Little giggles

Surrender

There really is no greater way to introduce this post except..."Surrender." Life is often all about surrendering. Surrendering our will to God. Surrendering our rights. Surrendering our money. Surrendering our time.

I have wanted to adopt for as long as I can remember. It is my passion. It is my desire. It is my greatest wish. It would be one of the greatest gifts I could imagine.

For now...I surrender this to God. I trust Him. We have tried to adopt several times in the past few years and it has always fallen through. I know it will happen when the time is right. I know that HE works all things together for our good. Obviously, it has not been for our good yet! I believe it will be in the future.

We recently considered pursuing adoption through the foster care system. It's free, by the way! In Florida there is a Foster-to-adopt program. This means that you must qualify as a foster parent before you can adopt. This includes going through 10 weeks of classes (3 hours/week), and then completing a home study before a child can be placed with you. Therein lies the problem. With the campaign taking off, there is no guarantee that Roger would be able to attend all of the classes. We have to attend every class. If you miss, you must make it up. I really don't see how we can do it right now. If he wins, we definitely will not be able to take the classes.

So, what's next? I have no idea. And that is why I know I need to surrender this. I know that I need to take care of my husband and my children and my home and wait for God to lead us down this path when the time is right, and when the right child is waiting for us. And for now...
I will wait for that child!

I was praying about this recently. I was telling God: "You know I have the best intentions! You know we have a great family who could easily adopt and love that child as our own. There are too many children who need homes! Why should we have to wait when these children are waiting and we are willing??? This doesn't make sense!!!" And, do you know what He said?
"Haven't I always taken care of you? I am taking care of them." And so I trust Him.

Totally Awesome Launch!!!

Ian--Forty Weeks Old

I can't believe that my baby will be one in only 12 weeks! It's going too fast!!!

Ian has two teeth on the bottom and three on the top. He is almost a crawler!!! He has been getting on all fours for a few weeks, but today he learned to move his hands and knees a little. He will go a short distance and then scoot, or army crawl a little to get where he wants to go. I have been in no hurry for him to crawl. I know I am going to be even busier when this little guy is on the move!!! He has figured out how to go from his belly to sitting, but at first he would panic because he couldn't figure out how to get back to his belly. I think he has the hang of it now.

Ian--9 months old!!! (38 & 39 week updates)

My sweet baby boy is 9 months old today!!! He had his well visit today and weighed 20 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 28 3/4 inches long. He has a bad cough and drippy nose, and a red throat, and he is cutting his fifth tooth...but he is still happy!

Ian loves to roll around on his bedroom floor, but he seems to be spending more time on his hands and knees the past few days. He hasn't figured out how to crawl, but he is so close. He is sitting up well and even figured out how to go from his belly, to hands and knees, to sitting a few days ago. He still isn't a really sturdy sitter, but he is definitely getting stronger.

Ian still gets 4-6oz bottles per day...breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime. He eats some kind of baby cereal mixed with formula each morning (a small cup). For lunch he is still on stage 2 baby food and will eat 1.5 jars at each lunch and dinner. Every now and then he will eat both jars. We tried to give him stage 3 food last week, but it was too chunky and he got really choked. We'll wait a few more weeks to try it again.

Daily schedule: awake around 7:00, nap at 10, bottle at 11:30, lunch at 12:00, nap around 3:00, bottle at 4:30, dinner at 5:00, bottle at 7:30 and off to bed.

He is jabbering much more! He plays with his toys on his bedroom floor and makes all kinds of noises. He is a mommy's boy for now, but loves the entertainment he receives from his sister and brothers. He isn't lacking attention!

Ian has started showing his will. He has arched his back a few times as I was putting him in his car seat, and he does the same when he doesn't want his diaper changed. He settles down quickly, though. For the most part...he is a very happy little guy...and super cute, too!!!

Ian--Thirty-seven weeks

My sweet boy is feeling better, but not great yet. He now has four teeth! It's so hard to be sick and teething at the same time.

He is trying so hard to get on his knees! He is sitting fairly well, but I still put a pillow behind him if I need to walk away. He's getting it, though!

I love this little guy so much! He is so sweet, and cuddly, and beautiful! I'm so grateful God placed him in my life. It is an honor to take care of him.

Ian--Thirty-six weeks

This is my very sick little baby boy. He has been sick since last Saturday. He has had a high fever and terrible diarhea. I change his diapers frequently, but his bottom is red and hurting. It is getting a little better, but it cannot heal completely until the diarhea goes away. He also cut one of his top teeth this week and the second one will be through any day. So, he is sick and teething, which is a terrible combination. I have been keeping him on medicine every three hours, but that only brings his temperature down to 102.5, so I get up throughout the night to give him medicine because I don't want to see how far up it will go.

He drinks a bottle here and there, but he will not eat food. I really think he has Rotavirus. I really hope it goes away soon. He is so miserable that he won't even smile. The other day he went to sleep in my arms at 9:30 in the morning, and I had to wake him up at 2:30, so I could change him and get him to drink a bottle.

He is sitting up pretty well. He will still topple over, but he is doing well. He is also trying to get on his hands and knees. I'm in no hurry for him to crawl! I know how easy I have it right now with him being immobile!

Please pray for my sweet baby.

Ian--Thirty-four and Thirty-five weeks old

Look at that little smiley face! How can you not smile while looking at him?! He is such a joyful baby!
Well, Ian's second bottom tooth popped through, and now his two top teeth should be through any day. His gums are so swollen and I know they are hurting because he has not been as happy the past two days. I feel so bad for him. I am trying to keep him on Tylenol or Ibuprofen during the day and teething tablets. I also have the little thing that he can hold on to and has a little mesh bag attached where I can put food, or grapes in for him to gnaw on. He loves it! I have put a banana, grapes, and ice in it so far.
Ian still gets a bottle four times a day, some kind of baby cereal at breakfast, one stage 2 jar of food at lunch (although he at a jar and a half tonight!), and then another jar at dinner. He likes sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, peas, and bananas, but still isn't crazy about peaches. I tried to give him some baby food that had a few small chunks in it, but he gagged, so he isn't ready for that yet.
Big news!!! He is sitting up fairly well. I would not sit him on the floor and walk away, but he is doing so much better. He has also been pushing up on his hands and trying to get his knees up under him, too. I'm in no hurry for him to crawl!

Ian--Thirty-three weeks

Ian's second tooth should pop through in the next few weeks. I can see it under his gums. He chews on everything and drools more, but it doesn't seem to hurt too much.

He loves all of the different kinds of baby cereals! He enjoyed his green beans this week and tried sweet potatoes mixed with corn and loved it! I give him water mixed with a little bit of juice each day, so he doesn't get constipated and he loves it! He gets so excited when he sees his cup.

He is getting closer to sitting up, but certainly not steady yet. Maybe a few more weeks??? He rolls everywhere. He has begun pushing himself up on his arms, so I know that is the first step to crawling.

He is the happiest and most content baby in the world! I am grateful for his pleasant disposition!

He is still on the same eating and napping schedule and will probably stay there until he turns one year.