Carli turns 1

It is hard to believe that our little girl turned 1 on January 8, 2011. It has been a whirl wind year with so many changes!

Family and friends helped us to celebrate Carli's birthday by sharing in cake and ice cream. I must say that Carli seemed to really enjoy her first experience with sugar. She even tried to share it with others. Here are just a few pictures from the day.

Our Christmas Card

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Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Saturday, was a big day for the Laws family! First we got notification from DSS that Carli's adoption was indexed in the state. We will be able to petition the state of Arizona soon for a new birth certificate with her name on it. Then we can get her SS card and other things that we couldn't do until we had the BC.

Later that evening, we went to Belews Blast at the lake. For those that don't know, this is a large fireworks show at the lake. Before the show, Carli played on the blanket with her ball and her buddy from church, Michael. It was so funny to watch them play with each other. I had never seen her do this before.

We were a little nervous about how Carli would take to the noise of the fireworks going off. We knew she would love to watch them because she loves everything that moves. We were not disappointed. Carli didn't care about the noise at all. She sat in Joe's lap and watched every pop and color of the fireworks. Finally they were over and Carli fell asleep on the ride home.

A Month of Firsts!!!

The month of June brought many firsts to Carli's life.

First, Carli began to eat real food. First came the sweet potato. The first few bites were not easy. Joe neglected to tell me that Carli had not had a nap. She would eat a bite, then cry, eat a bite, then cry. After a few bites, I put her down to sleep. When she woke up, she finished all of the potato happily!

Next came butternut squash. Carli liked this one too. We added rice cereal to a few servings and she ate with gusto.

Next...banana. The first bite-what is this!!!??? The second bite-Carli spit out. Then she refused to open her mouth at all. We thought she would not like it, but decided to give it another try the next day. She ate every bite!

Avocado...again the first day, Carli would eat it but make very bad faces. The next serving was mixed with banana...Carli gobbled it up. Finally, she ate some just mixed with formula, and enjoyed it. Now we have a variety of foods to enjoy. Apples and pears are next.

Carli also began to sleep in the big girl bed this month. Prior to this, Carli was sleeping in a Moses bed in our room. I enjoyed being able to hear her breath and move since she was so close. I also enjoyed being able to get to her quickly when she awoke at night wanting to eat. One night last week, I was staying up to read. Carli didn't want to go to sleep. She would lay there playing with her foot hiked up on the side of the basket. Then she began to look at me and eat at the side. I told her that she had to sleep so she was going to the big girl bed. Within minutes, Carli was asleep. She has been sleeping there every night since. But she will NOT take a nap in there. She will just cry and cry. What is the difference???

Finally, we bought Carli her very own little wading pool. At first, Carli didn't know what to think of the big tub of water. After just a few minutes, she began to laugh and play while trying to splash around. She even tried to sit up alone while in the water. At one point though, she fell over onto her side. After just a second of "what have I done" Carli began to play yet again. I believe we have a little dolphin here. Can't wait to get her into a big pool and see what she does.

What will the month of July bring??! Can't wait to find out.

Jeff & Nancy Laws...50 years!!!

Jeff & Nancy Laws

June 4, 1960

On June 5th, the whole Laws clan gathered together at Outwest Steakhouse in Kernersville to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of Jeff & Nancy. Afterwards, everyone returned to their house to enjoy wedding cake and champagne.

Jeff & Nancy

June 5, 2010

Jeff & Nancy were married on June 4th, 1960 in Unicoi, Tennessee. They have two sons, Joe and Kyle, and 5 grandchildren: Nicholas, Austin, Hunter, Meredith, and Carli. Jeff and Nancy moved to Walkertown in the spring of 1962 where they have lived ever since. Both are active members of Loves United Methodist Church and are retired from the WS/FC School system.

Congratulations Grandma & PawPaw!!!

IT IS OFFICIAL!!

Carli Elizabeth Laws

"NOW THEREFORE, it is hereby ordered, adjudged, and decreed by the Court: That from the date of the entry of this Decree herein, the said minor is declared adopted for life by the petitioner(s) and that said child shall henceforth be known by the name of Carli Elizabeth Laws."

The feeling of joy and peace is overwhelming. Today the official degree of adoption arrived in the mail. When Joe and I opened it, we had no idea what it was. It looked like so many other papers that we had gotten from the lawyer. We decided to just lay it to the side and email Michelle (our attorney) about it later. About 6:30, Michelle called. She had gotten the same letter in the mail. I confessed that I didn't know what it was and she told me that the wait was over. The paper was the final adoption decree which makes Carli legally a Laws! I couldn't even speak for the tears running down my face. Carli was really ours. After all the prayers, the waiting, the tears, the waiting, the paperwork, the waiting, and encouragement from friends, Carli was officially, legally, and entirely a part of our "forever family". GOD IS GOOD!!!

Mother's Day Weekend

WOW! My first Mother's Day with MY daughter. I can't get enough of saying that...MY daughter!!

The weekend began with a day off so I could take Carli to see Dr. Walker for her 4 month checkup. She has doubled her weight from birth, weighing 13 pounds 8 ounces and is 24 inches long. She did well with her shots, fussing for only a few minutes. She didn't get a fever that day or sleep any differently. We enjoyed some mother/daughter time that afternoon.

Dr. Walker told us to start Carli on rice cereal that evening. So for dinner we mixed the cereal with milk and fed her. She did pretty well. She got it all over her face and hands. She seemed to enjoy it after making a few very funny faces.

Saturday began with more cereal. We left it a little less runny and Carli inhaled it! After breakfast, Daddy, Joe, Carli, and I went to the Spring Follies in town. We thought about how much fun Carli would have with the rides and petting zoo when she was older. We just enjoyed walking around and finding a few things we "couldn't live without." I bought a pink tutu for Carli. Joe asked what I was going to do with something like that...but I imagined wonderful pictures and how much fun she would have later playing dress up with it.

Mother's Day started off with gifts...Carli gave me a figurine of a mother with her baby and Austin gave me one of a mother with her older child. I am so blessed to have a wonderful stepson and a beautiful daughter. I thank God every day for both of them.



At church, all new mothers brought their babies into the service and were recognized. Tammy called me to the front with a huge smile on her face. She (above all) knew exactly how I was feeling! We were given a special flower and congratulated on our new babies.



It was a bittersweet day. I missed my mom terribly today. I know that she is smiling down from heaven watching me have a wonderful day with my little girl. I am thankful for everything she taught me and hope that I can pass on those wonderful lessons to my little girl. Thank you Mom!