The year is one! The year is one!!

Lisa has been really busy lately so she asked me to post a blog.

This is Henry's attempt to recreate the gripping final scene of the classic horror film "Rosemary's Baby". Clearly he would never have gotten the part, as he's much too cute and smiley to portray the Hellspawn in the actual film, but he does get an A for effort.

Aaaaaand... Action!

Baby Legs!

Dear Henry,

Mommy has to get on the ball! But imagine that you are getting to be a more busy baby and imagine Mommy trying to sit down to write a blog and load pictures. There are other "loads" I've been taking care of....loads of laundry, loads in your pants, and loads of engagement photos Mommy took for a couple that are anxiously awaiting them. So... here is a quick post. Soon I will update and get back on track. There are loads of things to say about the new emerging you! For now.... There is Henry in his new baby "S is for space ship" shirt and your sweet, adorable robot baby legs. Love these things! How they hug your plump little baby legs and keep them warm and cool lookin' all at the same time.

Love, Mommy

Lil' and Hank! Part 4

Dear Henry,

You'll be happy to know that you have a good nappin' buddy in Lily. You'll also be happy to know that when she wasn't scared of Mommy and missing Mommy Brook she was a sweet play buddy too. It is apparent that you need more play dates together. When she is settled in and feeling happy she sure did love watching you and you watching her.
At one point you were sitting next to her and you started to fall back. I kid you not, that little girl tried on two occasions to save your wobbly butt from fallin' over. I have the photos to prove it.

Later you tried to play it cool by playin' her some "beats" on your Sesame Street number machine. You pushed those buttons like an experienced mix master artist and Lil' looked on like an adoring DJ fan. It was really cute! You entertained her this way for about 15 minutes, often looking up at her to make sure she was paying attention.


I think Lily might be workin' on a toofers because she was chewin' and droolin' like an experienced champ. You were particularly drooly and chewy yesterday too, perhaps it was nerves.
Yep, definitely need more play dates, especially with a pretty gal like Lily R.

Love, Mommy

Lil' and Hank! Part 3?

Dear Henry,

Your buddy came to play today! Lil! She is here! When Mommy Brook put Lily down next to you it appeared that you were both REALLY excited to play. You touched each other and stared. You rolled over onto your stomach to see her better and smiled. Lily started talkin' to ya. It was sweetness. Well, then somethin' when awry. Perfectly happy Lily began to cry. Mommy tried everything...toys, bumbo, bouncy, holding close, leavin' alone, changin'. You touched her leg, you put your arms out to hug her and when that failed you screamed at her. She would stop crying for a couple of seconds to stare at you then the operetta volume would ensue again. It wasn't you baby Henry! She was plum tuckered out! She needed a nap but I think she wanted to play so badly she was fighting it. So Mommy put her in the swing again to help her fall asleep and sure enough she finally did. She was snorin' she was so tired.
You fell asleep at the same time, actually. So I put you in your crib and Lil' stayed in the swing.
After about 30 minutes she woke up and was cryin' again. Mommy took her and held her close and rocked her. In about 10 minutes she was out! So I took her to your room to lay in the crib next to you. She woke up for a minute and smiled at me for a little while and reached out to touch you. You stirred a little then you both fell asleep.


I gave ya both a blanket. I just went to check on you and there ya were, sweet little peas snoring, the both of ya! Nothing better than thinking about how you were both not here in Mommy and Daddy and Mommy Brook's and Daddy Corey's lives and we ached all over...our arms felt like they were going to turn black and rot off they yearned so badly to hold you and to get to know you...now...here ya are! With us...thanks to the strong birth mothers/families who's love for you two lead them looking to find your families and here we were waiting the whole time!

We are so much happier because of it and our arms ache from all the love we feel in our hearts while holding you, feeding you and playing with you.

Love, Mama

Bad Food, Bad Smells and Good Times: Your Local 4H Fair!

Dear Henry,

Of course Daddy and Mommy took you to the local 4H county fair this summer! We were so excited about going you went 3 times. Mama and Papa took you on the opening day. The rides weren't going yet but we didn't notice. You're too wee for the rides but you were still peepin ' around at everything eyes as open as a hoot owl. We spent over 3 hours there! We enjoyed taking you around the barns to see all of the animals. You seemed most interested in the sheep. You put out your hand and allowed them to lick at your little fingers.

On opening day the smell is minimal and all of the 4H families are out getting their animals settled in. It was our dream for the longest time to be at the fair with our baby boy! Here we were walking through the booths, lookin' at animals, and eating bad fair food with our very own son. You seemed to enjoy the attention you attracted, as did Papa who would not let anyone else hold you including Mama. I pushed the stroller around both visits but Papa wants to put his arms around you every chance he can get. You flirted and smiled at just about anyone and plenty of people flirted and smiled back at you!

Daddy made sure as we rolled through the business booths to get you two balloons, one for each arm; while Mama searched out one of the cool bright yellow construction hats that we saw so many kids wearing. You looked cute, although two of your heads could fit into one hat. Mama and Papa had to sit down for a hot dog and lemon shake up. We sat for a long time watching people and giving you a bottle. Then we walked around again and ended up at the ice cream stand to get Mommy a pineapple twist and Daddy a chocolate vanilla twist. They were delicious and you wouldn't let us get by without giving you at least a taste. Papa put some on his finger and let you licked it off. You really liked it and smacked your bitty lips.

The second time we went to the fair we went with our old friend Ollie and his new lady friend. We had a great time and made it our mission to eat as much crap food as we could. Daddy's list included: hot dog with chili and cheese, fried pickle, funnel cake, lemon shake up, cotton candy, and a fried twinkie! Mommy had two corn dogs, lemon shake up, some vegetable tempura,

funnel cake, a bite of fried twinkie , cotton candy, and a couple of mints while sitting at the Aurora Alternative High School booth for thirty minutes. That is quite a long list of junk and we don't advise you to do that ever. We felt hung over from all that grease the next day!

Daddy took you through the animals again and made sure to get you two new balloons. This time you really enjoyed using them as a punching bag. We walked through the midway once to see the carnies and rides. There was one ride we stopped to watch that you didn't care for at all. It made a loudhhasssssssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh noise as it pulled four cars high into the air and the cars spun and pulsed up and down to loud music and bright flashing lights. I looked over at you in the carrier on Daddy's chest and the corners of your mouth were turned down and the fear tears were on their way. Papa high tailed it away from that ride as fast as possible to keep ya from a melt down but the ride had one last hiss in it that set you over the

edge. Poor Buster Boo. You're always so calm and composed but when you hear uber loud sharp noises it cracks your cool as ice demeanor until you're far away from the offending cacophony.

After the loud ride we decided it was time to go home and get to sleep. We really can't wait until next summer when you'll be a little bigger and more excited about the things you see. This year you were drinking it all in with your big eyes but didn't have any real connection to what you were seeing.

Since Daddy and Mommy have been together the fair was always a special summer time tradition for us. We are so excited to have our sweet baby boy to share it with now.

The third time you went with cousin Johnny, Grandma P and Mommy. I already wrote a little about that...but I think I forgot to say we met President Obama there and took a quick photo with him.

PS to please Cousin Wendy I promise you will never have to eat a hot dog and drink a red pop and ride the Gravatron on a 100 degree day. She did this when she and Mama were as young girls with the most disastrous results!

Love, Mama

"Hey, What's Up Cuz?"

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

Solid, That's What This Love Is, Solid as a Rock!

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