Dear Henry,
We had a great long week with Papa. He had this past Monday off, took Tuesday, worked two days, then had Friday and the weekend off. It was super to have Daddy around with us. You have now become accustomed to taking your bath in the little tub from cousin Johnny; kickin' your little feet as Daddy pours water over your chest.
Friday we went to the police station to get our fingerprints so we could send off our final paper work as your adoption will finalize in the courts June 25th! The court date doesn't really change anything except we will be able to get a social security number for you and get your second birth certificate with your name on it, Henry John Carl Thompson. People often ask about your name...Henry doesn't really have any history for our family but Daddy really liked it and so did I. We talked about our imaginary Henry for YEARS! Now you're really here! Daddy's maternal grandpa Meyer's name and Mommy's paternal grandpa Foldenauer's name was Carl so that is where that came from. When we met J she told us about her family's tradition of naming just about everyone a name that starts with J. So we instantly thought John would be appropriate to honor your birthfamily and to honor your Daddy's paternal grandfather John as well.
We went home to be greeted by Crappaw, Grandma P and Cousin Johnny. Johnny loved playing with you this time and with 
only a slight protest at the use of his tub, he was all about Henry. You really interacted with him this time and when you launched yourself toward him from Grandma P's arms he was shocked and surprised. After and hour or so he decided he really wanted to hold you so Mommy stacked a bunch of pillows up around him and put you in his arms and he was super gentle and whispered to
you, "ki, ki, ki, ki." Two sweet boys! I had to kiss you both. Then while Crappaw and Mommy were taking the pool cover off you hung out on Daddy's lap and watched Cousin Johnny avoid touching a frog we caught. Grandma P tried to show him it was okay to touch, and actually even kissed the frog's sticky green back! I wouldn't advise that in the future Henry but trying new things is always important, within reason.
Crappaw, Grandma P and Johnny returned to Columbus and we attended the 2009 Aurora Alternative High School graduation at the Buskirk Chumley Theater where Mommy had some of her old students graduating. Mommy felt very touched being at graduation this year because in a way she graduated too! The next time Mommy is teaching she will likely be in her 40's! I'm only 34 right now but we will likely have another little boy or girl in a few years and I get the joy of being home with the two of you. Until you start school Mommy doesn't start school... It was a nice affair and you looked super sweet and studly in your vest that Mommy's good friend Mindy Summers sent you way back when you were first born. Everyone commented on your good looks and sweet smile. How could they not? Check out this 
cute picture Mommy's teacher friend Barb took of you!Saturday we got going early-ish to stroll through the Farmer's Market. Great fun! We felt very social and were able to show you off. Auntie Kristin and Auntie Carrie were there and fawned all over you. Auntie Kristin, however, was feeling the jitters of her first roller derby bout and had a hard time relaxing. We visited with an old high school friend, Brad Baute, and saw some of our neighbors. By the time the van came to pick us up you were sacked out and sweaty.
Daddy and I came back home and washed you up so you could cool down and relax. The three of us took a little nap then got ready for the Bleeding Heartland Roller Girls debut bout. It was our first and it was a lot of fun! We were able to stay through Auntie Kristin's, (or "Betty Wreckognize") bout and she kicked butt for her first time. She was stealthy and sneaky! We wanted Auntie Betty to feel lots of support so we made you a t-shirt that says, "Betty Rox." You wore your little crocheted skate booties and people looked at you like royalty. It was REALLY loud in there but you didn't seem phased and took the time to look around as much as possible.
Sunday we just hung out and after discovering that our cable service has a whole karaoke channel, Daddy and I sang songs all night. You really responded to a few punk rock numbers, which of course made us happy.
You seem to be changing so quickly right now. Whenever Daddy sees something new in you, like when you crisply stated, "HOLA" this weekend, he says, "Grow up Henry but not too quickly." It is really happy times seeing you everyday know us a little more and developing love us too. We are so grateful and humbled by the experience and responsibility.
