We had new pictures taken of Collin. You can click the Flash link to the left and look for Heather Wilson and the password is Collin. He did not have the best session. He was in a great mood in the waiting room but as soon as we went in to the studio that all changed. I probably should have had a reshoot on a later date but I really wanted 4th of July pictures. We need to go back to Tenille King!!
Take a look.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
My Favorite Holiday
There are many reasons the 4th of July is my favorite holiday. Not only does the holiday include my birthday but it lasts for 3 to 5 days minimum. This year was extra special because Collin is here. I remember this time last year I was really bummed because I had hoped that Collin would be home by my birthday-he would be my best birthday present ever-but no such luck. Instead, Wyatt and I worked for 2 days straight to save money for our next trip to Guatemala.
This year was a different story. My best present ever is here and he started walking! We had a great first Fourth of July together! Thursday we went downtown to Red, White and Boom! I thought the rain might ruin our day but it stopped just in time. We had a prime piece of fireworks watching real estate! We went to a party on top of a parking garage so we didn't have to mix with the "crowd" or fight for parking. The kids had a blast because they could run free and the party was very nice. We took our friends Amy and Em for their first RW&B experience. I think they had a great time. We also took Nana, Uncle B, Brylie,Kahlen, Alexis, Peyton, Greg(Alexis' boyfriend),Niki, Kaitlyn and Austin. Wyatt aka Daddy was able to join us for a while too. We watched the parade and then had dinner and waited for the fireworks. Collin didn't mind the fireworks at all. The kids had a few late nights so we could pay for that for a while. We also made a joint decision to eliminate all pacifiers "cold turkey" last week but all in all everyone did pretty well.
On the 4th we decided to check out the DooDah Parade in the Short North. All the kids spent the night so it was easier to get to a parade that started at 1pm instead of 10am. None of us had ever gone to this parade-it is a parade that anyone who wants to make a statement can join in. As you can imagine there were some very creative entries! It is a humorous parade spoofing current events. It inspired us to think of something to do to be IN the parade next year instead of watching it or at least to make it an annual event-a new tradition! It rained that day as well but it stopped or at lest slowed long enough for us to enjoy the parade. The kids looked so cute in their rain ponchos and Brylie loved catching candy!
The weather cleared up enough for us to enjoy the day. We cooked out with the family and a few friends and then went to the Hilliard Fireworks. We have a secret spot that we sit in every year. It is very close to where the fireworks are set off and the view is spectacular! Hilliard's fireworks rival RW&B every year, they are great! After the fireworks we went back home and had our own fireworks display-very impressive!
Saturday was my birthday. Brylie was very excited because she made me a beautiful pink cake(see above)so I went to my mom and dads and we sang Happy Birthday (at least 6 times, we had to sing to everyone) and dug in. She was very proud of her creation.
Later in the evening we went to Hooter's to watch the UFC fight. Don't laugh-that was Wyatt's idea of the perfect way to spend my birthday!?!?!? What woman wouldn't love to go to Hooter's on her birthday??? ME!!! It was fine but I would have rather just stayed home-oh well! That will teach me to have a birthday on the same day as a UFC fight. Now a trip to Vegas to see the fight might be a different story!
The party was not over yet!! Today we took the Jet Ski and all the kids to Alum Creek Beach. We had a fun day playing in the water and having a picnic! Then we went home and had a cookout and MORE BIRTHDAY CAKE!! This year I scored a total of 3 birthday cakes!! It was a nice, relaxing and fun family day.
What a weekend!! I love the Fourth of July!!!!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
New Stuff
Collin has a few new tricks. Today, while I was upstairs getting ready, he went downstairs, turned on the TV to the channel he wanted,sat down in his chair and waited for me to come down. I don't know if it is a good thing that he has figured this out. He would mess with the TV turning it off and on but it didn't seem "purposeful" like it was today.
He has been making a really strange new noise for a week or so and I think I have finally figured it out. He cracks up when you gargle mouthwash. Today he made the noise and threw his head back and it dawned on me-he is gargling. I have to get it on video, it is hilarious.
He is officially a "dipper". When he was eating breakfast this morning he would take his apple slices and pretend like he was dipping them. I gave him a carton of yogurt to see what he would do. He dipped everything on his plate in it. He loved it.
He is also a climber. He tries to climb into his stroller by climbing on other toys-THAT ROLL!! We all know what that leads to.I feel an emergency room trip coming on any time now!
It is amazing when kids start saying stuff and you wander where in the world they learned that-then you catch yourself saying it! I guess I say na-na-no, no , I do say na-na-no, I just didn't realize it. So...Collin says na-na-no. It is much cuter when he says it. Why is he mocking me?!?!?
He is still crawling around like Spiderman but he stands unsupported a lot more. Part of me wants him to walk and part of me doesn't. Life will never be the same when he does!
New York Trip and other stuff
Well, we are home-thank goodness. We left on Thursday and decided to break the 10 hour drive up over 2 days so Collin wouldn't be too stressed. We drove to the PA/NJ border the first day so we only had about 3 hours left to drive on Friday. We stayed in a cheap, scary hotel but we survived. The last time we took Collin out of town and stayed in a hotel he screamed bloody murder the whole night so we were hoping we would not have a repeat of that nightmare. He was a little cranky but slept just fine. We didn't have to rush too much since we only had 3 hours left to drive so we had breakfast and tried to wear Collin out as much as possible before getting back in the car.
We arrived in Huntington, New York Friday afternoon and met with Collin's foster father, Miguel and the rest of his family. They were very excited to see him. Collin didn't seem to remember him but managed to warm up to him about the time we were leaving to go home. There is no question that he has bonded with us.
We stayed at the seminary that Gonzalo, Miguel's brother, has been studying at for 5 years. It was very nice. Of course, once again I was very concerned that Collin would be too loud and disturb everyone but the place was empty and we had a whole wing to ourselves. The room was small bedroom with a double bed. Collin refused to sleep in the pack and play so the three of us squished in the double bed. If I thought I would fit in the pack and play I may have tried-but it was good family bonding time.
We visited with everyone for the rest of the evening and took lots of pictures. Miguel had strict orders from Mama Rosa to take lots of pictures of Collin. He followed her orders very well!
Saturday was the ordination. We had to get up very early. I think for the first time in a long time we actually had to wake Collin up and let me tell you he was not happy. We met everyone for breakfast and then headed for the church. Gonzalo was kind enough to solicit one of his friends that speaks English/Spanish to come with us and translate. Collin lasted about and hour in church which was quite commendable. Wyatt finally took him out. The ceremony lasted 2 1/2 hours! We headed to lunch and Collin was in rare form. No Nap = Bad Boy!! We were both VERY stressed by the end of lunch. Lunch took much longer than we had planned so we had to go straight to the reception. Of course, everyone wanted to hold Collin and he was not having it! He just wanted to play on the stairs were all the people were trying to come in. Every time I would remove him from the stairs he would flip out and throw himself on the floor-a trick he learned from his cousin that I had hoped we could avoid. No such luck! And how thoughtful of him to decide to display a command performance in front of a room full of church people!! He knows what he's doing.
