14 months!

Dear Sweet S,

You’ve lived with us for 14 months! You’re getting to be such a big girl.

You know A LOT more words and are starting to put together words to make short sentences like “I dropped” or “outside now.”

You got special braces this month for your feet. When you walked, you turned your feet in and walked on the inside of your ankle. We wanted to see if we can help make this better before you get older. You don’t seem to mind the braces at all and they seem to be helping a lot already. We did have to buy you all new shoes to wear with them and at first we thought you couldn’t wear converses anymore but we bought bigger ones and made it work! Aunt Beck has been really helpful with this making sure that we are getting what we need and doing it right! This picture is from before you got the braces. You LOVE boots and seem to be especially prissy in them.

You’re enjoying putting on clothes and playing with things you can put on like hats, scarves, or bedroom shoes.

MaeMae recently found this old hat of mine and you LOVE it!

You’re eating like a big girl these days. You like food with lots of flavor – except for meat – and you love things you can easily feed yourself. One of your favorite things to eat is burritos from Moe’s!

We went to Steve’s cousin’s house for Thanksgiving this year. We had a good time with family and also celebrated my Grandmama’s 90^th birthday. She loves flamingos so we all had silly flamingo glasses to wear.

The day after Thanksgiving we went to Fantasy in Lights. Jar and Mia were here to go and we had a van full! You and J were able to see Santa there and you liked him! You also really liked looking at the lights and dancing to the music!

 We picked out a Christmas tree together and decorated it while you were asleep. You’ve loved looking at it. Sometimes it is like you forget it is in the room and when you turn the corner you say “ooooo.” Its precious.

One of Bubbie’s uncles died this month and you and Bubbie went to Alabama for the funeral . You enjoyed the time with her and the extra attention. During the funeral you passed out tissues to everyone and got a little upset when everyone wouldn’t help you feed your baby her bottle. This uncle loved our family and loved you. When we last visited him you found his dentures in a cup and pulled them over on you spilling the water everywhere!

We can’t wait for Christmas to get here. It is so much fun to imagine this all from your perspective. You recognize Santa and are not afraid of him! We’ve spent a lot of time at home together which has been very nice. You love your room and having us in there to play with you. You especially like it when J is on the floor to play with you too!

The days are long kiddo but this month flew by! When I write again I will have news of Christmas to report! I can’t wait.

Love,

Meggie

13 months!

Dear Sweet S,

This letter is a little late to you this month for a lot of reasons, but mostly because of yucky germs that have invaded our house! I’m just hoping you’re going to end up with a stronger immune system after all of this!

You’re talking SO MUCH these days and we can mostly understand what you’re trying to say. You’re calling all food “pizza” which is hilarious because you don’t really like to eat real pizza very much at all. One of the funniest things you’re saying right now is your own word for banana. I can’t even type the way you say it but you start with “ba” and then move your tongue around making repetitive sounds. It is so funny! You’re so smart and it is amazing for us to watch you figuring out the world. You also like to fist bump everyone. You say “bump” and stick out your fist and most people will appease you with a “bump.” You're starting to look so much like a little girl and not like a baby!

You’ve been with Bubbie and me for 13 months. That means we’re starting to get to do things with you for the second time.

We celebrated Halloween with you for the second time. This year the four of us were super heroes! Bubbie and I worked to make us matching shirts and super cool capes that were the hit of Trunk-or-Treat at my work. You enjoyed hanging out with friends that night and watching bigger kids play games. You even got to taste come cotton candy.

That weekend we loaded up in the van (have I mentioned we bought a mini-van??) and went to Bubbie’s college. They have a special “Hockey Day” the first weekend in November and we were able to be there. It was VERY COLD but we were able to watch Bubbie play field hockey and even score the winning goal for the old folks – er I mean alum team. You enjoyed running around with the other kids and meeting new people. 

We hung out at Susan and Stacey’s a lot and you really like playing with other bigger girls who were there. Your favorite part of the weekend might have been this cupcake however!

We celebrated this month with Aunt Missy. She is getting ready to be a foster mommy too to some lucky kiddos and we gave her a party to celebrate. You loved being with all the guests!

