6 weeks

Look at me- I can hold my head up!

He's getting so big! We are so excited to see him grow and we get to hear his little noises. He is our greatest joy and we are so happy to have him in our home.

Grandma Cookie will be here this week to play with my sweet Xander, who loves his grandma so very much.

Dan and Jackie got married on the 19th in Washington. We were unable to be there but are so excited. Xander's super excited to have a new aunt.

It has been one of those weeks. Not much has happened with my sweet Xander. He's sleeping pretty well through the night. We're trying to let him cry more~ not happening so much. We love to hold him. His new favorite position is being held~ face out so that he can look at everything. He is so aware of all that is around him. Today at church he stared his daddy down as Scott sang the hymn, "Be Still my Soul". He loves that song~ it calms him.

Excited to see what happens this next week! Lots of pictures...

Week 5

We had an accident today. My sweetest boy peed on one of the girls that was holding him at church. In one hour he had completely filled the diaper and overflowed... I felt so very bad!

Our sweet little man didn't sleep last night so we came home early and fell asleep cuddled together on the bed. I think this is what happens when babies get their nights and days backwards? We are trying to turn this before it lasts too long.

Scott goes back to work tomorrow and we are already missing time with our little man. I have so much I need to do so that I can be at home with Xan. We have to get back out of debt... Adoption is expensive! The Lord will bless us.

The weather's cooling so we have had a chance to take Xander for some wonderful walks around town. He loves his stroller and sleeps hard the whole walk.

He is growing so fast and we are enjoying every moment. He's such a beautiful little man. His hair is lightening and taking on a redish tint in certain lights. His eyes change from dark gray blue to dark gray brown so we wait to see what happens with that. He is gaining weight wonderfully. He seems to be going through a growth spurt and eats 2-3 oz every couple hours! Oh, how we love our little man.

Month 1

Our sweetest boy will be 1 month old tomorrow. He's getting so big and is the most beautiful boy ever. He will have red in his hair... and his eyes sometimes look blue and sometimes brown so we will still have to wait. He coohs a little- and if he sneezes once and goes to sneeze again but produces no sneeze he coohs so softly. I love every minute with him. He is definitely the most wonderful addition to our home.

Here's a picture of our little diva (can a boy be a diva?)

He's such a beautiful baby boy

2 Week Doctor visit

Wow our little one sure has grown. We took him to the doctor and he is now 8lbs .05oz and 20 inches long. He sure hated being weighed. He is such a cuddle bug and I love to hold him as he dozes. We should probably put him down more, lay him in his bed, but he is so dang cute!

Dan and Jackie are here for a week and then they're off to Washington to get married. We've had several people in the branch stop by and feed us and see Xander, but I still feel like it is all a dream and that I will wake up and he won't be in my arms anymore. I guess I just keep asking myself, "Is it really possible to be this blessed?" And, "Wow, I must be loved to have something so pure and innocent and beautiful in my arms."

I just want the world to see him and love him as much as I do. I want to show him off and brag about him and let the world know how absolutely in love I am with my son!!

Day 9

What a wonderfully full week. Little Xander is quite delightful. He looks around with such purpose and awareness. He lifts his head and looks around at his world. Daddy holds him on his chest and he looks up at dad with so much adoration.

We went to court yesterday and there was a baby that was 10 days older who just screamed and cried. Little Xan looked at all the bright colors and took everything in. He loved looking around at all the new sights. He was so... content. I guess that's how I would define my beautiful son, content. Unfortunately, the trip was so long and he spent all day in the car seat. The rest of the day and into today my little boy didn't have a BM. Poor little one was in so much pain.

Finally this morning his pains lessened. It's so difficult to see him in pain and not be able to do anything.

His Poppa Cookie (Scott's dad) knows just how to calm our little man. Xander loves to cuddle with Poppa as soon as he comes home from work. We sure love our little family.

We are waiting for the state compact to be signed by SD so that we can return to our home. We've been here for almost 3 weeks and are ready to head back home to our life. We look forward to the future with our beautiful son.

