Monday, February 27, 2012
Month 8
Mobility was the name of the game as we blew threw Eliza's eighth month. Even though she wasn't really crawling, she was rolling EVERYWHERE. Since rolling isn't exactly the most precise way of getting from point A to point B, Ellie found herself in some hilarious the places. In the below picture, Eliza rolled under the couch. She thought it was fun.
"This is fun!" - Eliza
She rolled into the side of her crib all the time and I would come in and find her butted up against her bumper rolled up in her blanket and laughing. I love that she is already laughing at herself, a great quality to take into life. :)
Eliza tried a swing for the first time and loved it. However, if she is on it any longer than a few minutes, she will start falling asleep. Funny, right?
She got her first tooth! Taking a picture of the a baby's first tooth always end up looking kind of disgusting/torturous. But it is something that needs to be done. Sorry. :)
Eliza was a monkey for Halloween! She even carried a banana, but that banana didn't last long.
This is her first time in a ball pit. She was a little overwhelmed by all the colors.
For the most part, she just held onto those balls and watched other kids have fun.
Sink bath! Eliza loves playing in the water. It's always a huge, wet mess afterwards but totally worth it. Look at that tongue! Goodness.
Sink bath! Eliza loves playing in the water. It's always a huge, wet mess afterwards but totally worth it. Look at that tongue! Goodness.
For the longest time we couldn't figure out if Eliza would have curly, wavy, or even straight hair. She is 1/4 African American and 1/4 American Indian, both ethnicities have VERY strong and dominate hair types. But the curls really emerged and she is for sure a curly girl! Hooray!
Hanging out in the crib.
"I'm stuffed." - Eliza
Goodnight lovin' from Daddy.
"I want that." - Eliza
"Are you done yet?" - ElizaWednesday, February 22, 2012
Month 7
There were quite few events that took place during Eliza's 7th month. A good friend of our, Shannon, had her second son and we went to visit her in Albuquerque during the same time my sister was visiting her. Shannon is probably one of the most extraordinary women I know and she had a beautiful son named Gideon.
While we were in Albuquerque we went to the Zoo - Eliza's first experience with wild Animals that weren't plush and stuffed. :) She didn't seem too impressed with her experience, but I have a feeling she will change her tune when she gets older.
Baby Gideon taking a nap at the zoo.
Shannon and her oldest son, Simeon. Sim is such a well behaved, loving, clever, and SMART little boy!
My Sister. I love her.
All the girls...and a polar bear.
Eliza and her wonderful Gigi. They love each other.
Gigi was holding Eliza and Eliza assumed this position. It cracked me up! I thought that maybe I should have been fanning her with a palm leave and feeding her grapes. ;)
Eliza and mommy looking at some kind of animal.
I made all of her baby food, mostly for budgetary reasons, but also because it's healthier. The above picture is pureed peas. Isn't it a beautiful color, so vibrant. Jarred baby food peas kind of look like puke. For aesthetics alone, making my own baby food was a good choice. :)
I turned on Sesame Street one day and Elmo was on. Eliza was completely taken with this furry red puppet, so much so that she was flapping her arms and bouncing up and down.
Totally transfixed with Elmo.
In order to get dinner cooked, I began to make a "fort" under the table for Ellie to play in. She LOVED it.
She got up on all fours!!!!
Uncle Cory, Aunt Hannah, and Cousin Daniel came to visit. We had such a wonderful time just doing life with them. They were so much fun to have around and we miss them a lot. Aunt Sarah also came to visit a few weeks earlier, but for some reason we didn't take any picture: fail. We love you Sarah!
We did Eliza's seven month photo shoot while we were at White Sands. Ellie loved that sand too. :)
While we were in Albuquerque we went to the Zoo - Eliza's first experience with wild Animals that weren't plush and stuffed. :) She didn't seem too impressed with her experience, but I have a feeling she will change her tune when she gets older.
Baby Gideon taking a nap at the zoo.
Shannon and her oldest son, Simeon. Sim is such a well behaved, loving, clever, and SMART little boy!
My Sister. I love her.
All the girls...and a polar bear.
Eliza and her wonderful Gigi. They love each other.
Gigi was holding Eliza and Eliza assumed this position. It cracked me up! I thought that maybe I should have been fanning her with a palm leave and feeding her grapes. ;)
Eliza and mommy looking at some kind of animal.
Eliza started making funny expressions that meant something, not just gas. The girl has attitude. I LOVE IT! (At least I do now, I may be singing a different tune in the teen years)
This picture makes me laugh!