Love, Mommy
Dear Henry,
AGAIN! Mommy is sorry but this was supposed to be funny. Yesterday I spread out a bunch of your toys on the floor for you to try to go after. You grabbed toward the glasses so I put them on you. You looked soooo cute holding your head up and peepin' at me. WELL! I had to grab my camera! As soon as I lifted my camera and snapped the photo you looked away and puked.
The resulting photo is three quarters funny and one quarter slightly disturbing. I bet nobody can look at it without saying, "oooh! my goodness!"
Try, it is hard.
Love, Mommy
Dear Henry,
Nothing is sweeter then bed time with you, either getting ready for bed or waking up in the morning. You are like squeezin' on a big fluffy marshmallow or a sweet lil' pug puppy.
You grunt, smile, babble, shove your hand in my arm pit and wiggle your tiny fingers and twinkle your little tic tac-sized toes in my belly button. You're all warm and sugary smelling and I dare to say that I could eat a little piece and be happy forever. I put you near Papa and you lunge for him like a runner for the finish line, the prize being a big kiss.
Yesterday we amplified all of this by simply putting some big boy style jammies on you.
Before you were here and J told me I better be gettin' ready for you because, "You ARE going
to be a mom," Mommy went shopping at Old Navy and purchased you a couple of big boy jammies. The little two piece cotton numbers sans zips or snaps with an elastic waistband and contrasted cuffed wrists and ankles. OH HOW I LOVE THESE BIG BOY JAMMIES ON YOU!
These big boy jammies become the way mommies and daddies everywhere know with certainty that their boys and girls are growing because they watch the little sleeves become a three quarter sleeve and the once wrinkly pants are stretched straight and taut. You seem to be wearing 3-6 month clothing since about two weeks ago with a slightly baggy to perfect fit. I didn't think that you would be into them so soon. I like how the little shirt rides up on ya after you've been wigglin' so your belly peeks out at us. Nobody really tells mommies that the clothes sizes on the rack (newborn, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months) aren't really any sort of manual to live by to make life easier or to estimating sizes to determine if the coolest bargain will fit at that particular stage in your development. You have to shoot and miss sometimes, but these little jammies rock and make changing your diaper much easier than snaps and zips, although we still have some of these on reserve for when we want ya to feel more like our little baby than our little boy. Did I mention you've been sleeping through the night since about week 
4.5-6? It is really nice to get some sleep! That is about half of your life that you've gotten jammies and bottle at 9, laid down about 9:30 and calmly helped yourself get to sleep by 10:00. You sleep all night long and wake at about 7 and let us know by sucking LOUDLY on your thumb, which is perfect timing to see Daddy just after he has gotten ready for work. I love it, and I love you. I will continue to snuggle you in your jammies and kiss your face off forever, or at least as long as you will let me or you start shaving, I suppose whichever
comes first.
Love,
Mommy
Dear Henry,
I took you for your second round of shots today. I wasn't looking forward to it for many reasons. The last round you were not quite yourself for about 4 days afterward, not to mention the pain it causes you is not super appealing. It went well, you had Nice Nurse and she loved on you a bit before giving you the oral vaccination. While I should have been happy that at least one of these vaccinations was not a shot I hated the sense that I was lulling you into a false sense of happiness and well being.
She pushed the plunger slowly into your mouth and Mommy felt sick as she saw you smiling and talking as if to say, "This is sweet Mommy. Thank you!" Your precious baby smiles all gummy and wet about to be wiped off of your face with the harsh sting of the leg shot.
I put you down so I could get up in your ear and start shshhhhhooshing you... and YOWSAH!
You started screamin'. It lasted about 30 seconds to a minute and then you chilled. You laid there looking at me with your pretty baby blue/greens shocked.
I put you in your car seat and we headed to the license branch. You seemed good. We arrived home, you started to fuss a bit. Mommy laid you on a blanket on your tummy and went to the bathroom. I thought you might like to play when I returned so I set your bowling pin up and left sock monkey next to you for company. I came back and even in your anxious state you had knocked your bowling pin down with your head, rolled over, and fell asleep. 
