Ari eating her first solids... we're all going bananas!
1.28.2013
1.20.2013
Ariana - 5 Months Old
Written by Heather
Sorry all, I have been checking out the blog on occasion, making comments; but it just hit me that I am suppose to be contributing. Well, here we go.
There is so much to catch you up on. I hope not to forget anything.
On Friday, Ariana turned five months old, and she is getting so big. She weighs in at 15lbs, and stands tall (for about 30 seconds at a time) at 24 inches. When she is ready to be heard, she loudly exclaims both vowel and consonant sounds. She is enjoying blowing bubbles from her mouth, and gets excited when imitated. She has rolled over 4 times from her tummy over the past few weeks, and turns well from her back to her side. She holds her bottle by herself briefly, a few times a day.
Ariana has excellent eye contact and is always looking around, taking everything in. Last night we were going through her signing alphabet book that Mommy, Daddy and Asa gave her. She was paying close attention and moving her fingers, as if imitating us making the letters. She had received a musical elephant, for Christmas, to hang on her car seat. Thursday, while I was driving, she pulled it by herself, and that was after she managed to remove her mittens! She grasps objects very well, and as expected is bringing everything to her mouth. Her fingers are a favorite thing to gum on. Within the past couple of days, Ariana has been able to make her "jumperoo" make music as she jumps. She is still not quite tall enough, so her feet get propped up on a pillow. Ariana enjoys Pat-a-Cake but still prefers to keep her hands fisted. She is also very ticklish, and can really get giggling when tickled.
We are so proud of her daily progress. She was suppose to start in home, weekly therapy through TN Early Intervention Services, on Friday. However, we had our first snow storm the night before, and they cancelled. So next week we will start. I really do not know yet what all that entails, but I know she will do great!
Daily, Ariana is at home with me. We eat, and play, and read, listen to music and watch some cartoons. Bright colors and music keep her attention well. We have a good time, but I must admit to some jealousy. Although she will smile frequently for me, her face just lights up when Jim gets a hold of her. Even if she has been fussy or having a bad day, that hairy face just makes it all better. She doesn't even mind him kissing on her anymore. Every Sunday when we go to Mass, she is content to just listen and look at the lights and windows. The long ride home is changing though, she is starting to need some more entertainment and interaction, no longer sleeping the whole way. Guess this is just baby getting older. Ariana still sleeps great through the night, usually about 7 hours, and bath time is still her favorite time of day.
We thank everyone for all of your support, love and gifts. This new, big family is so full of generous, loving people. We are well beyond blessed by you all.
Sorry all, I have been checking out the blog on occasion, making comments; but it just hit me that I am suppose to be contributing. Well, here we go.
There is so much to catch you up on. I hope not to forget anything.
On Friday, Ariana turned five months old, and she is getting so big. She weighs in at 15lbs, and stands tall (for about 30 seconds at a time) at 24 inches. When she is ready to be heard, she loudly exclaims both vowel and consonant sounds. She is enjoying blowing bubbles from her mouth, and gets excited when imitated. She has rolled over 4 times from her tummy over the past few weeks, and turns well from her back to her side. She holds her bottle by herself briefly, a few times a day.
Ariana has excellent eye contact and is always looking around, taking everything in. Last night we were going through her signing alphabet book that Mommy, Daddy and Asa gave her. She was paying close attention and moving her fingers, as if imitating us making the letters. She had received a musical elephant, for Christmas, to hang on her car seat. Thursday, while I was driving, she pulled it by herself, and that was after she managed to remove her mittens! She grasps objects very well, and as expected is bringing everything to her mouth. Her fingers are a favorite thing to gum on. Within the past couple of days, Ariana has been able to make her "jumperoo" make music as she jumps. She is still not quite tall enough, so her feet get propped up on a pillow. Ariana enjoys Pat-a-Cake but still prefers to keep her hands fisted. She is also very ticklish, and can really get giggling when tickled.
We are so proud of her daily progress. She was suppose to start in home, weekly therapy through TN Early Intervention Services, on Friday. However, we had our first snow storm the night before, and they cancelled. So next week we will start. I really do not know yet what all that entails, but I know she will do great!
Daily, Ariana is at home with me. We eat, and play, and read, listen to music and watch some cartoons. Bright colors and music keep her attention well. We have a good time, but I must admit to some jealousy. Although she will smile frequently for me, her face just lights up when Jim gets a hold of her. Even if she has been fussy or having a bad day, that hairy face just makes it all better. She doesn't even mind him kissing on her anymore. Every Sunday when we go to Mass, she is content to just listen and look at the lights and windows. The long ride home is changing though, she is starting to need some more entertainment and interaction, no longer sleeping the whole way. Guess this is just baby getting older. Ariana still sleeps great through the night, usually about 7 hours, and bath time is still her favorite time of day.
