Sonogram Photos

We had our sonogram on Friday and it is a healthy baby!!!!

 

Can you guess what it is?  Result on last two pictures.

 

 

Photos from Fall Fest

Here are some photos from the fall festival that was a few weeks ago.  They had a blast!!!!

Here is a photo of Rodger with Minnie ears!!!  Rodger likes to say how adorable he is :)

 

 

Here is one of the little apple picker.

 





 



This weekend's activities

This weekend was very busy for us all.  Saturday, David and Kyla (our niece) went hunting for the first time.  They did not catch anything but it gave Kyla some good experience.  I took the kids to Lilah's dance class and they raised some terror there!  Afterwards, the whole family went to the trick or treat in Mt. Airy, and they were all in costumes.  They were all so precious and energetic that I completely forgot to take pictures!  Oh well, at least I can take pictures during Halloween.

I cannot believe how fast everyone is growing that is seems like yesterday I had Lilah as a newborn.  It seems like she is growing up too fast and one day soon instead of acting like she's a teenage she really will be one.  I'm still trying to figure out how David and I are going to deal with her growing up (not that we have much of a choice).  Rodger is so sweet, I wish he would stay my baby forever.

How do you possibly savor all the moments with them, even the ones where you want to pull your hair out?  Maybe one day we will learn.

Coming to an end of one section and beginning another...

We are coming to the end of our foster parent approval process.  It has been a journey being foster parents and being approved.  It is different because we had the child before we were approved or had classes; we learned a lot along the way, and it is never an easy process to learn.  I do think I learned some things from the process of what is expected of us.  It is mind boggling the standards that Social Services will hold foster parents to but not expect much of biological parents.  Everything is a lot of stress too.  Social Services will research your relationships, your life, who your friends are, your job, your ideology, and how you raise your children.  Everything about you is information open to them.

Ultimately, we shall see where it leads us.  Which it will be with us adopting or saying goodbye we do not know.  It is an adventure we signed up for and will continue to see to the end.  As David puts it, even if we do not get to adopt, we hope that whatever influence we have on her now will help them through what they will go through in the future.

Today is the Day

Today is the day, our last night of foster parent training.  This month has definitely been taxing for us.  We had a few big changes.  We changed day cares this week, we have been doing this training for the month, and we have been trusting two people with our children.

Yesterday, I went to the doctor for a regular OB appointment.  They need to find the fetal heartbeat and check my stomach measurement.  Well, they only checked for the fetal heartbeat and could not find it so they did a sonogram.  Once she looked at the sonogram (found the heartbeat and baby was moving), she insisted I needed some tests done that day.  They were looking for some neural tubal birth defects, some other defects, and gestational diabetes.   Nevertheless, David was lovely and came home early from work so I could get the testing done.  That should most likely come back normal and we shall be on our way to a normal healthy baby.

UPDATE:  Tests were completely normal!

The kids seem to be adjusting to the new day care and doing well there.  It is nice Lilah and Rodger are not currently arguing most of the ride about not going there.  They seem to like her, and Miss Debbie seems to enjoy them.  They are all excited in the morning to go there, help feed Peaches the fish, and feed the dogs.  They are also getting a lot more time outside compared to what they are used to getting.  I am definitely glad they are adjusting to their new environment better and it does seem they like the new day care better.  I feel a lot more comforted when I see they are happier in their environment.  Today though, because Rodger was tired, he was upset I was leaving because he wanted to snuggle with me.  I love their hug goodbyes so much; though, Lilah tries to bypass the hug and go about her business for the day.

The foster parent training has been interesting at times, boring at others, and really depressing sometimes.  It is interesting some of the facts you learn about foster children and their families.  Sometimes, David and I debate whether we would want to do it in the future with other children, and other times some of the issues that occur just do not seem like it is worth it.  It is interesting when you foster a child, the difference in people’s reactions give the child.

This weekend it looks like we are going to the Mt. Airy Fall Festival!  It is nice to have all these celebrations to go to with the family.  I think the kids are going to have a lot of fun doing it and running around with everyone.  I will definitely post some pictures.