Liz and Ernie Banks have welcomed a new member to their family, adopting Alyna Olivia. "This fulfills a dream of a lifetime for me," Liz Banks said in an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times.
(Lou Russo/For the Sun-Times)
Sun-Times readers are weighing in. Csi said, "...Mr. Cub should have thought about his child's life if he is gone." Jori wrote, "What a lucky child to have been adopted by two parents regardless of age." What do you think? Join the discussion.
''This fulfills a dream of a lifetime for me because it's my first baby,'' Liz Banks said in an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times, which broke the story Thursday in Stella Foster's column.
''Ernie once had twin sons and also has grandchildren 5 and 18 years old. So this is nothing strange or difficult for him, while it's pure joy for me,'' she said.
The Bankses met on a blind date and have been married 11 years.
Are they too old to be parents? Liz Banks doesn't think so.
''As long as you have the love and the energy to do it, why not?'' she said.
''I'm certainly up for it. And nobody believes that Ernie is a pair of sevens. He has just as much energy and enthusiasm for life as he did when he first started his Cub career. He's just a great ambassador of life. And the joy he can give to a young child is just going to be wonderful.''
Alyna's adoption ended a year of planning.
''I started getting a special room set up for the baby three months ago with the anticipation that it was going to happen,'' Liz Banks said.
''I just didn't know it was going to happen this quickly. I didn't think this was going to happen until after the Cubs clinched the World Series. Plus, I thought it was going to be a little boy. So those were two surprises. We still welcome our little package of joy.''
She also relishes the encouragement that she and Ernie can give to other couples thinking about adoption. For her, the process was relatively easy.
''We met the mother,'' she said, ''and the mother liked us and said, 'OK. We'd be happy to give you and Ernie the baby.' It was a matter of the mother choosing us and us loving the child.''
Liz Banks couldn't restrain her emotions when talking about Alyna, whom she dressed in pink on Thursday.
''Ohhhh, she's so beautiful,'' she said. ''It just brings tears to my eyes.
"She has a wonderful temperament. She's beautiful and peaceful. She sleeps quietly, and she eats maybe every two or three hours. I sing for her, rub her and give her kisses galore.
''We have prepared a home of peace, love and joy for her to be raised and loved in. And we certainly will have a village of relatives to help raise her.''
© Copyright 2008 Digital Chicago, Inc.
September 27, 2008
USA: Ernie Banks, 77, wife Liz 52, thrilled with just-adopted baby
.
CHICAGO (Chicago Sun-Times), September 26, 2008:
'PURE JOY'
Are Ernie Banks and wife too old to adopt? Liz Banks doesn't think so.
By Lacy J. Banks
Don't tell ''Mr. Cub'' he can't be a parent at his age.
Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, 77, and wife Liz, 52, adopted a baby girl last Saturday, two days after she was born under the direction of a midwife in Los Angeles. The Bankses have named her Alyna Olivia Banks and are the happiest senior couple you'll find this side of a Geritol ad.
Liz and Ernie Banks have welcomed a new member to their family, adopting Alyna Olivia. "This fulfills a dream of a lifetime for me," Liz Banks said in an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times.
(Lou Russo/For the Sun-Times)
Sun-Times readers are weighing in. Csi said, "...Mr. Cub should have thought about his child's life if he is gone." Jori wrote, "What a lucky child to have been adopted by two parents regardless of age." What do you think? Join the discussion.
''This fulfills a dream of a lifetime for me because it's my first baby,'' Liz Banks said in an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times, which broke the story Thursday in Stella Foster's column.
''Ernie once had twin sons and also has grandchildren 5 and 18 years old. So this is nothing strange or difficult for him, while it's pure joy for me,'' she said.
The Bankses met on a blind date and have been married 11 years.
Are they too old to be parents? Liz Banks doesn't think so.
''As long as you have the love and the energy to do it, why not?'' she said.
''I'm certainly up for it. And nobody believes that Ernie is a pair of sevens. He has just as much energy and enthusiasm for life as he did when he first started his Cub career. He's just a great ambassador of life. And the joy he can give to a young child is just going to be wonderful.''
Alyna's adoption ended a year of planning.
''I started getting a special room set up for the baby three months ago with the anticipation that it was going to happen,'' Liz Banks said.
''I just didn't know it was going to happen this quickly. I didn't think this was going to happen until after the Cubs clinched the World Series. Plus, I thought it was going to be a little boy. So those were two surprises. We still welcome our little package of joy.''
She also relishes the encouragement that she and Ernie can give to other couples thinking about adoption. For her, the process was relatively easy.
''We met the mother,'' she said, ''and the mother liked us and said, 'OK. We'd be happy to give you and Ernie the baby.' It was a matter of the mother choosing us and us loving the child.''
Liz Banks couldn't restrain her emotions when talking about Alyna, whom she dressed in pink on Thursday.
''Ohhhh, she's so beautiful,'' she said. ''It just brings tears to my eyes.
"She has a wonderful temperament. She's beautiful and peaceful. She sleeps quietly, and she eats maybe every two or three hours. I sing for her, rub her and give her kisses galore.
''We have prepared a home of peace, love and joy for her to be raised and loved in. And we certainly will have a village of relatives to help raise her.''
© Copyright 2008 Digital Chicago, Inc.
Liz and Ernie Banks have welcomed a new member to their family, adopting Alyna Olivia. "This fulfills a dream of a lifetime for me," Liz Banks said in an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times.
(Lou Russo/For the Sun-Times)
Sun-Times readers are weighing in. Csi said, "...Mr. Cub should have thought about his child's life if he is gone." Jori wrote, "What a lucky child to have been adopted by two parents regardless of age." What do you think? Join the discussion.
''This fulfills a dream of a lifetime for me because it's my first baby,'' Liz Banks said in an exclusive interview with the Sun-Times, which broke the story Thursday in Stella Foster's column.
''Ernie once had twin sons and also has grandchildren 5 and 18 years old. So this is nothing strange or difficult for him, while it's pure joy for me,'' she said.
The Bankses met on a blind date and have been married 11 years.
Are they too old to be parents? Liz Banks doesn't think so.
''As long as you have the love and the energy to do it, why not?'' she said.
''I'm certainly up for it. And nobody believes that Ernie is a pair of sevens. He has just as much energy and enthusiasm for life as he did when he first started his Cub career. He's just a great ambassador of life. And the joy he can give to a young child is just going to be wonderful.''
Alyna's adoption ended a year of planning.
''I started getting a special room set up for the baby three months ago with the anticipation that it was going to happen,'' Liz Banks said.
''I just didn't know it was going to happen this quickly. I didn't think this was going to happen until after the Cubs clinched the World Series. Plus, I thought it was going to be a little boy. So those were two surprises. We still welcome our little package of joy.''
She also relishes the encouragement that she and Ernie can give to other couples thinking about adoption. For her, the process was relatively easy.
''We met the mother,'' she said, ''and the mother liked us and said, 'OK. We'd be happy to give you and Ernie the baby.' It was a matter of the mother choosing us and us loving the child.''
Liz Banks couldn't restrain her emotions when talking about Alyna, whom she dressed in pink on Thursday.
''Ohhhh, she's so beautiful,'' she said. ''It just brings tears to my eyes.
"She has a wonderful temperament. She's beautiful and peaceful. She sleeps quietly, and she eats maybe every two or three hours. I sing for her, rub her and give her kisses galore.
''We have prepared a home of peace, love and joy for her to be raised and loved in. And we certainly will have a village of relatives to help raise her.''
© Copyright 2008 Digital Chicago, Inc.
