cute cousins

Cate made her first trip to Louisville and Lexington this past weekend. And, let me tell you, Milla was glad to see her new cousin. Milla met Cate when she was just days old. And she was interested then, but more from a distance. Well, this time, when little Cate was seven weeks old, was totally different ...


I'm fairly certain all my readers know Milla. But here she is. My brother's daughter. She's 3 1/2 and an absolute joy to be around. In fact, I'm not sure why I don't have a category on my blog just for her. I think I'll start that today.

Milla was really into be close -- really close -- to Cate.


And she liked to be close to whoever was holding Cate, in this case Greg ...


... and in this case Uncle Zac.


I think Cate was beginning to wonder what was going on. I mean, we give her a lot of attention, but Milla was all about Cate. When Cate cried, Milla asked what she needed. A small toy? A blanket? And one time Greg was holding her when she cried and Milla insisted I take her back. I then explained that Greg was Cate's daddy and it was OK for him to take care of her. Oh, and when I mentioned to my mom that Cate's nose sounded slightly stuffy, Milla immediately went to get Cate a Kleenex.

Then there was this sweet but strange moment ...


Milla covered both Cate and herself up with a blanket and whispered to her. I have no idea what she was trying to teach her, but I have no doubt Milla will try to influence for her years to come.

So, I got my camera back ...



Here she is in awe of the ceiling fan. Yes, she's wearing IU. Hey, she was born in Bloomington, Indiana, although she was only there about 24 hours before we headed to southern Indiana where we could see the Louisville skyline. Give her a break. And her Aunt Cassie and Uncle Zac bought it for her, welcoming her to their home. (Well, Cassie is slowing moving her stuff there so it's ready for her after their Aug. 4 wedding.) Cate better wear it while it fits her because after this she's wearing UK blue when it comes to college teams.



Future tailgater is right. Wrong team, though, baby.

more than a machine

I shut down yesterday. I had no mental or emotional juice left in my system. A nap was only temporary assistance and more than anything just postponed the tears that fell later in the evening.

But my friends gave me a dose of encouragement and I think I'm up and running better today. So far.

I wasn't ready to come back to work. That's no secret. I didn't want to go to bed Sunday night because I knew when I woke up Monday morning I'd have to adjust to a new routine. So I pepped myself up, realized that there are 24 hours a day and on average work only occupies 8 of those five of the seven days a week. OK, there's plenty of time to be a mom, be a wife, be a newspaper reporter. Oh, and maybe I can take care of myself too. Right?

Monday was OK. Then I kind of got mad about it later that night. Tuesday morning was OK. Then I covered a planning commission meeting. I rebounded after telling Greg how I was feeling. Wednesday morning was fine. Then I shut down that afternoon. I couldn't really muster any energy, focus or perspective. So I laid down on the couch. I had to get up to cover a board of zoning adjustments meeting. I cried when I took Cate to Greg's office on the way to city hall. I sat through the meeting and then I cried again when I was at my friends' house eating dinner. Then I came home and cuddled with Greg and went to sleep.

This morning I woke up feeling better. It's three hours into the work day and I still feel better. I think I'm just adjusting.

And, thing is, I'm not a machine. I can't turn on a switch. I'm four days into a totally new phase of my life. Perhaps it's OK to let some tears fall. Maybe those really revamp my soul and help me find perspective.

And all the while my mind knows that Greg is trying to find time to priorities all his business ventures and still keep Cate in the mornings. We're just not ready to pass her off to someone else. Financially, I'm not going to work to pay a daycare bill. We have friends and family who have offered to help, and we're trying to decide when and how to incorporate that into our new schedules. Like I told Greg last night, let's give this some time. Surely we'll figure it out.

Adjusting is draining for me, especially because I wasn't really ready to come back to work. For months we prepared to welcome Cate into our lives. Those first six weeks were amazing, and they were over so fast. I've committed to give this some time and get used to running this way. Hopefully the cranks will keep turning and I can produce my news stories and then go home and be a mom.

Ho! Ho! Ho! A season to celebrate

My column from today's Ledger & Times.

Much can happen in six weeks.

Getting one-fourth the way through a 162-game baseball schedule takes that amount of time . Keeping with the spring season, in six recent weeks, the Derby, Preakness and Belmont all were run, leaving us yet again without a Triple Crown winner.

