I am trying to decide how I feel about going back to work. My immediate reaction is excitement. While I wouldn't trade my time with CJ for anything, I enjoy my job and have missed it over the past few months. I was so used to working that it was quite a transition for me to stay home. On the other hand, I know how great it would be if I could stay home and spend each day with our little man. I have really enjoyed watching him grow and develop. While it hasn't always been easy, it is an experience like no other. My "proud" moments are vastly different than they are with my job. Examples of new proud moments - waiting it out while he cries before taking a nap, giving him a bath by myself, and learning how to do a lot of things around the house with just one hand. They may seem trivial, but they bring me great joy.
It's been funny to hear people's reactions when I tell them that I plan to go back to working full time. "Oh, you mean you're not staying home?" It's as if my son will develop some horrible condition if I am not the person caring for him. I'll admit that I was very apprehensive at first, until we got our childcare squared away. Now that I know who will be watching him, I feel so much better! I'm excited for him to have so much interaction with other children as he grows up.
I'm sure that I'll be sad the first few days that I am back at work, but I'll get into my routine again. At that point, I'll appreciate my time with him even more. I'll be living for my evenings and weekends. ;) It also helps knowing that in June, Matt will become the stay-at-home parent for two months. Maybe one day we'll be in a position for me to stay home, but for now we're grateful to God that we have great people to help care for him.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Prayer for Caleb
This is the prayer, written by Brooke's cousin (Justin) for the Entrustment Ceremony.
Caleb Josiah
May you possess a great name in the earth and Heaven above.
See yourself as you truly are - the salt of the earth and light of the world.
What is desired is that you take hold of all that your Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, has provided for you. There will be much opposition but you must remember that you fight from a position of victory. Be strong and of very great courage. Obey those God has put over you and inherit His promise of a long life on the earth.
May you have the patience of Job, the faith of Abraham, be a leader like Moses, a warrior like Joshua, with the heart of David, and commitment of Uriah, the wisdom of Solomon, and blessings of Jabez.
Amen.
Caleb Josiah
May you possess a great name in the earth and Heaven above.
See yourself as you truly are - the salt of the earth and light of the world.
What is desired is that you take hold of all that your Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, has provided for you. There will be much opposition but you must remember that you fight from a position of victory. Be strong and of very great courage. Obey those God has put over you and inherit His promise of a long life on the earth.
May you have the patience of Job, the faith of Abraham, be a leader like Moses, a warrior like Joshua, with the heart of David, and commitment of Uriah, the wisdom of Solomon, and blessings of Jabez.
Amen.
Baptism Weekend - 2/20/2011
Just over a week ago, our little man was baptized into Christ's family. What an awesome day! Actually, the whole weekend was pretty awesome. We had quite a few family and friends come into town for the occasion. It was so cool to watch our family members meet CJ for the first time. While he won't remember this, it will be imprinted in my mind forever (along with the 400 pictures that we all took).
Saturday night, after most of our family had arrived, we went to dinner at a local pizza place. We pretty much took over the dining area and enjoyed time catching up, passing the baby around, and eating delicious pizza. It reminded us a lot of our rehearsal dinner, which was also at a pizza place.
Sunday was amazing! Matt's Grandpa Fischer (who also baptized Matt) performed the baptism. CJ wore the baptismal gown made by my Grandma Fincke, which was worn by me, my dad, my brother and my nephew. The gown confused a few people at church, who commented on how beautiful our daughter was. What are you going to do? I corrected a few people, but I just couldn't correct one of the little old ladies. I'm sure she figured it out when the pastor introduced Caleb Josiah. We packed the church with friends and family, who have supported us throughout this entire process. It was really neat to look out into the congregation and feel so much love. After church, we invited everyone back to our house for a party. While there was very little room to move, it was fun to catch up with everyone. It touched our hearts that so many people were there to support us. One highlight from the party was watching Great-Grandpa Fischer hold little CJ with such a big grin on his face. All in all, it was a very special day!
While having 5 adults and 1 child stay at our house was a little chaotic at times, I was so sad to see everyone go on Tuesday morning. It reminded me how much we want CJ to know his extended family as he grows up. Thank goodness we live in a time with Skype! While it was hard to see everyone go, we look forward to August when we all meet up to celebrate the wedding of my sister Liz.
Saturday night, after most of our family had arrived, we went to dinner at a local pizza place. We pretty much took over the dining area and enjoyed time catching up, passing the baby around, and eating delicious pizza. It reminded us a lot of our rehearsal dinner, which was also at a pizza place.