Finally we had all we could take and decided now was a good time to leave. He would have to sleep in the car-he was so tired! We went back and packed our stuff which gave Miguel some one on one time with Collin to say goodbye. We loaded up and headed home. I know Miguel was so happy to see Collin but I think it caused mixed emotions for all of us.
They provided him with a very loving family for 7 months of his life. They gave him a great start in life. I am sure it is difficult to see Collin again and not have him immediately recognize them. I am sure, some day when we go back to Guatemala that no matter how much we talk about Mama Rosa and her family that he will probably not remember them like they remember him. I am sure that will be hard. It is simply impossible to maintain the bond that they had.
On the other hand, I feel selfish. It is hard to share him. A deep selfish part of me loves it when he grabs for me and cries for me and clings to my neck for safety from all the strange people wanting to hold him. He is our baby and it is simply hard to let go of him after waiting for him for so long.
We eventually made it home. We were both a big bundle of stress but we made it home and it made me appreciate all over again the miracle of Collin coming home to us.
Here are a few more pics from the trip. We have Collin in bed refusing to get up and poor Collin's brain turning to mush by being forced to watch 10 hours of videos! The daylight picture is in the morning when we began and the nighttime picture is that night-notice it is essentially the same picture but about 8 hours late. He was a trooper!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
New York Pictures
These are pictures of Collin with his foster father Miguel. He and his brother, sister and father came to the US to see Gonzalo(his brother) be ordaned as a priest.
One Year Ago Today-Happy Blogoversary
I thought it would be fun to re-post our very first blog entry. It absolutely amazes me how different our life is today than it was one year ago. Reading this post again brings back all of the excitement, sadness, happiness,anxiety, uncertainty and every other adjective I can think of that we were feeling at that time. I always tried to tell myself that the day will come when this will all be a distant memory and life will be back to normal. WELL HERE WE ARE!!!
We are back from our trip to New York which I will post about later, but what an experience. This process has brought so many wonderful people into our lives that otherwise we may have never known. Who would have ever thought that we would travel to Guatemala to bring home a baby from half way across the world? Who would have thought that we would create lifelong bonds with people with whom we share absolutely nothing in common other than an overwhelming love for a little child? We don't even speak the same language! And in some strange way we don't need to. It is so very obvious that Collin touched his foster family just as he has touched us and that he will forever be a part of their lives and their family. I hope that someday he understands the love they have for him and the special bond that they share. That child is truley a gift to so many people!
So, here is our very first post,the beginning of this journey that is constantly evolving. I can only say that I am thrilled that the wait is over and he is home forever. I can't wait to see what the future holds for little Collin Jeffrey Wilson!!
This blogging thing is all new to me but I find lately I need to do as much as possible to keep my mind occupied. We have just returned home from Guatemala where we met our son for the first time. Words really cannot describe the feelings and emotions we encountered on this trip. I am not exaggerating when I call it a "life changing experience". It was truly the trip of a lifetime and if I could go back tomorrow I would!
We were so excited to meet our son and to finally be able to hold him in our arms. Wyatt actually did most of the holding but I managed to muscle him away a few times. We looked at this trip as an adventure. We had no idea what to expect in Guatemala. Neither of us has ever been in a "3rd World Country" before. I have of course researched it to death but you never really know until you get there.
We left Columbus on May 29th and flew to Tampa and then Fort Lauderdale. Our flights were all full and of course Wyatt had the window seat so I was thrown to the wolves and had to deal with God knows what in the aisle seat. I hate talking to people on airplanes! I don't know why but once a conversation starts there is no easy way to get out of it, and then you are stuck for hours trying to politely ignore the person next to you. Don't bump an elbow or try to go to the bathroom because the whole vicious cycle starts over again.
A nice woman sat down next to me and didn't seem too obnoxious so I breathed a sigh of relief. Just let me read my People magazine in peace. Wyatt then decided that he needed the details of the next flight, which I had not memorized, so I had to pull out the Bible, I mean the notebook. She took one look at the notebook and asked if we were adopting. Only another (well-organized, detail oriented, anal retentive) adoptive mother knows "THE NOTEBOOK" when she sees it. Amy and I talked the whole way to Tampa-it was the fastest flight ever! She lives in Dublin and is adopting from Vietnam. She was headed to Florida on business. It was really nice to talk to someone who understood exactly what we were going through and understood the excitement of meeting our baby for the first time. She was nice enough to take our picture at the airport to document the start of our trip.
Our first real adventure was checking in for our international flight with Spirit Airline in Fort Lauderdale. I felt like I was already in Guatemala. When they said low cost airline I didn't think they meant no air conditioning! We had 4 huge checked suitcases all carefully weighed to come in just under the 50 lb. limit, a stroller, and each of us had 2 carry-on bags. It took 2 carts to carry everything. We had to pick up our bags, load them on a cart, unload them on a bus, change terminals, unload them off the bus and back onto a cart and fight through a crowded ticketing area to get in line and wait for what seemed like hours. When we finally made it up to the counter, someone must have sqeezed an extra pair of shoes in one of the suitcases because we were a couple of pounds over. So we proceeded to unpack and repack so that all were under the weight requirement.
The ticket agent wanted to charge us $25 for the stroller because there was no baby in it which just about sent me over the edge. I had called to verify that the stroller was free and even printed the policy off their website. He didn't care! He had me so flustered that I walked away and left my notebook and wallet at the counter. When I went back to look for them, they were gone and the guy was nowhere to be found! Wyatt had just made fun of me earlier for splitting my money up and putting it in several different places. He said I would forget where I put it and lose it. I say it's better to lose it in little amounts than to lose it all. I seem to remember losing my wallet in an airport before and having it returned to me minus $500. Thanks a lot! Well, the agent returned with my stuff and what do you know, the measly $100 was still there.
We boarded our flight and headed to Guatemala City. That airport would be the next challenge. We had read about how the airport was so crowded with people that you could barely move and not to go outside the doors of the airport until you actually saw your shuttle pull up and definitely don't let anyone take your bags for you except the guys in the blue shirts...or was it white?
We got off the plane not knowing if we were going to hit a dirt floor or have people grabbing at us and little kids dressed in rags trying to sell Chicklets, or maybe we would see Mama Rosa with a sign that said "Collin" waiting to welcome us with a village of people in traditional dress and not a word of English.
Well, we were pleasantly surprised when the airport looked just like any other airport and it wasn't any more crowded than average. We made our way to customs and waited in line. While in line we started talking to Rebecca who was coming to visit her son Owen. They are from Missouri and are currently in PGN. That once again helped the time pass. She was going to Antigua as well so we agreed to try to meet while we were there. She said the pool at our hotel is a hot spot for adoptive parents so we were bound to run in to each other.
We made it to baggage claim and collected our bags and began the journey to the unknown-outside the airport. We asked Rebecca if she knew where the shuttles were but she said her driver always meets her inside and takes her straight to the car. I hope we are not in trouble!!Okay, remember don't let anyone take your bags and don't go outside.
