[Beth.]

Sunflower -- The year-round school might work out really well for your son. My friend teaches high school students with some special needs (primarily autism spectrum). She hates the first couple of months back to school in the fall because she feels like it takes that long just to get the kiddos back into the routine of school. She really feels like that time is wasted because it's mostly behavior, not much learning. I know it stinks for working moms, but maybe it will work out really great for your son.

BTW -- Don't you love the way that sounds ... your son! I don't post much here, but I lurk a lot and have followed your story since I joined. Congratulations!

[Momtonick]

HHM~ I do hope you hear something soon. It can be pure torture to live thru a weekend waiting for news. How exciting! Keep us up to date with the progress.

Celina~ I am praying that you can bring Devin home soon and have a few days together before your dh has to head back to work. I agree with the PP, it must be so very hard to live out of a hotel. How are you passing the time?

Julie

[Celesyee]

Julie--Believe me...it's so not fun living in a hotel. Luckily we're staying at an extended stay (Marriott Residence Inn) so it's like staying in an apartment building. We have a 1 bedroom suite (separate sleeping and living quarters), a kitchenette, an onsite laundry room, and free hot breakfast buffet in the morning. But we're eating the same thing every morning for breakfast, lunches are sandwiches, and dinners are simple meals. DH has been staying up at night with Devin since I'll be doing that once we return home so during the day both of them are sound asleep while I sit here surfing the net and watching TV. So ready to go home!!!

By the way, I recommend to all PAPs that you stay in an extended stay hotel with a kitchenette and on-site or nearby laundry facility when you travel to pick up your child. That has been one of the top best advice I've received through these forums!!!

[leenie71]

Cel, hope you and dh hear something soon about going home. I agree about the extended stay hotels upon placement....back in our IVF days when we cycled out of state, we always stayed in a Wyndham extended stay and it was much more comfortable than a regular hotel room.

HappyHopeful, crossing my fingers that you hear good news today! GL!

Julie, best of luck...hope you get the call soon! That must be nerve-wracking. Thinking positive thoughts for you!

[crystalp]

Oooooohhhhhh! I'm so excited! I just sent off the contact form to the foster care foundation that handles everything for our state. I just thought, you know, we are planning on contacting and starting everything in August, but what if they only start classes twice a year (like I have heard some states do)? I don't want us to have to wait a few extra months just because we missed the start of classes by a few weeks. So, I sent of for info today! Dh is SO going to roll his eyes at me .

Also, I'm also excited to say that I think we are going to be open to either a boy or a girl, instead of just boys like we originally planned. I figure, since our son is going to be at least 4 1/2 before we get our new bundle, and who knows how long it will be before we get the baby that we can adopt, getting a brother for him would be just that. He could say that he has a brother, but they wouldn't play together or anything. They would be too far apart in age. So, I figure that we have all of the boy clothes that we need if we get a boy for a placement, but if we get a girl, I have some non-gender specific clothes that could last a day or two until we could run and buy some clothes. (Although I may not be able to stop myself from buying one or two little girl things!!! ) We switched our girls' rooms so that our oldest dd is in the larger room of the girls' rooms, so that if we do get a girl, we will put the crib in our oldest dd's room, and if we get a boy, the crib will go into our ds' room. We'll probably set up the crib in one of the rooms for the homestudy just to show the sw that we really do have a crib and we are all ready.

Sorry for rambling, but I'm just so excited!

[Celesyee]

ICPC is approved!!! We are all set to leave Oklahoma tomorrow morning at 9am and won't get to Hawai'i unitl 2:30pm....17hrs of traveling (sigh). Hopefully Devin will be a good boy! "See" everybody when I back!

Crystal--LOL I did the samething w/ DH and it still took almost 1-1/2yrs of finally getting a placement. Good luck! I'm so excited for you!

