Our Adoption Journey

[corngrower]

Wife and I just completed the adoption of our new son who was placed with us at 6 months old. We started down the adoption agency path and realized there are many opportunities out there besides private adaption. If you find that either time or finances are not going the way you want. Do not hesitate to contact child services. They are desperate for good loving parents to take in children in need. You only take the ones you want I.e. under s certain age or no disability no drugs etc. Our total adoption of a healthy little boy cost a whopping 150 out of pocket an d that was only for court costs. I wish you the best. It was a wonderful end to a seemingly hopeless problem. God speed

 

[lovemachine]

I do plan on sending you some cash, nothing wanted in return except for your happiness that I will get to receive in about seven weeks (being a parent). Things have gotten a little crazy. I will say the moment you put together a stroller, pick out a name or paint the nursery, there is no better feeling then knowing something awesome will soon occupy those things. There is times that even just thinking about holding my daughter makes me so happy that I have happy tears (I know this isn't a manly thing, but with two woman in the house soon, manly things will soon be less and less and I can't wait ot just be able to hold Elizabeth Grace).

Thanks man. And I'm very happy for you

Wife and I just completed the adoption of our new son who was placed with us at 6 months old. We started down the adoption agency path and realized there are many opportunities out there besides private adaption. If you find that either time or finances are not going the way you want. Do not hesitate to contact child services. They are desperate for good loving parents to take in children in need. You only take the ones you want I.e. under s certain age or no disability no drugs etc. Our total adoption of a healthy little boy cost a whopping 150 out of pocket an d that was only for court costs. I wish you the best. It was a wonderful end to a seemingly hopeless problem. God speed

Congratulations! That's awesome news!

 

[Magneto]

Good to see things are moving along nicely.

 

[Scout]

I can understand the excitement of getting a child to adopt, but in your excitement don't forget to think of the future.

I was adopted at birth by GREAT parents, and grew up in a a family that treated me as blood.

1. DON'T HIDE FROM THEM THAT THEY ARE ADOPTED, and let them know this from a young age, or they will likely find out from somebody else and you WILL REGRET that you lied to them.
Thank God I always knew I was adopted from the time I was a small child.

2. PLEASE find out all you can about the identities of the birth parents for LATER when the "child" comes of age and wants to know.
They have a RIGHT to know this, and knowing this will NOT make you any less of their parents.
My adoptive parents will ALWAYS BE MY "REAL PARENTS" BECAUSE THEY RAISED ME.

So about this first point, my fiancée has aa daughter. We have been together since the baby was about three months. Fiancée is now pregnant with number two. (My first) when is a good time to tell the oldest I am not her biological dad? We were just going to wait until she comes to us and asks.

 

[lovemachine]

Just got word that our Home Study Review is halfway finished. About another 2 weeks, and we will be officially in their system.

 

[actaeon277]

Good luck

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Glad to read the good news.

 

[lovemachine]

So on Black Friday, my wife and I slept in a little, and then headed out to the Castleton area. We wanted to go to that store called Buy Buy Baby, and see if we can find any good deals. There are a few items that the agency said we NEEDED to have. So we were hoping to find some items on sale.

One item in particular we had to have was a car seat. My brother had recommended the Chicco Keyfit 30. After seeing the price online, I knew we weren't going to be able to afford it, but was hoping to find something that was just as good and cheaper.

Everything was so expensive. But then my wife spotted something in the middle of the isle. A Chicco Keyfit 30 with the base and a stroller. With a very cheap price tag. We found an employee and asked about it, thinking it was a mistake. It wasn't, and it was the last one, the display item.

It retails for $330, and was on sale for $165. And with my wife's 20% coupon, we got this thing at a steal.

It was a pretty good Black Friday for us. And since we brought my jeep, I was able to learn that it wasn't too bad putting a baby seat in the back.

This makes it even more real for me. I'm even more excited

 

[Tactically Fat]

Now all you need to do is get another base for the "pumpkin seat"!

Seriously. You'll want a base in each of your vehicles. That's a thousand times easier than trying to work around "the child will only ever be in one vehicle". It may work for youins...but I doubt it.