And even more exciting in our life: We adopted our daughter Catherine Anna, who was born on May 6. Yes, six weeks have gone by, and I returned to work this week.

That’s three city council meetings in the minutes as I finished three novels, usually with Cate by my side. In the 504 hours (including weekends) that I was off work, Cate gained two pounds, bringing her to double-digit weight and moving her up a diaper size.

So more about our new addition.

Cate has a mess of dark hair and long fingers and toes. People often say, “Oh, those long fingers, maybe she’ll play the piano.” Meanwhile, my husband, Greg, is hoping she can palm a basketball.

Keeping with the hardwood dream, he’s slowly teaching her the modified Wildcats cheer that works well with her name. C-A-T-E. Cate. Cate. Cate.

Yeah, we didn’t plan that (or the fact her initials spell CAT), but it’s a sure way to keep the Hoosier out of her after the birth mother delivered her in Bloomington, Ind.

By the way, did you see Santa in our yard? It was just part of our friends welcoming us home. Wrong season for St. Nick, perhaps, but indeed a season of celebration.

I have to admit: My friends didn’t apply for a temporary sign permit to place the out-of-season decoration in my yard. I’m not positive it was necessary, but Santa may be classified as a balloon, to which car dealers can testify about needing the city permit.

Either way, we’re sure people enjoyed the display -- and, maybe, now, the explanation of why an inflatable Christmas decoration took up residence in our front yard.

I know people talked about Santa. In fact, when we took Cate to her first doctor’s appointment eight days after she was born, some of the pediatrician’s staff had already discussed St. Nick’s early display before realizing the Sycamore Street yard belonged to the office’s newest patient.

So Santa isn’t the only one who came out to greet Cate. The pitching woes of the St. Louis Cardinals brought out another celebratory figure, even though he doesn’t know it. Troy Cate was called up from minor league Memphis to join the Big Leagues for a couple games. Word is he’ll be back.

It was Memorial Day. Greg was taking a break from swimming (and the heat) when he announced “Look at the pitcher’s jersey!” the second I walked in our relatives’ air-conditioned house. I looked and liked what I saw: Cate. He’s number 46, and you better believe we’ll have his jersey soon.

Who would have thought in the last six weeks discussing both baseball and Santa would have been relevant? But, let me assure you, the last six weeks have been better than any Christmas present and more exciting than any nine-inning shut out.

the leave is over ...

I survived my first day back at work. Granted, I was only in the office from 7 to 11:30 a.m. But, still, it was definitely out of the routine I've developed with Cate over the last six weeks.

I think I'm going to be OK with this.

The arrangement, for those of you who don't know, is for me to go to the office in the mornings, when we're on deadline at the paper while Greg stays home with her. He can get some work done while she naps. Then I come home at lunch and we trade off. It won't be that black and white as I get back in the reporting groove, but we're just going to back switching her between the two of us (mostly) work and call in back up (friends and family who keep saying to call them when we need them!) when we need it.

Well, this is our plan while she's small. When she's more mobile, we will re-evaluate.

My attitude toward work and about work tasks is SO different now that I have this beautiful face to think about ...

Happy Father's Day

Cate was born one week before Mother's Day and turned six weeks on Father's Day. (Have I mentioned on here our her birthday in numerals is 5-6-07. How cool is that?!) OK, so, she's growing up ... up to 10 pounds, in fact.

just a-swingin'

her eyes, our detour, a bath and some kids

Pardon the noticeable flash. I'm not as used to my friends' camera as I am my own. But here are my latest scrapped pages.

a sweet smell

Here's Cate with honeysuckle behind her ear ..



... before being checked out by Tuvia, who is the 2 1/2-year-old daughter of our friends Adam and Jamie. Our small group from church had a bonfire last night. (Yes, it was a little warm but the hot dogs and smores were good!)

quite a view

This is the sweet face we get to see when we feed her. Greg is enjoying the view. (By the way, I had to borrow a camera to take this -- and others -- because mine apparently has to be repaired. The new battery didn't do the trick!)

One Month

We went to Dairy Queen (not) to celebrate Cate being one month old. BUT it's as good an excuse as anything. Plus my Uncle Rick, who lives in Yellowstone National Park, was meeting Cate for the first time and he loves ice cream as much as Greg. Cate seemed to enjoy the outing, like usual ...


