FINALIZATION DAY!

OFFICIAL TODAY: ELSIE IS LEGALLY OURS!!!!

The past 6 months, Elsie has legally belonged to LDS Family Services. We went to the courthouse today and finalized our adoption. We have the legal document that states that effective today, August 31, 2010, Josh and I are the parents of Elsie Lynn Christiansen :)

Part of the legal document states:

"It is hereby ordered, adjunged and decreed that Baby Girl Feller shall be, and is hereby adopted by Petitioners, Fenton J. Christiansen and Ashlee Q. Christiansen, husband and wife, and that the said child shall henceforth have the status and shall be treated in all respects and in all regards as their legal and lawful child, which shall include the rights of protection and inheritance, and that said child shall henceforth be known as Elsie Lynn Christiansen, child and daughter of Fenton J. Christiansen and Ashlee Q. Christiansen, husband and wife, and that the said parties shall henceforth and hereafter bear toward eachother the relationship of parents and Child."

It feels good to have it all done. Now for the sealing next week :) I am so excited! It seems so right. It is crazy how the Lord works sometimes. I may never know why Elsie needed to come to our family this way, but I am not complaining! Elsie has brought me more joy than I have ever experienced in my life! I can't wait to spend the rest of my life as her mother! I just hope I do a good job :) I don't think I can ever thank Amanda enough. THANK YOU AMANDA!! I may never know how Amanda came to choose us, but I do know that she had to have been prompted by the spirit, because Elsie fits perfectly into our home! WE LOVE YOU ELSIE!!!!!!!

The Courtroom

Just after Elsie was decreed legally ours :)

Judge John Walton "I only take pictures if I get to hold the baby in one of the pictures."

Elsie and her daddy outside the St. George Courthouse

They look pretty happy to me :)

If Elsie only understood what had just happened... :)

Our celebration breakfast afterward :)

Thanks Macy for entertaining Elsie :)

I am so glad I get to be the mom of this beautiful baby girl forever!!!

Elsie is 6 Months Old!

Really? Really?....REALLY? Is our sweet baby girl already 6 monts old? It is so hard to believe! Josh and I can't imagine life without her, but it was only 6 months ago that Amanda placed her in our arms! We are so grateful to Amanda each day! Elsie is SOOO FUN! We wouldn't have Elsie without Amanda and her selfless decision to place Elsie for adoption. We definitely recognize the Lord in our lives. Josh and I are so blessed! As we continue to talk to Amanda, we see how she is growing and continuing to become a beautiful young woman! Everyone that reads this blog, please continue to pray for Amanda, we LOVE her!

Elsie is so fun! Everyday, Josh and I catch ourselves just watching her play on the floor, or sitting in her "bumbo" chair and are amazed at the things she does. Elsie LOVES to smile! She smiles at us all day and loves it when we finally leave the house so she can smile at EVERY person she sees :) She is such a happy, good natured baby. How did we get so lucky?

Elsie Loves:

• Mommy and Daddy - she loves us equally - tonight was the first time she didn't want Josh, she just wanted me. She hasn't ever done that before.
• Eating - it shows by her super cute "thunder thighs" I tease her that she has never missed a meal :)
• Ellie the Elephant - she doesn't sleep without her. Elsie has a new trick where she will lay on her back, cover her face with Ellie, while sticking her arms and legs out straight and panics like she can't breathe, then we move Ellie and Elsie takes Ellie and covers her face again - just recently has she started smiling when we move Ellie from her face, usually she has no expression on her face. It is pretty funny :)
• Waterbottles and cups - She goes crazy when she sees them and thinks she is going to get to touch them :) Most of the time we can't even give her any water from our cups because she is wailing her arms so much because she is so excited :)
• Being outside - I think Elsie would live outside if we would let her - her new thing is when there is wind blowing in her face, she opens her mouth wide and sticks her tongue all the way out, it is so cute!
• Playtime - playtime should also fit into the "Mommy and Daddy" category - Elsie LOVES it when she has our full attention :) - She does play very well by herself, but she has a lot more fun with us :) (who can blame her :) )
• Charice and her girls - Charice is Elsie's babysitter. Elsie loves to go there! Charice is one of my friends, Sierra's mom (Sierra used to be one of my students - a favorite of course :) ) Everytime I drop Elsie off, she can't smile enough at the girls. Charice is a mom of 6 - ranging in age from 22-8. They all LOVE Elsie :) Elsie NEVER sleeps when she is there - I tell Charice she is way too fun for Elsie :)
• Hands - Elsie loves hands, anyone's hands :) She loves to watch our fingers and loves it when I cover her whole face with my hand, it is pretty funny :) She also loves to chew on fingers :)
• Friends - any and every face! If Elsie sees someone, she usually stares at them, waiting for them to look at her, then she smiles really big - melting the hearts of everyone :)
• Kids - Elsie LOVES kids! She gets so excited to see them! She especially loves all her cousins, and Macy :) You would think it was Christmas morning for Elsie every time she sees the kids :)
• TV - Josh and I are in trouble. Anytime the tv is on, Elsie tries to watch it :) I have tried keeping the tv off more often and just listen to music or go outside - I have a feeling this will be the way it is for the next 18 years :)
• Snapping, clapping and mouth noises - Elsie giggles most of the time with each of these. She gets so excited :) The other night, Josh and I were laughing so hard because Elsie was giggling so hard when Josh made a noise with his mouth (he was just moving his tounge up and down on his lips and making a noise) it wasn't much of a funny noise, but for some reason, she was laughing so hard! It was so cute!
• Toes - Elsie loves her toes - she is always trying to get them in her mouth :) Elsie also loves our toes :) It is pretty cute to watch her watch our toes :) We don't let her touch them, but that doesn't mean she doesn't try :)