We thank everyone for all of your support, love and gifts. This new, big family is so full of generous, loving people. We are well beyond blessed by you all.
1.17.2013
Asa on Valentine's Day
Written by Melissa
After a long discussion in the car yesterday about the magic of Santa and how "if there isn't a chimney, he just makes a hole on the top of the house to throw the toy bag down," I decided it was time to move Asa past Christmas and on to the next holiday. So, I started to tell him about Valentine's Day.
Asa said, "What is Valentine's Day?"
I said, "It's the day of LOVE. It's a time to give our friends Valentine's Day cards and treats."
"And candy, Mom?" Asa asked.
"Yes, and candy. And kisses, too. Who are you going to kiss on Valentine's Day?"
Fully expecting him to say me, he went with an alterior answer, "Emma."
Mind you, Emma is a very cute girl in Asa's class who he has called his girlfriend for quite some time now.
"Oh, Emma - why are you going to give Emma a kiss?"
"Because I am going to marry her." Then he continued, "And after we get married, they are going to pull the curtain back and guess what we're going to do?"
"What?"
"We're going to dance."
"Oh that will be so nice," I said, wondering how he came up with the image of a curtain be pulled back before the dance.
"And after we dance, we're going to take our costumes off, and then..." I was on pins and needles about what was coming next.
"And then we're going to eat lots of cake and ice cream. And then we're going to tell everybody we're full."
Because of course you can't eat cake with your "costume" on! Plus, a good day for Asa always ends with cake and ice cream. I should've known. ;-)
After a long discussion in the car yesterday about the magic of Santa and how "if there isn't a chimney, he just makes a hole on the top of the house to throw the toy bag down," I decided it was time to move Asa past Christmas and on to the next holiday. So, I started to tell him about Valentine's Day.
Asa said, "What is Valentine's Day?"
I said, "It's the day of LOVE. It's a time to give our friends Valentine's Day cards and treats."
"And candy, Mom?" Asa asked.
"Yes, and candy. And kisses, too. Who are you going to kiss on Valentine's Day?"
Fully expecting him to say me, he went with an alterior answer, "Emma."
Mind you, Emma is a very cute girl in Asa's class who he has called his girlfriend for quite some time now.
"Oh, Emma - why are you going to give Emma a kiss?"
"Because I am going to marry her." Then he continued, "And after we get married, they are going to pull the curtain back and guess what we're going to do?"
"What?"
"We're going to dance."
"Oh that will be so nice," I said, wondering how he came up with the image of a curtain be pulled back before the dance.
"And after we dance, we're going to take our costumes off, and then..." I was on pins and needles about what was coming next.
"And then we're going to eat lots of cake and ice cream. And then we're going to tell everybody we're full."
Because of course you can't eat cake with your "costume" on! Plus, a good day for Asa always ends with cake and ice cream. I should've known. ;-)
1.10.2013
Family Gathering
Written by Melissa
Over the holidays, we all came together for a family gathering. Jim, Heather, and Ariana were in town visiting Grandma Pam and Grandpa Chip. Also in town were Heather's brother, Shawn, and his wife Bella, as well as Heather's Aunt (Pam's sister), Cris. It made for a nice big Italian get together at a local Italian restaurant (where they were surely ready to get rid of us by the time we left).
Ace was very excited to see his sister. He had made a card for her in his own words, "Ariana, I love you. Asa" - as Jim said, it was one for the scrap books for sure.
With his time with Ari, Asa didn't miss a beat. He wanted to hold Ari, feed her, change her - all-around love and caretake for her. Not to mention, open all of her gifts for her.
Lunch was great, but the company was the best. Ariana is now a certified chunky monkey and we were glad to see all her fat rolls when changing her in the family restroom. We were blessed to meet more of the folks that will be a huge part of Ari's circle. She is a lucky girl - and we are lucky to have been introduced to this new world because of her. My only regret was not getting a picture of all 6 of us, but when we are spending time together sometimes you just live in the moment and forget the camera. [Not next time, though. :-)]
More pics can be seen here.
Over the holidays, we all came together for a family gathering. Jim, Heather, and Ariana were in town visiting Grandma Pam and Grandpa Chip. Also in town were Heather's brother, Shawn, and his wife Bella, as well as Heather's Aunt (Pam's sister), Cris. It made for a nice big Italian get together at a local Italian restaurant (where they were surely ready to get rid of us by the time we left).
