Mama's Baby Boy and the Big Sister

This poor baby's cheeks are going to be chappy soon from all of the mommy kisses he gets. I find myself waking up in the middle of the night smothering him in kisses when all he really wants to do is eat!
Eliza (a.k.a. big sister) is hanging in there. She told me yesterday that she wasn't a big girl, she was a baby and I needed to hold her. Of course I made room on my lap and held my big girl baby. I love her so much. She's really done better than I expected with the transition of welcoming her new baby brother. It's so nice to see Eliza love on the baby...very heart warming. Somehow I hit the jackpot twice. How am I this lucky? I'm not sure, but I'm very grateful for these two babies I have been blessed with!

Just Because...

I don't know how it's possible, but I think he gets cuter each day.

Heaven Sent

I really can't put into words how in love with this baby I am. The smell of him makes my mouth water. I want to just drink him up. He is a dream baby...so easy going and a snuggler! I suppose he doesn't really have occasion to cry because I can't seem to find the willpower to put him down! My Solomon is sent straight from heaven.

Getting bundled up to come home from the hospital

First time in the car seat
Does he make your mouth water? You should smell him!
He's going to be a thumb sucker! He already found it once today.
The Princess holding the Prince
I laid the baby on the couch and came back to find Eliza reading him Brown Bear

Domestic Adoption...

Heart to Heart Adoptions Link (click here)

I've had a few people e-mail me re: domestic adoption. I just wanted to do a quick post about this. You can't imagine what a dream this adoption was. From the beginning to the end this adoption was the most peaceful, enjoyable, smooth experience. I think there are a lot of misconceptions with domestic adoption. I don't know that I even realized it was an option for me before I stumbled upon a couple of blogs of single woman who adopted. On top of that, my adoption fees really helped Solomon's birth mother and ensured that my baby boy was well-cared for prenatally. His birth mother's basic needs were provided for, she received counseling services, weekly activities, weekly group meetings, someone to accompany her to all of her doctor's appointments and to top it off they provided a personal tutor for her so she could earn her G.E.D. Solomon's birth mother personally told me that she was going home a better person beacause of Heart to Heart. Her dream is to go home and start a nursing program. Her future is truly bright! I hope, more than anything, that she will follow through with her dreams. My agency called me today to tell me that the birth mother had passed the G.E.D. test yesterday and they also asked if I knew anyone that would be interested in adopting, so I thought of, well, all of you! They have an African American baby boy due to be born in February and they desperately need families to present to the birth mother. I have LOVED working with this agency. They have been SO single friendly and just plain old nice to work with. Please give them a call if you are even remotely interested. Call Cindi at 801-792-7782 and tell her Tiffany referred you! Just think, you could be holding your sweet newborn in just a few weeks!

Home, Sweet Home

We are home. I'm relieved. Eliza is excited. Solomon is as content as can be. He is the most easy-going newborn. We are all in love. Many more pictures to come!

The Reader's Digest Version...

Shortly after I turned my paperwork in to the agency I decided not to wait until the spring and just kind of have faith that things would unfold as they were meant to. Little did I know that my future baby was in the not-so-distant future. (Check out my time line to Solomon) On Dec. 31st I got a call from my agency asking if I would be interested in having my profile shown to a birth mother due on January 7th. I agreed, but I was being shown with another young couple with 2 kids, so I didn't have my heart set on being chosen. I had to wait until Jan. 2nd to hear the news. That morning I called the agency because I was so anxious (and I wanted this baby so bad)! Only 2 hours later they called me back telling me I had been chosen. Solomon was induced on Wednesday. His sweet birth mother allowed me to be in the room to witness his birth. It was, hands down, the most miraculous thing I have ever seen. I am in love with this tiny baby boy and can't wait to bring him home tomorrow!

It's a BOY!!!

Introducing my baby boy and Eliza's little brother...
Solomon Dean
6.5 lbs.
17.5 inches
January 7, 2009
1:27 pm

Dance Class...

...or hall class as I like to call it. I signed Eliza up for a dance class through our community ed. program. It is perfect because it's less than a mile from our house and very inexpensive (that is if your child will actually dance)! Eliza has been asking to "take a dance class", but I don't think she was prepared for the loud music and unfamiliar faces. When her friend Charlee arrived I thought we might be home free. She joined the group for about 5 minutes and then was DONE! Anyhow, I am now proudly paid up for a month of hanging out in the hall of the nearby middle school. Sheesh, I can do that for free all day at work!

Eliza and Char

At McDonald's afterward

**Oh, and, stay tuned...I'll be back Thursday with some rather interesting news...**

Hair Like Teesha's

After hanging out with my family a couple of weeks ago, Eliza came home requesting, "Hair like Teesha's". I had to rack my brains to remember how Teesha (my SIL) was wearing her hair that night...it was in a cute side ponytail. I finally got around to making Eliza's hair dreams come true today.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Eliza modeling the...side ponytail!

I Broke all the Rules...

I finally got a fake Christmas tree. I've been adamantly against it, but for the last 3 years my tree has been dead after the first week of having it up. I hit the sales at Target yesterday and picked up a fakey. I hope I don't hate it, but I figure it can't be worse than what I just took out of my house! We'll have to wait and see.

Millie

My sister is going to have a baby girl in February (little Millie)...Isn't that the cutest pregnant belly you've seen? Every time Eliza sees Tabby she exclaims, "You got Millie in there?"!

Merry Christmas!

It was a magical Christmas morning...one of the best I've ever had! Heidi and Sophie came over to share the morning with us. We opened gifts, had breakfast and then tore into the stockings. After nap time we will head out to my mom's house for dinner. Hope everyone had a very, very Merry Christmas!

2008

2007

2006

Christmas Day

Well, we got everything we wanted, and then some! Santa was good to us this year!

Christmas...right after Santa came!

The Princess cooking breakfast in her new kitchen!

Beau got a little Christmas treat too!

From our Family to Yours...

I am SO excited for Christmas this year. I really feel like I'm a kid again...only it's better...I get to experience this all through my Eliza's eyes. I hope you all have as good a day as I know mine will be!

Family

It is rare that the ENTIRE family is together. We all went out to dinner last Friday...all 19 of us. Here we are...all of the kids and grand kids in my family (my mom is taking the picture)!

Santa

We went to a really fun Santa party last night. When Eliza's name was called, she ran up to Santa and climbed onto his lap. She requested a "princess" again. You can't imagine how easy it is for Santa to find plenty of princess stuff! I think Eliza will be pleasantly surprised come Christmas morning.

I haven't taken any pics lately. I'll get on top of that soon. A few things...Eliza LOVES Santa and she is happy to sit on his lap. She wants a princess (shocker) and she told the Santa at school that I wanted one too. I didn't know that about myself.

Darned Blankets!

My friend gave Eliza a dollhouse that her children had outgrown. I brought it in from the car today, right before nap time. Eliza wanted to sleep with the rather large dollhouse. I told her the dollhouse could stay by the side of her bed and when she was done sleeping, she could play with it. Good enough. I tucked her in and left the room. Much to my un-surprise, I heard her in there playing with the dollhouse. I went in and asked her what was going on. The dollhouse was open, in full play mode. She looked at me and in a very annoyed voice said, "My blankets keep falling out of bed"! What's a girl to do? When your blankets fall out of bed, aren't you sort of obligated to play with a new, fun dollhouse?

Please Cast Your Vote (in the sidebar)!!!

Eliza's Requests This Morning

1. Big boobies
2. A baby in her belly