"I LOVE TO EAT!!" - Eliza
I made all of her baby food, mostly for budgetary reasons, but also because it's healthier. The above picture is pureed peas. Isn't it a beautiful color, so vibrant. Jarred baby food peas kind of look like puke. For aesthetics alone, making my own baby food was a good choice. :)
I turned on Sesame Street one day and Elmo was on. Eliza was completely taken with this furry red puppet, so much so that she was flapping her arms and bouncing up and down.
Totally transfixed with Elmo.
In order to get dinner cooked, I began to make a "fort" under the table for Ellie to play in. She LOVED it.
She got up on all fours!!!!
Uncle Cory, Aunt Hannah, and Cousin Daniel came to visit. We had such a wonderful time just doing life with them. They were so much fun to have around and we miss them a lot. Aunt Sarah also came to visit a few weeks earlier, but for some reason we didn't take any picture: fail. We love you Sarah!
We went to White Sands with the Lutterman Family. It was really fun. Daniel LOVED all the sand! Aren't they a cute family?
We did Eliza's seven month photo shoot while we were at White Sands. Ellie loved that sand too. :)
Monday, February 20, 2012
Month six
Happy half birthday, Eliza! We had a pretty great month. I painted Eliza's crib purple and continued on my quest to decorate her room. I love her purple crib and I admire it at least once a day, even now. I feel as though every little girl needs a purple crib. I also put some fun fabric in various sizes of embroidery hoops and got a new rug! There are picture of the rug in the last few picture in this post.
Eliza began sitting up by herself!
A little "wilty" but what a big girl!!!
Eliza started eating solids too! She wasn't the biggest fan at first, which was a surprise to me, I guess I thought all babies just gobbled up their first bites of food. Rookie mistake. It took a lot of patience but she learned to love eating!
I would have to say that this hanging high chair is one of the best purchases we have made as parents. Why? Well, I have an irrational fear of stubbing my toe and I always imagined that having a high chair around would increase the possibility of stubbing my toe in a tired stupor late at night while scrambling to get screaming baby a bottle (I know, wild imagination). This hanging high chair removes that possibility all together because there are no legs! And she can eat dinner at the table with Mom and Dad.
Eliza also began taking charge of her bottle around this time. She would not tolerate mom or dad holding the bottle for her so we conceded to defeat and let her hold her own bottle. The bottle was almost as big as her!
Helping Mommy fold laundry.
I love the face she is making here.
Eliza began sitting up by herself!
A little "wilty" but what a big girl!!!
Eliza started eating solids too! She wasn't the biggest fan at first, which was a surprise to me, I guess I thought all babies just gobbled up their first bites of food. Rookie mistake. It took a lot of patience but she learned to love eating!
I would have to say that this hanging high chair is one of the best purchases we have made as parents. Why? Well, I have an irrational fear of stubbing my toe and I always imagined that having a high chair around would increase the possibility of stubbing my toe in a tired stupor late at night while scrambling to get screaming baby a bottle (I know, wild imagination). This hanging high chair removes that possibility all together because there are no legs! And she can eat dinner at the table with Mom and Dad.
Eliza also began taking charge of her bottle around this time. She would not tolerate mom or dad holding the bottle for her so we conceded to defeat and let her hold her own bottle. The bottle was almost as big as her!
Helping Mommy fold laundry.
I love the face she is making here.
Chewing on her sleeve.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Gotcha!!
Adoption truly is an amazing experience. I feel so privileged that God allowed us to journey through the devastation of infertility in order to bring us to the adoption destination. It's amazing how whole and complete it feels, its hard for me to believe that our extraordinary daughter didn't actually come from my body. She is ours, in every way imaginable and she was created to be a part of our family, she just came in an unexpected package. I really do think that "unexpected packages" is a major take away from our pursuit of building a family and experience of infertility. I can't put God in a box, it just won't work. When my expectation is on a way I think things should go, I am neglecting to trust the ultimate orchestrator. My expectations should always be in God and His perfect plan, even if in the midst of the plan I don't feel particularly comfortable with how things are playing out.
Eliza was made legally ours on August 15th, 2011. I remember feeling the same anticipation that I felt the day of Chris' and my wedding, there was a sense of true gravity, of weight, of commitment, of overwhelming joy! Eliza was ours already, but this was our chance to tell the world that we wanted her for better or for worse, if she grows up to hate us, if she makes decisions we may not agree with, if sickness overtakes her, if all the "what ifs"overtake us, Eliza Kathleen Sheehan was ours and we were going to love her and want her regardless.
