[curlyqgyrl]

I would LOVE to hear an update on everyone that was there at that time!!

Me:
Well, Meeah is 2.5 now and Migel is 15 months. Migel has been home for about 8 months, though it feels a lot longer. And Meeah of course has been home for 2 years. They get along great, definetly meant to be brother and sister!! Its crazy busy sometimes with these 2 little buggers, but amazingly wonderful as well. Migel just started walking so now he can chase Meeah all around the house. He gets lots of ear infections, he has had 5 since being home so thats not real fun. Meeah talks and talks and doesn't stop until she is sleeping . She is one smart little gal thats for sure! She knows her abc's, lots of sign language and spanish, can count to 15.... She is in preschool everyday at our daycares though so I am sure that helps. 'Cito doesn't talk much . He says mama and today he said "hot"
Adam and I both run our own seperate daycares now, so its nice for both of us to be with the kids all day. I have one and Adam has the other, and the next day we switch
No plans for anymore adoptions. We have our perfect boy and girl, what more could we ask for?

So how is everyone else????

[luv2teach2]

I got my referrel in sept 05 and my daughter came home in aug 06. She is 16 months old now and doing wonderful. Walking, talking and just having a ball. I call her my little diva. It was an easy transition for both us with absolutely no attachment problems. For now it's just going to be the two of us unless a man sweeps me off my feet and wants to adopt another one (Since Guatemala will probably close to singles)

[djchris]

I am in Guatemala right now, visiting Isabella for the fourth time. I began the paper chase in October/November 2005, and had my referral of a beautiful baby girl in late February- she was 4.5 months old at the time, and is now 15.5 months old...she is happy and healthy and adapted well to each visit. The hogar she is in does a great job, but it is not home! I finally got dna done in October, and went back in to PGN with pre-approval in mid-December (third or fourth submission, I think)..havent been able to get any update while I am here, which is disappointing. Isabella needs to come home....she has adapted well, but Mommy isnt sure she can bear to part again tomorrow, let alone another time in the future..the next trip needs to be for pickup!!

She is growing so fast, and is such a joy to be with...I'll post photos once I am home.

[valcox]

We got our son's referral in December '05. He came home on the 4th of July at 18months and his transition has been wonderful. The first couple weeks were tough, but now he has fit in perfect. Here's a pic of him with his sisters on Christmas day.

[WesieMom]

We started December 05 and got our referral January 27th. Our princess turned one on December 30th and we got out of PGN on December 27th. We are supposed to be being submitted for PINK tomorrow. Please keep your fingers crossed that it happens. We just want her home with her family and friends that love her so much.

[LisaDR]

Well as the time line states started the paperchase in Sept 05 and was paper ready and recieved a referral jan 06 and brought Chase home at 7.5 months in August. I think things have gone great. He is now crawling all over but not near walking even though he just turned 1. I can't imagine how empty my life was before him

[ej-momtobe]

Hi Everyone,

Andres has been home for just over 3 months. It has been so wonderful. He is happy and laughing most of the time, and we love him so much. Both my family and DH's family are crazy about him. He turned one 2 weeks ago and will be walking any day now.

I go back to work in 2 weeks We found a nanny that we really like so hopefully she will work out as well as we think she will.

I hope to see this thread in another couple of months and see all of the remaining fall 05 beginners with their babies home too

[DD Amasa]

I brought my son home at 10 months in November after five long months in PGN. He's doing wonderfully, no issues whatsoever. He fit into our family as if he'd been there forever. He's turning one this week and is walking all over. He can say Ma-Ma and understands lots of words. Diaper changes are our biggest challenge right now. But he's a real sweetie.

[RTRhino]

Hey Erin - wow this thread brings back memories. Sounds like Meeah and Miguel are doing great .

Us - we are still in process with Brady . We didn't get PA until the end of August and have had 3 KO's since getting back into PGN. He is 13.5 months old already - growing up soooo fast. It has been very tough not having him home yet.

We also started a 2nd process to bring Eliana home. Her case is moving along normally with her in PGN now.

It is great to read the updates on your children. I hope the other Fall Beginners will stop by for an update too.

Here's to a great year - one that begins with the rest of us bringing home our kids.

Take care,
Tom

[Jeremiahsmommy]

Jeremiah is doing very well at 14 months old. He has adjusted well and is very attatched to mama and dada, and grandma and grandpa and cousins....pretty much everyone! He has been a real joy to have home. We are enjoying him so much! I cry everytime I leave him in the morning! He has taken a few of his First Steps last week, and seems like it won't be long before he's walking all over the place. He says "Mama, dada, baba, lala, oh, hi, hey, and up." He is teething like crazy. I can't imagine my life without him! Everyday I take his picture, print it and put it on a calendar with a little memo of his daily happenings! I hope someday he will read all those words mama writes for him......Jeremiah completes our family--(so far) he is going to be our one and only sweet child! (Spoiled rotten-YES, spent over $300 at Babies R Us this weekend!)
It's amazing the love a mother has for her Son!

[alreadylove2005]

We started in December, 2005, the light-of-our-lives Maya came home in August, 2006.

We are SO in love with this amazing gift we have been given. She has brought an unending supply of joy and laughter and love and giggles and warmth and spirit and beauty into our family.

I am thankful to God, Maya's birth family, and everyone who helped us get to where we are today.

I pray that someday every child will have a family to cherish them and every parent-to-be will have a little one to love.

We would love many more little feet pattering through our house, but are thinking that we are probably too old. Right now, I'm letting go, letting God and waiting to see if a bio sibling is a possibility.

[Tammy2005]

I stated the paper chase end of 2005, just brought our beautiful baby girl home last month. She is just amazing, she is crawling all over the place, pulling herself up on things, and cutting teeth left and right. She has been home 4 weeks and has already cut 4 teeth, and more coming very soon. I pray for all of you who are not out yet. The day will come. Tammy

[heathcliff]

I received my DD Skylar's referral on Nov 30, 05 and she came home on May 11, 06 at 5 1/2 months. I am a first time single mommy, so this whole thing has been wonderfully new, exciting, worrisome, and joyful all wrapped up in one fantastic journey.......My life could not be any better. Skylar (nearly 14 months) is close to walking, says doggy and kitty, is a completely happy little girl, even through teething and colds. She is also a very tall and big girl, at this time she is 22 lbs 8oz and 31 1/4inches tall. She has been big since the day she was born--8lbs.. rather unique for the majority of Guatemalans. But my family is tall and larger boned, so she fits right in with the northern Wisconsin Cheeseheads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It keeps me working out and lifting weights so that I can carry her around with ease...yet another benefit she has brought to my life... and of course I hope that she finds her life blessed by the presense of her doggies and kitty buddies and of course my presense in her life.

Thank you to all the other 05ers for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cindy

[annaguat]

We received the girls referrals in Sept. 2005 and they came home just before 7 months old. I am amazed at how well they get along. They have fun together and play well even at this young an age. By the time they were 12 months they had caught up developmentally and were walking and talking. The pictures are from when they were about 12 months old. They are now already 16 months old. What a blessing to have them home. Anna

[NJRach]

This is a great post. I love seeing all your photos and hearing the updates on all your children.

We are still waiting for Manuel to come home. We think our file has worked its way back to the top of the PGN stack and are hoping to hear we've been signed off this week.

Manuel is 13 months, 19 lbs now and crawling. Every doctors report mentions that he's babbling, so he will fit right in with our chatty family.

It's been a long road and if anyone said back in Fall 2005 that we'd still be waiting, I'd have said they were crazy!!

Rachael