, platform, peep-toe slingbacks with red bows on the toes. They are almost cartoony in their retro-goodness...I fell in love with them even before I noticed that they were clearance priced...at $7.25. I bought them so fast I think I saw my credit card smoking.

Then we went to a wonderful children's store called Strasburg. Here's a link to the store so you can bask in the beauty that is their clothing selection.
http://www.strasburgchildren.com/index.html
These are the kind of clothes that you really don't want your children moving in. They'd be great for portraits - but God forbid your child would want to eat or play in them, because they are works of art...and expensive like works of art! So we walked around the store and oohed and ahhed over the clothes and then my eye caught this darling diaper bag hanging on the end of a clearance rack. I've been looking for a nice diaper bag that's not too expensive but still attractive, so I checked it out. The original price was $40, which isn't bad, but it was marked down to $9.99. Then I saw that it had been marked down further to $7.99! I asked the salesgirl if it was really $7.99 and she said that it was actually the lowest price plus an additional 20% off! That really got my attention, so I took it right over and had her ring me up. Apparently, I missed the tag that said $4.99, because when she said "That'll be $4.01" I almost swallowed my tongue!! Isn't retail therapy fun?

The rest of the day/evening was spent curled up on the couch with the dog and a book or two. I started The Kite Runner after hearing good things about it and so far, I like it. I should be finished with it this evening if someone wants to discuss it :)

Everyone hold your hands up and scream...this is a roller coaster ride!! This time it's a boy, born Feb 2. Everything looks good, he was born full term and a nice average 7 lbs 8 oz. Mom is Chilean and dad is biracial. The only downsides are that mom prefers a Christian family (which we are not) and although mom's mom is on board, her dad and sister want her to parent. So everything sounds good except for those things...I'm cautiously excited...profiles go out on Friday.

Our counselor called while I was at the dentist...where it seems like I'm living these days...and she said that S decided that she didn't want to choose. In cases like that, the agency chooses the family who has been waiting the longest! What a cool way to do it! So even though we weren't this little one's mom and dad, someone will be picking up their heart's fondest desire tomorrow and taking their daughter home with them.

Ah well, c'est la vie! Perhaps next time...

Tomorrow is the day that our profile takes a little trip...I'm excited, but not too excited. We are up against two interracial couples, a black couple and a single black woman (that I know of...) and I don't know how far we'll make it on this one. Whatever happens though, there is a little girl who is going to make someone incredibly happy!

Some of my adoption friends are in the middle of having their dreams come true...my friend Em just brought her beautiful baby boy home yesterday, and my friend Dianne is in Ohio with her son, waiting for the interstate compact to go through so she can bring him home. My friend Li-Li is waiting for her new son to come home with them...it's positively raining boys lately! Maybe there should be a little girl in this mix...who knows!

Other than that, my birthday snuck up on me this year...I didn't realize that it was so soon, but it's this weekend! I'm going to be 33...older than Jeremy was when we met :) I am going to be the same age as my Gammy was when she had her second child...we have kids late in my family. I'll be the same age as Jesus was when he died! That's a sobering thought.

Anyway...in years past, I have had numerous ideas of what I want for my birthday (which Jeremy loves because he doesn't have to think too hard), but this year I can't think of a single thing that I want. I love jewelry of course, and I can usually find something that won't make Jeremy cringe at the price, but this year I am utterly stumped. I also love purses, but I just got a gorgeous bag for Christmas and I am not tired of carrying it around yet. Of course everyone knows what I really want, but even as resourceful as Jeremy is, he can't produce a baby out of thin air. So this year, he will surprise me :) I can't wait!!

We got a call...a baby girl, born 1-15. She was a little premature but in wonderful health - great APGARS, etc. No drug or alcohol exposure at all, mom is parenting 2 little girls already doesn't think she is able to parent another child. Her family is on board and very supportive. Our profile is going out on the 13th, Jeremy is in Germany from the 16th (my b-day LOL) through the 23rd. Could this be the most incredible belated birthday gift EVER for me?

I was talking about our adoption situation with my boss at the new temp job this morning, and she was saying that she would hire me in a second if I weren't going to be leaving anytime. I said, "Well there's nothing on the horizon, so I could be here for as long as you want me as of now!" My, things do change quickly around here, don't they!

Ok, enough with the damn snow already! It looks really pretty, but I am tired of driving in it. I talked to a guy in Hawaii today for work, and he said they're wearing shorts. I had to keep myself from swearing. Lucy is having trouble going out for her potty breaks since she is up past her armpits (legpits?) in the snow...it's gotta be hard to do the ol' squat n' pee when you can't squat. Jeremy is going to go out and mash the snow down when he gets home from work. Only the best for our little dog :)

We had some interesting news from a friend of ours who is going through another agency. She told me that their agency had 5 African American birthmoms who were in various stages of late pregnancy, and no people to adopt the babies. Since she knows we are interested, she told me to check out what we would need to get on their waiting parents list. She said that she didn't think it would be a big deal, maybe an extra thousand (which in the big scheme of things is no big) for program fees. It turned out to be a much bigger deal than either of us imagined. Basically, we would have had to take a few steps back and jump through a few hoops...something Jeremy and I have no desire to do.

