Our Big Girl

Our baby is now a toddler. It's hard to believe. She walking a few steps on her own but prefers to walk on her knees. It has become much more difficult to get her to be still for photos. I have plenty of blurry ones :) I wasn't well enough to see her visit with Santa but I guess she was too scared to sit on his lap. I'm still not certain if there is a picture of the event.

The flu has now reached all 3 of us. We are thankful it was now instead of Christmas week. With only one week to go, we hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday.

Go Vikings!

We love our football and are excited to have the Vikings in the playoffs!!

Sick Baby :(

Last night was our first episode of "big girl" sickness. She went to bed and seemed fine, but just a short while later she was crying. When we checked her she had vomited all over. She continued getting sick most of the night. FYI, sleeping on the floor isn't as fun as it used to be.

Julie stayed home with her today and she has slowly been feeling better. Must have been something she ate or a 24 hour bug. We'll see how she does tomorrow. Fingers crossed since we plan to see Santa on Sunday...

Also, my car in the shop. I clearly like to spend extra money around the holidays. My last vehicle became unfixable after we dumped a bunch of money in to it 2 years ago at this time. I'm dreading the bill. Even with the extended warranty it could be painful.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. -Heidi

Peanut

Our name for baby #2, cuz you know we aren't sharing the name :)

Dru beginning to crawl

Now she is a professional crawler, here's a video of when it was very new to her.

For those who are anxious to know...

Dru Turns One!

My mom and I made the double layer cake, it took quite some time but turned out pretty good.

Dru is officially one! We celebrated with family yesterday with dinner, cake and ice cream. We made egg free cupcakes and let her go crazy but she started off very hesitant since we were all staring at her. Eventually she tipped the cupcake over and grabbed a few handfuls. Pink frosting ended up in her eyelashes. I'm pretty sure she enjoyed it.

She received loads of great gifts. She was getting bored with her baby toys, and after yesterday she'll be so busy we won't need to worry about her being bored. Of course some of them make noise, I guess that is payback :)

We want to thank our family and friends that have made Dru's first year so special. She is very loved!!!!

Trip to the ER...

Yesterday was our first visit to the ER. I hope to never have to make that trip again.

Dru made her way up the stairs where on the landing was a picture frame leaning against the wall. She crawled over to it and with a smack she put her hand through the glass. It happened so fast I was in a panic to find out where she got cut. She cut her left pointer finger pretty deeply. We went to urgent care where they sent us to the Children's Hospital ER. Dru did well as long as we kept her hand still. She needed an x-ray to see if there were anymore glass pieces in the cut. Julie was able to be with her as she was strapped down, poor thing! She started crying really hard then couldn't calm down until a Child Life Specialist came to the rescue.



Finally the doctor came in to stitch the cut. Dru did amazingly well!! She cried a bit when the doc put the lidocaine on the wound but as soon as it was numb she just had a few tears. She now has 3 stitches. The doctors bandage fell off before we left the room, so I called the nurse back in and she put another one on. So far it has held up, we'll take it off tomorrow night. Here is a pic of her little hand with a big bandage.

11 months & Halloween

Dru is rounding the corner to her first birthday. She is also getting fairly close to walking. She can pull herself up on anything and surf along furniture, walls and people.

Daycare is wearing her out. Naps are dwindling to about 1/2 hour a day so when she gets home it is bedtime. One year brings many subtle milestones that will make her more of a toddler. She'll be able to start drinking whole milk and we'll turn her car seat around to face forward. They may sound insignificant but they will be small reminders that she isn't an infant anymore.

She is sick right now with a viral sinus infection. She isn't her bubbly self. The doc says it should be just a few more days and she'll be back to normal. We cancelled her first year pictures that were scheduled for today to next week. Her first birthday party will be on her actual birthday with our family coming over for dinner and cake. I can only imagine I will cry :)

Halloween marked her last "first" holiday. We went to my parents for homemade soup. Before it got dark we took a few pics of our pumpkin.

Guess What!?

Well, it's official! I am pregnant! I am 12 weeks and we were lucky that our request was answered, it's only one :) I am due May 6th. Please keep your fngers crossed and/or prayers flowing that this one is as happy and healthy as Dru and that the rest of the pregnancy goes well.