And she weighs in at 9 1/2 pounds.

What would make your day?

Pardon the absence of new Cate pictures this week. My camera battery is apparently completely dead, and, of course, I can't just go to Wal-Mart and get a new one. I ordered it from Kodak.com, though, so it should be here later this week. Just in time for her one-month birthday. Until then, here's some thoughts for you from Zig Ziglar ...

What if I told you there’s one simple question you can ask your spouse every day that would completely change your relationship for the better? If your marriage is lukewarm at best, asking your spouse this question could add new life and vitality to your relationship.

Wives, imagine if your husband came walking through the door after returning from a tough day at work and, after the usual greetings, asked you this: “Honey, what can I do for you that would make your day?”

Then, once you picked your jaw up off the floor, imagine being able to tell him that one thing that would make your day better –- and then seeing him drop everything to do it.

Husbands, how incredible would it be to have your wife call you at the office and ask, “Honey, what can I do for you that would make your day?”

The trouble with this question is that it’s simple to ask, but sometimes following through on the request is difficult. Your spouse could ask you to do that one thing you dread more than anything else. Or he or she could ask you to do something that’s not very pleasant, it may hurt you, or it might ruin your day to do it. It might cause you to be vulnerable in ways you don’t want to consider.

But imagine how your spouse will feel when you’ve done it. Just today I asked my spouse this question. She was gentle with me and said, “Oh, I just love it when you take care of the kids so I can take a shower in peace.” So guess what I’m doing tonight? You got it. Playing with the kids. Now, not only do I get the joy of playing with the kids, but I also get the joy of knowing that my wife is happy, too.

The question can go beyond marital relationships. ...

Before you ask, make sure your mind is set on doing whatever they ask, no matter how hard it is for you. Obviously, unethical and immoral things are off limits. But, otherwise, it’s a great test to see how willing you are to serve your spouse.

One final note: Don’t give your spouse a guilt trip for telling you what will make his or her day. Don’t say, “OK, I’ll do it if you really want me to.” Just do it with a cheerful heart. After all, you asked for it.

a Kentucky girl

This will hang in Cate's room. I wanted to hang a newspaper with her birth date in her room, and the timing was perfect with her arrival coming the day after the Kentucky Derby. Such a pretty newspaper for a beautiful baby who is going to be raised a Kentucky girl despite her inital Hoosier roots.

into the album

I guess it's not a surprise who my scrapbook pages are about, but here are Cate's first two. Well, that's not even true. I did other pages about anticipating her arrival and her nursery. But these are the first of her actually here with us.

adorable ...

Yes, we think so, just like the onesie says.

So it's June. We've had Cate for almost four weeks. And I've been off work for four weeks. Yesterday was one of those days that reminded me that my purpose right now is to take care of this precious girl. Feeding her, loving her, changing her diaper and clothes are the most important things. Getting anything else done is indeed a bonus. (OK, so I did end up making it to Wal-Mart yesterday afternoon and then later wrote thank you notes, but the morning didn't start off that way.)

But the morning did start off with me praising God for the way I gained perspective after spending the day before wondering what I needed to do next. I realized, like I already said, that taking care of her is the most important, and then everything else flows from that. I wonder about routine, then I realize she's already in a little routine, one that involves much sleep. I wonder what I should do, and I realize the simply answer is love her, and the encompasses all the getting to know each other, meeting physical needs, meeting emotional needs, providing things she doesn't realize she needs ... LOVE HER.

And I do.

alert

Cate is becoming more alert every day. Here she is enjoying her mobile.

(Jodi, yes, there are butterflies -- and dragonflies -- on the bedding, but not everything she owns has butterflies on it. She has plenty of pink and stripes too. But, for the record, there are lots of butterflies on lots of baby girl things, so it's not just my obsession.)

another May baby!

Meet Megan Elizabeth Gorrell. Congratulations Katy and Chad!

another mother/writer

Meet Cathy. (Long-time blog readers may remember me mentioning her in this post.) She's a mother and writer, and she's about the same place in adopting Charlotte as we are Cate. Charlotte was born six days before Cate, and even though they live in Alabama, I'm hoping the girls can play together one day.

a summer weekend

I really love Memorial Day because it feels like the opening of summer. (Yes, I know summer officially begins in June, but I think 90 degree temperatures make calling this summer a fair assessment.)

