1 Month Old

Little Miss Sabrina is already 1 Month Old - as hard as it is to believe!  She is already becoming such a big strong little girl and we have gotten into a great routine already!  This transition to 3 kids has actually gone very smooth for us!

Today she is weighing in at 9 lbs 4 ounces (25-50%) so she is doing amazing! She eats every 2-3 hours during the day and well, goes much longer during the night :)  

I for one, have had a GREAT time playing dress up with a little GIRL in just this first month!  It is already very clear to me that we are going to have LOTS of fun!!!

A few of her many firsts this month include - her cord falling off at 4 days old!  2 trips to the pediatrician - one for a weight and jaundice check since we discharged from the hospital early and her 2 week appointment!  

She had some problems with her cord at first, but after a few weeks it was healed enough for her to finally get her first real bath :)

And after a couple weeks of sleeping between us, the little miss moved to the playpen next to the bed and had about 3 nights of blissful rest through the night - at all of 3 weeks old!  Go Sabrina!!!

We've had a few nights where the sleep hasn't been as good but she still sleeps between 5-7 hours which is good enough for now!

Another fun milestone was meeting her (second) cousin Allison!  My cousin Sara and I got to go through pregnancy together and now we get to have our girls grow up together.  Allison is just 16 days older than Sabrina and hopefully they will be good friends :)

 And she has also started having real smiles.  Daddy wasn't fully convinced but she's having them and I've tried to capture a few on camera:

And then there is just the sweetness of those sleepy dream smiles!  Sometimes I get a little bit jealous of how cozy she looks when she sleeps.  I would love to cozy on up nezt to her and nap (although I do admit we get to nap together at least a few times a week together!)

Sabrina, I can't believe it has already been a month since you came into this world.  A part of me is really sad to see how fast time is going.  I would love it if you stayed small for longer but I know I can't so I am learning to enjoy every second and every little cuddle I can with you!  You are such a sweet little baby and I couldn't love you anymore!  We're already building quite the bond and I think for being one month into this thing, we're doing really good at getting to know one another!  I can pick up on all your cues pretty well and it seems like you are on a pretty good schedule.  You are my beautiful little princess and I love you so much Sabrina Fair!  

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is always a hard day for me to describe.  On the outside, it seems like a day that we all honor our Mother's for the hard work they have put into our lives.  And it is hard work, and it deserves to be honored (especially more than one day a year).  I owe a heck of a lot to my mom, especially this last year as I really don't know where we would have been without all her work to help me keep Sabrina baking! She went so far above and beyond and there is no way for me to repay her for how hard she had to work to keep my household and her own household flowing for almost 20 weeks!  Because of her sacrifice, I was able to have a healthy baby girl and there is no way that I can thank her enough for that.

3 years ago was by far the hardest Mother's Day I have ever had.  I wanted nothing more than to be a mother, but the path wasn't quite so straight forward for our family and while we didn't have to fight as hard as some have to fight to become parents, it was still a very difficult time.  Today, I still think of all of the woman who today is not an easy day for.  I wish that every woman who has longed and waited for so long to be a mother, could conceive easily.  I wish that all the families waiting to be matched with their children, would get that magical call today.  I wish that all of the millions upon millions of children, would be blessed with amazing mother's today.  It is so easy to take your children for granted and I never want to be a mother who does that.  I love them so much and want them to always know how badly I desired each one of them!

3 Years ago, I would have never imagined how blessed my life would be today.  I am the mother to 3 beautiful children - wow!  I constantly thank God for the blessings he has given me.  I couldn't be any happier to have 2 sons and a daughter!  Things can be hard to balance, but this is exactly the life I wanted for myself!  God has blessed me with the desire's of my heart!  

Today I also reflect on the woman who is responsible for the gift of one of my children.  I am sure that she has no idea that today is a day we honor Mother's here in the US, but she has been on my mind today.  I wish she could see her beautiful baby boy today.  I wish she could understand how much of a blessing he is to me and how much I love him.  There is so much I want to say to her on this Mother's Day.  She has not been forgotten.

So today, I am torn.  Thankful for my own mother!  Saddened for all the woman who are still longing to become a mother.  Heartbroken for a woman half  a world away who gave me the most incredible gift.  And utterly blessed beyond measure to be a mother myself!

Malachi's 2 Year Post

In all the excitement of adding a new baby to the house, I never got to do a proper 2 Year Old post for our sweet little Malachi!  So, now I'm playing catch up a little bit and wanted to share about all the exciting ways that Malachi delights us!  

Malachi is now 31 lbs 9 ounces (75-90%) and is 35.5" (75%).  He is still a big strong boy, but is definitely starting to slow down a little bit.  We may be just a wee bit disappointed that he's not destined to be a giant after all, but that's okay.  We still love him just as much :)  Daddy may not have to look up to his son someday after all!

