Smiling Faces

Today was Liliana's 2nd day of school. And, yes, I did get her to school on time (thank you very much). She loves her teacher and her classmates, and I'm so thankful. Today I picked her up as the students were lining up to leave. As she walked away from the group, I heard at least seven little voices yell, "Bye, Liliana!" That was the highlight of my day.

The rest of our day was meltdown city. Chalk it up to adjustment. After all, this is her first week of school.

Yesterday I met with Leila's birthmother at Bethany's office. It was wonderful to spend some time with her, and it seemed like she enjoyed spending time with Leila & me. Leila showed off her superb eating and pooping skills. Two of the nastiest diapers ever. At least she was true to form!

Leila Madeline has been smiling at me A TON today. She's been alert and interactive for two-hour stretches, which makes life more interesting.

Here are some photos from earlier today. Enjoy!

Ramona in '08

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My Baby Is All Growed Up

Today was Liliana's first day of school! Here she is at the door, ready as ever. What an exciting occasion for Liliana, and what a bittersweet time for me. I'm so proud of the little person she has become and thrilled to see what God has planned for her. Yet, it's also sad to experience the first step toward the day when she flies away from our comfy little nest.

I thought, for sure, that I would bawl my eyes out. Fortunately for me--and unfortunately for her--my emotional connection was quickly thwarted when I realized that we were, indeed, not 10 minutes early for a 9:00am start, but rather 20 minutes tardy for an 8:30am start! I was mortified! How I could have made that mistake, I'll never know. But I will certainly not forget that I made my daughter late for her first ever day of school.

Award for Loving School on the First Day: Liliana
Award for Untimely & Socially Aloof Mommy: Ramona

Welcome to my world.

Wedding Belle

Liliana is always beautiful to me, but she especially melted my heart Friday night. Here is my darling as we added the final touches for the wedding. We both agreed that she looked just like a princess.

The wedding ceremony and reception took place at the Butterfly House in Chesterfield. What a gorgeous setting for the event. We were so thankful for great (but humid) weather, instead of the thunderstorms that were predicted. Left: Liliana gazes at the lily pads on the pond.

This is one of my favorite photos of Liliana. Although she's probably thinking about creepy, crawly bugs or climbing on the playground, I prefer to think she's pondering how much she loves her mommy. Oh, she's gorgeous!

Liliana walks down the brick path, preparing for her big debut. She was so enamored with her surroundings that we didn't need toys to entertain her between photo sessions and the main event.

My little flower girl. Beneath this girly exterior is a well-rounded child who loves digging in the dirt as much as playing with dolls. Throughout the evening, she took a dozen adults by the hand and said "I have to show you something." At some point during each conversation she said, "Look! You cannot believe your eyes..."

When it was time to shine, Liliana knew exactly what to do...until the father of the bride handed her a crisp one dollar bill. Suddenly, the flower girl abandoned the plan and became the "dollar girl." She left the ring bearer and ran down the aisle (forgetting to sprinkle rose petals), saying, "Mommy, mommy! Look at my dollar!"

During the ceremony, Liliana was handsomely rewarded with Skittles (which were also a strategic move to keep her quiet for the nuptials). After the wedding, Liliana smiled through yet another photo session, and then she was free to eat, drink and be merry. Here we are with Cindy as we danced the night away.

Above, Liliana holds Kristen's train for a professional photo. As soon as the photographer was distracted, Mommy snapped one, too.

The event wasn't complete until we got our beloved family photo.

Congratulations, Kristen and Steven!

A Few Notes

Woo-hoo!!! Leila slept from midnight to 8:00am, and I feel like a new woman. I know it may not happen again for several days...but there's now light at the end of the sleepy tunnel. Hooray for Leila!

Our lives have been a bit hectic these days with planning for the start of school, preparing for a friend's wedding and spending time with my BFF Cindy (who is in town for 6 weeks)...not to mention plenty of preschooler antics and an unpredictable newborn. It's definitely a good kind of busy, but crazy nonetheless.

Here's Cindy, Kristen (the bride) and me at Kobe Tuesday night.

