Although we knew about her for many months before, I was reluctant to post much about our daughter-to-be. Before Michaela's birth, and for a time afterwards, she belonged only to her mother and father, and that wasn't us yet. And might never have been.
We were ready and willing and wanting to be her parents, but we also wanted to respect the time needed by her first parents to come to that decision together. We knew all too well and respected the gravity of the decision my sister and her boyfriend were going to make.... to allow their daughter to be raised by us while still being loved and cherished through an open family adoption.
After her birth, the bittersweet emotion, the tears of both joy and sadness and the full range of human emotion were too real to put to public light. Too sacred and personal, too tenuous... as if typing out the possibilities would somehow jinx the process. As if calling her "daughter" would make it not REAL, but impossible. Superstition? Probably. Possibly. Yes.
In the end, Michaela came to us, and became Michaela Maeve Reid. I'll skip the details between birth and placement and finalization.
I will share with you that 30 long days and nights passed... mostly sleepless, as the little tiny princess wouldn't sleep for more than a few hours at a time. Our son was lied to - intentionally, and protectively - for more than a month. Had my sister reversed her decision (in BC birth mothers are able to do so for 30 days), we had to protect him against the possibility of heartbreak.
"Why is Michaela still here?"
"We're taking care of her for a little while, Noah."
"Send her home! She cries too much. I don't like her."
weeks later...
"Where is aunty? Isn't she ready to look after Michaela yet?"
"She's resting. Having a baby is very hard on a mommy's body."
"Well Michaela is stealing all my love, Momma. Send her to Grammy's house. She can watch her instead."
Slowly, he fell in love. By day 27 he was asking if we could keep her. When day 32 or 33 rolled around (I think day 30 landed on a Saturday) we sat him down and gave him the news. Michaela was staying. We were adopting her. He was a big brother.
Immediately, he started to cry.
"Oh dear," I thought. "He's devastated. He really doesn't like this baby. What if he never does?"
But then he surprised us.
"Why are you crying, Noah?"
"I'm crying because I'm so HAPPY, Mommy! Michaela is my sister!" They've been inseparable ever since.
There are more stories. More memories, some heartache, but mostly joy. Many surprises. Lots of lessons. Many laughs. But for today, happy tears are a good way to end things. We've grown from one to two children and couldn't be happier. Officially, a year late, welcome little daughter. We are so grateful and thankful to be chosen to raise you.
