More Family to Meet!

We just returned from a lovely trip meeting more of Lola's family in Texas. On Friday, we headed to Lubbock, Texas where Lola was so excited to meet her Uncle Bob and Aunt Kristi, Cousin Hannah and Cousin Jake (referenced, I believe in our first or second entry, and who provided a lot of motivation for getting the ball rolling on Lola, and provided a lot of bedtime prayers for us!) Lola also got to meet a lot of Rodney's friends from his growing up years, who are like family!

We were so worried when we left about how she would do on the plane. Because she is under two, we didn't have to buy a ticket for her, which meant we would have to hold her in our laps for the duration of the flight--both of the flights it takes to get to Lubbock. So Friday morning, I headed down to this great little shop called, Mother's Milk, in Old Town Scottsdale to purchase one of those slings for on the plane. We packed plenty of bottles so that we could keep her ears clear on take off and landing and take off and landing!

When we got to the gate, we found out that both of the flights were fairly empty so we could actually take her on the plane in the car seat (but we had to carry the car seat through the airport when we switched planes. We were so worried about how she would do...SHE DID BEAUTIFULLY! The flight attendant gave her a cute little certificate and wings to commemorate her first flight! (And she gave Rodney a deck of cards for being such a good boy! :) )

The weekend was so great! We saw our nephew, Jake, play baseball...a treat we don't often get since we live so far away! It was so nice to be with family! Lola had her first day at church and held it together very well...the only squeal was during a loud song and no one really heard her anyway! She made it through lunch at Rosa's (of course) and did beautifully at the church shower. We got lots of beautiful gifts from friends of Rodney's parents...we are so touched by their generosity! We also learned about a yummy new treat called Cake Balls...can't wait to try them out!!

Our trip home was not so smooth. We were excited that we weren't supposed to get off the plane when we stopped in Vegas (not sure why we passed Phoenix to get to Phoenix, but hey, we did) so we headed to the front of the plane so that we could get off quicker in Phoenix. HOWEVER, as we headed up the aisle, they announced that our flight was cancelled and we would have to head to another gate...all the way across the terminal. Because she had started to fuss, I took her out of the seat and gave our little sling a try. It worked like a charm...she snuggled right in and went to sleep. So this meant, as we headed across the terminal, I had a baby on my chest, diaper bag on my shoulder, dragging a rolling bag (thank goodness it rolled!), and Rodney had a computer bag on his back, and was carrying the car seat. Fun times.

AT LEAST they let us board first and we were able to get the first row, but this was after an hour wait in the airport. While we waited, we fed Lola 'cause she was a hungry girl! We strapped her back in the car seat and were headed home! The cutie got so many compliments on how cute, sweet, etc...until we started to land. Boy oh boy did she ever save up all that goodness for the flight home!!!
We thought the sling trick would work again. It did, for about two seconds. Then she started screaming. Loud. We had a little bit left in the bottle, so we put that in and voila! The crying stopped! Unfortunately, there was about 1/2 ounce in the bottle and when it was gone, she was MAD at me! So I made a quick dash when the plane landed, made a bottle and calmed her down while Rodney got our bags. All I can say is there were a lot of Vegas weekenders hating life (and us) for the last 20 minutes of that flight! Too bad the guy who cancelled our first flight wasn't in the next row! But, we can't complain, she was wonderful all weekend and misses her Nana and Papa Jay, Aunt Kristi and Uncle Bob, Cousins Hannah and Jake already!

Big Trip and Family Fun!

Lola has had a big adventure and handled herself so well! Aunt Betty and Uncle Paul wanted to see the Grand Canyon--Uncle Paul said it was on his "Bucket List". So we all piled in the car and headed up that way early yesterday morning. It was such a fun trip, all the family together. Rodney drove the whole way and lived up to the nickname, "Rodney Rollarcoaster." It's a good thing everyone was anxious to get home, if anyone else had been driving, we might still be on the road.

