The Elizabethan Times

2008-12-07T15:59:00.003-05:00

Elizabeth enjoyed her neighborhood Trick or Treating! So did Aunty Ki!

First Day of School

2008-09-02T14:10:00.005-04:00

Elizabeth went to her new classroom today, and she's looking oh-so-much-smarter and older than last year! (and taller - she's shot up an inch recently!)

Here she is showing off her new new lunchbox that says "Liz" on it (that's what they call her at "school"/daycare) and new outfit (that Aunt Jenny picked out - yeah it's a winner!!).. doesn't she just look absolutely adorable?!?! :) She is definitely becoming a ham - look at that pose - doesn't she look like a little model!?!?!

Quote from Chrissie (Elizabeth's Mommy):

"It was Elizabeth’s first day of “school” in a new classroom with a new teacher, and what I thought might be a big moment for Elizabeth. She can be shy in new situations and I thought might want me to stay and play a bit. Well, not so! She marched into the classroom with her new lunchbox (courtesy of Grammy and Papi), and put her stuff in her new cubby and went to check out the goldfish with her friend Ethan. I got a quick hug and then she was off to check out all the other new toys and stuff."

Ahhhh.. she's growing up so fast!

Child Model!

2008-06-30T14:15:00.004-04:00

Well, Grammy knew the day was coming, and it's here... Chrissie took Elizabeth to get her 2-year old pictures taken and the company was so pleased with the pictures that they have selected her photos to post in the store as examples! :)

She is adorable! Full of energy and spunk - she has lots of "sparkley" days when she is happy and bright and so cute you can't stand it! :)

Grammys know best!

When Elizabeth Speaks....

2008-05-23T10:42:00.004-04:00

... we all listen - even when we don't understand her! The other night Elizabeth was entertaining her Mommy, Aunts Jenny and Ki and Grammy and Papi... she was putting on quite the show, holding onto the column while holding court, making facial expressions and hand movements - so Auntie Ki had to grab the video camera and record some of Elizabeth's monologue.. so here is the last minute of probably a 10-minute soliloquy! (we can't wait until we can actually understand what she's saying and have a conversation - that will be fun!)

Mother's Day Dinner at Auntie Ki's

2008-05-12T18:04:00.006-04:00

This is Elizabeth's second Mother's Day - the Lord was gracious last year in timing her adoption so she came to the US a few days before Mother's Day! So last year's holiday was pretty special!

This year Auntie Ki and Aunt Jenny got in a little bit of trouble for being out of town for the weekend - but we got back in time to cook a delicious dinner for everyone.. we missed Tia Sarita who was down in Florida with her hubby (Uncle Mike)... here are some pics of our fun evening - you can tell that even though this was a night to honor the moms, it was Elizabeth who stole the show!

On this day one year ago…

2008-04-30T09:33:00.001-04:00

I left for Guatemala to pick up my sweet little Elizabeth and bring her home for good! The pictures of Elizabeth from April 30, 2007 bring tears to my eyes – I can just see so much in that little face – I see sadness and fear and hope and tenderness. At this point I kept telling her “you’re going to love me.” I think back to her foster mom, Julvia who lovingly cared for Elizabeth for 10 months. In preparation for this day she gave Elizabeth a haircut, a bath, put her in the outfit I bought, and some shiny new black patent leather shoes. I also think about Elizabeth’s birth mom, Dora, and the agonizing decision she made to give this precious little life away and trust to someone else. At the time of going through the process many of these things never really sunk in, and today as I look back and think about this past year I fully realize all that Dora gave up and so appreciate the love and care that Julvia and her family showed to Elizabeth.
Being Elizabeth’s Mom is a very special and wonderful thing and has changed me forever. I fall more deeply in love with her with each day. Recently while Elizabeth and I were playing with her toys, she flashed me a look that I have given her many times and I was so taken aback! I was not expecting my 21 month old adopted daughter to so accurately imitate my disapproving “no, no, no” look. That has made me realize the depth of the responsibility I have in raising Elizabeth, providing her with the right values, and opportunities, and experiences.
May 8 is what I have decided will be our official adoption day. That is the day Elizabeth landed in the US, became a citizen, and met her extended family. I am not sure how we will celebrate it this year – maybe a trip to the zoo or something fun!

Tia Sarita's Wedding

2008-04-04T14:18:00.005-04:00

Best Wishes to Tia Sarita and Uncle Mike!

Wedding Preparations!

2008-02-27T11:14:00.006-05:00

Here is Elizabeth trying on her pretty dress for Tia Sarita's wedding next month! Isn't she so cute! Looks like she isn't quite sure what to do with her arms.. but after a few moments she realized she could still watch the Little Einsteins (her most favorite show of all time - when she wants to watch it she pats her legs as they do on the show!) and play with her toys..

Hope Tia Sarita approves of the pretty dress.. kinda tricky because everyone is supposed to look at the bride but how you can look away from this precious little face!?! :)

Now if we can just get her to walk down the aisle without a push toy!

Day with Auntie Ki

2008-02-18T17:22:00.004-05:00

Today is Washington's Birthday and Elizabeth's new school was closed... Chrissie still had to go to work, but thankfully Auntie Ki's office was closed too - so she and Elizabeth spent the day together.... they met up with one of Carrie's friends who has a 14-month old and they toured around the mall.. it was a gorgeous day so Elizabeth got to go to the playground where Auntie Ki snapped this adorable picture of her in the slide!

In the Garden!

2008-02-09T17:07:00.004-05:00

Today Elizabeth went to check out the new children's garden with Auntie Ki, Aunt Jenny and Greg.. poor Mommy was home with a cold.. Elizabeth had fun fun fun walking around, playing in the fountains and smelling the flowers... what a fun day! And thankfully Chrissie got to take a good long nap, so that helped her recovery!

Fun in Grammy & Papi's Driveway

2008-01-11T11:44:00.000-05:00

Grammy has done it again, captured a great series of pictures of Elizabeth playing with her car over at Grammy and Papi's yesterday... These are great - enjoy!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8yc0xtfr.24han4f3&x=0&h=1&y=-86smc5

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T22:40:00.000-05:00

Here's Elizabeth with her Mommy about to go to her first Christmas Eve service - she was all excited, and so good! After the 5pm service she came back to Grammy and Papi's, ate some dinner, got a bath and had the traditional "Night Before Christmas" read to her by her Papi. While her mommy and aunts loved hearing the story, she was more interested in opening and closing Papi's glasses case! She went to sleep while the rest of the fam enjoyed a yummy dinner. Then it was time to go home and she transferred wonderfully from her bed at Grammy's to the car and then to her own bed.

