Dirt Pies

Today, daddy was left in charge of baby for a few moments outside.
Today, Maya ate a big handful of dirt.
Correlation??
;)

Our First Conversation

It went like this...
Mom: Maya, would you like some milk? (then I did the sign for milk)
Maya: NANANANANANA (then SHE did the sign for milk)
What a shock that she was telling me NO! Haha! This was the first time that she ever did that sign for me - yay! I guess the past 3 months of signing may be paying off. She also did the 'More' sign for me a couple days ago.
Not too much to update, though the girl just gets cuter by the day! Her nanny told me that when they leave the house and return now, Maya will always yell out 'Mama-Mama' when she gets inside. Ack! How cute! She is also very into covering her face with her hands and playing Peek-a-Boo. Unfortunately, she enjoys doing this while she is eating so that food cannot get past her hands and into her lips. Ahh.. the challenges of feeding a toddler! She also enjoys clapping these days, and LOVES to quickly clap and hit the spoon as it is on its way into her mouth. Argh!
My sister came to visit last weekend. We took a trip up into the mountains - to Breckenridge - for the night. Stayed at an AMAZING place (condos and townhomes) called Mountain Thunder Lodge. I would very highly recommend it to anyone visiting Breck. I found it from reviews on Tripadvisor.com - which is one of my all-time fav websites. Anyhow, I originally wanted to visit the area to see fall colors - the Aspens are changing. Last year we went to Telluride at this time and I got some amazing photos. This year it turned out that we saw fall colors with snow - as ~2' of snow fell the day prior! Very cool actually. It was gorgeous. Not a lot of aspen groves in the Breck area though... so next year we'll stick with Telluride.
Maya encountered snow for the first time, and wanted nothing to do with it. I have a photo actually - I will attach it to this post as soon as I can. I was hoping for cute snowbunny photos so I could create a Xmas card. Guess not!!
Tomorrow is our 2nd post-placement interview. Our court date is set for December 21st. How exciting! :)

In Honor of Maya's Birthmother

Upon the first birthday of our daughter, we wanted to post this message in honor of Maya's birthmother. We will never forget, and are forever grateful to, the person who has given us this most precious gift and changed our lives forever. We love and honor you for what you have given us, and promise a lifetime of love to our child.
{The picture is of jewelry symbolizing the 'Adoption Triangle' - one side for the adoptee, one for the adoptive family, and one for the birthparents - all bound together in love}
The words to the song 'From God's Arms, To My Arms, To Yours' by Micheal McLean were drawn from the writings of a young birthmother. I think it is important to always remember that I am not the only mother that is loving Maya every day - and I will ensure that Maya always understands this. I cannot imagine the pain that she feels, but I pray that she knows and finds comfort in the fact that Maya is LOVED.

From God's Arms, To My Arms, To Yours

So many wrong decisions in my past, I'm not quite sure
If I can ever hope to trust my judgement anymore.
But lately I've been thinking,
Cause it's all I've had to do.
And in my heart I feel that I
Should give this child to you.
And maybe, you could tell your baby,
When you love her so, that she's been loved before, By someone, who delivered your one,
From God's arms, to my arms, to yours.

If you choose to tell her,
If she wants to know,
How the one who gave her life
Could bear to let her go.
Just tell her there were sleepless nights,
I prayed and paced the floors,
And knew the only peace I'd find,
Was if this child was yours.

And maybe, you could tell your baby,
When you love her so, that she's been loved before,
By someone, who delivered your one,
From God's arms, to my arms, to yours.

This may not be the answer,
For another girl like me.
But I'm not on a soapbox,
Saying how we all should be.
I'm just trusting in my feelings,
And I'm trusting God above,
And I'm trusting you can give this baby
Both her mothers' love.
And maybe, you could tell your baby,
When you love her so, that she's been loved before,
By someone, who delivered your one,
From God's arms, to my arms, to yours.

Maya's 1st Birthday!!!

Saturday, September 9th, was Maya's very 1st Birthday!! We celebrated by throwing a small party at our home. We have another larger party planned in October - with family and friends back in my hometown in Indiana.
It was a fun little gathering of local friends this past weekend (kind of a 'cupcakes and cocktails' party!). Maya LOVED her first taste of sugar! Scary! Click the filmloop below to view a few pics from the occasion. :)
I can't believe our baby is already 1 year old! Happy Birthday sweetie!!!

span>

The Official Announcment

Maya's formal announcement. {last name modified for privacy}
The back of the card reads:

You are the poem I dreamed of writing,
The masterpiece I longed to paint...
You are the shining star I reached for
In my ever-hopeful quest for life fulfilled.
You are MY CHILD...
Now with all things I am blessed.
~Author Unknown~

Don't Be Fooled!

..by that angelic, innocent smile! She is probably smiling b/c she recently discovered that she can spit unwanted foods into our faces! We had not guessed that WE would be the ones needing the bib during her meals! This has been an exciting and most hilarious discovery for Maya. Don't even TRY to push peas past those lips! I find that it takes longer to clean the food out of MY hair after her meals now.

Our baby turns 1 year old this Saturday! She now weighs 14.5 lbs and is 26.5". She has officially gained 3 lbs and 1 inch since we picked her up in India. Needless to say, she has a great appetite and is very healthy!
We're getting ready for phase I of her birthday party. She is having a little party-bbq on Saturday with some local friends. She will have another big party in October when we travel back to the midwest. Hopefully she will meet all of her aunties/uncles/cousins/great-grandparents at that party! Can't wait!
Have I mentioned that she now finally says 'Mama'? Nothing beats the feeling of waking up and hearing her calling 'mama-mama' in the mornings!!