Shopping for a Valentine's gift

Auri loved the Backyardigans while we were in Guatemala. So we wanted to find her a gift that had something to do with them. Brent threw out the idea of getting her stuffed Backyardigan, I was like boring...even though she loves her little teddy bear my co-worker Ruth got her. Since we need to find something fast so we can send it down with the next family with our agency that travels to Guatemala we decided to stop at Kmart on our way to get groceries...we found it...exactly what Brent was looking for:


Perfect for any Backyardigans™ fan, this cuddly and plush Singing Playpal Tyrone from Fisher-Price® will sing a song and say several phrases when you give him a hug!


Now please help me find a super cute V-day outfit...I can't find the perfect outfit anywhere!!!

As she sleeps...

Okay I thought I was doing great but maintaining my composure as we left Auri( I think I am going to now refer to her as Auri instead of Elvia)...but as I flipped to a fellow bloggers website and saw the time 10:24 (thanks Jill!) I got tears in my eyes! Thinking about our precious baby girl sleeping beside us in bed, pulling my hand to her tummy or rubbing her feet together and touching me in the process...oh mascara and tears is making my eyes itchy! Mommy and Daddy miss you so much...as soon as I can persuade Daddy to let me charge another visit, we will be there baby girl!

Teachers and Quads

So Brent calls me at work this afternoon and informs me he is on his way home from the hospital...uhm great I think, the last time he went to the hospital he cut part of his thumb off! He informs me he and Carl where out in the woods and Brent went off for a ride on his own and the front of the quad went down in a ditch and he went up over the front of it!

Of course I start screaming at him! I wasn't concerned if he was okay I was just concerned of his lack of responsibility as an adult as we wait to bring our daughter home! I continually warn that he best not do anything that could stop Auri from becoming a Heinrich! Once again I fear that one of us will die and the three of us, well five of us(Chloe & Peppy), no six but one currently removed (Tyrone T Cockatiel living at Grandma/Grandpa's) will never become a family!

Well Brent is okay, just sprained a joint and it was his lucky day--- 5 dollars off his co-pay @AVH...I am sure it is accident time with the students or should I say teachers off for break!

Christmas cards and a chicken bus!

Wow! Our agency is amazing! Can you believe we got a Christmas card from our agency??? Heck AIP prob used my FedEx account to send out their cards to their friends and family!!!

Just another shot with Daddy!

Chicken Bus

Oh a runny nose!!!

Tonight we developed most of the pics from our trip...and some of the pics from the last night turned out the cutest but...Elvia has a runny nose!!! It was so dark down in the lobby we never noticed while taking the pics! So just pretend you don't see it when you get your Christmas/New Year card...and yes they are coming, I just haven't found the time to order them!

Oh do I miss her!

Beautiful Girl!

Will update the blog!

Hey everyone! I will try and update the blog soon! We had a great time in Guatemala with Elvia! Our foster mom thinks she will be home in Feb but I don't see anyway that could happen! She said they plan on pushing all the cases under the old law out asap to begin processing all new cases under the new law. Let's pray this is the case!!!

We do plan on changing her name to Auri Elizabeth Elvia Heinrich but we will wait to do that once she is officially a Heinrich! Geez - Elvia already got Christmas gifts and she doesn't even know it! We def need a bigger house! Santa even left books and dvd's for her and Grandma (she will be hanging with grandma and grandpa B while we are at work).

Elvia got the biggest Piggy Bank I have ever seen from her Grandparents and Uncle Dave already made a contribution! Uncle Mike got her the softest white little teddy bear and a baby gap card(can't wait to go shopping!). Elvia loved going through her suitcase while we were there and pulling out all her clothes! Think she will have no problem shopping with me! Aunt Michele, Uncle Jason, Sidney & Madison got her a memory game, little teddy bear, playdoh play set (which we took one can and Elvia thought it was cool to throw little pieces all over the floor), bathtub toys and a little people's house. Grandma and Grandpa H got her a Dora knows your name doll, Dora talking phone, dancing Santa which she loved to shake her booty to, Dora rolling backpack and Dora bath towel and wash cloth. Aunt Sue sent her pj's, robe & slippers, princess overalls and denim jumper with a pink shirt and matching tights. Grandma and Grandpa B sent her a ball popper, Dora cell phone and Peppy Lepito (sp?) book. (lots more gifts given ...will update later)

We got a ton of other gifts that we took to Elvia and some still here at home! I will update you all later!

Merry Christmas!

Trying to keep Elvia on schedule!