It seemed there was only one hallway so we just went with the flow. Before we knew it we were OUTSIDE and 2 guys took our carts with our bags!! Were they blue shirts or white shirts? Who can tell they are half way across the parking lot dodging cars and they didn't appear to be going the same direction. I saw a lady with a Marriott sign and I think she said go with them!?! I figured they must be okay, but it seemed like they were leading us to a dark alley. Wyatt and I debated whether to stay together or each keep track of one cart. We chose the latter ( I wasn't going to lose Collin's goodies) and luckily we ended up at the same spot...the Marriott shuttle...clear in the back under an overpass. Wyatt was nearly molested by a woman wanting him to buy Chicklets but we managed to make it on the bus in one piece and so did our bags. Once on the bus we breathed a collective sigh of relief. Off to the Marriott.
As we drove the 5 minute drive to the Marriott I rehearsed my few words of Spanish I had managed to learn from a set of Pimsleur CD's I had been listening to in the car for the last month or so. Buenos noches, habla englais? They would probably have no idea that I wasn't a native. But if they didn't habla englais I was in big trouble! We walked up to the counter and they said "good evening and welcome to the Marriott" What fun is that?
We got settled in our room and headed down to check out the hotel. We went to Champions, the sports bar in the hotel and checked out our first Guatemalan beer, Gallo. Not bad. As excited as I was to meet Collin, I was glad to have this night to relax and get ready for the next day. When we got back to our room (with a few GALLOs to go) we had a message that Mama Rosa would be there with Collin at 9am. We were expecting noon or one! We were much closer to seeing him for the first time than we had expected. So much for relaxing!
The next morning we got up and had breakfast and waited for Collin to arrive. Before we knew it 9am had arrived. We decided against taking the video camera because neither of us wanted to be the designated videographer. We both wanted to get our hands on that baby-forget the video, it will be in our heads. We did take the camera in hopes of taking pictures with Mama Rosa and her family.
Just as we sat down in the lobby we saw our Collin come through the door. I knew Rosa's face because she was the woman in the picture with Collin's birth mom on the day she took him to the attorney's office. We had been told she was a friend that brought the mother to the city. I gave her a big hug and she handed him to me. He was dressed in about 300 layers of clothes and was hot and sweaty. Right at that moment, the rest of the world disappeared. There he was, in person, this picture we had all fallen in love with was an actual human being and I was holding him.
I had often contemplated what it would be like to see him for the first time. I had read books about bonding and attachment and expected that it may not be love at first sight for him or for us. I knew I would be crushed if he cried and was upset to leave Rosa and come with us but I was prepared. What I was not prepared for was the immediate knowledge that this was my child. He was the one that was supposed to come to us, there were no doubts. It was an immediate feeling of completeness. How did this perfect little boy half a world away find us? And how is it possible to immediately feel like this child is a part of you? I don't know and I don't care, I just know he is. The best part was when I looked at Wyatt, I saw the same thing. I had to hand him over and let dad enjoy his moment.
Not one picture was taken but the memories in my head will never fade. I see many years of continuing the Collins tradition on birthdays of Mom and Dad telling the story of labor, birth, Army Hospitals and missing fireworks. Collin's story may not involve labor or delivery but it is quite an adventure and I only hope that I will be able to articulate to him someday the enormous amount of excitement and joy he brought to our hearts when he came through the door of that hotel.
And so our adventure began...
up to the room we went. We laid him on the bed and checked him out. We showed him every toy we brought. He became very fond of the bee teether. He never cried or fussed, he would just giggle and laugh and kick his feet. It became apparent very quickly that he appreciated his dad's humor (which scares many kids-and adults). He laughed at everything Wyatt did. He kicked his feet constantly and grunted and groaned like he was trying to talk to us (or poop). I made his first bottle and Wyatt fed him then they took a nap together. I'm sure there will be many more of those. Thanks to Brylie and Kahlen, Wyatt has learned that if he lays on the couch with the baby, I can't make him do anything!
We spent the next few hours checking out the hotel and waiting for this perfect little angel to become a screaming maniac. It didn't happen. We were actually beginning to wonder if he knew how to cry.
Our driver came at 2pm to take us to Antigua. He was very nice and spoke English. He told us a lot about the country and we saw a little of the city on the way out. I was glad to leave Guatemala City and was even more relieved that we were not staying there the whole week. It is not recommended that you venture far from the hotel in GC (short for Guatemala City, not Grove City...haha). Wyatt and I both like to get out and about and sitting at the Marriott all week would have gotten really old, really fast. Plus,I wanted to see and learn about the culture while we were there so that we could tell Collin about his birth country when he gets older. The city was pretty much like any city but there were some really poor areas. Driving there is like playing chicken. No one stops they all just fit in where they can. People run across the streets in front of cars, they climb on top of the buses while they are moving and people drive their kids on the handlebars of motorcycles and scooters-WITH NO HELMETS. The accident investigator in me was going CRAZY but hey, we didn't have all that fancy safety equipment growing up and we lived!
Our driver explained that the buses are called "chicken buses" because you may be sitting next to a chicken or a pig on the bus, you just never know. I had been fascinated by the Guatemalan COTA bus system. I watched from the balcony of our room as brightly colored school buses flew down the street honking the horn and a guy would hang out the front door and yell at people on the street. If the people started to run and chase the bus it would slow down-not stop- and they could jump on. Sometimes the guy in the door would jump out and grab stuff from people and throw it in top of the bus. Then as the bus drove off he would climb a ladder up the back and walk on top of the bus and arrange the baggage. I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken buses. Wyatt wanted to ride one but I said NO WAY! Maybe COTA could actually make some money if they operated like that.
Antigua was a very quaint old historical town. It was actually the original capital of Guatemala until it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake many years ago. We arrived at our hotel, the Porta Hotel Antigua, and it was beautiful. Everything is open air. Their are no windows just open hallways that were lit with candles in the evening and lush tropical gardens. There were beautiful fountains and birds everywhere. There was a heated pool, a restaurant and a playground. Our room was very nice. It had french doors that opened to a private patio surrounded by tropical plants. It was a great place to just chill out and relax.
We decided to head out soon after we arrived but didn't realize that it got dark there at about 5:30pm. We got very lost and I didn't think we would ever find our hotel. Eventually, we made it back. We weren't really sure how safe it was there so it was a little nerve racking-but a great adventure! We enjoyed our first night with Collin. We found out that he could cry but if you stick a bottle in his mouth he is very happy and goes right back to sleep.
The next day we got up bright and early-I think about 6am! We fed Collin and then Wyatt had a little chat with him about how we were good while he ate his breakfast and we hoped that he would do the same. The hotel breakfast was great. They had a big buffet every morning with lots of fruit and every kind of fresh squeezed juice imaginable. They had an omelet station and some Guatemalan staples-black beans and fried plantains-YUM! They also had homemade fruit jam everyday in different flavors. The coffee was amazing. We ate so much at breakfast everyday that we rarely ate lunch. Collin stuck to his end of the deal and behaved. He had the attention of all of the wait staff and was quite popular.
