2010 Holiday Photo Contest: A Love or Dislike for Santa - Adoption Photos - Adoptive Families

2010 Holiday Photo Contest: A Love or Dislike for Santa - Adoption Photos - Adoptive Families

Binky Free House!!

Well it is official...we are a binky free house! Yesterday was the last day for the binky for M. Her pediatrician has been telling us that we need to get rid of it but we or I just never really pushed for it. We kept telling M that once she "looses" her last binky that is it, no more. Well she slowly started loosing her binkies and we were down to the last one.

She would chew on the binky, rip it out of her mouth, so it started to tear & rip and it could take no more destruction and yesterday it finally ripped. M looked at me and said, "No more binky" and I told her that was correct.

So she went to bed lastnight with no binky, took a nap today with no binky. We are keeping our fingers crossed that it will continue to go as smooth as it has been....every once in a while she will say that we need to go to the store and get a new one, put we tell her "no more!!".

We officially have a BIG girl....bye-bye diapers, bye-bye crib & bye-bye binky!!!

Daddy's Girls...

Elephant HUGS

A Star in the Making

Wanna start a fun Christmas tradition with your children??

Last year I posted some pictures of a Christmas tradition that my mom started. She made a sucker holder with this wonderful little Christmas poem on the top and starting on December 1st you would take off a sucker until you reach the last sucker & bell and that means that Christmas is the next day.

I made a couple of them last year for family members and had some friends ask about them also. I did not have the time last year to make any extras but I am starting early....and ready to get my "sew on". I am selling these cute sucker holders for $20.00 ~ that includes the suckers and shipping!!!

Here is some info about them:

All are hand made
Made with Red & White glitter felt
Saf-T-Pops (as long as they are avaible they will be red & green)
The sucker hold is 34 1/2 inches long
Red is 5 inches across
White is 3 1/2 inches across
The green yarn also has glitter strands in it
The ends of the green yarn I add an Adhesive so they do not frey
Cute little gold bell at the bottom

To start it off I am only going to be making 10 ~ if I find that I am able to get more done and shipped out before the 1st of December I will update my blog. So if you are interested please e-mail me at meganweber01@yahoo.com. Please include your childs name for the top and if you have any questions.

Hurry fast ~ they are super adorable!!! And your children will love the Christmas Countdown each year!!!!

Below are the pictures of what it looks like :-)

Update: 4 have been ordered

A and the Purple Crayon

I hope that A is just like "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and creates a world of her own, one stroke at a time ~ a world through her eyes. My dream is that it is going to be a safe & wonderful world!

Family Photo

When they are quiet.....

You know that they must have gotten into something......

Have much fun would this be!?!?!?!

There is a WONDERFUL blog that I follow and this AMAZING adoptive mommy has spear headed a plan for a "Adoptive Mommy" retreat. It is going to be held in GA, and I SOOO wish that it was much much closer to me. How much fun would this be to hang out with moms who have gone down the same road that you have, who have AMAZING stories on how they became a FOREVER family!! If something like this comes to Ohio, I am all over it!! But check out this site...sounds like a blast & check out the adorable T-shirts they are selling!!!!

http://createdtocarewomensretreat.blogspot.com

Jumping through HOOPS

I have been wanting to do this post for sometime now, but I just never could seem to get it started. I want to talk about how children come into our lives......we all know about the "Birds & The Bees", but sometimes that does not work in bringing a child into the family. So when this does not happen couples/singles have to find other options in making their dreams come true of having a child.

I am going to talk about the adoption side and kinda shine some light on all the "hoops" that adoptive parents have to jump through to PROVE that they will be great parents!

Imagine having the dream of wanting a child so bad....and than you find out to have this dream come true you have to go down the adoption road. WONDERFUL...having gone down it twice, I would do it over and over again.

There are a TON of documents/paperwork that needs to be completed before someone else can tell you if you are "fit" to be a good parent and than you have to wait for that perfect birthparent to choose you for their child.

