Just a few months behind....

Since the last time I posted, Masie has turned a year old!

She weighs 20.5 pounds and is 29 inches long.  She has had two haircuts and now has 8 teeth!

She loves the remote and our phones and loves to "read" her books!

Mickey and Minnie are her favorite characters, and when she sees a dog she says "woof, woof" without being prompted.  Her current favorite word is "no", which at the most inappropriate times sounds so darn cute!  We are working on it, but we had to get it on video first.  LOL

She loves her Nana and Papa and her cousin Katie, or "Kay-Kay" for short.  We were able to get her picture made with them the last time they came to visit.

She goes by "Masie" but we whip out the "Masie Lauren" when needed.  Daddy sometimes calls her "Lauren", and Mommy's pet name for her is "May May".
Regardless of what we call her, she's our girl.  She is sweet and sour, rough and tumble, smart and sassy, and the bright spot in our day.
We are blessed.

Goodbye's are Sad...

How do you say goodbye to someone who gave you the greatest, most precious gift you've ever been given, aside from salvation? Masie's birth parents decided to part ways, and her birth mom has moved back to her home town. It isn't like we would talk every day, or even once a week. But she is a part of our everyday life when I look at my daughter. And she always will be. We've seen each other off and on since Masie was born. So, for the last time the other night, we went to the restaurant where it all began, with her as our server. It was so sweet...Masie just reached out and grabbed her hand, like, "Hey, I know you!" We ate our meal, had good conversations here and there in between her tables, shed a few tears, and said our goodbyes. We will still keep in touch through Facebook and text and such, but knowing she isn't just down the road makes me a bit emotional. We are so very thankful for her and pray God's richest blessings in her life.

10 Months!

Ten months ago today at this time, Daddy and I were hanging out in the hospital room with your birth parents. The doctor had just come in and told us not to get too excited because it was going to be a long night of labor, and you wouldn't be coming anytime soon. He didn't know you, did he? To be fair, we didn't know you either, but we do know now that you are overall a pretty relaxed little girl....but when you make your mind up on something, it is Katie bar the door! And so it was the day you were born. You came into the world at 9:50 pm. Now, you are on the verge of walking! You are almost there, although I'm not quite sure how I feel about this! LOL You are jibber-jabbering like crazy and mimicking sounds that you hear. You like to say the word "bow" and sound so stinking cute saying it! You are definitely a Texan. You have three teeth, two on bottom and one on top. Moon Pops from Kroger are your favorite snack. You like Cheerios, too, but you tend to stockpile them in your mouth, then get choked, so we limit your Cheerio intake. ;) You pucker your lips and make a kissing sound, you love to give Mommy kisses, and you click your tongue off the roof of your mouth. You recognize Mickey Mouse and LOVE the Hot Dog Song, although you love all kinds of music. Other children, whether in real life or on television, fascinate you, and you love to play with Mac (the dog) at cousin Shelia's house. Daddy and I love you so much. We recognize how blessed we are to have you in our lives. One look at your sweet face can turn around a not-so-fabulous day...because you are the sunshine of our lives. Love you, sweet girl!

Nine Months...!!!

Look out, world! This girl is on the move! She has the crawling thing down like a pro, and any day now, she is going to take off walking. She already walks hanging onto whatever it is she pulls up on, like the ottoman or couch, but she is getting better at balancing, so I know it won't be long! At her nine month appointment, she weighed 19 pounds (50th percentile), has grown three inches which put her in 43rd percentile, and her head had grown a little over 3/4 of an inch, which put her in the 47th percentile. She has been saying "da-da" for a few months, but now she correlates the person with the name. I have a digital frame on the stand on my side of the bed, and last night she was watching the pictures change. When one of her and Dan came up, she smiled really big and squealed with her sweet high pitched voice, "Da-Dee!" Yes, I can appreciate the sweetness of the moment, even if it was at 2:30 this morning. ;) She loves our phones and the remote. She wants them all the time and will search them out. She has started to develop a little attitude and has had to be on the receiving end of some small disciplinary action. This age has been a little more challenging, with her discovering her new state of mobility. Scares me to death! But I know she has to learn. Love this girl so much!