Early in November I went to Atlanta for a party for Aunt Audrey. After that we went to visit Poppy and Mawmaw. On the way to their house we stopped to see Tamara. She had never met you or J and it was so special to get to spend some time with her. She gets to work at a place with a REALLY cool playground and it was the perfect place to meet.

Once we got to Poppy and Mawmaw’s house we had a great time as usual. We visited with lots of family and friends and ate a lot of good food.

We celebrated MaeMae’s birthday this month with a party at the Mexican Restaurant. You LOVE to eat Mexican food. Your favorite seems to be guacamole.

Aunt Audrey got married this month! I was in her wedding and you and Bubbie got to be there too. MaeMae and Steve came and spent the night and kept you while we went to a wedding party the night before and you had a very good time with them and Nathan and Judy and Amelia and Mason. The wedding was beautiful and the reception was a lot of fun. You were the dancing star. You danced with us and with Steve and with strangers all night long!

                           

 

You are such a social little being. I am such an introvert that it makes me tired just to think about trying to keep up with you and all the people you want to meet. Soon we’ll have to talk about stranger danger and other fun things but right now you don’t seem to be afraid of anyone and want to meet everyone you can!

We saw Gigi and Michael and Mamaw once this month and that was a special visit. They loved watching you play at Burger King. Every time I hear from Gigi she says to make sure you know she loves you and to give you lots of kisses from her.

Not long after I wrote last time we visited a special foot doctor who looked at your feet and helped us decide that you might need some special braces to help you walk more surely and maybe even help your flat little feet have an arch. We are going to get them soon and hope they help with what you need and don’t drive us all crazy in the process!

We went and saw the judge this month too. He wants to make you officially a part of our family soon. We’re waiting on some other people to do some things so that can be true. We go back to see the judge later this month and we hope to hear good news.

I said this last year and I am saying it again – but this is my favorite time of year to have a kiddo around. There is so much good stuff happening because it is Thanksgiving and because Christmas is coming. It’s a magical time and I am so glad we get to share it.

Love,

Meggie

Dear Baby J

Dear Baby J,

You came to us as a six week old that we anticipated having for two weeks – a month max – and nearly five months later you’re still a part of our family. Sometimes life is like that kiddo. We are definitely glad you’re still with us.

You’re growing into quite a big boy! At your last check-up you weighed 18 pounds and were almost 25 inches long. You’re growing really well – except you still haven’t really grown a neck yet, J!  You’re wearing the same size diapers as your big sister, which is mind blowing but very convenient!

Speaking of your sister, S still thinks you are her most favorite toy ever. She loves giving you a kiss (and asks to do so first thing every morning)! She brings you toys when you whimper and makes you fist bump her an average of 7 times a day. You are starting to pay attention to her and your eyes light up when she pays attention to you.

You’re sitting up a little on your own and will roll over from your back to your tummy. We’re trying to give you more opportunities for tummy time but you don’t like it very much. You’re also starting to make more noises. You’ve started making the “mamamamama” noise which is adorable. You suck your lips in while you do it and look just like an old man! We’ve been trying to feed you baby food but you REALLY don’t want to eat – or can’t. You seem like you want to and then have a hard time getting it down. We know you’re “tongue tied” and we’re going to ask the doctor next week if that could be making learning to eat harder for you.

You sure do like sucking on your fingers. You shove the first two fingers on your hand into your mouth the first chance you get. Miss Shannon at daycare HATES this, which you think is pretty dang funny. I think its fine if you know how to calm yourself down, and no one has to keep track of a paci! In the big scheme of things kid, you sucking your fingers is WAY down on the list of things I’m worried about for you.

You should also know that you’re the fifth kid we’ve cared for in a year. That may explain why there are fewer letters to you and less information about what’s been going on. (You’re also still a pretty little baby who just doesn’t do that much, no offense or anything.) When we got C, our first foster kid, we were SO excited about every milestone and getting to do things with her “the first time.” For example, she ate baby food much earlier than you have. Four kids later, we are somewhat over this excitement but did realize this month (thanks to your WIC vouchers) that it is time to start giving you baby food. We even managed to photograph feeding you for the first time with a real camera, which felt like a MAJOR accomplishment!