He continues to be a little boy FULL of life!  He lives life in the fast lane, constantly on the move.  He loves to be outside where he can run around!  If he's not outside, we spend a lot of time trying to tame the beast - keeping him from climbing all over the furniture and windows.  He is a loud one, who loves to shout at the top of his lungs and jump all around the place.  Fortunately we are all pretty used to it (even little Sabrina).  He almost always has a smile on his face, or we can very easily get one from him with a little coaxing.  Even with how busy he is, he still loves to cuddle and snuggle.  He will take advantage of any offer to sit on the couch and read books!  He also loves to dance and our boy definitely has some moves!

He seems to finally be passing through that crazy picky eating phase.  He is really mastering the ability to feed himself with a fork and spoon! He still has his favorites that he asks for often of "hot cheese" (macaroni and cheese, that one took us awhile to figure out!)  or "apple chips" (potato chips and apples).

We are slowly back on the potty training wagon.  When we are consistent, he will use the potty once or twice a day! I just need a little bit more time to really focus on this one!

His sleep patterns really haven't changed over the last 3 months.  He may be getting up a little bit earlier in the morning, much as I would prefer to see him sleep in.  He goes down between 7:30-8:00 at night and wakes up around 7:00 in the morning.  He still loves his afternoon nap (yay!) and usually sleeps about 2 1/2 hours!

He still loves to learn new things.  He has known all of his ABC's for a long time now, and is now moving on to learning the sounds the letters makes!  He can also usually count to 20.  Now he is working on learning his colors, which he can usually get right and then we will move on to shapes.  I am really looking forward to starting some basic homeschooling concepts with him this fall.  He is very eager and ready to learn new things!

He is constantly learning new words.  He still struggles some to communicate but we're finding it easier everyday to figure out what he wants from us.  It is so much fun to hear him learning to talk and communicate with us!

Oh sweet Malachi, it is hard to believe our little Ethiopian Prince is already 2 years old!  You are turning into a really great big brother and bring so much joy into our home!  You were and continue to be a dream come true in our lives.  I cannot believe it is even possible that you are already 2 years old, but that is something I have to embrace whether I am ready to or not.  We love you so much little man!

My Daughter

Something was missing from my life, and I didn't even know it!  

I truly had no idea how badly I longed for a daughter!  When I was younger, I used to think all I wanted was  to be surrounded by sons.  But I am so grateful that God's plans once again reigned superior and He knew I needed a little pink in my life!

Now don't get me wrong, I love my boys with all of my heart and I am overjoyed to be the mother of boys! I need those boys just as much as I needed this little girl!  But there is a unique place set aside in my heart, that I wasn't even aware of before she was born - made just for my little girl!

My heart is overflowing with love right now!  My life is so full of joy, even if I am exhausted and can't see straight. My daughter has helped to complete my life in a way that even a month ago, I had no idea it was lacking.

 My mom has always told me that every mother needs a daughter, and now I really do understand what she means by that.  My relationship with Sabrina will forever be special!  I look forward to so many uniquely girly things with her.  Piercing her ears when she is old enough to want them done, which just like when I was little will be followed with a bag of gummy worms and a new toy!  Countless trips to the mall and to chick flicks.  Trips to The Bippity Boppity Boutique in Disneyland for Princess attire and then meet and greets with her favorite Disneyland princesses.  Which will someday transition into prom dates and wedding dress shopping.  We're going to have fun Sabrina, I can promise you that!

 And even if she is never into the frills, but instead would prefer to dig worms and go fishing, well I'll be right beside her for that too.  I'll be right beside her, with flashlight in hand for the great big worm hunt at dusk!  If she'd rather play with cars than barbies and ride bikes over painting her nails, which lets be honest, with two big brothers is entirely possible!  I am ready to embrace whatever it is she chooses to do with life, even if that means I need to branch out a little more into tea parties and nail salons :)  

I will never forget when she was put on my chest, and the nurse and doctor told Peter to tell me what we had.  When he said a girl, I was left utterly speechless!   Even though I had suspected girl all along, actually knowing that I was blessed with a daughter was almost too much to handle in that moment!  With tears in my eyes, I realized that a heart longing had been fulfilled.  I had become the mother of a beautiful little girl - just what I needed!

Oh, Precious Sabrina Fair - I love you so much and probably in ways you won't be able to completely comprehend until you become a mother to a daughter someday yourself!  You are so beautiful and I am so thankful for the gift that you are in my life and look forward to a lifetime with you!      

15 Months Old!

As hard as it is to believe, the littlest man in the house is already 15 months old!  I still remember so vividly writing Malachi's 15 month post for some reason (although, that was only 9 months ago, so I guess it wasn't THAT long ago).  Eli has changed so much since his first birthday.  He is turning into such a toddler these days and loves to try and do everything big brother does!  He is still my little sweet  pea, cuddle bug and check out his wonderful curly locks!

   He still remains a good eater and hasn't really been picky about anything, except he doesn't seem to like strawberries right now.  He will eat pretty much anything, unless the dog is near him, then we have a problem!

