Holiday cheer (and a little cheese!)

This time last year I had just found about about a teeny-eensy baby boy that would make me a family.

This year... well, this year was ALL about that baby boy who's not so teensy-eensy anymore.

Merry Christmas to you!

One year ago today.

One year ago today at 10:00am, I fell in love with a picture.

I got a call (THE CALL) at work. I will never forget it.

I missed the call and when I saw it was my agency that had called, I freaked. I will NEVER, ever forget the message, "Hi, Sara...give me a call back. I think I have an early Christmas present for you!"

I jumped up from my desk. I burst into tears and I doubled over as if in pain. I knew it was my referral. Of course it was. Why I had such a physical reaction, I will never know. I didn't call her back for over 15 minutes. I was so nervous.

I would finally know who my child was. What is his/her story? What does he/she look like? How old is s/he?

I think I knew that once I picked up the phone and called her back my world would never be the same. And, I just needed a minute.

When I called her back, she told me that she had a referral for me. His name is Abel and he was five weeks old.

Five. weeks. old. Five. weeks. old.

For some reason that's all I could think about. I could not comprehend it. There was a tiny person living on the other side of the world, and I was being given the honor to be his momma.

And, then I opened my email and saw the most amazing thing I have ever seen with my own eyes...

...my son.

Abel Tegegne, I am so glad we found each other.

Sappy Sunday

As a music lover, it ... well, it makes my heart sing ... that my boy loves music too.

He is a dancing fool, makes a drum out of everything, and has just recently started singing all. of . the. time.

He was singing away in the bathtub the other night. I didn't catch the best part on video, but it's too darn cute not to share. :)

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Ow-ees and attachment.

Baby boy had his first big ow-ee this week and momma got that phone call you never want to get: Your boy's hurt, come quickly. :(

He is fine now, apparently thanks to some awesome Puerto Rican wonder ointment... must look that stuff up! This pic does no justice to the size of that goose egg. I mean, you've seen this kid's head. I didn't think it could get any bigger, but oh yes... it did!

Attachment:

I have started noticing that Abel is experiencing more and more stranger anxiety. And beyond that, has been more clingy in general. I have a theory. Let me know what you think.

Abel came home at six months. During the time of 'normal' (for lack of a better word) stranger anxiety, he was just getting to know his primary caregiver. It makes sense to me that this could be delayed a little based on his timeline (versus a regular timeline of developmental milestones). He has always preferred me and has acted 'appropriately' towards me (again, whatever that means!), but this behavior is new.

I'm looking at it as positive. He knows who I am to him now and he doesn't want us to be apart. While it can be stressful at times (he just started crying when I leave day care--sad!), I think this is showing improvement for us.

That's my theory and I'm stickin' to it.

Sappy Sunday

I remember when my friend Sarah had her son. We were young and she was the first of my group of peers to become a parent. She used to say at every single age (1 month, 6 months, 9 months, 2 years, 5 years....),

"This is just such a fun age!"

I never believed her. How could every age possibly be so fun?

I get it now.

:)

Prizes! Big Prizes!

I hope you'll consider buying a chance at one of several FAB prizes at my friend Shannon's blog:

http://mythreeflowers.blogspot.com/2010/12/would-you-like-to-win-great-prize.html

I am hoping, hoping, hoping for that Kindle!

Sappy Sunday

I am pretty sure there is no cuter sound than that of my son saying, "Uh oh!".

Sweet sappy sweetness...

Help!! There's a toddler in my house!

-At dinner last night, I got a hand swipe and definitive, "NO!" when I dared to give him something he didn't want (at least at that very moment...he was eating it 2 minutes before.)

-He can go from happy boy to mad boy to sad boy to happy boy all in about 20 seconds. It's got to be some kind of record.

-He is naughty! And I know he knows by the way he looks at me as he's doing something he's not supposed to ... it's all in the eyes. NAUGHTY!

All signs point to my baby boy becoming a toddler. All I can say is YIKES! :)

A day late.

I spent so much of my day yesterday (World AIDS Day) thinking about our family in Ethiopia, a country very much affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis.

We likely have family infected or affected by AIDS and without medication, because this is unfortunately the standard. I found myself angry and fighting back tears a lot of the day. The weight of the disparity in health care is so overwhelming and sad.

I am troubled about what to do. I have intentions of going to grad school for global health and (hopefully) working in advocacy at some point. But what can I do NOW? Of course I make the meager donations I can make. Of course I advocate -on my very small scale- with people in my life to lessen the stigma of HIV/AIDS. But what else?

This is a rambling post. But I guess that's where my head is... rambl-y, sad, and feeling a little stuck about what I can do. I hate that.

I am praying for:
-Big pharmaceutical companies to step up and stop trying to profit from HIV/AIDS drugs.
-People to get tested. Get tested. Get tested.
-Little and big people alike to stop suffering from the stigma that surrounds their status.
-No more babies to be needlessly infected at birth or by breastfeeding.