I wasn't in the other room more than two minutes and you accomplished all of that, grumpy and all. I'm glad that you were sleepin' it off but this didn't last long. An hour or so later you started wailing! and wailing! and wailing! a high pitched sucker punch scream that made me feel as if my ears were pouring blood. Mommy tried to hold you, gave you acetaminophen, feed you, reasoned with you but for 45 minutes nothing was doin'. I called the doctor for advice. There really wasn't any advice except if it continues for 6 hours there might be a problem!!! 6 hours!!! I think my ear drums would have shriveled and my brain explode by hour 3.
About minute 50 a UPS package arrived and it was some new handmade blankies from Greatest Auntie Linda. I spread out the duckie blanket and put you on it. I fixed you a bottle and came back and you were asleep! Hallelujah! You've been off and on with happy sad for last couple of hours but you're still the sweetest thing I've ever held. Mommy is so happy you don't have to go get stuck again for a few months.
Love, Mommy
Dear Friends and Family,
I asked Mommy to write this on my behalf because I can't talk, type or truly verbally communicate just yet. I am seriously working on it so wish me the best. I appreciate all of the people thinking about me and taking the time to make, send, and spend their hard earned money in this hard economy on lil' old me.
Sincerely, Henry T.
Henry's recent gifts have been a lot of fun, beautiful and thoughtful. Cousin Amy, who lives quite a distance away, sent a really cool robot thing that you can hide away little treasures inside of and push the hand and it lights up and makes noises and a little pee pee tent sponge thing so I can stay dry during diaper changes. Henry really loved the sounds of the robot and wanted to eat the hand.
April visited from Germany and brought you a wooden toy with a fun bell in the middle and a zip up snuggle sleeper that keeps your legs under control.
Grandma LaJean's friends at church knitted you a beautiful little blanket which Henry likes to stretch out on when Daddy gets home from work.
Her buddy at work made a crib size quilt with robots on it. It looks great in your room and you'll love looking at the patterns! Baby will forever be warm and comfortable in style!
Just as I was writing this some cozy blankies arrived via UPS from Greatest Auntie Linda, one with duckies, another with baseball stuff and another with doggies and bones. Hank was CRYING A HIGH PITCHED SCREAM due to his second round of shots today and I couldn't console him at all! I sat Henry on the duckie blanket fresh out of the box and he fell asleep. Thank the heavens for Greatest Auntie Linda and the duckie blanket! Which arrived just minutes before I was about to freak out. Henry does not normally cry more than a little waaaah alarm to eat, this is only if I don't get to him quickly enough. I feel a little frazzled.
I wanted to give an honorable mention to a gift featured in one of the first post, his snake, bought by Doug and Peter. Henry has started wrestling it a bit. I came back from the bathroom yesterday to find him with the tail wrapped around his head with the snake's head sitting on his feet so he could kick it to get the bell tongue to ring. So Cute!
So many thoughtful people sending us love!
Thanks to all,
Lisa, Steve and Henry
Dear Henry,
Last Thursday we had lots of errands to run. You and I drove to visit J. Uriah and Tommy were at the screen door when we arrived. Tommy was yellin' out the door, 
"You got that baby with you? Is that baby awake? I think he wants to wake up!" By the time you're old enough to read this Tommy will no longer be speaking in his hyper speed cartoon voice so imagine that was all said in one second.
Tommy went with his grandma and J, Uriah, you and Mommy loaded in the car and headed over to the next town over to sign J up for the GED test. She has taken the classes some time ago and did well and is hoping to pass all parts the first time. Mommy is so excited for her and J and Mommy gave each other a big high five after we got back in the car and we realized what we just did. We made a stop so J could pay a bill. We passed a Sonic on the way there and J and Mommy couldn't resist getting a cherry lime aide and something to eat. When we pulled into the parking lot we spotted a giant hot dog mascot and J jumped out of the car so I could get a photo of her with it. It was pretty funny and Uriah shrieked with laughter next to you from the back seat. It was getting later and you and I had to pick up Daddy a rental van in Indianapolis for our trip to get his driving evaluation in Evansville the next day. We said our goodbyes and picked up the van. On the way home you and Mommy drove back through Greenwood, Indiana so we could pick up Lotus Garden for dinner.
