A new kind of tired
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 16, 2006 at 9:45 pm
Wow. Tired doesn’t begin to describe what I’m feeling tonight. THankfully, Daddy-O is going to get up with Gracey tonight so I can get a full night’s rest. Carter didn’t get all of his nap today and I paid for it around dinner time. Poor kid. He’s so sweet but so interested in everything he’s not supposed to touch. How long does this last? ha ha ha
When he was supposed to be napping today, I heard the distinct sound of jumping on his crib mattress. Thanks to Aunt Tina, Carter recently learned how much fun it is to jump on a bed. Now he’s decided naptime is a good time to try this new skill. Paybacks are a *%$##! So thanks, Tina. I REALLY appreciate that.
This morning I had Gracey in her pink car seat and walked to the other room to get my vitamins. When I came out, Carter had her pacifier and was trying to put it in her mouth. It was really sweet – he was being very gentle with her and rubbing it on her lips the way I do when she is fussy but won’t open her mouth. I wish I had a camera in my hand so I could have captured the moment. Just as I was thinking how sweet he was, I saw him moving the pacifier to his own mouth. Guess he figured if she didn’t want it, he’d take it!
By the way, if I had to choose another nickname for Carter, it would definitely be Hungry Hippo. The kid wants to eat non-stop. He wakes up saying, “eat? eat?” and trying to climb into his high chair. Mid-morning we have a snack and trust me he won’t let me forget about it. “nacky? nacky? ookie? nacky?” We had to put a child lock on the pantry because he kept pulling things out of there. He usually eats really good at lunch and at dinner and also has an afternoon snack. It amazes me how much that kid can eat.
tags: Coming Home, UnCategorized 4 comments
Can you believe it?
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 15, 2006 at 8:52 pm
It’s amazing how quickly life has changed in our home. It was just a few weeks ago when I was feeling like this wasn’t EVER going to happen. I mean, I knew God had a plan and I trusted that plan but it just felt like it was taking forever. These kids are worth waiting forever for.
Some kids from church came over today to hang a swing in the front yard for Carter. I’m so overwhelmed by the love that our friends are pouring out onto our family these days. And Carter LOVES his swing. I wish I could post a picture of his beautiful smile – it lights up the whole room.
Here are some pictures I can share with you. The first is Carter helping Grammie wash her hair! I tried to keep him away but he LOVES the water and really thought he should help.
The next one is tiny toes. My little princess even has adorable hands and feet! They are growing so fast, too! I can’t believe how much bigger they are than when we first brought her home.
Finally, the little hands.
tags: Coming Home, UnCategorized 9 comments
Unbelievable
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 14, 2006 at 7:22 pm
It’s just so surreal. We are parents. It is exhausting but so rewarding. People keep asking me how hard it is to take on a newborn and a two year old at the same time. Most people have two years to get to know a child and are used to having a two year old when they bring home a new baby. We got both at once. So, while we are adjusting to Carter and meeting his needs, we are also caring for a newborn who doesn’t like to sleep between feedings at night. Is it hard?
Well, that’s a dumb question. Ofcourse it is! As we parent Carter, we also get immediate rewards like hugs and “I of ouuuuu” and “mammmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee….” and “da eeeee”. Most people have to wait months for these types of reward but we get right away. His smile melts my heart.
And she is so tiny yet so determined. She already has a will of her own.
tags: Coming Home, UnCategorized 3 comments
Heart Shaped Pancakes
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 14, 2006 at 5:20 pm
I got to make heart shaped pancakes for my boy this morning! I doubt he even realized they were in the shape of a heart, but I knew and it was awsome! Carter also got a card and a stuffed puppy with a heart on it. He LOVES puppies so this was a real treat that captivated him for at least 10 seconds!
Gracey is growing stronger every day. She’s gained weight and the pediatrician gave her a clean bill of health. They are both just so precious!
Did I mention I made heart shaped pancakes? 
tags: Coming Home, UnCategorized 3 comments
Poopy Tales
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 13, 2006 at 2:58 pm
It’s just amazing to me that something so tiny and delicate can produce something so foul-smelling! Yesterday, Gracey had a poopy diaper and I tried to get Daddy-O to change it. He said he wanted to watch me do one first as he had not yet had this privelege. I asked him to put a clean one on her while I threw the other one away. All of sudden, I heard Daddy-O kinda yell and laugh at the same time and I looked back and he was backing away from the changing table. Gracey was still pooping. Not a pretty sight, even from her perfect little tushy. We both laughed and were trying to keep her clean and finish changing her diaper. We went through three before it was all over. And I about had to change my pants, too, from laughin so hard.
I am more exhausted than I can ever remember being. But I’m also happier than I can ever remember being. Little Gracey is growing and gaining weight quickly. Carter is cracking us up with his dancing and the things that come out of his mouth. I’ve been trying to teach him that when I say, “Carter, who loves you?” to say “Mommy does!”. Today, I asked him, “Carter, who loves you?” to which he replied, “Da-eeeee does!”
There are so many fun things I’d like to tell you about but I just don’t have the time. I’ve got to sleep while I can. I’ll try to post some pictures of hands and feet later this week.
Our friends have been feeding us every night and I’m terrified we’ll all go hungry when that stops. We have wonderful friends and family who have all taken to these babies and been loving on them all week long. Please continue to pray for us as one day soon Daddy-O and I will attempt to do this on our own, without the help of my mom who has been a God send this week. Not to worry, though, Daddy-O’s mom has her bags packed and is ready to come as soon as we give her the green light. So maybe we have a few more days before we become independant! ha ha ha
tags: Coming Home, UnCategorized 3 comments
Sleep anyone?