We spent our days walking around Antigua checking out the sights. We did a lot of shopping. They have tons of nice shops and markets. There are also people on the streets selling stuff. Some of them carry their stuff in a basket on top of their heads. We were prime targets for the ladies. They talk to you and then remember your name and God help you if they see you again because they chase you down yelling"Heather, Wyatt, you buy pretty things, I give you special price". Walking into the markets sort of reminded me of when you go in the toy store and there is some type of toy that says something when you press its hand and you press all 50 of them and they are all talking at the same time but you can't really understand any of them. You feel bad but you have to start ignoring them or they rope you in forever. My favorite was "don't worry lady, you husband pay". Wyatt loved negotiating the prices so I would just pile up the stuff I wanted and let him go to town. It was a challenge trying to figure out what you were really paying in dollars. The Guatemalan money is the Quetzel which was worth about 7.5 US dollars. Math is not my strongest subject so a nice number like 5 or 10 would have been much easier but I think we had it down by the time we left.
Our days were very relaxed and unscheduled. I was starting to think that this baby stuff wasn't so difficult until we told friends we would meet them for lunch at 2pm. When we had to be somewhere at an actual scheduled time it changed my outlook a bit. Now I know what they mean by "baby time".
We met lots of other adopting families there. It seemed everywhere you went you saw white people walking with their Guatemalan babies. Needless to say we aren't too hard to spot. It was as if we all just automatically knew each other and would say hello or stop and chat for a while. Antigua is very popular for adopting parents because it is safer and cheaper than the city. Some people are lucky enough to be able to live in Guatemala and foster their children during the adoption process and Antigua is where a lot of them stay. I can understand why. It is a very relaxing place with very simple living. Of course, everything is simple when you aren't at home! It really makes you realize the excess and extravagance that we live with and expect in America.
We didn't make it through the entire week without a little drama! Collin had started being unusually fussy. Since we didn't know him that well we didn't know if it was just him or if something was wrong. We thought he felt hot so I went to the pharmacy 4-5 blocks away to get a thermometer. All they had was the forehead strip or a rectal one. I took the forehead strip. Since we were just getting to know each other I didn't want his first memories to be me shoving a stick up his butt! I rushed back to the room and the strip said 102 but it said it may be off a degree so it could have been 103. All we knew was he felt burning hot! We didn't know what to do. Luckily we had the doctors phone number but it was a Sunday and I wasn't sure if they would answer the phone, let alone speak English. We called our in country coordinator and she contacted the doctor who said he would call us. We waited and waited and no call. We called again and finally he called back. I thought he was going to ask us to bring him to the city which would cost us $100 but he said that he would come to Antigua after 6pm. He said he would call and let us know what time. 6 o'clock came and went and no word, so we called again. He was on his way. Now it is 9 o'clock (we called at noon) and once again he was on his way. Finally at 9:30pm he arrived at our room. It seemed clear that Collin recognized the doctor as someone he didn't care for very much-boy am I glad I didn't get that rectal thermometer!!! He said that Collin had an ear infection and prescribed him an antibiotic and pain medicine. The best part was at 10pm the front desk called the pharmacy and they delivered the scripts right to our room and the doctor didn't charge us a dime! What service! Luckily, Collin seemed better the next day other than one incident. We fed and dressed him and headed to breakfast. I was carrying him when all of the sudden he pukes straight down my shirt. He must have puked 6 times before we could get back to the room. It had gone down my shirt, pants, onto the floor and we left a trail all the way to the room. So we had to get ready all over again but he did seem to feel much better after that and mom passed her first test.
Before we knew it our week had come to an end and it was time to pack up and head back to the city. The minute we walked out the door of our room-the place that had been our home away from home for the last week-the reality set in. It was almost time to give Collin back to Mama Rosa and for us to leave and go home without him. Our driver picked us up at about noon and was nice enough to take us to the Hyper Piaz (Guatemalan Walmart) to try to find an Exersaucer to send home with Mama Rosa. Collin loved the activity gym we took and it was amazing how much his motor skills improved in a matter of days. We didn't find what we were looking for but something close enough. We went back to the Marriott and waited for the dreaded 5pm to arrive.
Collin slept through most of the afternoon so it wasn't really quality time. Rosa was supposed to bring her family and we were going to have dinner although I didn't think I could eat. Our in country coordinator was nice enough to come and translate. Mama Rosa brought her husband, her daughter, her grandaughter and her one of her 2 sons. They were obviously very happy to see Collin and I let her have him for a few minutes. Her grand-daughter ran up and gave us big hugs and said thank you for the candy. She loved Wyatt and was all over him the whole time. She went on and on in Spanish and we just acted like we knew what she was saying. She ate a piece of cake and an ice cream sundae for dinner. I'm sure it will be very hard for her when Collin leaves. Her mom is pregnant and when they ask her if she wants a brother or a sister she says she already has a brother. She loves playing with him and they told us that she dances and sings for him at home and he laughs and loves it.
The coordinator could only stay for an hour so we had about an hour until the foster family's cab arrived. That was a bit of an ackward situation since we didn't understand eachother. We took them up to our room and loaded up all of the things we brought for Collin. I ended up feeling really bad because all 6 of them crammed into one little cab (about as big as a Toyota Corolla)and all of the stuff we sent wouldn't fit in the truck so they had to hold Collin's new toy on their laps in the back. We told them we would pay for a second cab but they refused and said they were fine.
The one thing that I realized while we were with them was that even though we are very different and live very different lives, their family reminded me of mine. They all joked around with eachother and seemed very close. It made it a little easier to let them take him back because I thought if he has to be with someone that isn't us I am glad it is a family like that. There is no doubt in my mind that they love him very much and that when we come back to take him home, they will be the blubbering idiots in the hotel lobby and we will be the ones consoling them and telling them that we promise we will take good care of him and not to worry.
We loaded them up in the cab and kissed Collin goodbye for now. He started to cry which secretly made me happy because I want him to miss us and remember us but I don't want him to be sad. We made our way back up to the room and had our own sad moment. What do you do when you are sad and depressed? Go to the bar! We drowned our sorrows in alcohol and then got packed and ready to go. We had to be on the shuttle bus at 4:30am!
The flight home was excruciatingly long. We had a 6 hour layover in Fort Lauderdale whick is a complete dump of an airport! No nice people sitting next to me, just a couple of globe trotting college guys trying REALLY hard to pick up the flight attendant. I feel your pain sister!! All I wanted was to get home and check my e-mail to see if we had pre-approval. That would have made the pain of leaving ease a bit but no such luck.
My brain has been mush since we have been home. Collin consumes every thought of everyday but none of it compares to actually getting to see him and spend quality bonding time with him. Unfortunately, now we know what we are missing!
We are back from our trip to New York which I will post about later, but what an experience. This process has brought so many wonderful people into our lives that otherwise we may have never known. Who would have ever thought that we would travel to Guatemala to bring home a baby from half way across the world? Who would have thought that we would create lifelong bonds with people with whom we share absolutely nothing in common other than an overwhelming love for a little child? We don't even speak the same language! And in some strange way we don't need to. It is so very obvious that Collin touched his foster family just as he has touched us and that he will forever be a part of their lives and their family. I hope that someday he understands the love they have for him and the special bond that they share. That child is truley a gift to so many people!
So, here is our very first post,the beginning of this journey that is constantly evolving. I can only say that I am thrilled that the wait is over and he is home forever. I can't wait to see what the future holds for little Collin Jeffrey Wilson!!
