7 Months Old

My Precious Baby Boy,
I can't even put into words the way you make my heart feel and how much I love you. I fall more in love with you every day and it is my honor to watch you grow and learn. It seems like every day you are learning something else or doing another new trick. You are a true joy to your Daddy and I. I can't wait to watch what comes next and how else you'll bless our lives. How lucky we are to be a part of your life and how blessed we are to get to be your parents.
This month has been busy! I think our lives always are, but I don't feel like we've been home much at all in the last month. You are so flexible and sweet. It's a pleasure to show you off to friends and for our family to watch you grow.

The biggest thing that happened this month is you OFFICIALLY became a Gordon! We finalized your adoption this month. We got to go to court and got your birth certificate with your Mom and Dad listed as your parents and with Gordon as your last name. This was something I didn't realize I was anxious about, but I was definitely relived after it was all over. Now every year on November 3rd we will celebrate your Gotcha Day. What a blessing!

We went to Lawton about a week after our finalization to visit your Birth Mom and Half Sister. You had a great time playing with her and we loved getting to spend time with her at a special dinner to celebrate.

You are so big! I don't know how much you weigh, but it's a lot! You are just growing out of control. You have stopped eating baby food. You flat out refuse! I don't know what's going on. We keep trying, but after maybe three bites you decide that's all you want. I'm not sure what we're going to do with you. You wear size 6-12 months in most things, but some of your pants are too tight. You are also filling out size 4 diapers quite nicely.
You had your second hair cut this month. And you looked so handsome! But you were covered in hair so we gave you a little rinse in Aunt Cassie's sink!

You aren't crawling yet, but you can get where ever you wanna go. You roll, scoot backwards and pull your way to whatever you set your mind to. It's always fun to walk back into a room and you are on the other side of the room.
For your first Halloween you were a lion. Someone gave us your super cute costume and you were a pretty good sport. You looked so cute and we spent your first Halloween with Emrie at the Storybook Forest in Edmond.

We also got to go to my five year reunion at OBU. You were so sweet all day and attended your first basketball game, but you pooped out before we got any pictures. You loved on all of my old friends, and were especially glad to see Uncle Luke again.

You also got to spend a lot of time with Shelby and Hannah! They were excited to see you and to love on you for a whole day.

You are truly the joy of our life! We are looking forward to your first holiday season and can't wait to see you cross the next milestones. Thank you for making me a Momma. I tell you every night before I lay you in your bed I'm so glad I'm your Momma and I mean it! You are just my favorite thing!
I love you with all I am.

Momma

When was the Last Time You Left Home to Come Home

Saturday will be my first time ever attend a homecoming event and it feel like I am coming home. I've been to TONS of Homecoming celebrations: in high school watching friends get crowns and kisses and now I watch our students experience the same thing every year; in college I always attend Harvest Court and other Homecoming events; and I've been to "The Greatest College Homecoming in America" several times as well (at OSU.) But None of these places were MY home. They were either my home at the time or not ever. This weekend is my five year reunion at OBU and that was my home for four of the very happiest years of my life.
I'm excited to go home again. To see old friends and their families. To see how they have grown and changed since college and to show off my precious husband and baby. It's always fun to go back to OBU for Super Summer and reminisce with my husband and share college stories but this will be different because my friends have never been there as I've told the stories.
Tucker and I have been practicing Ka-Rip today and my sappy heart has been getting excited to go back.
Our Welcome Week theme is the title of this post and I remember move in day and not really understanding what it meant. But as I walked off campus four years later I cried because of how true that statement really was in my life.
I'm ready to leave home and come home...again!

It's here!

The long awaited six months is over and we have been waiting patiently to hear from our lawyer about finalization. It's probably no big deal, nothing is going to go wrong, but it's the last step in Tucker's adoption process. His birth mom signed away her rights April 27th and his birth dad didn't show up to court in May so really there hasn't been any chance of bumps in the road since then, but this still feels a little unnerving. Maybe it feels this way just because court always sounds scary.
We found out Friday that we have a court date! This Wednesday, November 3rd will be Tucker's official Gotcha Day and he will forever and technically be a Gordon. This is so emotional for me to even think about. I mean he's been ours since his very first breath, well really before that, but to know that it's official and NO MATTER WHAT no one can ever fight that is just an awesome feeling that I didn't realize I was missing until this weekend. I remember thinking about this day when he was first born and it just felt so far away, like one of those days you know will happen but you just can't imagine it being here kinda things.
So say a little prayer for our family, our judge, and our lawyer that all will go smoothly and that it will be a beautiful day of celebration and yet another milestone in our sons life.
We will celebrate his Gotcha Day every year and remember the special blessing he is in our lives and to our family. (To all you adoptive mommas: Ideas and fun tradition suggestions are welcomed!)
I can't put this journey we've been on for the past year into words. It's appropriate that it would be this week because one year ago this week we started talking about adoption for the very first time. I can't imagine going down another road and I can't imagine a more perfect child for us.