She awoke early on Christmas morning all giggles and smiles, and came over to Aunt Jenny's house for the traditional opening of the presents. We set up her pack 'n play in the middle of the living room and she was ok hanging out in there for awhile, but then wanted to be part of the action by helping to unwrap the packages. Nana got her the cutest little slippers from L L Bean - they are little pink bunnies, complete with a little tail on the heel! Elizabeth thought they went very well with her Christmas morning outfit! She was excited when Grammy got a red wagon - for gardening but mostly for playing with her granddaughter! :) She was really excited to see her new "shopping cart" - wheeling it around and around... Christmas afternoon she was reported to be pushing it around her 1st floor, throwing little peoples and other items out of the cart, while a patient Auntie Ki went along after her picking them all up - what fun!

She is definitely a toddler now, walking everywhere and getting more confident in her abilities. What a precious little girl she is, and we couldn't be happier to have her part of our family!

Grammy's Photolog

2007-12-13T14:33:00.000-05:00

I think Grammy is a photojournalist - she does an amazing job sending out pictures to let us know what kind of day she had with Elizabeth - and her explanations that she puts on the pics are priceless! So rather than try to pick out a few photots, just click on this link to check out yourself.. Enjoy!

Marathoner!

2007-12-12T10:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday when Elizabeth was with Grammy and Papi she had another day of just taking off walking!

She went round and round their kitchen - they lost count after 6 or 8 times!

Each time she came out of the kitchen she'd giggle and grin.. then when she went into the kitchen she'd wave good-bye over her shoulder! aaww! sooo cute!

Then she started dancing to the Christmas music with Papi.. what a great time with her grandparents!

It's so great that my parents have been watching her on Tuesdays and Thursdays - gives them time to bond and she gets individualized attention, and then she still has her days of socialization with the other kids at daycare on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.. I think in January the Grammy Daycare is going to just one day a week - we'll see who misses it more - Grammy or Elizabeth! :)

First Steps!

2007-11-02T16:27:00.000-04:00

Well, Elizabeth is starting to walk! In the past few weeks she has delighted herself and her ever-present audience with her standing abilities. It was funny to see her get all excited about being able to stand all by herself - she got so psyched that her hands would be in tight little fists and she'd wave them about in excitement! About a week ago she got tired of just standing and started adding steps to her routine. We are all, of course, thrilled beyond belief.

These pictures were taken last weekend - the Penn State cheerleader outfit is courtesy of one of Chrissie's coworkers who gave it to her at her shower last November - and look how perfectly it fits! She wore it on Wednesday night as she and her neighbors went trick or treating to a few homes on the street - but as it was chilly white tights and a turtleneck were added for warmth.. what a cutie! :)

Her other tricks include responding to the question "How big is Elizabeth?" by throwing her arms up in the air with abandon - which is where this picture came from.. She also answers the question "How old are you?" by holding up her index finger, correctly answering the question with the number one. This makes Aunt Jenny sure she's going to follow in her footsteps and be an accountant because she's already so good with numbers!

Fun in the Park

2007-10-22T13:52:00.001-04:00

Auntie Ki took Elizabeth to the park Sunday and they had a wonderful time! Love this picture of Elizabeth in the slide - isn't she adorable?

Chrissie went on her first business trip since bringing Elizabeth home in May, so this is going to be a tough couple days for everyone... hopefully Chrissie is too busy with the work stuff to miss her adorable daughter.. in the meantime the aunts and grandmother are having fun spending time with our little angel. Grammy brought little E to church - she squealed hello when she recognized Aunt Ki singing up on stage! And everyone was so excited to see her again - she's definitely a charmer!

Aunt Days!

2007-09-27T23:05:00.000-04:00

This week Grammy went to the beach, so GrammyDayCare was transformed to AuntDayCare - Aunt Jenny watched Elizabeth on Tuesday, and Tia Sarita on Thursday. On Tuesday Aunt Jenny took Elizabeth to Longwood Gardens then to the library - it was a fabulous day! She was full of smiles and had a great day!

Her First Car!

2007-09-23T23:49:00.000-04:00

I'm sure you think Elizabeth has everything - well, she didn't before, but she does now! Thanks to one of Chrissie's co-workers whose daughter has outgrown some things, Elizabeth now has a toy kitchen (with a sink!) and a car! Yep - a car... at 14 months the kid has her own set of wheels! She went for her first ride in the car today and she LOVED it (check out the pics in the slideshow)! Giggled and squealed as I ran her up and down the street, and cried when her Mommy made her get out and go shoe shopping... can you believe it, a girl not wanting to go shoe shopping!?!? Aunt Jenny was quick to try to instill a love of shoes, but it was past snacktime, so priorities had to be reorganized... we'll be working on her stamina, but she did get one pair of shoes - adorable little blue mary janes with flowers on the toes.

Elizabeth at the Beach

2007-09-14T13:32:00.000-04:00

Mommy, Auntie Ki and little E drove out to Long Island yesterday to visit Papi and the beach! This is E's first time and she loves it! She loves to watch the water and have the wind in her hair! :) All the neighbors are excited to finally meet her!

Happy Birthday!

2007-07-11T23:32:00.000-04:00

Today is Elizabeth's 1st birthday!

Here is what the cake looked like BEFORE Elizabeth got her hands (literally) on it.. and to the right you can see her just beginning to really taste it! I think she likes it - especially the icing, just like her Nana and Tia Sarita!

4th of July!

2007-07-06T15:36:00.000-04:00

Elizabeth enjoyed her first 4th of July in patriotic style this week, attending her first parade! She was not impressed by the tractors, beauty queens, politicians or even ponies.. but she did enjoy bobbing to the music!

Waving the stars and stripes (left) while wearing her very cute dress with stars on it, Elizabeth gets into the spirit of the holiday. We went to a cookout at Greg's house and to the right you can see she's in her booster seat all ready to enjoy some good stuff fresh off the grill!

Bikini Babe!

2007-06-28T15:41:00.000-04:00

Last week Chrissie's coworkers had a baby shower for her and someone gave her this fabulous bikini complete with hat and sunglasses.. and apparently Elizabeth took to it quite well! :)

Elizabeth starts "school" (daycare) next week as Chrissie eases back into work with a week of half-days... thankfully the daycare is close to Chrissie's office, and with the 4th of July holiday on Wednesday it should be a pretty quiet week..

Time Flies!

