First 3 Steps

Raegan took her first 3 steps this afternoon!She has been working on standing up from a sitting position for about the last week. And she gets really excited to walk when someone is holding her hands. Her balance is good enough that I think she could have been walking by herself but she is just being cautious, which is good. Today she kept getting up to a standing position and she looked like she was going to try to take a step and then she ended up taking 3 steps! But that was the end of it. I think she was tired and she is still getting over a cold but I am sure in no time she will be toddering all around the house by herself. And I don't think i am going to have much luck catching her on video because she is very interested in cameras right now so everytime i get one out to take her picture or video she stops whatever she is doing and crawls over to me to see the camera. But I will keep trying!

Not much else is new in Raegan's world. Like I mentioned she is getting over a cold. I took her to the doctor because her cough didn't seem to be getting better but the doctor said her lungs and ears were clear. She gave me an antibiotic in case she gets worse but i am hoping she starts feeling better. And we shouldn't have to worry about Raegan getting enough antioxidants. Most of the time the only thing I can get her to eat is vegetables and fruit. She does like scrambled eggs so at least I can give her those for protein but she won't eat much else in the way of meat, cheese, pasta or even bread. She will eat all of the vegetables i give her but will leave everything else. I guess it's a good problem to have. But I hope she does start eating more other foods too!

12 Month Check Up

I took Raegan to her 12 month check up at the doctor. She is doing great as usual. She got 2 shots this time and she cried like she always does but she stopped when I gave her her sippy cup. She is still a big girl for her age! She is 24.9 lbs ( 90th%),31 inches ( 95%), and 18 inches head circumference ( 75%). So all in all she is doing great! The doctor did say she felt her 1 year molars coming up which may be one reason for her not feeling good last week. She has a runny nose today too like she usually gets when she is teething so her molars must be hitting her hard.

I also added some new pictures to Picasa from Raegan's birthday and also her party. I will add more when I get them from my dad.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jen.smith.RD/RaeganSFirstBirthday?feat=directlink

Movie Star

In case you weren't able to see it before, here is the video that we showed at Raegan's birthday party. We hope you enjoy it!

The Birthday Girl

We have had a fun time celebrating Raegan's birthday. Raegan's actual birthday was on monday and we had fun celebrating then but she was getting over a cold so she didn't have as much fun as she would have had if she was feeling 100%. But we got her flowers which she liked a lot. And we also gave her a pop up tent playhouse which she really liked. She kept squealing when she would go inside. Kona even went in with her. We rested up the rest of the week because we knew she had a big weekend coming up.

My parents and step grandmother Isabelle came in yesterday afternoon. And then my brother made the trip all the way from North Carolina with Mary Kay and the kids to come in for Raegan's party. They got here last night and Raegan enjoyed playing with her cousins and eating pizza with everyone. Today we had her big birthday bash which was a lot of fun. We rented out our church which has a really cool interactive play room. And we were blessed to be joined by lots of family and friends. About 40 people came in for the occasion! The kids all loved playing in the playroom. We had lots of food. We got a chance to share a slideshow I created of Raegan ( and they played it on the big screen for us so it was like Raegan was movie star!). Then we all enjoyed cake and ice cream. Raegan seemed to enjoy having everyone sing to her and then she really enjoyed her first cupcake! So we had a really fun day! it was fun to watch all of the kids ( and adults) having fun. We felt really blessed to have so many wonderful family and friends who decided to spend their day celebrating with us. Many people even drove a long way just to be with us for Raegan's celebration! We are so thankful for everyone who care so much about Raegan. Some were able to make it today and some were not but it means so much to us that she is so loved. I will post some more pictures of her birthday party when i get some from my dad but here are a few.

One Year

What a year it has been. I feel like it was just Feb 2nd a year ago, waiting to go into a hospital room in Las Vegas to meet our first child for the first time. I will never forget the emotions I was feeling as I was walking down the hallway, nervousness, excitement, fear, joy. But what I will always remember even clearer is the feeling I felt when I held Raegan for the first time. I didn't carry her in my womb, I had never spoken to her through my belly like most mom's do, I had never felt her move inside of me but the first time she was handed to me, I knew in the depth of my heart that she was created for me. She was created to be my daughter and I to be her mom. The doubt was over and it has been over ever since. From that moment on I was a mommy. And this year has been the greatest year of my life. My life is so much fuller now. And it is fuller not just because I finally became what I felt like my whole life I was supposed to be, a mom, but because through my experiences with infertility, adoption and being Raegan's mom I have learned about life in a way I never knew before. I have said it before but in this past year I have learned how to truly live. I love being Raegan's mom. I love watching her grow and change. I love seeing the individual coming out in her. I can already tell at this young age that her heart is so sweet. She is full of joy and love. She seems to already care for others when she cuddles up against you or gently pats you on your back or shoulder like we do for her. From the moment she wakes up she is filled with laugther and smiles. She serves as a good example to me of what I should be like. I know that there will be times and days when she is in a bad mood or is throwing a temper tamtrum or when she is mad at me for not letting her do something. I know those days will come but I also know that this growing love I feel for her every day will never stop no matter what. It's amazing to think that every day I fall more in love with her. I didn't think that was possible. But it is. And it finally makes me understand a little bit clearer how our heavenly father feels about us. No matter what we do He always loves us. There is no greater reminder of that fact that Raegan. Everyday I amazed that God chose to bless me with her. With all of the times I have doubted or worried or messed up and yet He still chose to give me the greatest gift I could have ever asked for. I am so thankful for all that He gives me and chooses to bless me with.

I have loved every moment I have spent with Raegan. And I look forward to many more! But my favorite moment will always be that moment when we first met and my heart knew she was meant to be my daugther.