Saturday, March 21, 2009

One Month Rambings

Thank you every one for your wonderful comments and well wishes. I understand how hard it can be to read about someone else's joy when you may be in a deep dark pit of sadness. I know what it is like to long for a child, I longed for one for 6 years. I had given up all hope and a miracle happened in my life. I will understand if you may not be able to read my posts once in a while and that's ok. I really do understand. When you can, I would love it if you would come by my blog for a visit.

Josina is one month old already! What? How did this happen? I really can't believe it! Words cannot express the joy and love I feel for her or how our life has changed dramatically in such an amazing way. Although crazy and exhausting, life has become much more simpler. Our focus has changed. Our purpose is different. It is incredible.

Watching her grow in the past 4 weeks has been so fulfilling. At first she was very content and after she would feed she'd fall back asleep instantly...a very content baby. Then when she was 2 weeks old she all of a sudden started becoming very demanding while eating. If I interrupted her feed to burp her she'd scream out as if saying "NOW! FEED ME NOW!", it was so funny to see this change in her! She is still doing it, even stronger in fact, lol!

Now she is becoming more and more alert and focuses on things around her. She loves to dance and sing with us and Beyonce's "Single Ladies" is one of her favourites, lol. Ok, it is one of my favourites but she likes it too, lol.

In the past few days she has changed again...she used to fall asleep easily...now it takes much longer for her to fall asleep and really loves to fall asleep in our arms...the second we put her in the basinette she wakes up and screams to be picked up again. Hmmm...they say that a baby should not be left to cry at this age, but is this the start of a bad habit? Will there be ramifications later? I can't leave her to cry though, it breaks my heart. Tonight she fell asleep as we sang to "Old MacDonald's farm" and "Six White Boomers".

She is growing so fast. Thursday last week her newborn swaddler diapers fit her fine and the very next day they were too small and she developed this adorable little pot belly!

She used to cry on the change table when getting her diaper changed, now she is starting to focus on the toys and to coo and gurgle instead.

Her eyes are becoming clear and are not as blurred as they were (I don't know what the technical term for this). She has the most beautiful eyes.

She is a very gassy baby, although I'm sure they all are. It is funny to praise her and comment on the force and loudness of her 'ahem' gas passing...lol. Or to say 'good one!' when she burps really loudly.

I could watch her all day long. Even at 4 in the morning when I am feeding her I am excited to be with her, to hold her, to bond with her.

I wonder what amazing changes the next month will bring. I've read that babies begin to smile in their second month. Oh, I hope so! I can't wait for this!

Tips for you:
*get your sleep now! Trust me on this one!
*although you want to shop in order to fill the void (trust me, I know), try not to...you get ALOT of really wonderful presents! There are so many people waiting to celebrate with you!
* You will lose your mind and memory right away...sleep deprivation at its best...you will forget what you were doing, move on to something else and forget that too.

Here is a pic of Josina with her eyes open at 3 weeks old (we don't have many with her eyes open, lol...she sleeps alot and I get distracted when she's alert...want to play with her and forget to take pics)

Friday, March 6, 2009

Surprise!

I'm back! Bet you've been wondering where I've been and what the heck I've been up to...thank you to my blogger friends who expressed their concern. I have a wonderful surprise for you! God has worked a miracle in my life over the past month and it has to do with this precious bundle of joy:


I am so proud to announce that she is my daughter! Yep, my DAUGHTER!!!! Can you believe it? She is such a blessing, a true miracle! I know your chin has hit the floor, I still find it very surreal myself. Isn't she gorgeous?!

Here is how it all unfolded. Do you notice the date of my last post was the early morning of January 15th? I couldn't sleep that night I was so stressed out about life. Later that evening (9:00pm) my husband and I received a phone call from our social worker from our local agency (We have been on the domestic adopotion list in Alberta for over 2 years) saying our profile/scrapbook had been chosen!!! Can we meet the family next week? What? Excuse me? We had all but given up on this! My husband and I didn't sleep for the entire week! We met our birthmom and her family and had a wonderful afternoon with them. The next day we were asked personally by our birthmom to parent her child, who is due on March 5th (today actually). She is an amazing woman who I will love and cherish for the rest of my life! We are blessed that she and her family will be a part of our lives, it is like they've adopted us!

A few weeks passed and we stayed in contact with the family via phone and email and had coffee, lunch and dinner together as well. I was overwhelmed with work, planning & preparing our house, etc. that I just couldn't blog about anything! My husband and I decided we needed to rearrange our trip to San Francisco (originally planned for March 21st) and while we were there (over Valentines weekend) her water broke!! While we were out of the country!!! Talk about panic!!! Our daughter wasn't born for another week...February 21st and we brought her home on the 23rd. Our ten-day revocation period passed successfully this Wednesday and I am so thrilled to be able to introduce little Josina to you.

Josina Maaike Marie

Born: February 21, 2009 at 5:08 pm

Weight: 7 pounds 1 ounce

Height: 19.2 inches

I am excited to continue to follow your journeys to parenthood, it is nothing like I'd ever even imagined. Even the 4 am feedings are enjoyable when you gaze into your child's eyes.

I will eventually get around to taking the blog private, when I have a minute to figure it out. But for now you get a sneak preview of our precious joy. Thanks for sharing this journey with me!