2007-05-29T13:05:00.001-04:00

Wow, the past 3 weeks have flown by! It's been a fabulous time of getting to know Elizabeth and getting settled into life... Elizabeth is now crawling and pulling herself up! :) She has made the rounds of various offices, meeting the coworkers of her mom and aunts, and making everyone fall in love with her!! She's a ham (LOVES the camera) and a joy - she seems to like people, especially when they are enthralled with her! She still loves music and enjoys chewing on stuff, as she adds to her inventory of 8 teeth. Chrissie is transitioning beautifully into a busy mom, making the most of opportunities to sleep or do laundry - in fact this afternoon I believe Elizabeth was dropped off at Grammy and Papi's for play time, and so Chrissie could go grocery shopping.. one of the many blessings of having the whole family close by!

We'll try to update the blog with pictures.. we have some great ones - the first Mother's Day with a 4-generation picture needs to get posted, along with the first time on a swing, etc... so much to do, and now there is no time! :)

Baths and Dinner

2007-05-09T23:04:00.000-04:00

Tonight Elizabeth discovered the joys of taking a bath! Grammy took her up for her bath tonite and the aunts went too, and for about 10-15 minutes we were thoroughly entertained as Elizabeth kicked and splashed and scooted herself around in the tub having a grand time.. we all laughed so hard our sides hurt! Check out those huge waves she's generated with her kicking! This is one HAPPY and JOYFUL baby! Grammy marveled at the difference in her - just 2 nights ago on Monday when she gave her a bath in the Guatemalan hotel she didn't even splash - tonite she was so animated and excited... how fabulous!

For months whenever our family has gathered around the dinner table and said grace a blessing was offered for Elizabeth... what a joy when grace was said tonite that Elizabeth was here with us, sitting in her highchair at the table!

To quiet the rumors that I've been making this up, here's a picture of Elizabeth with Aunt Jenny - to prove to my friends and coworkers that yes, I really do have a niece! :)

Isn't she wonderful!

HOME!!!!

2007-05-08T23:59:00.000-04:00

Yeah! Elizabeth is finally HOME!

An excited Papi, Aunt Ki, Rachel (right) and Aunt Jenny (behind the camera) met up at the airport complete with ballons and gifts... there was confusion over which terminal they were arriving into so the welcoming committee almost didn't make it to greet the travelers, but the Lord was gracious and we made it! How exciting to see Chrissie walking down the ramp holding Elizabeth!

In the confusion we ended up meeting up with a woman who was waiting to receive her 10-month baby girl from Guatemala! We were able to capture video of a new mom holding her baby for the first time!

Papi finally got to hold his first grandchild.. Elizabeth thinks he's fabulous - check out the thumbs up! :)

   I prayed for this child,
  and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him.
               - 1 Sam 1:27

It's late, we're all tired, but soooo thankful for this part of the journey to be over, and for "real" life to get started.. what a blessing! We couldn't be happier! :)

Cuteness Alert!

2007-05-07T13:30:00.000-04:00

Oh my goodness, she is SUCH an adorable baby! We just can't stop oohing and aaaahing over the pictures... just wait until she arrives in the US tomorrow!!!

Sarah took this picture this weekend - isn't she a doll?!!? what a cutie! Grammy tells me that once Tia Sarita got the camera out, Elizabeth was "smiling all over the place" - looks like we have another HAM! :)

We aunts "stuck" at home are battling jealousy over the grandmother and other aunt who are spending this week in Guatemala with Elizabeth.. we need to get her in the US so the "Favorite Aunt" competition can officially begin.. although Tia Sarita needs to bow out a bit and give us some room! :)

Grammy and Tia Sarita in Guatemala

2007-05-04T11:04:00.000-04:00

Grammy and Tia Sarita arrived in Guatemala yesterday - Chrissie was able to watch their plane land from the hotel. Chrissie and Elizabeth were waiting in the lobby when they arrived... very exciting!

Here you can see Elizabeth meeting Sarah, who was "working it" to get that first smile.. and she was rewarded! :) and in typical family fashion, the whole thing was picked up on video! This is going to be such a photographed baby!

The afternoon was spent sitting by the pool - Elizabeth was content to sit in her Grammy's lap for about a half hour - such a good baby! :)

For dinner they all went to the Sports Bar - noisy enough that if Elizabeth got fussy that it wouldn't bother anyone.. funny thing that Grammy brought up was that Chrissie's first outing as a baby was to a winery, so like mother like daughter! :)

So it looks like Elizabeth has started to embrace her new crazy family.. wait til she gets home and sees the rest of us!

Video!

2007-05-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

Ok, here is a video from Guatemala. I had to edit it down a lot to fit on You Tube. We are having fun! If I can edit the 2nd one I will get that uploaded as well. This video was shot on Thursday morning about 15 minutes after Elizabeth woke up. She is in her PJ's and still a little sleepy.

Kisses from Elizabeth

2007-05-03T09:46:00.000-04:00

Looks like Elizabeth is waming up!

Chrissie took this picture on Wednesday - she's sitting on the floor (that's her pink shoe on the left) and Elizabeth is sitting in front of her giving her kisses!

Isn't she ADORABLE!?!?!?

Sigh.. I can't wait to hold her.. I just LOVE her!

Update from Guatemala

2007-05-02T22:00:00.000-04:00

Hola! Elizabeth and I are getting to know each other, and we think this is going to be great fun! The first day she was not too sure, and each day it is better! Today she found her voice and was signing and babbling. She loves books and toys and music and loves to be out. When we come back to the room she gets fussy! Here's a pic of Elizabeth saying Hola to everyone back home!

Wednesday in Guatemala

2007-05-02T15:33:00.000-04:00

Just got off the phone with Chrissie - things are going well - she thinks Elizabeth is starting to like her! :) There was a game of peek-a-boo yesterday and Elizabeth cracked a smile, so things are looking up!

Here's a picture of Elizabeth playing in their hotel room - like Chrissie says, everything goes in her mouth! Apparently Elizabeth loves being out with people - likes to watch them, so they are spending lots of time at the pool and the hotel has a room they have converted into a playroom for the kids - so they spend a good deal of time there... Elizabeth likes to be right near Chrissie when she's in there, so that's fabulous news! :) She also really loves music, any toy with music makes her bob and sway a bit - wow, a baby with some rhythm - how fun!

I asked Chrissie if she feels like a Mom, and she said yes.. she also said she's sleeping well, but that she's tired! She said her arms are tired, and her legs are tired.. guess that goes with the territory!

She's looking forward to Grammy and Tia Sarita's arrival tomorrow... she wisely decided to lay down a bit when we got off the phone, since Elizabeth was still sleeping.. smart mom!

Elizabeth in new shoes

2007-05-01T06:44:00.000-04:00

Chrissie is SUCH a good Mommy - she sent us some pictures of Elizabeth! She's about 9.5 months old now, and looking tall (and of course beautiful!)