Elsie Doesn't Love So Much:

• Sleeping during the day - Elsie sleeps great at night (ok. so she still gets up once or twice), but she hates taking naps. We think it is because she is afraid she is going to miss something (Josh and I ARE pretty exciting :) )
• Being hungry - who can blame her?
• Babyfood - She did like sweet potatoes, but since then, she doesn't really want anything else. I have tried peas, carrotts, and squash. I guess it is time to switch to fruits :) I have actually stopped trying to get her to eat babyfood for the time being.
• Getting dressed - Elsie still hates putting her arms in the armholes of her shirts. She screams every time! I wish I knew why. I can't think of a bad experience she has had, she just HATES it! I have gotten pretty good at getting her dressed fast, but apparently I am still not fast enough :)
• Shots - I have to take her to get her shots this week. I am not excited.
• Being bored - Elsie likes attention :) She does play well by herself, but she doesn't last more than 20 minutes or so, most of the time :)
  

So smiley!

Remember when she used to lay so innocently by the bear?

I fear this is what will happen when Elsie gets a sibling :)

Pretty stinkin' cute if you ask me :)

Stylin' :)

Bath time! - Naked baby with cute pink toes :)

My future FCCLA National Officer :)

Elsie loves to watch me get ready

She has quite the attention span - she sits still and stares the whole time I blowdry my hair (which only takes me 15 minutes)

Now you see why I have to update my blog and 1:00 in the morning!

She crosses her feet all by herself - none of this picture is staged :)

Elsie does cry :(

Elsie LOVES her toes!

Josh says they are the best, cheapest toys we have :)

Elsie LOVES Macy

This went on for about 15 minutes :)

I love the way Macy and Elsie already love each other!

Elsie is a Big Girl...or so she thinks :)

I am not sure I like how fast Elsie is growing. She is so fun! Every day I love her more and more. I really can't decide if I want her to get big or stay small. Here are a few shots of her doing grown-up things :)

Brushing her teeth :)

Ok. So maybe it it just her sucking on my toothbrush, but you get the idea :)

Elsie does have her own toothbrush - well, it it a "gumbrush" it fits on my finger and has a soft bristle-like texture. Mom's toothbrush is much better :)

Elsie LOVES her sippy cup :)

Imagine how much she will like it when there is juice in it :)

All she gets now is water :)

Already a very talented girl :)

Elsie LOVES water bottles

...Even if she only gets to lick the outside :)

...or suck on it :)

Elsei thinks she is a big girl and can drink out of a big girl cup :)

She gets more on her shirt than she does in her mouth :)

Red Cliffs Hike - Leeds, Utah

We just carried Elsie on the hike - Good thing it was an easy hike :)

This is the end of the hike :)

I love Alison!

Elsie and Grandma :)

Elsie and Saralyn

Elsie and Rebecca

Elsie and Josh

Elsie and Hayley

Saralyn, Josh, Elsie, Hayley, Grandma, Genevieve and Rebecca

Elsie and Daddy on the hike :)

Elsie loves shoulder rides!

Uncle Kevin making Elsie giggle :)

It's a lot of work being this cute! Hiking wears me out!

Lovin' From the Cousins

Elsie is so lucky to have so many cousins that love her!

Elsie, Grandma Gay, Genevieve and Kandyce

Elsie and Kandyce

Elsie and Genevieve

Genevieve reminds me so much of myself when I was a little girl. Genevieve LOVES babies - especially Elsie :) We had to always keep our eye on Elsie when Genevieve was around :) Elsie loved all the attention!! Elsie already misses Genevieve! (me too!!) :)

Elsie, Anut Ali and Genevieve

Elsie, Uncle Kevin and Genevieve

This was the first night Genevieve saw Elsie. I put Elsie in bed, but Genevieve insisted on carrying around Elsie's carseat (empty), pretending that Elsie was still in it :) She would lift the carseat cover occasionally and tickle and talk to Elsie (the carseat was empty :) ). It was so cute!

Genevieve has quite the imagination :) She found a picture of Elsie and treated the picture just like it was Elsie - she rocked it, sang to it, gave it a bottle, and even put it in the carseat. It was very entertaining for the rest of us :)

We were all sitting around talking and Genevieve came up to me and told me that she gave Baby Elsie a doll so she would sleep better. I asked her if she gave the Baby Elsie in the carseat a baby doll, and before she answered, Kaitlyn said, "No, she went upstairs." I went upstairs to where Elsie was sleeping and sure enough, there was a Cabbage Patch Doll on Elsie's head :) Apparently, Genevieve just threw the baby in Elsie's crib. I thought it was pretty funny! Like I said, I was just like that - who knows how many kids I did that to :)

Elsie, Katie, Charlie and Henry

Elsie's tenders :)

Whenever I have meetings, Loralee, Katie, Charlie and Henry (and Jeff) watch Elsie for me :)

Boy, is Elsie loved!!!

Cute Henry :)

Over-stimulation?

Henry LOVES "Baby Cousin"

(I don't think he has ever called her Elsie) :)

Elsie, Cooper, Aaron and Hadley

Anna and Kent live in Idaho so we don't get to see them very often. We were on our way home from my family reunion, so we decided to stop and see them. We just met up with them at a restaurant. It was a lot of fun to see them :)

Elsie and Hadley are only 13 days apart

Hadley is a lot taller and skinnier :)

...and gets around much better!

Elsie loves her cousins :)

Elsie smiles at them - they smile at the camera :)

Aaron and Hadley

Elsie, Lea and Blakelee

Crazy to think that Blakelee used to sleep at my house all the time before she was as old as Elsie is right now :)

Of course the tv was on :)

Josh and I will never be able to keep up!

Lea loves to be the mom :)

I love these 3 girls!