[csw]

I went to a birthday party yesterday for a 3 year adopted from Guatemala and she has a little sister. My husband always felt 'old'..he just turned 47..he was happy that he was right in the age range of most folks there.. We first adopted I was 27 years old..had to have alot of stamina to have to live in Peru with a colicky baby who never slept for six months..don't think I could have done that now..we tried IVF, foster to adopt, domestic adoption, built a house..then finally pursued international again..finally stopped the IVF and domestic at 37 (did IVF for 5 years before that)..daughter born when I was 39..a 17 month long process from start to home in Guatemala..so..we now have a 14 year old and a 2 year old..probably the 2 'worst' ages..they both are special needs..but we didn't know that going into it..anyways..
She didn't sleep the first six months home, for more than 15 min at a time..we coslept..she is 2.5 and doesn't go to sleep till MN or 1am, up 3x..the up by 7:30 am with no nap (she was given 3 flu shots in a 8 week period..2 by mistake..all had mercury in it and she had brain damage)..part of the whole ASD thing..anyways..
even at 40, 41 I am amazed at how little sleep I can live on..maybe working 12 hour night shifts for so long and getting 2 hours sleep a day..who knows..
If we had a child sleeping from 8 p to 8am and taking a nap..really it isn't hard..but when they are up so much and you get no break at all during the day its hard..

I worked full time with our extremely active son and am off work with our daughter..there is no way I could have worked full time with her being up 8x a night..I am going back PT in Feb, just 12 hours a week..I have always had alot of patience and my parenting style hasn't changed that much between 27 and 41..I tried to nurse him..tried to nurse her..carried them both in slings..cobathed..only thing is with him we didn't cosleep..hubby wouldn't hear of it..he didn't care that I was the one going up and down the steps every 2 hours all night! Anyways..there are ton's of parents over 35..at this party we were at I think we were among the youngest there, or at least I was..alot of folks adopt in their 40's and beyond..