The Friendship Train Rolled in WOOOT WOOOT!

Dear Henry,

All aboard! The friendship train rolled in for you this weekend and the first passenger's name is Lily Rieman. Mommy and Daddy's friends, Brook and Corey, brought their baby girl home from California last Monday. We had to wait to see her because Brook and Corey were busy entertaining all of their family, remember when you first came home? People were in and out of the house touching and holding you for the first two weeks. So the Rieman three were on their way to town and gave us a call to see if they could stop by, to which we replied, "OF COURSE!!!" They brought Lily in with a sweet yellow duckie sleeper with hints of pink trim and a slight frilly on the neck. She has buttercup yellow fuzzy chicken hair that juts forward in the middle and out on the sides due to her swirly cowlicks on the crown, a la a blonde Joan Jett. Her sweet little features handle this edgy look well. Her petite lips and little dimple are irresistible.

As we both rushed to whip our camera's out, Brook and I realized we may have the most photographed children in the country. After about 15 minutes Lily finished her bottle and I decided there was enough time for you to get accustomed to each other in the same room and Mommy Brook and Mommy put you each down on a blanket next to each other. At first you turned your heads away from each other and you retreated to your thumb. Then slowly but surely Lily reached out and started wackin' you in the face a little. Mommy Brook was worried she'd poke your eye and then it happened. Then Lily appeared to want to eat your arm. I caution you though Henry, because she is just a couple of weeks old anything near her face makes her feel like she wants to eat, you did the same thing with much gusto up until about 2 weeks ago. The two of you got more comfortable and locked arms, and then you locked hands together for a few seconds.



The mommies melted. Your Mommy felt SO excited that this moment was here after a year of meetings where we spoke about the group turning into a playgroup, to the agonizing waits, Brook and Corey's two really difficult matches that didn't work out and them BAM! Two months apart Henry and then Lily are here, on our floor, clutching hands. Mommy Brook and I started talking about who might be next and so we decided to start a tradition of lining the babies up on a blanket and putting a question mark at the end of the line until all of the 6 babies have arrived.






One day we will look at this post and think, "OH Man!, Remember those days when we were waiting for our friends to come!?!" By then it will seem so hard to imagine all of the kids not being here.

We look forward to future play dates with Lily when you both do a bit more than eat and pee pee.

I'm so glad that you are here baby Hank.




Love, Mommy

Dear Lily

Dear Lilly (Lily_ mommy and daddy spell it two different ways?),



Henry, Steve and I wanted to welcome you to the world and into our family of friends.



Your Mommy Brook and Daddy Corey have waited a long time to meet you! I don't think they ever thought it would be so quick a meeting! I am pretty sure they thought they would have the opportunity to prepare for you... but I think they have been preparing for you as long as they've been together. Your parents and Steve and I started to prepare for our children even before we started trying or started searching for you. Your parents and Steven and I have had lots of conversations about the things we'd love to do when you and Henry get here. Their hearts were full of hope and anticipation thinking you'd never show up... then BAM!



You're a beauty.




At home you also have two dogs, some cats and a handful of chickens waitin' for you. How cool is that? There may even be a goat there for ya too... I can't remember. I do know that your mommy will protect you with every breath of her own life armed with knowledge she'll make sure you're always getting everything intellectually and emotionally you could be as well as making sure you are healthy, loved and crafty. Your daddy will make you feel like a princess everyday you live and make sure you love and respect nature, cooking and life. They will raise you to have a conscience, to be a good person and to be confident in yourself because this is the people they are. They are fortunate to find you, and you are fortunate to be their daughter.



I wanted to share with you a couple of first comments your mommy made because as she gets to know you she may forget these little moments, as I was reading over our first moments with Henry I had already forgotten some of his.



"Its 3am and I'm walking from the hotel to the med center. I need to be with my girl. It's so hard because we do not have a private place to be with her."

"She is AMAZING. I can't say more now except you are right... It I'd like I'm dreaming." (excuse Mommy's errors, she'd only had 30 minutes of sleep.)

"I am wearing the little Mrs. in your wonderful sling. We
were released from the hospital early! Yay!"

You're going to have a life full of love, attention and adventure with Mommy Brook and Daddy Corey. We are so happy to have a new little friend and buddy for Henry and can't wait to meet you! We love you already.




(two l's or one in Lilly guys??)
Love,
Lisa, Steve and Henry

Introducing The Riemans

Dear Henry,

A wonderful thing has happened. You future best friend was just born a couple of days ago!
Our good friends and fellow IAC support group buddies Brook and Corey received a most exciting call on Monday. Mommy and Daddy were meeting with Kathy from IAC for our last follow up meeting and a call comes in. I answer and it is Brook cursin' like I've never heard her before. She is so excited to tell us they are getting on the plane to California as soon as possible to pick up their baby girl!!! WHAT!!!!!!! Heather, another friend and support group buddy, jumped into action and got our butts to the superstore to get the Riemans what they needed to be ready for Lily in California and when they get home.



Here they are holding you right before we left. Look at all of their suitcases back there!

Lily's birthmother and birthgrandmother were waiting to meet them with open arms. They are now in a hotel with Lily where when I last spoke to Brook she was hanging out in your little peanut shell sling super happy. In one of the first photos Mommy Brook had Lily wearing the special hat Heather knitted for you before you were born. It is a new tradition to pass it on to the next family.



Here you are week 1 in the hat.



Here is little Lil in the hat Day 3... I think.

Mommy Brook and Mommy look forward to play dates and fun with the two of you. Someday you will both get to share your special birth stories together and all of the miraculous things that fell into place over years of searching and in the final minutes to bring you and J to us and sweet Lily to Brook and Corey. She's a cutie! I'm so happy our support group is turning into the playgroup we all hoped for about a year ago. Now sweet Henry we wait for the others to find their babies. You and Lily will be the big brother and sister for them. I hope the other couples don't have long, Lily is a big 7lbs 15oz so it won't be fittin' her head for long. Once again I am humbled with gratitude that we are with you, I know our son couldn't have been anybody else but you with your lil butt chin and turned up nose.



Love, Mommy