Cutie patootie:)

Sunday afternoon at the park

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this little munchkin? :)

Things that make Elizabeth run from the room screaming

Nasal Aspirator (battery operated!)

Fingernail clippers

Grrr...

So, Elizabeth has had some conjestion and watery eyes over the past few days. No fever, though, so I took her to Day Care today. E's Dr. says it is probably allergies. I called around mid day to see how she was doing. I spoke with Abby, the Day Care provider's assistant. Abby said that E was doing ok, but has a very runny nose, etc. We talked for a few minutes, then Abby asked, "Do you think her real mother did drugs?" Uggg...This isn't the first time someone has referred to E's birth mother as her "real mother." It just really bugs me. I know Abby wasn't trying to hurt my feelings. She isn't educated about adoption, and the language to use. It still really bothered me, though. I also didn't like her assumption that birth mother did drugs, and that is why Elizabeth has a runny nose at 23 months of age?? Yeah, whatever...Grrr...
This fake mom is signing off now to go check on the fake vaporizor in her fake daughter's bedroom.

Who would have thought it?

I've had this post swirling around in my head for the past few days, and I'm finally sitting down to (try) to write it in a somewhat coherent manner. What makes it tricky is that someday, I know Elizabeth will read this, so I want to be really careful how I word what I want to say here.

I read quite a few adoption blogs (I love you all, don't ever stop!) and many of them have had posts this week about Open Adoption. Reading them has really made me think...A lot... I've had many people IRL ask me if Elizabeth's adoption is "open." That is such a strange question to me. The truth is, I'd really like to meet Elizabeth's birth parents. I'd really like for them to know how beautiful and amazing this little girl is. I want to tell them how special they both are to me because they created Elizabeth. There are so many things I want to share with them. No one is more surprised by these feelings than I am. Before I went into the adoption process, I sort of had that "TV movie of the week" feeling about birth parents. You know, that they are a threat, and that if you keep open contact with them, they will one day come to your house in the middle of the night to "get their baby back." I never thought I would feel disappointed that in my case, I have had no contact with Elizabeth's birth parents. Zero. Zilch. Elizabeth's birth parents have a lot of challenges and limitations. To be honest, I'm really not sure how they processed the whole thing- having a baby (who never went home from the hospital with them), having supervised visitations and attempted reunification services, and ultimately losing parental rights. I don't know what they think of everything that happened, or how they feel. I wish I did. I find myself wanting to make some kind of connection with E's birth mom, especially. But I just think she is not able to do that. Cognitively, she isn't there. It's funny, Elizabeth and I live 10, maybe 15 minutes max away from birthmom. But it's like we are on two separate planets, our worlds are so different.

In one month, Elizabeth will be 2 (I know!). As part of the adoption finalization paperwork, I decided I will send pictures of E to the agency once a year, around E's birthday, so that if the birthparents want to know how E is doing, they can go to the agency. That was totally my choice. It was not requested by the birth family, or by the agency. I just know that every July from now on, I will send pictures and write a letter to the birthparents. These updates may just sit in a file year after year, untouched, collecting dust. But maybe not. I hope not. I want them to know that in spite of of all the hard times they have had, and the mistakes they have made, they did one thing unbelievably right. Somehow, sending a few pictures once a year seems like the least I can do.

This may be TMI, but...

Elizabeth went peepee in her little potty for the first time tonight!! I was getting her bath ready, and while she was waiting, she just sat sat herself down on her potty, and did it! I was so excited, I started clapping and telling her how proud of her I was. I don't think she really got what I was so excited about (I think we're still quite a ways from any kind of actual potty training), but she humored me and smiled and clapped, too:)
I love this age, she is doing new things every day. It is so much fun to watch her develop and grow, but it is going so fast! The times I get tired, or frustrated with her, I try to remember that she will only be little for a short time, and then it's over. I want to savor every moment.

Some Sunday coolness

Elizabeth trying to relax at home, but unfortunately, the paparazzi found her. It's so hard being such a big deal...

Tuesday PM

Not too much new here. I took Elizabeth to her regular Dr. this morning to check her ears again. She still has a cold, and I've noticed her tugging on her right ear a few times, even after a week on antibiotics. The Dr. said the ear infections are clearing up, it just takes a while. It feels like she has basically had a cold since December. Ugg...

Oh, and this morning Elizabeth decided to play in the toilet water while brushing her teeth, and dropped her toothbrush into the toilet. She then proceeded to fish it out and was thisclose to putting the brush in her mouth when I stopped her. I handled it in a very calm, mature manner. "Oh gross, NO! That was in the toilet, yuck!!" Needless to say, Elizabeth is the proud owner of a brand new toothbrush tonight. :)

Here are a couple of my cutie enjoying her bath:)