Tell Me Again...

Millie Janalee already loves books!  She gets so excited every time we turn the page.  She tightens the muscles in her body and squeals or breaths very fast and loud.  It's quite hilarious and super fun to watch!  Her book collection is overflowing out of her book basket, and I have grand plans of wall book racks (I've been hinting to Auntie Kristin and Uncie Lee lately.  Hehe!) to help hold some of her sweet books.  The teacher in me loves a room full of children's books!

The other day, we were reading a book as I tried to help Millie Janalee wind down for nap time.  I picked up this book I ordered forever ago...like way before we knew who Baby J would be.  I admit, I order lots of books without reading them.  Anyway, as I was reading Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born to Millie Janalee...I had a light bulb moment!

For those of you unfamiliar with this story...it's a book about adoption.  It goes through the parents getting "THE CALL", telling their families, going to pick up their baby, and life with their baby when they get home.  It's a great book told through the voice of the child..."Tell me again..."  The child asks to hear their story again and again.  Each part.

So, I jumped over to my computer during her nap and started on her very own Tell Me Again About the Day I Was Born.   Millie Janalee was born at 8:58 am, so I renamed it using "Day."  I used the wording from Jamie Lee Curtis's book, except I told Millie Janalee's story complete with pictures from that day and the days following.  I LOVE the way it turned out, and I couldn't wait for it to arrive and to read it to my sweet girl.

The sweet book cover

"Tell me again how you and Daddy were sitting together after work and how the phone rang and they told you I was on the way.  Tell me again how you giggled." (Page 1)

 "Tell me again about the next day when you and Daddy went to the hospital to meet me with Mrs. Karen.  Tell me again how the butterflies were in your stomach the whole way to the hospital and when you got there you both got very quiet and felt very small." (Page 6)

 "Tell me again about introducing me to the family.  Tell me again how everyone counted down before you brought me in and how everyone cheered, cried, and kissed me over and over." (Page 16)

The book chronicles her adoption story from the day we found out about her to the day we brought her home.  It also tells about how we became her parents in an age appropriate way.  I was inspired to create a storybook to help tell her story from her birthmother actually.  Her birthmother created a storybook for her and gave it to us the day we met Millie Janalee in the hospital.  I bawled like a baby reading it...especially the last page.  I'm pretty sure Russ had tears in his eyes too.  So, when I was reading Jamie Lee Curtis's book, I was overjoyed to have that spark and know exactly what I wanted to do!

Millie Janalee enjoyed reading through the pages, and she even got to turn some of the pages.  Of course, I was carefully watching that she didn't RIP the pages.  Ha!  If she does, I'll just order another one.  All is well.

I get the same question all the time: "When will you tell her she was adopted?"  The answer is...we already have.  We talk about Millie Janalee becoming a part of our family just like we would talk about a biological child becoming a part of our family.  We never want Millie Janalee to be able to remember "the day" we told her.  We never want her to feel ashamed of her story.  We pray that Millie Janalee will be proud of her story.  She has so many reasons to be proud.  We pray that she is proud of how God used her little life to touch so many.  We pray that she is proud of the decision her birthparents made for her.  This doesn't mean she will talk about her story to everyone she meets any more than I tell everyone I meet how I was born and where.  Adoption is a topic we want to speak about openly with her.  We want her to be comfortable asking questions and hearing the answers.  This book will certainly spark more questions the older Millie Janalee gets.  And, if it does, we have accomplished exactly what we intended to accomplish!

I look forward to the day I hear that sweet little voice say..."Mama, tell me again about the day I was born."  And I will!