This blogging thing is all new to me but I find lately I need to do as much as possible to keep my mind occupied. We have just returned home from Guatemala where we met our son for the first time. Words really cannot describe the feelings and emotions we encountered on this trip. I am not exaggerating when I call it a "life changing experience". It was truly the trip of a lifetime and if I could go back tomorrow I would!
We were so excited to meet our son and to finally be able to hold him in our arms. Wyatt actually did most of the holding but I managed to muscle him away a few times. We looked at this trip as an adventure. We had no idea what to expect in Guatemala. Neither of us has ever been in a "3rd World Country" before. I have of course researched it to death but you never really know until you get there.
We left Columbus on May 29th and flew to Tampa and then Fort Lauderdale. Our flights were all full and of course Wyatt had the window seat so I was thrown to the wolves and had to deal with God knows what in the aisle seat. I hate talking to people on airplanes! I don't know why but once a conversation starts there is no easy way to get out of it, and then you are stuck for hours trying to politely ignore the person next to you. Don't bump an elbow or try to go to the bathroom because the whole vicious cycle starts over again.
A nice woman sat down next to me and didn't seem too obnoxious so I breathed a sigh of relief. Just let me read my People magazine in peace. Wyatt then decided that he needed the details of the next flight, which I had not memorized, so I had to pull out the Bible, I mean the notebook. She took one look at the notebook and asked if we were adopting. Only another (well-organized, detail oriented, anal retentive) adoptive mother knows "THE NOTEBOOK" when she sees it. Amy and I talked the whole way to Tampa-it was the fastest flight ever! She lives in Dublin and is adopting from Vietnam. She was headed to Florida on business. It was really nice to talk to someone who understood exactly what we were going through and understood the excitement of meeting our baby for the first time. She was nice enough to take our picture at the airport to document the start of our trip.
Our first real adventure was checking in for our international flight with Spirit Airline in Fort Lauderdale. I felt like I was already in Guatemala. When they said low cost airline I didn't think they meant no air conditioning! We had 4 huge checked suitcases all carefully weighed to come in just under the 50 lb. limit, a stroller, and each of us had 2 carry-on bags. It took 2 carts to carry everything. We had to pick up our bags, load them on a cart, unload them on a bus, change terminals, unload them off the bus and back onto a cart and fight through a crowded ticketing area to get in line and wait for what seemed like hours. When we finally made it up to the counter, someone must have sqeezed an extra pair of shoes in one of the suitcases because we were a couple of pounds over. So we proceeded to unpack and repack so that all were under the weight requirement.
The ticket agent wanted to charge us $25 for the stroller because there was no baby in it which just about sent me over the edge. I had called to verify that the stroller was free and even printed the policy off their website. He didn't care! He had me so flustered that I walked away and left my notebook and wallet at the counter. When I went back to look for them, they were gone and the guy was nowhere to be found! Wyatt had just made fun of me earlier for splitting my money up and putting it in several different places. He said I would forget where I put it and lose it. I say it's better to lose it in little amounts than to lose it all. I seem to remember losing my wallet in an airport before and having it returned to me minus $500. Thanks a lot! Well, the agent returned with my stuff and what do you know, the measly $100 was still there.
We boarded our flight and headed to Guatemala City. That airport would be the next challenge. We had read about how the airport was so crowded with people that you could barely move and not to go outside the doors of the airport until you actually saw your shuttle pull up and definitely don't let anyone take your bags for you except the guys in the blue shirts...or was it white?
We got off the plane not knowing if we were going to hit a dirt floor or have people grabbing at us and little kids dressed in rags trying to sell Chicklets, or maybe we would see Mama Rosa with a sign that said "Collin" waiting to welcome us with a village of people in traditional dress and not a word of English.
Well, we were pleasantly surprised when the airport looked just like any other airport and it wasn't any more crowded than average. We made our way to customs and waited in line. While in line we started talking to Rebecca who was coming to visit her son Owen. They are from Missouri and are currently in PGN. That once again helped the time pass. She was going to Antigua as well so we agreed to try to meet while we were there. She said the pool at our hotel is a hot spot for adoptive parents so we were bound to run in to each other.
We made it to baggage claim and collected our bags and began the journey to the unknown-outside the airport. We asked Rebecca if she knew where the shuttles were but she said her driver always meets her inside and takes her straight to the car. I hope we are not in trouble!!Okay, remember don't let anyone take your bags and don't go outside.
It seemed there was only one hallway so we just went with the flow. Before we knew it we were OUTSIDE and 2 guys took our carts with our bags!! Were they blue shirts or white shirts? Who can tell they are half way across the parking lot dodging cars and they didn't appear to be going the same direction. I saw a lady with a Marriott sign and I think she said go with them!?! I figured they must be okay, but it seemed like they were leading us to a dark alley. Wyatt and I debated whether to stay together or each keep track of one cart. We chose the latter ( I wasn't going to lose Collin's goodies) and luckily we ended up at the same spot...the Marriott shuttle...clear in the back under an overpass. Wyatt was nearly molested by a woman wanting him to buy Chicklets but we managed to make it on the bus in one piece and so did our bags. Once on the bus we breathed a collective sigh of relief. Off to the Marriott.
As we drove the 5 minute drive to the Marriott I rehearsed my few words of Spanish I had managed to learn from a set of Pimsleur CD's I had been listening to in the car for the last month or so. Buenos noches, habla englais? They would probably have no idea that I wasn't a native. But if they didn't habla englais I was in big trouble! We walked up to the counter and they said "good evening and welcome to the Marriott" What fun is that?
We got settled in our room and headed down to check out the hotel. We went to Champions, the sports bar in the hotel and checked out our first Guatemalan beer, Gallo. Not bad. As excited as I was to meet Collin, I was glad to have this night to relax and get ready for the next day. When we got back to our room (with a few GALLOs to go) we had a message that Mama Rosa would be there with Collin at 9am. We were expecting noon or one! We were much closer to seeing him for the first time than we had expected. So much for relaxing!
The next morning we got up and had breakfast and waited for Collin to arrive. Before we knew it 9am had arrived. We decided against taking the video camera because neither of us wanted to be the designated videographer. We both wanted to get our hands on that baby-forget the video, it will be in our heads. We did take the camera in hopes of taking pictures with Mama Rosa and her family.
Just as we sat down in the lobby we saw our Collin come through the door. I knew Rosa's face because she was the woman in the picture with Collin's birth mom on the day she took him to the attorney's office. We had been told she was a friend that brought the mother to the city. I gave her a big hug and she handed him to me. He was dressed in about 300 layers of clothes and was hot and sweaty. Right at that moment, the rest of the world disappeared. There he was, in person, this picture we had all fallen in love with was an actual human being and I was holding him.
I had often contemplated what it would be like to see him for the first time. I had read books about bonding and attachment and expected that it may not be love at first sight for him or for us. I knew I would be crushed if he cried and was upset to leave Rosa and come with us but I was prepared. What I was not prepared for was the immediate knowledge that this was my child. He was the one that was supposed to come to us, there were no doubts. It was an immediate feeling of completeness. How did this perfect little boy half a world away find us? And how is it possible to immediately feel like this child is a part of you? I don't know and I don't care, I just know he is. The best part was when I looked at Wyatt, I saw the same thing. I had to hand him over and let dad enjoy his moment.