Sunday was amazing! Matt's Grandpa Fischer (who also baptized Matt) performed the baptism. CJ wore the baptismal gown made by my Grandma Fincke, which was worn by me, my dad, my brother and my nephew. The gown confused a few people at church, who commented on how beautiful our daughter was. What are you going to do? I corrected a few people, but I just couldn't correct one of the little old ladies. I'm sure she figured it out when the pastor introduced Caleb Josiah. We packed the church with friends and family, who have supported us throughout this entire process. It was really neat to look out into the congregation and feel so much love. After church, we invited everyone back to our house for a party. While there was very little room to move, it was fun to catch up with everyone. It touched our hearts that so many people were there to support us. One highlight from the party was watching Great-Grandpa Fischer hold little CJ with such a big grin on his face. All in all, it was a very special day!
While having 5 adults and 1 child stay at our house was a little chaotic at times, I was so sad to see everyone go on Tuesday morning. It reminded me how much we want CJ to know his extended family as he grows up. Thank goodness we live in a time with Skype! While it was hard to see everyone go, we look forward to August when we all meet up to celebrate the wedding of my sister Liz.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Month in Review
As you can imagine, I've learned quite a bit over the past month. It seems like everyday brings a new lesson. Here are ten things I've learned, in no particular order:
1. Showering is optional, unless you are going out in public. There have been days that I just cannot find the time to take a shower. Some of you may be thankful that you haven't seen me in awhile.
2. Figuring out what a baby's cry means is not immediate. It takes time to learn what the baby wants/needs. We still have plenty of times when I have to try four different remedies before CJ stops crying.
3. It's OK to say "Thank you" when someone says "You look great for having a 1 month old!" At first, I would explain that he was adopted, as if to justify how I look. Then, I realized that accepting a compliment never hurt anyone. :)
4. Baby books cannot be trusted. Unless you read them with a grain of salt, you'll only end up feeling bad about how you're raising your child. I decided early on to read these as though I was at a buffet; take what looks good and leave the other stuff behind.
5. Random people are never at a loss for advice, suggestions or criticism.
I've been relatively lucky with this so far, but it is amazing how bold people (read old ladies) can be.
6. People don't know what to expect with an adopted child. It seems like most are surprised that he looks "normal." No, he doesn't have a bunch of warts or a hump on his back. I love hearing people talk about how cute he is, but some really seem like they were expecting to see Quasimoto.
7. Baby farts are always funny. Enough said!
8. The phrase "Nap while he's napping" should actually be "Do whatever you want during nap time." Everyone tells you to take naps when the baby does, but that isn't always possible. I have to be at the point where I literally can't keep my eyes open before I can nap. Matt can confirm that I don't always wake up well from a nap, and CJ really doesn't need to see that side of me yet. When I'm tired, I nap. Otherwise, I get ahead on cleaning, laundry or bottles.
9. Often, what is bothering mommy isn't bothering baby. CJ has had a stuffy nose for about a week. It doesn't seem to be a problem for him; I cringe every time he takes a breath. He also gets frequent hiccups. I feel terrible because his whole body convulses with each hiccup. He just sits there while it happens, acting no differently than when the hiccups are gone.
10. CJ is the most amazing baby ever. At first I thought I was biased, but after a month's worth of observation I realized that this is actually a fact. :)
1. Showering is optional, unless you are going out in public. There have been days that I just cannot find the time to take a shower. Some of you may be thankful that you haven't seen me in awhile.
2. Figuring out what a baby's cry means is not immediate. It takes time to learn what the baby wants/needs. We still have plenty of times when I have to try four different remedies before CJ stops crying.
3. It's OK to say "Thank you" when someone says "You look great for having a 1 month old!" At first, I would explain that he was adopted, as if to justify how I look. Then, I realized that accepting a compliment never hurt anyone. :)
4. Baby books cannot be trusted. Unless you read them with a grain of salt, you'll only end up feeling bad about how you're raising your child. I decided early on to read these as though I was at a buffet; take what looks good and leave the other stuff behind.
5. Random people are never at a loss for advice, suggestions or criticism.
I've been relatively lucky with this so far, but it is amazing how bold people (read old ladies) can be.
6. People don't know what to expect with an adopted child. It seems like most are surprised that he looks "normal." No, he doesn't have a bunch of warts or a hump on his back. I love hearing people talk about how cute he is, but some really seem like they were expecting to see Quasimoto.
