My Flower Child

I've had lots of opportunty to practice carrying babies in the past few years because all around me my friends are having babies and I am the lucky auntie who gets to hold and cuddle them. After about an hour or so I am ready to hand their baby back to them. My fear of suddenly dropping them due to my arms being fatigued has driven me to start training for the moment they put Lily into my arms.

I have to admit I have not been lifting a lot of weights lately like I used to pre-B.C. No step classes, no abs, buns and legs, forgo the men's pushups for a modified women's pushup...walking rather than running, and yoga rather than boxing. I have been very gentle on my body so it is time to step up and get in shape.

So meet my flower child....an 11.4 lb bag of all purpous flour, wrapped in a blanket and put into the bjorn sport carrier. I only take her out in the evening when it is dark and therefore people can't really tell what I am carrying.

What is funny though, when I am out walking Char with Flower in the carrier I am starting to feel what it would be like to have a family.

Bring It On!!

That's right...bring it on. I am ready for the copious amounts of paper work that needs to be done. It is always a good sign when your adoption agency bombards you with tons of paper work. It is a sign that I could take flight soon.

Yesterday in my email inbox I received enough paper work to keep me busy for a good day or two. My plan of attack is to create a project plan including each piece of paper that needs to be actioned. Due dates, when emails were sent and a big box to check off that it is COMPLETE.

So wish me luck and I will keep you posted.

Oh and on another note... this past Saturday I went to a Mommies Waiting dinner (mommies waiting to adopt and those who have adopted) at Yorkdale. I met many people I had not yet had the pleasure of meeting. For those who had adopted, I was able to meet their beautiful babies and they melted my heart. It was such a fun time and really good to catch up with those who have already travelled and to be able to gain some great travel tips from them.

Happy New Year - one step closer!

I am finally here. The new year 2010. I thought it was going to take forever to get here and I am not one to wish away a day. As a matter of fact I am usually practicing how to live in the moment which seems to make my day longer than when I don't. I am just so happy to have rounded the corner to see 2010 in front of me.

I have had the past 4 days off with most of the days taking it easy to rid myself of this cold. I had one day where I did almost nothing. I have to admit I puttered, tidied, packed up, sorted and cleaned. Then I panicked thinking that I don't have much time to get myself organized for Lily's arrival. I don't have time to do nothing. So after a good night sleep I made a list and started ticking things off.

I did finally pick out crib linen. A bunch of us went to Yorkdale (I know insane thing to do during the holidays) to see "It's Complicated" but I wanted to stop off in Pottery Barn first to see if they have any crib linen that I might be able to live with. I had just painted the room a year ago and did not want to have to re-paint. While looking at the selections a wonderful and kind woman who was about 8 months pregnant pointed me in the direction of the sales table and handed me bumper pads that were half price. OK before I go any further....I know all about the bumper pads and that many are choosing to not put them on their cribs. I am not sure if I am part of the many or not. They were perfect....exactly what I was looking for and they were half price. Shortly after our exchange she came up to me again with a baby quilt that was half price. I am thinking, "where are you finding this stuff?" Well it was obvious because she was on her second and therefore an expert in searching for top sale items for baby. I was feeling pretty good about myself. They were not too babyish, went with my paint colour and could pair anything white, pale blue, pink or green with it.

So all I had left in my hand was a crib skirt that WAS NOT on sale. Consulting with my girlfriend she advised me not to spend money on it as I will need it for food. God, is it going to be that bad while on mat leave???? Fearing the worst I put it back and thought to figure the crib skirt issue out later. As I was just about to check-out, another women came up to me and handed me something and said "well it looks like you got the last quilt so you might as well take the crib skirt that goes with it". Are you kidding me?

The stars were aligned for me in Pottery Barn Kids that afternoon but what really struck me was how kind and thoughtful these women had been to me, and it was all during the holidays at Yorkdale in a very hectic store. Motherhood....it seems like a really nice club and I am on the waiting list : )

Here is a peak of Lily's friends that are waiting for her to come home.

On the Eve of Christmas

This morning I will be jumping on a bus and then a subway train to get to my office to work until approx. 3:00pm... only to get back on the subway, onto the bus and home.....to finish packing, load the car with presents, food, wine (and more wine), dog and dog paraphernalia, stop at grocery store to purchase organic cream and then drop a present of at wee Jack's house. By then I may need to turn back as I will have forgotten something at home. But I really need it and so I go back home and then head up Black Creek Dr. towards the 400 hwy.

