Happy Father's Day

to the best, most considerate, thoughtful, helpful, caring, and nurturing man. I love you! And your daughter is so lucky to have you for a daddy.

XOXOXO

11 Months!

Dear Meerkat:

Eleven months old already??? One more month until you're ONE! One more month of babyhood. Then, you start to become a "big girl." Although, in so many ways, you're already showing your big girl independence.

You play independently for long stretches. It's so much fun to watch you examine your toys. You'll spin things in your hands, over and over, figuring them out. You push buttons, fill and empty things, climb, walk, and what I can only assume is make believe. You'll put your toys in your mouth and wave your arms around like crazy, and hum or squeal. You jibber jabber in your playpen at nothing.



You've pretty much outgrown your jumperoo. I'm sad because you loved it so much for so long. It seems like we just bought it, and already it's time to take it down... or pass it on to a cousin.

Since we're talking about toys, let's talk about your favorite toy this month. We bought you a small toy kitchen, about 14 inches tall. And you LOVE it. It sings and makes sound effects. When it plays a song, you will wriggle and wiggle and dance. You love the faucet the most, it seems. You will continuously make it say "on/off on/off on/off." It came with a toy pot, a large toy spoon, and some toy food. If we pretend to feed you from the toy spoon, you'll smack your lips and make a "mmm" sound. It's really adorable, and amazing to me that you already have such a vivid imagination. It's hard to believe that so few months ago, you couldn't even reach out for a toy.

Oh yeah... another thing about your kitchen. You like to climb on top of it. Today, you opened the oven door and balanced precariously on the little lip between the nothingness of the open oven and the nothingness on the other side. We decided to just get you the crap down and not worry about snapping a picture of that little incident. We have to watch you very closely, because you will stand on anything that's available. Your balance is good though. Maybe you'll be a gymnast, or a dancer.

This month, you have sprouted more teeth! You now have 4 (two on top and two on bottom) and one more coming in as I write this. You have a good bite now, and so we are giving you more table food. You like macaroni and cheese a lot. You also really love snack time. The crunchies and puffs are your favorite, though you won't turn down a yogurt bite either. You didn't care for black beans the last time we gave them to you, but you love great northern beans. Daddy hates them. He thinks they stink. Mommy thinks they look, taste, and smell delicious! But mommy has always liked beans of all sorts.

Your hair is longer and thicker, but it's hard to tell because it's so curly. I can tell because I wash it, and it gets really long when I detangle it. But then it springs right back against your head. You don't like it when I put bows in your hair anymore, but you'll tolerate them once they're in.

This month, you still babble unintelligibly. And, you say mama and dada, but still with no recognition of the meaning. But, something that you've started doing this month is immitating. We went to OH for your cousin's graduation, and while there, you had a little chair in the yard with fish and bubbles on it. Mommy would say "bubble... bubble... bubble... fish!" and point to the pictures to show you which was which. After a couple times, I would say "bubble" and you would follow it with "Buh" or "Buhpp" and when I would say "fish" you would follow it with "Gih" It was very clear that you were trying to say what I was saying, even though no one would ever guess those were the words you were saying if they didn't hear me say them first.

Oh, and on this visit to OH, you FINALLY got to meet your great Grandma R and Aunt K this month. They've been waiting so patiently to meet you, and thankfully we were able to stop by on our way home this time around. They were so happy to see you, and you entertained them big time! You ripped up a magazine and rode around on it through the living room. You played piano. You crawled around and babbled. Then you ate and passed out. It was a blast.



You are still happy this month - happy about everything. We laugh; you laugh. We move; you laugh. We turn on the TV; you laugh. We play with a toy; you laugh. We put your paci in our mouths; you laugh. We wake you up; you laugh. We put you to bed... okay, you don't always laugh for this. In fact, you mostly hate going to bed. But the other night, when I was putting you to bed, you giggled like a crazy woman for no reason for several minutes.

The newest and most exciting thing you're doing lately is letting go of what you're holding onto and remaining standing. You haven't taken any steps yet, and you're still a little afraid of standing alone. But you do it. And you did it a lot at your Grandma S' house. You stood for well over a minute and a half.