8 Months...I know, I'm behind...

She was sick and not in the mood for any kind of picture on her actual 8 month birthday, so this is a few days off. Masie weighs 18 1/2 pounds and is doing a funky kind of army crawl. She starts off in the traditional crawl position but then falls on the floor and army crawls to whatever she is after. She says "da-da", "pa-pa", "ba-ba", and she loves practicing her "s" sounds. She pulls up to standing on her own and loves to have a hand in everything! And she finally has a tooth! It's the cutest little tooth in the whole world! LOL She LOVES music, and when I sing to her sometimes she tries to "sing along" with me. It is the sweetest sound and brings absolute joy to hear. Her hair is thickening up, and with her tooth in, she is looking more and more like a little girl and less and less like a baby. It's bittersweet, for sure.

7 Months/Halloween

This little butterfly was 7 months old on Halloween! She went trick-or-treating for the first time to cousin Sheila's house and Aunt Diane's house. She didn't quite know what to think about it, but she liked digging in the candy bowl! :) She is getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth, but no crawling yet. She continues to say "da-da-da-da", but no "ma-ma" yet. She has the sweetest little babbling voice that can be a little raspy at times. The child squeals....LOUDLY! We think it's funny now, but I know the day is coming when it happens at an inappropriate time. LOL Love my sweet girl! :)

Six Months...AKA 1/2 a YEAR!!!!

Say it isn't so!!!! HALF of a YEAR!!!! Oh.My.Goodness! I can't think about it. I literally think she gets bigger every.single.day. She went to her six month doctor appointment last week, and she has definitely grown! She now weighs over 16 pounds and is 25 inches long. We had already begun cereal, bananas, and some veggies, but the doctor said to continue adding more to her routine so that eventually, before her next appointment, she is eating more than she is drinking from a bottle. She is sitting up well on her own, rolling from tummy to back and back to tummy. She says da-da-da-da, which just makes Dan's day, as you can imagine! She likes to click her tongue and smack her lips, and she loves to babble, which is the sweetest sound in the world! Sometimes when she is soothing herself she will sing in the cutest little whispery voice. Still, I find myself just staring at her. Masie Lauren, you have me mesmerized...

Looking Back

This picture that you see here to the right of my blog----------------------------------------> took me by surprise tonight to the point of tears. She is so tiny! She will never be that tiny again, and although I love seeing her grow, thrive, and do new things, it makes me sad. I just want to savor every moment....without holding her back for my own sake. Last night I was in the kitchen making dinner, and Dan was holding her in the living room (which is all open). My heart was so full I thought it was going to burst as I heard him talking to her about what all she could be when she got older. What a blessing from God she is to us. To walk by her crib and see her face light up and arms reach out for me when she sees me brings a smile to my face, no matter what time of night. ;) Don't get me wrong...li'l Miss Thang loves to fake cry when I don't pick her up right away...she frequently wakes up and won't go back to sleep unless I lay her on my chest in bed with us...and the girl can be stubborn. And don't be surprised if she wears pink while rocking a faux hawk. We have to have a little sassy to round out her sweetness. She is a pretty amazing girl. I know we aren't perfect parents, but I don't ever want to disappoint her. Ever.

5 Months!

She squeals. She coos. She sticks her feet up in the air. She tries to put her feet in her mouth. She puts e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. in her mouth. She sleeps best on Mommy's chest, particularly anywhere from 4-6 in the morning until it's time to get up. She loves to wake up her daddy by patting his arm and cooing at him....or by grabbing his chest hair....whatever works. ;) She is not a fan of rice cereal but will eat oatmeal. She gets a c.r.a.z.y. burst of energy right before she goes to sleep. She makes all right with the world when I walk by her crib and her face lights up with her sweet smile. She has her daddy wrapped around her little finger. She has my heart.