Feeling very stressed, as I have been for the past 38 days, and nurturing a very stressed neck and head I do need to stop, breath, reflect, smile and realize that my life is going to change so dramatically that all of the above is nothing but a moment in time.

I can't wait to be in Vientam and meeting Lily -My Yen for the very first time. How will she be feeling with this strange person. Will she be checking me out, wondering who this person is with crazy hair like herself. It will be a perfect moment in a not so perfect world. All the worry of the past will be just that as I will be presented with new worries of a different kind. Worries that are golden, that get to perculate over time. Worries that nothing but a cuddle or a few coos can take away.

I wonder what you will be doing on the Eve of Christmas sweet Lily? I know you are very well loved at VT and the Angels above will watch over you. And just think next year at this time you will most likely be walking and talking. We will be at my sister's house in the country and you will be staring up at a great big tree with lots of pretty lights on it. Charlotte will be playing tug of war with your favortie stuffed teddy and mamma will be enjoying the moment with her camera close by.

So here is getting into and through the Christmas holidays with great coffee, food and wine and visions of my sugar plum Lily dancing through my head.

Merry Christmas Everyone!! xxoo

Lily is 11 weeks old...

Yesterday I finally received the news I was hoping for. Lily's medical and more pictures. I was just ecstatic to have more pictures of this beautiful baby girl. All the photos were taken at her medical which was done on Wed. Dec. 16th. Dr. Jonathan did a thorough job and Lily's health cannot be much better than what he has documented.

Lily most likely has scabies which I half expected. Many families have gone before me and have been able to manage through this so I will be connecting with them to determine the best course of treatment once we have Lily out of the orphanage.

The pictures show that in only 4 weeks this little girl has grown substantially. When I see her face I see a much older baby. Her personality is starting to shine through and if I thought the first pics could melt my heart, well, these latest ones have set my heart on fire.

I can't wait to be able to post a picture of her on my site but it will have to wait until the end of Feb. at the earliest.

Well I am a working mom and I have to go and bring home the bacon...or the tofu.

Until later.

Guess Who is Coming Home Tonight?

Things are starting to come together.....especially with Charlotte arriving tonight on a permanent basis. I have spent some time early this morning dog proofing the house. Which means making space and pushing food back on the counter tops. It will be back to early morning walks and also evening ones so hopefully my girlish figure will benefit.

I have not had any more news on the adoption, however I was informed that the babies who were proposed on the 19th of Feb. will be going to HCMC this week for their full medicals and that means we should be getting detailed information on the babies. I will be glad to be doing something, anything to move this process along.


In the meantime I am working away with Erik make new bedroom door frames, doors and trim.




I have started on priming but our next big project will be making a barrier for the stairs. This is a must have and I will need to have this completed by end of year. I welcome feedback and ideas as to what materials we should use. I would love glass but that might be too expensive.

Proposal Day of Sweet Lily

I was up this morning at 4:20am. Can't sleep. Too excited. Is this how it is going to be from here on in? Is this why new mother's don't sleep?

Yes I have such wonderful news. On Thursday Nov. 19th, late morning I received a call from the Director of the Agency I have been working with. Most of the conversation was a blurr to me but I did manage to understand "Sweet Baby" and "Sending an Email".

I couldn't type, and the system seemed to be so slow as 1 second was just too long to wait. But there before my eyes was this little face. She has squeezable cheeks, full lips, very inquisitive eyes and hair that stands straight up. You can see little rolls of fat on her and I gotta tell ya, I have never been so happy to see rolls of fat. She looks really healthy. I counted ten fingers and toes. She seems quite alert in her pictures, which sadly I cannot post on my blog at this time. Until the adoption is final I can only share a photo with you via email....so you have to email me and request this.

Lily was 7 weeks and 1 day at proposal, born on Sept. 30th. This is such a special date for me as my brother Dale, who was only 11 months older than me passed away in the fall of 2003. I think he helped to orchestrate this this....and I have such a warm and wonderful feeling thinking of him.

So it has been two very busy days sharing the news with family and friends. Lots of happy tears have been shed and of course many questions asked, specifically, "when are you going to bring her home?"

I don't know when I will travel to bring her home but it should not be more than 4 months and if I am very lucky it may only be a wait of three months.

She looks very well cared for in the photos and the orphanage looks clean and well organized.

I have a list as long as Yonge St. of things to do so I don't think I will have much idle time on my hands....unless of course these sleepless nights continue. Then I should have everything done in before Christmas.