Ellie's first meeting with Santa! Thanks Liz and Jade for making the arrangements.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Let it Snow!!
As I left the house the other day, I was greeted with over a foot of snow! When I opened the garage door, I got a pretty good look at how much had piled up. By the way, bad idea to open the garage door...I had to shovel it out before I could close the door again. By the end of the day, I would say we got about 18 inches!Monday, December 15, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Christmas Ornament
Every year, Brent buys me a glass ornament for our tree. Here he is showing Ellie this year's ornament: a baby bootie. This might be the last time we put those up, at least for the next several years, whatcha think?
Monday, December 8, 2008
A Purple Day
Purple dress, purple bib, purple blankie, purple jammies oh, and a purple flower (in case you missed that huge thing!)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Trip Back East
Brent had meetings in NYC and invited his girls along for the ride! Ellie was just great on the airplance. From that trip, I now have 3 favorite baby items: binkie clips, scented disposable diapter bags, and front packs. Ellie was pretty good on the 6 hour plane - she slept most of the way. Every where we went, she drew attention. Must have been her cute hats and bows or the that fact that she would flash strangers smiles.Rexine and Con picked us up in New Hampshire and we spent a few days there. Though things were a little cramped with 4 adults and a 
baby in a one room apartment, there was never a shortage of willing hands to hold Ellie. A friend of Mom and Con's hand-knitted a beautiful pink and white blankie for Ellie. We are glad Ellie finally got to meet her grandparents!
baby in a one room apartment, there was never a shortage of willing hands to hold Ellie. A friend of Mom and Con's hand-knitted a beautiful pink and white blankie for Ellie. We are glad Ellie finally got to meet her grandparents!After New Hampshire, we drove to New Jersey to see Karen, Francisco and the boys. 
Chris and Nick were just great with their new little cousin and picked out the most darling little outfit from China Town for Ellie. I can't wait for spring to come when she will fit it it. The Cuesta's home is just gorgeous after the re-model and we loved staying there.
Chris and Nick were just great with their new little cousin and picked out the most darling little outfit from China Town for Ellie. I can't wait for spring to come when she will fit it it. The Cuesta's home is just gorgeous after the re-model and we loved staying there. 
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Go Cougars!
Thanks for the great tickets, Ginger. We girls had a great time. Hope the boys had a great time baby sitting for us!
Hat Day
This is 
Baby Ellie in her bumbo seat. I like to have her in the bathroom with me while I get ready. Usually, I do her hair while she's sitting in her seat, but today was a hat day!
Baby Ellie in her bumbo seat. I like to have her in the bathroom with me while I get ready. Usually, I do her hair while she's sitting in her seat, but today was a hat day!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Talking Drooler
Just in the past few days, Ellie has begun to make the cutest baby sounds. But as soon as I grab the camera, she clams up. This is the best video I've got of her. Sorry about the drool...she has St. Bernard syndrome! By the way, check out her chubby legs! I love it!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Scarecrow Festival
We had a good time at the Scarecrow Festival at Thanksgiving Point. Well, I don
't think Hunter did, but the rest of the cousins did!
't think Hunter did, but the rest of the cousins did!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Ward Baby Shower
Two days after we got Ellie, our ward threw us a baby shower. I've never seen anything like it...over 100 people came. One gift we got that we liked was "Daddy Diaper Dooty". It's a tool belt with all the necessities like goggles, tongs, rubber gloves and a mask! It was a wonderful evening where we realized that we had more friends that we knew.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Our New Little One
Once we got home, we were greeted by a huge sign on our home and dozens on friends and neighbors. Word had gotten out and the excitement had spread up and down the street. For nearly 3 hours, people dropped by to drop off gifts and see our new little one. 
Finally, after a huge day, we went inside. Some friends helped us put together the pack-n-play and we tried to go to bed. Though Ellie only woke up once for a bottle, we stayed up thinking, talking and remembering the most amazing day.
Sharing the News
After all the papers were signed, we drove down to my mom's 
house. We wanted to surprise her so we decided to wait at her house until she and my dad got home. We made phone calls to all of Brent's family and my sisters. There were lots of tears of joy and all the cousins couldn't get enough of Ellie. It was a very sweet surprise!
house. We wanted to surprise her so we decided to wait at her house until she and my dad got home. We made phone calls to all of Brent's family and my sisters. There were lots of tears of joy and all the cousins couldn't get enough of Ellie. It was a very sweet surprise!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Phone Call
On Sunday, August 10th, I got a call from our caseworker from Heart and Soul Adoptions. Jane said that Amanda was on an airplane and was going to land in a few hours. We were to meet them for dinner in SLC around 6:00. Honestly, I didn't know how to respond. Church was about to begin to I went up to the stand and pulled Brent aside. When I told him about the phone call, we both just sighed. We weren't as you would have expected. We had had our hearts broken TWICE by Amanda and just couldn't let ourselves get our hopes up again. Brent was so pre-occupied by this news that he asked the other member of the bishopric to conduct sacrament meeting. I don't think I heard a single word in any of the meetings.
After church, we changed our clothes and started up to SLC. We were to meet at Goodwood BBQ up in Sandy. We didn't say much on the way. We were feeling very anxious and cautious. As we walked into the restaurant, we saw Amanda holding the baby and 3 caseworkers. As we walked up to the table, Amanda immediately stood and asked if I wanted to hold Taylor (the name she picked). Before I could even give her a hug, she had handed me the baby. All feelings of anxiety and nervousness left. I only felt...sweet. I couldn't believe that I was holding her. She was so little and absolutely beautiful. I remembering noticing how smooth her skin was and all that dark hair. Amanda was amazing. She jumped right in telling us about her eating and sleeping habits. She wasn't emotional, just talkative and friendly. Brent and I traded back and forth holding her. I don't think that either of us ate much that night.
