Lucy of course

Hi blog readers and loyal Lucy fans ...  Lucy is growing fast!  She creates a stir wherever we go.  Today we were at the Mall of America and someone recognized her as being Ethiopian ... it started a long conversation with a woman who does a lot of humanitarian work with Ethiopian school children, this woman is planning on adopting from Ethiopia soon.  Lucy rolled over (from stomach to back) on Thanksgiving night!  She's a pro now but she still looks surprised after she does it.  She is screaming (happily) on a regular basis ... she's not a quiet little girl anymore!  Lucy has some new night time habits as well ... instead of waking up every hour coughing ... she now wakes up for the first two hours crying (not sure why).  She then sleeps until 3ish, eats and then falls into a fitful slumber until about 6:30 ... at that time I try desperately to stay awake (it works so long as I don't lay down) and play with her until her morning nap (around 8:30).   She's still a happy happy baby ... I love those smiles, they melt my heart! 

Three weeks

It's hard to believe I have only had Lucy for three weeks ... two weeks here and one week in Ethiopia.  It seems like forever!  Maybe it's because we've already been through so much ... we've been to three continents (Africa, Europe, N. America) ... we've flown countless hours.  We have had three straight days of fever followed by an incredible cough that eventually took us to the ER (she had RSV) ...   Lucy has grown these past few weeks.  After she felt a bit better, she quickly changed to the new time zone and is in a sleeping routine (about 9:30 pm  until 3am, then again until 7:30 am) ... she's pretty great ... Lucy is getting stronger at sitting up and her legs are really kicking hard.   Lucy almost always has smiles and coos to share.  She's a great baby! 

All Lucy all the time

You know ... everyone seems to love Lucy ... I mean really love her.  She does draw in a crowd with her cute cute self.  "It almost hurts to look at her, she's so beautiful" was one comment overheard recently ... and this was from someone who didn't even know that she had an even more beautiful personality!  OK, this might bore some people but it needs to be reported that the last time Lucy had a coughing fit was last night around 10:30pm ...  she slept from about 9:30 - 3am ... yippeee!!!  Lucy is about to have a visit from her friend Cora and my friend Jen ... hope she wakes up in time! 

Stacy

A schedule???

Well, Lucy is on the road to recovery ... she got some nasty virus on the airplane, and made it through three days of fever, she's now down to just a bad cough (at night of course).  We've now had two semi-successful sleep nights in a row so (knock on wood) I think we may be on official Minnesota time schedule.  Lucy is really growing with all the attention she's getting (and all the fomula she's drinking).  She is getting really good at playing with the dangly toy baby gym I got her ... at first she would just sort of "bat" at the hangy toys, now she's really grabbing and manipulating them.  She also seems to have more head control and seems more comfortable sitting upright on my lap.  We took advantage of the warm sun yesterday and went for a long walk (Lucy slept).   I love having this time with her and wish it to go slowly! 

Stacy

Lucy's home!!!!

Hi everyone,

Lucy is home and we're all a little turned around.  We had a little party from about 1-3am including formula, pizza, music and lots of cooing and smiling.  She's now asleep again on my bed (bad habits start really quick) and I am awake.   The Ethiopia trip was wonderful in many ways the biggest of course is Lucy.  I stayed at the care center and received Lucy the morning after I arrived.  She was quite obviously loved (and I would venture to say favored) and well cared for at the center.  Lucy is very social, smiles, laughs and talks a lot.  She goes from happy and content to "starving" in about one second ... it's pretty funny.  Lucy isn't doing a lot of physical moving yet, not rolling, sitting or putting weight on her legs but I am confident this will all come with time and encouragement.  Lucy and I visited a few sites in Addis Ababa, she hung out in the baby bjorn (thanks Deb!).     In Ethiopia we were stopped everywhere with people commenting on what a beautiful baby she is ... ohhhh babies do connect people!   Lucy was kissed by dozens of school children at the national museum ... they all wanted to kiss her hands and touch her ..it was really cute.  Lucy seems healthy in most ways, I have some concerns and questions for the doctor but nothing warranting any emergency or anxiety.   When Lucy is on a normal schedule she wakes up about once a night to eat and be changed.    We are happy to be back and I will send you some photos soon!  Love Stacy and Lucy

closer to done

ok ... things are better now ... I am a little less George W and a little more smart.  I have finished about 98% of the paperwork and feel totally focused and able to do the last 2% plus the work related stuff tomorrow.  One important thing to not forget is to go to the bank and deposit my paycheck.  Other then that it's likely that the next blog you read will be written by a sleep deprived new mommy!!!  Isnt' life great?????!!!!!  Thanks for following ... I get home on Oct 31st at 3:58pm ... Stacy

paperwork

Well, it's official ... I am a fumbling idiot (just call me George Jr) ... I CAN NOT bring myself to do paperwork!  Unfortunately, paperwork is about all I have left to do, both for the adoption and for my work.  It's a sad reality that I have to fight every instinct in my body to finish up BOATLOADS of paperwork today and tomorrow because it's my last chance ... and I think the US government really means it when they say that you have to turn this stuff in before they'll give you a visa for a baby.  I am not so certain I want to test them on this matter.  I also think it might be a good idea for my work relations to finish my client related paperwork before I leave for three months.   Unfortunately even trying to use Lucy as "bait", the end is worth the means is not helping inspire my brain to learn new things and accomplish boring tasks.   I SOOOO desperately want to fight the "man" ... I thought, what if I copy that one form onto red paper instead of light blue ... would the gov. really deny me my child because of the color of a piece of paper???  I will never find this out.   I got her birth certificate yesterday, there's a little passport size photo of her attached to the certificate ... she looks like a convict (sorry baby but you do) ... very stunned big eyes!    Well, I am off to try to finish at least one task.    Stacy