It's a steal!!

I am guilty for spending way too much time this week window shopping on the web. It's like therapy for me.
I guess it's the next stage of my development through this adoption process. I have accepted that I am so over read and researched right now that I need to give it a break. I do find that the AEP subjects are a bit monotonous and redundant for me because I am so well read on the subject... so it's time to walk away from all the books, webinars etc. What is filling my time now in addition to work etc? I have started on a baby quilt (more info to follow)... and I have started to accumulate baby clutter in my house! This weekend we will be getting Muffin's room downstairs ready for her to move into. It's her birthday in May, so we are going to decorate her room as a surprise for her. (More info on that to follow too!) This will give us a designate spot for the "stuff".

While I have been pinching pennies, and really trying to get all of the baby stuff for free, or really cheap... I have bought a couple items. I found a used crib in Airdrie that had a crack in it for $40... it's really nice and almost new. Given that hubby is so handy... the crack is no concern! I also picked up a bunch of my kids' hand-me-downs that I had passed to my sister years ago. 9 garbage bags! Can you picture my minivan... Dan and I up front, kids in carseats in the second row, 2 dogs, luggage, 9 garbage bags full, 2 boxes of shoes etc, and a crib! See... the minivan can do it all!!

And... this morning, I came across a wonderful invention on http://www.babysteals.com/ . I called my sister, who is pregnant and due in June. She wanted one too... which was great, as we could both save on shipping! It's called Babbacover... a smart little cover that goes over the carseat to keep baby warm, free from sun rays, bug free...etc. without smothering the infant. (How many times have you tried to cover your infant and the blanket falls over their face!?).
My sister bought a summer one:

And I bought this one...

How cute are they?? The fleece ones also have pockets for car keys etc. I figure if we end up with a girl... I can add some pink embellishments to it... The great thing is that they were 50% off - $25 and $32. Shipping was only $7 (to Canada!!) and our dollar is doing so well - it ended up being a few dollars less than the US price!! I think that's a steal!

AEP Self Study Plus - FAS video

We had our first conference call last night with 3 other families and the social worker. The call went well and the conversation was good. It lasted an hour and a half and we will have 3 more.

For every call, you are required to have completed certain AEP chapter reading, handouts and watch some videos. The first video we watched was an older video on working through infertility. The second was a recent news story on when adoption goes wrong. The story of a boy adopted whom was later diagnosed with FAS.

I thought I would share it with you, as most of us who are adopting will have to face this risk - despite what boxes we check or don't check.

This is a worst case, rare scenario mind you, but good to know what the risks are. The facts remain however, that no matter how a child comes into your life, there are risks. Bio children can be born with a multitude of conditions or defects. There are no guarantees.

The clip can be found here - fast forward it to 3:10.

My new BFF...

I am in love. Again. I know... spring must be in the air!

This time it's with a smart, snazzy, stylish bag that will with no doubt be my BFF! It is a Ju Ju Be BFF... and it is the bomb!

Isn't she pretty?

And that's not all... she has functionality too! She is a work horse... check it out...



You can find her website here - but I have a great tip that someone passed on to me to today that I will share with all of you. http://www.mamabargains.com/ is a great bargain site that features one product at a time with deep, discounted prices. It operates similar to the shopping channel. Apparently this bag has been known to appear on this site for over 50% off!

I really want her and would like to pair her with the Be Quick... so I'm on the hunt for a good deal.

I love my Toms!

Look what the Easter Bunny brought me! (EB gift to myself!!)

I have wanted a pair of Toms for a while now. I am leery about purchasing shoes online though. So, when I went shopping with my sister this weekend - I saw Toms everywhere! The great thing about Toms that sold me years ago is that when you purchase a pair of shoes, one pair is donated to a child in need in a third world country! One for One. How great is that! They do come with a fairly hefty price tag at $55, but they are very comfortable and you have to remember that you are indeed purchasing 2 for the price of one!

The size fits true. I am a solid 7... sometimes I can squeeze into a 6.5. I initially purchased a size 7.5, cause they felt a bit tight, but sure enough - as soon as I walked out, the backs started to slip off! They are supposed to fit snug because the fabric stretches. The size 7 was stretched out comfortably after wearing them for a day.