So, here's a run down of our summer weekend.

Our college friends Laura and Dave and their two children -- Gillian (2 1/2) and Phillip (6 months) were in town to visit. Laura and I let the guys keep the kids while we yard saling Saturday morning. And then we spent the afternoon catching up while the kids napped and the guys played golf. That evening we all went out to dinner when our Lexington friends Rod and Corbitt also stopped by to visit.


As you can see, Gillian was quite fond of Cate.

Sunday was a shower for Cate. Jaclyn did a beautiful job planning it and I, of course, loved showing Cate off. We got lots of nice (and many practical!) gifts. That night we had a cookout with some other friends from college who were in town for the shower.

Monday included another cookout and some time by the pool at Greg's aunt and uncle's house. It's become a tradition -- and a great one to ring in summer. That picture at the top of my blog (for those of you who actually read this far down ...) is Cate with Nana. Nana loves rocking and holding babies, but she and Cate have a special bond because Cate's middle name Anna is Nana's first name. (I just realize this week that the letters in Nana can be changed around to make Anna. I wonder if someone planned that ...)

Then last night Greg and I settled in on the couch to watch a few (maybe one more than a few ...) episodes of "Lost." We're not quite half way through the first season and I'm addicted. It's a really intriguing show and I love how the characters' stories are told through flashbacks while they're stranded on the island.

Another update: My car isn't totaled! This makes me happy because my list of why I don't like driving Greg's car was growing. (Manual locks, manual windows, a truck that barely holds the stroller, an uncomfortable seat position in relation to the steering wheel ...) You see, we were getting ready to sell his car when I wrecked mine. So we postponed selling his (or at least committing it to someone who may buy it later this summer) until we learned what the situation was with mine. So I'm happy to say that I can drive mine once its front bumper and surrounding area is repaired and new airbags are put in.

growing ...

She looks older to me today. What do you think?

sleeping while wrecking

I wrecked my car today. And Cate slept through the entire thing.

I was taking Greg back to his office after we had lunch with his parents and brother today. For those of you familiar with Murray, I was trying to left onto Chestnut Street out of the BB&T parking lot. Well, meanwhile, another lady was trying to turn left from Wendy's across the street. Greg was watching to the right, which I was watching to the left. I saw a break in traffic; Greg say a break in traffic. So I pulled out after a pickup truck passed. Apparently she pulled in behind the truck. I didn't see her ... until I was looking over the deployed air bag at her smashed Neon.

I've never had a wreck. I mean, I barely backed into a concrete wall once at a gas station. But it only left a minor scratch on my back bumper. And then one time a car bumped me from behind while I was stopped at a red light on Brownsboro Road in Louisville, causing me to gently bump another car in front of me. Seriously, those don't count.

Today's counted.

So Greg and I were looking into the air bags. Then we looked at each other. Then I jumped out of the car and looked at Cate in the back seat. She was still asleep. I got her out and Greg took her inside the bank while I talked to the police officer, who was on the scene basically immediately because he heard the crashing sound while getting in his car at the bank. Everybody was OK, but, man, I was shaken. (The other driver seemed about the same.)

My nose feels like it's slightly sunburned (not really sunburned, but that's how it feels ...) from the airbag and I have some tender carpet-burn-like spots on my arm. Greg's nose is a little swollen and has a little mark from the air bag. I never questioned why baby car seats go in the back because I'm a play-by-the-rules kind of girl, but I understand now. And that car seat was so steady and kept Cate safe.

I'm just thankful everybody is OK and the only hassles are going to be dealing with the repairs and insurance. A few marks and burns sure don't matter in the big picture.

Ho ho ho!

I've been off work 2 1/2 weeks now. And I have to admit, I don't miss it.

Confession: I really expected to miss work -- especially the covering news and writing stories part. A friend asked me the other day if I was surprised how little I cared about the news. Definitely surprised. But perfectly content.

And, thing is, we're busy. I really don't know how I'll manage to fit my job back in, but I guess I'll figure that out in 3 1/2 weeks. I am going to work from home more in the afternoons and evenings, so surely I can make the morning office time fit in.

