Another Family Day

One year ago today I was sitting in my office at 10:00 am and got the call from my husband that there was a three month old baby girl that they needed to find a home for that day. They'd know for sure by noon but would we be willing to pick her up that day. It didn’t take long for us to agree that we were willing to take her. We agreed and by noon we knew that we were going to be getting another wonderful girl at 3:00 pm that day.

Luckily I had a car seat in my car that was a convertible for my other DD and I adjusted it so I could take her home. DH and I met at Social Services and I got there several minutes after him. I sat in the waiting room hearing this child screaming thinking I hope that's not her. It was, she cried for hours that day but then settled into the sling and took a nap and we all went out to dinner as a new family of five. It was funny to tell the dude that we got a baby on the way home from work. And my Miss M became a great big sister.

Charlie (baby D) was so sad that day and for days. She had a caregiver that had taken her home from the hospital and she had been with her every day for the last three months and she missed her terribly. It is hard to see a baby so young grieve a loss. We did get to see the lady one time two weeks later but then due to circumstances of being in foster care she wasn’t allowed to see her again. Her bio-mom did not want her visiting the lady. We will get to go see her again soon; it will be neat to see if they connect as easily as they did for the first visit. I do still keep her updated with pictures and calls. She loves to hear her milestones and misses her.

It was a flurry of activity that day, but proof that you don't need much when you take a baby home, food, diapers, car seat and the rest just fell into place eventually. I was blessed by friends again, with clothes and bedding, and special blankets.

We’ve started calling her by her new name that she will become when adopted sometime this year and Miss M has nicknamed baby D, Charlie. My sweet Charlie! A beautiful, sweet, smiley, adorable, curly-headed, 15 month old baby girl. She has enriched our lives more than I ever could have thought. It is the most beautiful thing to see Miss M dote on her baby and Dude love on his sweet baby who he insists is his. We always joke that the dude is mine and Miss M is hubbies, so dude thinks she is his.

New Baby

We have a new baby. Well, she is now 7 months old. I can’t believe it. We decided after the adoption of Miss M, that we would foster and/or adopt again. I thought we might have to wait a while so we went back active mid-January. Well, January 31^st we got a call at ten a.m. about a 3 month old girl. We picked her up at 3:00 pm that day. It was the funniest thing to tell C that we got a baby on the way home from work. Her case is not as clear cut as Miss M. Miss M was 99% sure adoption from the first phone call and was a quick whirlwind of placement, Termination of Parental Rights, file adoption, adoption finalized in one day shy of 7 months. Baby D is still in limbo and will be in limbo for at least 5 ½ more months. I am so surprised at myself, I was such a ball of nerves with Miss M and it was all pretty clear-cut and fast and easy. This will be longer, less clear, more work, etc. But I just live day to day in the present knowing that today we have her, tomorrow we will probably still have her, next month she will probably still be here and most likely she will be spending her first birthday with us. After being nervous all last year and I was still nervous even after the adoption was finalized, I think my mind just said you can’t stress over what you can’t control. Now, don’t get me wrong I have a few moments of worry and anxiety, I can’t imagine us losing her, we love her, and we want her. But we might not get her. It will all depend on what the courts determine. We do know that they won’t review her case again until November. So as of right now, we have her until then. That is unless someone in her family comes forward and is found suitable to care for her.

Now about Baby D. She is a tiny little baby at 14 pounds. She is alert, loves to be held, super snuggly, and firmly attached to us. She is vocal, which is good and bad. Boy does she have a set of lungs on her. On the rare occasions she gets mad, everyone knows it. On the good side she “talks” all the time and it is super cute, she says geeee geeee and babababa and dadadadada all the time. She interacts when you talk to her. Her smile and her laugh light up the room. She smiles the most at C and Miss M. She has been a good sleeper from about 4 ½ months on. Both kids adore her so much. Miss M “reads” to her all the time and calls her day-do and baby. C dotes on her and holds her and calls her day-day bay-bay. He loves to help out with her and let her sit on the couch with him while he watches TV.

I like to say for the most part we live in the moment as a family of five. I always knew I wanted a big family and still love it and smile when I say The 5 of us. They are the most amazing kids and I feel fortunate each and every day that I am blessed with them, I love being their mom.