Just an update

Just wanted to check in, I feel like I have neglected this little blog lately. We are quickly approaching 4^th months of Caleb being home and most nights I faceplant into the bed with a promise to write a blog post tomorrow. But then the next day comes and I still haven’t made the time to write. Caleb is changing and growing so fast it blows my mind. I have always heard people say that kids grow up so fast and I have witnessed it with Amber over the last 6 years but sometimes I think I can actually see Caleb changing from one day to the next. Every morning I ask him “Did you grow last night?” He just grins and kicks his little chubby legs. Oh my, what a sweet baby boy we do have! We are all enjoying how he recognizes us; he really knows how to make you feel special!

I also thought I would answer a few questions that we are often asked:

1. Is Caleb’s adoption process over? Mostly. Our agency requires us to have a post placement visit in our home with our social worker, Dawn every month for 6 months. After the 5^th month home visit our TX social worker will contact the agency attorney and we will be able to schedule our court date and finalization which can take place any Friday after he reaches six months, which will be in September. The whole heehaw gang (Jeff, Amber, Caleb, myself, my Mom, and Jeff’s parents) are all traveling to TX for a long weekend to have our special day in court! So looking forward to this time!!! We will then be able to order his social security card and birth certificate! Yay, then I can open him a bank account!! Yippee

2. Do you have contact with Caleb’s birth parents? No, we have not had any contact with them. They requested the adoption be closed. The agency requires that we send pics and an update to them monthly for the first six months (then 2x a year). The pics and monthly birthmom letter that we write are held at their office in case S. wanted them. But as of last week, she has yet to pick up the pictures or letters. At first this made me sad because I thought she might want to see them. But then I thought about my own feelings if I was in her situation. It might would just be too hard to see pictures of him. We do know that Caleb’s birth parents are no longer together and that their other children remain with grandparents. We also know that the birth mom is still very confident in her decision and has no regrets with placing him for adoption. We continue to pray for them.

3. “Will you do this again?” If they are asking if we will adopt again, the answer is possibly. If they are meaning adopting a newborn specifically, the answer is who knows????. LOL Cause let’s face it; we are not getting any younger! I would never ever change a single second of the time we have had thus far with Caleb, but I also seriously underestimated exactly how exhausted I would be. I don’t like to complain because I really don’t want to hear “You asked for this, blah blah blah”. I was doing pretty good until it was time for me to return to work. Now the evenings are a whirlwind and I know they will only get worse when school is back in. I am balancing the desire to cuddle on the couch with baby boy all evening with the need to do other necessities, you know, like feed my family. I am balancing the need to feed my family with the want to play games and crafts with Amber. Let’s not even discuss laundry. Or grocery shopping. Grocery shopping takes time, precious time away from my little family. There is just not enough time in the evening to accomplish everything I desire, want, need to do. So we eat easy meals, use bath towels more than once to cut down on laundry, and spread crafts and board games over several nights. Yes, I realize this was a very long answer to Question #3, but I digress.

4. "How is Amber?" She is over the moon, totally, completely in love with Caleb. And he feels the same way about her! He laughs, smiles, and drools every time she approaches him, it is too sweet! She is such a great help too! She loves to feed him, lay on the floor and play, pick out his clothes, and even changes wet diapers too. She likes to carry the diaper bag which is really helpful! She is amazing at calming him down in while we are in the car. He has definitely gotten much better about riding in the car seat but we still occasionally need intervention from Big Sissy while they are in the backseat. She tells me frequently that she is so glad that he is home with us. I love our big girl and she has made a great Big Sister!

5. "How is D., our first birth mom?" D. is doing really well. We still talk, email, text regularly and I am so thankful for that friendship. I don’t know why, but people are often so surprised to hear that we still communicate? Why is that? Perhaps people have a misconception that she was the reason our first match fell through. Well, I wish I could set all of those people straight! She had no control over that situation and did her very best to keep us She had no control over that situation and did her very best to keep us involved and informed. We truly want the best for her and look forward to a very long friendship. We also look forward to seeing her and her hubby in just a few months when we return to TX! Can’t wait!!!!

Well, I did it! I managed to update the blog!!!!! Yay!!! Of course, everyone else is asleep now, as I should be.......