When most people can "make" a baby, go to the hospital give birth and than able to leave with the baby and never look back, than here we are (adoptive parents) who have to complete the following documents before anything in the adoption world can move forward (Ohio requirements for domestic adoption):

* Request for a homestudy to be done/complete application if needed

*Have a fire inspection of your home

*Work references

*References from friends

*Physicals on all the people in your home

*BCI/FBI checks completed

*Infant/Child CPR done

*Child Abuse check ran against you

*Financial paperwork ( to make sure that you can afford a child)

*Interviews as a couple and seperate

*Inspection of your home

*Once you bring the baby home ~ you have 6 months of visits with a social worker

After all of this is completed most of the documents are only good for 2 years (in OH)!!! So if you allow them to expire, you need to do them ALL OVER again...that includes the hassle and MONEY! Yeah this stuff is not free!

Why am I talking about all of this you wonder?? Well after much thought we decided to update all our paperwork again because it was getting ready to expire and we did not want to start from square one. We are not ACTIVELY looking to add another addition but after talking with our social worker we decided this was the smartest thing to do. We want to be ready for anything and if we did not complete this all now and a situation came to us and we did not have all this paperwork updated, we would not be able to be placed with a child. So here we are once again "Paper Ready" and we will just see what the future holds for us with adding to our family through the MIRACLE of ADOPTION!!!!

Like I mentioned above I would jump through firey hoops over & over again when you get the wonderful outcomes of healthy beautiful babies!!!!!

Say WHAT!?!?!?!?

Today I went an had a Swedish massage done. My wonderful hubby got me a gift certificate for my birthday (that was in November) that I have been holding onto for a while. When I got there I completed all my paperwork and the receptionist came up to me and said, "It is just going to be a couple more minutes, HE is getting the room ready."

What a minute....did she say HE???? Okay, now my heart is starting to race....I got alittle angry because I thought that they should have asked on the phone when I called to make the appointment if I would be comfortable with a male massage therapist or if I had preferred female over male.

So I got myself under control and the gentleman came out, introduced himself and off to the room we went. I am still alittle uncomfortable, this is my like 3 third massage EVER and I have only had female massage therapists.

After my 1 hour massage, I do not know why I was so worked up. I guess it just caught me alittle off guard and I assumed that I would get a female therapist....just opened my eyes!!

Overall the massage was wonderful...after I RELAXED!!!

Pumpkin Patch Fun!!!

So adorable!

This is one of the sweetest pictures...EVER!!!

How do you react?

I found this article to be very interesting and for me, to be very true. I am wondering how other adoptive mothers feel about it??? The article was pulled from Adoptive Family magazine.

http//www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=2118

M's favorite shoes!!!

3 times a day I have to pack up children and walk to the bus stop. I was wondering how I am going to do with when it is raining so I went to a local second hand store and bought M a pair of froggy rain boots. Well these boots have been the best purchase in a really long time because for almost 3 weeks straight that is all that M would wear on her feet. Right now these adorable boots are in the closet so we can get them aired out. Here are a couple pics of the best boots!!!

She came walking out of the bathroom like this :-)

Fun things happening around the Weber home

I love FALL!!! I love the cool air, being able to keep your windows open, I love football, I love getting together with friends, I love pickin that perfect pumpkin, I love apple picking, I love the beautiful colors that are on all the trees, I love all the leaves on the ground and the sound that it makes when you step on them, I love the smell of bonfires, I love Halloween and walking around with the girls all dressed up. I love everything that fall brings!


Some fun things that is happening at the Weber home during this wonderful season ~ the girls got a swing set. Many thanks to my mom, brother & step-dad who came out and spend the day with Josh putting it all together. The girls are having so much fun playing on it.



