Giving Thanks

In the days building up towards Thanksgiving, I've been quite emotional. Every time I see a commercial depicting family traditions or special events, the tears start coming. And more times than I can count, I have just held onto my sweet baby girl and told her how thankful I was for her.

I have so much to be thankful for this year. Much of it has not changed since last year. I'm still so thankful to have an incredible husband who has really been a rock for me to lean on over the last year, and has turned out to be an amazing father who is so in love with his girl. Still have a great dad, who has turned into an awesome Pop. Still have great siblings and their respective spouses. And while we may not get to be around one another as often as we would like, the love and connections we have are still strong. Last year, I was thankful for my two nieces, Hannah and Sophie. I am so proud of them and so thankful to have been blessed with niece number 3, Annagrace in January. And I would be remiss not to mention my closest friends --you know who you are-- who managed to keep me sane the first part of the year and helped out tremendously during the last past of the year.

I have been thinking a lot this week about Teegen's birthmother and what she is doing this time of year. Without a doubt, one of the things I am most thankful for is the decision she made. What a gift!

And of course, I am most thankful for the beautiful baby girl we get to call ours. What a journey we have had! She has a shaky start in life, but has come so far and is growing and changing in leaps and bounds.

Our very first picture! Teegen at 2 days old! Just the start of our journey

Someone thinks that they're a rock star.

Someone is quite the Daddy's girl

"I don't care what you bribe me with....I will not smile for you!"

Kicked back and relaxed. There's nothing like a good night's sleep!

1 + 1 = 2

On Thursday, she barely had one tooth. By Saturday, there were two! Click on the picture to see them better.

Five Months...Already?

Last Sunday marked Teegen's fifth month of life...wow! I'm amazed at how time has seemingly flown. I am amazed when I look back over our journey and realize that this time last year, we were torn between staying with the Vietnam program or exploring our other options. What a journey this has been! And we wouldn't trade one minute of it.

There are times when it seems like just yesterday when we met our girl in the NICU, hooked to a monitor, looking so tiny. And there are also times when I can't remember what our lives were like without her. Each day, she brings so much joy into our lives and laughter as well. What an amazing soul she is!

Enough with the sap...on to the update...Teegen has changed so much in a month!

• Loves to eat rice cereal and oatmeal...loves to blow raspberries....loves to blow raspberries while eating cereal.
• Is starting to interact with her toys and loves her Exersaucer
• Has mastered the art of the Jumparoo...I think that she would jump for days if we let her.
• Will fall asleep almost instantly when riding in the car
• Rolls over like a pro...she might be able to medal in this.
• Loves music!
• Has discovered that she has feet and loves to play with them.
  
• Sleeps through the night most nights. And yes, she is sleeping in her own crib.

But perhaps the biggest news of the last month is breaking news! As in breaking through Teegen' gums news. Larry and I both noticed that she has been drooling, chewing on her fingers and pretty fussy at times recently. When I picked her up from day care this afternoon, I just happened to feel around in her mouth. I was expecting soft gums, but instead was met with something sharp...a bottom tooth! There is just a little bit there right now, but I'm already working on a picture.

Five months old with Harry

Uhh...Mom...I think that you might have gone overboard with pink.

You see, Dad, this is how the tree works.

Why use a teething ring when Dad's arm works even better

Teegen meet Tobie...Tobie meet Teegen

Christmas Cards, Take One

Early this morning, while checking my email, I discovered a really great deal on photo Christmas cards. A deal so great that there was no way I could pass it up. So I thought to myself, "You don't have anything else to do today, why not shoot your Christmas picture." And about that time, Teegen must have been thinking to herself "Whatever you do, don't smile for Mommy this morning."

I'm not sure how out of 60 pictures, not a single one can be used as our Christmas Card. So much for trying to get a deal. I suppose I will have to try again next week! Here are some of the outtakes.

Could have been good, except the Penguin closed his eyes!

Oh...did you want me to look at the camera?

And how many push ups can you do?

Look, I'm doing my best Angelina Jolie impression

This Penguin better not lick me...I hear he has cooties

Testing this out

So here is an attempt at posting video. I hope that I can get the hang of this! Enjoy T's newest "trick" of blowing raspberries. Hopefully I can get some longer ones soon! Remeber to cut teh music down to get the full effect!

Relaxing on Sunday

What a busy week we've had. Actually what a busy last few weeks we have had. Some of you know and some of you may not, but I started a new job three weeks ago. And I love it! I get to work with a great group of people, and I'm not required to work nights, weekends, holidays or on-calls. I'm so excited about this new adventure.

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to:

Resolution #2: Really start an earnest effort to work on my counseling license. I've got almost all of the requirements, but the paperwork makes me shudder. However, if I can complete an adoption paper chase, than I should be able to do this.

I'm so happy to report that on Monday, I passed the exam for my counseling license. I'm just waiting on the piece of paper declaring me a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Teegen had a few big moments this week to! She slept through the night every night this week! Usually from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am. She got to go with both of her parents to vote. She sat in a high chair and ate both oatmeal and rice cereal. She got to participate in her first school fundraiser --Cookie Dough anyone?-- and she learned how to blow raspberries. I am working on uploading video of that. I'm trying to figure out how to post videos! If anyone can help me out that would be great!

Here are some pictures from some of the big moments of the week:

Sitting in my high chair for the first time. There is more to life than the bouncy chair

Blowing raspberries at mommy, telling her what I think of her!

Napping with Tobie ...we're Easy Like Sunday Morning, even though it's the afternoon.

MMMMMM....Oatmeal

When we tried rice cereal a little while back, it was pretty much a flop. Teegen hated it. But tonight we tried oatmeal...which she could not get enough of.

Keep it coming mom...this stuff is GREAT!

Is there any left?

I hear that oatmeal is good for the feet.

Blowing bubbles and looking cute.

Like a Rhinestone Cowgirl

Teegen's getting ready for her big trip out west that is coming up soon. Right after taking this, she tried to pull the boots off. She'd rather be barefoot! Thanks to Annagrace for the boots!

A Civic Duty

Changing the World

Rocking the Vote!

Look who slept in her own crib last night!

She went to sleep on her back and ended up like this!