Thursday, September 27, 2012

HER

It has been a few days since I have written about what has gone on around here.  And, to be completely honest, its been chaos.  Happy chaos, frustrated chaos, blessed chaos, and exhausted chaos... Does that make sense?

This is day 13 and miss girl has been adjusting well to the household.  She eats well (probably TOO well), sleeps well, interacts well and so on.  She loves Dora, eating, and anything fancy. lol.  My mother-in-law brought over some plastic necklaces and heart shaped plastic bracelets, and she won't leave the house without them!  We go and play at the chick-fil-a playground and we fight because I make her take them off out for fear of her hanging herself on the slide (a mother's imagination is sometimes graphic, you know what I mean...)

She is quite attached to me, which I am OK with.  She doesn't like to see people leave the house, I'm sure, because she wonders if they are every coming back... Sad girl.  She has stopped crying for momma at bedtime and nap time.  Which is good?  or is it bad?  She did start school this week... two days a week... She is SO excited to go, which is SO different from Parker.  I do feel bad taking her there, and I also feel bad for the teachers because I know that she hasn't had structure like that ever in her life!   Its a learning process for all...

Her nickname is Bruiser... because she is just that.  She is the same weight as my 4 year old and almost as tall!  Her favorite saying is 'I do it'.... and she does.  All of it.  All by herself.  Picking up chairs, dressing and undressing herself, picking up heavy objects.  When she can't open a sippy cup or a lid, she opens it with her teeth!  HER TEETH! She gives me a heart attack daily.  Some people speculate that she does all these things by herself because she had to in her home life.  Like no one was there to do things for her.  I refuse to believe that.  I refuse to believe that she was left to fend for herself.  Can't.  Won't.

There is so much more that I can write about this.  How Parker  has adjusted, how I have adjusted.  But, I will save that for later.  Also, I didn't want this to become an adoption/foster blog, but that is whats going on in our lives...So I guess I will write about it!


THE MOST IMPORTANT thing I have learned from this experience is... get ready...  Invest in lice shampoo.  Use it early and often.  And, don't wait till day 10 of her living in your house to use it, unless you want it rampant in your household.  Just saying.  Not because of experience or anything....right....


Monday, September 17, 2012

A family of four...for a while

Yup, we were licensed a week to the day and got our first placement!  It was last Friday night (sept 14th) that we got the call, and 4 hours later CPS arrived with her.  Those 4 hours I spent walking in circles, staring out the blinds like a crazy person.  I can't tell you much, but what I can tell you is that I was A WRECK!

Looking back, I am thankful CPS left her with us seeing as how I was so uptight.  Do I try to interact with her?  Do I pay full attention to the workers while they are here?  I'm signing lots of papers, what do they say?  Where is Parker? I want to go hug her.  Can I?  Will she let me?  We don't have the bolts to the crib.  Oh no, pack and play?  Nope steps right over that. Seriously? The gate at the stairs is too small.  The dog is bleeding all over my new carpet.  A MESS. I almost had a migraine.

But to tell you the truth, she is the best little girl.  I don't think we could have imagined it going any better.  She's so happy, funny, smart, and seems to like us!  Oh, and she loves to shop... I guess it starts early.  It takes so much restraint for me not to buy everything in the store for her...

This is my first day to keep both the kiddos by myself, all.  day.  long.  I applaud all of you stay at home moms with more than 1 kid.  I don't know how you do it.  But we are quickly finding our routine, knowing her cues.

This is an amazing venture we are on.  I don't think that I understand the depths of what is happening right now.  All I know is I have a little girl to love on, for who knows how long.  I am glad we are her safe place.  I know everything happens for a reason, and God brought her into our lives.




Friday, September 7, 2012

Hurry up...and wait

I know that all of you reading this that have gone through the foster/adopt/adoption process have heard the saying, 'hurry up and wait'.  This is what we have been doing since Easter.  But, as of yesterday afternoon (September 6th), we got THE call from our agency!  We are LICENSED! YAY!  Now, what does that mean?  Hurry up and wait.

Matt and I are now licensed with the state to take in children, but have to wait for the right match to come about... hence the waiting part.  Waiting for the phone to ring.  Meanwhile, I feel a sense of urgency to get the house spotless, the rooms ready, etc.  But what do we need?  A crib or a bed?  Baby toys or Parkers toys? Are we going to get a baby or a 3 year old?  1 or 2?  You get the picture.  The controlling side of me is going crazy. I. need. to. know.

 Oh well, I'm sure this is a growing part for me.  Waiting for Gods timing.  Yup, we're waiting...


...I do have a feeling we won't be waiting for long, we shall see.  Keep.  You.  Posted.