So you may be getting baby food a little later and there may be fewer pictures or Instagram posts featuring you, but you are loved no less than any of the other kiddos we’ve known this year. We’ve learned so much this year about taking care of babies and about ourselves as parents. You are the first boy we’ve cared for more than a weekend and the first baby we’ve had that didn’t mostly look like us. We are grateful for the lessons we are learning from you and we are grateful you are such a chill baby. You’re a great sleeper and really just are up for anything. You’ve really fit right in.

You have your Bubbie wrapped around your little finger and she adores you. She came home last night from class and barely got in the door before you started whining for her to pick you up. And of course she joyfully obliged. We’re not sure what’s all happening with your family, but it looks like you may be going to stay with your grandmother soon. Until you leave us, little one, we will do our best to love you and take care of you. You will never remember these days you’re spending with us, but you should know that you spend these days and weeks and months with people in a family that was safe and loving and adored you.

Love,

Meggie

12 months - One WHOLE Year!

Sweet S,

It has been one whole year since you came to live with Bubbie and me. We celebrated with a little front yard BBQ last Friday night.

You’re still a growing girl and getting taller and taller. Yesterday I realized you’ve outgrown almost all of your socks! You’re learning more and more words and trying to repeat most anything we say. 

You are still really liking being a big sister. You still ask to see and kiss him every morning when you wake up and you worry about him when he’s crying. You like trying to crawl in his seat with him and touching his hair. Sometimes I worry about your heart breaking when it is time for J to go home. I want you to know though, that sometimes it okay to love things (and people) completely even if you aren't promised forever with them.

Since I last wrote a lot of things have happened!

Uncle Jar celebrated a birthday and we went to Atlanta to surprise him at a Braves game. It was your first and you loved it. Of course you like all the people to watch but you also like the music and clapping dancing and the fireworks!

You also really liked seeing our friends. Aunt Missy went with us to the game and there we got to see Sarah and Kristen, Aunt Maggie and Uncle Jar, and some other people you liked playing with.

The very next weekend we went to Frontier Days in Bubbie’s hometown. We had lots of fun watching the parade.

You and J had adorable outfits to wear!

You really liked seeing PawPaw and MawMaw again. It was good to be together.

There was a petting zoo where you got to see lots of animals. Your favorite this time was a rabbit.

You also got to ride a pony!

You got to play on toy tractors while there was a tractor race happening. (Apparently the purpose of this race was to see how SLOW the tractors could go without cutting off – so it wasn’t as exciting as one might think.)

Bubbie found her dream car!

We got to watch a pig chase. It’s a cultural experience. Boys and girls and men and women in various age categories chase greased pigs and whoever catches it keeps it (or sells it back to the pig farm). Its pretty hilarious.

We also got to spend some time at Bubbie’s uncle’s house. Their cat recently had kittens which you loved. You carried one around for a long time!

We went to a pumpkin patch and picked out pumpkins. You like the pumpkins and riding in the wagon!

We also went to the state fair this month. We spent a whole day there with MaeMae and Steve. You liked seeing the animals.

And walking with Steve to see more animals.

You ate yummy food.

You also got to ride a carousel with me and then a train with Steve.

We were there so long you and J took naps!

We can’t believe you’ve been with us for one whole year. It is amazing to watch you grow and learn about the world.  Sweet girl, this month we got to sign some papers that hopefully bring us one step closer to you being with us forever. We are anxious for more of this process to happen but have to remind ourselves every day that this is most important day and that we’re not just waiting around for something official to happen. We want to live life with you – and we are loving living life with you – everyday. This time of year it seems like there are so many things to show you and talk to you about. Last night we ate dinner outside downtown and looked at beautiful sky above the river. You pointed and said “ooooo” and then watched the birds fly. It’s a wonderful world, Baby Girl. I am delighted every day to share it with you.

Love,
Meggie