I will never forget the day, no, the very moment my eyes met your tiny body. You were inside a clear plastic cradle with the world's tiniest cap on your head. You had the smallest fingers I had ever seen, and I instantly began to weep at the sight of you. You would be our new Foster Baby, but I knew-had known from the moment we first learned of your birth, in fact-that you would be our daughter forever. I was meeting you for the first time and I was already madly in love with you from across the NICU. I ever-so-gently picked you up and rested your cheek against the skin of my chest. You and I sat in the rocking chair, your Daddy beside us, and I hummed to you while he touched your toes and imagined our future. The nurses came to check on us periodically, brought us a bottle for you, allowed us to check your little diaper, asked if we needed anything; but all we needed was to stare at you and soak you in. We came every single day for the next 9 days, for 3 hours at a time. The drive was long to see you, but even longer when we had to leave you. We brought your brother to meet you and hold you. He fed you a bottle and helped your Daddy change his very first poopy diaper while the nurses giggled to themselves.
That was 19 very long months ago, Lovey. In that span of time you have learned to move, talk, laugh, eat, insist, dance, disagree, love, and recently you have even begun to sleep! Tonight we were informed that you will finally become a legal member of this family within the next few weeks-and I couldn't wait to write and say thank you, my little Shiny, for calling me Momma. It is the greatest gift I have ever known.
Love,
Momma
