Month seven!

Sweet S,
Its been seven months since you came to live with Bubbie and me! We can't believe you're already 14 months old...twice as old as when we met you!

We're still enjoying being outside with you. Eating in the yard is getting to be a regular thing.

You LOVE to dance. Your favorite music seems to be light rock...but usually any music will do. Yesterday we went to a concert in the park and you danced along with the band and even found sticks to wave like the band conductor waved.

You say "Bubbie" regularly and clearly but haven't yet mastered "Meggie." Your favorite name - and probably favorite person right now - is my dad. You call him "STEEEVVVVEEEE" and you love to see him. Every time I've buckled you in the car seat for the last week you've said "STEVE" like you're asking to see him. We do go see him often - so that's lucky for you!

You love to swing with him at his house! (Yes, the swing is hanging in the carport!)

You also say "keeeys" and "shoes."

One of the funniest things you do is make a clicking sound with your mouth when you see a dog. We're not quite sure where this comes from but it is pretty funny!

When you hear a phone ring you hold your hand up to your ear like you're answering and if you do get your hands on a phone (or remote) you hold it up and pretend to talk.

We got to celebrate Easter with you this year. We dyed eggs in shaving cream!

You had a pretty purple dress you wore to church and then a different dress with bunnies on it you wore at my parents house for our Easter meal. You also had a bunny outfit Bubbie's parents bought you. You're one well dressed kiddo. In this picture you're holding eggs we dyed together with Aunt Missy on Saturday.

Here you are with your Easter pjs and Easter "babies" as you call all stuffed animals.

And the Easter Bunny came to see you!

You found some eggs in the backyard and Steve and Aunt Beck had a photo shoot!

Not long after Easter I had to go out of town for a whole week! Bubbie (and a small army of helpers) took good care of you while I was gone. It was the first time I'd been out of town for longer than one night without you since I met you. It was hard! You got to take a bath at Steve and MaeMae's house while I was gone!

Right after that trip we went on a trip with the teenagers Bubbie and I work with in a leadership program. We went to Alabama to learn about Civil Rights. We saw some pretty cool things and met some cool people. We got to spend some time with Susan and Stacey while we were there and that good times. You loved chasing their dogs.

We also celebrated Mother's Day this month. This is the first Mother's Day I've been a mother! I am thankful for you and the other three kiddos I've gotten to care for since this foster adventure started. I am especially thankful you were with me on that day. We did think about your birth mom some and hope she had a good day. After lunch with my family at Grandmama's house we got to go swimming. The water was a little cool...but we had fun anyway! I can't wait to swim some more with you this summer!

This month we also got to go to Atlanta and see and spend some time with Aunt Audrey and Sig. You enjoyed getting to play with them and their dog Spud. Bubbie and I really appreciated this time with them!

We found out we have a special meeting on July 2 with people who will learn all about your situation and make a recommendation to a judge about what will happen. We are already thinking and praying about what will happen after that day.

We love you, Sweet Girl and are enjoying taking care of you. You bring us joy - and not just me and Bubbie - so many others! You are a gift! You are loved.

Love,
Meggie

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day was a strange one and even as I write about it I'm not totally sure what to say.

It was the first Mother's Day I've been mothering.

But it almost still seems too good to be true sometimes.

Sure, I am caring for and loving and teaching and nose-wiping Sweet S right now and have "mothered" 3 other kiddos in the last nine months but the reality of being a temporary mother makes celebrating harder I think.

I got several messages on Mother's Day affirming my motherhood and celebrating my First Mother's Day but still most of the time I feel like I am faking it. Or faking it isn't the right word...but I'm not sure what the right word is.

Anyone else?

Six months!

Dear Sweet S,
You've been with us for six months today and more and more I am seeing how you're no longer a baby! A couple of days ago you turned 13 months old. You'll learn soon that eventually people stop counting your age in months and that's when you REALLY aren't a baby anymore. (Plus people would just look at me like I was crazy if I started telling them I was 369 months old!)

You're changing so much! You're not walking yet by yourself yet but you'll take lots of steps holding on to our fingers or furniture or toys.

You will however stand up by yourself for a few seconds. You especially like to do this if you can see yourself in the mirror.