Please check out their website... http://www.tomsshoes.ca/ or http://www.toms.com/
Here is a great video of their mission...


 

Hoppy Easter!

Hoppy Easter!!

We are off to Alberta to spend Easter with my family. It has been a really long time since we have been there! We are also stopping by for a visit with my bestie tonight. Yay!

Hope the Easter Bunny is good to you all!

What's in a Keyword?

Do you ever look at your stats to see how people stumble across your blog? It is quite amusing!

I am happy to see that my blog is being found with the usual "DRC adoption", "Africa adoption", "Thompson Blog" etc...

But how on earth does my blog pop up for "creepy film which a girl puts a pill on boys drink"? Hmmm... yes my posts can be creepy, but the only pill I put in my boy's drink is his vitamin!


...or "woman breastfeeding dog"... seriously? Did someone really do that!? Makes me want to google that!!

Then..."hickory dickory dock, my boyfriend was eating my." I don't even want to go there!
Play along... check yours out and share it with us!!

Owl taggies and burp blankets.

I have in mind to have a "Owl" themed nursery, so I have been mucking around with my sewing machine, trying to get good at this art of sewing. I started with this set. I saw "Taggies" on the internet, and decided to create one, but in the image of an owl. Then I made a burp pad (receiving blanket) to match.

 It was a lot of fun, but very time consuming. I put a layer of plastic from a cereal bag inside (for that crinkly sound babies love!) and a layer of cotton batting as well. The tags are triple sewn, and the blanket is one layer of a super absorbent cloth diaper and a layer of flannel. A friend commissioned me to make one for her as a gift for a friend of hers. So I made this one...

In Calgary this weekend, I intend to find some fabric deals so I can start to make some owl pillows and stuffies! So fun!

Hickory Dickory Dock

Friday morning the kids and I sat around the island eating our breakfast when, out of the corner of my eye I saw something run up the wall. I thought at first that I must be seeing things - cause really, what runs up walls in Canada other than spiders? Well if you happen to have natural grass paper covering a wall like I do - mice can climb it! There was this big fat mouse... climbed up the grass paper and sat on top of my "wine" art canvas and literally sat there and looked at us!! I was in complete shock. It is not typical to ever see a mouse - the only way you know you have one is from their droppings! But to have one climb up a wall and sit on a painting and stare at you from 10 feet away is freaky!

Dan ran for the broom, opened the back door and tried to chase it out, but it ended up seeking refuge under the fridge. We have 2 cats so a mouse does not survive long in our house, especially a mouse as bold as this! Typically the way we find out that a mouse was in our house, is because we find the dead body left at the foot of my daughter's bed as a gift from the cat. We have never seen droppings etc.

The day progress, and we saw that thing 2 more times and thought for sure the cats would get it that night. The next day, we cleaned house in the am and didn't see any sign of our fat mouse. Our social worker came in the afternoon to go over our AEP. She wasn't there all but 10 minutes (sitting at our island), when the darn mouse ran across the kitchen and behind the garbage can. Dan and I both bolted instantly... he opened the back door, got the broom. I got a large tupperware container (logic???), and we tried to shoe it out the door. Once again - it escaped, but under the china cabinet this time. Our social worker was like, "What the..."??? Ha. Then we had to explain to her... and felt like idiots, trying to excuse the fact we have a mouse. Ha! She just laughed and said not to worry, she has had her own mice problems before.

Later on that evening after everyone went to bed... I saw the cat patiently sitting and staring under the TV stand. I knew the mouse had to be under there. So, I stuck my iphone up to the void under the stand and snapped a photo. A big fat (pregnant?) deer mouse! (And lots of dust, I know...)

This is where you all are going to think I have completely lost my mind... I can't set mouse traps... I can't kill anything. Really, I am that person that would bend down to pick up and rescue a worm that is dying in the sun. I like the fact that my cats take care of any rodent issues... but I can let that go as part of the animal food chain, or life cycle. I have to admit however that I have come across my cats torturing a mouse and I did save it and transported it outside. I feel sorry for them. A life is a life... So when I saw this picture... I felt sorry for the mouse, and you don't really want to know what I did next. Don't tell my husband, but I cut a piece of apple and sat it just under the ledge of the stand. My thoughts are at least it could have one good last meal. We have not seen it since. I am hoping she went outside and is not bedding down somewhere in the house to have a dozen babies... or that the cat killed it and left it somewhere to rot!