So, I know you must be asking yourself: What does this have to do with Santa? Well, nothing, really. But this Santa and that sign were in our front yard just like that when we got home last Monday.

Random? Yes. But here's the brief story. Last year when Luke was born, our friend Brandon put this inflatable Santa in the Tompkins' yard as a welcome-home greeting. Then the Tompkins repaid Brandon the favor in March on his birthday ... in front of the church. So, no, I wasn't surprised to see Santa greeting us when we pulled in the driveway. Jaclyn made a new sign -- "Santa says it's a girl" -- for our ocassion.

Storms came a couple days later and we temporarily had to deflate Santa so he wouldn't blow down Sycamore Street. (I mean, it wouldn't have been a secret from where he came! No, not the North Pole, but from our yard!) Anyway, we resurrected him this weekend and Michael kindly took our family portrait.

So, we're home, as Santa announced to all the passers-by. For now, Santa is stored away from the next appropriate (rather, really, out-of-season) event. But, let me tell you, Cate is better than any Christmas present.

lazy afternoon

This was how this pair spent much of Sunday afternoon.

Perfection

I've gotten to show her off a little bit this weekend. I mean, what do you expect at Wal-mart in a small town? Taking her to church was also nice today. (The trip to church also marked the first time she was dressed in something other than a onsie, gown or sleeper!)

During the worship songs, I was thinking about how many times over the past couple of years I asked God about his timing for a baby. And today I remembered how his timing is perfect, and the baby girl I was holding in my arms is perfect for us. I've said before, this adoption process was filled with more peace than I've ever had. I finally can begin to grasp "... the peace of God, which transcends all understanding." And I see God's blessing alive in Cate when I look into her dark eyes, hold her tiny but long finger, or feel her rest her soft head on my shoulder.

If I'm not holding Cate, the next best thing is watching Greg with her. She's enjoying his company too.

Stylin' ...

Not only is all that hair soft, but it's great to mess with after a bath, as shown here.

Wide-eyed for the finales

Cate has been keeping her eyes open more the last couple of days. She's more alert while eating and then for some time afterward.

Some of this alertness came while we were watching finale-filled Thursday night television. Hooray for Jim leaving Karen in New York and asking Pam out on a date.

Then Grey's didn't disappoint either ... Surely Meredith is just having her usual doubts about life and not really Derek. His speech there toward the end about her being the love of his life was emotional. Izzie's speech to George didn't inspire me as much. Burke's vows were beautiful, but he has a point about trying so hard to help Cristina be someone she isn't. And Alex ... man, he breaks my heart sometimes. I wanted to learn more about him this season. Perhaps there's more to come on him in Season 4. And Callie is chief resident? Hmm ... And chief is still chief, even though his wife realized she may have slightly misunderstood him recently. I figured one of the interns would fail their test. Man, George is left to much soul-searching while Izzie sat in the church perhaps trying to let go of her love for him. And we all know Addison is off to her spin-off show.

And then there was CSI. The miniature killer was revealed at the beginning of the episode but the story still wasn't tied together. Those writers really had the nerve to end with a "To be continued ..." line on the screen. I mean, sure, season finales are often cliff hangers but to leave enough open that "To be continued ..." comes on the screen. Man ...

So, while I was flipping through channels at 5 this morning while feeding Cate, I noticed something strange: MTV was playing music videos. It was some rap song that I've never heard of and didn't care to know, but I was impressed with the fact MTV returned -- at least momentarily -- to its roots and away from reality television. Then I noticed on the TV Guide channel that MTV and VH-1 were playing music videos for at least a couple hours.

Whew ...

Our first full day back in Kentucky was a good but tiring one. The morning started with a trip to the pediatrician. That visit was followed by one to the insurance agent and then the attorney. The attorney's office is next to the judicial building, so, of course, I had to show off Cate to some of my buddies there. We also broke in the new stroller with a walk with Jaclyn and Luke. I also tried to take care of some bills and balance the checkbook while some laundry was tumbling. There were a few visitors and some phone calls throughout the day.

... I think Cate has the right idea!