You seem to have no fear...of water, falling, people, dogs, anything. I hope you'll always be brave. (I also hope you don't bust your head open doing things like this...)

You also love to dance or move to music. Sometimes in your car seat you move your arms like you're conducting an orchestra or choir. You also like to sway or bob up and down in your exersaucer or when you're just playing. Auntie Diana gave you a stuffed bunny that sings "Jesus Loves Me" and you love to make it sing and then sway along. She gave it to you so even if one day we're not around to tell you, you'll have something that reminds you Jesus Loves you. He does kiddo. He really does.

Everything was perfect at your one year check-up. Its really amazing how fast you've caught up with milestones and are exactly where you're supposed to be on all the fancy doctor charts.

Your favorite foods right now are sweet peas and dried fruit. You're a really great eater (something people also stop saying when you get my age) and eat almost everything. The only things you consistently don't like are green beans and beans like lima beans and blackeyed peas. We keep trying them though because one day you might discover they really do taste good. We did have a couple of weeks this month when you threw lots of food on the floor every time we ate. Ms. Shannon at daycare definitely doesn't put up with this so that's getting better. We were about to start carrying a dustbuster or broom and dustpan set to restaurants when we ate out - but you have gotten better.

Bubbie has a friend from her working at Sam's days who is an ice cream man. We stopped one Sunday at the park and visited him. You had your first (probably) treat from the ice cream truck! You ate just enough to make a mess on your face and shirt and then decided you wanted to do it yourself without Bubbie's help and it fell on the ground. We were all ok with that...well Bubbie and I were at least.

We had no trouble at all getting you to stop taking a bottle. We had a one day relapse when you had another set of ear infections a couple of weeks ago but since then you've not seemed interested in one at all. You're a champion of sippy cups with straws. You do call any cup a "dull" (like the end of the word "bottle). Its one of the things we can understand most clearly when you say.

The most clear thing that you say is "HEY." And you probably literally say it 100 times a day. You say it and wave when you see anyone! You also say it if you think you're about to get in trouble to distract us. You say it to the dog, mirrors, strangers, your stuffed animals you call "baby," and sometimes to nothing or no one at all. Its your signature thing at the moment.

You are also saying the word "thanks" when we hand you something. Its adorable. You can also say "more" with your mouth or in sign language. When you see something you want you say "OOOOOOO" and make a perfect "O" with your tiny lips. Also adorable. You're still saying "dog" when you see our dog or my parents and I think you're learning that bigger dogs are dogs too!

Sometimes we think you're saying our names and then sometimes we think you will never say them. You definitely call out for us when you want something but usually it comes out as "deet deet!" You do however say "STEVE" or "EEEVVVEEE" pretty clearly when we are with my parents. They have a swing hung in their carport just for you. It was my swing when I was little so we all like that you're getting to use it. You love going to swing with "EEEVVVEEE" as often as we can. He likes to throw his head back and laugh out loud. One of the funniest things you do is mimic him! You open your mouth as wide as he does and fake laugh. Its so funny to all of us!

This isn't the swing at "EEEVVVEEE's" house but one you like at church.

You did have another set of ear infections that started while we were at Bubbie's parent's house. You didn't feel very good while you were there but you still had a good time seeing people and hanging out with Bubbie's family. Here you are enjoying dinner Bubbie's mom prepared for us and you're sitting in Bubbie's old high chair:)

The weather has been wonderful this month. We've really been enjoying more time outside. We've taken lots of walks and have eaten many dinners outside.

We've seen your mom twice this month. She has a lot going on but is excited when we see her. She thinks you're funny, beautiful, smart, and a good dancer.

You have pooped twice in the bathtub this month. Let's agree to not to that again, okay? One day we can talk about all the reasons why.

You HATE shoes right now. When we try to put any kind of shoes on you you curl your toes up so tightly it nearly makes it impossible.

We've been going to church on Wednesday nights. You really like to be the greeter and tell everyone "hey" as they come in and you also like to help Mr. Scott talk while he's doing the devotional. Last night you seemed to really like the discussion on the difference in the "J" and "P" bible source for the story of Noah. Maybe you'll be a bible scholar one day. Or at least be able to heckle bible scholars as they talk. I just like being in a church where that is the Wednesday night "lesson." Maybe one day we'll talk about those reasons too. (You also seem to like their baked tater tots...4 at a time!)