Now that I have completely grossed you all out - please have a fabulous week! lol...

Tired of tripping over it!

Anyone who has a bi-level split, knows the storage challenges we face for entryway space. Bi-level split - means when you enter the home, you are faced immediately with stairs. Stairs up and stairs down. We have no closet by the door and if you try to come in the door as a family of 4, you either get pushed up the stairs or down the stairs. At the top of our stairs there is a small closet. This closet is home to all of our current season shoes and jackets. Typically, it is a big mess of everything thrown in there. And typically... it spills out into the hallway. The kids come home from school, throw their stuff in the closet which then begins to trickle out and you end up tripping over it and by the next morning at least one person is missing a jacket or a shoe. It is pure madness.

So, I went to Walmart looking for an inexpensive solution. Tight for space... I had to create something. I found a decent enough wall hook board. Then I bought a small mat that matches our decor - thinking the rule would be that the children had to keep their shoes on the mat. Then I thought - as a Mom with 8 years under my belt, I know the impossibility of this. The reality is that those shoes and boots would never remain on the mat - they will be kicked off, tripped over, picked up by a dog and traipsed around the house. So I found these cute little bucket/baskets for $5. The kids love them! They don't look so feng shui, but they suit their purpose. The kids actually store all of their footwear in the bins and they don't get kicked all over. The mornings are now a dream... backpacks, shoes and jackets are now in one place - on the way out the door. I did not want to clutter my entryway and this is why I have not done this sooner. However, I am so over trying to make things look 'nice', I just want functionality! I wish I would have saved myself tons of morning grief and done this sooner!!

Distal bicep rupture surgery done...

Dan had his surgery on Tuesday. What a long day it was! We left the house at 11am and didn't return until 2am! I was unaware that he didn't have a "booked" surgery... but was just waiting to see if they could fit him in. They fit him in last at 8:30 and the surgery was just shy of 2 hours.

He is in a half cast and tensor bandage with strict instruction to wear the sling 24/7 - this means he can't even take it off to get dressed! In 2 weeks, he will have an appt to go get the staple taken out and get an Xray. They had to carve a section of bone out to re-attach the muscle to. The pain is pretty intense, but it doesn't stop him from going to work. I'm pretty convinced at this point that nothing can operate without him. Poor guy. He was supposed to be on bed rest yesterday and his phone wouldn't stop ringing! There he was, on the blower ordering concrete and putting out everyone's fires. He was also up first thing this am and out the door...

So, he will be in the cast for 6 weeks. They don't want him to move it at all. He cannot start physio until 12 weeks... and full healing will not happen until 6-9 months. It will be a long summer! I told Dan, his arm will be perfect for cradling a baby and that's about it!! ;)

Koda's position in the cute dog contest has been taken over... please vote - (there is no limit on how many times you can vote) Thank you!!
http://www.kbsradio.ca/Showcase/CutestPet/View.aspx?ID=211593

Profiling Koda!

Koda is our almost 2 yr old Australian Sheppard x Border Collie. We got Koda from a farm outside of Kelowna. His Mother was a pure bred Border Collie and his Father was a Australian Sheppard show dog.

Koda has the sweetest temperament of a dog. He is gentle and very loving! We have not had to teach him to do a single thing. He has picked up all of his manners and tricks from Mikha (our oldest dog) and from just naturally being attentive.

When the alarm goes off in the am - Koda jumps up on Mister's bed and kisses him good morning until he gets up. I am sure this is because Mister is usually the first one up and let's Koda out.

Koda is loved by the neighbourhood. Many dog walkers will walk by our house to pick up Koda to walk with them.

Koda has been entered in a Cutest pet contest - grand prize is a $500 doggy daycare certificate and we sure could use that! Having 2 dogs makes it difficult to find pet care when we leave town. When we finally get the "call" - this will bring some comfort to us, knowing we have a place for them to go. Please follow the link and vote a "10" for Koda - it would be much appreciated!! http://www.kbsradio.ca/Showcase/CutestPet/View.aspx?ID=211593

Thanks!!