Not one picture was taken but the memories in my head will never fade. I see many years of continuing the Collins tradition on birthdays of Mom and Dad telling the story of labor, birth, Army Hospitals and missing fireworks. Collin's story may not involve labor or delivery but it is quite an adventure and I only hope that I will be able to articulate to him someday the enormous amount of excitement and joy he brought to our hearts when he came through the door of that hotel.
And so our adventure began...
up to the room we went. We laid him on the bed and checked him out. We showed him every toy we brought. He became very fond of the bee teether. He never cried or fussed, he would just giggle and laugh and kick his feet. It became apparent very quickly that he appreciated his dad's humor (which scares many kids-and adults). He laughed at everything Wyatt did. He kicked his feet constantly and grunted and groaned like he was trying to talk to us (or poop). I made his first bottle and Wyatt fed him then they took a nap together. I'm sure there will be many more of those. Thanks to Brylie and Kahlen, Wyatt has learned that if he lays on the couch with the baby, I can't make him do anything!
We spent the next few hours checking out the hotel and waiting for this perfect little angel to become a screaming maniac. It didn't happen. We were actually beginning to wonder if he knew how to cry.
Our driver came at 2pm to take us to Antigua. He was very nice and spoke English. He told us a lot about the country and we saw a little of the city on the way out. I was glad to leave Guatemala City and was even more relieved that we were not staying there the whole week. It is not recommended that you venture far from the hotel in GC (short for Guatemala City, not Grove City...haha). Wyatt and I both like to get out and about and sitting at the Marriott all week would have gotten really old, really fast. Plus,I wanted to see and learn about the culture while we were there so that we could tell Collin about his birth country when he gets older. The city was pretty much like any city but there were some really poor areas. Driving there is like playing chicken. No one stops they all just fit in where they can. People run across the streets in front of cars, they climb on top of the buses while they are moving and people drive their kids on the handlebars of motorcycles and scooters-WITH NO HELMETS. The accident investigator in me was going CRAZY but hey, we didn't have all that fancy safety equipment growing up and we lived!
Our driver explained that the buses are called "chicken buses" because you may be sitting next to a chicken or a pig on the bus, you just never know. I had been fascinated by the Guatemalan COTA bus system. I watched from the balcony of our room as brightly colored school buses flew down the street honking the horn and a guy would hang out the front door and yell at people on the street. If the people started to run and chase the bus it would slow down-not stop- and they could jump on. Sometimes the guy in the door would jump out and grab stuff from people and throw it in top of the bus. Then as the bus drove off he would climb a ladder up the back and walk on top of the bus and arrange the baggage. I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken buses. Wyatt wanted to ride one but I said NO WAY! Maybe COTA could actually make some money if they operated like that.
Antigua was a very quaint old historical town. It was actually the original capital of Guatemala until it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake many years ago. We arrived at our hotel, the Porta Hotel Antigua, and it was beautiful. Everything is open air. Their are no windows just open hallways that were lit with candles in the evening and lush tropical gardens. There were beautiful fountains and birds everywhere. There was a heated pool, a restaurant and a playground. Our room was very nice. It had french doors that opened to a private patio surrounded by tropical plants. It was a great place to just chill out and relax.
We decided to head out soon after we arrived but didn't realize that it got dark there at about 5:30pm. We got very lost and I didn't think we would ever find our hotel. Eventually, we made it back. We weren't really sure how safe it was there so it was a little nerve racking-but a great adventure! We enjoyed our first night with Collin. We found out that he could cry but if you stick a bottle in his mouth he is very happy and goes right back to sleep.
The next day we got up bright and early-I think about 6am! We fed Collin and then Wyatt had a little chat with him about how we were good while he ate his breakfast and we hoped that he would do the same. The hotel breakfast was great. They had a big buffet every morning with lots of fruit and every kind of fresh squeezed juice imaginable. They had an omelet station and some Guatemalan staples-black beans and fried plantains-YUM! They also had homemade fruit jam everyday in different flavors. The coffee was amazing. We ate so much at breakfast everyday that we rarely ate lunch. Collin stuck to his end of the deal and behaved. He had the attention of all of the wait staff and was quite popular.
We spent our days walking around Antigua checking out the sights. We did a lot of shopping. They have tons of nice shops and markets. There are also people on the streets selling stuff. Some of them carry their stuff in a basket on top of their heads. We were prime targets for the ladies. They talk to you and then remember your name and God help you if they see you again because they chase you down yelling"Heather, Wyatt, you buy pretty things, I give you special price". Walking into the markets sort of reminded me of when you go in the toy store and there is some type of toy that says something when you press its hand and you press all 50 of them and they are all talking at the same time but you can't really understand any of them. You feel bad but you have to start ignoring them or they rope you in forever. My favorite was "don't worry lady, you husband pay". Wyatt loved negotiating the prices so I would just pile up the stuff I wanted and let him go to town. It was a challenge trying to figure out what you were really paying in dollars. The Guatemalan money is the Quetzel which was worth about 7.5 US dollars. Math is not my strongest subject so a nice number like 5 or 10 would have been much easier but I think we had it down by the time we left.
Our days were very relaxed and unscheduled. I was starting to think that this baby stuff wasn't so difficult until we told friends we would meet them for lunch at 2pm. When we had to be somewhere at an actual scheduled time it changed my outlook a bit. Now I know what they mean by "baby time".
We met lots of other adopting families there. It seemed everywhere you went you saw white people walking with their Guatemalan babies. Needless to say we aren't too hard to spot. It was as if we all just automatically knew each other and would say hello or stop and chat for a while. Antigua is very popular for adopting parents because it is safer and cheaper than the city. Some people are lucky enough to be able to live in Guatemala and foster their children during the adoption process and Antigua is where a lot of them stay. I can understand why. It is a very relaxing place with very simple living. Of course, everything is simple when you aren't at home! It really makes you realize the excess and extravagance that we live with and expect in America.
We didn't make it through the entire week without a little drama! Collin had started being unusually fussy. Since we didn't know him that well we didn't know if it was just him or if something was wrong. We thought he felt hot so I went to the pharmacy 4-5 blocks away to get a thermometer. All they had was the forehead strip or a rectal one. I took the forehead strip. Since we were just getting to know each other I didn't want his first memories to be me shoving a stick up his butt! I rushed back to the room and the strip said 102 but it said it may be off a degree so it could have been 103. All we knew was he felt burning hot! We didn't know what to do. Luckily we had the doctors phone number but it was a Sunday and I wasn't sure if they would answer the phone, let alone speak English. We called our in country coordinator and she contacted the doctor who said he would call us. We waited and waited and no call. We called again and finally he called back. I thought he was going to ask us to bring him to the city which would cost us $100 but he said that he would come to Antigua after 6pm. He said he would call and let us know what time. 6 o'clock came and went and no word, so we called again. He was on his way. Now it is 9 o'clock (we called at noon) and once again he was on his way. Finally at 9:30pm he arrived at our room. It seemed clear that Collin recognized the doctor as someone he didn't care for very much-boy am I glad I didn't get that rectal thermometer!!! He said that Collin had an ear infection and prescribed him an antibiotic and pain medicine. The best part was at 10pm the front desk called the pharmacy and they delivered the scripts right to our room and the doctor didn't charge us a dime! What service! Luckily, Collin seemed better the next day other than one incident. We fed and dressed him and headed to breakfast. I was carrying him when all of the sudden he pukes straight down my shirt. He must have puked 6 times before we could get back to the room. It had gone down my shirt, pants, onto the floor and we left a trail all the way to the room. So we had to get ready all over again but he did seem to feel much better after that and mom passed her first test.
