Isaac's First Christmas

We had a good first Christmas with Isaac. After all he is our Christmas miracle. December 22nd we celebrated with Ross' parents, sister Erin, brother Nolan and his wife Nicole, sister Gina and her husband Brad and their little boy Caden. We had a wonderful time. Isaac was spoiled of course. He got the cutest little winter sweater from his Aunt Erin. His Aunt Gina, Uncle Brad and cousin Caden gave him a little musical drum. This was hand picked by Caden so it must be good! Grandma and Grandpa gave him an Aquarium for his crib and a couple toys. It was great. Christmas Eve the only plans we really had was to go to the Children's service at church. My best friend Sheila had come over earlier and Isaac got a new sleeper and a Winnie the Pooh bear that plays music. Isaac wore his new sleeper along with his Santa hat to church. After church we went over to Grandma and Grandpa K's house for snacks and a movie.

Christmas Day we headed to Milford and spent the afternoon at my Aunt Marline and Uncle Bruce's house. Also there was my Aunt DeAnna, Uncle Mark, cousins Lydia and Leah, cousin Will, Travis and his wife Juli and their little girl Addison, my brother Chad and his 2 girls Kim and Emily, my brother Ryan and his wife Michelle and Daryan and Norah. I think that's everyone. Isaac wore his little Santa suit and was as adorable as ever. We had our annual walk as usual. Every year since I can remember we write down how long we think it will take to walk 1/2 mile. Whoever comes closest wins money. This year I put down 10 minutes 45 seconds and came in at 10 minutes 26 seconds. I got 3rd place and won $2.00. Later on we did the children's exchange and grab bag. Norah had Isaac's name and he got a cute little sweater outfit. I can't wait for him to fit into it. I ended up with a flash drive which I really needed for all of Isaac's pictures. Ross ended up with what he brought (the tape measure) but he really wanted it anyway! About 4:30 we packed up and hurried over to Grandma and Grandpa W's house. We had soup and sandwiches for supper. Isaac was entered in the children's exchange this year and got a nice warm blanket from Ava. Then we did a grab bag while playing jeopardy. I'm no good at that game. I was about the last female but I did get a good gift. I got some hand soap from bath and body and a good smelling candle.

The 26th my family came to our house to open gifts. I made monkey bread for the first time and it came out yummy! My Mom and Michelle brought the rest, egg bake, orange juice, bacon and dessert. We had a great time. Isaac got a lot of cute gifts. He got a little jean jacket from Michelle and Ryan and the family. Michelle's mom Barb made him some little mittens that are so cute. Chad and Vickie got Isaac a set of onesies which are very cute. Kathy and the girls gave Isaac a little toy and a mirror for the car. Grandma and Grandpa got Isaac a Winnie the Pooh hamper, bath seat, and some sleepers. I think that's it, it's hard to remember. I got a pair of pajamas, Okoboji sweatshirt, and the Magic Bullet. Our final Christmas celebration was last night with the whole Kooiker clan. It was a good time. Uncle Glenn had Isaac's name and gave him a pair of jeans and a cute racing t shirt. I got a cute Welcome decoration. Everyone enjoyed meeting Isaac. He was a good baby.

Okay onto the pictures, I didn't get a whole lot, hard to take pictures and take care of a baby I guess!

Shots are the worst

Isaac had his 2 month shots today. It was the saddest thing for me to have to watch. He was so happy and then he was screaming and screaming. I felt so bad for him because he was in so much pain. I'm so glad I gave him some Tylenol 30 minutes before his shots. I think it helped him sleep. By the time we got to the car he was sleeping and then I took him to daycare.

He has a doctor appointment this afternoon to get his eye checked. I think it's just a clogged tear duct, but it doesn't seem to be getting any better so I figured it was time to get him checked out. I am hoping he's feeling okay this afternoon.

Tonight Ross and I have to finish Christmas shopping so Isaac's Grandma will be watching him tonight I think. I hope he isn't too fussy. I also hope he sleeps at night. Maybe the Tyelnol will help him sleep. One could only wish right?

He was doing good with his sleeping but this last week he's gone backwards and is only doing 3 1/2-4 hours at a time instead of the 5 1/2-6. I think he's going through a growth spurt right now.

Well that's all for now. Here's a couple more pictures.

Last few days have been rough!