7. Baby farts are always funny. Enough said!
8. The phrase "Nap while he's napping" should actually be "Do whatever you want during nap time." Everyone tells you to take naps when the baby does, but that isn't always possible. I have to be at the point where I literally can't keep my eyes open before I can nap. Matt can confirm that I don't always wake up well from a nap, and CJ really doesn't need to see that side of me yet. When I'm tired, I nap. Otherwise, I get ahead on cleaning, laundry or bottles.
9. Often, what is bothering mommy isn't bothering baby. CJ has had a stuffy nose for about a week. It doesn't seem to be a problem for him; I cringe every time he takes a breath. He also gets frequent hiccups. I feel terrible because his whole body convulses with each hiccup. He just sits there while it happens, acting no differently than when the hiccups are gone.
10. CJ is the most amazing baby ever. At first I thought I was biased, but after a month's worth of observation I realized that this is actually a fact. :)
Friday, January 28, 2011
So much to learn!
It's hard to believe that CJ is almost three weeks old. I have not be great about updating this blog, but I'm hoping to get better about posting new stuff.
I don't even know where to begin other than to say that this new life of ours is amazing. I knew that life would change once CJ arrived, but I don't think I was prepared for how much. Don't get me wrong, I love him in a way that I didn't know was possible, but that definitely doesn't mean that it's always been easy.
When we first brought him home, I really felt as though we were babysitting a friend's baby. It didn't feel real. I didn't feel like a mom...whatever that means. Over the past few weeks, I have slowly started to realize this new role. I don't know that I fully feel like a mom, but I know that I am well on my way. It really put my mind at ease when a friend (with a biological baby) told me that she had experienced the same thing. It takes time. We're building a relationship.
One of my first "mom" experiences came during a dr appt. CJ was crying pretty hard while our pediatrician (who is amazing) was examining him. I can't say that I blame him. The room was cold and he was almost naked...I'd be upset if I had to go through that. Anyway, the doctor had tried a few things to calm him, but it wasn't working. I leaned down, touched his head and started talking to him. Within a few seconds, he had stopped crying. Talk about a rush of emotion; it was awesome. Since we're on the topic, I just have to mention how incredibly blessed we are that he is so healthy. We were not sure if he would have any issues, and are extremely relieved that we are in the clear so far. At each of our appts, our doctor has shared her excitement for his continued good health and development. We pray that he continues to stay healthy and strong.
I've always heard people talk about how amazing babies are, and how you marvel at everything they do. I had experienced that a little with my friends' children, but am at a whole different level now. I could literally watch him for hours. I love how his face crinkles up at random times, and how he goes into a milk coma after feedings, and the noise he makes when his sneeze doesn't come out all the way. Matt and I have talked about how excited we are for the day when he smiles at us because he is happy, and not because he has gas. I cherish each moment I have with him, but look forward to when he is able to interact with us more.
I guess I'll end with what I miss the most...sleep. I am learning how to survive on around 5 decent hours of sleep each night. He typically goes about three hours from the start of one feeding, to the start of the next. Between feeding, burping and changing, it takes about 45 minutes per feeding. That means that I get about 2 hours of sleep at a time. Unfortunately, his sleep has become more restless in the past few days, so he is constantly groaning and making little baby noises (which actually sound more like animal noises). I feel worse for Matt because he has to get up each morning for work, so he really needs a good night's rest. We'll get used to it...soon, I hope. :)
As we adjust to our new role as parents, we look forward to showing CJ off to each of you. You have all played an important role in our lives, and in this process. Now that he is here, I am even more grateful for the support that you have given. We have been truly blessed!
I don't even know where to begin other than to say that this new life of ours is amazing. I knew that life would change once CJ arrived, but I don't think I was prepared for how much. Don't get me wrong, I love him in a way that I didn't know was possible, but that definitely doesn't mean that it's always been easy.
When we first brought him home, I really felt as though we were babysitting a friend's baby. It didn't feel real. I didn't feel like a mom...whatever that means. Over the past few weeks, I have slowly started to realize this new role. I don't know that I fully feel like a mom, but I know that I am well on my way. It really put my mind at ease when a friend (with a biological baby) told me that she had experienced the same thing. It takes time. We're building a relationship.
