and this is what these two little pipsqueaks were doing! (Can you believe they were so little?!)
and THIS, my dear friends, is what I had the awesome privilege of doing! 
I had just cut my daughter's umbilical cord. Now, how many mamas can say they did THAT?!
That's right. Today is Gabbi Girl's official birthday! What a special blessing she is to all of us and what a special day August 26th will forever be! 
Ol' dad had to revisit that uncomfortable, "oh my gosh, they are so tiny", intimidating feeling all over again! 
Aunt Staci, on the other hand, sailed right on in, like it was no big thang! After four babies of her own, I suppose it wasn't ! 
The cousins came to visit. And even the cool teenagers were rather enthralled! 
Ellie was wondering WHY this baby was staying with us and WHY she wouldn't get out of her mama's arms!
Our new baby girl was such a sweetheart. She loved to be held and especially swaddled really tightly. 
She had that weird, but very recognizable, brand new baby smell! 
And another thing that not all moms get to experience is this...
the hospital staff passed her onto the representative of our attorney as primary custodian, who in turn...
passed her right onto us, her mom and dad! We were so proud. What a moment! 
We were so happy to finally be taking our baby girl home. 
It is quite a thing to have waited for months for your sweet little one to arrive. There is no kicking in your belly, no singing to the baby inside, and no sense that something is growing inside. But there is a seriously BIG growing LOVE for a baby that you cannot wait to meet! And then the day comes, and you are so overwhelmed with emotion, as they simply HAND you a new baby. It is a bit overwhelming, as you can imagine!
Only those who adopt experience a new baby in this manner. But I thought I would try and share it with those of you who experienced motherhood in the more traditional sense.
Similarly, it is crazy to all of the sudden like, just take home this baby! Just like that! So, we packed our little bundle up in her much too big carseat, and away we went.
No stitches, no epiziotomy, no swollen belly, .... just happy, happy family! 
And what started as a happy family of three.
Suddenly and oh so sweetly...
became a very happy family of FOUR! 
We simply adore this baby girl. 
Happy First Birthday, little angel. Mom and Dad love you bunches. 
36 comments:
Oh Mo
I am sitting here with tears of joy for you and Todd. They are just absolutely beautiful. I always say every baby is special but adoptive are just plain wonderful. I am so glad God picked you and Todd for these angel girls. Happy 1st birthday Miss Gabbi Girl. Sandy
HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY GABBI GIRL!!!
Awe. So precious. I can't wait until we get to experience this. I am praying it won't be long!!
Dang you and your posts that make me tear up!!!
Gabbi is a very lucky little girl, as are the other three of you.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABBI!!
Happy Birthday Gabbi! Today is my birthday too and I am so happy to share it with you! You, your family and your story are and will be such a blessing to so many people!
:-)))))) No other words necessary!
Thank you for putting those feelings into words-trying to explain to us moms who became moms the "traditional" way what it feels like to adopt! I love your blogs, and check regularly to see if you've posted a new one. By the way, I'm a lurker-my first time ever signing in!!! Happy Birthday, Sweet Gabby!
So precious! What a beautiful baby Gabbi is! You are so blessed. No matter how she came to you, she was obviously meant to be yours. Congratulations!
So sweet! and look how she has grown! But she still looks the same! I love you, Gabbi, and I love your smile! Blessing!
Courtlyn
What an absolutely touching post. Happy Birthday Gabbi Girl!!! You have been blessed with a wonderful family and they have been blessed with you.
What a super sweet post. Your girls are so lucky to have such wonderful parents. Happy Birthday sweet Gabbi Girl!!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Gabbi Girl! You're the mot beautiful 1-year-old out there!
Mackenzie =)
Thanks Mo for sharing that precious story. You know this, but oh you are so blessed. Your girls always make me smile. I wish we lived closer to you all so we could watch them grow in person.
Happy Birthday Gabbi Girl.
I always love your post, but this one got me. I also know the feeling you speak of, and there is absolutely nothing like it. We adopted our sweet baby girl in March, and we are not sure how life ever existed before her.
Tears are rolling down my face!!! I love this sweet post about that precious little girl who we have ALL come to LOVE and ADORE!!!
Happy Birthday Sweet Gabbi Girl!
At this time I would like to remove my entry from yesterday's contest and re-enter. I realize that I am probably disqualified at this point, but STILL.
Just for the record, my guess is now at 156!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday Gabbi Girl!!
Adoption is just awesome!!
I just felt like I was there with you!!! All over again! I can NOT believe that it has been a year already!!! Oh, and BTW today Lee and I have been married 15 years!!! May God continue to bless your precious family...
What a memory and what a beautiful story. I have followed your story since Jake's page....Hope you will stop by and see my new Christmas blog that I launched tonight..The button on my blog takes you right to it.
Okay....Imma sitting here blubbering in muh cawfee..but...they're tears of joy!! Mo, your little family feels like part of my own..I don't always have the time I'd like, to stop and write a message in here...but I read your blog everyday...EVERY DAY! You and Todd are so blessed, but then you know that...Happy Birthday little Gabbi Gull..and God Bless you all....huggers, BJ
You know, I am just crying tears of joy, too! What a beautiful way to celebrate this very special anniversary. Thank you for sharing.
I can certainly see why your family SIMPLY ADORES this precious baby girl! I can see from your posts over the last year, all the JOY and HAPPINESS Gabbi Girl has brought your family! This is such a sweet post ~ you have a special family full of L-O-V-E!!!!
Happy First Birthday Gabbi!! I am so happy for you, what a blessing, you have a beautiful family. Wow, hard to believe a whole year has gone by, time does fly doesn't it.
AAAWWWHHH! How sweet! Happy Birthday, Gabbi Girl!
Ok no that I'm in tears....HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABBI GIRL!!!!!
I remember those photos from a year ago - I can't believe how much Ellie and Maddie have grown - not to mention the BIG BIRTHDAY GIRL! Congratulations, Have a Great Day celebrating and HAPPY, HAPPY, BIRTHDAY, MISS GABBI GIRL - You are a treat and a blessing!
Happy Birthday Gabbi!
I love the way you described it! I love being able to say, "I wore the same jeans home from the hospital that I wore the day we found out she'd be joining our family." ;) Of course, I love being able to pretend my belly is just 'baby belly' too. :)
Speaking of which, I've got to finish our first birthday post too!
Happy Birthday Gabbi Girl!
You have the most wonderful Mommie and Daddy...And Big Sister Too.
Love, Karen Perdue
That was beautiful Mo! very, very touching.
Happy Birthday to sweet Gabbi Girl!! She is absolutely precious and so blessed to have you for her Mommy! Loved this post!
What a beautiful post! Being a mom who has done both the "traditonal" and now pursuing "adoption", I feel so blessed and fulfilled. I have met wonderful families who have taken adoption to a new level of awareness. Thank you Mo and Todd for a peak into your everyday lives, we truly know it's a privelege to witness LOVE AT IT'S BEST!! May you the memories continue to be exceedingly wonderful!
Happy 1st Birthday GABBI! It has been a pleasure to see you blossom!!
Happy first birthday sweet, sweet Gabbi Girl!!!!!! You are SO very blessed to have such a fabulous family and a WONDERFUL mommy!!!
Oh, Gabbi was beautiful then and she is absolutely precious now. That grin is priceless!
Happy birthday Gabbi Lou!
That was such a sweet post! Can't belive how much she has grown. And Ellie too for that matter! What a little doll she is. Happy 1st Birthday Gabbi Girl!
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