The issue that makes me really angry is that the agency doesn't work with other agencies - if there is no one to adopt a child and the birthmom signs the Termination of Parental Rights (TPR), the baby goes into interim care...basically foster care through the agency. This could lead to attachment disorders for the baby, because it would have attached to the birthmom, then the foster family, and then would be expected to attach to adoptive parents. In a world where the rights of the child are supposed to be first and foremost and money is supposed to be last on the list, it sure seems like the opposite. It seems to me that if there are relinquished babies needing placements, and home study ready parents needing placements, that money and red tape shouldn't stand in the way of those babies and those parents becoming families. It sure angries up the blood!

Jeremy and I discussed it last night and decided that we would talk to our counselor and see if they know about this situation, and why the agencies don't work together...it would make me really sad if our agency (which has a stellar reputation in the adoption world) made use of the same practices.

Saturday the 12th, I went with my friend Michelle on a Transport. Basically, we drove a leg with some dogs who were coming from a kill shelter in Kentucky to a no kill shelter in Wisconsin. She and I picked up 8 dogs - Momma dog and 6 puppies, and a chihuahua named Festus - in Oak Lawn, IL and drove them to the drop-off in Gurnee, IL. The dogs were wonderful, and are all in their own little foster homes. I very nearly came home with Festus. He was an amazing little guy, and spent the majority of the trip with his head on my arm or my chest. I got as far as filling out the application for him, and being approved...but we decided that it wasn't a good time for us to be bringing another dog home. As wonderful as he is, it's just too much now.

Last week was mostly spent in bed with the flu. Oh the flu...not pretty. I'm still a little weak from it, and I lost 12 pounds (10 of which are still gone). I'm feeling fine now, but I wouldn't wish that sweaty, chilled, gross feeling on my worst enemy. I think my immunities are down, because I think I may be getting a cold. Oh my kingdom to just be done with it!

On a super good note, Jeremy and I finished cleaning out the garage last weekend, and we are parking BOTH cars in there. Just in time for the snowfall last night - it is so nice to go out there and start the car and leave - and not have to wait for the car to warm up, not have to scrape the windows, not have to shiver in a cold car (especially in Jeremy's car with the leather seats!). It has been blissfull...and we're going to keep it that way...I can't go back to the old ways now.

Well, it's been a hectic week! I went back to work on Monday - the new temp job is about 5 miles from home, and it's kind of long term. The woman I am filling in for is having back surgery and will be out through the first week in April at the most, so I may be here for the long haul. The place is nice and casual, and the people are really nice. I like the work - there is a lot to do, and I am able to keep busy. I hate when I am just sitting with nothing to do!

On Wednesday, I found out that our last situation didn't pan out, the mom "M" decided to parent, so we're moving onward and upward! Our counselor told me that "It's raining babies here lately, so I could be calling you back any day!" I have my cell phone on at all times :) There have been a lot of babies showing up among my adoption friends lately - one of my girls just brought a baby boy home yesterday kind of out of the blue! It's an exciting way to become a parent, that's for sure!

In other news, I just bought the cutest lambie from my friend Anita...she crochets them herself, and she is one of the most talented crafty women I know!! Check out my lamb and the rest of her little guys at her Etsy store...I might go back and pick up her little Gumdrop Monster one of these days! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5415385

My friend Liz also has a store for baby-related stuff, and I will be buying a Moby Wrap from her pretty soon. The Moby is the coolest baby carrier around. It's a long expanse of cloth and you wrap it around yourself and tuck the baby inside...it is absolutely perfect for bonding - especially for an adoptive parent! http://www.myadoptionshop.com/main.sc

I'm hoping to update with some good news soon what with the raining babies :)

Jeremy and I drove to Indiana today to meet a friend of mine from an adoption forum I frequent. She and her husband were there from Texas picking up their brand new son and we figured that since we were close, we should actually meet in person since we had known each other for a year and a half in cyber space. It was so nice to finally meet her, and she let me hold that perfect little baby boy almost the whole time! I could have held him for days; he's one of those marvelous babies who melt into your chest when you hold them...and he is quiet and sweet - even when he cries, it's not for long.

She and her husband gave Jeremy and I these little silver medallions with the word "Faith" on them, and she told me that they had been carrying them for the past three months as a tangible reminder to have faith that their child would come to them in the right time. They gave them to us in hopes that we would have our child soon, and to have something to hold on to when we feel impatient or bummed.

We're both carrying them in our pockets, and will pass them on when we bring our own child home! What a loving thing for them to do - thanks guys!!

Once again, we have gotten a call...this time for a baby girl! Born on November 24th, she would be the fifth November birthday in our immediate family - and the 4th within a week of each other. She would be only a day apart from her cousin!

She was a little bit premature, but came out like a champ - she never had any kind of breathing apparatus and she had high APGAR scores (which were REALLY high for a preemie, because theirs are usually so low!) and she gained weight really quickly - all of which makes me think that they biffed on her gestation, and she is really older than they thought. She is in the agency nursery - ready and waiting for her family (whomever that may be).

What an exciting way to start the new year :) Happy 2008, indeed!

Now, about those resolutions. I think I want to get back to the gym - I haven't been since I sprained my ankle, and I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. That's about it. I really can't think of anything else that I want to quit or start...

What are your resolutions??