One of my first "mom" experiences came during a dr appt. CJ was crying pretty hard while our pediatrician (who is amazing) was examining him. I can't say that I blame him. The room was cold and he was almost naked...I'd be upset if I had to go through that. Anyway, the doctor had tried a few things to calm him, but it wasn't working. I leaned down, touched his head and started talking to him. Within a few seconds, he had stopped crying. Talk about a rush of emotion; it was awesome. Since we're on the topic, I just have to mention how incredibly blessed we are that he is so healthy. We were not sure if he would have any issues, and are extremely relieved that we are in the clear so far. At each of our appts, our doctor has shared her excitement for his continued good health and development. We pray that he continues to stay healthy and strong.
I've always heard people talk about how amazing babies are, and how you marvel at everything they do. I had experienced that a little with my friends' children, but am at a whole different level now. I could literally watch him for hours. I love how his face crinkles up at random times, and how he goes into a milk coma after feedings, and the noise he makes when his sneeze doesn't come out all the way. Matt and I have talked about how excited we are for the day when he smiles at us because he is happy, and not because he has gas. I cherish each moment I have with him, but look forward to when he is able to interact with us more.
I guess I'll end with what I miss the most...sleep. I am learning how to survive on around 5 decent hours of sleep each night. He typically goes about three hours from the start of one feeding, to the start of the next. Between feeding, burping and changing, it takes about 45 minutes per feeding. That means that I get about 2 hours of sleep at a time. Unfortunately, his sleep has become more restless in the past few days, so he is constantly groaning and making little baby noises (which actually sound more like animal noises). I feel worse for Matt because he has to get up each morning for work, so he really needs a good night's rest. We'll get used to it...soon, I hope. :)
As we adjust to our new role as parents, we look forward to showing CJ off to each of you. You have all played an important role in our lives, and in this process. Now that he is here, I am even more grateful for the support that you have given. We have been truly blessed!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Simply amazing!!!
I realized this morning that I should probably write down all that happened one week ago. Please don't feel as though you have to read this; I just wanted to make sure that I don't forget any of the wonderful details.
Monday, January 10th
3:00pm - Got a call from Brooke that she was dilated 4cm. Her doctor told her that it could be any day, but that they would induce on Thursday (1/14) if the baby hadn't arrived sooner.
8:45pm - Got another call from Brooke asking us to head down to the hospital.
8:47pm - on the road - just kidding, but we were on the road within 10 minutes
10:45pm - arrived at Tucson Medical Center
Tuesday, January 11th
12:30am - Doctor stopped by and was pleased by Brooke's progress. He said that if her labor slowed down at all, they would give her pitocin to speed it along. He ordered her epidural, which helped her out a lot.
4:00am - Contractions slowed down quite a bit, so they gave her pitocin to get it moving. It immediately started the contractions again.
5:00am - She was ready to start pushing, but had to wait a few minutes until the doctor could arrive.
5:24am - Our little angel arrived, after only two pushes from Brooke. He was ready!!
7lbs, 4oz
19.5 in
The only way that I can describe the birth was amazing! To witness a new life join this world was incredible. I thought I would stay back a bit, but I was right up at the front throughout. I even cut his umbilical cord.
After all of the various tests and assessments, it was determined that Caleb was in perfect health...praise God!
We spent all day Tuesday in the nursery and visiting with Brooke. In the early afternoon, we had the entrustment ceremony (which was awesome). Brooke's cousin, Justin, wrote a special prayer for the occasion. As he finished the prayer, Brooke handed Caleb over to us, entrusting him in our care. It was very emotional, but simple and beautiful. During this time, we were also able to meet Brooke's aunt and uncle. We spent as much time with Caleb as possible that day, to really start developing the bond. The nursery staff were nice enough to get us an extra wristband for Matt (required for entry into the nursery). At about 9:30pm, after 40 hours at the hospital, we went over to our hotel across the street to get a little sleep. We had hoped to stay at the hospital, but they had a lot of women come in to deliver and did not have any extra space for us. We slept for 9 hours, and probably could have gone a couple more if we weren't so excited to get back to see him.
Wednesday, we again spent most of the day with Caleb. We got to visit with Brooke for a few minutes, but she was released a few hours before Caleb. They let us use the waiting room in the maternity ward as a room for the day, since not a lot of people were in there. Matt's dad drove down during lunch and got to spend a few hours with his grandson. Very special!! In the mid-afternoon, Caleb's nurse informed us that he was ready to be discharged once our counselor could come and sign the documents. The baby was signed over to Christian Family Care's custody, and they turned him over to our care. We are technically foster parents until we are able to get our court date to finalize the adoption. At around 5:30pm, the nurse escorted us out to our car, and we were on our way home. It was very surreal to drive to Phoenix with a newborn baby riding with us!
