So, I know many of you have been waiting to hear baby details. I've been dying to give them but wanted to have some more to give you. In my mind, I've been mulling around several long posts regarding adoption, our experience with adoption, our beliefs about adoption and how that affects this next adoption. But to be honest, I don't know if I'll get to it all before the new babe arrives and I am certain it will take at least a couple months to get into the swing of things after she arrives.
So here's the short version. Feel free to ask any questions you might have in the comments - maybe that will get me started.
Her due date: June 2. Originally, her birth mother was given a window of May 8 to June 2. I know. Big window. Birth mother (let's call her "A") has two other children, both of whom were early and she really is not certain when she got pregnant. So I'm counting on mid-May. Which is pretty much 2 months from now. Yay! A was 29 weeks along on Tuesday.
She (pretty certain she's a she) will be: Full Mexican!! SO excited about this. I love the chubby dark skin, brown eyes and fuzzy, black, Mexican hair. I mean, take a look at this. Pure cuteness.
Her first name: Xoxie - Her birth mother really wanted this name for her. It's pronounced "Soshi" and is an Aztec word that means field of flowers.
Why Xoxie? Because we love birth mothers. We understand how important it is to them to be able to leave something lasting with their children. And since this was important to A, it is important to us. We are going to choose her middle name. We.... ok... I! am having an awfully hard time choosing her middle name. I have a lot of self-imposed rules about names - it has to go with Steele and Adia, it has to go with Xoxie, it has to sound hispanic, it can't be too similar to Adia, it has to have a cute nickname, it has to feel right (don't even ask me to try and explain this) blah, blah, blah. As soon as we decide I'll tell you. I promise. You might have to wait until after we meet her though. You should hear how cute Steele and Adia sound when they pray for "baby Xoxie."
A bit of her story: She's currently in California in her birth mother's tummy - although she was here with us for four days this past weekend. We had a wonderful time. According to Steele - She's sure taking a long time to come out! At which point a whole baby creation, gestation, birth discussion ensued. We got connected with her birth mother, A, through Steele's birth mother Chelsea. We love Chelsea. She's pretty much made it a personal mission to find more babies for us. As I type this I know it all may sound a little odd, but it's really not. It's been awesome to see God's unique and amazing plans for our family unfold.
She's not: A boy. Much to Steele's dismay. But he'll get over it.
Where She'll Sleep: In one adorable, almost-finished room with her brother and sister. As soon as I get a few pictures hung and a coat rack painted I'll post pics.
Birth/hospital/travel plans - As soon as A goes into labor I'm going to get on the earliest possible plane and try and get there for her birth. After that, we don't really know what's going to happen. Since the adoption is taking place across two states it's a little more complicated. We could use your prayers in this area. I've also been debating flying back up with her versus driving back up with her. I'm a little concerned about her being so young, in an airport, on a plane, viruses floating around, ears popping, no immune-infusing breast milk etc. etc. It might be easier for Justin to come down and for us to drive a couple days back and stay in a hotel with her. Any thoughts/experiences would be much appreciated.
*Listening to Jason Mraz on SNL tonight - what a clear, beautiful voice that guy has*
I think there was more I wanted to write but I need to get to bed. I'm exhausted. I'm praying I'm not up with a sick Adia Moon tonight. Or worse yet, a sick Adia and a sick me. Especially since our social worker is coming to do our homestudy update tomorrow. Errr... um.. today, I guess.
Ok - I'm going to bed. Sorry for the wordy, picture-less post. They're my least favorite kind.
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16 comments:
So exciting! LOVE her name!!!!!! I bet she will be beautiful. Will pray for you as you prepare and plan for her birth and how you will travel home with her. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!
Thank you for sharing!! If you're near me, let me know if there's anything I can do to help you out when the time comes.
Oh how I have been waiting for this post. My heart is so happy for your family. Her name? Gorgeous! I know what you mean about finding the perfect name. What an honor for her birth mother to name her.
I am continually praying for you family. I pray that everything will fall into place so her birth and adoption process and travel to her forever home will be seamless!
I cannot wait to see her! Our girls will probably be less than one month apart. How exciting is that??
XOXXO,
Sarah
I NEVER KNEW she was FULL Mexican!!! I'm so excited about that fact I can hardly stand it!!! WOO HOO! So cute.
I loved reading these details, Cutzi.
My only concern about plane travel would be any adoption paperwork fiascos. If that doesn't concern you, I'd fly. Quicker. And she'll be so young she'll sleep. I think.
