Delivery Room

A year ago today, we saw our youngest daughter's face for the first time and fell instantly in love.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Tomorrow our baby girl is one year old.  She has been ours and we hers for a little over 9 months of that year.  Each of those days turned to months has been a gift of love given and received.  We thank God for Josiane and we ask Him on her birthday, and always, to bless the woman who gave her life.

6 Months at 10 Months

Tomorrow, we will have our social worker visit for our 6-month post-placement update.  That actually means we've been home for 6 months, which seems impossible.  Since 6 months has passed, the baby is now 10 months old!  As evident by the neglect of the blog and my disappearance from community in general, the past few months have been wonderful and exhausting.  There's a term in adoption called "cocooning," whereby you pull your family in for a period of time after you come home to strengthen attachment between the new child and all members of the family.  So, that's what we'll call the last few months: our cocooning stage.

At ten months, Josiane still captivates the attention of her brothers and sister.  The children fight over who gets to play with her.  She has taken on the nickname "JoJo" by some of us.  It fits her well.  She is finally growing hair in the back of her head.  She still gets up twice a night to eat, which is utterly exhausting over a 6-month span.  The good news is that we have three others and know that she will eventually sleep through the night, so we don't disdain these nighttime soirees too much.  She doesn't crawl, but rather scoots on her bottom, propelling herself forward with her hands toward her destination.  She has become quite fast at this method of transportation.  She may be a drummer when she gets older.  She loves to bang on everything with her hands.  Her smile has changed with the addition of four teeth (two on the top and two on the bottom).  Her swollen gums are evidence that several more are bound to follow very soon.  Her smile is ridiculous.  She has a dimple like her oldest brother.  It melts all of us.  She also has a signature face where she lowers her chin to her chest and looks up at us from the top of her eyes.  If we do it back at her, she giggles.  Her giggle is quiet and sweet.  Her shriek (scream) is loud and will leave your ears ringing.  She has used this both in church and on an airplane.  She loves to be outside and particularly loves pulling out grass.  She still doesn't put anything in her own mouth, so this makes it easier to let her play and explore.  She still eats pretty much anything we give her, but maybe doesn't like mangoes and avocados.  She still pulls people in with her big eyes and deep stare.  We are forever grateful for the gift of her life in our family.  Here is some evidence of how she's grown in the last few months:

At the park

The way she moves

Cheering at Evan's basketball championship game

At Sarah's birthday party

Loving the fresh air

7 Months Old

Josiane is 7 months old!  Here is what we have been up to in the last month:

Playing with my sister

Being transported around the house in interesting ways

Getting dressed up for Christmas

Celebrating Jesus' birth

Enjoying a new Christmas present

Getting so many kisses

Meeting Grandma and Grandpa Breun for the 1st time and giving them the "I don't know you" look

Taking a lunch break with Grandma at the US Botanical Garden

Taking more family pictures

Giving Grandma and Grandpa my, "Hey, I know you" face by the end of their visit

Hanging out with my cousin, Grace.

Photos

Uncle Carlos came to visit last weekend

First time for "real" food with a happy audience

The older had to move breakfast to the floor to share the experience of eating with the younger.  Food is so communal.

Ridiculous cuteness during her bath this morning