Happy Mother's Day

As cliche as it may sound, holding this week-old baby girl really is the best Mother's Day present.

enjoying Cate

The thing about still being in a hotel room is we have time to enjoy our daughter and ease into parenthood with minimal commitments. You know, I haven't had to do laundry or wash dishes (other than the bottles!). And there's plenty of time for visitors. Looks like we'll be in southern Indiana through the weekend. We're hoping our adoption paperwork is received and approved in Frankfort on Monday. But the key word there is hoping. (Our attorney told me that we could look at the river but not cross it. So here we are at Rocky's Italian Grill on the river, aka the state line, for lunch yesterday.)

Of course, others joined us ...


That's Bryan holding Luke, Jaclyn, us, and Kent. Peggy took the picture.


Yesterday several friends and family came to visit (including a total of four kids with a combined age of 10). They got glimpses of Cate's eyes, and then, not long after everyone left, she was wide awake. It was fun for us to enjoy as we caught our breath and caught up with "Grey's Anatomy" (whoever thought of re-running the show the day after its regular air date was a genius!).


That's Milla meeting (and feeding) her new cousin. She was entertaining while curious.


And here's a tired Luke trying to re-energize while sharing a pillow with Cate momentarily. And, trust me, it was very momentary.

'She looks just like you ...'

The following is a scenario I suspect will be played again. The characters this time are Olive Garden Waitress, Baby Cate, New Mama, New Papa, Grandpa and Grandma.

Cate is sleeping in the carrier at the end of the booth near a high-traffic area. She assembled quite a fan club in a matter of minutes.

Olive Garden Waitress: Oh, she's so cute. How old is she?

New Mama: Four days old.

OG Waitress: She looks just like you.

New Mama just nods and smiles, thinking there is no need to clarify the situation.

OG Waitress: Noticing the head full of dark hair. Did you have a lot of heartburn?

New Papa, Grandpa and Grandma laugh. New Mama maintains her composure.

New Mama: Well, actually, we're in the process of adopting her.

OG Waitress: Oh, well, I think she looks like you.

New Mama: I think it's the hair.

OG Waitress: Looks at New Papa. Actually, she looks like both of you.

Grandpa: Points at Greg. Does he look like me?

OG Waitress: No. He looks like her. Points to Grandma.

New Mama, New Papa, Grandma and Grandpa go on eating breadsticks, salad and pasta while New Mama kindly thanks people who compliment Baby Cate.

Then as they're leaving ...

OG Waitress: She's really beautiful. And I still think she looks like you all.

New Mama: Thank you.

New Mama walks out while New Papa follows carrying Baby Cate. They listen to the conversation continue.

OG Waitress: Looks at Grandpa. So your son is really adopted too?

Grandpa: Giggles. Oh, no. I was just asking.

sleeping

This is the evening time. She's ready for bed, but daddy is staying up for awhile so he can feed her before he goes to sleep. This is them watching SportsCenter. Sort of.


This is us this morning. I had just fed her at 8:15 a.m., but I wanted to sleep a bit longer before really getting going this morning.


And then this is how she sleeps overnight and when we let her out of our arms or off our chests during the day.

Holding, loving

We weren't alone in hoping for our family, and now our daughter has quite a fan club. Having people love her (and us) is such a blessing.

The day started with my high school friend Bekah, who is a labor and delivery nurse at nearby Clark Memorial Hospital, helping us navigate through the lack of paperwork and direction to the newborn screen Cate needed after 48 hours from birth. Along for the ride were Bekah's daughter, Ila, who was celebrating her first birthday today, and Bekah's mom, who chauffeured Bekah and me to many swim team practices in high school.

So, anyway, here is Greg encouraging Ila to make entertaining sounds with her lips while we finish up our lunch at McAllister's Deli.


Oh, you came here to see Cate. Silly me. :) Here she is. Being held. It was definitely a popular occurrence today. Hey, love is love, and it's easy to love this baby girl.

Here's Laura holding Cate with her daughter, Gillian, wanting to be part of the moment.

Proud Papa (and Mama)

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. --Psalm 139:4


I realize the cliche that a picture is worth 1,000 words holds completely true. But here's some more details from our first days of parenthood.