Transitions & Training

I started my new job a week ago Monday. Things are going well and I think I'm going to like it, but it has demanded a lot of changes and adjustments in the Gordon house.
We have ALL started getting up at 7:30 and Chris has done a FABULOUS job of taking care of Tucker in the mornings and getting him ready so I can get ready. He has made me going back to work a breeze and I couldn't ask any more of my sweet hubby. I wasn't sure how we would all make this transition but so far, so good. It's the sweetest thing to watch the man you love fall deeper in love with the baby you adore. They make quite the pair and both get so excited to see each other. I really married the very best guy for me! I'm daily reminded of reasons I love him and count my blessings that he is mine.
Due to me having a schedule, this week we have started trying to get Tucker to sleep thru the night. He's done this on and off since he was very small, but it has recently become more of a necessity. Sunday night he slept all night by himself. Monday night we were all up for almost three hours trying to let him cry it out. He won Monday night! I finally caved and gave him a bottle as we rocked back to sleep. Tuesday night was a little better. I felt more prepared for what we were getting into and he only fussed for an hour and a half. But I think he's getting the hang of it. Last night he woke up three times about 30 minutes apart and fussed for a few minutes, but soothed himself back to sleep. I didn't get up and Chris didn't wake up! Hopefully this is the light at the end of the sleepy tunnel. But we're heading to my Mom's tonight for the weekend, so we'll see. She's not one to let him cry... It's been a rough week with little sleep for all three of us. On top of this Tucker has been super fussy and this morning woke up with a snotty nose. I think he might be cutting a tooth. It's either that or he's just worn out from the amount of tears he's had to shed this week.
It's funny how hard routines can be to establish. I function best in that environment, but struggle to get those things going sometimes. The hard work is paying off and in the long run we will all be better off.

Half Birthday Letter

Tuck -
You are six months old today and everyday your personality is developing. You are such a fun loving baby and you are eager to make new friends. You smile easily, laugh a lot and giggle so sweetly. Your MAJOR development of the month is just yesterday you said your first word. "Dada" won! But either way you reduced both your parents to tears with your first sweet word!
We took you to get weighed and measured October 5th and you weighed 20 lbs. and 9 oz. and you were 26 inches long. We went early this month so that the adoption agency could get everything sent to the lawyer so we can finalize your adoption soon! We go back this Wednesday to get your 6 month shots and an official report.
You have moved into size 6-12 month clothes and you are still wearing size three diapers during the day but we have started putting you in size fours to sleep in.
Lately, you love to be in the floor. I think you will be crawling soon, definitely by Thanksgiving. You love to look at yourself in the mirror after your bath. You just think that baby is so funny!

You also had your first bubble bath this month. I got a little carried away with the vapor bath, but you had fun.

We have also started baby food this month. I made all of it with Granna's blender and saved a bundle. So far sweet potatoes seem to be your favorite.

You officially become a Gordon in the next month! We are so excited to go to court and for it to be FOREVER. I remember thinking of this time in the life of our family when we first brought you home and it felt like so far away, but it has snuck up on us quickly. We don't have an official court date but we know the petition will be filed this Monday and has to be on file for 20-25 days (because of your Native American blood) before we can finalize.
You continue to bless our lives in more ways then we ever thought possible. You are so loved by so many! You get passed around where ever we go and you just love on everyone right back. You are a local celebrity in Sayre and everyone fusses over you. I fall more in love with you every single day! You are such a blessing and I know you have a special purpose to fulfill. Thank you for making your Dada and I a family. We love you more then words can say!
Momma

A Change is Coming

For a while I've felt like I needed to get a job. Not because Chris has said as much, but because with the speed of our adoption and the immediate need for a bigger car we depleted our savings account and are in the red that I despise so much! So I had began praying that an opportunity would present itself for me to be able to still be a Momma all the time, but would also allow for a little extra income.
About ten days ago a friend from church approached me about the Sayre Chamber of Commerce Director Position. I immediately said no thanks because it was more full-time then I wanted and I didn't think I could have Tucker at work. But she encouraged me to apply, Chris and I talked it over and I decided to throw my hat in the ring - really without knowing for sure if I wanted the job or not.
Well I interviewed last Thursday and I just knew as soon as I left that they were going to offer me the job. And sure enough, Friday afternoon I got a call and I took the job. It's one of those situations where I didn't feel like there was good or bad decision, but it did seem like God's provision.
The job fits my skill set and personality well, I can have Tucker at the office with me all the time, they will be flexible with church stuff, and it's only 9-3 everyday. I will have a lot of creative control and the job is mainly event planning, which is my very favorite thing to do. There's very little downside.
It's good. But it's scary. It's a job I will be invested in. My heart will be involved in a way that it hasn't in my past several positions. But I think that will be a positive. We're going to try it. I also think it will be good for all three of us to be on a more consistent schedule. It's also hard for me to think about losing my free time and easy schedule. I kinda like not having to get ready everyday and I LOVE my sweats.
But all of that is about to change - I start a week from today!

Loyal & True

We got to take you, Emrie and Aunt Cassie to your first OSU Game Day. This was a big deal because it's one of your Daddy and I's very favorite things to do. We look forward to football season every year and this year we knew was gonna be a little different. We have season tickets but aren't going to many games for several reasons, but one of those is that you have to have a ticket. At five months.
We were leaving for vacation after the game and Emrie and Aunt Cassie decided to come up too. Granna came and kept you at Aunt Chelsie's house while everyone else went to the game. Here are a few shots from this fun day!