Lunch was great, but the company was the best. Ariana is now a certified chunky monkey and we were glad to see all her fat rolls when changing her in the family restroom. We were blessed to meet more of the folks that will be a huge part of Ari's circle. She is a lucky girl - and we are lucky to have been introduced to this new world because of her. My only regret was not getting a picture of all 6 of us, but when we are spending time together sometimes you just live in the moment and forget the camera. [Not next time, though. :-)]
More pics can be seen here.
1.05.2013
To the Moon and Back
Written by Melissa
As a part of my new normal, I have been tasked with writing to my infant daughter who does not live with me - part of my new life, mind you, that I never planned for, let alone imagined would exist in my world. From the beginning of my letter writing, I found it immensely difficult to express how very much I loved her with mere written words. Still, I wanted her to know that my love for her was big - well, HUGE! Of course, I wasn't sure based on her diagnosis how much she'd understand - of my love for her, of my pain for losing her, of my joy for our new blended family united by her. I'm still not sure how much she'll understand, but one thing I do know is that I will be consistent in telling and showing her.
So, I decided to put the words, "I love you to the moon and back!" at the end of all of my letters to her. I thought maybe she'd hear those words over and over and know that my love for her is out of this world. What I didn't see happening, but have been tremendously comforted by, was her other Mom to pick up on this message.
For Ariana's baptism, I gave her a picture book I created of her life's beginning with photos from my pregnancy, our anticipation of her arrival, her birth, time spent in NICU, and the precious few months she spent in our home. It reads very much like a children's book explaining to Ari where she came from and how we all became a big family because of our love for her and how we can't wait to watch her grow up and to be truly blessed as family as a result of her coming to be.
Today, in the mail, we received her continued story, a photo book made by Heather. This one reads like a letter from Ariana. It includes pictures from the immediate days after her Entrustment Ceremony, her nursery filled with her things from our home and gifts from us, and festive moments from Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. The words are so sweet, stating how she misses us, but enjoys her new home and loves that we've created a life for her that she loves. It ends with, "I am so blessed to have this wonderful, big family to pray for me and love me. Thank you for this gift. I love you forever, to the moon and back."
My heart is full.
As a part of my new normal, I have been tasked with writing to my infant daughter who does not live with me - part of my new life, mind you, that I never planned for, let alone imagined would exist in my world. From the beginning of my letter writing, I found it immensely difficult to express how very much I loved her with mere written words. Still, I wanted her to know that my love for her was big - well, HUGE! Of course, I wasn't sure based on her diagnosis how much she'd understand - of my love for her, of my pain for losing her, of my joy for our new blended family united by her. I'm still not sure how much she'll understand, but one thing I do know is that I will be consistent in telling and showing her.
So, I decided to put the words, "I love you to the moon and back!" at the end of all of my letters to her. I thought maybe she'd hear those words over and over and know that my love for her is out of this world. What I didn't see happening, but have been tremendously comforted by, was her other Mom to pick up on this message.
For Ariana's baptism, I gave her a picture book I created of her life's beginning with photos from my pregnancy, our anticipation of her arrival, her birth, time spent in NICU, and the precious few months she spent in our home. It reads very much like a children's book explaining to Ari where she came from and how we all became a big family because of our love for her and how we can't wait to watch her grow up and to be truly blessed as family as a result of her coming to be.
Today, in the mail, we received her continued story, a photo book made by Heather. This one reads like a letter from Ariana. It includes pictures from the immediate days after her Entrustment Ceremony, her nursery filled with her things from our home and gifts from us, and festive moments from Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. The words are so sweet, stating how she misses us, but enjoys her new home and loves that we've created a life for her that she loves. It ends with, "I am so blessed to have this wonderful, big family to pray for me and love me. Thank you for this gift. I love you forever, to the moon and back."
My heart is full.
1.02.2013
Welcome 2013
Written by Melissa
I don't think I've ever been happier to begin a NEW year as I am to begin 2013. To shed the pain of 2012 and to suit up with the promise of light in 2013 is refreshing, to say the least. The journey of our new normal is just getting started, but we've certainly been blessed with the opportunity of this journey and the hope that it will bring us all peace and joy. I know emphatically that the "A Team" is united and ready to take on this blended family with love and grace.
As Ariana so adorably accessorizes and infers - I LOVE MY FAMILY! So, cheers to a new year!
I don't think I've ever been happier to begin a NEW year as I am to begin 2013. To shed the pain of 2012 and to suit up with the promise of light in 2013 is refreshing, to say the least. The journey of our new normal is just getting started, but we've certainly been blessed with the opportunity of this journey and the hope that it will bring us all peace and joy. I know emphatically that the "A Team" is united and ready to take on this blended family with love and grace.
As Ariana so adorably accessorizes and infers - I LOVE MY FAMILY! So, cheers to a new year!
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