Open Adoption Annual Picnic

Dear Evie:

Today was a very special day because you got to see your birth father (G) at our adoption agency's annual open adoption reunion picnic. You took awhile to warm up to him because lately you are wary of anyone who isn't Mommy or Daddy, but he won you over with his Sesame Street t-shirt and a gift of a small stuffed Eeyore. You loved the Eeyore and promptly claimed it as your own by biting his nose and ears with your 2 sharp little bottom teeth. Here is a picture of you on G's lap during lunch (you ate fruit salad, pasta salad and tried to grab Mommy's jalapeno chips):



He agrees with us that you've always looked a lot like him, but now you are starting to look like your birth mother (R) more and more. You have her eyes in that they are blue and large and striking, but yours are darker than R's. Hers are light blue and G says that when she gets angry they change color, getting darker and more grey. When she's in natural light they are a light blue-green like the summer ocean.

We were all sad that she couldn't be there today, but G told us she is doing well and loves getting pictures of you, so I will be putting more in the mail to her this week. G also said that R sees a lot of similarities between you and her older daughter. I hope you two kids get to meet some day!

G was very excited to see you and was very happy when you let him hold and cuddle you. You had fun tugging on his goatee, instead of crying about it like you did last time we got together. And when he left, after the picnic was over, he gave you a sweet goodbye kiss on the cheek.

He enjoyed watching you crawl in the grass and practice walking in the mulch. He played one of your favorite game with you...stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down, stand up...etc. He was very impressed by how strong you are!

Your overalls were a little too long for you and the cuffs were dragging in the wet grass. We commented that you are a little too short for 12 month clothes yet and G told us that he was always the shortest kid in his classes until he growth spurted in Junior High, and now he is an average height. It will be fun to see if you follow the same pattern!

After the picnic, G was headed to a nearby lake to spend the rest of the weekend fishing. He's been working hard lately and needs a little vacation. Daddy and I think it's neat that he is an outdoorsman and we hope you grow up loving nature as well.

G has been watching videos of you that Mommy shoots and puts online, and his favorite is the one of you dancing. Next time we get together with him, remind me to bring one of your musical toys so that you can show off your rhythm for him!

It was a great day, and I'm sad that you won't have any memories of it. I hope that the photos I took and this letter will serve as a substitute memory for you...a memory of being surrounded by three adults who desperately love you.

Hugs and Kisses,
Mama