You and your husband adopted your four-year-old granddaughter, Lainie, on March 17, 2021. How have you navigated raising a toddler again, being that all of your other children are adults?
CV: I think we have now adjusted to raising another little one, but in the beginning, we had to get back in the groove since our other children are adults. With that said, our grown children are still quite a lot of help even living hours away. They call to see how Lainie’s day went, what ‘letter’ she learned in school, and if she learned anything important that day. We know they miss her with one daughter living nine hours away and the other fours hours away. Neither one can go longer than one to two months without driving or flying home for that ‘real sister time’.
Your three older daughters are 28, 23, and 20. In what ways do you find yourself raising Lainie the same way you reared them?
CV: Teaching her scruples, giving her TLC, and helping her understand life as she thrives and excels in her daily activities.
You’ve been the Administrative Assistant to the Sheriff of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office for 15 years. How do you balance your career and starting over as a mom?
CV: The Sheriff and staff were very cooperative and understanding throughout the adoption process. I truly appreciate it because it took over a year to complete Lainie’s DHR case and adopt her. Our adoption attorney, Hon. Sebrina Martin understood our work schedule and was willing to meet with us after hours because of that. Ms. Martin was amazing, and hopefully, she will be voted into office as one of our new Montgomery County Circuit Court Judges.
What hobbies do you focus on so you don’t lose yourself?
CV: I enjoy making seasonal door wreaths and dabbling in amateur photography.
How has the transition been for your older daughters, knowing that your focus is also on another young child?
CV: Our other daughters have been wonderful. Initially, they wanted to play the “new mom” role because they realized the weight on our shoulders to start over raising another child. I had to reiterate that the worse situation we rescued Lainie from will pass in time, and life will go on.
What activities do you keep Lainie involved in to enjoy and appreciate her childhood?
CV: Lainie enjoys gymnastics and dance classes at preschool.
Your adoption process came with some challenges. What advice would you give to other moms facing a challenging adoption process?
CV: Lainie has resided in our home since her birth. However, I believe the toughest challenge would be going through the court/proceedings to adopt Lainie and knowing that her biological mother is our 28-year-old daughter. We had to do what we had to do for everyone’s well-being and stick it out. We raised our children to the best of our ability, and once they became adults, their decisions became their decisions, good or bad.
What are things you and Lainie enjoy doing together?
CV: Lainie and I are always on the move. Her favorite things to do are dance to hip hop, Spanish music, gospel, etc. She loves to dance! Lainie is a true extrovert and loves talking to anyone. Her favorite place to venture to is Newtopia.
What mom hacks do you use that keep you organized?
CV: One mom hack for me is consistency, consistency, consistency. I would say trying to stick to the same routine daily, so Lainie understands how things are handled and right from wrong. The age Lainie is now… she reaps more of the benefits of visual aid and repetition because her little mind is young.
If you could share advice with other mothers who might be starting over, what would it be?
CV: Enjoy every moment! I found myself looking back over old soccer videos of our other children and all those proud moments that we won’t get back because time doesn’t stand still. Take a moment to stop, focus, and prioritize. And sometimes, it’s a matter of the dishes can be washed tomorrow and the house can be cleaned later.
Christie Vazquez is married to Julio Vazquez, and they live in Montgomery, AL. They have three daughters and one granddaughter, Lainie, who’s become their daughter.
