[Shay]

Biggest change.....

...What has been the biggest change in your life since you have either started the process or have been home with your little one?

I know when we started the process I was like a maniac, wanting to get everything turned into our agency so the official wait for a referral could begin. I ate slept and thought about this adoption. Drove my agency nuts! Once we were officially waiting for a referral, I was consumed with the forums. I would cry everytime someone got "the call". I was an emotional wreck. The "why not me" blues.

Now that Daria is home, my biggest change has been adjusting to not being able to just go go go. Now I have to get myself ready earlier, get her ready, the diaper bag. Of course on the way out the door I am consumed with "Did I forget something?" I had this fear of forgetting her bottle and being this terrible mommy out in public.

Anyway, what has been your biggest change?

[Smylinatya]

I think I would have to agree with you...the getting ready. Our neighborhood has get togethers every weekend. They are usually around a fire and everybody just brings their lawn chairs and sits around and chats. Now, if the baby is in his crib sleeping we can't go. Just getting ready to go some place now is an ordeal...since being home we've been late to EVERYTHING and that is totally not my style. I usually over pack and then forget something. We went out to dinner one night and its HOT out up here. My son was in a tank top and shorts. When we got in the resturant, it was COLD! I didn't have a blanket or a coat for him...so I asked for a napkin and used that to cover him up. I'm sure people must have thought I was a goof ball. I love every minute of it though. I don't every really want to leave my house. I just want to stay with my son...I'm going back to work on 7/11 and I'm NOT looking forward to it at all.

Jenn

[DPline]

I already had one child, but the jump to three sure made a big difference it the work it takes to get out of the house. I sure understand the "being late for everything!" And oh my goodness, the LAUNDRY!!!!

[kadkins]

When we picked Sam up we learned that he had never slept in a crib.........his FM was SO CRAZY about him and her husband lives here in the states, so she always slept with him (even naps). When we first came home, we decided to sleep with him a few weeks until he was totally used to our home and then put him into the crib. Well he has been home a year, and yes we did out grow the queen size bed, but guess who moved out???? I will give you a hint ~ it was not Sam!!!! DH moved into Sam's bedroom.....not exactly the plan, but it worked! We have been married for nearly 15 years, and working on adopting #2, he says that he just sleeps much better, and he is not in a hurry to put him into his own bed, so I am definetly not in a hurry!! I know that everyone has different opions on sleeping with their little ones, but I would not change waking up with Sam for anything in the world!!! I am not sure how we will work Ana into the bed with us, but I am sure we will manage!

[lisam951]

For me it was getting used to having diapers and a child more dependent on me again. We already had an 8 yo dd. By that age they are pretty independent. I had to get used to remembering to bring a couple diapers and the sippy cup when we went somewhere (Marisol was 17 months when she came home). Also toddler proofing the house. I had forgotten about outlet covers until I saw her messing with an outlet. You can be sure I went right out and got some of those.

[Shay]

Smylinatya----that is great that your neighborhood does that, what fun! I also can relate to you not wanting to go back to work, I did and finally my DH found ways for me to stay home.

DPline--We had a ton of laundry for just the two of us and now with Daria it is a mountain! How does this happen? LOL

kadkins---You can't go wrong with a King size bed. I love ours!!!

lisam951---Talking about toddler proofing the house, I say to those who do not have their little ones home yet, have a friend or relative bring their child(ren) over and they will let you know very quickly what needs to proofed!! LOL

[kelleymac]

Before Jonah came home, my house would have to be at least "picked up" before I went to bed at night. Last night Mike and I sat on the couch and giggled at the fray in the living room.

My son has shown me what's important in life, and having to wade through the living room just doesn't rank high on the list.

[Bonitabonita]

Biggest changes:
* WAY more dust bunnies!
* WAY more laundry being done
* Dishwasher runs WAY more frequently
* I need to go to bed WAY earlier, and wake up WAY earlier
* All baths and showers now happen at nighttime -- it's too much in the morning!
* My little 1400 sq. ft. house is WAY smaller

[Bexter]

Laundry. I swear mine tripled when Eric came home. He is so small, and his clothes don't take up much space - where does it all come from???

One trick I learned real quick is to always keep a bucket of water with a little Dreft by the washer. Anything with a stain goes in until its washed.

[Pamsko]

We went from a family of two (my dd and myself) to a family of 5 in less than a year (married in Feb 04 and brought home the boys in Jan 05)....Wow...

I was able to quit work and be a SAHM...the biggest adjustment has been not being able to go "out" at the drop of a hat...the day we went into town with NO DIAPERBAG spelled EMERGENCY! Thank goodness one of the trips was to Toys R Us and they stocked diapers in the restrooms!

Still adjusting and loving it!

[curlyqgyrl]

Biggest change?

Well, I am no longer my husband's #1 gal....

[mary594]

Let see biggest changes

1. being a stay at home mom

2. trying to get up before Juliet so I can take a shower

3. having a 3rd person in bed with us (something I was always against) Oh Well!!!

4. The declining sex life (kind of hard to have sex when three of you are in bed, the living room floor gets old!!)

5. Never having a totally clean house

6. I think the biggest though is realizing I have emotions I never thought I had. To have such intense love, anxiety,worry, happiness and to think this little human being has caused all those emotions.

Mary

[Shay]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!

Mary594, too funny!! When we were trying to have a family years ago, I would tell my DH well we could GET IT ON more often if the dog and cat weren't in the bed so often. LOL

[lovemylittlejoe]

Joey was our first child... it was an adjustment for sure. I was not prepared really for the constant need to entertain a 7 month old who had about a 30 second attention span. He got bored quickly. I thought for sure he'd sleep more at that age. He slept a lot while we visited him in Guatemala at 5 mos. Wow, what difference when he came home at 7 mos. He was a busy little bee by then.

Finally I found a source of great entertainment for him...Cheerios If I needed to do laundry, clean house, cook or just read an article in a magazine I would put him in his walker (so he could follow me) and give him a cup of Cheerios and he'd be happy as a clam for at least 20-25 minutes.

Now that he is 3 1/2 he LOVES to converse with me (in a 3 yr. old way, not an adult way). I mean the little chatter-box never shuts up. Most of the time I love to hear him talk but it really gets on my nerves when I am trying to consentrate on something for 5 minutes. Then I have to gently suggest something for him to do (like play with his Thomas the Train set or color in a his favorite coloring book) and he usually perks up and does it, but only for about 10-15 minutes.. .then he his back at my side asking me my name, my age, informing me that I am a girl and he is a boy, what is our new kitty-cat's name, commenting on his newest boo-boo and does he think it needs a new band-aid (even though we had just put one on the same old boo-boo for the millionth time). , I could go on but most of the above is repeated over and over again.

Like I said I really get a kick out of it most of the time, but it just doesn't have an end (until he goes to bed, then I hear him in his room talking to himself).

Yes, parenthood is an amazing mix of extremely difficult and extremely fun. Something you cannot explain until you have tried it for yourself.

Joey is my life now, I wouldn't trade it for the world

[Aleea]

The biggest change for me is the sleep deprivation. If I don't get my sleep I'm useless. My dd takes after my husband who doesn't sleep much. However, since he gets up at 5am he can't attend to her in the middle of the night, so it's all me.
But the other morning (mind you, very early) she woke me up by giving me eskimo kisses. Is there anything more precious than that?