The girls LOVE Yo Gabba Gabba and we tried to take them to the show last year when it was in Cincinnati, but by the time we heard about it all the good seat were taken. So we waited and they came back to Ohio this time to Cleveland. The day after A's birthday we packed up the girls and head up north. They had a wonderful time and the show was AWESOME! I think that Josh and I may have had a better time than the girls. It was so wonderful looking around at all the families having a great time with their little ones laughing and dancing. If your children like Yo Gabba Gabba and the show comes close to where you live...it is a must to see!!

Happy Birthday A

On October 5th, A turned one year old!!! Man who took the year away from me, it totally flew by! Hard to believe that our sweet baby girl is now a year old.

Why couldn't I have thought of this!!!

Around 9 months A decided that she no longer wanted anything to do with baby food and ALWAYS wanted what we were eating. We would give her small pieces and at the time the only fruit that she would eat was watermelon and would really not eat any vegetables other than a green bean here and there.

I knew that she had to get more fruits & vegs in her diet but she did not want the baby food anymore. Well a little girl who I babysit for her mother told me about these baby food pouches that you get from Babies-R-Us and her daugther LOVES them.

So I am up for anything at this point...luckily they were on sale, so I bought a couple. Well A gobbled them up!!! They are so handy because they are in alittle pouch and after you twist off the cap, it looks like a juice box and she just holds it and sucks away!!!

Now why couldn't I have thought of baby food in a pouch!?!?!?!?! So smart!!! What is even more better is that they come in veg/fruit blends!! So she is getting her fruit & vegs all in one sitting!

I do not give those to her for a meal, because they say that they are more 4 months+ but they are ever so handy when I know that she did not get enough of fruit or vegs in the day and ever so wonderful to throw in the diaper bag in case they get fussy while you are out and about.

The brand name is ~ Plum Organics baby food!!!

GO BUCKEYES

Bad Hair Day??

M's hair is finally growing back and the new growth is coming is thick & white! Every morning this is what her hair looks like and after a couple sprays of water and a comb running through it we are able to make it look presentable. But after a long day of playing....this is what it goes back to. But we love our little "rooster"!!!!

One month down!

I have been at my new position for one whole month now! I can not believe that it has been a month! The time has flown by!!!

I recap everything and to look back, I am SOOOO happy that I made the jump. Before I actually quit my job I was having mini panic attacks because I was not sure how we were going to swing it, I totally thought that we were going to have to "beg, borrow & steal" to survive. Well I am happy to say that we have had to do NONE of those!!!! Just alittle cutting back and here we are a month into it and we still have food on the table and a roof over our head!!!

I do have some good and bad days like I think any stay at home mother does...just right now we are having some behavioral issues with M, not sure if it has to do with that she is 2 1/2, sharing her mommy, sharing her house, sharing her toys and this is a new transition for her. Hopefully (crossing my fingers) that she gets over this soon!!!!

But overall I am LOVING it ~ next thing to look forward to is A is coming really close to walking! And now with me being home all day I will get to see it first :-)

She is getting it!

We have never hidden the fact that our girls are adopted and from the beginning we always have talked about it, we have several books on adoption and make an effort to read them to the girls.

This evening as I was reading, "I wished for you" an adoption book to M, I asked her who was adopted and she says, "me & A" I said that was correct. As I continued reading the story, M says "I was adopted as a baby". I said that was correct that she grew in A's tummy and than mommy & daddy adopted her.

I told her that A's pictured was on her dresser and she said that she was unable to see it so I moved it to the front. M said that she wanted to hold it so I gave it to her and she says, "A is kissing me, I love her!!"

At that moment I had tears begin to swell in my eyes....just to hear M say that she loves A, because without A, we would not have M and we love her so much also!

Did I loose something!?!?!

Today for some odd reason I thought that I would take BOTH girls to the grocery store to get the shopping done for the upcoming week. No big deal, I have done it before so why would this time be any easier or harder.

Well first, A had not eaten and just woke up from taking only a 30 min nap (in the car, M was going on ZERO nap and was hungry also! So as we are trying to navigate through the isles, M has spotted the fish and is screaming to go over and see them, A is melting down because she is hungry and tired.

