31 Aug 2008

Please forgive me.Mommyhood has left less time for blogging. I do blog more on myspace just becasue I can do it faster and it eaiser. So if you have a myspace, add me.

Anyways, things are great here. Kayla is still the perfect baby. She still lets me eat, sleep and shower without a fuss. She still sleeps all night only waking up every 3 hours to eat and does this without a fuss. She is growing so fast. She is now 4 1/2 weeks and I bets shes 9 1/2 lbs now.

About 4 days ago she wore a newborn size onesie for the last time. Shes now in 0-3 months although a little big on her, that wont last long.

We got her passport picture taken on Friday and we have her appointment for her passport on Thursday. I will get her passport right there in person since I am going to to Philly to the passport agency itself. There are only 13 agencies in the United States and I am lucky enough to be within 45 minutes of one them which allows us to get her passport right away versus waiting 10 weeks for it through the mail.

Which...allows us to GO HOME ON SATURDAY! Yes, we are going home to Guam on Saturday Sept 6th. I cannot wait for Nick and I begin the next step in our lives. The step we have waited for for so long and thought that possibly would never happen. Living as a family of 3 with the little girl we have dreamed of for so long.

We leave Saturday morning Sept 6th out of Philadelphia to Chicago, IL on a 2 hour 15 minute flight and a 4 hour layover. During this 4 hours I will be stocking up on water for Kayla's bottles, snacks and food, making sure we are both clean and dry, brushing my teeth and so on while others look at me like Im crazy because little do they all know... the next flight is nearly 13 hours long.

Then we leave IL for Japan on a 12 hour 50 minute flight- 6,286 miles landing for a 5hour 45 minute layover during which I will repeat layover adventures from previsouly and add in buy some post cards or a magnet for our collection from around the world.

Then we leave Japan headed HOME to GUAM on a 3 hour and 35 minute flight arriving 2 days later from the day this all started. Whew.

TOTAL DURATION: 28 hours 30 minutes
in which I have to pack formula, bottles and diapers for.

TOTAL MILES: 8,519

Check out Kayla's ticker at the very bottom of my blog!

21 Aug 08

Kayla 2 days ago.

KAYLA IS 3 WEEKS OLD !


2 days ago Kayla turned 3 weeks old, and what a difference 1 week makes!!

2 days ago was her 2nd well baby check up and everything went well. The doctor again says shes totally healthy and perfect. He said we were both so lucky.

She has gained 12 oz making her 9 lbs and has gained half an inch in length making her 21 inches long now. Those 12 ounces must have went to her legs. Shes going to be such a tall girl! She is in about the 65th percentile for her weight, height and head circumference.

She has grown out of a few of her newborn size pajamas. Her little legs are too long! Her newborn socks no longer fit her either.

Everytime she wakes up from a nap, or in the morning I swear she got prettier. I would love to know what she is dreaming to be making her so pretty!

She is eating full 3 oz bottles, and sometimes more.

She has learned to fight her sleep unless she is being held. So last night was the first night I put her to bed and just let her cry herself to sleep. I felt so bad. It was so hard to let her cry. I called Nick and he said to let her be. My sister, Malissa said the same. So I did. 45 minutes later she was sleeping. And she slept in her bed all night except for when she was eating.

She can now roll over with much more ease and much faster.

She has so much control of her head now too. Still wobbly but she is doing great.

3 nights ago she has really discovered the tv and she loves to look at it.

3 days ago we went to the mall and got her pictures taken at The Picture People. I have never seen a more beautiful baby. I will post the pics as soon as I get them.

Mommy and Daddy are so lucky.

Birth Mom is doing well. She was having a hard time but is much better. She actually called me today to see how we are doing and she sounded very well and happy. I been worried sick about her and am so glad she is finally adjusting well! She plans to start college next month and get her GED within 6 months of starting college classes. I hope she sticks to it!

Also, a shout out to all those who have sent care packages to us for Kayla. We appreciate it so much that words cant describe. To know that so many people support us in what we are doing makes this journey so much sweeter.

13 Aug 08

Nick left last night. He is on his way home to Guam now, without his girls. His girls are now without him and we hate it. You would think with how much we are apart in the military lifestyle that we would be used to it. But each time is harder no matter how long or short the time apart will be. Its even harder now. We miss him so much already. I cant wait to be able to join him at home to be a family together in our own home.

I sure hope this next 2 months go fast, but then again that means that the next 2 months of Kayla growing will end up going to fast. She is 2 weeks old today and already I see such a big difference. Baby girl...dont grow too fast. Daddy doesnt want to miss too much of you.


Here is a video of Kayla when she was only 10 days old. She was showing off at her Aunt Ellen's house and rolled over totally on her own from her belly to her back on the living room floor. Listen to cheers in the background from the family. GO KAYLA!!

10 Aug 2008

11 days old- big accomplishments


Kayla was 10 days old yesterday. I know I just posted a 9 day old update but on her 10 day old birthday she had made a couple of new accomplishments.