Before we knew it our week had come to an end and it was time to pack up and head back to the city. The minute we walked out the door of our room-the place that had been our home away from home for the last week-the reality set in. It was almost time to give Collin back to Mama Rosa and for us to leave and go home without him. Our driver picked us up at about noon and was nice enough to take us to the Hyper Piaz (Guatemalan Walmart) to try to find an Exersaucer to send home with Mama Rosa. Collin loved the activity gym we took and it was amazing how much his motor skills improved in a matter of days. We didn't find what we were looking for but something close enough. We went back to the Marriott and waited for the dreaded 5pm to arrive.
Collin slept through most of the afternoon so it wasn't really quality time. Rosa was supposed to bring her family and we were going to have dinner although I didn't think I could eat. Our in country coordinator was nice enough to come and translate. Mama Rosa brought her husband, her daughter, her grandaughter and her one of her 2 sons. They were obviously very happy to see Collin and I let her have him for a few minutes. Her grand-daughter ran up and gave us big hugs and said thank you for the candy. She loved Wyatt and was all over him the whole time. She went on and on in Spanish and we just acted like we knew what she was saying. She ate a piece of cake and an ice cream sundae for dinner. I'm sure it will be very hard for her when Collin leaves. Her mom is pregnant and when they ask her if she wants a brother or a sister she says she already has a brother. She loves playing with him and they told us that she dances and sings for him at home and he laughs and loves it.
The coordinator could only stay for an hour so we had about an hour until the foster family's cab arrived. That was a bit of an ackward situation since we didn't understand eachother. We took them up to our room and loaded up all of the things we brought for Collin. I ended up feeling really bad because all 6 of them crammed into one little cab (about as big as a Toyota Corolla)and all of the stuff we sent wouldn't fit in the truck so they had to hold Collin's new toy on their laps in the back. We told them we would pay for a second cab but they refused and said they were fine.
The one thing that I realized while we were with them was that even though we are very different and live very different lives, their family reminded me of mine. They all joked around with eachother and seemed very close. It made it a little easier to let them take him back because I thought if he has to be with someone that isn't us I am glad it is a family like that. There is no doubt in my mind that they love him very much and that when we come back to take him home, they will be the blubbering idiots in the hotel lobby and we will be the ones consoling them and telling them that we promise we will take good care of him and not to worry.
We loaded them up in the cab and kissed Collin goodbye for now. He started to cry which secretly made me happy because I want him to miss us and remember us but I don't want him to be sad. We made our way back up to the room and had our own sad moment. What do you do when you are sad and depressed? Go to the bar! We drowned our sorrows in alcohol and then got packed and ready to go. We had to be on the shuttle bus at 4:30am!
The flight home was excruciatingly long. We had a 6 hour layover in Fort Lauderdale whick is a complete dump of an airport! No nice people sitting next to me, just a couple of globe trotting college guys trying REALLY hard to pick up the flight attendant. I feel your pain sister!! All I wanted was to get home and check my e-mail to see if we had pre-approval. That would have made the pain of leaving ease a bit but no such luck.
My brain has been mush since we have been home. Collin consumes every thought of everyday but none of it compares to actually getting to see him and spend quality bonding time with him. Unfortunately, now we know what we are missing!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Heading to New York
We are busy rushing around to leave tomorrow for New York. We are driving which could potentially be a nightmare but we will hope for the best. We are going to leave around Collin's nap time and drive part of the way tomorrow and the rest of the way Friday. I'm sure I have mentioned this before but Collin's foster father from Guatemala is coming to New York for his brother's ordination so we are going to take Collin to see him. It should be an interesting trip.
I'm sure we will have plenty of pictures when we get back. We are coming home Sunday. I have to run-lots of things to do-including going to work!!!
I'm sure we will have plenty of pictures when we get back. We are coming home Sunday. I have to run-lots of things to do-including going to work!!!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Then and Now...Part 2
This is Collin wearing the same exact bathing suit one year ago in Guatemala on our first visit trip. It is a size 3-6 months and he is still able to wear it this summer!!! We checked out the new Hilliard pool yesterday during the 90 degree weather. He absolutely loved it!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Some new stuff
I think the animals have finally figured out that this new guy is here for good. Libby has decided to make herself comfortable in Collin's crib. It was so cute when Collin decided to love on her. Bosley has started going in his room and "checking on him" throughout the night.
Lately I have been taking Collin on a walk in the stroller at nap time. He won't take naps in his crib since Wyatt spoiled him by laying on the couch and sleeping with him everyday!! We soon figured out that you can just lay him in the stroller and you don't even have to take him for a walk. He will sleep for a couple of hours.
And, something not so new...Collin LOVES dill pickle spears!! He would eat a whole jar if you let him. He also has recently tried beef jerky and he loves that too. I had it in a glass jar on the counter but I had to move it because if he saw it he would yell until he got some. Sorry the pictures are a little blurry but they are cute!!
Week in Review-Pictures
Here are a few photos from our weekend. Of course we spent a lot of time playing in the backyard. Collin also enjoys going across the street to our other backyard so he can play with Mallory.I think those two are going to be good buddies. I was trying to get yard work done but Collin just wouldn't have it. He likes his mom to play with him!! We played in the creek too but I left the camera on the patio so no pictures this time.
Friday, May 30, 2008
An emotional day...looking back
One year ago today, Collin was placed in our arms for the first time. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember seeing Mama Rosa walk through the doors of the Marriott Hotel in Guatemala City. I recognized her from the pictures and I knew my baby!!!
All of the world melted away and it was just us in that hotel lobby looking at our son face to face for the first time. I knew in the back of my mind that in 7 days I was going to have to hand him back but at that moment, I didn't care. I was just so happy to finally have that baby in my arms-or rather Wyatt's arms. I also remember having to fight for my turn!!
I am surprised at how emotional I am feeling about this day. I pulled out the pictures from the trip and they just brought tears of joy to my eyes. I still get updates from the online group through the adoption agency and reading those posts today really brought back all of the emotion of the day. I was reading posts of people just returning from their first visit trip and describing the amazing experience of it all. And also the pain of what the future held-lots of uncertainty but in the end they come home!! They really do!!
Now I see my little 16 month old flying across the floor yelling "MAMA MAMA MAMA" with his big dimpled smile and it makes me BEAM! I look at my house with toys strewn everywhere and I DON"T CARE-I LOVE IT-because it makes him happy!
Thanks to Collin, I now know what Backyardigans are and I know all the words to the theme song. Gone are the days of singing "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "In da Club" in da car. Now we sing songs like "Toast" and "Elmo's Song", which is now Collin's Song.