I get them over to the baby food isle, rip open a bag of Gerber yogurt bites and off we go, now they have alittle snack, they should be fine. NOPE ~ M is freaking out because she wants a fish now and the little yogurt bites are not holding off A.

SO I end the shopping get the buggy up to the front, M starts "helping" unload the cart, nice soft plump bread, not so much anymore. I get M out of the cart because now we have ZERO space for the groceries, she now spots a horse she wants to ride (thanks Meijers), so I pay reach in my pocket to get the car keys...get the car keys...reach for another pocket...get the car keys....NO CAR KEYS!!!!

They fell out of my pocket sometime while I was shopping! So picture this, frantic mom carrying a 2 year old, pushing a cart full of groceries, a screaming 10 month old, scanning the floors. We go over every inch that we walked and no keys to be found.

As crazy as M was being, she could tell that I was freaking out a bit and she grabs my face and says, "It's okay mommy, we will find the keys!!"

So to customer service, ask if anyone turned in a Jeep key and THANK GOODNESS someone did! I could have cried right there!!!

Anyone want to go next time?!?!?

Sneak Peak!!!!

Today the girls had their first photo session! My cousin is currently in school for photography and she takes AMAZING pictures and was willing to take some time today to capture the girls looking adorable! These pictures were taken with my camera and I know that hers will be so much better! I can not wait to get them back! ENJOY the cuteness!!!

Happy Adoption Day

Friday was the 2nd anniversary of the finalization of M's adoption. We try to make a really big deal out of it because it was when we "officially" became a family. The very first year we got a cake from a local bakery that everyone raved on and on about, and after eating it I can see why.

So we decided to make it a tradition and every year get a cake for the girls from this bakery, celebrate the day ( however they want) and spend the evening with friends & family enjoying the delicious cake and ice cream.

As we were putting M down for bed, I bent down and kissed her forehead, said, "I love you baby, Happy Adoption Day!" and M says, "your welcome mommy!"

Now this is what summer is ALL ABOUT!!!

First let me start by saying that we LOVE our neighbors & neighborhood. Mostly everyone who lives on our street has little children. Well everyday around 5:00 p.m. you will see bikes, wagons, shovels, buckets, Power Wheels and Tonka trucks all over the sidewalks and at the end of our street.


M LOVES the Tonka trucks and is always right there with the little boys, getting all dirty & sweaty. Well her MeMaw and PapPap went and got her her very own Tonka Truck. So watch out Cameron Chase boys, you have a new little Tonka driver in town!

Shout out to my "DOGS"

We have 2 wonderful Labradors who just love children to death. I do have to admit that I was alittle cautious when I was thinking about doing my inhome daycare because I was not sure how the boys would act with alot of chaos and running feet around. I have to say that they have TOTALLY surprised me!! They are doing wonderfully!!!! I am loving that our girls get the opportunity to grow up with pets but I am sad when the sun just hits their faces ever so perfectly because than I see that they are not puppies anymore, the gray is starting to show!

"Are you going to eat that??"

M LOVES her Lukie

Our Rosco or as M says, "Rockers"

No I am NOT crazy!!!!!

This evening I headed to the grocery store to pick up a few items that we needed to make it through the weekend. As I walked in the doors I got my cart and said, "Alright lets get this shopping done!" I walked past the produce department and I am naming the items off my list that I need. I make my way over to the meats and do this again, naming items that I need.

I keep walking through the store making funny sounds and talking about the different items as I walk by, if I seemed to have missed something I say, "Oops I gotta go back and get it."

As I walk up to the checkout line, I look down at my cart and see this beautiful, blonde hair, blue eye baby looking back at me babbling away! This is where it all begins, no I am not a crazy lady talking to myself, I am talking (not baby talk) to my baby.

My new work schedule!