*She got to meet and be held by her Great Grandma- Mom Mom.

*She got to meet and be held by her Great Aunt Ellen and lots of her Daddy's cousin's and their spouses.

*At her Great Aunt Ellen's with all her Daddy's cousins watching, she rolled over from her belly to her back when she was laying on the floor. Daddy got it on video. She did this twice!

*Also at her Great Aunt Ellen's house yesterday, she lost her umbelical cord while Daddy was changing her diaper.

*AND...so many people fell in love with her yesterday. They just couldnt take their eyes off her for one minute. The whole family is so in love. And we are sure Aunt Deb was there with all of us looking at her as well.

*Oh, and today she will probably be graduating to 3 ounce bottles for feeding time.

8 Aug 2008

Thanks for checking in everyone. We are still doing fantastic. Kayla is now 9 days old and already we can see her changing so much. Her pictures from bith compared to now look like a different baby. Im really not looking forward to her growing up so fast. Cant she stay newborn for a few more months???

Yesterday was Kayla's first time grocery shopping! She did great. Slept the whole entire time. She is still sleeping all night. She will eat at about 10 pm then sleep until about 2:30 am for a feed. Then up at about 6 am for a feed which then she goes right back to sleep until about 8 am. She is such a good baby. We are so incredibly lucky.

Tomorrow will be her first visit with Aunt Ellen. I cant wait for Nick's Aunt Ellen to see Kayla. She is so excited!!

Last night was our first "projectile poopie." I had no idea such a little body could poopie so hard. LOL! Her diaper was loaded. So I layed her on bed ready to clean her up and put her in the tub for her night time bath. I took of her diaper, wiped her butt once with a baby wipe and out it flew. Im so glad Nick saw it all or noone would have believed me of the extent of this poopie. All the way down the bed, over my arm and onto the floor within 2 seconds. It was HALARIOUS!! LOL!

My my I saw how conversations change when you become a mommy.

Above are pictures from yesterday taken by my photographer husband. Enjoy!! Click the pictures to enlarge.

5 Aug 2008 Kaylas first well baby appt.

Click the pictures to see them larger.

KAYLA’S FIRST DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT


Yesterday Kayla Nicole was 6 days old. Yesterday was also her very first doctor's appointment and it could not have gone any better. Not only do Nick and I and her Grammy and Grandpa say she is absoluetly perfect, but the doctor says, "She's perfect!"

She has gained all her weight back and weighs 8 pounds 4 oz. She is 20.5" long. She is in the 50th percentile and is right on track.

We noticed today that she is starting to eat more. She now puts down a whole 2 oz bottle within just a few minutes and eats every 2-3 hours as long as we wake her up to eat. During the night she sleeps for 4-5 hours before we have to wake her up at about 2-3 a.m. And then she sleeps right through to about 6:30 or 7 am when we have to wake her up to eat.

She is now able to lift her head and move it right to left when she is laying on her tummy. She is very alert and loves to look at bright colors.

She is absoluetly perfect in every way. We are just sitting in the clouds and so proud!!

3 Aug 2008

I wanted to tell everyone how thankful we are to see all the comments and emails left for us over the past 2 days. You all have no idea how much we appreciate it.

I dont have time to give a nice long detailed update. We have a lot to do today. Some errands to run and family to visit. But we are doign fantastic. Kayla is the most perfect baby. She did excellent on the flights, didnt even cry once. She sleeps most of the night, only wakes once. We are in PA now staying with my In Laws. Everyone just loves her to pieces. We cant get enough of her.

A few people asked about court date. We dont have one yet. In the state of FL once the birth father and birth mother sign over legal rights we have custody of her. Once signed, there is not one thing the birth parents can do to get the baby back. We are bascially her foster parents until the adoption is finalized which takes just a few months. So yes, this is a succesful domestic adoption, all done in just 3 months. It was just meant to be!

I know..not much of an update. We got people to see and things to do and I have to pack a diaper bag for the whole day and get her dressed.

But here is a picture of Pretty and Perfect Princess Kayla Nicole.

August 1 2008

KAYLA NICOLE IS HOME!!!!! Well, not technically home, but in or arms in our hotel room and let me tell you...she is the most gorgeous perfect baby in the entire universe. Ok, Im a bit biased. :0) I couldnt be happier with any other baby. It feels so right and I already love her so incredibly much. I cant stop looking at her. I couldnt love her more if I carried her in my very own womb. Isnt it crazy how love works? How the world works? How things work when they are just destined to work? Today, Kayla Nicole became ours. She is now an 'Alessi'.

Th 3 of us leave tomorrow morning. Our plane will be taking off into the blue skies of FL headed for the hopeully blue skies of PA at 8 am sharp.

Grammy and Grandpa....WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO YOU!!!!

Pictures to come soon. The internet connection in our hotel room is incredibly slow and takes forever to upload 1 picture. Isnt it funny how all hotels say they have high speed internet?