I doubt you'll be walking by your birthday. But I think you'll be walking before 13 months. We'll see if I'm right.

I can't believe this time has gone so fast. Keep growing and developing! Mommy can't wait to see what comes next. You continue to amaze and surprise me every day, and you fill my heart with more love than I can explain in words.



I adore you, Meerkat.

Love,
Mommy

Summer = Awesome!

Today, we went to the pool with Meerkat for the first time. It was spectacular. It was so much fun to watch her uncertainty and chilliness turn into pure excitement and pleasure. She kicked like a little swimmer, and splashed, and floated in her raft. It was just so much fun!

I can't wait to go back. Summer has always been fun, but Meerkat makes it 100x more fun! :) I love this child:

Want, Want, Want... Work, Work, Work...

Now that school is out, and I'm done teaching for the summer, I've had a lot of time to think about the things I want. In fact, I'm turning three of these things into goals:

1. Pay off some debt

2. Help my mom get into a new home

3. "Officially" begin our second adoption by the end of the year

So, obviously, these things involve a lot of money. But, I'm going to work extra hard these next three months. EXTRA hard. And hopefully, it will pay off. :) I am so in love with my other job (real estate) that I can't wait to dig my heels in and start getting some more listings and sales. It's so rewarding to help people find houses or sell their homes. So, now that I'm not teaching for the summer, I'm going to focus focus focus. Think of me and wish me well! I'm hoping to get a significant start on #1 by the end of the summer. But it will take a lot of work to get there.

10 months!

Dear Meerkat,

You are SO CUTE!!! This past month has been such a pleasure, because you've started to do adorable little things that I never even imagined when I used to daydream about being your mommy over a year ago.

For instance, you've started waving your little hand to say "hi." to mommy and daddy. You don't wave it back and forth, you open and close your tiny fingers. It's become automatic. If you hear mommy say "Hi baby!" you will immediately start to wave. Sometimes you will stare down at your fingers like you don't know what they're doing. And other times you will wave toward yourself. But regardless, it's so stinkin cute! I need to capture it on video (note to self: do that tomorrow morning!) The other day, I walked into your bedroom in the morning and said "Good morning, baby!" and you raised your little hand off the bar of your crib and waved at me with a big smile on your face. My heart proceeded to melt all over the floor. :)

Even more recently, you've started clapping those precious hands when we say "Yay!" and clap with you.

You've also begun pulling yourself up regularly. Right after my last monthly update, you started doing it a lot. And, now, you'll even do it with one hand. You've also learned how to lower yourself down to the ground without hurting yourself. You're so smart!

One really adorable thing you've started to do lately is get SUPER excited for no reason. You just start to freak out (in a good way) and kick your legs like crazy, and wave your arms around, all while smiling your huge, one-toothed grin and squealing like a tiny maniac. :) I LOVE IT! And, if we pick you up while you're excited, you will kick in the air like you're trying to swim.

This month your hair has gotten longer and fuller. It's insane! It's absolutely beautiful - but it definitely is going to take some maintenance. When I take bows out of your hair, you look like Cosm.o Kra.mer from Seinfe.ld.


You say "mama" and "dada" and "baba" but you have no idea what those things mean yet (or if you do, you aren't letting on). But it's pure magic to hear those words come out of your mouth. Usually it's a string of sounds: "mamamamama" "bababab" "dadada" "mamabadaba" but it doesn't change how much I love hearing you make those sounds. It's just a sign of what's to come! And, I can't wait to hear your little voice saying all sorts of cute things.

This month, your stranger anxiety has gotten stronger. For the last couple months, you've not liked men who you don't know. But I've noticed this intensifying a bit in the last week or two. Sometimes, just looking at a man you don't know can send you into tears, unless mommy or daddy is holding you. I don't want to encourage it, but I have to tell you secretly: I absolutely love it when you cling to me and want me to protect you. :)

You solo play nicely, but you love to play with mommy and daddy the most. Very recently, you've really begun to enjoy reading books with us, and you get upset when we put the book away.

