Lorna turns 6!

How did this happen? I held Lorna on the morning of her birthday and rocked her like a baby as I do most mornings. But this morning I tried to remember what it felt like to hold her when she was just born. She was 3 lbs., 15oz. and we were separated for the first three weeks by the NICU. The anxiety of being away from her would melt into hormone induced bliss when she was in my arms. How did that tiny little being blossom into this strong, confident, happy, little girl?

With all Lorna’s changes this year, my father said, “we need to make a big deal about her birthday this year!” So Dad, Val, and Aunt Daisy all flew into town for the party with her 6 friends. We rented out the Carousel of Happiness up in Nederland for our own private use on Saturday morning. Scott, the creator, mc’d the event, even slowing down the carousel for a happy birthday group sing. After our hour was up, we walked to our favorite Nepalese restaurant for the kids to eat at the buffet followed by cake and presents.

For Lorna’s actual birthday on Wednesday, she awoke to balloons on her floor, and a stack of blueberry pancakes with a candle in it. They did a wonderful celebration for Lorna at Kindergarten. Lorna got to wear and cape and crown and sit on a throne while Will, myself and Lorna’s teacher spun a web of stories about Lorna’s life with candle lighting and crossing rainbow bridges and all sorts of other magical happenings. Lorna was beaming! I picked Lorna up from school and she chose Chinese food for lunch. After lunch we brought a blanket to the park, sat under a crimson tree, and read two Shel Silverstein books. Then Lorna got to play in the park as long as she wanted with no little siblings needing my attention or controlling the schedule. We had a quiet pizza and beet dinner with just the 5 of us followed by presents. Top billing were her roller skates and teepee. And so begins her seventh year!

Tooth Fairy’s visit!

Lorna lost her first two teeth on the same night. They have been loose for about a month and finally came out on Wednesday night while Mommy had her book club over. A whole table full of moms ready to ooh and aah over lost teeth was enough to get them both out. Lorna decided that she wasn’t ready to part with them quite yet, so we put a notice on the door for the tooth fairy to wait one more night. Then another night.

Pasang, who visiting from Nepal, found this tooth fairy custom intriguing but I failed to warn him about the teeth being saved in the cup on the table. Pasang, being the kind and helpful houseguest, rounded up all the dishes to wash them. Lorna was beside herself – wailing and howling! Pasang was trying to comfort her and saying sorry sorry over and over as I was searching around with my hand in the garbage disposal, wondering how to dismantle the thing.

Actually, it turns out that the tooth fairy had to take the teeth … before the cup was washed because there was a baby girl in Zimbabwe who needed a set of matching teeth to start eating. The tooth fairy left two gold dollars and in her note, promised that she could keep the next tooth she lost.

Although the tooth fairy exonerated Pasang in her note, Lorna still had a hard time warming up to him for the rest of the visit…

Continuing the Blog / Visitors

At the end of the summer, I started wondering if I should continue the blog. Lucy’s home, settled and adapting so well that it didn’t seem there was anything so noteworthy about our family. A few key family members have made it clear that they enjoy reading the updates and seeing the photos. I also enjoy the writing and reflection time, so here we go!

We have had many visitors in the last month and a half. First Cousin Christian, then dad and val, followed by Will’s mom, Tina, for two weeks. Currently, Pasang is here on his way back home to Nepal. We asked for time before family came to meet Lucy to let us bond as a family. But now, everyone wants to come and meet her – which is great. It seems that the first few days of a visit, Lucy becomes even more clingy to me, but with each successive visitor she seems to relax more quickly.
Before nap time, Lucy and I have a ritual. I tell her ,”you’re safe. You can trust us. I am your mommy forever and Lucy was born in Mommy’s heart. You have a family,” and then we list the ever-widening family members for her. Now Lucy says all these statements independently and lists all the members of her family with a big smile.

Here are some photos of our visitors!