This is probably within a half hour of Chrissie receiving Elizabeth from the foster mother - for good! Looks like she got a haircut and check out her fancy shiny black shoes! :) But watch out, she's got the eyebrow creased - that's a warning sign for touble ahead! Apparently crying (was way past nap time) was next on the agenda... but once Chrissie realized the crib was on wheels and pushed it back and forth, Elizabeth fell into a peaceful sleep within moments!

I'm sure there will be much more to follow - stay tuned! :)

Elizabeth is with her Mommy!

2007-04-30T18:08:00.000-04:00

Yeah! I just got off the phone with a very happy Mommy - Chrissie arrived in Guatemala City a few hours ago and now has Elizabeth all to herself! She has checked into her hotel and is waiting for them to deliver the crib... Elizabeth is wearing the cute outfit in the latest picture (one that Chrissie sent down) and of course is ADORABLE! :) Chrissie showed Elizabeth all sorts of toys and the one she is interested in is Chrissie's book! how fun. We didn't talk long because after a few minutes Elizabeth started to get fussy - it's past her nap time and she's tired - so Chrissie had to get a bottle ready for her... but at least we know Chrissie made it safely to Guatemala and that she's connecting with her daughter - starting a lifetime journey together.... how precious!

Busy Preparations

2007-04-24T19:18:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy 2 weeks getting ready for Elizabeth's homecoming. While her room has been ready for some time, there always seems to be more that is needed! Tonight I am working on several forms needed for the Embassy and gathering the necessary documentation. In between, I squeeze additional items into my overflowing suitcase, or jot a note down for someone at work... all these details! But I am enjoying this time of preparation and anticipation.
Grammy and Tia Sarita (aka Aunt Sarah) are eagerly awaiting their first meeting. Sarah has had a rough couple of weeks tending to the stunned and broken hearts in Virgina Tech, so this will be a welcome change for her. And Grammy is still walking on cloud 9!

Coming Home!

2007-04-18T07:48:00.000-04:00

Hallelujah! The day of Elizabeth's homecoming has been scheduled! The Embassy appointment is Friday May 4. We are allowed to leave Guatemala on Tuesday May 8. I am very excited as is the rest of the family. I will travel down a few days early and them Grammy and Aunt Sarah will join us for the Embassy appointment and the flights home. Elizabeth will officially become a US citizen when we land from our connecting flight May 8!

As you can imagine, this is a HUGE answer to prayer and I want to thank you all for your continued support. I heard from the agency last night that I was very "lucky" because the other appointment they got yesterday was for May 14. I also think that Congressman Castle's office had something to do with it as well and I am going to give them a call this afternoon.

YAHOO, Elizabeth is coming home!!

Into the Embassy

2007-04-13T14:07:00.000-04:00

More progress... My case entered the US Embassy in Guatemala on April 11. They review the case file and then schedule the visa interview. I should hear by the 19th when my interview will be. Once the visa interview is complete, Elizabeth comes home for good!

Progress

2007-04-04T11:26:00.000-04:00

Good news, we have progress towards Elizabeth's homecoming. The adoption decree is complete, and her birth certificate has been updated with my last name. Apparently it was quite a trip to get the updated birth certificate as it needed to be hand collected from the remote mountainous town where she was born. Instead of being a 1-2 day thing it ended up being more like 5. So, I am happy that is complete!
Next step is for the attorneys to collect all the appropriate documents and submit to the US Embassy for their final approval and visa appointment. We expect to hear when the visa appointment will be the week of April 16. Unfortunately with the delays at the Embassy the appointment will be a few weeks from that date. It used to be a 7-14 day turnaround, so this delay is frustrating. After all, Elizabeth is now mine! I just am not able to bring her back into the US until that visa interview.
Thanks for your continued support, prayer, and interest! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Delays at US Embassy

2007-03-30T08:13:00.000-04:00

Say it ain't so... there is a back up at the US Embassy in Guatemala. I have heard from the agency that because of the recent fraud cases, and the upcoming Easter break, the US Embassy has a back up in approving cases and scheduling the visa interviews. What a bummer! I don't have too many details at this point, other then it may be a few more weeks. I can't believe it! I have waited all this time for the Guatemalan side to approve, and now the US Embassy is slow.

March Pics!

2007-03-24T06:40:00.000-04:00

What a week, PGN approval and new pictures from the pediatrician! His report says she has 6 teeth, sits by herself, and healthy. She is 19 pounds and 28 inches long.

By the way, this is the outfit I sent down recently! I can't wait to see her soon!!

APPROVED!!!!

2007-03-22T16:00:00.000-04:00

Praise God!! The PGN approved my case today!! I got word less than an hour ago that the PGN approved my case! My agency told me there were two other cases that were not approved, so thank goodness mine was approved!

I do not have the details worked out yet, but I will probably travel down to pick up Elizabeth after Easter. It takes a few weeks to finalize all the documents, the adoption decree, her passport, etc.

Yahoo!!! More details later!!!

State Department News

2007-03-19T13:24:00.000-04:00

Many of you have probably seen the recent news that the US State Department is no longer recommending Americans adopt from Guatemala. They cite many issues with corruption in the process. Below is a link to an article that explains the US State Department's point of view.

I do not know what this means for my case and others in process, other then the bit of information in the article about things taking longer. Thankfully, the State Department has not put a ban on cases in progress. I am in the final stages, I just have the one big hurdle to get the approval from Guatemala. Once that happens, Elizabeth is mine in the eyes of Guatemala. I hope to hear this week that the approval on my case has been signed.

Please continue to pray for my case and for others in Guatemala. It is a sad situation with no easy answers.

Article link: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ADOPTIONS_GUATEMALA?SITE=KHOU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

The Big Question

2007-03-14T19:50:00.000-04:00

And the answer is...I am still waiting to hear if the PGN approves my case. It looks like most approvals are taking 7 weeks. My case re-entered on February 2, so 7 weeks from that date is March 23. That is the new target date to hear from the PGN.

If the approval comes on or close the the 23rd, I'll probably head down to Guatemala after Easter.
So exciting!!

still waiting...

2007-03-09T16:03:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am still waiting to hear if my case is approved by the PGN in Guatemala. It has been a long and tough wait and it looks like it will be another couple of weeks. I spoke with the agency today and she said she will keep me posted when the cases that went in just before mine come out so I will have a better idea on timing.

Sigh...

Another Video

2007-03-03T11:49:00.000-05:00

Here is another video from my visit in November to see Elizabeth in Guatemala. Aunt Carrie is the videographer. Elizabeth is being a good sport and being patient while Mommy and Aunt Carrie have fun with those big cheeks!