We put Lola in the stroller when we got there and took her out to the over look. Before we could get to the stairs down, a group of Japanese tourists passed us. Most of them stopped and oooed and aahhhed over her, many of them asked if they could take her picture. The last two that took her picture stopped to talk to us too. They were funny and I took a picture of them taking a picture of Lola. (Rola!) :)

On our way back, we stopped in Sedona. Mom and Dad and I had tried to do Sedona when I first moved here. Apparently, we did not get to the right place then. It was really beautiful! Amazing! and although we took some wonderful pictures, none of them do it justice! Here is Aunt Betty in front of the "Have-Alohas" (Javalinas dress in Hawaiian clothes) and Uncle Paul putting himself in the art.

One other fun thing we did this week was going out to lunch with Aunt Betty and Uncle Paul to the TeePee restaurant. We got to sit in the booth where George Bush sat when he ate there. That was a lot of fun!

In other Lola news, when we got home last night, she screamed for a couple of hours...that was new. But she slept through the night, or as much of the night as she ever sleeps through, and was very alert today. And she rolled over. Course, she wouldn't do it again, after the first time, she cried when I put her on her stomach! But I figure now that she's done it once, it's not long till that's a regular occurrence. Yay! just no more changing on the counter!

It was a quiet day around the house with no family around. Lola and I didn't know what to do with ourselves. We will definitely have to make a point to visit our family more often. I don't realize how much we miss being around them until we are around them!!!

Family Visit and Smiles!

I am so totally excited that my aunt and uncle from Maryland have come to visit Lola! after a LONG day of travel, they arrived safely and on time last night at about 8:30. What great family bait this little girl is! Of course, I have dropped a few notches in the pecking order in my family.

My mom came in last night, didn't even look at me and said, "Where's that baby?"

Bypassed me, and went right for Lola. My dad, at least, had the courtesy to hug me and ask how I was doing! I thanked him for that, too! June didn't even realize what she had done!
My Aunt Betty has been here to visit once a couple of years ago, in March, when the weather is 85 and beautiful in Phoenix. It's now August and 100+ (and that's a LOT of +'s) and humid.
My Uncle Paul has never been to Phoenix, so he is getting a first experience at the HOT in Phoenix. However, it is NOT a dry heat right now. Here is Uncle Paul and my dad having (I'm sure) a deep philosophical discussion over cocktails and cigars. It has been so nice to visit and catch up, makes me wish all our family was closer so we could see each other regularly!

Today, my friends Marcia, Kim and Enid threw Lola a very beautiful shower. They went to town with the animal print and hot pink theme of Lola's nursery. I got to see friends that I had not seen in a long time, and of course, show off Lola, who was on her best, lady-like behavior. Let's hope that lasts for the next 18 years!

So after I started writing this entry, Lola woke up from her evening nap. She typically sleeps in a bouncy seat that vibrates. When she started her, "I'm waking up" grunt, Rodney went over and sat in the rocker that was facing her. She looked up at him and smiled...and kept smiling. She also giggled a little too. I was observing this exchange from the sofa just opposite them. It was just beautiful! I went over to get in on this action--what momma wants to be left out of that treat? I was standing over his shoulder when he picked her up and she was just smiling as big as anything. I got the camera and caught this gem, boy! what a great feeling THIS first has been!I'm just tickled animal print, pink, and so proud!

Lawyer and Other Stuff

Well we had our first meeting with our lawyer yesterday and, in my opinion, it went pretty well. We found out that the agency in Colorado didn't send us home with one of the documents that we need to finalize. Which didn't really surprise me, but we got the request in for that document and should have it before the end of the month. We also need to get Lola's birth certificate. The lawyer said that once she files with the courts, it should only take 3 months to finalize and would like to have it done by the end of the year. What a wonderful Christmas present THAT would be! The lawyer said she was surprised that I took it well that we don't have everything. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that we've gotten this far as the whole adoption thing is a very mysterious process that I'm still not sure about. Going into this, we really didn't know anything and probably still don't!

