Still my sweet baby

So for real how did this happen? He's my baby, my bubba, my lil shadow. He's my buddy. How did he turn 5? Seems like yesterday he was this tiny bundle of hair and nose.... cue the sappy overture...
Its not like most birth stories. I wasn't in the hospital. I wasn't doped up or screaming. As a matter of fact I wasn't even in the same country.
I remember getting the call from Erika, and I about passed out right on the spot. He came several weeks sooner then we had expected. Oh and I was convinced he was gonna be a girl. (btw I'm so glad he's all boy.)
And we flew into a baby frenzy. It was a fast introduction to the world of baby boy preemie clothes followed by chunking clothes and heavy jackets into a bag. I remember flying to Dallas and not being able to sleep at April's. I believe there was a middle of the night trip to Walmart in there somewhere. And booking flights for Wayne because he couldn't leave the country on a day's notice. I've heard that's a prob if you have a real job ;) Oh and this is the part where I apologize one more time for the eight hour layover in the middle of the night at La Guardia airport.
I remember the long flights. I remember the crazy turbulance. And then getting off the plane... in Canada. Oh and I saw my first mountee. Btw they were super awesome.
Erika, Seth's Grandma, picked me up from the airport. It was such a surreal thing to meet her. Then I met Vicki. Okay now that was beyond surreal. To meet the woman who's giving you her child, how do you say thank you for that? I can't explain that sort of emotion. Just overwhelming excitement, gratitude, and uncertainity.
And then I went to see Seth. I remember having to wash my hands incessantly. I remember the walk from the sink to the bed seemed to be forever. We got there, and he turned his head and opened his eyes. And Erika said, "That's the first time he's done that. It's like he knows."
Now I have to tell you that as many times as I've told this story, I tear up every time, without fail at that part. That's the exact moment where he became my bubba. It's the moment where I absolutely fell in love with him. When I went from a mother of one to a mother of two and all it took was a look.

Yes he had that much hair. Yes you can giggle.

I had to ask the nurses how to change a boy's diaper. (Yes I had to be taught how to change a diaper in the hospital when I had Grace, but boys are waaaay different.) He had the tiniest little knit hat. And oh did that lil boy have some hair!
And then there was coming home. I remember taking him out of the hospital. It was November, in Canada, and it was a wee bit chilly with all the snow on the ground and what not. Erika dropped us off at the airport, and it was just me and this tiny bundle. Oh and I was not wearing maternity clothes. Random adoption perk I wanted to throw in there.
He was in this blue sling that I wore and late in the evening we headed to Montreal. Wayne had made it there and had forgiven me for the layover incident. The plan was to get Seth a travel visa and then fly back to the states. Oh my sweet Seth, there was always a plan. Its just that my plans never worked out. In the course of the next couple of days, we were told we had to make an appointment at least one business day ahead of time for the visa. I believe we found that out on Friday. The airline immigration officials refused to let him fly without one. So our lawyer called and begged with immigration at the border to let us cross. And he found us a new mom with a heart of gold who decided to help us. We rented a car, and okay I'm so grateful for gps. Otherwise we'd still be driving around Montreal. And we drove across the border with Seth on a vacation visa.
Then was some flying from New York to Chicago. At one of the security check points, Wayne got stopped. Apparently he was suspicious because he was carrying tiny bottles full of white liquid. They were labeled baby formula, but the baby and I were in a different line at the time. Also sorry about that, Wayne. On the flight to Chicago, we were kicked off our flight because the airline decided he was too young to fly. After some heartfelt crying and pleading we not only got to get back on the plane, we were applauded by the other passengers.
It was the most whirlwind, exciting, scary, nausea inducing, and joyful trip I've ever had. Some parts of it are just a bit fuzzy,  but I remember my sweet bubba. I remember Erika and Vicki. I remember seeing Wayne hold this tiny lil bundle of hair in a Canadian hotel room. I remember getting to show him to Gracie. I looked at her and suddenly realized she seemed so big next to this sweet boy. And I remember God taking our family of three and turning it into a family of four.
And I'm still not sure how he turned 5.

My whole fam. Oh I heart them so!