Liliana will be the flower girl in Kristen's wedding tomorrow. I can't wait to share a photo of her in the most gorgeous & glamorous get-up. Last night was the rehearsal, and Liliana did a wonderful job. I was so proud of her, especially since children of this age tend not to cooperate when all eyes are on them. She was the life of the party, hanging out with all of the adults--and saying the funniest things. I wish I had recorded her interactions throughout the night.

Oh, how I love parenthood and it's many unexpected rewards!
Blessings,

My Growing Girls

Okay, who's injecting my children with growth hormones? Kids are supposed to "grow like weeds," but this is insane!

Leila had a well-baby visit today. She's 5.5 weeks old and already weighs 9 lbs. 6 oz. (2 ounces less than Liliana was a birth)! Since little Leila started at only 6 lbs. 14 oz., I'd say she is growing by leaps and bounds.

Leila was so good for the doctor, who indicated that she's a perfectly healthy baby. Next visit, shots!

Liliana is, as usual, off the charts for height and weight. In addition, her shoe size increased from a 10 to a 12.5 over the summer. So much for the size 11 spring styles I bought on clearance last year. Looks like Liliana and I will be sharing shoes by the time she's in the 3rd grade (and I'm a size 10). Unbelievable!

What am I going to do with these girls? Gymnastics is out. Swimming and soccer are definitely in. Maybe basketball, too.

Wade the Olympian

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My Aunt Jules sent this to me, and I HAD to share it with you. This is funny for so many reasons. First and foremost, I've had an extensive (and intense) relationship with diving, including a connection with Olympic diving. Second, Wade's powerhouse dives include the cannonball, watermelon and belly-flop. Third, this has got to be the most unflattering image of my husband. Enjoy!

The Moods of Leila Madeline

Pure happiness. (My fave)

Sheer contentment.

Rare laughter.

All-too-common crying.

Shhh...Baby Sleeping

The only thing better than a peaceful, sleeping baby is a smiling baby! Here's Leila Madeline snoozing away. I have yet to capture that elusive smile on film, but yesterday I experienced one that lasted for 12 full seconds! Where's the camera when you need it?!

Adoption Update:

Things are moving in the right direction...crawling at the pace of an old turtle.

When we brought Leila Madeline home (exactly four weeks ago), we knew that the risk period would last 60-90 days. [In our case, the risk is that Leila's birthfather could fight the process and cause the adoption to fall through. As for Leila's birthmother, she's totally on board--in fact, she's the co-captain. She chose our family and is committed to the adoption...and, we adore her and are happy that she is a part of our lives.]

As usual, Murphy's law has applied to our legal situation, and we will likely exceed the 90 day mark. Our attorney stated that it will be "about" (which probably means more than) 60 days from this point until the coveted court hearing, the proceeding that upgrades us from "foster-to-adopt" parents to adoptive parents. And it's much more than semantics. After the hearing, we will have full legal rights and be free to make decisions in every aspect of Leila's life.

Right now, we are bound by foster care guidelines. Some of the restrictions are fine, but others are a burden. Examples: we must have permission to travel, we're unable to take her to the pediatrician we know and trust (because she's on medicaid) and we must report every detail to a social worker. Coupled with the fact that we are just guardians in the eyes of the law, it's a constant struggle to really feel like Leila is our child.

We are 100% committed to Leila and the adoption process. We adore her and know she belongs in our family. But loving a child like our own, while also knowing that she could be ripped from our arms, is extremely stressful. I feel like I'm living with a 100 pound weight on my shoulders, and it's absolutely exhausting. I can't wait until this weight is lifted and I can just love this little girl and be her mommy.

This is a difficult journey, but I am thankful that God has led us down this road. Despite my fear and anxiety, I trust His plan. I pray that the Lord continues to give all of us strength, stamina and hope, while protecting this adoption and ensuring that Leila Madeline is home to stay.

May God bless you and yours,

Milestones for Munchkins

As of 4:48am, Leila Madeline has been in the world for one month! We're so happy she's a part of our family.

Big sister Liliana starts school three weeks from today. Yikes! I can't believe my baby is leaving the nest and spreading her wings. Yes, it's only six hours a week (and it's only pre-preschool), but it'll be her first time entering student-hood...and I'll miss her! I'm such a sap. My babies are my life.