Controversy of breastfeeding your adopted child...

Yes! It is completely possible and many adoptive Mother's do it. Some with the help of drugs, herbs and a lot of pumping! You have a great chance of successfully breastfeeding your child if you have previously breastfed.

I thought I would share an excerpt of a great article I found on Adoption.com e magazine. The full article can be found here.

"Many people do not like the idea of a woman breastfeeding her adopted child. Some feel that it is unnatural because it isn't biologically that mother's child. Others believe that if lactation has to be forced, it isn't natural and shouldn't happen. If you decide that breastfeeding your adopted child is the best choice for both you and your child, just know that you may experience some negative reactions. It will help you be emotionally prepared."


I really enjoyed a forum member's comment...
"I would agree that a few (not many) people don't like the idea. I don't however, think that anyone needs to take it into consideration is deciding whether or not to breastfeed her baby. For one thing, whether or not someone out there might disapprove is generally not a good criterion for making personal decisions. Especially when it comes to something like adoption, which most people have little or no experience with (ditto, breastfeeding), we need to be able to stand on our own two feet and not depend on the approval of others.




A new adoptive mom who wants to breastfeed has just as much right to do so as anyone, and does not need to apologize or have anyone's permission. The more confidence she can have, and project to others, the better. For some moms, suggesting that there will be many people who disapprove is likely to hamper the development of that confidence and prevent her from succeeding or even from trying. Expectations of disapproval from others can become self-fulfilled prophecies, too.


The suggestion that it might be "unnatural" really touches a nerve, with me. To those who suggest that, I would ask, "Which is more natural; for a human baby to suckle the breast of a human woman, getting at least some amount of human milk, or for a human baby to suckle a rubber or plastic nipple, getting only something that was formulated in a laboratory, based on milk that comes from a cow or a plant?" If anyone actually says that the latter is more natural, I would have to question that person's sensibilities, if you know what I mean! (That's not to criticize bottle feeding or formula, just saying that it is farther from the "natural" situation of a baby being breastfed by the same mother who gave birth to him.)


I have to say, though, that in my considerable experience, most people who are accepting of a bio mother breastfeeding accept breastfeeding by an adoptive mother, too. The biggest issue, and the only one where I think we need to consider what anyone else thinks, is about doing it in public; not whether we do it, but how we do it. We have every right to nurse our babies in any place where we have a right to be at all. We can be considerate of the comfort levels of others by learning to nurse in public without attracting undo attention to ourselves. A mom who does so has every right to expect consideration in return.


There are a few people in our lives (relatives, physicians, social workers) to whom it may be advantageous to share something about how we are able to breastfeed babies we did not give birth to. It's very satisfying when we can show others that we are raising happy, healthy, breastfed adopted babies! "

Very well said!!!

I have given this some thought and will continue to do so. However, I can't help but chuckle, thinking about the looks and comments I would receive. Breastfeeding an adopted baby might be controversial - but what about breastfeeding an adopted child that is a different race! I could just image the thoughts going through people's minds when they see me - white woman breastfeeding a black baby (or other race), sitting next to my white husband, with  2 white children running around! lol!

...And then it happened!

I received the "sign"... the "you'll know"... the "you'll have a feeling."
I have been weighing on the fence of what US agency to contract with. I was starting to consider FRC (Family Resource Centre) in Chicago. The directors were wonderful to speak with. They are always available and return emails very quickly. Something lacking from the last agency I was considering. They are also much more affordable. BUT. They have only placed 1 - ONE - UNO - baby since the Hague! The Executive director told me himself for whatever reason, they don't seem to have much luck placing in Canada. I was very concerned and hesitant to go any further because of this. Was it for lack of Canadian clients, or was it lack of the enthusiasm etc. with which the social workers represented Canadians? Perhaps, because this agency is pro open adoption (which we are)... maybe they are recommending local families?

I was told there is 4 Canadian clients. So I went on the hunt for them. I found 3 of them. The third, I met online Wednesday night. A very sweet woman and her husband who had been active clients since December. However... they weren't without their own challenges as a potential adoptive family. Just as we have a challenge that may set us back from many other applicants because we have 2 bio children. Their challenge, was they would have been considered on the older age range. So, not only do they have the "Canadian" challenge, but they are older applicants. Their profile had been shown a few times, but they had to compete with a dozen others.