February Pics!

2007-02-24T07:01:00.000-05:00

The pediatrician sent new pictures and an update from Elizabeth's visit to his office on February 23rd. Here is his report: Estrella came today to my office, she is 7 months old, weights 18.4 pounds, length 71.5 cms, head circumference 42 cms. She has 4 teeth visible, drinks 8 ounces of formula and 3 solid meals during the day, sits down without help, babbles a lot, goes to bed at 9pm, she received a booster vaccine.

By the way, she is not in the outfit I sent down. My guess is the foster mom has not received it yet (boo!).

It has now been 3 weeks since in PGN and no word, but that is typical. The good thing is now we are in the time period where we should hear from PGN soon! Pray for an approval!!

Sent Gifts To Guat

2007-02-13T10:23:00.000-05:00

I am so happy to be able to send gifts down to Elizabeth and her foster family and know that they get them! Monday I bought an outfit, toy, disposable camera, and jelly beans (for the foster family - apparently they like them) dropped it all off at the adoption agency office and then someone will be hand delivering to my foster family in Guatemala. The foster mother was wonderful about taking pictures with the other cameras I sent to her. It was great to see Elizabeth in her foster home environment being loved and cared for by the foster family! I can't wait to see these pictures!

Elizabeth typically goes to see the pediatrician at the end of each month. The doctor sends me 2 pictures from each visit. I hope to see Elizabeth in the outfit I sent down in the next set of pics!

No news yet on the progress at the PGN - but that is typical as my case has only been in a little over 1 week.

Back in PGN!

2007-02-06T13:37:00.000-05:00

Good news, my case re-entered the PGN (Guatemala Attorney General's office) on Friday, February 2!! The standard process is that we wait to hear and the wait could be 3-6 weeks. We want the outcome to be approved, so keep praying! This is the final hurdle, once the PGN approves the adoption, it is official.

Process Update

2007-02-02T08:19:00.000-05:00

Finally, some news on the birth certificate error that got my case kicked out! Since the error was noted 12/19/06, my attorney in Guatemala hired a couple of people to fix the error with the town's registrar only to come back each time with the error not appropriately fixed. So, finally, my attorney sends someone from her office to go the the town's registrar and fix the error. I got word Thursday evening that it has been fixed, and they have a lot of documentation to back it up! This is great news!
The next step is to get my case back into PGN (the attorney general's office). I am hoping it goes into today, if everything looks good. It takes about 4-5 weeks to hear anything from the PGN. When my case is re-submitted it goes in a stack and in order with all the other cases (it does not go to the top of the list because it is a re-submission). A couple of things can happen at this point - the person assigned to review could see that the error is fixed and send off as approved for the attorney general to sign, or the reviewer could again look at all the documents. If that is the case, please pray they don't find any more errors!

By the way, we have had over 400 hits to this website since the end of October. Thanks for visiting and following the story of bringing Elizabeth home!

Sleeping Beauty...

2007-01-24T11:36:00.000-05:00

Look at these latest pictures of our precious Elizabeth! The foster mother takes her to the doctor once a month and the peditrician takes pictures and e-mails them to Chrissie's adoption agency.

This one is the little princess crashed out at the doctor's office (this must be before the shot!).. it's so funny the way she falls asleep with her arms out to her sides, like she doesn't have a care in the world!

It says "Estrella" on her dress because that is the name on her birth certificate.. it means "star", and of course she's a star to us, but we'll be calling her Elizabeth (or Princess Elizabeth!!) :)

Along with the pictures Chrissie got this e-mail from the pediatrician:

[Elizabeth] came today to my office, she is 6 months old, weighs 18 pounds, length 70 cms, head circumference 41.5 cms. She is receiving 6 ounces of Similac 6 times during the day and 2 solid foods, but now she starts with Step 2 of Gerber Products which includes mixed cereals, chicken and more vegetables. Foster informed that she sits down with help, rolls over her body, grabs objects, goes to bed at 9 and awakes at 2 am asking for milk. She received third dose of B hepatitis. Looks healthy.

Isn't she beautiful!?!?!

Chrissie hopes to get confirmation that the case has been resubmitted to PGN this week, so that we can start adjusting our expectations on her arrival in March.. of course we want her here with us already, but we're focusing now on March.. the good thing is that Grammy & Papi will move into their new home less than 10 miles from Chrissie's by then, so they'll be nice and close! :)

PGN Update - Still Fixing

2007-01-16T12:27:00.000-05:00

PGN approval is the major final hurdle in the adoption process, and for my case, seems to be the most challenging. The errors were discovered December 19, and the last error is still not fixed. This means that my case has not re-entered PGN for the Guatemalan attorney general's review. It seems my attorneys need to hire a second person to fix the error they discovered on the birth mother's birth certificate. The attorney they hired to fix by 1/12/07 was unable to do so.

This is frustrating. I hope they are able to fix this week, so I can re-enter PGN next week. Once I receive the approval from PGN, it takes 3 weeks to finalize the paperwork and I can bring Elizabeth home for good.

New Pics!

2006-12-24T08:52:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas! Today I received 3 new photos of Elizabeth from her visit to the pediatrician. His report states: Elizabeth came on Dec. 22 to my office, she is 5 months old, weights 17 pounds, length 69 cms, head circumference 41 cms. She has two teeth visible, she responds when you mentioned her name, has good appetite, activity, and neurological development, no vaccines in this visit.
Wow! 2 teeth! She is getting so big, I hope to have her home very soon!
Please continue to pray for a quick resolution to the name issue in PGN.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

PGN Update - 3 Errors

2006-12-20T13:59:00.000-05:00

The PGN report came back on December 19 with 3 errors. Two of them are minor and resolved, but the third error is more difficult, and one they haven't seen before. It seems that the bio mother's father legally changed his name many years ago, but the bio mother's birth certificate has his old name. All my documents are correct as legal as they reflect what the town's civil registry has, but the PGN seems concerned about this discrepancy and is wondering why he changed his name (and it looks to be his middle name, or first family name).

When I talked with the adoption agency, they said the attorneys in Guatemala were working on it, but they have not experienced this before. They were not sure if all they need is a letter from the town's civil registry confirming the name change, or if they need to interview the bio mother and grandfather, or if they need to reissue the bio mother's birth certificate or do all three of those.

This is a bummer! There is not a specific time to resolution, I hope to get more information later in the week. When I asked if I should book flights for my business trips in early to mid January, I was told I would be fine to go - meaning my case will most likely not have cleared by then. Trusting that all will work out fine is a tough one at this moment, I am trying to remain positive that all will be cleared up soon and Elizabeth will be home in no time.