Marta told me to make sure Elvia gets a bottle at 6 am ...so she wakes up and wants no part of that! She did go back to sleep until 9. Then only decided to take her bottle once Brent acted like he was drinking it! Then we went to breakfast...she ate pretty good but wants nothing to do with her fork. I don't think Marta wants her eating with her hands but if that's the only way she is going to eat then I am all for it! So she had eggs, bannanas, chocolate fruit loops of some sort and lots of strawberries! I also gave her some strawberry bannana yogurt which she insisted on deeping everything in!

Last night she chowed on chicken nuggets and french fries dipped in barbecue sauce from McDonalds! And watched the little girls next to us with their Happy Meal toys from the movie Bee.

We will prob be heading down to the pool soon and then later we need to try and get a picture developed for an ornament for Marta.

Love ya guys!
Deanna

Abner Brent Elvia and Victor

Claudia Gestember Marcos Abner Elvia Brent Deanna Marta

Pool Party!!!

Today we used Victor which many of you are familiar with from the yahoo chat groups to translate for us when the foster family came! Victor was great and I highly recommend him!
This morning we didn't have breakfast, Elvia just had some snacks and a bottle...well I guess she likes to eat cause she was very fussy. When the foster family came the questioned what we fed her...ah oh! Bad mom!
No really we were waiting for them b/c I want to see what she eats so she does not choke. Well she eats everything and her two favorites are hot dogs with tomato sauce and grapes...okay these are complete no - no's in the use for a 17 month old!
So we took them all to breakfast - total 600.00-- but that is in their money! But it was well worth it! Then it was off to the pull! Elvia loved splashing everyone and the youngest Abner really took a likening to Brent and his hairy arms and legs!!!
Here are some pics:

Slept through the night!

We put Elvia down in bed with us before 10 last night and she is still sleeping! I of course didn't sleep well b/c I was too worried about her - Brent rolling on her, her suffocatting, etc! Brent hates this thing I do with my feet, rubbing them together all night and usually they end up touching his leg in the process...well Elvia does it too!!! She was so cute when she woke up around 6 ish...open her eyes - looked at me then crabbed onto my arm and cuddled it and went right back to sleep!!!

So now I need to hop in the shower so we can get ready to meet the foster family again!!! I am really nervous! Not sure if we are going swimming, eating, shopping or just hanging out here!

Update you later!

Love, Deanna

Daddy's Little Girl

Seems that Daddy is the go to guy!!! Elvia did great!
Our flight got in late, so we didn't make it to the hotel until prob 3ish..we met another couple on our shuttle using the same agency! They were actually meeting a lot of the baby boys still waiting!
So after checking in and going back down to ask where the microwave is since all I have for Elvia to eat was Gerber Graduates...(which they advised no one has a microwave!) I told Brent I wanted to walk the long way around to the elevators to see all the baby boys they brought in from our agency and wouldn't you know it...I spotted little Elvia and Marta sitting in a chair!!! We were so exhausted! Of course Marta speaks no english! So I asked her to come to the room and I would try and pull up the translator page...of course we can't connect to the internet( later we paid 1o (a day) to be able to access the internet!) So Brent called down to the front desk and had one of the workers come up and translate...then later the atty's daughter came up to help!
Elvia didn't shed a tear with Marta left and didn't cry until about half an hour ago when I said no to her for trying to open the fridge!!! Guess No means no in most languages!!! Then she is all excited for a bath, well then decides when it is actually time to get the bath -- she is going to scream at the top of her lungs!!! Of course Daddy comes to the rescue! Then when I laid her down with a bottle, Maur kept popping into my head saying not to do that!!! So I took her out in the sitting area and of course she spotted Brent and off she went to him! So now they are in bed together!!!
Well here are some pics!!!
I will post more tomorrow. Marta and her family are coming at 10 to hang out!
Love you all!

Waiting in Pittsburgh

We made it to our gate...now we are just waiting until we can board at 5:25!

Love you Mom and Dad! Hope Peppy and Chloe aren't being too much of a pain!!!

Brent is listening to his Ipod and sleeping! I am getting ready to tear in to the goody bag from the crew!

We have the BEST Friends!!!

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

I can't talk long as we have 43 minutes til we head out and I am sitting here with my head in a towel and need to paint the toe nails yet!

But thank you so much Sarah, Brooke, Justin, Carl and Uncle Rossi!!! You guys are amazing -- it means so much to us to have such caring and supporting friends! We can't wait for Elvia to meet you all!!!

I will write more later!!! (and I think a little someone may get her first pair of Crocs from a special Uncle!!!)

Love you all!
Deanna (& Brent)

Elvia's to be dropped off between 4 and 5...

