"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break." -Chinese Proverb



30.9.09

Our First Night 28.05.09


We were terrified......what if he didn't sleep, what if he is scared, what if he doesn't like us....our first night home was nerve wrecking. Between hubby and I we must have checked on him a hundred times.......well, he slept through the night in his crib, only waking for one bottle....ahhh, the first night and how well he slept, now the little one is a monkey at night time and is currently refusing to sleep anywhere but in the big bed.....not his cosy duvet crib or his cuddly toddler bed...in the BIG double bed....smack dab in the middle!

Here are pictures from his first day home, exploring and playing!



Seriously, he loves brushes!


First Hair Cut! 29.05.09

As the social worker, the foster parents and hubby and I were sitting around the table talking about Adrien, the one social worker commented on Adrien never having had a hair cut before. I LOVE to cut hair so the second night home, out came my scissors!












My First Hair Cut

I HEART MOM

Pictures by JB Photography, September 2009

This is my favourite outfit on Adrien......



Adrien is definitely a mama's boy, which is great because it means we are bonding and our attachment is growing stronger. I'm afraid that one day a girl.....a nasty evil girl will come along and win over his heart.......leaving me behind....now, I'm NOT "one of those moms", but the thought does cross my mind. Also, how much I love him blows me away. I remember growing up and thinking that I love my mom more than anything in this world and then becoming very saddened by the thought that one day I would have kids and love them as much as my mom loves me, making them my #1 priority......I would cry thinking that I wouldn't love my mom the best anymore....well, I still love her, Adrien comes first now, that's the only difference....and one day, he will meet someone and they may decide to have kids and then he will love his kids more than anything in the world.....it saddens me (selfishly) and yet amazes me by just how much room for love our hearts have.......


June 2009 Pictures

It's hard to pick just one picture of your kid when you think he may be one of the cutest things on earth!

















Adrien Joe

As a child, I remember wanting to marry my dad, I think all little girls think that is who they will marry.
Though my dad and I have been through A LOT of rough patches and haven't seen eye to eye on MANY MANY things, our love for each other has never waivered. I know that he has my back, for always and forever.
When hubby and I were going through IF, he asked, how can I help...when then didn't work, he took me for a three hour walk to help me see the silver lining. When I told him we were adopting, I couldn't read him....he's a man who keeps his emotions close to himself. As time went on, I asked him again and I asked him how he felt about it, would he consider our child as one of his own. He responded that families are made up of different stories, and this is the story of his family.
When we found out about Adrien, I called him excited and crying and his first response was, get whatever you need and don't worry about. After a while, he called back and "lectured me" in his way. Knowing how much I wanted to be a mom he cautioned me to get all the information before making any decisions about this child. After I reassured him that we had done our homework and we were excited, he was cautiously excited knowing that the court proceedings were not done and he didn't want my heart broken. He loves Adrien, the minute I get there, Adrien is swept out of my arms and played with and cuddled. The day the birth family could no longer appeal the court decision and Adrien was free for adoption was probably one of the happiest days for all of us.
Adrien came with a birth name which hubby and I have kept his first name but have changed his middle name to Joe, after my dad.....Joe, just Joe....not Joseph or the Italian version Giuseppe, just Joe.......I remember talking to my dad one day on the porch and he asked what his name was. I told him it was Adrien Joe. He asked if that was the name he came with, I replied he came with Adrien but we're changing his middle name to Joe. My dad smiled and whispered, AJ....I like that.....I knew he was honoured but didn't know how to express it.
Then we went to a picnic.....and a bunch of my dad's friends were there. In Italian, one guy asked my dad who the baby was and I almost cried as my dad responded, my grandson!
Adrien Joe, you have a great dad, great grandfather and great uncles.....I hope this men guide you and teach you how to be the man I know you will be....You have some big shoes to fill little man!

JB Photography Pt. 3











Set up shots (awesome photographer in the Nashville area!)

JB Photography Pt. 2
















Candid shots

JB Photography Pt.1
















Funny face

29.9.09

Lake St Peter Pictures, July 2009

On the way home, stopping to eat
Bathtime in the sink

Wrapped in a towel warming up after a dip in the lake



Laughing at my mom



Cuddles from mama



Loving this sink bath time





















passing out after a long hike





getting ready to hike!











Pictures

One of our first visits with the boy! He's so cute!
This is the bear mommy got daddy when they started building their family, it was for daddy to give to their first child! YEAH, it's mine!

The very first picture mommy ever saw....still have a hard time looking at it....it brings up lots of emotions



Anther early visit


Adrien's first birthday



















(Mom's point of view)




I had always pictured celebrating my child's first birthday with a HUGE party at our house, surrounded by family, friends, balloons, presents, flashing cameras, laughter and two perfect birthday cakes that I had made.




Instead (and equally as beautiful) Hubby and I spent our son's first birthday with his foster family in their home. It was great. FM made a tastey dinner and we had a very simple vanilla cake that I made. We spent time playing with Adrien and took him outside to play. It was only our third visit with him and the first time I felt a bond with him starting. (I will write about the first two visits another time)













Let's begin


Me, the first time my mom and dad met me.
Hello....my name is Adrien Joe and I am 16 months 1 week so OBVIOUSLY it's my mom posting these messages.....the point of view will be from mym mom and her view on how I see the world. (should make for some interesting blogging)
A little bit about how my mom got into blogging- about 4 years ago she found a fabulous website that supported women (mainly) and men dealing with infertility issues and began blogging there. Since I have joined the family and changed her world, she has said good bye to the site that saw her through the joy and pains fo becoming a parent and is hoping to make this blog her new home.
A history of how I came home forever- After 6 years of trying to get pregnant, myh mom and dad thought it was time to start the adoptiong ball rolling. They had always planned on adopting and got to business. After almost two years after leaving the starting gate, here I am!
Meeting my forever parents- Three days before my first birthday I was awoken from my nap by my faster parents (known then as mommy and daddy now affectionately known as Gran and Gramp) and brought me downstairs were these three ladies and one guy were in our kitchen. The lady was a blubbering fool (my mom) who wouldn't turn around to look at me and my Gran had to hug her to make her feel better. (my gran gives the best hugs). I was given to the guy (my super cool dad) and we visited for a couple of hours. We visited for two weeks before I moved to my forever home with them. It was tough in the beginning.....especially for my mom who wanted everything to be pergect for me....Four month later, we're doing pretty great and are a happy family unit.