Rolling Over!

Rolling over!


Three days ago you rolled over for the first time! What an amazing thing to watch, Emma! You did it all by yourself and even got your arm out from underneath you the very first time. You were on the floor in the den on the multi-colored blanket that you seem to love and i was watching you from behind your Daddy's recliner.....cheering you on silently. I would have cheered loudly, but i didn't want to startle you!

I'm watching you on the floor now doing tummy time. Of course, you're not having too much fun, lol, as i've put your toys in front of you. I have so much to learn about you, little one. I know that you get frustrated with me as i sometimes truly don't have a clue as to why you cry....i'm trying my best, sweetie.....

Off to play on the floor with you.....

love you....

Mommy

Home with Emma!

We've been home for a week and two days today! Lots to tell you about, little one! Having you home is amazing...and full of learning new things. But first, let me start about our trip to get you and how your Daddy and i met you!

We flew out of Nashville VERY early (we had to be at the airport by 4:30am!) and our flight to Miami was on time! In fact, we left Miami to Guatemala City on time, too! You're going to learn that i am not a happy camper when flights are late, little one....All three of us were VERY excited. Your Aunt Claudine had been to Guatemala City before, but neither your Daddy or i had. I had our "Emma" Envelope with me with the last of our paperwork for the embassy....of course, i was ready to guard it with my life. :)

The Guatemala City Airport is in the process of being renovated. The airport is huge and had military guards with rifles and dogs milling about. The smells and the sounds reminded me of Spain and i instantly felt at home. Juan Carlos was there to pick us up and take us to the Clarion; even his driving reminded me of being in Spain. Guatemala is a beautiful country, Emma. It's green and lush and has many, many tropical plants that grow. It was amazing to see Guatemala on the flight in....i only wish that we would have had more time to tour.

The Clarion is a very nice hotel and EAC has a 'baby suite' where other EAC families and their children can meet, get together, share stories and relax together. Tori was our EAC rep; she was amazing to us. We had an early night as we were going to tour Antigua on Monday. I was ready for that tour as it is important to me to see Guatemala and take as many photos that i can for you to see as you grow up. Of course, your Aunt Claudine and Daddy were on the shopping tour and your Mommy was on the history/take photo tour....too bad we were with the same tour guide!

Antigua was beautiful. The volcanos, the city, the town square, the colors, the churches, the people. I took photos of everything and got some amazing, amazing shots. As i look back thru the photos, the beauty of Guatemala takes my breath away, Emma. One day, we will go back and visit and see your country, i promise. Our tour guide was fantastic-he knew all of the history and all of the folk lour of Antigua. As great as the tour was, our excitement about meeting you was much greater!

We did have the most amazing lunch during our tour! I had seafood crepes which were to die for. And of course, we had to have Sangria! The place that we stopped for lunch at had the most amazing court like garden with many roses, flowering bushes and small ponds. This meal was the best that we had our entire visit! After lunch, we were off to the Jade House....otherwise known as Casa de Jade.

....where your Daddy and i wanted to find something special for you for later. We finally settled on an orange jade stone ring to give to you on your 16th birthday. It's an elegant ring and i hope that you will treasure the ring as a reminder of how blessed we were to find you and how much we love you. Maybe one day you can pass this ring on to your daughter....

That night we had dinner at a Mexican place that was recommended to us by our tour guide. It was a good dinner, but i was too exited to enjoy it. We found out that your foster mother would be bringing you to the Clarion at 10 am the next morning......we would finally get to meet you to kiss you and hold you.

Surprisingly, i had a good nights sleep. I think that after all of the excitement of traveling and finally getting to meet you, i was exhausted. We were all up bright and early and dressed way before 10 am! I was peeking out the door, lol, every time i heard the elevator doors open. And then, i saw 2 women with the most beautiful baby i've ever seen. And that baby, little Emma, was you. You had beautiful black hair, the tiniest nose, beautiful dark soulful eyes and the cutest little hands. I turned to your Daddy and said "I see her!! She's here!! She's beautiful!"

A few minutes later, your Daddy and i walked hand and hand to the EAC baby suite. There sat 2 women who i didn't know (neither was your foster mother) with you. After staring at you and feeling the tears come, one of the women handed me you. You cuddled to me and i showed you to your Daddy who was also near tears. And of course, i could hear your Aunt Claudine sniffing in the background! As i handed you to your Daddy, you cuddled against him. We were finally a family!

