Dear Henry,
The last few weeks we've had the fortune to have some visits from your cousins Johnny and Tony. I've mentioned before how much Mommy loves her nephews, Daddy does too. They've been very special boys to us and in many ways have prepared us for you. Tony is now 13, which is hard to fathom. He is growing up in so many ways yet still learning about the world. Johnny harbors no ill feelings towards you but one would have to be oblivious to things not to notice his little displays of jealousy where you are concerned. He announced to Grandma P the other day that, "someone broke into my house and stole all my toys and gave them to Henwee." He also likes to wedge himself between you and anybody that wants to get in a baby snuggle. That's okay Henry, it wasn't about you personally. Someday you will see how hard it is to go from being the baby to the big boy.
Daddy and I missed getting to spend some extended time with Johnny but I think Grandma P and Crappaw think we have our hands full as it is. I dunno...Johnny is a big help. He will help you play with toys, grab me a diaper to change you, or in general do sweet and helpful things. While Grandma P and Johnny were visiting we went to the fair to see the animals.
He enjoyed an ice cream cone even as it melted down his arm and the cone smooshed in his hand.
He worried about your balloon flying off...in the end we allowed him to let it go so we could watch it float far into the atmosphere. Notice how Johnny has his hand on your little foot. He loves you.
Three year olds must have a paranoid complex or something because sitting next to you in the car he does the exact same thing J's Tommy does. You will smile and look at him and Johnny's response will be..."Why is Henwee looking at me? Why is he making those noises? Stop Henwee! Shhhhh! Quit making those noises. Why is he looking at me?" Mommy loves Johnny and his sweet cheeks, curly hair, and contagious laugh. He spent at least 10 minutes sitting on the lawn chair, bucket on his head while humming the Star Wars theme song playing with storm troopers.
On the front end of Tony's visit, before he went to his mom's in Terre Haute, we were able to spend some time together. We took him to the Runcible Spoon for breakfast where he had some giant french toast and a huge cup of hot chocolate that was delicious!
As always we talked about music and Daddy updated his I Pod trying to get him into some stuff he can't find easily. Then of course Daddy took him to the comic book store to get a new Batman comic and to pick up your three issues of Green Lantern he has began to collect for you to read in the next
decade. Mommy always wants more time with Tony but he is in big demand and because he has school starting this week he had to return home to Atlanta. That means Uncle Gary was over for the afternoon to pick him up! You got your very first hog roastin'. That's right, Uncle G picks you up by the feet and hands and acts like you're roastin' over a fire complete with grease hittin' the fire sounds, "spwfff, spwfff, spwfff." After you're good and roasted the eatin' begins. Of course you giggled at this as Uncle G pretended 
to eat your ribs. You are particularly ticklish on your left side. Uncle G also bought you a hot dog doll from Super Dog in Chicago. It is really cute and you enjoy hanging onto it and gnawing on the feet. I'm thinking of making you a caveman outfit like the hot dogs so I can put you in your hot dog costume and you can be twins. Okay maybe not....but there is no doubt it would be cute.
It was a good visit and a lot of fun but we missed Auntie Michelle and your other two cousins, Jelani and Khadija.
I'm glad you have two awesome big boy cousin's to show you the way.
:)
Love, Mommy
Dear Henry,
I know! I'm getting behind again! I've neglected to write about Mama and Papa's big anniversary, number 10 on July 24th! For about 6 and a half of those years we were in hot pursuit to find you and determined to be a Mama and Papa. Last year at this time, Peep Peep, we were only dreaming about you. Here is what Mama wrote on our adoption web page... just scroll down to the Thursday, July 24th entry. Mama sent off the paper work and when I wrote, "It is our hope that by the time we celebrate our 10th anniversary we will be parents," between you and me, even though all 17 words were overflowing with buoyant daydreams I am not sure I believed it would happen ever. It was around today, give or take a day, that Mama dropped off our letter to the OBGYN's office and only a few weeks later that J took that same letter home with her to read over and over again until calling us on December 25th at 5:54pm to tell us she had our baby boy, if we were still lookin'. So this, of all of our years, has most certainly been one of many changes and our greatest happiness.
You're growing REALLY quickly and it is killin' us a little. Last night Mama went through your clothes in the closet since our good friends Heather and Phillipe are now matched with a wonderful birthmom in Indiana expecting twins they are gonna need some of your oldies but goodies. Doug and Peter may not be far behind, last night wonderful news of a strong contact for Matt and Eunice and Nissy and Jim will be up on the website any day now and we have share your wealth of clothes from the many garage sales Mama and Grandma P have visited.
