Our Two Year Anniversary

March is a happy and important time of year in our household now. Two years ago we met Katie for the first time. Re-reading the early days of our time as a family is so amazing and emotional. 

Hearing Katie call us "Mummy and Daddy" for the first time two years ago was almost indescribable. Part of me cannot believe that two years has passed already and part of me feels like it's been much longer.  I cannot imagine a life that doesn't have Katie in it now.  I can barely remember life before Katie.  I have been looking at photographs of how small she was when we first met her and comparing them to the amazing (and tall) 4 year old that she is now.  I find myself gazing at her in awe.  How did this little tordado come into our lives?  She is bright and articulate and seems so happy and confident.  She seems to really understand what "I love you" means and tells me so often that she loves me.  She told me today that she was going to live next door to us when she grows up.  This wonderful little girl took so long to come to us and that makes her all the more precious.  Even when she behaves naughtily I still love her more than I ever knew it was possible to love a human being.  She pushes every boundary that she comes across and then pushes it again, just to check if anything has changed from the last time she tried.  She pushes me to limits of emotion that I didn't know existed.  She is tireless and lives life at 100 miles per hour. She has a beautiful smile that is easy to find, even when she is grumpy.  I only have to say "turn that frown upside down" and she starts to giggle.  We owe all our Social Workers an amazing debt of gratitude for bringing us all together and making us a family.

It hasn't all been easy.  Katie has had a hard time accepting that Daddy has to go to work and has punished him relentlessly for two years when he comes home each day.  She has pushed him away and told him she only wants Mummy.  My husband has been amazing throughout this.  He has taken all this punishment and kept telling Katie how much he loves her over and over again.  The past few weeks have brought about a major shift in Katie's behaviour with Daddy and she seems to have forgiven him for leaving her every day.  She said to me recently that "Daddy has to go out and work doesn't he?".  I confirmed this and she seems to accept this fact now.  She gives him lots of kisses and cuddles when he leaves and rushes to meet him when he comes home.  She shouts out "I love you to the moon Daddy" which is so wonderful to hear.  It must also be wonderful for Daddy to hear those words expressed with such gusto after waiting so long.  He deserves a medal for being so good humoured whilst metaphorically (and sometimes physically) being kicked every day. They spent the day together yesterday whilst I spent the day with a girlfriend, and they had a lovely dad visiting Nana and Pops and visiting the bookshop to spend Katie's World Book Day token.  Katie told me she had a brilliant time.  I look forward to many more days out whilst Katie and Daddy have some play time together.

Today we went to celebrate our two year anniversary at the Harvester restaurant where we celebrated becoming legal.  Katie's choice.  She loves the salad bar, particularly the crunchy bacon bits and croutons!  She loves eating out and her table manners are improving, somewhat!

I want to take this opportunity to say Happy Anniversary to my wonderful family and to give thanks for the wonderful gift that adoption has brought to us. I didn't think I was ever going to be a mum and now I can't imagine life being any different.  How lucky are we to all have each other?  
 
I also take this moment to give a nod of acknowledgement to Katie's birth family.  I can only imagine the loss that they have experienced.  I am compassionate and understanding of their circumstances and will always convey this to Katie throughout her life.  My hope as a parent is that Katie will live her life full of love and that being adopted gives her the opportunity to reach the amazing potential that we can see she has.

We love you to the moon and stars 

and back again 

Katie!