October 1, 2008

• We’ll Miss Her Little Kisses

  Our foster baby will probably be leaving us at the end of this week.  It’s about 98% certain.  We are making her a photo album, and I’ve written her the following letter, so that she will know what life was like for her while she was with us.

  Dear Baby,
  You probably don’t remember the brief time in your life that you spent
  with “Mama Mary Ann” and “Dada Sam”, but we remember it very well.  We
  had the privilege of caring for you during the first year of your life.  We will always remember what a happy
  little baby you were while you were with us.  You blessed us and
  everyone who had the chance to meet you.  People would literally walk
  away smiling after they passed you by. 

  While you were with us, you learned how to wave hi and bye to people. 
  You learned how to go from crawling to walking (we have your first
  steps on video).  We remember how you took one tentative step and then
  two and then three.  In a matter of weeks, you were walking so fast, we
  could hardly catch up to you anymore.  Most people thought you were two
  years old, even though you weren’t even one yet.  You have been so
  developmentally advanced in so many ways.  Recently, Dada Sam taught
  you how to “give fives”, point to your head, and point to your nose. 
  We were also able to teach you how to do some baby signs, like “eat”,
  “more”, “milk/juice”, “all done”, “up” and “help.”  We’ve been so
  amazed at your ability to communicate with us, and we know you have
  felt much relief at finally being able to communicate too!

  During the time you stayed with us, we took you to the park (you liked
  walking around looking at all the other kids more than actually playing
  on the playground), we took you to the beach (where you fell down into
  the water when a wave came up, and that scared you), we took you to the
  zoo (you really liked the giraffes and elephants), we took you to a
  Padres game (you didn’t really like this because you had to sit still
  on our laps and you really wanted to get up and run around; however,
  you did like going on the trolley to get there), we took you to the San
  Diego Fair (you spit up on us a few times that night perhaps from being
  over-stimulated), we took you to our seminary (you loved walking around
  and saying hi to everybody and everybody loved saying hi to you), and
  we often took you on walks (but you would rather pick up and examine
  all the blades of grass and pebbles along the way than actually walk). 

  We also had fun throwing you a little birthday party when you turned one.  You had such a good time with all the people who came.  You also really loved the balloons (and the presents).  We have some beautiful pictures of your party from a professional photographer so that you can remember that special day.

  While you were with us, your favorite foods were chicken, rice, peas, green beans, carrots,
  applesauce…and definitely watermelon.  We would cut up little pieces
  of watermelon and you would stuff as many as 3 or more pieces into your
  mouth at the same time.  Every morning, also, we made you eat oatmeal
  because we wanted to make sure that you would have fiber.  You were a
  good sport about eating it, but that was probably also because we mixed
  it with juice.    We were very careful to give you only healthy food
  (sorry, you basically had no sugar while you were with us except from
  fruit) — but we did experiment with different foods with you.  One
  time, we were eating a Thai noodle salad dish and you were staring at
  us, so we gave you a few bites of it.  It was spicy and you made such a
  face from it!  That was probably the first time you ever had something
  spicy in your whole life!  and you were very displeased! 

  Your favorite time of the day was bath time.  Dada Sam would usually
  give you a bath every night to give Mama Mary Ann a break from caring
  for you all day.  You would be playing in the living room, and he’d
  come out with one of your bath toys (a squishy fishee), and as soon as
  you would see it, you would drop what you were doing and follow him
  like a zombie.  It was so cute!  You had a couple of fishees and a
  ducky that you loved to play with in the tub.  After bath time, we’d
  lotion you up and put you in your jammies, brush your teeth (you had 8
  when you came to us and 12+ when you left), and read you three books every
  night.  Then Mama Mary Ann rocked you while singing, “Jesus Loves You,”
  and you’d always hum along.  We’d both kiss you goodnight and put you
  in your crib and you would fall asleep pretty quickly.  (We taught you
  how to settle yourself down and fall asleep on your own when you first
  came to us.  It took two weeks: you cried a lot when we put you down in
  the beginning, but by the end of the two weeks, you knew how to fall
  asleep on your own!)

  We took you to church with us every Sunday.  Your favorite parts were
  the singing part (you would dance to the music that the worship band
  was playing) and Joshua & his mommy.  Joshua is our 4 year-old
  nephew, and you used to just love watching him running around
  animatedly being hyper.  He also really loved you.  He’d always come up
  to you and kiss your little feet, and you would always giggle with
  delight.  You were also always so happy to see his mama.  You would
  have a big smile on your face when you’d see her, and she would have a
  big smile too.  We know they will both miss you very much.

  As do we.  You will always carry a piece of our hearts with you.  We
  are going to miss all the little kisses and hugs that you would give us
  spontaneously — your laughter and your giggles.  We are so glad that
  you felt safe while you were with us and that you knew that you were
  loved by us. 

  We prayed for you every night after we put you to bed.  And we continue
  to pray that you will always know that you are loved by us — and,
  especially, that you are loved by Almighty God.  He loves you with a
  limitless love.  He is a perfect Parent and Friend, who is faithful and
  trustworthy.  He will always be there with you, stand by your side,
  never leave your nor forsake you.  We pray that you will one day come
  to know His unconditional love through His son Jesus.  It is through
  His love that we have loved you fully and truly.

  Your foster parents,
  Mama Mary Ann and Dada Sam

  • 1:56 am
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