I've been seeing a couple different chiropractors for the last 5 or 6 weeks because of my hip constantly getting out of place and the pain associated with it. Well Saturday I tried to finish up some Christmas shopping but couldn't because I could barely walk. Luckily my Chiropractor Kurt came to the office to adjust me. I'm feeling much better with regards to my hip. Sunday night I had the early signs of a sinus infection and by Monday morning I was feeling pretty crappy with a terrible pounding headache. Of course I'm not to 12 weeks yet so I can't take sudafed or anything like that. I was limited to Tylenol which didn't do much for me. This morning I again was feeling pretty crappy but had to come to work. Morning sickness hit me hard this morning and I didn't keep my breakfast down. Boy can anything else happen to me this week? I'm actually glad I have a sinus infection as opposed to a cold so Isaac doesn't get sick. He's been having trouble with being stuffed up at night and he has another clogged tear duct, but other than that he's doing well. He seems to love daycare which makes me happy. Friday he gets his shots and I am not looking forward to that at all. I have infant Tylenol on hand!

Well that's our update for now.

OB Check up

Tonight we had another OB check up. Based on my last cycle we figured I was 12 weeks or so. Dr. Springer could not find the heartbeat with the Doppler. I won't lie, I was getting pretty nervous. He assured me sometimes it's hard to find at just 12 weeks. He decided to send me down for an ultrasound to make sure everything was ok. I was so happy we got to have an ultrasound. The tech found the baby right away and he/she was jumping around like crazy. It was the neatest thing I have ever seen. We could see the heartbeat moving but we didn't get to hear it. According to the measurements of baby, I am only 10 weeks 4 days, so basically I am 2 weeks less than we thought. That's ok though, this way Isaac will be closer to 9 months when baby gets here. My new due date has been set for July 9th.

Termination Hearing/ First Week of Work

Today we received an email from our social worker stating that the Hearing for Termination of Parental Rights was held this morning. Everything went fine and the Judge signed the Order. Now we just wait until the end of April when we can begin the finalization paperwork.
This week was my first week back to work full time. Monday was a little hard leaving Isaac at Kids Club but each day has gotten better. I know he is taken care of and I know I can go visit him on my lunch break anytime so that is nice. These last couple nights he hasn't been sleeping the best and we think he might be sleeping too much at daycare. I talked to one of the caregivers and they are going to try to keep him awake a little more. We'll see how next week goes.

The Healty Families nurse said once he hits 11 pounds he might start sleeping through the night or close to it. We're still getting up twice with an occasional 3 times a night. Isaac is only 9 lbs 10 ounces so he still has a little ways to go to get to 11 pounds.
Yesterday was Ross' birthday and Isaac had his first date night with us. He slept the entire meal so that was nice.

I'm looking forward to this weekend and spending some more time with Isaac.

6 week baby well check

Isaac went to the doctor last week. I was very impressed. He is now up to 9 lbs 10 ounces and is 21 inches long. He sure has grown considering he started out at 6 lbs 2 ounces and 18 3/4 inches long. He did real good at the doctor and didn't fuss much at all which was a big help for me. Isaac doesn't need to go back until he is 4 months. Unfortunately he needs to get his shots in 2 weeks. I am not looking forward to that at all. Isaac is sleeping much better, he goes about 4 1/2 hours each time so I am getting sleep. I started back to work full time yesterday so Isaac had his first day at Kids Club. He did really well. I think it was harder on me then him.

Isaac had his one and only baby shower last Saturday. Of all weekends for a snow storm it had to be his shower weekend. Isaac and I drove to Milford the night before so we were glad about that. Even with the terrible weather we still had about 15-20 people show up and Isaac got a lot of nice gifts. We really had a nice day. I'll try and post some pictures from the shower soon.

June (or July) will be a good month

I am telling myself everyday that June or maybe July will be a good month. Isaac will be about 8 months old and will become a BIG BROTHER! Yes you read that right, I AM PREGNANT!! Isaac was just 6 days old the day we found out. I remember when the second line immediately came up. I couldn't believe my eyes. I've taken hundreds of tests over the past 3 years so I was just waiting for the one line. I freaked out when they both came up, I ran out to Ross and kept saying "oh no, oh no, oh no"! I know things are going to be very busy but I also know things happen for a reason. There's a reason we didn't find out about the pregnancy until after we brought Isaac home. God has truly blessed us more than we could imagine!!!

Right now I'm feeling "ok". I do have nausea in the morning and my hip is out of place (not sure if that is pregnancy related). I can't eat pork, found that out at my family Thanksgiving. I'm craving popsicles for some reason, but that's about it. I have a feeling I'll be one to show fairly early so I guess I should be looking for maternity clothes soon.

1 month photos

Ross' cousin Melia came over and took some pictures of Isaac and the family. I think she did an amazing job. Here are some of our favorites. There are so many favorites!!!!!!