Yesterday, after passing a few emails back and forth. She sent me an email that I could literally feel the vibrations from - in fact I still get goosebumps when I read it. "I do believe in miracles now..." They were not only matched! but to an infant that was already born! an infant that looks just like her husband! and papers were signed a couple hours later! No. Kidding!

To go from the helplessness of wondering if this is ever going to happen for you - to having a baby instantly. It is a miracle!... and it my sign. With less than 24 hours of meeting this woman... she received a miracle and was kind enough to share it with me!

Her experience has taught me that we absolutely have just as great of a chance at being chosen with this agency than a US client. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be! Hooray for this new family, and thank goodness I have found my "peace"!

Confessions

• I confess I have to write a confessions post because I just don't have anything to say today.
• I confess I only worked out on the elliptical for 30 minutes this morning, not 45
• I confess that I have spend the entire morning on the phone with my sister instead of working.
• I confess that I will not share my popcorn with anyone. No, not even my own children. They need to have their own bowl or bag full. Mine is sacred.
• I confess I am secretly hoping to adopt a child with curly hair... no matter what race.
• I confess that I didn't realize Blogger had a spell check option until just a month ago! Duh... I'd hate to go back and see all those spelling mistakes. lol.
• I confess that my laundry is never caught up. My version of caught up is only ever a load or two left...
• I confess that my youngest dog has been stealing the neighbours dirty diapers, bringing them to our front lawn like a prize and then ripping them to shreds all over our yard. Yuck!
• I confess that I really want to take a summer holiday to Seattle this year. We are only 8 hours away!
• I confess that I purchased $75 of tea online from Market Spice at the Seattle Pike Market.
• I confess that Market Spice Tea is one of the greatest loves in my life next to my family.
• I confess that I am wishing that Dan and I could take just one mini holiday together without kids.
• I confess that I have a very difficult leaving my children... so it kinda makes the above hard!
• I confess that I sometimes feel like moving just because I feel like I need a change.
• I confess that I realize that I only ever feel this way in the winter.

A mundane update...

- Dan saw the surgeon on Monday. Surgeon indicated that surgery should be done this week. After not hearing back them from - I called this am. Finally after a round of phone calls to them from Dan and I, they said that it is scheduled for the 18th! Pardon me?! In all the literature and confirmed by the surgeon himself - surgery needs to be done immediately. The earlier- the most successful it is.
This is taken from www.ortho.org
"If more than three or four weeks have passed since the rupture, the surgeon will usually need to make a larger incision in the front of the elbow. Also, because the tendon will have retracted further up the arm, graft tissue will be needed in order to reconnect the biceps to its original point of attachment on the radial tuberosity. "
Did we not speak loud enough the last 3 times we stressed the fact that he needs his right arm to put food (and a baby!) on the table!? Sounds like I am going to have to rage WWIII on the system... seems to be my specialty anyway. Funny enough... Dan is so worked up about it, he went as far to specifically "challenge" me to take care of it! lol. I guess he thinks I'm not one to turn down or lose a challenge.

- We continue to wait for the AEP. In the interim... I am really struggling with choosing an agency. The agency that I initially really liked and had high hopes for - is $10-20k more than the other agencies! The 2 other agencies in the running, either have a 3-6 month wait list, or have not had many successful placements in Canada. One is in Florida (vacation!?) and the other is in Chicago (pizza?). 2 very different places. If I could custom make my own agency... it would be in Florida or Louisiana, they would have no wait list, they would be affordable and successful. Ha! If life were that simple! People keep telling me that you'll know - the agency will just feel right. Pffft. Either I over analyze everything, or none of these agencies are right. I wish I had that feeling. My brain is doing the work though... I am trying not to involve my heart in this decision making process. The only really motivating factor to me is timing. Seriously, bringing home a newborn is not an option in 2 yrs. Now or never. My children are getting older and older... I really don't want too big of a gap. Sigh... it's days like these where I struggle with the "why the heck I am not just having a child?".