Monday, January 10th
3:00pm - Got a call from Brooke that she was dilated 4cm. Her doctor told her that it could be any day, but that they would induce on Thursday (1/14) if the baby hadn't arrived sooner.
8:45pm - Got another call from Brooke asking us to head down to the hospital.
8:47pm - on the road - just kidding, but we were on the road within 10 minutes
10:45pm - arrived at Tucson Medical Center
Tuesday, January 11th
12:30am - Doctor stopped by and was pleased by Brooke's progress. He said that if her labor slowed down at all, they would give her pitocin to speed it along. He ordered her epidural, which helped her out a lot.
4:00am - Contractions slowed down quite a bit, so they gave her pitocin to get it moving. It immediately started the contractions again.
5:00am - She was ready to start pushing, but had to wait a few minutes until the doctor could arrive.
5:24am - Our little angel arrived, after only two pushes from Brooke. He was ready!!
7lbs, 4oz
19.5 in
The only way that I can describe the birth was amazing! To witness a new life join this world was incredible. I thought I would stay back a bit, but I was right up at the front throughout. I even cut his umbilical cord.
After all of the various tests and assessments, it was determined that Caleb was in perfect health...praise God!
We spent all day Tuesday in the nursery and visiting with Brooke. In the early afternoon, we had the entrustment ceremony (which was awesome). Brooke's cousin, Justin, wrote a special prayer for the occasion. As he finished the prayer, Brooke handed Caleb over to us, entrusting him in our care. It was very emotional, but simple and beautiful. During this time, we were also able to meet Brooke's aunt and uncle. We spent as much time with Caleb as possible that day, to really start developing the bond. The nursery staff were nice enough to get us an extra wristband for Matt (required for entry into the nursery). At about 9:30pm, after 40 hours at the hospital, we went over to our hotel across the street to get a little sleep. We had hoped to stay at the hospital, but they had a lot of women come in to deliver and did not have any extra space for us. We slept for 9 hours, and probably could have gone a couple more if we weren't so excited to get back to see him.
Wednesday, we again spent most of the day with Caleb. We got to visit with Brooke for a few minutes, but she was released a few hours before Caleb. They let us use the waiting room in the maternity ward as a room for the day, since not a lot of people were in there. Matt's dad drove down during lunch and got to spend a few hours with his grandson. Very special!! In the mid-afternoon, Caleb's nurse informed us that he was ready to be discharged once our counselor could come and sign the documents. The baby was signed over to Christian Family Care's custody, and they turned him over to our care. We are technically foster parents until we are able to get our court date to finalize the adoption. At around 5:30pm, the nurse escorted us out to our car, and we were on our way home. It was very surreal to drive to Phoenix with a newborn baby riding with us!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Showered with love!
Our family and friends are such a blessing. Over the past two weeks, we have had a few baby showers. Friends at West campus planned a shower for me just before Christmas, and we were able to stock up on receiving blankets, onesies, and other amazingly cute items! Yesterday, my girlfriends hosted a shower for me while Matt's friends planned a "man shower." We now have a great stock of baby toiletries, diapers, wipes, and other essentials. The wonderful faculty and staff at Shepherd all pitched in and bought us our travel system. The remaining items we've needed have been given to us by friends who are no longer using them. I don't know that we are able to fully thank everyone, not only for the gifts but also for the prayers.
As we move into the final days before the baby arrives, we want to let you know that we'll do our best to keep you updated. Once we get the call to head down to Tucson, we'll have my sister post updates on Facebook (once our family gets a call, of course). As soon as we get internet access, and have the time, we'll post updates as well.
For friends that live nearby, we hope you understand that we'll go into seclusion for a few weeks once he arrives. Family - you are obviously welcome anytime. Once we adjust to life as parents, we'll start inviting people over.
Please pray that we have patience as we wait through these final days, pray for Brooke as she prepares for childbirth, and pray that Baby Fischer is healthy.
As we move into the final days before the baby arrives, we want to let you know that we'll do our best to keep you updated. Once we get the call to head down to Tucson, we'll have my sister post updates on Facebook (once our family gets a call, of course). As soon as we get internet access, and have the time, we'll post updates as well.
For friends that live nearby, we hope you understand that we'll go into seclusion for a few weeks once he arrives. Family - you are obviously welcome anytime. Once we adjust to life as parents, we'll start inviting people over.
Please pray that we have patience as we wait through these final days, pray for Brooke as she prepares for childbirth, and pray that Baby Fischer is healthy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)