Happiest Baby on the Block

Isaac turned 1 month old today. Here are some fun shots.



We have a nurse from Healthy Families (free county program) come out once a week and she loaned us this video and book and I do believe it is a life saver. They really show how to swaddle a baby nice and tight so the arms are tucked in. We tried it with Isaac and he never fussed last night at all. He usually fusses for about 1-2 hours at 10:00 or 11:00 but he didn't last night and he slept in his own bed the entire night. He is now going between 3 1/2 and 4 hour stretches so we are finally getting much needed sleep. This will be really nice when I go back to work December 3rd. We celebrated our family Thanksgiving last weekend. I didn't get a lot of pictures but I did get a few. Norah absolutely loves her baby cousin. She is so fun to watch!

A little better every day!

Last night was a much better night. Isaac only had to come to bed with us one time. The rest of the time he slept soundly in his safe and secure sleeper. He wakes about every 3 hours so I would say he's doing good. I hope it continues. I am just realizing I go back to work in less than 3 weeks. Today I'm going into work for a couple hours to catch up so I'll get used to being away from Isaac for a while. Here are a few pictures. Having a baby sure makes it difficult to keep updated!!!!

Sleep...What's that?

Isaac is now 16 days old. He is the light of our lives. Overall he is a good baby and doesn't fuss a lot. He does have his nights and days mixed up though which is pretty hard for Mom and Dad (especially Mom). He tends to sleep in the early evening and by 10 or 11 pm at night he's wide awake and does not want to go to sleep at all. In fact he totally fights it. Last night we were desperate and Ross took him for a car ride which was good because he fell asleep but by the time we got back to the bedroom he was awake again. Once he does fall asleep the rest of the night is okay as he goes 3 hours at at a time. It's just that first time trying to get him to sleep. We try bathing him prior to bed to calm him down but that just seems to make him more alert. It's times like these I really wish we had a bouncer or swing. He constantly wants to be held, but I really don't like going to bed with him as I don't feel like it's very safe for him. Once Ross is done with fieldwork he will be able to help at night. I really need the help because I am very sleep deprived and it's a little frustrating. I am so thankful for Isaac. He is a true blessing to our family and I wouldn't want it any other way, but right now Mom is a little irritable and exhausted.

I'll try posting some new pictures soon.

He's growing...

I took Isaac to the doctor this afternoon. Our doctor was so happy to see me carrying in an infant. Just 3 weeks ago I went in for my wrist and told him we were STILL WAITING, and now we have our baby boy. Isaac's birth weight was 6 lbs 2 ounces and he was 18 3/4 inches long with a head circumference of 12 1/2. Today he weighs 6 lbs 8.8 ounces. He's 19 3/4 inches long and has a head circumference of 13 3/4. I'm so happy that he's steadily gaining. I need to get him out of those preemie clothes!!!!!! Most stores don't carry much for preemie clothing. I had to make a trip to Dollar General to pick up some diapers to get us by for a few more days before we get to Sioux Falls. Would you believe the smallest size they have is for a 8 pound baby. So I had to go to the grocery store and buy some there.

9 days old

Isaac is now 9 days old. I can't believe he's been home with us almost a week. Today we go to the doctor for a check up. I'm anxious to see how much he's grown since leaving the hospital. He's drinking about 2 1/2 ounces every 3-4 hours. He seems to have his days and nights mixed up right now but hopefully that will change soon. We are so in love with our little guy!!!! Here's some pictures for your enjoyment!

Adjusting at home

Isaac is doing well at home. Grandma and Grandpa K, Great Grandma and Grandpa W, and Uncle Nolan all got to meet him Wednesday. Thursday my parents came over during the day to see Isaac and then Brad and Gina and Caden came Thursday night. We've had a few phone calls too so we are keeping busy. I've been doing a lot on my own as Ross has to finish combining. Once that is done he'll be able to help a lot more. It is so amazing to see Ross with his little boy. The love he has for him is amazing. I know everyone is anxious for me to post pictures on the blog. I will do so as soon as the revocation period is over which is Saturday at 5:35 pm.
Today my best friend Sheila is coming over to meet Isaac. It should be a fun day!

