Along for the crazy ride!

These past two months have flown by so very quickly. In April, we made two trips to Central Florida: one for a conference with Bethany where SK was able to stay with Grandy all week and the following one for SK's finalization court date! Selena is still a trooper when it comes to traveling via car but as she is now very alert and inquisitive, she tries to crunch here abs and sit up out of her car seat. Of course, she cannot because she is restrained by the seat belt portion and this makes her frustrated!
On the day of her final court case, we traveled with Amy's family and SK to the Orange county courthouse and waited for what they call a "cattle call". This meant that all family court cases including divorces and adoption were seen in no specific order but all are asked to arrive at 9 am and wait for your name to be called. We arrived at 8:30 to be sure we had plenty of time and waited patiently in the outer lobby area. Selena was a doll the whole time we waited and did not even make a peep. Finally, at 11 am our names were called and we entered the court room. As we were being sworn in, Selena decided this would be the most opportune time to throw an utter fit. She was not hungry, wet, dirty or tired. She just decided to voice her opinion as well. We could barely hear what our lawyer was asking us and it was difficult to keep her under control. Nevertheless, she did not give up the crying and all of the hearing
included her tantrum as well as many of her pictures. As soon as were dismissed from our hearing, and walked out of the courtroom, she smiled! STINKER! Then she proceeded to fall asleep.
After this, we took pictures of the momentous day where Selena Kate officially became our daughter in the eyes of the law. What an amazingly beautiful day. We were truly honored to be chosen to raise this precious sweet girl. We celebrated with Amy's parents before they flew to Mississippi for Easter. Chad, myself and SK spent the Easter weekend in Merritt Island lounging by the pool.

On a side note, we have received orders to move to Ft. Polk, Louisiana and are scheduled to leave in July! This news was unexpected and of course saddened us as we have built a life here in the Panhandle. Although, we knew the day would come when the Air Force told us it was time to move on, we sure were not thinking it was anytime soon, nor would it occur so very quickly. We are excited about what the future holds for our family but the impending move is bittersweet. This is the longest we have ever lived anywhere besides our homes in Merritt Island and Byhalia and we had grown to love this part of Florida. The Pensacola area will always hold a piece of our hearts and we hate that Selena will not have any memories of it. We do know that our memories made in Louisiana will give her another perspective that we can only hope and pray is as wonderful as the time we spent here. We are trying to remind ourselves that "happiness is a choice" and "home is where you make it". Although those statements are a bit cliche, it seems to be the only thing keeping us optimistic as we plan for this upcoming move.
Mother's day is this weekend and I am thrilled to finally be celebrating it for the first time as a mother not just a daughter. I had no idea how emotional and excited I would be about having that day. It really does not matter what we do, or where we go and seeing as though we need to save money for a move, it looks like we will be hanging out doing things that are free. Which by the way, I love especially historical tours and the beach..dare I say it...I have grown to love the beach! Still do NOT like the sand, but the beaches here are prettier than anywhere I have ever seen including the Keys. So as Mother's day approaches, I am reflecting on my amazingly strong and supportive mother who always has been there for me AND on my time spent longing to be just that: a mother! It is finally here and I plan to cherish every moment, no matter what comes our way!

Pictures to follow soon!



Update: We ended up spending Mother's day weekend with my sister and Selen'a Aunti M (aka Meredith) in Orange Beach, Alabama! What an amzing weekend with family...only thing that would have made it better would have been to have our mother there!

Here are tons of pictures of the last two months since we have slacked at posting:

3 months and smiling. P.s. I am getting two teeth!

I am learning to jump in the bouncer!

At the finalization for adoption

Worn out after the court hearing!

Outside the courthouse with the grandparents!

Family Picture 4/20/2011

Happy easter! This is my Easter dress Grandy got me!

And my First Easter PJ's my Great Great Aunt Kaye got me!

In the standard issue polo and white shorts prepping for a day in Destin!

I love to DROOOL!

With Auntie Em at the Hangout in Orange Beach, Alabama!



Auntie Em decided this was the perfect spot for me!