So looks like you will all have to wait till after dinner to catch the first glimpse of her with mommy and daddy!!! I was hoping they would have her there at 1...I would have never scheduled us for such an early flight if I knew they would wait so long to get her to us! Well I need to take Peppy and Chloe to my parents, get passport copies, finish drying my clothes, take a nap, and pack the last few things and off we go! To a b-ball game, then a Steeler/Christmas party at our friends and then to the airport!!!

I will post again tomorrow when I get a chance..maybe from Houston!

Love you all! Pray for us ... and wish us luck!

Deanna

6 suitcases, a laptop and a Vera Bradley bag!

No I have not decided to stay in Guatemala a month! After trying my hardest to persuade Brent this was the best thing for me and little Elvia, I could NOT convince him!!! We are taking gifts for 6 other families. I am hoping our agency sends the little cuties so I can snap a few Christmas pics for their families back here in the US.

Anyway back to the bags....can you believe we are going to have to cart all of those bags everywhere?!?!? Brent is now just putting the locks and ribbons (to identify our suitcases easy) on the last suitcase. Of course my swimsuit is MIA so I still need to try and find that tonight as we plan to do a lot of swimming!

Well I better get a move on it and find that swimsuit and a few others gifts I misplaced!

Nerves are setting in!

In four days we will be in flight to Guatemala! I hate to fly! Not sure I can do this!!! I would love to be one of those people that fear nothing...but I fear EVERYTHING!!! I have this huge fear of dying...lately when the roads have been bad I have asked Brent to drive me to and from my second job because I wanted to be able to make it to see our daughter! Sick I know...but that is just me!

Dear Elvia,

Tonight Daddy and I were talking about how excited we are to coming to see you in 5 days!!! We can't wait to hold you so tight! Sooo tight that we decided to leave the stroller at home because we are just going to fight over who gets to hold you as we walk through the mall as we shop, visit Santa and ride the kiddie rides!!! We have completely fallen in love with you and hope you do the same!

Once you are old enough we will share our journey to becoming family. You may be confused as we referred to you as Elvia and Auri. Well as we will always tell you, you have two moms, your first mom named you Elvia and we plan to name you Auri Elizabeth Elvia Heinrich...however we decided to wait until we meet ya because we are sure we will then know!

Legacy of an Adopted Child

Once there were two women who never knew each other.

One you do not remember, the other you call mother.

Two different lives shaped to make you one.

One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.

The first one gave you life, the second taught you how to live it.
The first one gave you a need for love, the second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name.

One gave you emotions, the other calmed our fears.

One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears.

One sought for you a home that she could not provide.

The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.

And now you ask me through your tears

The age-old question, unanswered through the years.

Heredity or environment, which are you a product of?

Neither, my darling.

Neither.

Just two different kinds of love.

Love ya! Mommy

Almost done shopping!

Last night before my work Murder Mystery Christmas Party at Spaghetti Warehouse, somehow starring my husband as Elf 2, we picked up a special gift for our foster mom Marta/ Elvia/Auri's Nany Marta...a digital camera! Not only will Marta be able to capture all the wonderful moments we are missing of our little girl but she will also be able to capture the moments of her three boys. I also just finished writing out the Christmas cards to Marta and her boys...although Elvia still needs to sign them when we get to Guatemala!

Rumor has it the chocolate isn't so good there so I picked them up little boxed Hershey kisses for each of them. Still working on a stocking filled with goodies for all of them, so far I have light up Christmas ring pops, post cards of Pittsburgh, Christmas pencils, a tin of Ghirardelli chocolate squares, an ornament, a photo ornament I need to put a picture of Elvia in, Christmas tea towels, those tubes of neon light sticks for this kids...and any other suggestions? I am giving each of the kids spending money since I have no idea what to get them.

As for Elvia, she has a million gifts from friends and family...but we wanted to give her something a little bit special to open on Christmas day....but what do you get a 1 year old?!?!?! I wanted to get her a little locket but realistically she's too young to wear it with the whole strangulation issue (just recently Brent's co workers little boy somehow strangled himself in the blind cords...so it does happen...luckily his mother resuscitated him and after they brought him out of a medically induced coma he is doing just fine! ( he was adopted too!)) I decided to get her a little heart bracelet...similar to the Tiffany & Co one. Also since she loves cats...I wanted to get her the Fur Real kitty, but Brent decided we needed to get her the FurReal dog so she is prepped for Chloe (our boxer). I also know how much my nieces love their little purses. First I thought I would just get her a little purse and put somethings in it but then I reminded myself again she is only 1! So after a lot of shopping online I found her My First Pursue at Target filled with age appropriate purse necessities! So lets hope the bracelet and pursue make it here before Thursday!