Your Daddy then gave you back to me and i went into the other room with you to hold you and sit. You feel right to sleep holding my finger in your little hand. And of course, at that very moment, i became a Mommy. I was very bothered by the fact that your foster mother was not there as was Tori who was the EAC rep. I wanted to meet the woman who took such good care of you for the past 4 months and i was upset that she wasn't there. The women who brought you told Tori that your foster mother had surgery and wasn't able to come. I let your Daddy and Aunt handle all of the specifics of the meeting with EAC...i was too busy holding on to you.

Finally, we had you in our arms! LOL, your Aunt was busy taking photos of you and of us. You were still sleeping so we put you on our bed and you were wrapped in this yellow flannel blanket which matched your little yellow and green daisy outfit. You were so peaceful as you were sleeping on our bed. It's almost as if you knew you were where you were suppose to be....with us. Your Daddy kept staring at you, Emma...i think that all three of us were!

Your Daddy and Aunt Claudine went to the store with Tori to pick up some things that we needed....and i was with you alone. Of course, being a new Mommy, i fed you an entire bottle. Without burping you. In my defense, no one (not even your Aunt Claudine) told me that i was suppose to. And so, you proceeded to projectile vomit all over me, the floor, the chair and the coffee table. After cleaning that up, lol, you then preceded to poop....and poop a lot. And so, after cleaning THAT up, you promptly went back to sleep. And just in time for Daddy and Aunt Claudine to show back up to ask me "How's it going"? When i told them what happened, your Aunt tells me "Oh, didn't i tell you to burp her? I must have forgot! Sorry!" And she and your Daddy are laughing at me!

How was it going? It was going terrific...because i was finally and almost officially, your Mommy.

The photo above was taken after we got back to our room after meeting you. It's one of my favorite photos of you, sweetie....

Love you to the moon and back....

Mommy

You're Growing!

You're growing!


Of course you are! But i'm amazed at how fast you seem to grow. We have your doctor's appointment with Dr. Rothman on Friday so we'll get to see how much you weigh and your height. Your last appointment at the Vanderbilt International Adoption Clinic you weighed 16 pounds! You did very well at that appointment; much better than i did, i'm afraid. They needed to take blood from you to run the test that they normally run and of course, i held you. You cried....and i cried. Needless to say, little one, i'm not looking forward to Friday's appointment as you'll be starting your shots. :(

Your Daddy ordered you a Rainforest Bouncy Chair and it came yesterday. You are very interested in it and look like you are enjoying standing up and viewing the world around you. Maddie watched over you-i guess she wasn't use to seeing you stand up! I don't think that it will be too much longer before you are crawling. You definitely have rolling down and roll around very well and i have to watch you closely as it doesn't take you long to roll right off of the Mr. Einstein Mat and over to the tree and chairs! You get frustrated when you can't roll over because something is in your way, but you keep trying and trying. You also love the plastic rings.....you are able to grasp them now with both hands and of course, put them in your mouth! It's a challenge to make sure that they are always clean! You also love to chew on your chewy toy "Ms. Butterfly" after we eat lunch or dinner.

We had our photos taken last Thursday; you were a very good little girl with lots of smiles andgiggles. I dressed you in the dress that we purchased while we were in Guatemala and you looked so beautiful. Of course, my favorite photos of you were the "naked baby" photos! I would love to get one of those matted and framed, lo, but your Daddy thinks that matting and framing a family photo would better. I suppose he's right...but you are too beautiful in those photos for them not to be hanging up!

Off to play with you....

Love you very much.....

Mommy

Getting Ready for Emma

Getting ready for Emma

Dearest Emma,

So many things to say to you that i'm not sure where to start! Our journey to you has been at a remarkable pace; so remarkable, in fact, that i don't think that either your daddy or i can believe it. I've put off starting a journal to you; mainly because i think that i was terrified of somehow jinxing the process. One day i'm sure that you'll want to hear the story how Mommy and Daddy had to rush, rush, rush and hurry to get ready for your arrival!

Your room is waiting for you, sweetie. It's a Classic Pooh room filled with butterflies, honey bees, a tree and a large framed photo of Pooh's Picnic. Your Aunt Claudine helped me with it....you'll learn in time that she is the crafty one and i'm not. I hope you'll love the room as you get older. Your room is at the top of the stairs and i have often imagined you running down the stairs for hugs or to play with Maddie. This is a beautiful house and the only thing that it's missing is you.

We are almost packed. Your things have been packed, just waiting for us to hear that it was time to go and pick you up! I have to remember that there ARE other colors than pink for a little girl as your Daddy has reminded me constantly. We have gifts for your foster Mother....i only wish that i could meet your birth Mother in person to tell her thank you for the gift of you and to make sure she knew that we will do our best to raise you into a happy, healthy young woman. Because of her unselfishness, our dream of becoming parents has come true.