One month ago...

One month ago today...

I came off of a plane crying for joy.
We ended one journey and started a new one.
We became a dream come true.
My heart grew to accommodate the love for 3 kids.
We became a family of 5.
I become a mother of 3.
I watched as my husband fell in love with yet another woman.( that makes 3 now)
I saw Brooke become the big sister she was meant to be.
I watched as my son fell in love for the 1st time. (even he could not believe it)
I totally fell in love with my new baby girl.


What a month we have had. We are truly living the best case scenario. Hope is amazing, Will is wonderful, and Brooke is in heaven. Going from a family of 4 to a family of 5 has be a pleasure. I am sure that has a lot to do with the fact that my 2 big kids are 7 and 9 , not 2 and 4. And I know it has mostly to do with the fact that Hope is meant to be in our family. Some days I think, "How did my baby get conceived and born in South Korea?". It is just amazing, when you think about it. She is totally,100% , an Elmore. There is no question. I don't know how to explain how it happened or when it happened, but it did and we have all finally found each other. It feels like a missing piece to our family puzzle is found and the picture is so much clearer now that she is home.

Will and Brooke are great helpers. And they want to spend time with her. She is a burden to no one. They can not wait till she gets up so they can play with her and hold her. They are more responsible for things around the house. And I think they are even getting along better with each other (but don't tell them I said that) ;-). Hope has changed our family dynamic in the most positive ways.

Did I mention the baby will eat anything? Well almost anything, she hates baby food. But other than that she eats like a champ. All soft veggies, fruits, meats, breads...you name it and she will try it, and she has not met a food she dose not like. She is great to take out places. At first I was having a hard time finding her schedule for eating and napping...but now I see it as flexibility. If we are out she will eat when we do, or snack along the way. She can take 2 naps when we are home all day, or one if we are out most of the day. The only thing that she is still a little ridged about is her bottles. I am the only one that she will take a bottle from. She only occasionally will eat a bottle while we are out. She likes her bottle warm (not luke warm, not hot, not tepid) and she likes to have her bottle in her room in the glider, and only before she goes to sleep (nap or night time) not when she wakes up ( and if she could please hold her "taggie" blanket while she eats that would be great too).

Everyday (several times a day) I thank God she is in our family. I am thankful that I get to spend my days with her. I am thankful that we are all in love with her. I am thankful she is happy when she sees her brother and sister. I am thankful that she crawls to the door the get a snuggle from Daddy when he comes home. I am thankful every time she gives us big open mouth baby kisses. I am thankful every time she smiles, and laughs. And I am thankful every time she reaches for me to hold her.