Merry Christmas to you all! Thanks for your support throughout the year, and let's continue to pray for quick resolution and completion of the adoption process!

PGN!

2006-11-30T15:24:00.001-05:00

Yahoo! We are in PGN as of November 29, 2006!!! This is great news, and the last, big hurdle to finalizing the adoption. PGN is the supreme court of Guatemala and they review everything in order to rule out fraud. Many cases get kicked out of PGN, this means you need to fix errors on your documents and enter back in. We will find out in 4 weeks if we have any errors - that would be around December 27. The attorneys in Guatemala check on the case status each week, so hopefully we will get a heads up if we need to fix any documents.

Please continue to pray for a speedy process!

Here is an explanation from another document on the PGN process:
Once in the Procuraduria, PGN, (Solicitor General’s Office) the case will be considered for the issuance of the adoption order. In the Procuraduria, the case is carefully scrutinized by Guatemalan Government attorneys who make sure that all of the requirements for a proper and legal adoption have been met. Time frame for completion of this step is highly variable, and depends mainly on how many of the documents that the Procuraduria attorney asks for clarification or correction on. Usually when a case gets “rejected” by the Procuraduria, the corrections can be made in Guatemala (errors by civil registrars in Guatemala on birth certificates, birthmother’s cedula, etc.) such that the case can be resubmitted without the adopting family having to re-do documents. However, if the case gets rejected from Procuraduria because of faulty documents that were included with the family’s dossier, the adopting family will be expected to reimburse for expenses of registering and translating new US documents, (for example, a police clearance which does not indicate “no record”, a marriage certificate that does not have a date of issuance, a doctor’s letter or homestudy report which causes question of mental illness or alcoholism in the adopting parents, etc.

Latin Time....

2006-11-27T22:28:00.000-05:00

Chrissie's case hasn't been submitted into PGN yet.

I know, last Sunday I posted that Luigi told her he'd submit it to PGN last Monday or Tuesday. We've heard that Latin time is different than US-time - looks like this is a good example. Someone told Chrissie to add 1+ weeks to whatever timeframe she's given.

Sigh.

We just want precious Elizabeth here with us. Now. For Christmas. Forever.

Look at me!

2006-11-22T18:20:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth fits in the bag, maybe we can squeeze her in tomorrow for the plane rides back to Delaware!

Carrie and I are heading back home tomorrow. It has been a great trip, with lots of firsts - first cereal, first giggle, first shot with mommy present, first mohawk (during tubby!).

First Cereal!

2006-11-21T11:48:00.000-05:00

Today was a big day as Elizabeth had her first taste of cereal! She seemed to like it and ate a pretty good portion. Grace helped me mix it to the right consistency and showed me how to get it in her mouth - although I think I could have gotten that one! We have a few more pictures here, a couple from Carrie's walk around the neighborhood and some of the cereal tasting.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=5rj7qr9.903m9zx9&Uy=hltj95&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&UV=554856845245_358729693405

¡Hola from Guatemala!

2006-11-20T15:16:00.000-05:00

Mommy and Anut Carrie arrived safe and sound in Guatemala on Saturday. Unfortunately, we had to wait in line at immigration for over an hour! Anyway, Luigi was waiting for us and we went back to Graces house where Elizabeth was waiting for us - although she was sleeping the first time Aunt Carrie met her!
Elizabeth has another cold - or perhaps the same one - as she had my last trip a few weeks ago. Other then that, she pretty much looks the same - her hair is a little longer. She is pulling her head up and we are working on tummy time - she lays on her tummy to play. She is somewhat unsure of it at this point. She even spent some time in the walker/activity center.
On Sunday we went and had lunch with Henry, and his mom and dad - Richard and Nanci. They are staying at the Marriott and we had a great time chatting with all the people and we had lunch and played in the baby room. It was a great visit, especially since Nanci and I spend lots of time emailing, so meeting face to face was fun!
On Monday we went to see the pediatrican who gave Elizabeth a good report, despite the cold. She got a shot, which made her cry and cry. We hope she will not be too grumpy over the next couple of days. Elizabeth is 16 pounds and strong - per Dr. E.
We will have more news later. We are very excited to have access to the Internet while here at Graces - makes a big difference in keeping up with all of you. Please do send us emails and let us know how you are doing!

Here are links to a few phots we have taken: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=5rj7qr9.6fnyslxp&Uy=-by9z1l&Ux=0
hint: right click on the link and choose Open in a New window.

Adoption Process News

2006-11-19T19:50:00.000-05:00

I spoke with Chrissie and Aunt Ki today - they are having a wonderful time with Elizabeth - how cute are those pictures!! Chrissie spoke with Luigi about her case and he plans to submit it to PGN (the Guatemalan court) on Monday or Tuesday. Then he said it will be about 4 weeks to hear if it will be kicked out or not... if it gets kicked out then they need to correct whatever the issue was and re-submit.. but if it isn't kicked out it could be "out of PGN" (which means APPROVED) and then Chrissie and Grammy can make their travel arrangements for the PICK UP trip! So perhaps Elizabeth can ring in 2007 with her Mommy!!!! (or celebrate MLK day?!)... whatever the date, hopefully it's soon!

Grins in Guat

2006-11-19T16:00:00.000-05:00

How cute is THIS one? (For some reason Grammy messed up in uploading the 3 together, sorry.)

Carrie writes that they're having a grand time and the food is so good. They got together Sunday with a couple who is adopting Henry. Henry is 2 and likes to give Elizabeth kisses.

This is a great visit for the folks back home because we can get updates and pictures and the phone card even works! Hooray!

Elizabeth's many faces! 11-19-06

2006-11-19T15:44:00.000-05:00

Guatemala Bound!

2006-11-17T21:31:00.000-05:00

Chrissie and Aunt Ki are going to Guatemala tomorrow - just can't stay away from precious Elizabeth! Besides the excitement of meeting her niece, Aunt Ki is also excited to get her first stamp in her brand new passport!

They arrive in Guatemala City around 2:30pm - Luigi will again be meeting them at the airport and taking them back to Grace's, where Elizabeth will be waiting!!! More good news - apparently the internet connection is working at Grace's now, so we hopefully will be getting periodic updates! yeah!

So next week be on the lookout - we should have new pictures (and a video!?!?) of our fabulous Elizabeth.. maybe she can roll over now!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Process Update: Social Worker Report

2006-11-11T08:20:00.000-05:00

Good news, the Guatemalan social worker has completed the required report to move my case out of Guatemalan Family Court. This is good news given the fact that beginning November 15 the courts go to half staff for the holidays. My assigned social worker is in Court 1 which is scheduled for a month off November 15 - December 15. Whew!! The next step is the final one, going into PGN. PGN can take 6-12+ weeks, so we continue to pray for a quick process.

