She's WALKING

She is walking about 90% of the time now. It is the most adorable thing I have ever seen.


Really, there is nothing more handsome than a man carrying a baby. Even if he is wearing a polo.


We went swimming for the first time this summer. -Thank you Joanna!- I had my first experience with a diaper explosion. I thought that since we bought organic diapers they wouldn't (wrong!)





Lastly, we all had a case of this going on...


So, I made the most delicious vegan chocolate peanut butter cookies. THEY WERE AMAZING!!

Custom Doll

For E's birthday we ordered her a custom doll from Etsy. craftymommy has the most adorable dolls. I don't know where I originally saw these dolls, but I know it was from one of the blogs I read.

This is her Ethiopian Doll:


We ordered a girl version of this



I will post pictures when we get it. But I am so excited. Crafty Mommy

She has been a pleasure and hasn't minded all of my pickyness.

2nd homestudy

Today has been horrible. Yesterday E's eyes were pussing. So I was wiping them with a warm paper towel and made an appointment for Friday. So, I woke up today and her eyes looked horrible. I called the dr and we got in within the hour. She has an ear infection, pink eye, a fever, and I am almost positive another tooth is on it's way. Needless to say she is miserable, which in turn is making me miserable. After the the dr appointment I went to the grocery store. I ran through because I knew she felt horrible. I then tried to pick up her prescriptions only to wait for 20 + minutes to find out I needed the new prescription card, which I didn't know about. I came home. E wouldn't nap and I had to try to clean somewhat for our social worker. I was able to sweep and mop, but the floor was soaking wet when she came hahaha.

Our S.W. came over and it was great. I think she may be a lot like me. I really like her. We talked about me and it was slightly uncomfortable. We were able to get all of my questions done today. It took a while. We have to get M and our joint interview done. That is going to be difficult since she has cut back on evening hours and I'm sure a ton of other people need those slots. We still need to get a lot of other stuff done (fingerprints, tax returns, etc)

And now E isn't sleeping. She is miserable. :( This is going to be a long night.

Saturday Classes

Today was our last class. Well, our last Saturday class. We have to make up two classes, but those will now be held on Thursdays. Today was very emotional. Maybe more than any other class. We watched video's of kids who were adopted and kids who weren't. We watched video of adoptive parents. It broke my heart. It made me wonder why everyone doesn't adopt. Why don't older couples adopt teenagers? It broke my heart. There is no doubt in my mind when we are older we will. I don't think it would be beneficial to adopt a kid who is 5-10 years younger than us. When I look at our counties website and see the available teenagers or kids and they are smiling so big for their picture. You know they want a family. Who doesn't?!! "People will ask if it's the "right" thing to do? "You know they will be 'Bad'". Just because they may act out means they don't deserve a home? And someone to love them? I think not. How would you feel if everything you know, everyone you know was stripped from your life? How would you feel if the only love you knew deserted you? How would you feel going to 5 different schools a year because you have no stability in your life?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

This is a great day to celebrate Momma's! Whether you gave birth to them or not! Our babies are lucky to have us, lucky to have mommas that care so much for our babies. This time last year I was miserable. I couldn't move and was massively swollen (in case you didn't read, I hated being pregnant). But man oh man was it worth it. I hope this time next year I can say to my kid(s) I was anxiously awaiting your arrival. If not, next years post may not be so happy hhahhah. E, you light up my life. My heart stops when you do something new (LIKE YOUR TWO STEPS YESTERDAY woop woop). You make me laugh, although I probably shouldn't, when you pull your friend to the ground by his hair because he has your pacifier. Take it in. You only have one more month with them. You crack me up. I love when people tell me how beautiful you are, and I simply say I know. I hope you are more tactful than me. hahah You are sweet and I know you are excitedly awaiting your siblings. I see the look in your eye and the smile on your face when you see kids, you light up. (Now I am crying- haha)






More importantly than mother's day, is my husband's birthday! Way to steal my thunder honey, hahahah. What would I do without you? You are the best and you spoil me. E and I are lucky to have you. You are the best one! Every time someone says, I have the best husband, I say no you don't; I do. I know that for a fact. You are the best. You love me and you love our daughter. You don't hold any resentment for me for not being able to give birth. In fact, you are excited to adopt and not many men would be that open and kind. You became handy out of necessity, I love that! YOU ARE THE BEST!





E thinks so too!

If you say any of these things, I may be mad, but I will be sure to let you know.

How to Lose a Friendship with a Foster Parent
By Carrie Craft, About.com

1. Tell the foster family how you could never do foster care because you would love the children too much. This way the foster family feels cold hearted as that is the only way anyone could do foster care according to your statement.

2. Bug the foster family with questions about why the children are not with their birth mom and dad. This is a great way to push the foster family into breaking confidentiality and ruining their reputation as a professional part of the foster care team.

3. Advise the foster family that the foster child just needs a good spanking to solve behavior problems. The foster family will then feel further overwhelmed not only in dealing with behaviors, but in constantly having to explain and defend discipline choices.

4. Devalue the foster family's choice to serve the children of the community by criticizing their decision. Explain how you would never do foster care because it brings bad influences into your home and into the lives of your children.

5. Say things like, "you're too strict", "all the kids need is love," and "you should baby the kids more they've been through so much," undermining the foster parent's ability to make parenting choices for the children within their care.

6. Refuse to understand the need for the children to have boundaries within relationships and triangulate with the kids every chance you get. Try siding with the kids against the foster parents, they love this!

7. When the foster parent is venting to you as one of their much needed support systems, say, “I’ve never seen him/her act like that, he/she was perfect for me,” or “I would take him/her in a minute if I could”. This will cause the foster parent to think that they are going crazy and doubt what they are seeing in the child’s behavior.

8. If the foster child drives you crazy then feel free to tell the foster parents about it. Don’t worry about saying anything rude about the child within their care, it’s not like they are his/her REAL parents anyway. Say things like, “how can you stand that kid?” “ I would have shipped him/her off long ago.” Be sure to complain about the child every chance you get, ignoring any hint of hurt from the foster parent.

9. Drive home any feelings of ineptness by telling the foster parents how you’d have “that kid straightened out in two weeks." Nothing makes a foster parent feel unsuccessful like comparison of parenting skills. This will cause the foster parents to doubt their parenting ability and to second guess every choice and decision.

10. Ask the foster parents if they feel terrible about taking away from their own children with their choice of doing foster care. Guilt is a very effective tool if you want to destroy someone’s self-worth. This is even more effective during times of high stress when the foster child is having behavior problems and the family is in crisis mode.

If you follow these 10 easy steps you too could end a perfectly good friendship with your pal who does foster care!

Homestudy

So she just left. It was no big deal. The anxiety attack was for nothing (but they usually are). We just signed paperwork. I made her take a vegan cupcake hahahah. So... I AM SO EXCITED! I hope we get another baby/child soon!