Family pictures

We took professional family pictures in California (my cousin's wife is an awesome photographer, look her up if you're in Cali). Click here for a few sneak peeks!

Adoption day!

Well, "the" day finally came on 7/28/11. It really couldn't have gone more perfectly. Well, I take that back. It would have been perfect had we not gone to the wrong courthouse first and then barely made to it the juvenile courts only 2 minutes before our preceding. But other than that, it was awesome! “O” did really well. She sat on Blaine's lap during the hearing (which lasted all of 8 minutes) and when I started crying (early on) she looked at me and said, "why you have water in your eyes?" and then moved over to sit and comfort me. I whispered to her that sometimes when people are really happy, that they cry. And, I was really happy so I was crying. She was intrigued by the judge, who we had talked about for a while. We had prepared her for the day by calling it "Adoption day", using the date "July 28", and that we would see the "judge who would give us a special paper and say that “O” wouldn't go and live with anyone else ever again. That she'd be with us FOREVER". After the hearing, she said, "I didn't hear the judge say it!". I explained that he did, but in very 'adult' terms.

We had a full house supporting us, it was great. My parents, my sister/bro-in-law and their kids, Blaine's parents, grandparents, “O”'s maternal grandparents (who have been so supportive through all of this and have been waiting anxiously for this day to happen), and our case worker. We were walking out of the courthouse by 9:15 (it started at 9:00) and took more pictures. Then some of us headed over to Bruegger's bagels for breakfast, and then off to the fun stuff - Jumpstreet. A bouncy gym that has trampoline floors/walls and 4 big bounce houses. The kids (and adults) had a great time! Then home for lunch, quiet time, and an afternoon of swimming,cake, and presents. “O” did really well all day.

The next day we all drove out to California forthe weekend and took little family (the 3 of us) and big family pictures (parents, cousins, etc). I have attached a sneak peak of the little family pics! By hour #2, “O” was a bit tired of smiling and posing, but she was a real trooper.

Blaine and I have definitely noticed that “O” has a sense of peace and security that wasn't there in the beginning. She is much more settled and her (big) personality is coming out!

I feel like all of these months and updates have been building up to this day and further updates would be superfluous. However, this is sort of how I have been keeping track of our journey and so, like it or not, I'll keep sending them out!

-joni

Visit with California cousins 7/17/11

“O” got to see her California cousins for the 2nd time and she met Aunt Sarah for the first time! The girls played really well together and “O” had a blast. They did the play area at the mall, swimming at the public pool, and swimming at the house (a couple of times). All 3 girls are little fish and keep the adults busy and on our toes in the water. Ava and “O” are only 3 months apart, and “O” and Madisen are about 13 months apart. It's so funny how “O” fits right in and actually looks like a blood-related cousin.

“O” has picked up yet another one of my ways of speaking...I apparently say, "right?" a lot after giving her lectures or just when explaining something. e.g., "It's important to wash our hands, right? We don't want to spread germs, right?". So now “O” says it a lot when talking and it sounds kind of valley girlish. It's pretty funny..."we're going to the park today, right?"

-joni

4th of July 2011

Last weekend “O” and I drove out to CA to see my parents. She did really well in the car for the 5 hour drive! She talked, slept (a little bit), played the iPad, and looked out the window. Amazing. She's a traveler. Maybe she'll go on the road with Blaine when he tours:)

Her first 4th of July with us was great - and I think it was her first time seeing sparklers and mini fireworks. She loved it. We did them in the backyard, and I was sure to water down the grass afterward.

She has started her new swim session this week. She has graduated from being a "shrimp" to being a "duck". And this class there is actually another girl! Last session she was with 4 roudy boys. She can dive head first and swim to the other side of the pool under water. She can also come up for air and then go back under to keep swimming. She's really getting good. She loves it. And we love how tired she is at the end of the day for bedtime after swimming.

We are looking forward to July 28 and talk to her often about "adoption day with the judge". She is very excited. I think mainly she's excited that we're having a party and her cousins & grammie/pop-pop are visiting.

-joni

First Father's day 6/19/11

Blaine's 1st Father's day has consisted of being woken up early (for him, since he works late), homemade breakfast, coffee, presents, walking the mall with us, and now a movie by himself. He's in heaven! I'm very impressed that “O” didn't spill the beans about what we got him, since we got it a few days ago (socks, gift card, framed pictures). I think it helped that after the 2nd day her 3 year old's memory wasn't so good.

Blaine's love and obsession for guitar shopping has now trickled down to his daughter. I don't know too many preschoolers who have an acoustic AND electric guitar. She loves them. One was a garage sale, the other Craigslist.

Yesterday “O” and I went to a free Summer Sunsplash family event at a park in Chandler. They had water slide bouncies, food vendors, firetrucks, karate demos, and spongebob (among other things). It was great. She went down the water slide 4 times (I was pretty impressed, it was tall!) and thoroughly enjoyed the snow cone. She got to sit in a fire truck for the 2nd time. The other day we were on our walk and 2 firetrucks pulled up to the field and the men got out to play ultimate frisbee (their exercise time they said). So we strolled up and she got to check out their rig. She's going to think it's a very normal thing to just hop in a firetruck!

Today at the mall there was a guy with his little shit zsu dog. The dog is a therapy dog and works at Phoenix children's hospital. “O” got to pet him and hold him on her lap. She LOVED him. His name was Tiger. He even had a little business card with his name and info on the back (his breed, favorite food, tricks, etc.). We said thank you and then she walked back to the guy on her own and very seriously said, "thank you very much for letting me pet your dog". Then she turned to me and said, "next time I get a new dog, I want this dog".

-joni

Big girl bed 6/14/11

Blaine has picked up “O” off the floor many times and so we figured it was time to get her a big girl's bed. We all went to Ikea together and picked it out. She chose the purple stain color (which I think looks perfect with the flowers in her room!). She 'helped' us assemble it and got very excited once we rearranged her room to put it in. She grabbed a book and jumped in the bed with blankie. Dolly and Cash had to check it out as well. We'll see how tonight goes and if she is able to fall asleep easily! She had some anxiety when she saw that her toddler bed was leaving the room and said that she was going to be sad because she needed 2 beds. We are giving the toddler bed to my friends who have an 18 month old (she has met him). She liked the fact that we were giving it away to another baby and started grabbing other toys to give to him also.

-joni

Swim Lessons 6/9/11

“O” started swimming lessons on Monday and is doing so well! She was already fearless at our pool, so I wasn't really concerned. The first day I took her and she was actually quite nervous and shy. She barely put her face under water and got very tense when the teacher tried to hold her for floating on her back. She stuck her legs straight up into the air instead of relaxing into a "starfish". I wondered if I had signed her up for a level that was too advanced (especially since the only other girl was already practically doing laps). Blaine took her on Tuesday and Wednesday and so when I took her today I was amazed at how much she had improved! She was kicking and actually propelling herself forward underwater, was able to do "bobs" (bounce up and down in the water), and put her head underwater to grab a ring! She is the "shrimp" level. Next level is "Ducks", but that may not be until next summer:)

joni