Stacy - SUCH a good point about adoption paperwork. Might be worth it to drive for that reason alone. In our experience, even just being at the hospital, it seems like nobody ever has the same information or the same rules. Makes things complicated. Especially with us crossing state lines - we have to go by this interstate compact thing. Since A started the paperwork while she was here, it looks like we'll be able to go by Washington's adoption laws which is awesome. I just don't want to have to try and explain the interstate compact to the security guard at the airport.... ;-)
And I KNOW!! Can't wait to bring that little Mexican girl home! Evidently nobody told my current Mexican that that's what they are. ;-)
Kim - thank you so much for your offer to help. Fortunately we'll be in northern California so it won't be such a long drive. 12 or 14 hours I think.
Aimee and Sarah - thank you for your prayers and excitement. It means so much to us.
I'm THRILLED!!!!
I LOVE the name her birth Mama chose.
I LOVE that you LOVE that name.
I LOVE that she's gonna be the Mexicanist!
I LOVE Jason Mraz and I'm so bummed that I just can't stay up for SNL.
I'm so happy for all of your happiness!
I'm always sending prayers your way.
I can't wait to meet this special girl. I think flying with her will not be a problem. It is such a short flight and she won't be touching anything.
For ear popping you just have her suck (a bottle or Binky) on the way up and down. The youngest I have flown was when Luke was 2 months old and he was no problem.
But I would call the airlines and find out from them that they won't give you trouble (and maybe joy can speak to that).
Love, love, love this post! I absolutely love the name Xoxie. If the paperwork issue doesn't present a barrier, I think flying would be the way to go. You could safely give her a little Benadryl before you take off, and she'd probably sleep through it. I don't advocate doing such things as a rule, but this would be a very special exception. I can't wait to meet her!
YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
I'm so excited! If you do drive and you need a place to stay around here, Hotel Kendall always has vacancies. Okay, I know it's not the most ideal, but I'm so excited to meet her and sniff her fuzzy head. I suppose I'll just have to make a special trip up to her!
I love the name Xoxie too, and all your reasons for choosing it.
Wow, so wonderful! What a special gift to the birth mom that you honor her wishes with the name...so neat for the sweet babe too!
what can i say that hasn't been said. God is amazing. i love being an eyewitness to His perfect provision for your awesome family! i remember, no so long ago, the prayers for steele! xoxo christine
You don't know me at all, but I've clicked on your blog a few times when work is slow. My church and I just returned from our yearly mission trip to Mexico and we went to a town called Xoxocotla. It is in an area of Mexico largely inhabited by descendants of Aztec Indians. I was told at the time that the town's name was pronounced sho-sho-cot-la and was named after these amazing pine type trees that they have there. How neat that your daughter is receiving an Aztec name! I was just too excited about the similarity to the town name and the wonderful people we met there. All the best to your family and your darling baby girl!
Claire in Athens.
Hi Claire!
Thank you so much for commenting. Yes, what a neat similarity! Do you know what state that city is in? I was an exchange student in Mexico and they had very similar sounding words and names around the area where I studied. And actually, my name, Cutzi is a native Mexican word as well - from the area my real father is from.
I've been researching the name some and there is a lot of discrepancy on the pronunciation and spelling. I think it's actually supposed to be spelled Xochi, which is *actually* short for Xochitl. And, from what I can find and what I've learned studying, I think it's supposed to be pronounced "Sochee" But, we're going with what birth mother wants right? So we're gonna go with it all the way! ;-) Never dull around here, even when it comes to baby naming.
Cutzi!
You don't know me either, but...I know and worked with Stacy!! My husband and I have one daughter, Halle, who we adopted through an agency in Tyler, TX. Yes, she was born in TX. We flew home with her when she was 8 weeks. It was a breeze...as was the paperwork. We had asked the agency if we needed anything special and they really didn't know. We prayed we didn't, but...brought some paperwork with us just in case. We only had one person ask at the airport and she only wanted to know if the baby had the same last name as us. Halle is Full African-American. I say fly...it's tons faster!! I love the name also and that she is full Mexican...God knows our hearts!!! Blessings as you continue your journey!
...April :)
Hi Cutzi, I just wanted to let you know that I will be praying for you and your family as you go through the adoption proccess and bringing little Xoxie home. I love her name. It's just beautiful. Have fun picking out the middle name too. :)
I'm so glad I popped into your blog today. I'm catching up on things I didn't know ~ like these baby details, and the fact that you sold the studio. Life rolls on!
I commend you for honoring A's desire regarding the name, and I also think Xoxie is a beautiful, unique name; I hope you call her by this just because I find it so very cool. : )
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