7:30 a.m. ~ Wake up & get myself ready for the day
7:45-8:00 ~ Head to work & take my 2 girls with me (if they are up)
9:00 ~ Prepare breakfast/Have breakfast
9:20-11:00 ~ Playtime
11:00-12:15 ~ Play outside with the neighbor children/Naptime for A
12:15-12:30 ~ Prepare lunch
12:30 - 1:00 ~ East lunch/Clean-up
1:00-4:00 ~ More playtime & Naptime for A and M
4:00-5:00 p.m. ~ Outside time and waiting to be picked up

Don't you just love my new schedule?!?!?! Because I do!!!

One week down!

My first week of staying home with the girls has passed and we start up another one. Looking back and reflecting on how my first week at home went ~ I think that it went pretty well.

I am blessed to be able to stay home with my girls and have the background & patience to take on a couple of extra kiddies...and the extra kiddies that I am watching are just wonderful and behaved children.

Overall I think that the girls are really enjoying me being home but I think that the dogs are liking it more...more time for them to lounge on the couch & beds and less time in their crates!

It is amazing how stress-free I am! Just knowing that I get to spend everyday with my children and watching the funny things that they do, just warms my heart and confirms that I am doing the right thing for myself and my family!!!

Thank You.....

When we thought about adoption and which route for us to take, it was an easy decision when we thought if we wanted to go domestically or internationally. I thought to myself, first ~ "international adoption is so expensive" and second ~ "why would I adopt from another country when we could adopt right here from the USA!"

I want to take this time to thank two amazing women..who I have never met & never will for opening my eyes, my heart & my mind to international adoption, especially adopting from Ethiopia. One of these women have recently adopted from Ethopia and the other is waiting for their little miracle.

After following these 2 blogs, I now say to myself "how can you put a price on these children?" These sweet children are growing up without parents, without knowing what love is. If everyone just sat back, saying that this was not for them, these children will never know how it feels to have a loving family. Maybe international adoption is not for you....but if you take the time to open your mind and help spread the word, in turn you are helping these children.

If you have some extra time on your hands please checkout their blogs & their journey to get their children from this country.


http://www.embracingtheleastofthese.blogspot.com/
http://www.babeofmyheart.com/

Attached I included some startling statistics regarding the orphans of Ethiopia. These numbers were taken from the UNICEF site:

Country Children who have lost one or both parents
due to all causes, 5,000,000

Children who have lost one or both parents
due to AIDS, 650,000 (estimate) 540,000 (low estimate) 780,000 (high estimate)

Children whose mother has died
due to any cause, 2,400,000

Children whose father has died
due to any cause, 3,200,000

Children both of whose parents have died
due to any cause, 630,000

Day 1

So my title has OFFICIALLY changed today...no longer Megan Weber, CM (case manager) it is now..Megan Weber, SHM (stay-at-home-mom). Today was my first day with extra kiddos in my care. I honestly had no idea how the day was going to go, but was looking forward to the challenge.

In my care today, I had my two children (M 2 1/2 yrs & A 9 months), a 5 month old baby girl and a 5 yr old little boy. The first thing that I have to say is "I TOTALLY respect all the SHM out there and all the SHM who care for other children in their homes beside their own".

Luckily my girls have been sleeping in so I was able to ease my way into the day with the first drop off ~ the 5 month old baby girl. I was able to get some cuddle time in with her and get her situated and than A woke up.

Once A woke up things got alittle more tricky...A was not in the mood to share her mommy, but was happy to see E (the baby)! The hardest part of having the 2 babies was trying to keep A off of E throughout the day...A would crawl at super speed to E and do a body slam on her tummy! A thought that it was pretty funny but E was NOT feeling it!

Shortly after both babies were taken care of Z (little boy) showed up and M woke up. So now the day was starting to get moving...mainly my part of the day was making sure that M was sharing with Z (which was pretty challenging) & making sure that A did not do any bodily harm to E. So I guess you can say that I was a referee during the day!