- It's April 6th... and it's snowing today. I sent a shout out to Mother Nature on facebook just in case she did not receive the bulletin that it is in fact spring!
Something I forgot to explain to her...
"I am purely motivated and charged by the sun... and my sunny disposition may become much sunnier if you actually come out and shine on me. I'm wilting away in the darkness of my dungeon. (My office in the basement)."

Cloth diapers - not the same as your Mama's!

I felt this needed to be given the attention it deserves.

I was shocked a couple days ago when I found out that a diaper takes 500 years to decompose! This is quoted from Environment Canada. Also shocking was the discovery that as parents, we are breaking the law and causing harm to our drinking water!

By law, you are not permitted to dispose of fecal matter in to landfills! Poop in our landfills leaches disease and virus into the earth and water sources! Gross! By law, you are supposed to scrape the poop off the diaper - into the toilet, so it can be treated at the sewage facilities! Who knew? I don't know anyone who scrapes poo off diapers! But - it all makes very good sense, and I am still unable to wrap my head around 500 years. Basically, every diaper ever made still sits in a land fill. I feel terrible about my involvement in this and resolve to do better!

This is what I discovered about modern day cloth diapers!....

Those gross wet pails that were filled with bleach water, where the diapers were left to soak are a thing of the past! They have been replaced with:

and

Remember those safety pins, that weren't always so safe?

They have been replaced with this
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And if you are not interested in playing origami with cloth like this
.

.

Then you simply invest in these:
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Scared of scraping poo? That's what flushable diaper liners are for! Just simply empty it in the toilet!
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Some smart Mama has even come up with this to make rinsing easier: Hooks right up to your toilet!!
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The only thing left to do, it wash and dry... but you were doing laundry anyway right?

If you make the change, you will save lotsa money!
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$2000 - $3000 in fact!

So, with all this in mind and the fact that:

With organic materials, they are easier on babies bottoms, reducing the risk for rashes.

They are environmentally friendly - the average baby produces one ton of disposable diapers for the land fill!!
.

They are so darn stylish!
Why wouldn't you want to use cloth diapers?

For this still not yet convinced... check out this video

Ingenious baby inventions!

Back in my baby days....

these were my favorite baby inventions:

 

I don't think my children went a day without their Robeez!

They kept socks on,

and were soft and flexible - perfect for learning to walk!

The Bumbo chair!

Keeping babies upright, happy and stuck!

The Sleep Slack

Reducing risk of SIDS, and keeping babies warm!
.

but now...

they have these...
.

Tummy Tub

Soothing and replicates the comfort of the womb!

Milk-Saver

Fits discretely in your bra to catch all the milk

leaked from the side that is not being nursed from.

Saving your precious milk!

bumgenious elemental cloth diapers

The average disposable diaper takes 500 years to decompose!!!

One size, easy, comfortable, gentle, eco friendly, convenient and STYLISH!
... not to mention much more affordable!

Distal Bicep Rupture

Yes, my husband has gone and done it. Tore his big 'ol bicep fully off the tendon like this:

And now his bicep has retracted up his arm and looks like a big soft lump at the top of his arm, while the lower part of his arm (by elbow) is small and indented from where the muscle once was. It is gross. The emergency room Dr. has ordered emergency surgery for him as soon as they can fit him in. Recovery is typically a 6 week cast, followed by 12 weeks of physio.

This is a bit hard to take given the fact that he is a contractor and needs his muscles to put food on the table! He keeps telling me (being the make lemonade from lemon type of guy), that something good will come out of it. Unfortunately, this is really bad timing with the financing of the adoption... but what can you do!?

You wanna know how he did it? He was taking Muffin to gymnastics yesterday, when I remembered last minute that it was parent watch night. I have been to several of these, so I asked if he could just attend since he was already driving her. In previous "watch nights"... parents "watched", not participated! Well Dan, being the crazy, spontaneous person he is, decided it would be fun to have a challenge with Muffin and see if he could do everything she could. I think he forgot that she has been training for 4 years... and he didn't even warm up. The 360 somersault rotation on the rings is what did him in! He heard a loud pop and almost vomited from the instant pain, although he hid it well from everyone. He called me on the way home to tell me what he had done... laughing. What a guy.

Everyone keeps asking me if this an April Fools Day joke... I wish. I will see if I can get a good picture of it.
In the interim... we wait for the call for surgery. Hopefully sooner than later.