Xander arrives

Sunday was another long, hot day. We lounged about and spent the day praying to see Xander soon. We went to bed early, hoping the new week would bring a wonderful bundle of joy and love.

The phone rang at 2:30 am and I jumped at the sound. It was Jen,"My water just broke. Can you come pick me up?"

"Yes, let me find Scott and we'll be on our way." I jumped out of bed and ran out the door. Knocking on a door Scott tiredly asked what was going on. "That was Jenn, we need to go now." His voice perked up as he called out "Woohoo"

Linda drove us to Jenn's and we stopped long enough for her to hop in the car. Then we were off- headed toward the hospital in the wee hours of the morning. The streets were clear except for a lone raccoon and a few small deer. We pulled into the ER and unloaded the car.

Settled into the delivery room upstairs we began the long process to the much awaited and anticipated delivery of our son. At about 10:00 am Jenn was dilated to a 5.5 and we got excited and we eased her through the hills and valleys of labor. She got her first shot of drugs and was feeling a little bit better. She was ready to go home when she was dilated to an 8... Then the nurse turned Jenn on her side and forced her to stay there for 2 contractions until Xan dropped down to the birth canal. Jen kept saying she was done and wanted to go home. She didn't want to be on her side and she didn't want to push.

Then she was back on her back and ready to push. The commotion began about then. Dr. Watley checked Jenn and stated Xan was right there and ready then she was gone. In fact there were no more nurses or doctors in our room. We were told not to move. Grandma Sandy and I looked at each other in disbelief as we wondered what was going on and joked that we would have to deliver the little one ourselves. Dr. Watley ran back in and stripped out of her gown and replaced it with another without a word. I was told to grab Jenn's right leg and Grandma Sandy was told to grab her left leg and push back toward Jen. Then we encouraged her to push.

What a beautiful sight. He crowned and we all cheered her on. Jenn was having a tough time pushing since there was so much pain. We had to really encourage Jenn to push. Kate, the nurse, came in and got firm with Jenn so that she would push. After 4 big pushes Xander slid out- no shoulder pushing. Dr. Watley hurried and cleaned Xan and I was able to cut the cord. He was so beautiful.

The nurse took him to clean him up and weigh him. Then the room emptied again and we had the chance to spend time together. Grandma Linda and Scott came in and we shared the excitement with them as we fawned over our son. So much love in one room once seemed incredibly impossible~ but I felt it that day and it just keeps growing!

The long wait

We're here in Illinois awaiting the birth of our beautiful son. Things never work the way you want them to so we are stilling in waiting mode. We got here just in time to find out that the adoption agency (on Jennifer's side) decided to give Jennifer money without talking to us. This would have been an easy ting to discuss several months ago, but to hear it on the way out here was frustrating as we were already broke. Then, as we pulled into town the social worker here told us the lawyer would cost another chunk of money we didn't have. After crying and praying~ we resorted to family. It would seem that the social worker, out here, is the kind of person who likes to wait to the end and lacks communication and compassion.

The list goes on and on of things we thought would happen but didn't: however, I don't want to dwell in a negative place at this time of rejoicing. We are working hard, occupying our minds with manual labor instead of birthing labor. We console each other with the knowledge that he can't stay in there forever.

We have spent many good days with Jennifer and shared many tear-filled days with her as well as we all prepare for the biggest changes in our lives. After our sweetest Xander fills our arms, we are off to see the judge for the finale... Of course then we have to wait for the states to communicate with one another~ government!

We hope to be home with a few beautiful days to spend with our precious bundle before I have to go back to work. My goal is to get the business up and running so that I can stay home with our sweetest and newest addition to our family.

For now we strip decks and repaint them, repaint rooms, plant flowers, empty weed infested ponds and try to keep our minds and body's so busy that we fall mindlessly asleep at night.

Keep us in your prayers please. Pray that Xander will come soon.