Today is the day we celebrate becoming a family. I actually love this day is not on the kids birthday but a day set apart with the sole purpose to celebrate when we first met and became a family. So much has happened since 6/30/2011.
My strongest memories of that day were Jay and I's rushed trip to the Everett Costco to pick up diapers, wipes, and formula before we drove to the Foster Home where both kids were waiting for us. I remember sitting in the car eating our final meal from Wendy's (what a horrible choice for a last meal!) thinking this would be the last time I could eat uninterrupted for a very long time. I was right. We sat there full of nerves wondering what would come next. I kept glancing in the backseat at the two newly installed infant car seats. It was hard to imagine that in just 30 minutes our babies would be in them! It's a strange thing to have an appointment to pick up your kids and then bam, insta-family.
The first 18 months were a rollercoaster ride of emotions from the adoption process and the jolt of becoming a new parent. That's pretty well documented in previous posts here. The noticeable difference in us as a this year is we're just a regular family. Gone are the nerves about the kids going back to their birth family, no more social worker visits or incident reports for a bump or scrape the kids were constantly getting. We're just a normal family that has a unique story about how we came to be a family.
The big milestones this year included being done with all things baby related - No more cribs, no more diapers, no more onesies in anyones drawers. I have big kids now who insist on doing everything themselves, or at least trying. They like to show their independence by making choices about their wardrobe and how they like to have their hotdog dressed. Little Dude - ketchup only and maybe a bun. Little Miss - Ketchup, mustard, and lots of dill relish.
We talk a lot about their birth mom and they mention they miss her every few days. I'm excited to be able to have some real conversations with the kids about their feelings on this when they start to form. Right now they mention they miss her along with our dog Tucker who they actually do remember. I love that they mention her regularly and are not afraid to ask questions about their birth mother.
This year is going to bring many great things for our family. We'll soon be adding a new member of the canine variety. The kids are really excited and talk about it a lot. David is convinced we need not one dog but four, one for each person to hold. We'll be taking the kids to Disneyland for the first time. It's the final year of both kids being together in pre-school since Little Miss will start school next fall...crazy!
As for today we are enjoying quiet time with just the four of us. We're jumping on the newly assembled trampoline, picking blueberries in the backyard, and enjoying each moment while I stand in awe of how blessed I am to call these people my family.