Month 2

Selena Kate turned 2 months on March 12th and this month has been packed! Grandy came to visit and spent quality time with SK; Mimi and Papaw came to visit and did the same; Sk got her first set of shots much to my and her dismay; Chad has been in Airman Leadership school which has kept him busy and away from home a lot; Melanie came from Jacksonville for a beach weekend with us too! WHEW! Lots going on!

SK had her first photo shoot at the end of February too. She was such a sweet little model for Rachel. And if you have not checked out Rachel Wade Photography on Facebook. She is amazing!!!!


SK has been staying with friends for daycare which has been a lifesaver. I could not be more thankful for that because there is nothing worse than feeling awful about leaving your baby girl to go to work but then doing so with someone you do not know. I cannot imagine doing that. I am blessed beyond belief to have amazing people in my life and such a great family too that keeps my spirits up when they get down.

This month has been trying to say the least! SK has been an angel of course but between work and Chad having class daily from 6 to 6 sometimes, I have felt a bit like a single mom. My best friend, Lauren, which by the way just had her 2nd daughter Sunday night has been the most amazingly calm single mother. I realize, I am not a single mother but this has given me even more respect for Lauren. I have always thought Lauren was super woman. She managed to work 2 jobs and finish her business degree while managing to keep Taylor, her daughter out of daycare and with friends and family. Now she is doing this ALL over again and is again someone I can only look up to with her positive attitude and I cannot fail mentality. I wish I had more strength in me to be this way regarding all in my life. Thank goodness Chad's class is done and I have had a ton of help from friends and family while he has been in it.

April will bring a busy month for us as well. SK has her final court date in Orange County where she will officially (in the eyes of the law) be ours! She is already our and has been entrusted to us by the most amazing friend and woman I know, Michelle, SK's birth mother! We are anxiously awaiting April 20th and the significance this day will bring. While I contemplate the exciting and busy things happening in our lives, I still am reminded of the sanctity and preciousness of life. The joy that is brought to us may bring pain to Michelle. I hope that Selena will never question just how much love is there for her. And with that thought (because you all know how my thoughts flit around faster than I can even process) I am thinking (praying) for my other best friend Shannon who is in on bed rest with her son. He is not full term and they are trying to keep him from being premature. Please send prayers her way because as much as I cannot contain the excitement that all my friends and I have children within months of one another, I do not wish a preemie on anyone!


As far as Selena's milestones, this month has been a busy one! She can successfully hold her head up; sit in the bumbo; sit in a high chair (although we do not feed her solids, she likes to sit at the table with us!); She babbles NON STOP; Smiles ALL the time and even decided that it was time to giggle in Mass 2 weeks ago! So funny and of course Chad and I could not pay attention to mass  because she had never laughed before!!!!! She weighs 11 pounds and 7 oz now and is becoming one cute and cherub-like little baby. She has been to the beach twice already and loves to sit under the umbrella in her swing and just look and listen to the waves. She adores walking around the neighborhood in the stroller and has a very contemplative look on her face, almost as if she sees the clouds and is wondering what they are! Ok, here are some pictures from this past month. Enjoy and do not forget that life is precious and family is everything!

7 weeks and growing everyday!

These past 7 weeks have been a whirlwind that we would not change for a minute. February was a busy one for sure! We finally got settled into a routine in our home with Selena Kate, Chad went back to work, Amy went back to work and Selena Kate went to a babysitter. The day Selena went to day care was a tough day because we were not ready for our big girl to be with anyone but us. Luckily I only work 3 days a week and Selena is in great care with a close friend. We have been so very blessed with friends and family taking such great care of us. During our time off before we went back to work we celebrated my 27th birthday with friends, went to the beach and had a lot of fun playing dress up with Selena Kate. She has grown so much and is out of her newborn clothing and into her 0-3 month clothing. She is about to grow out of her newborn diapers too and is now eating 5 oz. every 4 hours. She has blessed us by sleeping for 6 hour stretches at night and we are so proud of what a big girl she has been sleeping in her crib too. She adores her swing and her nap nanny too! Here are some pictures from this past month's outings and events.

