Our Girl is a GIRL!

Can't contain my excitement at the first time seeing her in a dress!!! All our photos so far have been green or yellow sleepers or blue baseball onesies so this is very exciting for us! This photo came at exactly the right time to make my week (well, yeah guardianship would have been a teeny bit more exciting but this is still pretty cool!). And we're so happy to see she looks like she's feeling better, the pics we got last week I couldn't bear to post because the poor thing just looked so sniffly and sick and it's hard seeing pictures of your baby sick (even when it's just a cold and you know she's being well cared for) and not being able to comfort her!

Thanks a million Candice- we're watching your journey and living vicariously!!!

No More Whining ... For At Least A Week

The coveted email finally came. We received word that the scrutinization of our documents is COMPLETE with a positive recommendation.

Oddly, I had a feeling this morning that it would come today, although I've been trying not to hope too much. I wonder if Tami knows how much I love seeing her name in my inbox : )

So on we move to the dreaded wait for guardianship. Be prepared there's likely more whining to come!

I have pretty much given up hope on having her home for Easter (barring a miracle there just isn't enough time- well, I guess I haven't completely given up hope- there is still the miracle possibility!) but I am still hoping that maybe just maybe if we are supremely, supremely lucky there is still the possibility we will get to travel in late April. My fingers are crossed, I'm praying hard, am willing to try any other good luck suggestions!

New Pic of Baby "Dia"!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! I'm staying hopeful that we'll get the scrutinization soon and whip through the Judge stage (I know, I can hear you laughing! Well, you never know!) What would I do without my adoptive Mommy friends?!

So here's our latest picture of our little one. Little "Dia" as the boys call her. Jack has a moon painted on his wall in glow in the dark paint and always pats it goodnight. Tonight he wanted Gavin to come in and pat it too. Then he said "Dia touch moon too". It was the cutest thing. We had a whole little toddler conversation about his sister and the fact that she will be a baby and will need lots of hugs. And then he proceeded to give me fits about going to bed, but for about five minutes there I was in Mommy heaven listening to my cute boy talk about his sister!

Poor girl has a cold (she'll fit right in here- sleepy & snotty!), looks like she's just woken up and apparently has recently had a hair-cut. But we still think she's adorable and can't wait to kiss those cheeks!

The Watched Email: the pot that never boils.

Lia Riyani is 8 months old today! We are also coming up on 4 months since her referral (not that I'm obsessed with counting or anything- I have done an awful lot of mental calculations these past 4 months for someone who is very bad at math). So this week, in particular, we're thinking of baby girl and trying to put our restlessness into action- her room's not done, the orphanage gifts aren't all purchased and the travel research still has quite a ways to go. I refuse to get out the suitcases yet though- I know I'd just stare at the them longingly everyday.

As to process, we are still hangin' out waiting for scrutinization (Monday will be 6 weeks so I hope it comes soon!). It's funny how the first few weeks after we accomplish a step I am hopeful and at peace. Then we pass my mental calculation for when we 'should' (in my mind only) have received word on something and we don't and it starts all over again, the anxiety, obsessiveness and worry. I am not desperate today (I was at the NOC stage though!), but I see it looming. I know, know, know that it's useless to measure the time that it took other families to get through each stage but I can't help it! And I check my email obsessively (darn all those Gymboree and Old Navy emails that give me the new mail bell- don't they know the girl's closet is full already!)! I should learn that it comes when I least expect it (we heard about NOC on New Year's and I was not at all looking for it for once!).

Yet each day that passes I think of when other families heard and I think of the latest and earliest dates that our travel could likely be. The latest depresses me- I know we're lucky not to hit a major stall (at least not yet) like re-licensing or new judge, as some families have. But when we got her referral at almost the absolute earliest possible date I had figured no problem, she will definitely be home by her 1st birthday, maybe even before 10 months! But now it seems well within the realm of possibility that we'll be close to that 1st birthday. And I think of all the things I thought she would defininitely (or so I thought) be here for- the spring festival, Gavin's school play, May Day, Mother's Day, our pool opening, the end of the school year festivities, her brother's 6th birthday, our beach vacation and I know I have to face the fact that those dates might pass.

I know there's lessons to be had here. I know I'm supposed to learn something or maybe my boys need more time to get ready or we need to get that darn room done. I also know that this entire wait will be meaningless once it's over (and in a twisted way I'll probably miss the anticipation), but since it's not over yet- it's still meaningful!

And because I always feel the need to temper my whining because I know that I truly lived a blessed life...
On a lighter note- I have discovered today that baby wipes have many uses. Dear husband bought the regular kind (our eczema prone, dry skin baby needs extra sensitive) so instead of returning them I've been using them as cleaning wipes and I don't know what the heck is in those things but they have picked up cat hair off the furniture, puke off the carpet and years worth of grime off toys I was cleaning for consignment better than our regular cleaning wipes do!

And today was report card day and go Gavin! We're so proud of you sweet, smart boy!