A Snotty Nose & Long-O Toes!

That is our Ms. Keahi!  8 months old today and wowie I can't believe how fast the time has flown and how much she has learned in the past month!  It seemed that Madi learned a lot during her 8th month too.  Hey, for kicks and giggles I'm going to dedicate this post to comparing my 2 girls at 8 months. 

First Ms. Madi ~

She had NO teeth

She could say "Mama" "Dada" and "Hi!"

She could sit independently

She could crawl like nobody's business

She was figuring out how to pull herself up onto furniture and stand

She could "stand" on her knees

She could eat Cheerios

She weighed about 16 pounds

She wore 6-9 month clothes and size 2 shoes

She FINALLY had hair long enough for a ponytail, right on top of her head!

Ok, now Ms. Keahi ~

She has 7 teeth!

She can say "Mama" "Dada" "Hi!" and "Hi Dad!" {no "Hi Mom!" yet  :0)}

She can sit independently

She can crawl {a funky lookin' crawl} like nobody's business

She is mastering pulling herself up onto furniture and standing

She... stands on her... "knees"?  She tucks one leg in front and one in back criss-cross and then stands on her knees like that.  It's pretty crazy looking!  Almost like she's trying to stand up!

She can't quite eat Cheerios, but she can eat peach stars!

She weighs about 20 1/2 pounds

She wears 12-18 month clothes and size 3 or 4 shoes {cuz her feet are so fat!!}

She FINALLY has hair long enough for a ponytail, right on top of her head!

I don't remember when Madi started doing the following but I have to keep bragging!  Keahi can wave and clap, but not really on command.  BUT, if she's doing it and you start cheering, she lights up and gets SO excited and will keep doing it for as long as you'll keep cheering!

All I can say is that I love, love, love, love, LOVE MY GIRLS!!!

Oh To Be So Innocent...

Madi and I were driving home from a friend's house on Saturday and we passed a water tower. You know the kind - tall, round, rusty, with a ladder going up one side to the top that's shaped like an upside down cone? So anyway, Madison sees this water tower and tells me that that's a tower for princesses. "Yeah, sweetie." I say, not really paying attention to her ramblings... until she said something that truly caught my notice!

"Mom, that's where all the princesses go to get knocked up, huh?" I almost slammed on my brakes I was so shocked! Did that just come out of my 3 year-old's mouth?! Seriously?! So young?!?!?

I turned the radio down and asked "What did you just say?" "That's where all the princesses go and get knocked up in the tower! And the dragon comes and watches them, huh Mom?" The wheels finally stopped spinning in my head and the light bulb turned on. Madison says her "L"s like an "N" sometimes. So, a locked door is a knocked door... actually... come to think of it, that's the only "L" that she substitutes an "N" for... Hmmmmm... So anyway, I realized that she was telling me about a bunch of LOCKED up princesses, not KNOCKED up princesses. But read on, it gets worse.

"Yeah, that's a tower just like princesses get LOCKED up in, Madi." I say, really emphasizing that "L". "That's right Mom. And the princes come to that tower and they knock those princesses right up. They just come and knock them up, huh?"

"Yes, Madi. That's what those princes do. How 'bout we sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?"

I love to see the Temple

This post is very late in coming, and I apologize.  I have been busy, sick, Keahi has been sick, we've been out of town, busy some more and living life in its every day madness.  There, that's my excuse - take it or leave it.  :0)

What a day January 16th, 2010 was for our family!  We had been told by our adoption case worker that Kiki would be able to come and not only witness but participate in Keahi's sealing to our family. 

Well... he was wrong.  To make a VERY long and honestly quite frustrating story short, she was told {in the Temple} yes, then no, then yes again and finally {sadly} no.  It seriously broke my heart to watch her leave, and I still pray that she knows how much we wanted her to be there. 

Her mom held Keahi during the sealing which, for us, was really touching and made it that much more beautiful. 

Our little Coconut was perfect - smiling, happy... you could honestly see the joy in her eyes and KNOW that she understood what was happening.  When I looked at her, I felt so much love coming from her for us, it was incredible. 

And, of course, amid all this peace and perfection, there was our sweet little Madi who was so weirded out by our Temple clothes {for those of you who have been endowed, you truly understand why she was so startled!  And for those of you who haven't, just trust me when I say I don't blame her!} that she preferred to sit with Yvette until after all was said and done. 

Then she smiled a shy little smile and crawled up on my lap.  :0) 

It's almost impossible to describe the feelings and the strength of the Spirit we experienced during those moments, but I can tell you that my testimony has been strengthened ten-fold because of it.  I KNOW that we are Children of our loving Heavenly Father, and he knows who we are and what we are going through.

  He prepares us for the things that we think are so devastating, and it may take years for the "Why?" to be answered.  For us, that empty question of "Why only Madison?  Why can't we have more children like everyone else can?" was answered by Kiki and her Christ-like sacrifice. 

Maelee Keahi is an answer to our prayers.  There is no question of it.  We couldn't give her a body, but we know that she was meant to be a part of our eternal family.  What a difficult, touching and sweet journey this adoption has been.

Clint was SO nervous to bless Keahi!  It was simply beautiful - tender, strong and perfect.  I wrote it down, but the paper got left in the church during all the commotion of leaving.  I'm pretty sure we got most of it though, and I'd like to share it with you...

"Our Kind Heavenly Father,we come before thee with this child in our arms, to give her a name and a blessing. The name by which she shall be known is Maelee Namakaokeahi. Keahi, at this time we give you a blessing. We bless you that your body and mind will grow strong and that you will grow to love the gospel and the scriptures, and that you will work hard and pursue an education. We bless you that you will meet and marry a worthy returned missionary in a Temple of our Heavenly Father and go on to raise righteous children, that you will teach them the principles of the gospel that you have learned throughout your life. Keahi, we bless you that you will always remember the sacrifice that was made to allow you the blessings of the Temple. Always remember that sacrifice, honor it and use it to guide you throughout your life. You will be an example to your sister and your friends. Keahi, you have brought so much joy into our family. Use that joy and share it with others that you come in contact with. We leave this blessing with you in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen."

So, now all is finished.

  Life goes on in a series of diapers, boogies, cutting teeth, crawling, baby-proofing, new foods and much treasured naps.  Madi and Maelee Keahi are best buds {and wrestling partners} and we are absolutely loving our family of 4!  Thank you to everyone who came and supported us, and thank you yet again to Kiki and her family for Keahi.  We couldn't be where we are without you, and without your love for this beautiful little girl. 

Thank you.