Video and Pics!

2006-11-01T15:36:00.000-05:00

To answer the call for more photos and pics from Jen and Chrissie's trip to Guatemala in October, here are a couple of links. Aunt Jenny was the primary photographer and videographer and she has done a fabulous job! We are new to this video stuff, so once we figure out how to edit the hours of video we will post more!

Pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=5rj7qr9.3v8e02tx&x=0&y=ml9rc4
Hint: To open in a new window, RIGHT click on the link and select "Open in New Window". That way the blog site will remain open in the background.

Play the video of Elizabeth taken by Aunt Jenny!

Back home!

2006-11-01T00:21:00.000-05:00

We literally just got home after a very long day of good-byes and traveling, but I had to share a few pictures of precious Elizabeth... she is wonderful! We fell in love with her immediately (she had us at the first hiccup)! Chrissie took to being a parent beautifully - anticipating Elizabeth's needs and wants and being overjoyed just looking at her! I was quite impressed with my little sister - she's a great mom! :)

Elizabeth was a joy to be with - to look at, to hold, to smell (you know, that "baby" smell!) - she coos and gives "raspberries" and blows bubbles - even hearing her breathe at night was precious!!

Tomorrow (11/1) Chrissie hopes to figure out how to share video - because you think these pictures are adorable... wait until you see the "8 minutes of sweetness" (that I edited down to 2.5)!!

There are lots of stories to share - hopefully we'll see you soon and bore you with all the details!

We are in Guatemala!

2006-10-29T12:17:00.000-05:00

It is Sunday and Chrissie and I are sitting in an internet cafe in Antigua, a charming colonial town about an hour from Guatemala City... Elizabeth is with us, looking charming in her blue outfit with pink cable cardigan sweater (because it´s chilly) and the cute bonnet Grammy bought her... we will have lots of pics!. Pedro, Grace´s nephew, is driving and taking us around.

Elizabeth is just the most wonderful baby ever! She takes a bottle every 3 hours... last night she surprised Chrissie by going to sleep at 8pm and not getting up for a bottle until 1am! Poor Chrissie kept getting up anticipating Elizabeth was going to want some food! :)

Well, Elizabeth is hungry, so we have to get going... later!

Off to see the baby!

2006-10-25T20:49:00.000-04:00

Wow.. 24 hours from now Chrissie will be holding her daughter!!! Hard to believe! We're just about all packed, and Chrissie was able to upgrade Aunt Jenny on the international flight, so yeah!! :)

We believe someone is meeting us and taking us to our "home away from home", and shortly thereafter we hope to meet Elizabeth! Then we will be responsible for our precious Elizabeth hopefully until Tuesday when we head back home to the States... so I imagine we'll be spending the next 5 days just watching her, and holding her, and feeding her.. sigh. What a joy!

We're not sure what kind of connections (phone and internet) we're going to have, but we'll try to update the blog, or perhaps Grammy or Aunt Ki or Tia Sarah could post details from an e-mail or phone call (hint hint!).

I covet your prayers - for our travel and our 6 days/5 nights with Elizabeth - for health, stamina and patience (and a little sleep too!??!)...

Adios!

About Guatemala

2006-10-16T13:15:00.000-04:00

This post is just to share some information about the country Elizabeth comes from (and that Chrissie and Aunt Jenny are going to visit in 10 days!).

The country's flag is shown on the left with a white stripe between two sky blue stripes, representing the fact that Guatemala is a land located between two oceans (Pacific and Atlantic). In the center of the flag is the Guatemalan coat of arms. It includes the national bird, the Resplendent Quetzal, which symbolizes liberty. The olive branch wreath symbolizes victory. A parchment scroll bears the date of Central America's independence from Spain Sept 15, 1821. Crossed rifles indicate Guatemala's willingness to defend itself by force, if need be, and crossed swords represent honor.

The New Guatemala Republic (including what is now El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica) received it's independence from Spain on Sept 15, 1821, although it was still a part of the newly independent state of Mexico. In 1823 Guatemala became independent from Mexico as well.

At 2.5 million inhabitants, Guatemala City is the most populous city in Central America, but most of the country's 12.8 million people live outside the capital city.

The currency is the Guatemalan quetzal - GTQ (named after the national bird - the Resplendent Quetzal). As of 10/16 there are approximately 7.6 GTQ per $1 US dollar.

Thanks Grammy and Papi!

2006-10-03T19:41:00.000-04:00

Elizabeth sends her thanks to Grammy and Papi for the stroller! It arrived today and Aunt Ki (Carrie) put it together. Mommy and Aunt Jenny will be taking it down to Guatemala on the 26th.

Notice the special Aunt Ki touch of putting the baby doll IN the stroller with a picture of Elizabeth's face!

PS - today Elizabeth is 12 weeks old.. time flies! ;)

September Pics

2006-10-03T09:54:00.000-04:00

Finally, I receive the September pictures from the pediatrician!! The foster mom dressed her in the outfit I sent down, my favorite one (size 3 months) with the little flowered top and lavender pants. Elizabeth looks determined in the pic, with her wrinkled brow and fists - perhaps she knew she was getting a shot!

Here is the note from the doctor:

[E] came today to my office on September 27th, she is 2 months old,
weights 13 pounds, length 60 cms, head circumference 37.5 cms. She is growing
rapidly with Similac formula 4 ounces every 3 or 4 hours, she received first
dose of DPT, Polio and Haemophilus vaccine (Pentavalent), she looks active,
smiles socially, she is healthy at this moment.

Quilt

2006-10-01T23:42:00.000-04:00

Oh, Sweet Elizabeth... I [Aunt Sarah] started working on your quilt tonight. And once I got rolling, I didn't want to stop! But I have several more hours of work to do to piece together the front...

Several weeks ago your Mommy and I went to the fabric store and looked through all the bolts of fabric to pick out the right patterns and colors for your first blanket! We looked at hundreds of fabric samples and your Mommy finally decided on six different patterns, all with shades of greens and pinks.

Love, Tia Sarita

On the homefront

2006-10-01T14:49:00.000-04:00

Things are happening in Delaware in preparation for Elizabeth's arrival...

Elizabeth's new room is starting to take shape... the treadmill was moved to the basement so now it's ready for paint.
Chrissie was hoping to find a video camera this weekend...
The blog has been updated and moved to it's new address (what do you think!??!)

In Court Today!