Thanks to Collin I have learned to type blog entries with one hand while bouncing him on my lap and entertaining him with the other. I have learned to share anything and everything that goes in my mouth and that if I don't want to, I better hide it!! I have learned to decipher the grunts and moans and groans of baby talk. I know "uhuh" means drink and "pa" means pacifier and a kiss that turns into a bite means I'm tired put me to bed fast.
But, through all of that, the most important thing I have learned is that my life was not complete until he came into it. Wyatt and I had a great life with the freedom to come and go as we pleased but our life today is a million times better and more meaningful with Collin in it.
All of the world melted away and it was just us in that hotel lobby looking at our son face to face for the first time. I knew in the back of my mind that in 7 days I was going to have to hand him back but at that moment, I didn't care. I was just so happy to finally have that baby in my arms-or rather Wyatt's arms. I also remember having to fight for my turn!!
I am surprised at how emotional I am feeling about this day. I pulled out the pictures from the trip and they just brought tears of joy to my eyes. I still get updates from the online group through the adoption agency and reading those posts today really brought back all of the emotion of the day. I was reading posts of people just returning from their first visit trip and describing the amazing experience of it all. And also the pain of what the future held-lots of uncertainty but in the end they come home!! They really do!!
Now I see my little 16 month old flying across the floor yelling "MAMA MAMA MAMA" with his big dimpled smile and it makes me BEAM! I look at my house with toys strewn everywhere and I DON"T CARE-I LOVE IT-because it makes him happy!
Thanks to Collin, I now know what Backyardigans are and I know all the words to the theme song. Gone are the days of singing "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "In da Club" in da car. Now we sing songs like "Toast" and "Elmo's Song", which is now Collin's Song.
Thanks to Collin I have learned to type blog entries with one hand while bouncing him on my lap and entertaining him with the other. I have learned to share anything and everything that goes in my mouth and that if I don't want to, I better hide it!! I have learned to decipher the grunts and moans and groans of baby talk. I know "uhuh" means drink and "pa" means pacifier and a kiss that turns into a bite means I'm tired put me to bed fast.
But, through all of that, the most important thing I have learned is that my life was not complete until he came into it. Wyatt and I had a great life with the freedom to come and go as we pleased but our life today is a million times better and more meaningful with Collin in it.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Guess What Happens Next?
Yep, he fell. No major injuries and only a few tears. He'll be back up there tomorrow.
Memorial Day
Hopefully everyone is enjoying a long weekend. We are working of course but before work we had time to get in a little Memorial Day festivity. We took Collin to his first parade here in the US. He enjoyed it but it was very short. We went to the Dublin Parade. Luckily, he made it through the 21 gun salute without a peep. I can't wait for the 4th of July!! I hope he likes fireworks!!
Don't forget while you are enjoying your cookouts and frosty beverages to think of all the troops who have fought and are currently fighting so that we can continue to enjoy our freedom. Don't forget to thank them and their families for their sacrifices and service to our country!!
After the parade we went to Waffle House for breakfast, what could be more American?? Wyatt loves Waffle House, me...not so much...unless it's at 3AM. I have to say it was a pleasant experience and Collin has found his favorite restaurant. I hate to say, it is the perfect place to take him to eat. We had a cute and very friendly young waitress with a southern accent so he flirted constantly-Collin not Wyatt =*) It is very loud so we don't have to worry about him yelling. They have ceramic tile floors so we don't have to worry about him dropping food. As long as he is still eating scrambled eggs and tomatoes the food is fine. I would say you can't mess up eggs but I once learned, I think it was in Bristol,TN, that you can...and BAD!!(Kaufman's are you with me?)
When we left they gave him a Waffle House paper hat. He loved it! He loved it so much in the short time it took us to get home he had eaten a hole in the top!! So here are some pics from the day.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Then and Now
Five days from now it will be the 1 year anniversary of the first time we held Collin in our arms. I have so many great memories of that trip. I can only compare it to a child's birth story. It was the day he became "real" to us. The first time we could touch him and love him up close and in person. It was a life changing trip and I often wish we could go back to that moment and re-live it again. It truly was an unbelievable week. We learned so much and we were so lucky to have that time alone, just the 3 of us, getting to know each other and bond as a family.
I will never forget those days. It bring tears to my eyes just thinking about it and knowing that the same sweet little boy is upstairs sleeping in his bed in his home puts a smile on my face. I am so grateful that we are not in the same spot now that we were this time last year. There is so much uncertainty in Guatemalan adoptions right now. What a difference a year can make. I will all turn back around but I am so happy that we got him home when we did. Collin was truly meant to be our son.
In honor of these many first anniversaries that will be taking place over the next few months I will be dedicating my posts to a topic...Now and Then. I think it will be fun to look back at life for us a year ago compared to our life today. And trust me, it will include a lot of pictures!! Some people do FFF(Favorite Foto Friday)I will have to think of a catchy name and pick a day. Keep checking back!!!
I will never forget those days. It bring tears to my eyes just thinking about it and knowing that the same sweet little boy is upstairs sleeping in his bed in his home puts a smile on my face. I am so grateful that we are not in the same spot now that we were this time last year. There is so much uncertainty in Guatemalan adoptions right now. What a difference a year can make. I will all turn back around but I am so happy that we got him home when we did. Collin was truly meant to be our son.
In honor of these many first anniversaries that will be taking place over the next few months I will be dedicating my posts to a topic...Now and Then. I think it will be fun to look back at life for us a year ago compared to our life today. And trust me, it will include a lot of pictures!! Some people do FFF(Favorite Foto Friday)I will have to think of a catchy name and pick a day. Keep checking back!!!
FINALLY PICTURES!
The Boys!
Collin and Mallory playing on "their" new play set...it just happens to be in our "other backyard".
Collin being a HAM! He loves climbing on an off of his MANY riding toys.
Collin and Kahlen sacked out after a long walk-of course they didn't do the walking!
Collin checking out dad's new motorcycle-LONG STORY!!!
Nana and the kids having a picnic on one of the first nice days of the season. Collin and I are planning to visit every Metro Park this Spring and summer to see which one we like best. This was Glacier Ridge Park close to Plain City. It was a pretty nice park but I think we can do better.
Collin in his bike helmet. Collin has 2 fun ways to ride bikes! Wyatt has the pull behind carrier and I have a front mounted seat so he looks like he's riding the bike. We get a lot of attention with that one! I always forget to take pictures while we are on the bike so I will have to try to remember and post one.
Collin and Mallory playing on "their" new play set...it just happens to be in our "other backyard".
Collin being a HAM! He loves climbing on an off of his MANY riding toys.
Collin and Kahlen sacked out after a long walk-of course they didn't do the walking!
Collin checking out dad's new motorcycle-LONG STORY!!!
Nana and the kids having a picnic on one of the first nice days of the season. Collin and I are planning to visit every Metro Park this Spring and summer to see which one we like best. This was Glacier Ridge Park close to Plain City. It was a pretty nice park but I think we can do better.
Collin in his bike helmet. Collin has 2 fun ways to ride bikes! Wyatt has the pull behind carrier and I have a front mounted seat so he looks like he's riding the bike. We get a lot of attention with that one! I always forget to take pictures while we are on the bike so I will have to try to remember and post one.
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