I needed someone to be sitting in my kitchen during lunch time to give me a pat on the back ~ I had A in her high chair eating some lunch, the 2 older children sitting at the smaller table eating and the baby sleeping in her chair. I thought to myself.."this is not bad at all, I think that I can do this" ~ than lunch ended, A was not a happy baby, E woke up and M decided that she was done sharing with Z and I thought to myself again.."Oh man, can I do this? Did I make the right decision for myself & family?!?!?".

As the day went one and each child was taken care of and had one-on-one attention, I started breathing easier and knowing that I am doing the RIGHT thing! This is what my girls need and I am a much more happier person!

So check back often as I approach this new chapter in my life and see how the Weber's are holding up!!

Little cuties!!!

Where's the Meat & Potatoes?!?!?!

A has decided that she no longer likes her baby food and she wants to eat whatever we are eating. I went to the store lastnight and got her these little meals that you warm up in the microwave, just for toddlers, thinking that she would LOVE them. Well at lunch today she proved me wrong, she wanted NOTHING to do with them.

So now when I prepare a meal I have to make sure that I can make something that A can eat also. It is hard to believe at 9 months old, she has turned her nose up to baby food...in all honesty I do not blame her at all!

A has developed taste buds and she wants to taste anything that BIG people are eating!

One simple word.....

ADOPTION ADOPTION ADOPTION ADOPTION

Years ago this was a foreign word to us.......now it is a word that has brought so much joy into our lives. Since having this word attached to our family we have met so many wonderful people that have touched our lives. We have made wonderful friends through this one simple word.

I have friends that I probably will NEVER EVER meet, but this one simple word bring us together. When I just see the word somewhere it caught my eye and I must know what they are talking about.

I am always ready and willing to take about this word......just amazes me how one simple word can have such a HUGE impact on your life!

Pinch me...PLEASE!!!!

You would think after 2 years it would not feel like I am in a dream when I look at M & A. Every time I look at them, I feel like I am dreaming. It is still hard for me to grasp that two incredible women made the hardest decisions of their lives to place these two adorable little girls in our arms. They trusted Josh & I to take care of these precious gifts. I am still in awww....when I look at them. I think, "those are our babies". Man are we LUCKY!!!!

Lots to update on!!!

I was on a roll keeping my blog current, but I took a long break. So I am back now and ready to update everyone on what has been going on in the Weber household, so here we go:

1) A has transitioned out of the carrier and is now in a "big girl" car seat. After her 9 month appointment the doc said that she was ready for the big seat.



2) M has had some hair loss and we took her to the doctor who referred us to a specialist....and no one can figure out what is going on. They think that it has broken off, but it is starting to SLOWLY grow back. So right now we are dealing with some chicken hair on top and when we are out in public I hear people whispering..."she must have cut her hair!"



3) A was sick for about 1 week with fever and vomiting. I took her into the doctors and come to find out after a urine test that she had an UTI. So Monday Josh took her to Children's to have some test done and she has "reflux". It is where the urine from the bladder is getting processed multiple times in the kidneys which was giving her an infection and causing the fever. The doctor at the hospital said most likely she will need to be on medication for a year and than be retested. Between her and M we have made more than our share of visits to Children's Hospital. Crossing our fingers that we are DONE!!!

4)M is in the "TERRIBLE TWO" stage! Just tonight it took her 2 hours to pick up 4 magnets that she threw on the floor. After multiple times in time out and trips to her bedroom and crying fits, she FINALLY decided to pick them up. She is so strong headed and I am scared for what the future holds for us. But this picture makes up for all her craziness!!!



5) This is the BIGGEST thing that has happend since my last post ~ after Friday, I will be a STAY AT HOME MOM!!! Yep, you read that right. I am going to be staying home with my girls and watching a couple of other little people. I am really looking forward to the change and scared & excited all at the same time!!!!

Well I think that I got everything!!! This house is a ROCKIN...and you might not want to come a knockin!!!