2nd Month Anniversary/11 month Birthday!

Just a few quick pictures of the past week.

Our very handsome nephew with Herman

Wow! We've had a very eventful week and a half. Eric's older brother came into town with our nephew for a week. It was so wonderful to see both of them, it had been too long. Herman already misses all of the attention Miles gave him. Thank you so much Miles for taking such good care of Herman and for playing so well with Zoe! Zoe's great aunt was also in town (don't let the "great" part make you think she'd old...she's a very hip younger 40s :) ). We're so glad she was able to meet Zoe, and we hope she takes her brother's advice and decides to move closer! We are looking forward to a trip, hopefully soon, to San Francisco to visit her.

Over the past week we also were able to meet our friends' daughters who recently returned home from China. Ava, Sarah, Indigo, and Catherine are all so beautiful and we're so glad they are finally HOME!! One last couple should be receiving their referral next month (finally!) and then all of our friends will have their babies.

Zoe continues to do really well. She's 11 months old today. She's now been with us for 2 months. Her receptive language grows every day. Eric has taught her to high five just in time for football season. I think her first words will be "Go Colts!" Actually, I hate to think that they will be some other phrase muttered by Eric during the Colts or Penn State games :) Zoe did say bye-bye clear as a bell last weekend though which was cute. She will look at Eric and say "Da" now; although I'm not sure if she really gets it. She's finally started to say "Ma". She imitates hand movements and raspberries, and it's so cute when you ask her to repeat something because you can see her trying to get her mouth into the right position. She understands "put it in" and "take it out" now. Self-feeding is still a challange for her but as she gets more comfortable with putting toys and objects into her mouth, I'm sure it will develop soon. She's eating graham crackers, wagon wheels, and bites of goldfish on her own. She's doing pretty well with a sippy cup now, although she doesn't hold it by herself. She gets stronger every day and requires less help from us to stand. Looking back at pictures from 2 months ago, it's hard to believe that she's the same kid!

The best news of the week is from my one of my friends who found out that her family has been matched with a birthmom (domestic adoption) who is due really soon! I'm hoping and praying it all works out for them. I'm not sure if she still reads this blog but for her I'm including one of my favorite (although cheesy) adoption poems (she gave me the Legacy of the Adopted Child poem at my shower which is my all time favorite and in our nursery). I can say that the "life gave me the gift of you" part is absolutely how I feel about Zoe.

"I didn't give you the gift of life
but in my heart I know
the love I feel is as deep & real
as if it had been so.

For us to have each other
is like a dream come true.
No, I didn't give you the gift of life
Life gave me the gift of you. "

author unknown (until someone tells me)