OUR PRINCESS KARLY

This blog was created for our beautiful daughter Karly, who we adopted from Guatemala at 10 months old on 03/06/08. Thank you all for your love, prayers & support, we really appreciate it!
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July 17, 2008

Here's a quick Karly update for you: She is really starting to take off with her walking. As I'm typing this, she is walking around our playroom. She doesn't use walking as her primary mode of transportation yet, but she will just all of a sudden stand up from a sitting position and then start walking towards something. It's so cute to see her little steps. I think her record so far is about 15 steps. She loves to climb on everything, and she loves to play in dirt!

July 6, 2008

Today we took the kids to Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. We had so much fun! The kids loved all the animals. We took a safari tour, and they had lots of baby animals to look at. My favorites are always the monkeys, but the baby zebra and bears were adorable!

June 29, 2008

Today at church we had a Dedication Ceremony for both Drew and Karly. Luke was Dedicated in 2006. It went well and the kids looked so cute all dressed up. The picture of Karly in her white dress is from this day.

June 22, 2008

We've had a busy past few days! On Thursday we went to Indian Echo Caverns, Friday we went to Strasburg Railroad to see Thomas the Tank Engine, and yesterday Drew and I went to see the 2nd Chronicles of Narnia movie with my mom and sister.

Hope you like the new pics of Karly, doesn't she just look so pretty in teal?! She's wearing the new outfit that her Nanny bought her. :) She is still doing really well, and is definately on a predictable nap schedule, thank God for that. I thought the child would never take real naps! And she's been sleeping through the night the majority of the time, sometimes she wakes up once. She has a contagious smile and is always laughing and smiling at people when we're out and about. Everyone at our church loves her, she's always smiling at someone!

She's taken some of her first steps, but she's not walking yet. She hasn't gotten any new teeth since she came home, she still only has 8 teeth. I'm wondering if she's ever going to get any more. She can say mom, dada, papa, hi, bubble, uh-oh, and she has a word for Drew but it doesn't sound too much like Drew yet, but does seem to start with a "d" sound. She is such a joy, we're constantly hugging and kissing her!

June 21, 2008

Here is a nice video that I found on youtube. If you have a couple minutes check it out, I love the song! It's called "In my Arms" by Plumb. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARAJ7uwnhYU

May 29, 2008

Karly is still doing really well. She finally has a nap schedule and sleeps in her crib for all naps and at night time. She takes a 1-2 hour morning nap at 9:30am, and then a 1 1/2 hour afternoon nap at 2:30pm. She goes to bed at 8pm. She usually wakes up around 11pm to eat a few ounces but then she sleeps all night and wakes up at 7:30am. Overall she is a very happy baby.

We went to Dutch Wonderland on Sunday. The boys had so much fun and Karly was very good just riding in her stroller. We saw a Thomas the Train show, so Luke of course was very excited about that. Luke rode his first mini roller coaster too, his face was precious when we would go around the turns! We had a very good evening at DW and hope to go back again soon.

April 28, 2008

Karly went to the doctor today for her 1 year checkup. She is now 20 pounds and 28 1/4 inches long. She has gained a total of 2 pounds since coming home. She is very healthy and developing normally. She got 3 shots today, but she did very well with them. I think it was harder for me than it was for her! Those are the first shots I've ever seen her get.

Adoption Timeline

Karly born: 04/26/07
Accepted Referral: 05/16/07
DNA taken: 07/02/07
DNA results: 07/14/07
FC: Not sure of dates, but SW interview was on 7/24/07
Pre-Approval: 09/03/07
Held up for 6 weeks from entering PGN because a Judge wouldn't release our social worker report!
Enter PGN: 10/23/07
Kicked out of PGN: 11/15/07
Resubmitted to PGN: 11/28/07
Out of PGN: 01/24/08 Actually approved on 1/22
New Birth Certificate from Antigua: 02/04/08

Passport:02/05/08
Orange:02/12/08
2nd DNA test taken: 02/15/08

DNA results received at Embassy: 02/25
PINK slip from Embassy stating when our appointment is to pick up Karly's VISA (sent via email): 02/26
Travel date: 03/03

Embassy appt: 03/04 at 7:15am!!
Home forever: 03/06!!!

About Me

Pennsylvania, United States
I am married to the love of my life, Rick and I am mommy to 2 boys, Drew (7) and Luke (3), and 1 girl, Karly (1 1/2). Drew (4/25/01)is our biological son and he is in 2nd grade. He's such a smart, handsome boy! We adopted Luke (9/12/05) from Harrisburg, PA in 2005 and we brought him home when he was 2 days old! He is always making us laugh! We adopted Karly from Guatemala and she came home on 3/6/08. She is our little princess. I am also mommy to my 2 angel babies in Heaven, Blake (12/26/03)& Gabriella (10/10-10/13/04) who were so small, so sweet and taken all too soon. I run an infant loss support group once a month and I volunteer at a grief center for children.
YOU

All babies are a gift, some are even surprises.

But YOU, my adopted child are a treasure!

YOU were not only planned and prepared for;

YOU were a journey we took, a mission we had our hearts on, a treasure so precious!

YOU were worth the wait, worth the tears, worth all the fears we faced.

Because YOU, our adopted child are a treasure!

Not of my flesh,
Nor bone of my bone,
But still miraculously my own.

Never forget for a single minute,
You didn't grow under my heart,
But in it!