First Bath

Before

During

And after

A Visit to the Doctors

Cullen had his 2 week check-up today. As we expected, she said he was absolutely perfect! And growing like something fierce. He was up to 8lb 5oz today. At least I know he is getting something from all those feedings! With the amount he pees, I was beginning to wonder. His cord also fell off last night, which means he gets his first big boy bath tonight. Pictures to follow of course.

While we were there, she checked out Alex as well. Viral of course. So no meds. Just wait it out and treat with lots of fluids, rest and fever reducers. The Tylenol didn't cut it last night though so now we are rotating between that and Motrin. Though it still isn't taking the fever away. Poor baby. Her skin is so hot to the touch and her cheeks are bright rosy red. She just cries and it breaks my heart.

Fortunately Shawn is feeling a bit better, so at least he can help with Alex now. Still not letting him near Cullen though.

Hoping for a little more sleep tonight from everyone!

Poor Honey

Poor littel girl. After being healthy all fall and winter, Alex started with a cold the day we brought Cullen home...go figure! So far it has been a tolerable run of the mill cold. Nothing serious enough to keep her down. Until yesterday. She stayed home from school because she looked like she felt terrible. Then last night she was up screaming and crying with a fever and relentless cough. So we pretty much got no sleep. Between Cullen and his feedings and Alex fussing, I was glad to see morning. Until morning actually came. And with it came throwing up. Now she can't stop from coughing and throws up whenever she starts. Daddy is on his way home from work, because he is now feeling sick too. I just pray the baby doesn't catch it. I think he and I would be better off in a hotel tonight!

Ok, off to wash every linen in my house....and then the rugs after that. Life is grand :-)

Happy Easter

Getting ready for Easter

The eggs are colored and the new outfits purchased. Now it's just time to hide the baskets.

The Official Announcement

Settling In

My new life is starting to feel real. And it feels so very good. After a crazy few days, today we were able to settle into some sort of normalcy. And this little guy has succeeded in completely stealing my heart. I admit. I am smitten.

We are HOME!!!

We made it in around 4pm yesterday afternoon. The whirlwind now continues with a constant stream of family, friends and neighbors all eager to welcome the little guy home. He is such a dream come true and a definite anwser to prayer. The Bible says to be specific in your prayers...so I was. And here he is. The child I have prayed for!

There is so much I would love to share about our journey to him and about the awesomeness of this experience. But that will have to wait until I have just a bit more time. Promise it will be soon :-)

Pictures of a Happy Family

Cullen is on his way home to Rochester.

Hey there. What a wild day it has been. All of the waiting, praying and then happy crying. I spoke with Sue and Shawn at about 5:30 and they were in the car on their way home as one big happy family. They were not sure if they were going to drive straight through or stop off and spend the night somewhere. Sue said that it was the perfect day. Birth mom even walked them to the car to wish them well. I think that Sue is still in shock over the past 24 hours. I spoke with Allie also and she said she is so excited about her baby brother. She was going to help Mommy and Daddy.

They mentioned that everyone was dying to see Cullen so she said that tomorrow her house was open to anyone who wanted visit. I am sure that by tomorrow Sue will already be back online taking care of this blog herself. She is much better at the details than I am. This has been a wonderful journey to share with all of you. Elliana is also on her way home today. Mark your calenders for next years first birthday bash for Elliana and Cullen. May everyone arrive home safely.

Lisa

Welcome Cullen David

All is going amazingly well.

Sue just texted me and said that everything is going amazingly well. So far so good. No more news yet.

The waiting is killing me.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see and hear what is going on.

They are there. Hooray!!!!!

Baby Reardon is just a short time away from meeting his new family. So far all is going according to plan.

6:30 A.M. - Scranton, PA

They are in Scranton, PA and stopped for breakfast. Sue said they still are about 3 hours away. Allie is wide awake and so excited to see her brother.

The CountDown Begins

O.K. ladies and gentlemen, I promised Sue that I would keep her blog up to date with details for all to know. Shawn and Sue left this morning at 2:30 A.M. to bring home their Baby Boy. They decided to drive instead of fly. Alex is with them and so are Shawn's Mom and Dad. I spoke with Sue at 12:30 A.M. and she was in a whirlwind. She was packing the car, doing laundry and as Sue does best, making lists. They cannot believe that it is real. Please pray for their safe journey.

Could this really be happening?????

Just found out about this little guy this afternoon. He was born yesterday. Were profiled and chosen this evening. Found out the news about 9pm. They want us in NYC in time for discharge tomorrow morning. It is all a blurr. We ran to Walmart about 10pm to grab a few necessities. Planning to head out around 2:30am and hopefully find a Chase bank in the morning. Meeting "M" at the hospital before her discharge. She sounds so lovely!!! I am in such a state of shock. Could this really be it? Could our journey be ending here? God I hope so! I pray so. "M" already signed most of her papers today. Bdad surrender is all set as well. Now we just need to dot the i's and cross the t's. Still won't believe it til we have him home. Little Man still doesn't have a name. We will work out that detail on the long car ride down. And Alex is so thrilled about the news of a little "brover"!!!!

