Slacker...

Slacker...
Yes, that's me... slacker... I have valid reasons for not updating since Christmas. See we had a black cloud of sickness and surgeries that followed us from January until just last week. If it wasn't strep, it was sinus, if it wasn't appendicitis, it was tubes in ears... So, I was busy trying to get my family healthy and happy again. Plus, I started my own business! Yes, I am my own boss and I am loving it. But more on that later... family first.

Stephen is playing real-deal t-ball this Spring. They actually have the coaches pitch to them and if they can't hit it that way, they switch to the tee. It is going well so far, his first game is tomorrow and I hope they do great! Another big event is his life is that he is starting Kindergarten in July (they do year round school here) and he is going to "full-day" school, as he likes to call it. This is coming with mixed emotions as he is still my baby and I don't want him to start school because I know how quickly he will go through the grades. But, I know he is ready for this and I'm excited about all the new friends and experiences he is about to have.

He already has a few very close friends and two of them live on our block. He gets to see them often and they play well together. He enjoys riding bikes a lot now and that is most often the activity he wants to do outside. He also enjoys playing Wii games. He LOVES Batman Lego on the Wii. In fact, on the last ride up to Jersey, I connected the Wii in the car and he played the entire way up! Talk about a quiet ride (well for him atleast). Let's just say Jilly hasn't embraced the car yet.

Speaking of Jilly, she has hit a few milestones in the last few weeks. She has started to crawl and is on the move! She has also started to pull up and can walk down the couch as she holds on. She LOVES to eat gelato and pasta and guess what... no teeth yet! Not even a sign of them coming! She will be ten months next week. We received a wonderful piece of news this week, her adoption is finalized! Yay, Jilly! We were so excited to get this news and celebrated last night, just the four of us.

Jilly has just started to say two words: Dada and Baba. Not Mama, not even trying. Both kids said Dada first... go figure! She enjoys teasing Max and Buddy and giggles when she is near them. It is super cute.

Next weekend is her Baptism and I have really been reflecting this past week on our journey to Jillian. We waited so long, we tried so hard, and put all we had into having another baby. I am constantly reminded of a dream I had a few years ago. My Nana came to the end of my bed and in her pink pants and white shirt (with a flower on it) said to me "Relax, you're going to have another baby and it's going to be a girl." I held on to that dream for a very long time and it in a way became my comfort and strength when I thought we couldn't possibly go on. The other memory that has been in my mind is from a Fall Festival in Ridgefield Park (when we lived in NJ) and Stephen sat down with a psychic for a free reading. He did it just to do it, no other reason why. She told him two things that came true within 9 months... she told him he would be accepting a management position and that we would be moving again (which happened) and that we would have a baby girl. She went into a little more detail and said that the first trimester would be worrisome for us, but would turn out ok and that he would have a "different" kind of connection/attachment to her.

We pondered what that meant and at the time, we were still waiting to do a frozen cycle in India. We figured maybe it meant the first trimester with our surrogate would be touch and go, as sometimes they are. Then the cycle turned out negative. We were numb to it. We decided to try again later that winter and thought the same thing... it would be touch and go. Well, we lost that pregnancy too. Numb wasn't even close to describing how we felt. We decided to try adoption. And just like that, it was like God put us on the express lane to Jillian. It was totally meant to be and very, very easy.

Sorry, I drifted... but I feel like these are important words to get out.

So all in all, we are doing well. Stephen's work has kept him busy, which is always a good thing. Stevie is having a blast at school and with his friends. Jilly is trying really hard to grow so she can get out of the 5%tile for height. And I'm busy with my business. I took some online classes and opened up Social Butterfly Online Media. I basically manage FB, Twitter, and websites for small businesses in my area. I love what I do, although I do really miss teaching, but I've made some great friends and lots of connections. Plus, I get to stay home with the kids and not feel brain dead.

I wish all of you well and until next time!