We have loved this month with you just as we have loved the ones that have come before. We love watching you learn and grow and explore the world. We also love sharing you with the people in our world. You are a gift to me and Bubbie and to so many others who get to enjoy you right now. 

Love you Sweet S,

Meggie

Birthday Party Pictures!

I love our village...and it does take one.

This part weekend Aunt Missy took some wonderful pictures of S outside near the river where she lives. I wish we could show her face!

Month Five

Dear Baby S,
You've been with us for five months now!

The biggest thing that happened this month is that we celebrated your birthday! You have been in this world for one whole year!

We celebrated on your actual birthday at Burger King with your family. Your mom, half-siblings, aunt, cousins, grandmother, and several friends met us and celebrated. You ate some french fries and ketchup for the first time and hamburger bun. You also enjoyed digging into the chocolate cake your mom brought.

She also brought you three presents and an outfit.

On Saturday we celebrated with our friends and family. We had quite the party in our front yard! We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and had cake and ice cream.

While we were getting ready, you spent some quality time with Uncle Jar.

Your favorite part was the fruit we arranged in cups. You ate more blackberries than anything else - even cake!

I'll have more pictures to post of your birthday party soon. I was so busy having fun that I didn't take very many but Maggie and Melissa did and I will get them soon!

Before your birthday we had a busy month!

As soon as we got back from the mountains last month you had a double ear infection. You were pretty grumpy and didn't feel very good for several days. You got to take yummy pink medicine until you felt better and spend some time at home with me.

You've started cruising around holding onto furniture. You're getting very comfortable with walking and holding our fingers to take steps.

You want to be moving all the time now. Barely stopping for a bottle!

You're only interested in eating things you can feed yourself. You're really good about trying new things. The only thing you consistently don't want to eat is mashed potatoes - which I can't believe! Your favorite thing to eat seems to be yogurt melts. Here you are eating with a fork!

We let you take a bath in the bathtub now without the baby tub in there. You have no fears about water. I'm glad you like the water but it makes me nervous that you like to put your face in it so much! (Don't worry - I'm not including any embarrassing bathtub pictures:))

Most every night we are home we watch Family Feud on tv after dinner and before your bath. You LOVE it. You like to watch the bright lights flashing and every time anyone on the show claps (which is often) you clap and laugh!

You're saying a few more words. You still say "dog" every time you see our dog or the dog that lives at my parents house. You say "hey" all the time to us and random people! Sometimes they don't say "hey" or wave back and that makes you mad! You also like words with "p" sounds. When we zip or snap your clothes or pajamas you say "zip" or "snap." You also liked everyone telling you (and singing to you) "Happy Birthday" so now you repeat "hap" and sometimes "happy." You are calling Bubbie "DeeDee" and sometimes say "Meggie" but usually it comes out "mamamamama." You say "MMMMM" when you eat things you like and when we get in the car you look for and call for your "baby" that Susie's parents gave you for Christmas. You make all kinds of other sounds. We can't wait for you to start saying more words!

This month we met your CASA Volunteer. She's someone who volunteers to make sure that you're getting what you need and everyone involved with you right now is doing what they are supposed to do. We hope she will be helpful and we are glad to have this person looking out for you.

We also just celebrated St Patricks Day. It wasn't your first...but it was a good one. Mrs. Suzy at church made you this fun shirt!

Bubbie and I are so happy we've gotten to know you for almost half of your whole life! You are a blessing to us and our families and friends and even strangers. You are such a happy girl. You are a gift from God. On people's birthdays I usually write in their cards (or on facebook) that I am glad they were born - and that's always true - but right now I am celebrating that you were born and that I get to know you and love you. You have no idea - and you never will probably - all that your presence in this world and our lives has done for me, Bubbie, and our families and friends.

So keep it up, Happy Girl. Keep learning, and growing and smiling and waving. Keep trying to copy what was say (mostly) and do (mostly). Keep moving and exploring. Keep being curious. Keep being excited about the people around you. The world is full of wonder and mostly good people. Keep being you. I hope you will someday hear about your first birthday and all the people who celebrated you because they love you.

Gotta go. You're starting to stand up in your rocking chair! You keep things interesting!

Love,
Meggie