Four Months

Do you see the bandaid on her finger? We had just had a traumatic experience with the nail clippers before this photo was taken. :( Then the next day, I took her to her four month appointment...which included shots. The next 48 hours were consumed with a feverish baby who just didn't feel good. :( :( Her head size was in the 50th percentile. Her weight was in the 50th percentile. Her length was in the 20th percentile. Her eyes are still hazel...sometimes they look brown, sometimes they look green, and everything in between. I love this girl so much! She is such an amazing child! Thank you, Lord....how could I ask for more?!

Three Months

Two Months Already?!

Seems pretty impossible, if you ask me.... I love that she is growing and thriving, but she's getting big so fast! Here is a picture that shows her at one day old and two months old... The last time we weighed her, she was at 10.6 pounds. Her arms and legs were so long and thin when she was born, so now they are getting some chub...so cute! Her cheeks have been chubby from the beginning and continue to be very kissable! Being 1/4 African American, we thought her hair would be curlier and her eyes more prominently brown, but when she was born her hair was honey brown and completely straight. Her eyes, of course, were dark blue. Now, her hair is a shade darker and barely curls at the ends...I hope she has curls (sigh!). Her eyes are greyish. I think they may end up hazel...Can't wait to see! She is very calm and relaxed most of the time, but don't let her fool you! Especially when it comes to food! She HATES having to stop to burp. She stiffens up and gets mad when you take that bottle out to burp her. It would be easier to just give her the bottle back, but I'd rather suffer thru her tantrum than to deal with her upset tummy from gas later on. She can be a strong willed and determined little lady! At some point, that may be frustrating to me, but it makes me remember those qualities about her birth mom. Those qualities, her having a strong will and determining to focus on the bigger picture, were some key qualities that allowed us to be Masie's parents. We are so thankful......

Masie Pictures

These pictures were taken right after she ate. She was wide awake, alert, and bright eyed! :)

She loves her WubbaNub (aka Lambie). She has the sweetest hands that refuse to stay swaddled and usually end up somewhere around her face...just like in some of her sonogram pics. Love those Elvis lips!

Practicing to be a cheerleader?! I laid her down to change her and she had a good ol' time talking and stretching and moving....then I opened her diaper. Oooooo-weeeee! :)

Road Trip!

Our trip to Lubbock the 20th was extra special because not only was it Masie's first road trip, but it was our first road trip as a legal family! She did so well during the drive. It did take a little longer than usual, of course. Normally, we can make it there in 5-5 1/2 hours. This trip it took about 7 hours. We had to stop for a feeding time once as well as a couple of diaper changes. Overall, it wasn't bad! Nana, Papa, and Katie were patiently awaiting our arrival...they couldn't get her out of the carseat fast enough! ;) Not too long after we got there, Aunt Kristi came out to give Masie some love, too. The next day was a special treat. Kristi, Patti, Betty, Angela, and Sue blessed our family with a baby shower/meet Masie party. Masie was a hit! Most everyone got to hold her and love on her. She loved every minute of it! In fact, the only time she cried was when I took her out of someone's arms! haha Her dress had come up in the back, and my cold hands touched her skin...she did not like that one bit! Other than that, she was a perfect angel. Many friends from different times of our lives were able to come meet Masie and celebrate this special time. She received many special gifts. Masie Lauren is one loved little girl! Sunday we went to church with Mom, Dad, Stacy, Heath, and Katie, then Dad had smoked a brisket for lunch afterward. Delicious!!! We didn't want to leave, but work and school waited for us back home on Monday. :( The tricky part was getting everything in the car. It was a bit cramped, but we did it!

Meeting cousin Katie for the first time

My BFF Kristi and our daughters! Kenzee is 10 years older than Masie.

Aunt Stacy and Masie. She made a bag FULL of bows like this in all different colors...including two Texas Tech bows and a Texas Rangers bow! SCORE!

This picture does not accurately show how full that car was!

We did not want to say goodbye to Nana and Papa!

...And now it's LEGAL!