[devildogwife]

Hi everybody. We had a much happier, more stable day. The ballooning last night was definitely the right decision! He has had great sats, anywhere from 68-80. He's still sedated and he has soft restraints on, because when he stirs, he'll go right for his face. Honestly, I wish his arms weren't restrained, but he can't be pulling out his tubes. He is getting more lasix (diuretic) to get him ready for surgery. He gained a whole kg (2.2lbs) since Friday in fluids alone.

I called a heart mom I know here and she was very encouraging. I'm relying on God, because I cannot do anything more myself. Today was a much better day.

Tigger and sunflower-so excited for you both!

Cele-hope you're home soon.

[jennf]

congrats! I am sure you are so excited to get back to your own place. so happy for you!

[KarynB]

Cel - that is great news! Have a great trip home.

Leigh - yup, I'll be there during the week with both my boys - wanna hang out?

Tigger - well...we're waiting............

[fastaff]

Hooray!!! I get back to Hawaii at 2.15pm, maybe I will see you at the airport..... I'm so glad for you...walking in the door with your new baby is an experience I will always remember...have a safe trip...I sent you a PM as well..

[Tigger2]

Hi everyone!

Finally our update- We got a call at 1:12 this morning saying that emom was stalled at 6 and had been for several hours, so they were doing a c-section. We spent the next hour and 45 minutes as a bundle of nerves. At 2:45 the call came that baby was born at 2:03 and was very healthy and emom was doing fine. At that point we actually got some sleep.

We were able to go to the hospital at about 11:00 this morning and be introduced to our little guy- all 8 lbs 8 ozs and 20 inches of him. Not long after we arrived, birthmom asked if I would like to hold him of course I jumped at the chance. What an awesome feeling to have him in my arms. When DH held him I cried- he was sooo meant to be a daddy. We were at the hospital all day with the birthfamily and babe. Came back to the hotel long enough to download and upload pics to the family, answer some e-mails and of course check in here.

Papers can be signed tomorrow, however birthmom may want baby to stay at the hospital until they release her which will be Wednesday. We are still feeling very good about our relationship with the birthfamily and feel they are committed to the placement plan.

Once papers are signed I will post pictures.....

Thank you for all the support during our journey- you guys are the best!

Hugs to everyone still waiting- Have faith, don't give up, IT WILL HAPPEN!!!

Celesyee~ Safe travels tomorrow.

Felicia~ Can't wait for YOUR day to get here!

DDW~ So happy to hear that today was a good day!

[Leigh131313]

Karyn - yeah! What dates are you there for? Not to mention which would you be available on...

Let me know girl!

[HappyHopefulMommy]

Cel - So glad you are on your way home tomorrow!

Tigger - Congratulations, can't wait to see pictures.

Crystal - our agency did the classes quarterly and we missed one by a week and had to wait 3 months for the next one. Good luck, it doesn't hurt to start and see when those classes are.

No news on the sib set. Other than I had an email from my worker (after I emailed her), she said that sometimes she never hears anything back from the kids worker. She said she would call her a few times this week, but if she hasn't heard anything by the end of the week we should assume she has a family for them. It wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear from her, but there isn't anything I can do. These kids just seem really perfect for our family. If they aren't ours though, then there are more perfect ones out there somewhere.

[Momtonick]

Tigger congratulations on your little man! How wonderful. I will be thinking of you and the birthmother.

Cel~home sounds like such a wonderful word. So happy you will be there soon. Good luck on your flight.

Noelle~you're right, if they are meant to be yours, they will be. And if not, then someday I hope you will know the reason.

We should hear this morning. I'm not optimistic but if we are not chosen, at least we have a terrific vacation ahead of us tomorrow.

So much good news today!

Julie

[Honesty76]

We are on the hourly countdown now! We leave at 2:30 a.m. tomorrow morning (that's tonight to me) to head to the airport to fly to bring our baby HOME! 24 hours from now we will be holding her for the very first time. I've been so crazy busy making arrangements for my other five kiddos, cleaning my house for visitors, preparing for baby, etc. It's been exhausting but soooo worth it!


It's off to NYC for us!

Take care everyone!
~Leslie