The evening ended about 2 hours later. Amanda wanted to spend one more night with the baby, so we all went our seperate ways.
The drive home was different that the drive up. We talked the whole time. We talked about how scary this was and how our lives were about to change. We also admitted, now that we had held the baby, how we would simply be crushed if Amanda changed her mind again. When we got home, we didn't move any furniture out of the guest room or stop on the way home and buy anything. I think we were still being so cautious afraid of another let down.
The next morning, we woke up and drove up to SLC. Our appointment wasn't until noon, so we decided stop at the store. At minimum we needed a carseat so we went to Babies R Us. Once again, we were pretty quiet and reserved. Most people I think would be jumping out of their skin with excitement, but we just couldn't get pass the possibility of heart break. We picked out a stroller-carseat combo and Brent set up the carseat in the backseat. Darn thing was tough to put in...or maybe we were so stressed that we just couldn't figure it out. We strapped it in as best we could and drove up to the Gateway Mall. Once up there, we sat in the sunshine and waited for the text from our caseworker letting us know how things were going. Around 11:00, Jane sent a text that read, "Amanda has signed the papers. We'll meet you in 30 minutes". We were thrilled! The next half hour took an eternity. Finally, we saw them - 2 caseworkers, Amanda and our baby. It took everything I had not to ask to hold the baby. I wanted Amanda to have her last few hours. We ate lunch at a Mexican resturaunt and once again, Amanda was very gracious. She let me hold her most of the lunch. Then it was time. Amanda had some luggage in the car for the baby so we all walked down to the parking garage together. Amanda handed Brent a few bags and then turned to me. I was not prepared for the conflict of emtions that followed. I have dreamed of having a baby of my own, but I never thought about literally taking that baby from her mothers arms. When Amanda handed me Ellie, I broke into tears. And so did she. She kept kissing Ellie on the head and saying "I love you, I love you". Brent was in tears, obviously, and we just let Amanda kiss Ellie over and over. Finally the case workers stepped in and said it was time. With Ellie in my arms, we hugged Amanda one last time, turned and walked the other way. Brent and I couldn't stop sobbing. As we left the parking garage, I kept looking back at the carseat in my car. It had finally happened. We were parents.
After church, we changed our clothes and started up to SLC. We were to meet at Goodwood BBQ up in Sandy. We didn't say much on the way. We were feeling very anxious and cautious. As we walked into the restaurant, we saw Amanda holding the baby and 3 caseworkers. As we walked up to the table, Amanda immediately stood and asked if I wanted to hold Taylor (the name she picked). Before I could even give her a hug, she had handed me the baby. All feelings of anxiety and nervousness left. I only felt...sweet. I couldn't believe that I was holding her. She was so little and absolutely beautiful. I remembering noticing how smooth her skin was and all that dark hair. Amanda was amazing. She jumped right in telling us about her eating and sleeping habits. She wasn't emotional, just talkative and friendly. Brent and I traded back and forth holding her. I don't think that either of us ate much that night.
The evening ended about 2 hours later. Amanda wanted to spend one more night with the baby, so we all went our seperate ways.The drive home was different that the drive up. We talked the whole time. We talked about how scary this was and how our lives were about to change. We also admitted, now that we had held the baby, how we would simply be crushed if Amanda changed her mind again. When we got home, we didn't move any furniture out of the guest room or stop on the way home and buy anything. I think we were still being so cautious afraid of another let down.
The next morning, we woke up and drove up to SLC. Our appointment wasn't until noon, so we decided stop at the store. At minimum we needed a carseat so we went to Babies R Us. Once again, we were pretty quiet and reserved. Most people I think would be jumping out of their skin with excitement, but we just couldn't get pass the possibility of heart break. We picked out a stroller-carseat combo and Brent set up the carseat in the backseat. Darn thing was tough to put in...or maybe we were so stressed that we just couldn't figure it out. We strapped it in as best we could and drove up to the Gateway Mall. Once up there, we sat in the sunshine and waited for the text from our caseworker letting us know how things were going. Around 11:00, Jane sent a text that read, "Amanda has signed the papers. We'll meet you in 30 minutes". We were thrilled! The next half hour took an eternity. Finally, we saw them - 2 caseworkers, Amanda and our baby. It took everything I had not to ask to hold the baby. I wanted Amanda to have her last few hours. We ate lunch at a Mexican resturaunt and once again, Amanda was very gracious. She let me hold her most of the lunch. Then it was time. Amanda had some luggage in the car for the baby so we all walked down to the parking garage together. Amanda handed Brent a few bags and then turned to me. I was not prepared for the conflict of emtions that followed. I have dreamed of having a baby of my own, but I never thought about literally taking that baby from her mothers arms. When Amanda handed me Ellie, I broke into tears. And so did she. She kept kissing Ellie on the head and saying "I love you, I love you". Brent was in tears, obviously, and we just let Amanda kiss Ellie over and over. Finally the case workers stepped in and said it was time. With Ellie in my arms, we hugged Amanda one last time, turned and walked the other way. Brent and I couldn't stop sobbing. As we left the parking garage, I kept looking back at the carseat in my car. It had finally happened. We were parents.
Amanda, Our Sweet Birthmom
This is Ellie's birth-mom, Amanda. She is 18 years old and currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. She is simply a wonderful girl! When we first met her back in July, we instantly fell in love with her. She has a generous and friendly personality and is very easy to talk to. She loves school (graduated in the top 1/4 of her class) and wants to go to college and study Bio Chemistry. She loves to play soccer, watch pro-basketball and eat hot wings. She also loves Ellie very much. We still can't imagine the amount of strength and courage it took to place Ellie in our arms after holding her for a month.
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