There was a lot that we didn't know going into the court room. For instance, I had no idea that we were going to have to testify before the judge. I was kind of caught off guard when I was asked to take the witness stand. Really? What were they going to ask me, I hadn't prepared in the least bit. Looking back, maybe that was good, because the answers to the questions were genuine, "unscripted". I was questioned about the bond that Chris and I had created with Eliza and the only word that came out was "Unbreakable". It's true and that word kind of encapsulated all that I was feeling that day and about what we were doing, we were making our family unit unbreakable, with God's constant guidance, we were solidifying what He put in place from the beginning of the earth.
Dear Eliza,
You are more precious than words could fully describe. You changed our lives and continue to every day. We are so grateful that God gave you to us. What a wonderful gift you are and we are so pleased with you, no matter what you do and no matter what happens, you are our girl and we do and will continue to love you desperately.
Our earnest prayer is that we will be able to effectively point you towards the true hero of your story, the true hero of all stories, Jesus. It's because of Him that we were able to call you our own and He doesn't want it to end there, He wants to call you His own. We pray that the adoption into our family isn't the only one you will experience in your life, we pray that you will also make the choice to be adopted into God's family. He loves you far more and far better than anyone ever could, including Daddy and I.
You are so precious, so wonderful, so much fun! We look forward to getting to know you even better as you grow into whatever it is that God has planned. We are so glad to call you our very own! WE GOTCHA!
Love, Mom and Dad
Testifying before the judge. The coffee canister looks bigger than me!
Daddy passing Eliza over for some mommy lovin'.
"What's over there?"
The Judge has a tradition at all his adoption hearings to let the adopted child rule over the court after all is said and done. Eliza was a little overwhelmed by all the power. :)
Eliza wielding the gavel, mostly she wanted to chew on it.
Eliza was made legally ours on August 15th, 2011. I remember feeling the same anticipation that I felt the day of Chris' and my wedding, there was a sense of true gravity, of weight, of commitment, of overwhelming joy! Eliza was ours already, but this was our chance to tell the world that we wanted her for better or for worse, if she grows up to hate us, if she makes decisions we may not agree with, if sickness overtakes her, if all the "what ifs"overtake us, Eliza Kathleen Sheehan was ours and we were going to love her and want her regardless.
There was a lot that we didn't know going into the court room. For instance, I had no idea that we were going to have to testify before the judge. I was kind of caught off guard when I was asked to take the witness stand. Really? What were they going to ask me, I hadn't prepared in the least bit. Looking back, maybe that was good, because the answers to the questions were genuine, "unscripted". I was questioned about the bond that Chris and I had created with Eliza and the only word that came out was "Unbreakable". It's true and that word kind of encapsulated all that I was feeling that day and about what we were doing, we were making our family unit unbreakable, with God's constant guidance, we were solidifying what He put in place from the beginning of the earth.
Dear Eliza,
You are more precious than words could fully describe. You changed our lives and continue to every day. We are so grateful that God gave you to us. What a wonderful gift you are and we are so pleased with you, no matter what you do and no matter what happens, you are our girl and we do and will continue to love you desperately.
Our earnest prayer is that we will be able to effectively point you towards the true hero of your story, the true hero of all stories, Jesus. It's because of Him that we were able to call you our own and He doesn't want it to end there, He wants to call you His own. We pray that the adoption into our family isn't the only one you will experience in your life, we pray that you will also make the choice to be adopted into God's family. He loves you far more and far better than anyone ever could, including Daddy and I.
You are so precious, so wonderful, so much fun! We look forward to getting to know you even better as you grow into whatever it is that God has planned. We are so glad to call you our very own! WE GOTCHA!
Love, Mom and Dad
Testifying before the judge. The coffee canister looks bigger than me!
Daddy passing Eliza over for some mommy lovin'.
"What's over there?"
The Judge has a tradition at all his adoption hearings to let the adopted child rule over the court after all is said and done. Eliza was a little overwhelmed by all the power. :)
Eliza wielding the gavel, mostly she wanted to chew on it.
With the Judge, our Attorney, and wonderful Social Worker.
The "Adoption Buddies"! Carrissa was a huge inspiration as we embarked on the adoption journey. She too was adopted in infancy and is one of my very favorite people. She loves Eliza so much and we are so blessed that they have each other!
Carrissa and Eliza, with the parents God intended for them! Praise GOD!!!
First family picture as a legal family unit!
The "Adoption Buddies"! Carrissa was a huge inspiration as we embarked on the adoption journey. She too was adopted in infancy and is one of my very favorite people. She loves Eliza so much and we are so blessed that they have each other!
Carrissa and Eliza, with the parents God intended for them! Praise GOD!!!
First family picture as a legal family unit!
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