This new phase started early Sunday morning -- at 5:47 a.m. (central), to be exact -- when the birth mother called to tell us that her water broke. We were up and throwing our clothes in a bag and left the house by 6:30 a.m. (The jury is still out on whether we brought enough for ourselves, but Cate is the important one here, and her bags were packed for weeks!) We ran by Greg's office (Hey, we had to have this lap top so you could see those beautiful newborn pictures!) before we hit the road to Bloomington. We were at the hospital by 12:10 p.m. (now on eastern time ...) and awaited Cate's arrival, which came about 14 hours after the birth mother arrived there.

The birth mother was amazing, even during her back pains and labor. Throughout the whole process, she's been generous, gracious and strong, and her delivery of our daughter was no different. We were in the room when Cate was born, and I'm so thankful for that experience.

Cate had some trouble breathing on her own at first, so they put on her the smallest oxygen mask I've ever seen. We were there while they cleaned her up and tended to her. She griped our fingers. Then they took her the nursery and kept her on oxygen for an hour or two. She also was breathing kind of fast, so they wanted to make sure everything checked out.

Then at 4 a.m. Monday, the nurse brought our daughter to us. I fed her, and then I held her for three straight hours. Those were the moments for which I've been waiting. And, man, were they worth it.

Monday we just spent some time with her and then took care of some paperwork when the attorney came to the hospital. Then we were surprised when the pediatrician said we could leave as long as got the required newborn screen done in a couple of days. So, the hospital got the legal order that terminated the birth parents' right and gave us temporary guardianship, and we were off for Jeffersonville, Indiana, about 8:30 p.m. -- a couple dozen minutes shy of Cate's first 24 hours in this world. We took a pit stop in Columbus, Indiana, to feed Cate and feed ourselves, and then we took up temporary residence in this hotel that is pretty close to the Ohio River. Exit 2 on the Hoosier side. In fact, we can see the buildings in Louisville. It feels pretty close to familiarity.

Even with this 4-day-old baby in our arms, the newness seems comfortable. We hold her and realize God planned her for us.

A Clean Cate

She wasn't wild about the bath itself, but she loved the towel afterward. (Those aren't ears on top of the towel, but rather butterflies that go with the "Cute as a bug" message.)

Meet Cate!

Catherine Anna Taylor was born on Sunday, May 6 at 8:54 p.m. (Eastern). She weighs 8 pounds and is 20 inches long. She has a head full of dark hair and long fingers. In fact, she's quite beautiful.

Yes. I am indeed excited.

It's amazing how many people are going to love this child ...

Yes. I am indeed excited.

No. I don't really have any news.

Yes. The nursery is ready.

I am ready too. Or at least ready to learn I'm probably not really ready.

No. Please don't call her Catie. I adore the name Katie. Well, even more so, I adore my dear friend Katie, and my friend Katy (even though she's really terrible about returning phone calls ... I wonder if she has any news about her baby?!) and my other friends Katie. But she's going to be Catherine Anna. You can call her Cate. Or Cate Anna. Or Catherine. No Catie. Or Caty.

I have no idea if I have everything I need. But I know I have family and friends who will help me get anything I realize I don't have.

No. I don't have a Diaper Genie or Wipe Warmer and I don't intend to get either.

No. She hasn't gone into labor. If she had, I wouldn't be answering my phone at work.

Sure. We can have lunch. We can get together. Obviously we're hoping to cancel.

Did I mention that I am excited? I don't do excited expressions well.

Yes. We are going to let you, and you, and you, and you, and you, and you ... know when she arrives. Expect a mass e-mail and then probably a phone call. Maybe a text message. And if you're in the area (meaning southern Indiana at first, then Murray) please come visit.

...

So, here's the thing, I am so thankful for all the people who love us and will in turn love our baby. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what I would do without my family and friends. The anticipation of Cate is fun for Greg and me. We're dreaming and hoping and thinking and praying. Like kids waiting for Christmas or a couple planning their wedding or people waiting to go on the trip of their lives, we're waiting with great anticipation. You know how excited you are? Yeah, I bet we have you beat. But we're just working and living our lives waiting for the phone call. Then we can drop what we're doing for this baby girl.

But until then, you can refer to the answers above. We really do hope we have new (good) news to share soon. But the lesson in this whole thing (the trying-to-get-pregnant-turning-to-adoption phase) has been God's timing. And I know controlling the timing of her birth is completely out of our hands. (Just so you know, were I in control, she would have been here yesterday. Yep, would have been the best birthday present yet!)