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 11, 2006 at 8:26 pm
Wow, newborns really don’t like to sleep through the night. When people say that, they aren’t kidding! ha ha ha
We had a rough first night with Grammie coming to the rescue at 4am. I think that was the first realy sleep we got all night. Every time Gracey squeaked we sat up in bed. Guess we’ll have to get used to it.
Carter is mostly uninterested in Gracey but loves all the attention he is getting from our frequent visitors. We’re so tired but so eager to show off our babies, it’s fun to have the people we love meet the children who have stolen our hearts.
It is a little after 8pm and I’m getting ready for bed. Daddy-O is taking the first shift tonight and I”m sleeping in the guest bedroom – what are the chances that he’ll “forget” to wake me up for my turn? ha ha Quite a change from my usually midnight bedtime.
Daddy-O rocked Carter before bedtime tonight and after he put him down Daddy-O came in to help me give Gracey her first bath. He said, “That little boy almost made me cry.” I asked why and Daddy-O said because when he was rocking Carter, Carter said, “I uv you”. Without any prodding from Daddy-O. He is so stinkin’ cute!
We gave Gracey her bath and she didn’t even fuss. Today she has been eating every four hours and sleeping well between feedings. Here’s hoping this continues through the night.
I’ll update more when I can, my brain is only functioning at 50% right now. WE are so in love with these kids. God is so good. Trust Him in everything. and wait on Him – I promise it will be worth it.
tags: Coming Home, UnCategorized 9 comments
One last sleepy thought
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 9, 2006 at 9:48 pm
We have the best friends and family ever. Everyone has been so incredibly supportive and we love you all so much!
Lots of people are very curious about Carter’s background and why he is in care. They are equally curious about Gracey and her story. We completely understand your curiosity and will tell you what we can. But this is not our story to share and we want to respect the privacy of our babies.
Another thing that people keep asking about is how long before we know if they will be ours forever. That’s a tough question to answer because we aren’t sure ourselves. We are looking at this as though they are our forever children and if that doesn’t end up being the case, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. God has brought us a long way and He will give us what we need to make it through the next step. Afterall, Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.’”
God knows what He is doing. I believe these are our forever kids. I’m praying that. I’m praying every night that God allows us to keep them. I’m also praying for their birthfamily and their caseworkers…..for everyone involved that we all see what is best for the children. I’m praying more than anything else that God’s will is done. Am I a little nervous? Sure. But I am walking by faith. God is so good.
Oh yeah, one more thing, with Gracey coming home tomorrow, I don’t know how much time I’ll have to post. ha ha ha I’m going to try to get some pictures of their hands and feet to post here. I won’t post any pics of their faces until the adoption is finalized. I’ll check back in when I can.
Carter and the Happy Dance
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 9, 2006 at 6:14 pm
If only I could video Carter’s happy dance and play it here for you. You’d laugh for days. When he gets really excited, he grins from ear to ear and squeals while flails his arms about and marches quickly in place. The whole time he’s doing this, he’s kinda shaking his body from side to side. It’s freakin’ hilarious.
I’ve had lots of help and I don’t know what I’d do without it. It’s so hard to leave Carter here but I also feel bad not being at the hospital.
I have to admit, after trying unsuccessfully to get the little Gracey to eat yesterday, I was beginning to wonder if I’d be able to do it. In fact, I was pretty sure I couldn’t. I felt so incompetent to care for her but today was much better. They started stretching her feedings out to every four hours and now she is much more alert and ready to eat when it’s time. She took the whole bottle with little problems tonight – woohoo!
Tomorrow, Daddy-O and I will do what’s called a “room in”. We’ll go the hospital early in the morning and they will put us in a “labor and delivery” room with our Gracey. We’ll care for her all morning and part of the afternoon before they release her. I’m so excited we get to have this time with her and we get to benefit from having the nurses who have been caring for her for the last three weeks nearby.
This weekend will be very busy but it will also be so much fun. I can’t wait to introduce Carter and Gracey. It ought to be interesting! I wish I could tell you all the funny things Carter does in a day but there isn’t enough space in blogland. His voice makes my heart smile. His laugh brings tears to my eyes. Our son is finally home. Thank you God, for Carter. He was worth every tear, every disappointment and every heartache. I’d do it all again three-fold, just for the chance to be his mommy. He truly is our “gift from God”.
tags: Coming Home, UnCategorized 1 comment
Carter watches TV
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 8, 2006 at 1:08 pm
So this morning I thought we’d try to get Carter to watch Veggie Tales. I don’t think he quite gets it yet.
tags: Coming Home, UnCategorized 9 comments
Praise God
Tags: Foster Care
Posted: February 8, 2006 at 5:51 am
I’ve been reading through the Psalms trying to find a passage of scripture to help capture the joy in my heart. This is what I came up with so far:
Ps 108:1-5
My heart is confident in you, O God;no wonder I can sing your praises!Wake up, my soul! 2 Wake up, O harp and lyre!I will waken the dawn with my song. 3 I will thank you, LORD, in front of all the people.I will sing your praises among the nations. 4 For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.May your glory shine over all the earth.NLT
In all of this excitment, I just want to stand before my Father and offer my praise to Him. I want to teach Carter all about God’s great love. I need some help with that – any ideas on books or activities for a 2 year old that can be used to teach him about God?
Things we’ve learned since having a two year old:
- Things are the counter are not safe – where there is a will, there is a way
- Two year olds are smarter than we think they are
- This is one Daddy-O learned last night the first time he bathed Carter: If a two year old is in awe of your cell phone, you should not have it on you when you bathe said two year old. His name is Carter afterall.
- When a two year old wants to feed a baby a bottle, don’t step back to take a picture – no matter how cute it is. Two year olds like to share. (Thanks for sharing your bottle, Barrett!)