The first tooth (picture).

First Tooth

R's first tooth has made it's appearance in the world. It's in the middle of her lower gum, and it's razor sharp. I'm full of mixed emotions. It's an exciting, scary, sad, and happy event. We're thrilled that she managed to push out her first tooth with little to no fussing. She's been drooling a lot, but as earlier posts have discussed she's been drooling heavily for the last 4 months or so. Besides drooling, and the occasional red cheek or two, you wouldn't have any idea that she was cutting a tooth. We're so proud of her - it seems like a milestone. But, while everyone is excited I'm also scared because (beyond the fact that this means she's growing up faster then my mind can handle) it also means that she now - officially - is armed and dangerous. I've had dreams since we started the adoption process about our child being a biter - now I get to see if any of them will come true. Fingers crossed please!

We hope to have a picture in the near future. The tooth is a little illusive. She has to smile just the right way (which can be difficult to capture with the camera), or she we need to pry open her lips. The later option is a) difficult to do at the same time you take a picture, and b) doesn't usually end up making a good picture - oddly enough, just like you and I, R doesn't really like it when people try and pry open her lips without her permission. So, picture to come... not sure when, but some day I'll get it!

Thanks for reading!
~W

We've got a date!!!

It's with great pleasure that I announce that we've got a date to finalize R's adoption! Time certainly does fly. It's amazing that after all this time (4+ years) the adoption process is coming to an end for us. That isn't to suggest that "adoption" is leaving our lives - it's not, and that's a good thing. Adoption, specifically open adoption, is the miracle by which R and R's birth family came into our lives. Adoption is a daily discussion in our household, and I don't see that coming to an end any time soon - or for that matter, ever. What I do see coming to an end is the piles of paperwork, and visitors to our household to confirm that we were, at first, going to be good parents, and most recently are good parents. They were great folks - and hopefully some of them will stay in touch - but it will be nice not to have to "report" to them anymore.

So, come the end of this month all three of us will fly across the country to appear before the court and get the last signature(s) we'll ever need to legally make R ours forever. It's a strange feeling. Certainly, we've known R was our child for months before she was born, and this paper work finalization won't change in anyway how we feel about her (or her birth family), but after having been in the process for so long it's strange to think of ourselves as done. I'm sure for months afterward I'll just randomly complete forms and mail them to our adoption agency just for old times sake. :)

Thanks for reading.

~W