Miracle Update

Miracle has changed so much during her tenth month. It's hard to believe all of these changes have occurred in less than four weeks:

• Five new teeth, making a total of six
• Walking, yes all by herself, across the room
• Sleeping through the night every night, instead of just some
• Eating table food almost exclusively - one bite of baby food and she is done!
• Drinking through a straw and with a sippy cup
• Outgrowing her 6 mo clothes, in length only
• Babbling on her own, not all the time, but more than not at all

She definitely has her own dainty personality, and she is fully aware of her surroundings. Miracle loves to be with people and to be held, but she also plays well on her own.  

I can't wait to see what the next month or two brings! Good job, Miracle!

Three Little Sweethearts

Three Little Cherubs

Playing in the tub,

Not too fond of pictures,

But bonding in their club.

I love these three little ones,

all unexpected additions to our family.

I ache for their birth mom;

she's missing so much.

Thank you, God,

for your infinite wisdom and grace.

Thank you for our family.

Please give me the strength and patience

to raise all my children

in a way pleasing to you.

Amen.

Career Day

Today was Career Day at school,

and the kids were to dress up for their chosen career.

May wants to be a nurse (or maybe a doctor).

Buddy wants to go to West Point and be in the Army.

Keep up the hard work!

Very Nice Visit

This weekend we had lunch with May's bio dad.  We see him two or three times a year.  The last few times have been when he has attended one of her concerts.  This time we had a leisurely lunch at a serve yourself soup and salad buffet restaurant.

May always enjoys seeing him, and I know he absolutely cherishes the time he spends with her.  He is also very glad to see the rest of the kids as well.  I had asked him if he would prefer to have lunch with just May and me or with everyone.  His reply was that he wanted to see "his entire family".

He can make May laugh out loud as he tells her stories about her first few months of life.  May did not come into foster care until she was just about a year old.  He told her how she took her first few steps in front of everyone at a family gathering and everyone rushed to find the elusive camera.  He also shared how she always had a pacifier in her mouth but once they forgot it and she did just fine.

May catches him up on what she is doing.  He then recounts all the things she has done: dance, gymnastics, violin, choir, basketball, volleyball...  She told him she is planning to throw discus and shot put in track and field and he was thrilled.  He said he always loved track.

He tells May about the rest of his family.  There are so many, we can't keep most of them straight, but she knows she has two other adult half siblings and several nieces and nephews.  May likes to tell her friends that she is the oldest and the youngest in her two different families.

The connection that May and her dad share is special.  I'm so glad she has that bond that I could never provide.  Her bio mom has been out of the picture since before she was adopted.  Her dad has turned his life around and is stable on his own.  It took him years to get there, but he hasn't relapsed in over five years and seems to be making a difference through the VA by helping homeless veterans and teaching law enforcement agencies about dealing with mentally ill individuals they encounter.

May's dad is thrilled with the life May has and with the ability to be part of her life.  He thanks me over and over.  I told him that I was so blessed that God chose me to call her my daughter.  This visit was very special for everyone.

Ten Months and Tiny

Miracle is ten months old*.  She is so tiny; she looks closer to six months.  But she is long and so very cute!

She weighs 16.5 pounds and is 29.5 inches long.  She is still wearing 3-6 mo clothes, but some of the one piece items with feet are too short.

She has one bottom tooth, which arrived on her nine month birthday.  She loves food, all food so far.  She really likes finger food so she can feed herself.

She has started crawling and is beginning to pull herself up on things.  She is vocal, but not really babbling, more like screeching, screaming, and panting. 

She almost sleeps through the night, sometimes from midnight until about 6am.  Most nights she wakes once and gets a new bottle. 

Miracle is a very happy baby.  She takes a lot of rough-housing from BB and Precious, but she is quickly learning to hold her own.

*This should have been posted about two weeks ago.  An update will follow on what Miracle has done since.