Please join us in prayer that EVERYTHING goes well tomorrow! I will have my girlfriend, Lisa update the blog over the next couple days. Love to all ~Sue

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday One and All. Not sure what it is about March, but we seem to be blessed with many, many birthdays. TODAY ALONE we celebrated Trey's (my nephew) 3rd birthday. Jack's (our former neighbor) 1st birthday. Madison's (my cousin'd little girl) 6th birthday. Nanie's (my grandmother) 80th birthday. My mom and brother-in-law's birthdays will be this week. And now we can add Elliana to the list of March birthdays! Talk about breaking the bank! So here are a few pics of the guests of honor...

We also celebrated Brittany and Jason's recent wedding for those that were unable to attend the ceremony and reception in Ohio.

The Big Day

Today is the day. One that has been 19 months in the making. My best friend Teri will be meeting her daughter Elliana for the first time. Teri met, "A" (Ellie's mom) on December 6th. On December 7th she asked if Teri and Howie would adopt her baby girl. The past several months have been filled eager anticipation.
Last evening Teri, Howie and their daughter Gabi arrived in Indianna in honor of today's big event. As I type this, "A" is currently delivering little Ellie via c-section. My prayers are with each of them. For a safe deliver. For peace during this emotional time. For healing for "A". And for a beautiful, long and wonderful life for sweet little Elliana.

A New Day

Last week was horrible on so many fronts. Between my work, my family and my friends....it was just aweful. One I would soon like to forget. So when Shawn called from work on Saturday to see if I wanted to get out of town for the night, I jumped at the chance. I told him we'd meet him in the driveway with bags packed. It would be 24 hours away from reality.

We decided to take Alex and my neice over the border to The Fallsview Waterpark. And they had SUCH a nice time. But I was so disappointed that I forgot the battery to my camera. On the other hand, it was also nice to join in on the magic of the moment and not be stuck on the other side of the lens trying to capture it digitally. Perhaps I need to do more of that. But now we are back home and life continues.

As I mentioned before, last week brought many things. But nothing was more unexpected and heart breaking than the news that our good friends were dealing with cancer. And especially difficult is the fact that it has struck one of their children. My heart physically hurts for what they and their poor sweet baby boy are going through. So whether you are of the praying kind or not, please lift Tyler up in prayer. He has endured so much already in his 3 1/2 years olf life. He and his family have a long and difficult road ahead. But Tyler has so much going for him. He is not only a fighter, but he always comes out a winner in the end. And we know this time will be no different! Not to mention that he has two of the most incredible parents. Tonight after speaking to Jodie, I was reminded once again of her strength and faith. When I hung up with her I was the one who felt better. Who felt more encouraged. That woman just amazes me!

And since Mom and Dad were spending time with Ty at the hospital on Friday and Saturday, we got to keep Emma and Nate for the night. Nate just LOVED the nursery. He was so amused by all of the colors and patterns. He is such a sweet, sweet baby.

And Emma and Alex had a grand time. Alex had all of her make-up taken away due to a few recent "mishaps". But come to find out, she had some still stashed away that mom didn't know about. As you can see, she and Emma broke into it!

So today is a new day of a new week and one that I hope brings more welcomed news. 4 more days until the arrival of Ellie and then we will have something to CELEBRATE!!!

Fun F/X

We had a blast today at Horizon Fun F/X. It was the usual crew in attendance with us (Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Roger, Aunt Amy, Kaitlin and Trey). Though Alex was initially terrifed of the roller skates, you can see that by the end...at least she had stopped screaming. They also had a huge jungle gym that the kids played on all afternoon! Awwww....sweet sleep tonight :-)

What Puncuation Mark R U?

Jodie had this little quiz posted, and since I didn't have anything of real interest to post, I thought I would give it a shot.

You Are a Semi-Colon

You are elegant, understated, and subtle in your communication. You're very smart (and you know it), but you don't often showcase your brilliance. Instead, you carefully construct your arguments, ideas, and theories – until they are bulletproof. You see your words as an expression of yourself, and you are careful not to waste them. You friends see you as enlightened, logical, and shrewd. (But what you're saying often goes right over their heads.) You excel in: The Arts You get along best with: The Colon

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Going Green

Today was another big day in Taekwondo, Alex was awarded her green belt! She had her testing on Tuesday and did wonderfully. She has been practicing her poomse and besides leading with the wrong foot, soared through the rest of the program. Here are a few pictures form the testing...

Neck Hit...


Board Breaking...


Showing respect...


Sparring (that's her behind the blue circle)...

