22 December 1999
Well I suppose everyone has wondered what has been going on.
Well we are getting use to being a family!

The first week as a
family was very interesting.  Neither parents slept soundly!  All
of us slept when AJ slept.  He would go to bed around 7 PM,
then wake at EXACTLY 3:40 AM then back to sleep until
EXACTLY 8:40 AM.  Then he was ready for the day!.  This was
a learning experience!  A bottle and a diaper change does the
trick at that time of the morning!  He did this for the first two
nights.  Probably getting use to the new surroundings!  Then
came a full night of sleep!  We all slept the entire 3rd night!
During the first week, AJ was in the process of learning to sit
up and stay up by his self.  Mission accomplished!  Did we
forget to tell you that he had a cold the first week, and was so
nice to share!  At least we were all sick at the same time!

The second week had new surprises for us!  AJ decided that he
wanted to start being mobile!  He would get up on all fours,
(hands and feet, not knees).  He pushed with one foot and
dragged the other.  I kept telling him he was doing Push Ups!
By the end of the week, he had mastered the task of mobility!
Slow at first, yet still all over the place.  Big Boy!!!  He has the
most beautiful smile we have ever seen!  And he loves the time
Daddy spends singing to him!  ABC's and a song made new
everyday for the two of them!  He also had a doctors appt this
week.  All looks great!  And he is growing like a weed.  AJ now
has 2 teeth and cutting (I think) 2 more.  The Doc said to start
him on stage 2 foods, since he was eating 2 jars of food at each
meal.  Almost out of the 6-9 months! (long legs).  He is now
in between 6-9 month and 12 month clothes!  BIG BOY!

Week 3!!!!!!!!!  AJ now sleeps every night.  The teeth still have
not come in!  Although he has used a half tube ot Baby Oragel!
He has moved up to stage 3 Huggies!  (If you find coupons
send them our way PLEASE! ) That stuff is expensive.  LOL
Anyhow, now for his new trick!  While he was taking his nap, I
was is the office on the computer.  Monitor sits on our desk. He
woke up and I heard him playing.  Next thing I know, he got
real quiet except for a "hehehehehehehehe".  This I had to see,
so I snuck to his room.  AND LO AND BEHOLD there STOOD
AJ.  Standing up in his crib, holding the rail, just a giggling
and laughing!  Let me tell you it was a site to see!  Needless to
say, Chuck lowered the crib to the lowest point.  And Yes he is
still pulling himself up to the standing position.  Not only in the
crib, but in the living room and he pretends MOM is a pull-up
post.  He has ventured down the hall and today went to the
kitchen.  Look out world here comes the lil roadrunner!  LOL

Hopefully this will help fill everyone in on the "doings" of our
new young man!
 

2 DECEMBER 1999

Tomorrow is the BIG day!  AJ will come home permanently!
Chuck and I have been waiting a very long time.  I sometimes
feel that someone needs to pinch me to wake me up.  I feel
numb.  It is hard to believe that we will have our child home
by noon tomorrow!

There are not enough words to express the thankfulness we
want to tell everyone who has helped us become a "Forever
Family."  Please know that if we did not have the support from
our family, friends and the community, we would not be where
we are at today.