The Vilski Family

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Log choppers

Yesterday the guys chopped wood to use in our little fire pit in the coming months. We used it once and had some delicious s'mores!

Coen helped Justin by sitting on the logs while Justin used a saws-all to chop up the wood.

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Eastertime

Today is the day before Easter and we did fun stuff. Justin and Coen washed our car and Coen got to do an underwater egg hunt at a city pool.

Here are the egg-hunting boys! Coen got the underwater and floating ones. So well-rounded :)

There was also face painting! Coen was exhausted and so we didn't stay for the other crafts.

Hallie was pretty exhausted, too, from eating, filling her diaper, and growing. With some smiling thrown in there...

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

In the hospital

Being in the hospital for Halina's birth was an incredible experience. And I decided I'd rather be in labor than helping from the other side. I now feel ever-so-slightly sympathetic for Justin during my labor and delivery. Very slightly :) it's hard to watch and not really be able to help.

Erica was induced on Thursday afternoon/evening and Hallie came early Saturday morning. To the zombie movie on late night TV that was playing. We had some amazing nurses and doctors and two hospital staff that mostly made us want to rip our hair out. University Hospital is a teaching hospital connected with the University of Colorado so it was a wide variety.

Erica was amazing and brave and strong and I found out that I missed out on fentynol! (I have no idea how to spell it.)

We stayed until Monday morning, which was fine because Sunday brought a big snow storm! Leaving the hospital was easy because I was ready to be home, but also bittersweet because Erica and I had a nice time. (Minus 16-24 hours or so in there...) We stayed in the same room, watched some awesome movies, and ate the most delicious hospital food ever. No sarcasm. Omelets, shrimp
Scampi, herb-crusted salmon, build-your-own burger, you name it! We showed the hospital staff how an adoption can be a joyful experience, even if there will be heartache at some points.

It was so strange to be home with Hallie and not Erica. Every time I introduced someone to Halina I wanted to tell them all about Erica. Which usually would make me tear up. Sometimes I tried but usually people avoid talking about the adoption process and Hallie's birth parents. We, however, feel so blessed that we CAN talk about her birth parents and we have wonderful (and comical) memories to share. I'll share some of the memories with you all. But not all. There are things about which I must not speak (right, Erica? :) )

Love to everyone!!

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Daily life video

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=YItWSHAqqQ0&sns=fb&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DYItWSHAqqQ0%26sns%3Dfb

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The coloring monster!

Coen sat (wow!) and colored (ooooh!) for 20 minutes (astonishment!)!

He did an excellent job and he thinks he's ready for preschool next year.

Colored March 2013 - 3 years 8 months

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Another Chapter

Well, I have been a big slacker. Obviously. And these posts will not be in chronological order. They will also vary in length depending upon whether I am using my iPhone or "real" computer.

We have a new addition to the family! And she's not a pet or livestock (as our precious additions have been) :)

Halina "Hallie" June Vilski was born Februrary 23, 2013 at 3:16 AM, measured 19" and weighed 7 1/2 pounds. She is beautiful, calm, and a content baby.

Hallie came to us through her amazing birth mother, Erica. We love and miss Erica so much (she went home a week after Hallie was born) and we hope to see her again soon. We communicate via text and email and occasional Skype.

God has really led us down a long path that I can't say was pothole-free, but if it's His will, Hallie will be ours forever after our early September court date!

Coen is SUCH a loving big brother. He has been waiting for his own baby for quite a while and he kisses her constantly. He calls her "a little peanut" and talks about how sweet and cute she is. Still, after a month. (Phew!)

I am recommitting to this blog in order to journal Coen and Halina's childhoods, share more private and personal details of the adoption process, and show God's hand in our lives even during frustrating and trying times. Did you know that lavender acts as a de-stresser? :)

Love from our family of four! More random excerpts of life, past and present, to come soon.