So Loved...

Happy Valentine's Day to all!!!

The Pepper Cat

As if this cat wasn't ugly enough, Alex took it upon herself to give Pepper a haircut! The good news is that after a year of trying to teach her to cut...apparently she can now do so. And the haircut I am guessing was a result of Alex getting some unknown gooey stuff all down Pepper's back. I am thinking when she couldn't get it off, she dediced a haircut was the only way to hide the evidence. Poor, poor Pepper!

Return to Neverland

For two years, Alex was obsessed with Dorothy (from The Wizard of Oz). I think we went through 4 costumes at the very least. Halloween lasts all year long in our house! So this past year she has moved on to Peter Pan. Everything is about Peter, Wendy, Tink, Capt Hood and the lost boys. I have to admit being a bit worried when she started tying up all of her dolls. Thought perhaps we had the makings of a little sociopath. Until I realized she was reenacting a scene from Peter Pan.

Of course I searched high and low, heaven and earth to find a Wendy nightgown...only to find that they do not exist. So out of desperation, I asked a friend make a replica. She did (Thanks Naomi) and Alex could not have been happpier with it!!!! I wonder if she will ever take it off...

It!

My friend Julie got me in a game of tag. I thought I was WAY faster than her, BUT, I wasn't looking. So, now I am going to get 7 of YOU!!! Here are the rules:
Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Post 7 random or weird facts about yourself on your blog.
Tag 7 people and link to them.
Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

My list of blogs tagged:

Our Journey to Emma

C Boys

While We Wait

Our Family is Complete

Living Life as a Family of 3

Josh's Adventures

Aidan's Adventures


7 random or weird thoughts about me:

1. I get really cranky when I don't eat. So as a rule, I eat often...and well!

2. I love, love, love to make lists and spreadsheets. I like having things all mapped out. If only I could be that OCD about keeping my house clean.

3. I hate cats...and yes, that includes "The Pepper Cat" as Alex fondly calls her.

4. I have major texture issues. Wooden spoons and construction paper make the list of forbidden items in our home.

5. I can't sleep with a blanket over my feet and go bare foot as often as I can. Including today when it is 30 degrees.

6. I am obsessed with reading the obits.

7. And the Mack Daddy of them all.....I have a huge crush on none other than, Bob Lonsberry.

Alyssa

Make a photobook - it's easy!

Hot Off The Press

You'd think we would learn...but no. I started a DVD for our adoption profile back in August. It took me forever to complete. Not because it was terribly hard, just that it took me awhile, quite awhile, to find some direction with it. So a few weeks ago, I finished it (or so I thought). I was about to send in the copies the next day when we got a call to be profiled. I kicked myself for dragging my feet with it. Well then come to find out...there were some changes we needed to make anyway. In the meantime I have also been busy updating our profile. Well I finished it on Sunday, but was waiting for the DVD to send it. And lo and behold, we get another call TODAY to be profiled. This time, not only do they not have the DVD, but they don't have the new profile either....ARGH!!! So tonight I hurried off to the printer to make copies of the profile, finished making the changes to the video and burned all the DVDs. I swear, come hail, wind, sleet, rain (or in Rochester's case-snow)....I WILL mail these out tomorrow if it kills me. I know we are too late for this profilng. But I refuse to miss another opportunity with the next. Here's hoping!!!

1st day of Preschool

More preschool pics can be found on Shutterfly.

Nanie & Popie

Thursday was a pretty difficult day. It was Alex's last at my grandparents. They have had her daily since she was 8 weeks old. For the past four and a half years their lives have revolved around this little miracle we call Alex. I could never thank them for what they have done. Watching her was never a chore. To them it was a priveledge. The highlight of their week. I alway knew she was in the best of hands. They were the same ones that took care of me when I was a child. So on Thursday, her last day there, I barely made it to the car. And then the tears came. This chapter has ended.

Off the Waiting List

I received a call with great news today. Something we have been hoping for. Alex made it off the waiting list for the Autumn Lane preschool program! Since we moved to the district too late to have her start in September, she has been on a waiting list. I had little hope she would make it in this school year. But she did!

This is such great news for her. She has really missed being involved in a program. She misses the kids and activities. She is so ready fo this. It is 5 days a week (mornings) and will be a great transition into all day kindergarden in the Fall. This also means that mom doesn't have to drive to Nanie's each morning in Webster...which will save me nearly an hour commute in the morning and again in the afternoon. Just think of all the gas we'll save!

The only downfall is that she will be leaving Nanie's (my grandmothers) where she has been since she was 8 weeks old. She is my grandparents' lives and although this is going to kill them...they know that this is a very good thing for Alex.

So tonight we went out backpack shopping. She didn't find what she wanted and was really hoping for Scooby Doo backpack. And thanks to Amazon, this one will arrive in a few days along with the matching lunch bag.