He is still not a big napper.  We're lucky if we get an hour and a half nap out of him.  He goes down around 7:30 at night and wakes up around 7 in the morning.  I would love to have him sleep in a little bit later, but he   is our early bird!

Elias is now 23 lbs 6 ounces (25-50%) and 30 1/2" (25-50%) so he has gained some ground from where he has been since birth (10%)  Go Eli!!!

His biggest milestone in the last 3 months has been learning how to walk!  He figured that out just days after his first birthday!  A few other fun milestones - he blows kisses now, and can point to his nose, ear, mouth, hair, and toes.  He also loves to point at everything!

He continues to be a late teether but has gotten 3 more teeth (making a total of 4) since his birthday!  He has also expanded his vocabulary to include:  Boo, that, uhoh, eat, snack, down, up, and see!

Eli's favorite thing in the world is still playing with balls.  We have so many balls laying around our house and they are constantly being thrown or being dunked in the basketball hoop!

Our little Eli is still such a special little guy!  He can still be described as such a sweet little guy!  I love that even though he is gaining independence, he still loves to be held and to rest his head on my shoulder!  I feel so lucky to have him in my life and I am really enjoying getting to see the little boy he is becoming!

2 Years Ago Today

2 Years ago this very day, I saw the face of my first child!  My precious little boy who we had been waiting so long to meet.  Our journey to our first child was not the easiest or quickest, but we sure have made up for that now :)  

I will never forget the mix of emotions I felt in the weeks and days leading up to seeing his face.  Adoption made me a crazy woman.  I longed so much to meet my child and when everything didn't come together in the timing I would have liked, I may have grown just a little bit impatient.  

Fortunately, God's plans are always greater and May 4th will always be engraved in my head as one of the most epic days of my life.  I will never forget sitting at work during my lunch and just praying that I wouldn't have to wait any longer to meet my son and then just a few minutes later seeing my phone ring and seeing it was our adoption agency with the news that our day had finally come, that we had a beautiful son!

I will never forget calling Peter at work and asking him if he wanted to meet his son!  I will never forget sitting in my car, scribbling notes as our case worker told us all the information she had on this little boy.  Learning his Ethiopian name - Segni and hearing her refer to him by a real name!  Our son was finally more than just a dream!  He had a name and a birthday!  

I will never forget coming home and opening up my email attachments (which felt like it took an eternity) and seeing this precious face for the first time!

I couldn't believe that this beautiful baby boy was mine! He was the most perfect little creation I had ever seen in my life! Not only did my son have a name and a real birthday, but he now had a face for me to stare at for hours and hours and days and days while I waited to meet him!

Within hours, I had an email sent off to a friend who was in Ethiopia picking up her son, and it didn't take her long to hunt down our little boy and send us a few more precious pictures of him.  We only have a few pictures of his first months of life and each and every one of them is such a precious gift to me!  

Adoption still remains the most difficult thing I have ever done. It is not an easy calling.  But when the journey all comes together and what started out as a dream for a child comes together with a real, living, breathing person - words cannot adequately describe that feeling.  I am so thankful for our precious gift Malachi Segni!

Life After The Hospital

We've been home with our little miss for 2 weeks now!  It has been a whirlwind as we adjust to life with 3 little ones to care for.  Peter has been on paternity leave and so he has mainly handled the boys while I have taken care of Sabrina.  This has worked out pretty well for us.  He has had to run a few errands in the past few days though and it has given me a good taste of just how hard it is going to be for awhile once he goes back to work.  And if we aren't crazy enough, we are also back on the potty training with Mr Malachi and that adds to the chaos but he is really starting to figure it out, so we press on!  

Here are some cute pictures of life these past two weeks:  

Mommy playing dress up with her at 3 days old:

                                                            First Sponge Bath at Home:

                                                                    More cute clothes:

                               It did not take us long at all to get a closet full of adorable dresses!

                                                                   Eli playing with little sister:

Big Brother and Little Sister

                                                                         Kisses for Sister:

                                                                     So in love with her!

Our little miss continues to just be perfect!  She is doing so good!  Today she had her 2 week appointment and she is now 8 lbs 4 ounces (25-50%) and 20.5" (50-75%)!  The doctor had no concerns whatsoever about how she is doing!  Gosh, this whole experience has been so different than what we went through with Eli!  I am so thankful for her health!

My recovery is going pretty good.  For the most part I feel really good this time.  The biggest surprise for me has been the afterbirth pains.  I had read that they can be quite painful with a second pregnancy and they get progressively worse with each continued pregnancy.  I am not sure if the pain is even worse because of how close our pregnancies were but this has made recovery quite painful.  I have had downright excruciating pain at times but it seems like things are slowly starting to improve in that area.  Otherwise, the weight is slowly coming off and I look forward to getting back on track with Weight Watchers and working out very soon!