This afternoon after Papa returned from work he went through our keep and give to Heather and Phillipe boxes to make sure I didn't misplace any special somethings we want to keep for a sibling someday or just to remember your little days by. As we made our way to the end of your box I teared up and held up your mixed tape sleeper you took your picture in at the hospital. It was so big on you and your first real poop made it's way all over it and we had to borrow an old dingy white sleeper to bring you home in. Here's J dressing you in it.
We all held you in it for some of our first snuggles, Mama, Papa, J, J's sister, Grandma P, Crappaw, Auntie Kristin. Then, it was your first jeans that made Papa's eyes a little extra sparkly. Those cuties were more square than rectangular and when you first wore then we even had to roll them up. ahhhh.....
Okay, I REALLY got off topic... Starting out writing about 10 years of marriage can do that to person.
So... our 10 year anniversary was delightful. Mama and Papa took you to Brown County for a little chicken and mashed potato picnic in the town gazebo finished off with a dessert of Skittles. It was shady with a temperate breeze. Daddy said I could give you a little tastin' of potatoes for the occasion and you seemed impressed while your smooshed them around in your mouth awhile before swallowing.
Mama and Papa had written some words for each other and we read them. While reading what we had written the bells on a nearby church began to chime. It was beautiful timing and beautiful sounding.
We had a very sweet moment and then Papa gave Mama some sweet little owl earrings she said she liked a couple of weeks ago on a stroll down Kirkwood. Buster, take this lesson from Papa, listen to your woman...ladies like Mama don't need or even want big expensive gifts. It is the sentiment that Papa was listening to Mama and knew that she would really like those swingin' hoot owls and that they would make her feel special and pretty that made the gift so romantic. Mama gave Papa some personalized pencils. I know that doesn't sound very romantic but they had baseballs on them saying, "Taco (Papa's nickname) Hot Dogs Baseball Love." I found a pair of plastic Billy Bob teeth in your diaper bag and we decided to put them in your mouth. Sorry for this one, but man was it funny!
Mama has always wanted one of those dippy family photos where you dress up in historically inaccurate costumes trying to look olde tyme. So Daddy tried to agree to it with enthusiasm and we went into the shop and picked out our characters.
I guess Mama ended up being "old west slut" because Papa choose old west gunman. So I got your little chaps, vest, paid shirt, scarf on and money bags in your hand and plopped ya on Papa's lap.
We couldn't help but laugh. I will have to get around to scanning the photo of the three of us and update this blog later. For now you can settle on the ones I took of you and Papa.
After Brown County we went to Columbus where Grandma LaJean baby sat you with Great Grandma Hazel and Great Aunt Cathy while we went to eat at a fancy Italian restaurant down town. We had a really nice dinner and then walked over to the church where we were married.
We relived our wedding day for a few minutes talking over the details. We started missing you so we went back to pick you up. You had a nice time and slept the entire ride home.
We had a very special day together and Papa and Mama were feeling very full in our stomachs and our hearts. We hope that you are always able to see how much we love and care for each other and that someday you find the kind of love that Mama and Papa have in your life.
Love you,
Mama
Dear Henry,
He enjoyed an ice cream cone even as it melted down his arm and the cone smooshed in his hand.
As always we talked about music and Daddy updated his I Pod trying to get him into some stuff he can't find easily. Then of course Daddy took him to the comic book store to get a new Batman comic and to pick up your three issues of Green Lantern he has began to collect for you to read in the next
decade. Mommy always wants more time with Tony but he is in big demand and because he has school starting this week he had to return home to Atlanta. That means Uncle Gary was over for the afternoon to pick him up! You got your very first hog roastin'. That's right, Uncle G picks you up by the feet and hands and acts like you're roastin' over a fire complete with grease hittin' the fire sounds, "spwfff, spwfff, spwfff." After you're good and roasted the eatin' begins. Of course you giggled at this as Uncle G pretended 
to eat your ribs. You are particularly ticklish on your left side. Uncle G also bought you a hot dog doll from Super Dog in Chicago. It is really cute and you enjoy hanging onto it and gnawing on the feet. I'm thinking of making you a caveman outfit like the hot dogs so I can put you in your hot dog costume and you can be twins. Okay maybe not....but there is no doubt it would be cute.
