I feel so blessed that I grew up in a family with adoption. This being for multiple reasons. I think I was the most motherly and baby educated 12 year old in all of Wisconsin...quite possibly in the country. Because I was so old when my family adopted I really learned so much from having my teenage years with babies in the house. I am so thankful for that. Because of that I was a good nanny and one day will have all the normal mommy freak outs out of the way; give me blow outs and screaming babies anyday!...okay that made it seem like I enjoy those things (I don't) but I definitely know how to handle those situations without spazzing out completely. Being with babies and young kiddos is actually when I feel most calm and comfortable. At a counseling session once I was told that when I am feeling overwhelmed to think of my "happy place" I said mine would be holding a sleeping cuddly little baby on a beach, ha! She even laughed at that one.
Anyways, here are my siblings adoption stories (from their big sisters point of view...) Starting with...
Cylie Elizabeth "Lizzy"
(pronounced Kylie)
May 2, 2000
My age: 12 years old
I can remember going to meet Lori, her birth mom. I remember my mom being really nervous and excited. I remember that she was really friendly and bubbly. Our whole family went to meet her. Looking back, that was pretty risky to have Cody and I in on that meeting. She loved us. I'm pretty sure we found out that day that she wanted us to adopt her baby...Cylie. I don't remember timelines (I was 12). I don't think it was long. I don't remember it being that cold out when we drove to Michigan to meet her, so it had to have been late winter or spring already. What I do remember is being at dance try-outs and my mom bringing Cylie to meet me for the first time. I can remember holding her when she was just a newborn. I brought her into school to do my demonstration speech for 6th grade english on "How to Take Care of a Baby"(I'm seriously destined to a life surrounded by children...love). I remember us having a baby shower for her after she was born and me and my friends Theresa and Jenna were the helpers. My mom had one of my friends paint a Noah's Ark mural on her nursery wall and we all helped paint it. My parents did a great job of including us in everything. I really remember a lot of Cylie being a baby. I remember us all calling her "Bugaboo" and I remember watching "Beauty and the Beast" at least 4x's a day with her. I remember it being so much fun having her around. I can remember the first time my parents left me alone with her to babysit. It was while they went to a movie. She was still a baby. I was so proud.
{Universal Studios, FL 2002 probably...right before Cirrah we were 2, 12 & 14)
Now Cylie has grown into a beautiful, 11 year old little girl with a huge heart. She calls me "Sissy". I call her "Lizzy". (When I was little I wanted her to have a nickname that no one else would call her so I somehow pulled Lizzy from her middle name...I loved "Lizzy McGuire".) Ha. She is 11 going on 25 and I love being a role model for her. I only wish I could be with her more to help her now with all of her fun pre-teen adventures. Cylie stayed with Matt and I for 5 weeks this summer...all the way across the country. She called my parents maybe 3x's without us making her. She loved being here with us. She is a huge daddy's girl, but she loves being independent. She's destined to be a city girl. My bets are definitely on Seattle. Cylie is so talented. She can dance too :) I wish they lived here so she could be on my team! *one can dream* I love you Cylie! Keep being true to yourself and remember that when kids are mean or anyone hurts you at school...you don't have to be in Hartford forever...one day you can move here! xoxoxo
No comments:
Post a Comment