I've been introduced to the world of blogging and found a lot of them out there for/by new moms. Tonight I started reading about these babies who have all sorts of problems. I feel so very blessed (and humbled) that the only problem so far with Lola is the baby acne. I discovered tonight that it could be so much worse. I was reading about a little baby, Avery, who was born with numerous defects to her heart and intestines, which turned into other problems and was taken off all life support last month. It was heartbreaking to read and reminds me how fragile life is! I feel so blessed with a healthy baby girl and comfort her cries--even the ones that are for no real reason that I can figure out, with absolute joy! "There but for the grace of God go I!"

We had another failed attempt at a photo shoot.
I made this little tutu for her and thought, "How cute she will be in the middle of all the fluff!"

HA! THAT cry I could figure out! But here is a sample of how that turned out!

She smiled at me this week (not during the tutu incident)...and not the smile she gets when she is sleeping and enjoying the vibrating crib! But it's happened only once and I can't wait for it to be a regular event. She is making eye contact and looking around at the world with wide eyed wonder...I totally am in love with this little girl!

Rodney fed her and played with her a bit tonight. Got a cute CUTE picture of her looking at him. She is getting so strong and stable. Aren't they pretty? So sweet!

Sylvan Shower

What great friends and co-workers I have! Yesterday my Sylvan family had a shower for Lola. It was so beautiful and fun! I can't believe how generous everyone is and how much (apparently) people love little baby girls! Lola was a big hit and was very well behaved...with the exception of 3...yes THREE poopy diapers, she held it together through the whole thing. Here we are after one of the poopy diaper changes:
We got some beautiful things and lots of things we needed. I cannot WAIT to get her in some of those clothes! too too cute! Here is a picture of Lola's first Sylvan clothing! Our business partner has outfitted her nicely for the next year or so!

All the guests made scrap book pages for me, and I guess I need to get some pictures developed so that I can fill the pages. Which I love to do, trouble is, with Lola's arrival, I've had to give up my craft room and will eventually move into Rodney's office, but we will need some rearranging of that room. So I have no place to work! I've decided I also need to have a place to change Lola other than the couch, floor, bed, etc, as my back is killing me from bending over to change her! And, of course, being a baby, that is A LOT. We are so looking forward to this weekend...the parental unit is coming to visit along with my Aunt Betty and Uncle Paul. SO excited! We try to head East about once a year, but with the addition of Lola, we have good family-bait to come here! We are going to see the Grand Canyon, which (I'm ashamed to say) I have only seen (and for the first time, I might add, when I went to meet Lola last month) from the air on my way to Grand Junction. I have been in Arizona for 11 years and have never seen the Grand Canyon. And at the end of the month, we are going to Lubbock to meet all Lola's family there. Again, we are so excited!

Lola's 1st month and Rick

Today is Lola's one month birthday! WOW! Cannot believe that she is one month old! We had our one month check up yesterday and man is our little girl turning into a chunk! At 2 weeks, she weighted 6 lbs. 8 oz. Two weeks later, yesterday, she weighted 8 lbs. 3 oz. Sheesh...Rodney wanted to know if they sent us home to put Lola on a diet! But the doc said that she would hit growth spurts and then plateau. It seems she just came out of a growth spurt! What was really sad about our visit was the shot. She was SUPPOSED to get her second Hepatitis B shot yesterday, but for some reason, they gave it to her last time--which she didn't like. But the doc said it may not be effective if we didn't give it to her again. So we did. this was the first time the little girl cried real tears. And BOY did she cry! And she looked at me like I had betrayed her. And then was cranky all day long. I felt so bad for her! It made my eyes fill with tears...and the next visit has a lot more shots! Fortunately, Rodney will be going with me.

On the up side of yesterday, my friend Sherri, who I went to high school with came to town to see us. We went to see my favorite boy of all time, Rick Springfield. I saw him for the first time when I was 14 years old and have seen him every year since 2004. He really does a good show, sang all the classic Rick songs, my FAVORITE being "What's Victoria's Secret," for obvious reasons, and he always comes into the audience. Sherri got his autograph. It was good girl bonding time!