Autumn Events

Each year Julie's extended family has a gathering in Menomonie, WI. This year was much different with Dru now here. She decided that she didn't need a nap on Saturday (with only 30 min. on Friday) but did amazingly well until Sunday morning when it caught up with her. We went to a farm with a corn maze. Since I had never been through one I wasn't sure how difficult it would be. I thought we'd need a search party, but clearly not necessary. Dru saw farm animals for the first time, and heard a cow "moo" for real (not just mom's rendition). Here are some photos...

Today we went to an apple orchard with cousin Reed, aunt Heather and Grandma Sue. It was a gorgeous day and though the crop was a bit sad we had fun.

10 months

Dru has learned about airplanes, they fly over our house quite frequently. She now points to the sky every time she hears one. She can also wave goodbye. What a smart one!!

We went to the park and she was pretty indifferent about the swing but did enjoy the slide.

Dru is now pulling herself up on everything and climbing stairs like crazy. It is definitely tiring to keep up with her. This past month she had a bout with thrush. Not sure where she got it but recovered fine. Her top two front teeth are coming in now, she will look so different when they are totally in. She looks more and more like a toddler every day. It won't be long and she'll be walking and making us chase her, UGH! 

9 months

Dru's 3rd haircut, some play time at home and a WINDY day in Prescott, WI.

Our State Fair Is A Great State Fair!

It was a beautiful day which in turn made it SUPER packed. We still made a day of it. Pronto pups, cheese curds, malts and more. YUM!

Our First Road Trip

For my parent's milestone birthdays this year they wanted to take a family trip to the North Shore. So we packed up and drove north. We had a great time though I certainly didn't feel rested. Vacations with an infant are much different than those we've taken in the past :)

Dru did great! She spent LOTS of time being held, in her stroller or in her car seat. She slept through night even in the strange place. We hope she will always be a good traveler.

Here are some pics from our vacation.

 

Keeping Dru from the bright sun :)

Jamie

For those of you who have been anxiously waiting for a picture of the man who helped us in creating our beautiful daughter, here they are.

I met Jamie at a friend's wedding in October of 2000. The weekend following the wedding in North Carolina, we (Julie, my sister, my mom and myself) met him in NYC where he was living at the time. He went with us to the Statue of Liberty and took us around Greenwich Village where he lived. He showed us his tiny apartment on the 6th floor of a building without an elevator. Yikes.

When we were deciding how we would start our family, I thought of Jamie right away. If he would have been unwilling we would have chosen an anonymous donor.

In August of 2002 we asked Jamie if he would be donate for us. He put plenty of thought into his decision and said yes in January of 2003. He was amazing through the multiple obstacles we had to deal with and we are very thankful for his generosity!

Here are pics of him as an infant (one in his mom's arms) and one of him when he visited us in January to meet Dru.

Dru's Baptism

With Dru's sponsors, Heather and Jason (holding cousin Reed), and Pastors Harvey and Lois

 

Dru is wearing a shawl made at our sister congregation in Guatemala

Dru's baptismal gown was made by our neighbor, Barb.

 

Dru was baptized today! Our family and a few friends were there to celebrate this joyous day!

Adoption News

Just after the adoption was granted with our lawyer (on left) and the judge

Julie's adoption of Dru went well and now we are an official family! The hearing was brief and I guess I was anxious for no reason. There was a few strange moments when the judge made sperm jokes. Yikes! Julie's name with now be on the birth certificate with mine.

Thank you to those who joined us at the hearing and those who had us in their thoughts that day. It was a very pivotal moment for us. We try not to take for granted we will be accepted by everyone, and are extremely lucky with all of the support of our friends and family.

7 months

Ok, so I am a bit behind and am learning quickly how the camera doesn't get used nearly as often now. A brief update: she still only has 2 teeth, can sit up well on her own (if placed in a sitting position), and has started to rock back and forth on her hands and knees in an effort to crawl. She had a full haircut that she was not very pleased with, but it was very much needed. Now seeing her before pics, she was really shaggy!

On the 4th of July we had friends and family over for a BBQ and took Dru for her first dip in the pool. The water was a bit too chilly for her so it lasted about 60 seconds. We'll keep trying because she will need to be a water baby.

 

This week will be busy for us so important posts to come soon...