Day 3

Today was very emotional and stressful, but oh so worth it. We went to the hospital around 9:30 am. We spent time with Isaac and gave him his bath. He's such a wonderful baby. He had an iv in since birth. Isaac's birthmom didn't have prenatal care the entire 9 months so they gave Isaac antibiotics just as a precaution. His iv was removed this morning so that was nice not having to haul that thing around. Bonnie came in the afternoon and talked with us for a while. Kim (the director from Orange City) also came to see us. It was good to finally meet her. Around 5:00 Bonnie brought a bag of items that Isaac's birthmom had purchased for him. She is amazing and so sweet. She bought him a piggy bank filled with items, blanket, 2 outfits, and a teether. We will cherish it always. Ross and I then left the hospital and birthmom and birthdad would be there to sign papers at 5:35. I left my camera with Bonnie so she could get a picture of Isaac with his birthmom. We came back about 6:45 or so after both birthparents had left. They each spent more time with Isaac (which is a good thing for him). I know it has to be hard for them but I truly believe they are doing the best thing for him. We signed our papers and left the hospital around 8:00. The ride to my parents went well. Isaac slept the whole way.

My parents and Grandma J got to meet Isaac. They love him of course. How can you not love this little guy. We stayed a short time and headed back home. Sam came with us. He wasn't sure what to think but he's adjusting well too. The first night was a little rough. Isaac was up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours. We didn't get much sleep and we had a little problem with a diaper change, but all is well. We love this little boy so much! We have been so blessed.

Day 2

Today was another wonderful day. We got to the hospital around 9:00 am and met with the social worker again. We spent an hour and a half with Isaac and fed him a little formula. He is so sweet. We then met with "N" again. We told her how much this means to us and how much we love her son. She was so happy to hear it and she still feels she is doing the best thing for her son. After meeting with "N" she went to hold her son before being released. Ross and I went shopping and went out to lunch with our social worker. We then headed back to the hospital. The social worker met with the birthdad. "M" then he met his son for the first time. He held his son and our social worker took pictures with our camera of him holding Isaac. We will treasure this forever. We were able to meet "M". He is such an awesome person. He gave us pictures of his family and is so thankful to us. He is very sad but very happy at the same time and I feel for both "N" and "M". Ross and I spent another 3 hours with Isaac bonding with him. I love this parenting role. Ross and I were able to go pick my nephew Josh up and meet with him for supper which was a lot of fun.
Tomorrow the birthparents come back to the hospital to sign the termination papers and hopefully we will be able to head home tomorrow night. We have to pick up our other baby "Sam" and all the Grandparents want to meet Isaac. Well I'm off to bed. I couldn't sleep last night but I sure hope I can tonight as I know the sleepless nights will be here starting tomorrow.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers this week. Once Isaac is ours I will be posting pictures.

What an amazing day!

Today I wasn't feeling the best so I stayed home from church and Ross went. At 11:15 am this morning, Bonnie from the Mason City office called to ask permission to show our profile to a birthmom. She indicated this person had given birth yesterday at 5:35 pm to a beautiful baby boy. I told Bonnie to go ahead and show our profile. She indicated 2 other families would be shown. At 2:45 pm Bonnie called us back and informed us that birthmom has chosen us and asked if we could come to Fort Dodge to meet our son. We met the birthmom around 8:30 tonight. "N" is a wonderful person. She is so sweet and we are so thankful to her for many reasons. Ross and I then spent a couple hours with our son. He is the most beautiful baby boy I have ever seen. His Birthmom named him Avery Daniel. She told us it was totally up to us what we wanted to name him. We are going to name our little guy Isaac Avery. Birthmom and birthdad can sign termination papers anytime after Tuesday 5:35 pm. After they sign, the revocation period is 3 days. Keep us in your prayers!!!!

Disappointed

Our social worker emailed today to let us know that our profile was shown to one of the birthmoms in North Carolina today. This was the situation where the bmom's parents were encouraging her to parent. Anyway, this particular bmom selected another family. It is pretty disappointing and it sort of feels like a rejection. There are still 2 other bmoms in North Carolina that may be looking at our profile in the near future. Ross and I have decided we do not want to be notified when our profile goes out unless the agency needs our permission about a certain situation first. I think it will be easier not knowing.

Profile going to North Carolina

Today we got an email from our social worker. She was wondering if she could send our profile to North Carolina for a few birthmoms to look at. There are 3 pregnant African American moms right now and she briefly described the three situations.

Situation #1- In this situation there is unknown drug or alcohol use and the birthfather is aware of the situation. The birthmother is 20 years old and they have just begun to work with her, so some information is limited.

Situation #2- In this situation the birthmother is 18 years old who is looking at adoption. There has been no drug or alcohol use and the birthfather is in support of adoption. The birthmother's mom is encouraging the birthmother to parent, but the birthmother is still considering adoption.

Situation #3- In this situation the birthmother is 19 and is looking at adoption. She has been receiving prenatal care, and the birthfather is not involved in the process. The birthmother is receiving little support through the pregnancy.

