Thursday, September 25, 2008

Downtown Walk Three

IMG_0375 Allie started doing this rally cute thing a couple of months ago. She makes a little shrieking sound. It's a call out. She expects us to answer back. It reminds me of those recordings of dolphins under water calling out to each other. Allie does this to figure out where we are in the house; whether we're upstairs or in the kitchen.

It's funny because she used to make a sound with just one pitch. But now I vary the pitch of the sound I make to high and low, short and long, and Allie imitates it and keeps up. It's funny and exciting at the same time. She doesn't have the motor skills yet to make words, but she still has fun while trying to communicate.

It's unbelievable how much personality this little booger has.

Downtown Walk Two

IMG_0372 Allie is so at home in this stroller. The charming and beautiful Susan and I were thinking back at how hard it used to be to go out with Allie. A year ago, we couldn't walk more than three blocks or so before Allie would have a meltdown in her stroller. It was so frustrating. I felt chained to our apartment. It got me so angry. And then I'd feel guilty about feeling worse about my situation than what this poor child must be going through to cause her to cry so bad and so often.

Here in this picture, Allie is so at ease. See her little tongue sticking out. She's making a "clucking" sound. That sound means: "my world is wonderful and I'm soooo glad my Pop-pop is here even though he won't get out of my face with that camera".

Here's video of that. And again, the charming and beautiful Susan didn't know that I was digitizing all of her actions.

tee-hee.

Downtown Walk One

IMG_0369 The charming and beautiful Susan and I took Allie for a walk downtown in Allie's new stroller.

I have this camera that I got for father's day that I love. It takes little videos, too.

The fun thing about it that the charming and beautiful Susan never knows if I'm taking pictures or if I'm shooting video. So you guys get to see the Suzie I see; charming and beautiful.




Thursday, September 18, 2008

Allie's New Bingo

IMG_0361 Allie got a sweet new ride today. This Bingo stroller is state of the art. It turns on a dime. It flattens bumpy ground. It gives Allie a full view of everything around her.

 IMG_0363 Brian and Melissa took precise measurements. This chair custom fit to Allie's little body.

IMG_0364 We took Allie for a test ride and she loved it. The science behind the development of this stroller is incredible. But the thing is huge. But it fits no problem in Allie's new van.

 

This is Allie and Melissa working on balance...

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Gettin' Dolled Up

IMG_0341 Here's the charming and beautiful Susan getting Allie ready this morning.

IMG_0350 Save some kisses for Pop-pop.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Our Big Day

IT'S FINAL!

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We thought this day would never arrive.

We stayed just a few blocks from the courthouse and enjoyed the down hill walk. We were first on the docket at 8:15.

We were first to get to the courtroom. The marble hallway shined. We were met by a lady with a clipboard, proving her authority, in hand. After we checked in, other families filled the hall, excited, knowing that today marked the first day a new kind of life.

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We went into the courtroom and were sworn in. The judge greeted us with a broad smile on her face. Her greeting put us at ease, but her robes conveyed authority. She was a matron with state authority to put families together. She spoke to us tenderly and solemnly. We stated our names. She asked us if all the information was true. She authorized an order. She made Allie our daughter. The charming and beautiful Susan and my emotions melted. We weren't expecting that. We didn't know what to expect.

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