Around 10 pm Tuesday, April 17, we were having coffee with some friends who were meeting Masie for the first time when Dan got a text from our lawyer that said that all the remaining paperwork was in and final motions were filed. Did we want the final adoption hearing to be Thursday or Friday? Thursday, please! So, 8:00 Thursday morning we were stuck in traffic to Fort Worth because an 18 wheeler had overturned. Traffic was terribly backed up. We were late...along with everyone else, so we had to wait for an opening in another courtroom. We didn't care how long we had to wait. When we went before the judge, our lawyer asked me some questions, then asked Dan the same questions. He turned it over to the judge, who said, "Up until now you have had the moral responsibility for caring for this child. After today, not only will you have the moral responsibility for this child, but the legal responsibility as well. Do you accept this responsibility?" "YES!" "Then this adoption is granted....Do you have a camera?" "YES!" "Then come on up!" One of the best days of my life. She is forever and ever ours. Thank you, Lord!!!

The Official Post

Masie Lauren Elliott was born March 31, 2012, at 9:50 PM.
She weighed in at 6 pounds 14.5 ounces and was 18 1/2 inches long.
She is absolutely beautiful and has forever changed our lives.
Here are a few pictures...

Our last picture of just the two of us


She's here!


"Are you ready to meet your daughter?"


First family photo


Proud Daddy

Update!

Well, the due date has come and gone...and we are still waiting!
We went to the doctor yesterday, and he scheduled her to be induced Wednesday. She was only dilated to a 1 1/2, but he could not believe how low the head was! He said he couldn't believe she was actually walking because the head was so low.
Poor T....she is so ready!
Pray this little girl comes before Wednesday! :)

And so....we wait.....

It's almost time!!!
It can't come fast enough, though!
We went to the doctor this last Thursday, and T was at a 1 and 80% effaced. Doctor said the head was really low, though, so it literally could be anytime! If she hasn't gone into labor by her next appointment on Thursday (the actual due date), he will schedule her to be induced.
We are trying our best to be patient, but.....
We'd all be happy if she came TODAY! :)

A Little....a BIG.....Motivation

Today was my only day of spring break that I had to myself. Every other day had already been spoken for, so I knew that I was going to be working on baby stuff!

The days are coming closer and closer to the due date...14 days, 9 hours, 51 minutes, and 2 seconds to be exact, if she's born at 8:00 in the morning on the 29th.

But who's counting?!

I have two other friends that are due on the same day. This morning I got a text saying that one of these friends went into labor!

AAAHHHHHHH!!!!

That was a big motivator to get some stuff done!

So...I got the travel system out of the box and put together...




I got out the diaper bag and began filling it with the many suggested items from experienced moms...



And I finally finished the wall art project! Well, sort of. I still have to paint the letters, but that won't take long. The big thing was getting it all laid out right and hung...



This project was stretching me a little. I'm a symmetric design type person, so putting the hoops on the wall in "random bubble" type fashion was stressing me out a little. LOL I couldn't get the "L" to hang straight, and I still think I need another circle on the bottom right, but other than that, I'm pretty happy with it! Because of the lighting, the picture turned out darker than what it actually is. The materials are different shades of pink, green, and white patterns. Right now the letters are in unfinished wood, but they will be painted pink, probably...I can't make up my mind.

I better make it up pretty quick! Time is a-tickin'!

Update!

"Thank you" doesn't seem to be enough to express how thankful Dan and I are to all of you who have contributed to the adoption fund and prayed for us! Because of your generosity, we were able to send a $1400 payment to the lawyer yesterday!

YYYAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!

I have updated the thermometer to show what is left of the lawyer fees and the cost of the home study ($500, which was not included in the previous amount).

We are getting there!!! Still have a bit to go...but we are getting there! :)

We went with the birth mom to her doctor's appointment yesterday, which also included a sonogram. They confirmed that she is, indeed, a girl, and we heard her precious heartbeat. When they put it in 3D mode, we could see her moving her mouth. She looked like the baby sucking on the pacifier from The Simpsons...hilarious! So far, she is 5 pounds, 4 ounces, and 18 3/4 inches long. If she goes to her due date, they estimate she'll weigh about 7 pounds.

Birth mom is doing pretty well...she is as ready for Masie to be here as we are! For different reasons, of course. She is tired and ready for her life to get back to normal. Please keep her in your prayers during these next few weeks of major transition.

Thank you all so much for your love, prayers, and support. We love you all!!!