We decided to pass on situation #1 because we really feel we need to know if there was any type of drug or alcohol usage. We may not know anything for a while as it's up to the birthmom as to when she looks at profiles. She may wait a little closer to her pregnancy. In all of these situations, they are all due within 3 months. I looked up North Carolina state law and it appears that after the parents sign the papers, they have 5 days to change their mind. If we would happen to be chosen we could end up having stay in NC for 3 weeks or so.

Prayers would be greatly accepted at this time!

9 months today!

Today marks our 9 month wait. I can't say it has been easy because it hasn't, at least not lately. I know that we could wait another 9 months, maybe even another whole year. It's just a matter of the right birth mom finding us. It's just bittersweet I guess you could say. If I were actually pregnant (instead of paper pregnant in the adoption world) I would be expecting a little one any time now. Unfortunately that is not the case. I have contacted our social worker and director at Bethany. Both have informed me they are still working with various birth moms in various stages of their pregnancy. Some are due yet this year and some are due in 2008. I know on the Bethany boards there are two Iowa gals that have been placed this month. Both were very fast placements. Baby was born and they were with their child within a day or two. Both of these women waited about 10 months so I could be next.

Sometimes I feel like all of our friends will be done having children by the time we receive our little one so that's hard too. I know we will get our baby some day, but it couldn't come fast enough for me.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!

To what you may ask? Well it has been 1 year since I made my very first post. Okay pretty petty I know but hey what can I say, I cherish the small things in life. Honestly I really do enjoy blogging. I remember keeping a journal as a teenager, so this is such an improvement from writing every day. If I think back to the 1990's about what I used to write, more than likely it was about a boy. Either that or I got made fun of or someone laughed at me. Those were the hard years.

I've been asked a few times, if I could go back and redo Junior High or High School, would I? My answer...not a chance! Although I enjoyed High School for the most part (excluding the homework and classes) I don't think I'd ever do it again. High School was a tough 4 years and I worked hard but I don't think I'd care to relive those teenage years. Now if you were to ask me if I'd go back to college again, that would be a yes. I loved college at ILCC. It was an amazing 2 years of my life. I learned a lot, met A LOT of friends, graduated with honors, received a degree in 2 different classes....AND to top it off, I met my husband!!!!!

So today is a day to celebrate. I just hope next blogging anniversary will have more exciting news to report. Thanks for all my fellow readers....I'll continue to update as much as I can.

The Nursery is complete

Well after many months of getting the Pooh room turned into the Nursery, we believe it is ready to go, it's only missing one thing...a baby!!!! I enjoyed working on it though, it has been fun and has kept my mind off of the adoption somewhat. I did the individual cross stitch pictures of Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore and Piglet. I also did the Pooh cross stitch quilt a few years ago. We are basically set for needs for a baby for the first few weeks besides diapers, formula and bottles. Here are some pictures of the Nursery. It was hard to work with cement walls but we did it!

"T" is for Tigger, who loves to bounce high!


All of the Pooh collectibles I have purchased or received!


"E" is for Eyeore who often feels gloomy.


"P" is for Piglet who's just a bit shy.


My mom and I covered this with Pooh fabric. Turned out great.


"P" is for Pooh, the best kind of friend.


The adoption book I purchased.


This is the quilt I made a few years ago.


Here are the Pooh pictures my Sister in Law picked up for me. They are great.


A close up on the stickups we put on the walls.


The crib. Pooh Like a Cloud theme.


Another view


Winnie the Pooh Ross gave me when we were dating.


This is my cabbage patch Abe I had as a child. I bought a Pooh outfit for him.


I did all these cross stitch projects within a few months.


We're using my old dresser instead of buying a changing table.

Weekend with the girls!

Well it was a good weekend. I had a lot of time to spend with Norah, Kim and Emily. We took Norah over to the park Saturday morning, Norah loves the swings and slide. I can't believe how much cooler it was Saturday then Sunday. Norah sure is growing up fast. She's developing quite the personality. She has a new monkey face that she makes and she looks just like her Dad when she does it. Here are some pictures I captured of the girls!

Sleeping Angel. I tried to get her to move her arm.

She loves loves loves the swings!!!

So grown up...where did the baby go?

MMMM...CHEESE!

What are we waiting for...the park is over there!

I know I'm cute.

Hey look at me in my little chair!

Awww Mattie I love you!!!!

Who? It wasn't me.

Snack time!!!! YUM!

I love this dog!

Kimmy this is fun!

Relaxing at Grandma's house!

I this was the cutest expression of Em going down the slide

Emily taking Norah down the small slide