2006-09-27T15:17:00.000-04:00

We are really moving now! My case is officially in Guatemalan family court as of today. A social worker has been assigned. Next step is for the social worker to interview the birth mother and write her report.

DNA Test Today

2006-09-26T16:40:00.000-04:00

Elizabeth’s DNA test was taken today. The DNA is tested by swabbing the inside of the cheek, known as a buccal swab, of both baby and birth mother. The tests are analyzed by LabCorp in NC. Results take 1-2 weeks.

Visit Planned!

2006-09-25T17:16:00.000-04:00

In 4.5 weeks baby Elizabeth gets to meet her new Mommy! Chrissie and Aunt Jenny have their airline tickets to Guatemala City to meet/visit October 26-31. It's VERY exciting!

Another nice thing about our visit is that Chrissie's friend Nanci and her family will be there meeting again with 2-year-old Henry, their soon-to-be-son. They went down a few weeks ago and have been able to share tips on the area and how things work. We hope to be able to get Henry and Elizabeth together next month...

Chrissie plans to get a video camera this weekend and start training Aunt Jenny how to use it - so she can capture the first meeting of mother and child... *sigh*

The Mommy Post!

2006-09-17T19:16:00.000-04:00

Special thanks to Aunt Jenny for creating Elizabeth's very own Blog! And thanks to the fam and others who have contributed!

I am too excited to express as I await the time when I meet Elizabeth in person and bring her home to meet the family. I am in love with the pictures and anticipate the next round of pictures from the pediatrician each month on the 18th.

On September 14, 2006, there was some movement in the adoption process. My papers have been translated and re-authenticated and were presented to the American Embassy in Guatemala for processing. Unfortunately, there was an issue found with one of the forms, so the lawyers in Guatemala will fix it and represent my papers in a few days. Let's call that progress!!

Mommy at 8 weeks

2006-09-05T19:32:00.000-04:00

Today you are 8 weeks old, Elizabeth!

Here's a picture of your Mommy at 8 weeks. Isn't she a cutie? Just like YOU are a cutie!

We are thinking about you night and day--we pray for you, too!

Love, Grammy

Prayer requests...

2006-08-30T17:23:00.000-04:00

Today Chrissie e-mailed the adoption agency for a status update, and was informed that her documents are being translated into Spanish and will be presented to the court very soon (hopefully by week's end). The next steps are:

the law office in Guatemala sends someone to the courthouse to get the case submitted
a judge and social worker are assigned to the case
the social worker interviews the birth mother and initiaties the DNA testing, as well as reviewing all of Chrissie's documents

So we're asking for prayers for each step in this process:

for a fair judge
for a fast working and proactive social worker
for a good interview between the birth mother and social worker - that the birth mother would have peace about her decision
smooth DNA testing

Will keep you updated as we get more information!!

Grammy & Papi

2006-08-24T21:48:00.000-04:00

Here are your silly grandparents celebrating your Grammy's birthday in New Hampshire. They absolutely can't wait to meet you!

Maybe they'll even take you kayaking on one of YOUR birthdays if your Mommy says it's OK.

And we'll have lots of cake and ice cream, too!

Love, Grammy and Papi

Belts....

2006-08-24T15:17:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I (Aunt Jenny) wanted to share the most recent picture of my precious niece with some coworkers, so in typical over-the-top computer-geek-fashion I created a powerpoint presentation! But I got some flack about the self-serving title: "The Making of Aunt Jenny"... so this blog was born.

While on the (internet/skype/VoiP) phone with friend Brenda (a former pediatric nurse who is currently living in Hungary), Elizabeth's picture was ooh'd and aaww'd over... I commented about our concern re the belt - but Brenda quickly assured me that this was not the case - it isn't a belt - it's the measuring tape the doctor uses!!! duh! So no need to try to "rescue" Elizabeth from tacky dressing - she's ok!!

More pictures!

2006-08-19T12:08:00.000-04:00

Chrissie received another e-mail from the pediatrician - with more pictures!

Baby Elizabeth (called Estrella Marina by the doctor) was brought into his office on Friday, 8/18 - at one month she weighed 10 pounds - length 55 cms and a head circumference of 36 cm (apparently that's good!!). He also said she got some shots and is "growing rapidly, has good muscular tone, activity, smiles socially, has good eye tracking movement, still awakes once or twice at nights asking for milk. She looks healthy."

Now honestly, isn't she just the most adorable baby ever!??!

note: the gold belt is a bit much... Grammy-to-be called it her "hoochy-mamma" belt... gracious! Chrissie send that baby some clothes - and soon!

Adoption Announcement

2006-07-31T15:36:00.000-04:00

Today Chrissie sent out this e-mail to share her news about Elizabeth (and included the pictures from the 7/27 post):

Hi Everyone,

As many of you know, I have decided to start a family through adoption. I am in the process of adopting a baby girl from Guatemala, and last week the adoption agency presented me with the referral of a baby girl born on July 11, 2006! This is so exciting! :)

She appears to be a very healthy infant, and at 1 week old was 8 pounds – which is a very good weight, especially for Guatemala. I’ve attached a few pictures that the Guatemalan pediatrician has taken.

I will be naming her Elizabeth, and hope to go and visit her in Guatemala within the next couple of months, before she is able to come home for good. It will take 4-6 months to finish the paperwork and legal proceedings, so hopefully she will be here for Christmas. There are a few more hoops to jump through during this waiting period.

Thanks to all for your support! I will continue to send updates and pictures as I get them!

Referral!

2006-07-27T20:00:00.000-04:00

On July 27, 2006 while Chrissie was dropping off some documents with the adoption agency, one of the women said oh here's a new baby girl - too bad you're not "paper-ready"... and the other woman said "oh yes she is!" So Chrissie was given a referral!! She had the right of refusal to adopt this baby, pending some lab tests.

They gave her these three 8.5 x 11 color printouts of a baby girl who was born in Guatemala on July 11, 2006. Then Chrissie received an e-mail 2-3 hours later from the doctor with the pictures and additional information.

Chrissie immediately called Mom & Dad, who were at the beach in Montauk, and Jennifer called at the same time so a 3-way call was set up as the grandmother and aunt-to-be hurriedly opened their e-mail to see the pictures.

When Aunt Carrie got home Chrissie shared the exciting news and pictures with her. Then Aunt Sarah called after looking at a house with Rachel, and they were requested to come over... Sarah was given the happy news... apparently tears were shed.. Aunt Jenny arrived later, and it was decided that a celebration was in order... so off we went to La Tolteca, and toasted Elizabeth with margaritas!

Her spanish name is Estrella, which means star. We love her already. She's a star to us!! :)