Not Chosen

I just got the call. We were not selected. At least I know and that feels better than not knowing at all.

My Daughter the Groupie

Daddy surprised Alex with High School Musical on Ice tickets yesterday. She was so incredibly excited! I had no idea she was so into them, but apparently having an older cousin will do that. When the show actually started, we were shocked at her reaction. Even Kaitlin was taken by surprise. Alex totally fliped out. By far the biggest reaction she has had to anything. Screaming. Jumping. Clapping. Laughing. And arms raised high in the air. Like she just could not possibly contain the excitement no matter how hard she tried!

The show was adorable and the girls had such a nice time!

0 to 60

Like I said. It's a ride! Yesterday we were at zero and today, 60.

I talked to our case worker yesterday afternoon and I mentioned about only being profiled once. Then today we get a call...not THE call...but A call. Our first call actually since the last case we didn't know about until after the fact. So here I am. Stomach in knots. Hands shaking. Head spinning.

The case is a great one. And my heart jumped when she said the birthmom lives in Tennessee. Shawn and I both have this unexplainable draw to TN. We went for the first time in 2004 and fell head over heels for the area. So we returned in 2005 and 2006. We even went as far as considering relocating there!

So now we just wait. And I won't even kid myself about this one. I want it and I want it bad! But it is out of my hands. I realize there are a lot of families being profiled and a lot of families hoping and praying for the same thing. So I just pray that I don't crash too hard.

Here's hoping!

All Aboard

A friend of mine likened this journey to a roller coaster ride. And that it is. The entire adoption experience is filled with extreme highs and extreme lows, unpredictable twists and turns, valleys and peaks. The highest of hills can quickly turn into the steepest and fastest plummet back down again. But in the end, it is certain to be a ride of a lifetime. And for many, they can't get back in line quick enough.

And then there was me. It took me awhile to decided if we even wanted to embark on this journey again. Although the end result for us was the greatest blessing of our lives....the road was not easy. I wasn't sure if I wanted to expose myself, and my family, to another ride. But here we are.

It has been 5 months and to my knowledge we have only been profiled by our agency one time. So we have decided to board the Mother of all roller coasters....Private Adoption. And yesterday I took several of the first steps. Placing ads.

Today marked the first day our ads were run in newspapers in Knoxville, TN. And tomorrow they start in Albany, NY and Allentown, PA. We also have our online profile posted in numerous places. I am nervous beyond belief! But there is no turning back. I am going to embrace this ride and can't wait to see what lies ahead. So let the phone start ringing!!!

Welcome Baby Nate

Well we finally made it over to see Baby Nate!

Congratulations to our dear friends Jodie and Brent!!! Nathaniel's homecoming has sure been a long road. And we are so glad he is finally home!

Born 15 weeks premature and just over one pound, Nate has certainly had his share of struggles. But he is a proven trooper....and like Brent and Jodie's other children, is thriving in their care.

Welcome home Nate!

Sweet and Sassy

We found an adorable little girls salon while in Ohio. Alex loved having a mini makeover. So we looked for one back home and found Sweet and Sassy in Pittsford. So we took Alex and Gabi this afternoon, and they had a blast! Not sure who is the Sweet and who is the Sassy...probably both a bit of each :-)

Tell Me Again About When I Was Born....

This has been a year of increased understanding for Alex and her adoption story. As I have shared previously, we had the priveledge of meeting Alex's birthfather back in June. This opened up numerous opportunities to talk about Alex's story with her and also for her to ask questions. Some of the conversations we've had have been predictable, and others have left me nearly speechless, grasping for the right words.

For some reason, the topic most often comes up in the car. Perhaps it is that we just recently had another wonderful visit with her birthdad, "P"...but she started talking about adoption again today. So I went on to tell her about when she was born and that she was born in a hospital in Buffalo and that is where she came out of her birthmom's tummy. She then exclaimed that she did NOT grow in her birthmom's tummy....but in P's!!!! It was quite funny as I thought she had a clearer idea of where babies grew. But nope, she wasn't hearing any of it at first. It was P and that was that. It is actually sweet though to see the trust that she has built with P. Although she did not grow in his tummy, she does know that there is a very significant connection there and values the part he played and continues to play in her birth/life. And that is what open adoption is all about. Her being secure in who she is and her relationships with us and her birth parent(s).

The next part of the conversation was about how she "got out". She said, "So L's tummy got bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger until it finally exploded and I came out?" Ok, so I may not be ready for that whole explanation, but I did get a good laugh.

And my niece is also somewhat confused as well. This weekend she wanted to know who her birthmom and birthdad were. Amy told her that she was both her birthmom and her regular mom. So she said, then who is my mom like Aunt Sue is to Alex? Poor kid. She also has been known to tell people she is adopted. She just wants to be like her cousin Alex I guess. Too sweet!