Dear Hey-Zel,
You are hungry all...of...the...time. Each feeding you're eating at least 7 to 8 oz of formula and many times after about an half of an hour of finishing you want more. It takes you about 30 minutes to get down one bottle this size, you do about 5 or 6 a day. That is at least 2.5 hours a day I am spending just snugglin' and feelin' ya. That's all nice but mama doesn't want you hungry so we added in cereal a couple of days ago.
You are a great little eater! Many babies have a hard time suppressing their tongue's urge to thrust forward and push the food out. Not you! You hardly barely do this once I put the food in, rather you swallow it away easily and seem to enjoy it. So welcome to the food world sweet pea! You've just passed one of your first milestones.
Love, Mama
Dear Peep,
The day before Mother's Day has been designated by the adoption community as Birth Mother's Day. In the last 6 months you have become much more aware of your adoption and your connection to JoJo, your sensational, beautiful and sassy birth mom. 3 years later, even if I could, I still would not change a thing about the way you came into our family, other than to take away the sadness and struggle that JoJo had to experience during the months she searched for the best thing to do for the baby boy she was carrying. A couple of months ago she moved even closer to where we live and has changed many things about her life, including starting school again on the 21st, living clean, and she now has a job. We have been trying to get together with JoJo the last few weekends but buys schedules got in the way so on Saturday we decided to surprise her at work (after I checked to make sure it would be okay if we came in the see her sometime). We entered her work and she caught sight of us and became so excited! She gave ya a big hug and kiss. You were excited too. She gave you a little kid kit and you wanted only JoJo to put your paper card together. We were able to chit chat a bit as we were her last table. We had one of her fellow waitress take a picture of all of us. As we were leaving you both had a moment of growling in each others faces and looking eye to eye and I see your connection.
I am grateful that we are still able to be in each others lives . We are so proud to see her working hard, she has dreamed of getting to work for some time and has come a long way. We sent her cards in the mail but it was nice to see her face to face. We are forever grateful to be the ones for you.
Love, Mama
Dear Henny Bear,
Mama and you are still trying to bake new things from time to time.
A couple of weeks ago we tried some cinnamon rolls. We really enjoyed making the dough, watching it rise over a couple of hours and cutting it into slices. Following each step of the recipe spot on, five minutes of kneading and it didn't make them taste very good. I did enjoy how you placed the ball of dough you kneaded on top of mine to rise together in the big orange bowl. You kept peeking at it from the side. Then you became sleepy and cuddled next to Daddy for a bit, your eyes drifting off while happily suckin' on that stinky thumb of yours.
It may be simple, but I feel like I live a good life.
Love, Mama
Dear Henry,
You still love to eat "real" foods...and people always ask Mommy if carrots are still tops for you... and yes they are! That and sweet potatoes, green beans, chicken and vegetables, squash, corn and squash, blueberries and pears and bananas.
Below you are enjoying your carrots as much as ever....
Below you are telling me no more dang carrots for now!
And here, after a small taste, you anticipate your green beans.
Keepin' ya squishy,
Love, Mommy
Dear Hank,
Giving you new foods to try is a source of entertainment for Mommy. I situate you into your Bumbo, go to the kitchen to mix the cereal, dump on top of the cereal a couple tablespoons of a fruit or vegetable that has no resemblance to how it looks in nature, mix it and suit you up. I get a rag ready to wipe your hands and a bib velcroed around your chunky neck. You get a little excited each time and start flappin' your arms and your eyes bug out of your head, the anticipation of something new to push around your mouth to divert your pink taffy tongue from that rough toothie peeking out down in front.
So far you really dig bananas, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, prunes. Peas, well, let's just say Grandma P tried to keep putting them in your mouth because she enjoyed watching how you'd spit them out in lightening speed.
So, last week I brought out the pears. I have a rule, for right now, that I don't put anything into your mouth that I don't taste first. When you decide to eat mud pies, a few blades of grass or an ant someday you can forget it... those are your choices. Mommy means if I'm gonna put it in your mouth then I'm your personal taster. If I think it sucks then I'm not going to make you eat it too.
So I tasted the pears and they were sweet and very tart but I knew I'd be mixin' them with cereal so I figured the tartness would be tamed down a bit.
Did you like them? You be Judge Henry and investigate the following four photos.
The answer is, despite these first few bites, you ate all of the pears and seemed to enjoy them. You were very happy afterward and played a long time until you passed out into a deep afternoon sleep, slobbery drool on the side of your head and all.
I love seeing you experience the world with your flappy bird arms and *horsey leg showing such enthusiasm.
*You do this when you're happy. You take one of your legs and drag it forward and up like a horse does in the dirt, don't ask me... it is your thing.
I love ya big eater,
Mama
Dear Henry,
The last two weeks Mommy and Daddy decided to start giving you some cereal. Just little dabs here and there after you have finished your bottle but are still chompin' for more food. We decided to start you on a vegetable the start of July. Last night you had carrots for the very first time! You seemed to like them and took them in, swallowed and opened your mouth like a baby bird for some more. Today after an 8 oz bottle you ate about 10 spoons of the bright orange stuff. I dressed you in your bright orange onesie to honor this milestone.
You are pretty sweet.
I mentioned in the previous post that you smelled particularly good today, perhaps it is the carrots?
Love you big eater,
Mama
Dear Peep, 
The day before Mother's Day has been designated by the adoption community as Birth Mother's Day. In the last 6 months you have become much more aware of your adoption and your connection to JoJo, your sensational, beautiful and sassy birth mom. 3 years later, even if I could, I still would not change a thing about the way you came into our family, other than to take away the sadness and struggle that JoJo had to experience during the months she searched for the best thing to do for the baby boy she was carrying. A couple of months ago she moved even closer to where we live and has changed many things about her life, including starting school again on the 21st, living clean, and she now has a job. We have been trying to get together with JoJo the last few weekends but buys schedules got in the way so on Saturday we decided to surprise her at work (after I checked to make sure it would be okay if we came in the see her sometime). We entered her work and she caught sight of us and became so excited! She gave ya a big hug and kiss. You were excited too. She gave you a little kid kit and you wanted only JoJo to put your paper card together. We were able to chit chat a bit as we were her last table. We had one of her fellow waitress take a picture of all of us. As we were leaving you both had a moment of growling in each others faces and looking eye to eye and I see your connection. 
Dear Henny Bear, 
Below you are telling me no more dang carrots for now!
And here, after a small taste, you anticipate your green beans.
Keepin' ya squishy,
Dear Hank,
The answer is, despite these first few bites, you ate all of the pears and seemed to enjoy them. You were very happy afterward and played a long time until you passed out into a deep afternoon sleep, slobbery drool on the side of your head and all.
I love seeing you experience the world with your flappy bird arms and *horsey leg showing such enthusiasm.
You are pretty sweet.