SK in her purple outfit Michelle got

Her preferred place to sleep

Loves to sleep on her tummy!

Navarre Beach. First Beach Day

The beach has worn her out!

Selena all dressed up for Mama's birthday

Birthday dinner with Mama and friends

Lindsay and Kellan and Mama and Selena

Mommy's little sweetie!

Holding hands <3

Bubba Singing To Selena

The Adventures of Selena Kate and Mama

This week has been a whirlwind and quite adventurous and exhausting! We had planned a trip to Byhalia, Mississippi to visit our families and show Selena Kate to the rest of our family who had yet to meet her. Due to the stupid Air Force, Chad was unable to go with us. I set out Thursday morning with Selena Kate. The morning itself should have let me know that this was the beginning of an adventure that would exhaust us both by the end of the weekend. Thursday morning, we both got up and got Selena Kate fed. Chad left for work and I began to pack the car. Minor problem...Where were my car keys? I ALWAYS put them in the same pocket in my purse but they were nowhere to be found. After over 30 minutes that included dumping my purse, checking my pockets of the previous days pants, I decided I had better look outside...maybe I left them in the car! Nope! I was baffled so as I went to go back in the house to call Chad and inform him I had lost my keys, I spot them in the front door! Very safe! The front door had been locked the previous night but apparently I forgot to take the keys out of the front door and had left them outside and available to the world! Great! Once, I recovered from my very unsafe move I was ready to finally begin packing the car. I had planned well. I made a ice coffee and ha everything packed except for SK who was waiting patiently in her car seat. I decided that I could grab her car seat handle on my arm AND hold my iced coffee and get out the door. NOPE! I spilled the whole coffee on us both. So yet another trip was made back inside in order to change my clothes and Selena's too. After this, we finally made it on the road. I got around 21 miles from our house only to realize I had left my coat hanging by the front door. I would not have normally returned for this but there was snow on the ground in Byhalia. I was not going anywhere that had snow without my jacket. I turned around, went home and got the coat. Now I got on the road for REAL!
The trip took 9 hours and usually takes 7.5. Selena is the best little traveler and does not make a peep unless she is hungry. When she did get hungry, I would stop and pull over and feed, burp and change her and we would be on our way. We arrived in Byhalia at dinner time Thursday night and were greeted by Sha, Helen Grace, Ben, Trish and Bubba. My cousins, aunt, uncle and grandmother. Helen Grace who will be two this May kept saying: "Pretty" and "baby" and she would rub Selena Kate's hands and belly and feet. She also spent a lot of time staring at her while lying on Bubba's bed.
Friday was spent with SK's "Sissy" and Auntie Em as well as cousin William, Ant Di and Uncle Bill eating pizza. She also visited with her Mimi and Papaw (Chad's parents). On Saturday, Bubba, Trish and Sha hosted a Sip and See for people who had yet to meet SK to come and see her. This was so beautifully decorated and everyone in Byhalia it seemed showed up to catch a glimpse of our sweet girl. She was an angel and stayed asleep the whole time for the most part.Later that night she visited the CrawDeLis restaurant with Amy's family. On Sunday, Selena Kate went to church and then watched myself and Bubba open all the gifts we were given from the Sip and See! We have been so very blessed with an amazing amount of generosity and gifts and have so much for Selena that I do not think we could ever run out! Today we drove back home and after a slight detour to get Chad ribs from Dreamland in Montgomery, we spent our first Valentine's Day as a family together. We arrived home to tulips and these beautiful glass bottles Mama has been eyeing at Celebrations in Pensacola and even a Valentine's sleeper for SK all courtesy of Papa. Chad also got sushi for dinner which was amazingly yummy! We are so glad to be home and settled. We have enjoyed our adventures and many travels but are happy to be back. Selena Kate was one month old on Saturday and we cannot imagine our life without her! It has been quite an adventure and we are looking forward for many more to come, but they will be occurring closer to home for awhile because Mama is exhausted from all these adventures!