High class

Second Parent Adoption

Julie and I are in the final phase of Dru's adoption! Our court date is just a few weeks away. According to our lawyer, we shouldn't be worried about the hearing. If there were to be issues the judge would have had objections already. We are still a bit anxious. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
For those who are interested in how important this is...
Second parent adoptions provide children being raised in same-sex families numerous financial and legal protections not otherwise afford to them including, but not limited to, the rights to:
· Inherit from the "second parent;"
· Receive damages should the "second parent" be wrongfully injured or killed;
· Receive worker's compensation benefits based on the "second parent's" work-related injury;
· Receive social security benefits should the "second parent" become disabled;
· Receive health insurance benefits from the "second parent's" employer;
· Have visitation with the "second parent" in the event of parental separation; and
· Receive child support from the "second parent."

Second parent adoptions also protect the integrity of the family should the child's biological parent die or become incapacitated. In the absence of an adoption, the child could be removed from the non-biological parent's care to be placed with relatives of the biological parent or in foster care. This may be true even if the biological parent has designated the other partner as the child's guardian in his or her will, as such designations can be successfully challenged in court.
Moreover, second parent adoptions are critical should the child become seriously ill. A "second parent" can take parental leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, can consent to emergency medical treatment for the child, and cannot be prohibited from visiting the child in a hospital or medical facility.
(excerpt from www.mckinleyirvin.com)

Dru is 6 months!

Here is a pic from Dru's 6 month photo session this past Monday. On Tuesday she had her 6 month "well baby" doctor appointment and found out she wasn't so well. She has an ear infection :( She then had shots which were the most painful to date and has needed Motrin for the last 3 days. In addition to that she has been teething. Needless to say she has been in amazing spirits for dealing with all of that. We wish you a great Memorial Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

It was our first mother's day and we are exhausted from all the activities! It is still strange and overwhelming to have such a joy in our lives. Dru has made being a mother seem easy (so far). She can now roll all the way over and the two front bottom teeth have cut through the gums. The changes seem to happen so fast.

We participated in the Race for the Cure again this year. Our team name is Marsha's Milers. We walk in memory of my aunt Marsha who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1994. Now we also walk in celebration of my aunt Yvonne and other breast cancer survivors we know. Due to the chilly temperature a few of us decided to walk inside. Here is the group pic and Dru with her two moms.

Cutie Pie

Oh my goodness! Isn't she the cutest!!?

(I took this pic on my phone)

My Moms

Mama and Me

Mommy and Me

First Week of Daycare

Ok, so I knew it would be hard, but clearly not aware how much I would struggle. I was crying so hard when we dropped her off Wednesday morning I couldn't talk. Julie had to talk for me. We had to wake her up, which she is not used to nor fond of and we dropped her off around 7am. I cried all the way to work, and off and on all day. I think my co-workers were a bit confused on how to handle me. I only called to check on her twice. Both times she was doing well except that she was only drinking half of her bottle.

She was sleeping when I went to pick her up. Of course she was even more confused to see my face when I woke her up. It was a bit overwhelming for both of us. Today wasn't quite as terrible. I still struggled but no tears. She ate a little better and gave the ladies more smiles and giggles. Here is what she looked like when I picked her up... I did laugh a bit when I got over the shock!

(Her face says it all! I guess the girls didn't see the results of the poll.)

Earth Day

We try to be green here at the Robole house. So we wanted Dru to send her request to you...

(onesie courtesy of our friend Desi - www.wepluribus.com)

First Cereal Feeding (5 months)

Dru turned 5 months yesterday. Grandma and Grandpa Robole came home from Arizona on Friday so they are getting reacquainted with her. Also tomorrow she will meet Great Grandma Lois for the first time. She hasn't met her yet.

Also, yesterday we gave her a taste of rice cereal mixed with formula. She wasn't too sure about it but did fine. Eating from a spoon will take some practice.

Rolling Over!

Dru is now consistently rolling over tummy to back! She's now really good at it and we're working on back to tummy. Isn't she the cutest!!! One more week and she'll be in daycare. She coughed a bit tonight so I think she is already trying to get out of going, "See Moms, I'm sick and need to stay home." :) No, dear that's just you choking on your drool...

Dru's First Haircut

I finally couldn't take the different lengths of hair Dru had in the back. Grandma Sue was able to even it out. It was quick but tricky since Dru wanted to move her head every time grandma touched her.