You would play with us all day long, if we'd let you. You love it so much that you try to avoid napping in order to play, even when you're so tired you cry for no reason at all. Sometimes, you'll be playing, and then you'll just lay down for a second like you're exhausted. As soon as mommy or daddy says something, you pop back up like you just took a 2 hour power nap. It's becoming very difficult to get you to nap, but we push through the tears and squeals and twisting and turning, and eventually you fall asleep.
You sleep best at night (and function more happily during the day) if you have two naps: One around 10:30am and another around 2:30 or 3pm.

As for your diet this month, the doctor told us to start transitioning you to table food, so we're trying to do that slowly and carefully. We give you a little bite here and there of our food, as long as it's not too seasoned, and as long as it's cut up really small. You love it. But you still love to have your bottle the best.

You're growing so big and strong! Your little legs are so powerful! I'm amazed at how fast you grow and change in a month's time. We've only got two more months before you're a year old... and I know you'll go through many more changes before that.

I love you so much baby! This month we celebrated mother's day, and it was one of the happiest days I've ever had. I'm so proud to be your mother. And I'm so excited that summer's here and mommy and daddy get to stay home with you all summer!!!! YAY!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a wonderful first official Mother's Day thanks to my loving, wonderful husband. When I woke up this morning, he presented me with my gifts. First, he gave me a beautiful card from him and Meerkat. Then, he gave me a big bag of all my favorite childhood candies: Circ.us Pe.anuts, Swe.et T.arts, Pe.z, and Ni.k-l-ni.ps. Then...

Then...

THEN!!! He presented me with the best gift ever!

My husband spent the last several days writing a story about me... from childhood dreams of being a mother, to finding out about my infertility, to my struggle with it, to our adoption. Oh, but that's not all. Not only did he write the story, but he illustrated it in beautiful white silhouettes that went along with the story. Then, he put it all on black paper and created a book! It's beautiful! And of course I cried. It truly was the best thing he could have given me today. It showed me how well he knows me, how much he cares about me, and it showed his creativity, talent, thoughtfulness, and romanticism.

I love that man.

After all this, we went to church, and then to dinner with my mom and grandma. It was a lovely day!

Of course, I spent a majority of the day thinking of A and all the other birthmothers who have made many other mothers able to celebrate this day for the first time this year. And while I was filled with joy and love today, I was also filled with a hint of sadness. I know that despite her certainty in her decision, despite our open relationship, despite the fact that she has two other children to hug her on mother's day, that a large piece of her heart was here with Meerkat today. And I pray that she was able to have some joy today, despite that sadness.

A, I know you probably will never read this, and that I've told you how we feel about you a number of times. But I have to put it out into the atmosphere as often as possible. You are a wonderful woman who I will love forever. Thank you for your selflessness, for your strength, for your love, and for your trust in us. We love you dearly. Meerkat will always know how much we cherish you, and I'm sure she will grow up loving you as much as we do, and as much as you love her. Happy mother's day today, A. And Happy birthmother's day yesterday. You deserve two special days, and I hope that you were able to relax and have some type of peace this weekend.

And to all you other mothers: first time, expecting, waiting to be expecting, or old hat --- Happy Happy Mother's Day!

Calling all those with curls (or kids with curls)

So, I have curly hair. But it's really just super wavy curls. Usually I just straigthen my hair, and I'm okay with that. But now, I'm faced with the difficult task of caring for a child with curls... and I mean lots of curls. I don't really know how to handle it. Meerkat has the tightest little curls all over her head. I'm trying to figure out how they will look when they grow out (up?) more. Will she just keep getting a larger and larger afro? Or will her curls begin to stretch out a bit? Will they be excessively frizzy? If you have curly hair, or have a child with curly hair, I'd love some tips. Please share your best "curly hair" secrets. I want my daughter to love her hair - and that's going to start with me learning how to manage it.

Also, if you have pictures of your kids (or self) when they were little and then a little older, to help me see how Meerkat's hair might end up looking, I'd love to see them.