All about Addie

Wow. So I hardly even know where to begin to catch you up on our new little girl and the past three weeks with her. Three weeks?! ~gasp!~ Has it really been that long? I have been absolutely remiss in not posting an update sooner. My apologies.

Okay, I'll just plunge right in.

At the moment I'm sitting in bed. It's nearly midnight. To my left is Addie's bassinet, and she's sighing contentedly in her sleep. If all goes well she'll sleep until about 3:00, when she'll want to get up and eat. Mark will get up, get the bottle ready, change her diaper, and pass her off to me so that I can feed her. (I know. He's the greatest.) One of the things we have done with our adopted children is that I exclusively get to do all of their bottle feedings. (It's sort of our way of ensuring that they get that bonding time with mama that we would normally get through breastfeeding.) I'm so thankful Mark is supportive and encouraging of that.

I am incredibly grateful for this sweet girl. In so many ways God answered my specific prayers for this child. Just one example: Our foster license was for a child (or two) ages 0-3. We were praying for a baby girl or a sibling set with a baby girl in it. I so much wanted a baby so that the whole attachment/bonding part would be easier. Isaias came home to us at 9 months, and even though he was still a baby, we missed a LOT. For this adoption, I had specifically prayed for a baby girl younger than 6 months. (Mind you, no one else was praying for that. Just me.) Never in my wildest dreams did I even think to pray for a baby less than one month old. And yet- God in His graciousness brought us Addie. And with the exception of those first 26 days of her life, I won't have to miss a thing.
These past few weeks with Addie have been great. The transition of her into our family has been seamless. I am amazed at how Ella, Isaac and Isaias just get it. They understand that Addie is different than Baby, that she is their sister, and that she'll be staying. Just this morning on the way home from church, Isaac was talking about Baby and how we had her but then "we had to give her back. And now we have Addie but we don't have to give her back because we're gonna' adopt her." Yep.

Here's a rundown on the family dynamics with a new baby in the house:
Mark, I've already told you about. He's the best. He gets up for ALL nighttime feedings, dear readers. Every one. He has been extra helpful around the house, he adores his new little girl. It is a joy to see him again with a baby of ours. He's so good at this daddy-to-a-baby thing.

Ella is her wonderful nurturing self. She *loves* having a baby sister in Addie, and is so good with her. She and I are currently in fierce competition to see who can get Addie to smile for us. (She smiles often, and is starting to coo. Which I love.)

Isaac is very sweet with Addie. It always takes him awhile to warm up so he'll be way more into her within the next few weeks. (He was that way with Baby, too. Kind of disinterested at first, but after a few weeks was chatting with her, affectionate with her, and taking special interest in her. It'll come.) He has noticed, however, that my arms are nearly always full. I just need to make an extra effort to pull him into my arms or onto my lap when I'm able to.

Isaias is a very gentle and attentive big brother. It has been fun to watch him in this role. He asks frequently throughout the day, "Mommy, can I kiss Addie on her cheek?" Or, "Mommy, can I hold Addie?" Very sweet.

Some questions keep cropping up in emails, comments, and conversation, so I'm going to take a second to answer the most frequent of those:

Q: Was Adelia her name already or did you name her?
A: We named her. She legally has another name entirely, but we're changing it.

Q: Is she officially adopted yet?
A: No. We are fostering her with the intent to adopt her. Nothing is legal yet. But the courts are already moving towards her being placed permanently with us. There is little to no chance that she will not be ours, simply based on the circumstances of this case.

Q: How is she doing in terms of testing positive for cocaine at birth?
A: She is doing GREAT! Addie was not in withdrawal when she came home to us. She had already gone through withdrawal at the center she was at. For those first few days her feedings were taking a long time, and during much of that time we were really working to keep her awake to eat. But that is no more. She slurps down her bottles happily and is awake for nearly every feeding. She's also gaining weight steadily. (The day we got her she was 7 lbs, 6 oz. Exactly one week later she was up to 8 lbs, 3 oz.) She is most definitely thriving. It's now been a couple of weeks since she's been weighed, but I'm sure she's up past 9 lbs at this point.

There have been no other symptoms of the drug that we can see. She seems like a perfectly average newborn to us. (Just far more adorable than average.)

One of the things we learned about cocaine-affected babies is that the make-up of the drug itself changes from year to year. So a cocaine-affected baby two years ago may have exhibited completely different symptoms than we're seeing (or not seeing) in Addie, because there may be a different component to the drug (ie- they found a cheaper way to make it and are using something else.)

Down the road we may see symptoms of the drug but we're trying not to look for it.

