Sunday, December 28, 2008

Zaleeya the Walking Queen!

So it's happened. Zaleeya has finally chosen walking as her primary mode of transportation. She actually can walk, turn, walk again, fumble, stand back up, walk again, turn, fall, and get up to walk again. She can also get up on the couch, pat her belly attempting to get Ziggy to "come", and put legos together. Here's a fun video for you to enjoy!

As for the holidays, they were super nice. We went to a fun party on the 23rd with a bunch of my friends from elementary, junior and high school. There were 7 children all under the age of 2.5!! BYOB (Bring your own baby) The house it was hosted in was baby proofed complete with high chair and dino chicken nuggets. It was the most fun I've had since being home. I finally fit in!!

On the 24th we also went to a party where Zaleeya charmed everyone, and she actually had the best night of sleep since she has been home (1 wake up). Her sleeping made Christmas amazing as we visited both sets of parents, napped, ate well and opened a ton of presents (these pics are with Cousin Kaden). However the high from the holidays ended when she came down with ANOTHER cold and passed it on the mom AGAIN! Now we all smell like Vicks.


I must be honest when I say that Zaleeya is doing much better than mom and dad. We still are both suffering a bit from the loss of our old lives. This past weekend we gave each other a chance to get out for a few hours, but when do we get to go out TOGETHER!!?? Some nights I look into my future and all I see is laundry, cooking, cleaning, warding off snot and poop. Maybe it's the post adoption blues, but sometimes I think I wasn't "made" to be a mom. I wonder what hormones I might have missed in the pregnancy process. The domestic gene never really hit me and this transition has been tough.
It doesn't mean we don't love Zaleeya to pieces; she's a pretty amazing little kiddie and fits our family perfectly! Anyhow, I promised to be honest in this blog, so there it is.
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

8 comments:

ColleenC said...

Aww, sweet mobile girl!! Looks like you had a great holiday!

And know it does get easier (slowly : ) And soon you will actually be able to have date nights and she'll sleep better. No good news on the laundry front though- that it seems is truly never-ending (oh- runny noses too!)

Shad and Maggie Alsworth said...

Well, it looks like you are doing a great job as Mom and Dad. It does get easier as they become more and more independent. That's one of the reasons everyone thinks we're crazy for starting over! :) I agree with Colleen on the laundry thing-- I wish I had a Laundry Fairy!!

Keep up the great work, Mom!!

Julie & Patrick said...

It is true...you anxiously await the day that they will be independent, but I must admit that when the day comes that they would rather play alone for a while, I felt left out :(

When we first came home, we would hire a sitter for after she went to bed at 7. Then we would slip out for a dinner, just the two of us, and be back in a couple of hours. We love our date nights. You just have to be a little creative to squeeze in bits of your old life :)

Julie R

Peter and Nancy said...

Look out! When they walk, they're so much faster. :o) There really is such a thing as post-adoptive depression, just like post-partum . . . Your life has changed dramatically in the last 10 weeks, no doubt about it. I will second the other moms, though, and say that it gets easier as they get older and are able to have babysitters, etc. Meanwhile, find some other mamas to hang out with -- that's lots of fun, as you know.
Hugs,
Nancy

Anonymous said...

I was _just_ thinking, as I threw in the baby laundry which was somehow full again, that this is going to be never-ending, and it's a good thing that I (spookily) LOVE laundry!

You didn't miss any hormones. Well, I mean, you did, but they don't make the transition any easier. Your honesty is right on, and I cheer you for it. Some moms look at you like you're missing your head if you aren't running around proclaiming this the most amazing miracle that ever happened to you. Which it is, it's just also hard to leave your old self behind.

So glad that we both have such great support systems!

The Pfeiffer Family said...

As Zaleeya gets older it does get easier. You both are doing a great job. Zaleeya looks so happy and is growing, walking, and talking. You are simply grieving the life you used to have before children and it takes time to readjust to the life you are currently living with your new precious daughter. I know people think my husband and I are crazy to start over with a baby when we have a 10 and 8 year old, but we are excited. We do miss the times our boys were little. Cherish every little moment and milestone, because they grow up SOOO fast it is amazing.

I agree the laundry and runny noses never stop, but one day they can blow their own nose and help you with the laundry :-)

Hang in there and thank you for your honesty!

April :-)

Anonymous said...

Zenna -
I WAS pregnant for the entire 9 (10!) months and I can tell you that the transition to motherhood was not easy for me despite myriad hormones. I will honestly say that although I loved my child I did not enjoy being a mom much for the first 4 months. I felt trapped and just KNEW I had made a horrible mistake and ruined my life! I kept wishing and waiting for things to "go back to normal". Ha! What really needed to happen was for me to adjust to the new normal of my new life. Please be kind and gentle with yourself. Your old life is gone and it is okay to mourn it. Slowly you will adjust to your new life and as you do, you will start to discover how much to you love it. Yes, you will continue to miss aspects of your old life (did you know that some people actually go and see movies in a movie theater? SHOCKING!) but also start realizing how quickly time is zooming by (I swear becoming a parent is like pushing a fastforward button on life) and you will realize that the needy dependent stage does not last forever. Once that happens you really start appreciating the here and now with its snuggles, kisses and giggles even when you are doing yet another load of laundry in between nose wipes.
XO,
Emily

Neeshalicious said...

I love that you're honest w/ the blog ~ it keeps it real. But I have to say that you guys are doing an amazing job as parents. The first time I met Zaleeya, she was very shy and reserved. I came back to Cali about a month later and the transformation was amazing -- she was smiling, laughing, playing peekaboo w/ me, telling "Giggy" to come to her, sitting on my lap, etc etc -- it was like as if she was a whole other child. I just wish I still lived out there so I could lend a hand w/ the babysitting... Keep it up though! You guys are amazing for how much you've made that shy little girl into an outgoing cutie-pie, who's definitely gonna be a heartbreaker when she grows up! :)