Lotus Garden is an awesome Chinese food place with a lot of atmosphere. It was decorated in what I would guess was the mid 60's? in a tiki style with a little bridge over a fountain as you wall in. The walls have grass mats attached, the ceiling has lantern lights, and the carpet is red patterned carpet older than Mommy. The decorations are both endearing and why you go to the place and also reason to eat with a touch of fear. The ceilings are blackend/yellowed tiles,
I'm guessing it is due to the years that smoking was allowed inside. Things are peeling and discolored all over the place but it is one of the few places that is a sit down Chinese restaurant with silver platters that you lift a little lid off of like you're royalty.
Mommy's mom and dad, Grandma P and Crappaw, used to take Mommy and Uncle Gary there as kids. It was a big treat. Grandma P and Crappaw even have a story of when they first married they ate so much that they had to lay in the back of the truck and take a nap before returning home.
After Daddy and Mommy got married Mommy got Daddy to begin to like Chinese food by taking him to Lotus Garden. From the time I was maybe 4-5 years old, I can remember walking across the little bridge and Grandma P or Crappaw giving me a penny to throw into the little well. As Mommy and Daddy went to Greenwood while doing fertility treatments trying to get you here and after our couple of visits to the Independent Adoption Center we would eat at the Lotus Garden. Every time on our way into and out of the restaurant Daddy and I would make our wish that THIS would be the time we would get to be parents and throw our penny in, sometimes a nickel or dime for good measure. For about 6.5 years we did this.
So forgive Mommy if this trip over the bridge made my heart burst and my hands shake in disbelief that I was in fact taking you, our own little fortune cookie, over the bridge. I threw in three pennies in this time, on the way in and the way out.
Daddy was sad he wasn't there with us but the food in our hands took away a little of his disappointment when we arrived home.
Love,
Mommy
Dear Henry,
We went home to be greeted by Crappaw, Grandma P and Cousin Johnny. Johnny loved playing with you this time and with 
only a slight protest at the use of his tub, he was all about Henry. You really interacted with him this time and when you launched yourself toward him from Grandma P's arms he was shocked and surprised. After and hour or so he decided he really wanted to hold you so Mommy stacked a bunch of pillows up around him and put you in his arms and he was super gentle and whispered to
you, "ki, ki, ki, ki." Two sweet boys! I had to kiss you both. Then while Crappaw and Mommy were taking the pool cover off you hung out on Daddy's lap and watched Cousin Johnny avoid touching a frog we caught. Grandma P tried to show him it was okay to touch, and actually even kissed the frog's sticky green back! I wouldn't advise that in the future Henry but trying new things is always important, within reason.
Crappaw, Grandma P and Johnny returned to Columbus and we attended the 2009 Aurora Alternative High School graduation at the Buskirk Chumley Theater where Mommy had some of her old students graduating. Mommy felt very touched being at graduation this year because in a way she graduated too! The next time Mommy is teaching she will likely be in her 40's! I'm only 34 right now but we will likely have another little boy or girl in a few years and I get the joy of being home with the two of you. Until you start school Mommy doesn't start school... It was a nice affair and you looked super sweet and studly in your vest that Mommy's good friend Mindy Summers sent you way back when you were first born. Everyone commented on your good looks and sweet smile. How could they not? Check out this 
cute picture Mommy's teacher friend Barb took of you!
Daddy and I came back home and washed you up so you could cool down and relax. The three of us took a little nap then got ready for the Bleeding Heartland Roller Girls debut bout. It was our first and it was a lot of fun! We were able to stay through Auntie Kristin's, (or "Betty Wreckognize") bout and she kicked butt for her first time. She was stealthy and sneaky! We wanted Auntie Betty to feel lots of support so we made you a t-shirt that says, "Betty Rox." You wore your little crocheted skate booties and people looked at you like royalty. It was REALLY loud in there but you didn't seem phased and took the time to look around as much as possible.
Sunday we just hung out and after discovering that our cable service has a whole karaoke channel, Daddy and I sang songs all night. You really responded to a few punk rock numbers, which of course made us happy.