***

I am sure there are other questions you have, so... feel free to ask away. I'm an open book and if there's anything you're itching to know, please do ask and I'll answer it in another post! :)

One more thing... I have been overwhelmed at all the packages arriving at our door from none-other-than YOU, my bloggy friends! Thank you so much!... from all of us. Several of you have made something for Addie, too- and those are my favorite kind of gifts. I am so impressed with your handiwork! :) I don't know how many times I've said to Mark, "And, honey. I don't even know this person. They just read my blog. Can you even believe this?" Thank you so very, very much for your kindness.


Blessings to you and yours today!

22 comments:

  1. Hello,Stacy!
    Nice, nice, nice and very nice!
    Iloved this post and this blog.
    Have a nice day

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  2. So good to see pictures of Addie. She is a cutie! Tha last picture of all five of you just warms my heart! I am so happy for you! You look so content.

    Last night I had a bowl of plain yoghurt with strawberries, banannas and guess what.....grapenuts piled over the top.....I was thinking of you. I am so glad to find a Grapenuts buddy. They truly are the best :o)

    Have a wonderful day with those adorable blessings (and the big tall one too).

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  3. YAY!!!! I was WAITING for this post :-) And I just feel so happy for you guys that I don't know what to do. And I am equally as happy for Addy. She is blessed beyond measure! And she is the most adorable little thing, and looks perfect with your beautiful family. Love you LOTS!!!

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  4. I enjoyed this post so much... good to hear that Addie is doing so well. She certainly is very blessed to have been placed into your family!

    I love the family picture you shared at the end... I can see the joy on every face!

    Praising God with you!!

    ps. and I agree... Addie is far more adorable than average :-)

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  5. What sweet, sweet pictures! You are very blessed!
    Christine

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  6. I love the pictures! Sounds like she is doing great!

    We didn't have our meeting today! They called half way here with car trouble! At least my house is shiny clean :) We have another meeting Wednesday.

    Ella looks so much like you.

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  7. I love these pictures Stace! They are great. And it was fun to read your overview of these three weeks (wow!).
    But I do want to add that you were not the *only* one praying that the girl you adopted was a baby!
    Love you guys! All SIX of you!

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  8. sigh, I love this...that God heard your silent prayer and brought you a one month old. Oh, if I could only believe.

    your family blesses me;
    Kimmie
    mama to 6
    one homemade and 5 adopted

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  9. Above average in the cute department is right!! :)

    I might have picked up a little somethin'somethin' myself for you! Now I just need to get it in the mail; it isn't doing much good the floor of my bedroom! Sorry!

    Love you!

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  10. Love it! Love it! Love it!

    Thank you for the detailed update! I just love the family pic at the end of your post. I am thrilled for you all.

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  11. What a beautiful family you are! I'm so glad Addie is with you and is doing so well. She is darling, and I'm so thankful God put her in your family. Enjoy each moment with her!
    Thanks also for your prayers! We are enjoying these first days with our little Raphael, and I will post some pictures very soon!
    Rebeca

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  12. you have such a beautiful family! baby addie is precious. i'd love to hold her :) i'm a little baby crazy. i'm so happy the adjustments had gone smooth.
    my son came home from Haiti at age two. i mourn that i missed his babyhood. he'll be 5 on friday. can't believe how quickly these past three years have gone.
    i have two close friends that are pursing to adoption through foster care.

    blessings,!
    missy

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  13. I love seeing all the pictures! Especially that sweet one of her in the sling! Those sweet little cheeks! Ooh!
    Glad to hear she's adjusting well. Praise God!
    And 3 weeks?!? Really? Already?!?

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  14. I'm so glad she's gaining weight and doing well. She's just adorable. Congratulations again to you and your family!

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  15. You have a beautiful family. Truly.

    God bless-
    Amanda

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  16. Hi Stacy,
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful family with all of us! I've been reading your blog for awhile now and I really have been blessed by you. I would love to be added to your blogroll. Many blessings to you and your family.
    Staci in WA

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  18. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  19. Stop deleting my comments!

    JUST KIDDING!!!! (I have no idea who it was, or what they said to get deleted...but pleeeeeease don't delete me!!)

    Stacy....Addie is BEAUTIFUL and I am so very very happy for you ALL!!!!

    And, by the way, that family picture "dragged and dropped" beautifully into iPhoto!

    :)
    Michelle

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  20. What a beautiful family you have there! Thanks for the update on Addie.

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  21. You are all beautiful. Your picture took my breath away. All meant for each other: God-ordained.

    Praising Him with you!

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  22. She is so BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!

    I am so happy for your family!!!!

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