 

[chezuki]

Is Bye Bye Baby a subsidiary of Planned Parenthood?

 

[historian]

Now all you need to do is get another base for the "pumpkin seat"!

Seriously. You'll want a base in each of your vehicles. That's a thousand times easier than trying to work around "the child will only ever be in one vehicle". It may work for youins...but I doubt it.

We found a two base/one seat for our first one and used it for our second one as well. Very handy. By the time number 3 came along, we were on the only one vehicle because of cramming them in.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Now all you need to do is get another base for the "pumpkin seat"!

Seriously. You'll want a base in each of your vehicles. That's a thousand times easier than trying to work around "the child will only ever be in one vehicle". It may work for youins...but I doubt it.

Or just dont lug the kid around in a pumpkin seat. Get one of these instead.

Baby Carriers - Ergobaby

They are durable and last FOREVER. (stick with the classic. Its great)

I'd offer ours, but we probably still have one more year left. (Our youngest is over 40lbs and it still handles her easily.)

 

[Tactically Fat]

Those shoulder harness baby carriers are great...until the kid gets some size on them.

Plus it's a PIA to remove them from the pumpkin seat and get them properly situated into the shoulder harness.

We just lugged the pumpkin seat around all over. Much easier to move a sleeping baby that way!

My wife wants to go for #3...in which case we'll need all that crap again. But I'm of a "no mas" mindset. All our stuff would be beyond the recommended age limits to be used for #3, now, anyway. So we'd have to reinvest in all of it. No Bueno.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I beg to differ on the carriers. Yes, the cheaply designed crotch danglers like Baby Bjorn are uncomfy. But we have comfortably carried up to 50lbs in a classic ergo.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Now all you need to do is get another base for the "pumpkin seat"!

Seriously. You'll want a base in each of your vehicles. That's a thousand times easier than trying to work around "the child will only ever be in one vehicle". It may work for youins...but I doubt it.

I second this. Although most of the "pumpkin seats" I've seen have the ability to be straped in a car by themselves having the base is much easier.

Or just dont lug the kid around in a pumpkin seat. Get one of these instead.

Baby Carriers - Ergobaby

They are durable and last FOREVER. (stick with the classic. Its great)

I'd offer ours, but we probably still have one more year left. (Our youngest is over 40lbs and it still handles her easily.)

Even if you don't "lug them around" in them it is still handy to have an extra base. Winter time for example you can get the kid strapped in, covered up with a blanket, etc in the house and just snap it into the base. Or shopping the seats are nice when they are sleeping. Or...

 

[historian]

Yeah. Rule #1 is don't wake it up if you don't have to. Otherwise, goodbye eardrums. Being able to bundle them up and move them around without them waking is a great thing!

 

[lovemachine]

My brother in law may have a base that we can use. But I'm sure we will probably end up buying our own.

And I didn't know it was called a "pumpkin seat".

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Being able to bundle them up and move them around without them waking is a great thing!

Not even just for not waking them up. You can dress them a good bit lighter in the winter, strap them in the seat and use a good warm blanket. When in the warm car uncover so they don't get over heated and when your ready to take them back out just cover them back up.

My brother in law may have a base that we can use. But I'm sure we will probably end up buying our own.

And I didn't know it was called a "pumpkin seat".

I have no idea why they are called that, and I didn't know until my second kid.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I also have no idea why they're called a pumpkin seat. My wife calls/ed them that...therefore I do, too.

As far as the shoulder-born carriers... We have had one of the front/back carriers. Decent brand, not sure which one. It works OK, I suppose. It's a shoulder and back killer, though.

When the #1 kid got big enough and strong enough, we invested in a bona-fide kid carrier backpack. Rigid frame, waist belt, the whole shebang. That was a godsend.

Hanging more than 20lbs off only the shoulders...for any length of time...really makes me shudder. And my back ache. I guess if you've got super-human core-strength then it may be OK - but that's certainly not me.

 

[lovemachine]

Update:

Just heard from the agency, that we are officially activated. Everything is finished, all forms filled, and we are now in their system. They will begin to share our profile/bio to everyone now.

It's just a waiting game now