This morning I took the boys out behind our house, and we spent some time picking blackberries. For a little while, James helped load some blackberries in the back of his Tonka dump truck, but for the most part, I did most of the picking. Then after a little while, we just went on a long walk...James pushing his dump truck, and me pushing Sam in the stroller. Sam fell asleep in the stroller which I expected. Upon our return home, I placed Sam into his crib, and James went to town on the blackberries...literally eating every single one that had been picked.
When I was young, I remember going out with my mom and picking blackberries. We would have so much fun picking pails full of blackberries and then come home and make some yummy goodies with them. When James and Sam are a little older, perhaps that will be the goal...to pick enough blackberries to make a yummy cobbler or pie with. For now, though, the simple joy of munching away on ripe, freshly picked blackberries ranks pretty high on my two year old's list. I couldn't ask for much more than that.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
During the summer months, especially, my husband and I love to make homemade ice cream. James is a big fan of licking the spare ice cream off the beater when the ice cream has finished churning. I enjoy looking for new recipes to try and test out because sometimes you can find a real keeper. That is exactly what happened the last time we made ice cream. I found a recipe for Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream, and boy, was it delicious!
http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2008/07/double-chocolate-peanut-butter-ice-cream/
I did make a few changes from the original recipe, but that is just because of the items I had on hand. Instead of using semi sweet chocolate, I used bittersweet. I believe the bittersweet chocolate made the ice cream even more intense in flavor...it is extremely rich. Also I don't think I cooked my chocolate mixture quite long enough...next time I will wait for it to be a thicker pudding type texture. Mine was the consistency of cooked pudding...it would coat the wooden spoon, but it wasn't that thick...if that makes sense. Also the ice cream itself did not set up well in the ice cream maker...we decided it was because we didn't let the mixture cool long enough in the fridge beforehand. I also decided that next time we make this flavor, because believe me, there will be a next time, when I fold in the peanut butter at the very end, I will put smaller globs of peanut butter in at a time...I made the mistake of taking my whole 1/4 cup and plopping it right in mostly together which creating a few huge chunks of peanut butter in the final result.
We ate some of the ice cream the same night we made it (once again not letting it set long enough in the freezer), and it was tasty even though the peanut butter was quite soft still. Then the remaining ice cream we ate the following day was amazing...the consistency and flavor of the stuff you buy at the ice cream shops.
Fair warning, this only makes a small portion. If you plan on feeding several people, I would definitely increase the amount.
The ice cream is decadently delicious! I highly recommend trying it if you are a lover of chocolate and peanut butter.
http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2008/07/double-chocolate-peanut-butter-ice-cream/
I did make a few changes from the original recipe, but that is just because of the items I had on hand. Instead of using semi sweet chocolate, I used bittersweet. I believe the bittersweet chocolate made the ice cream even more intense in flavor...it is extremely rich. Also I don't think I cooked my chocolate mixture quite long enough...next time I will wait for it to be a thicker pudding type texture. Mine was the consistency of cooked pudding...it would coat the wooden spoon, but it wasn't that thick...if that makes sense. Also the ice cream itself did not set up well in the ice cream maker...we decided it was because we didn't let the mixture cool long enough in the fridge beforehand. I also decided that next time we make this flavor, because believe me, there will be a next time, when I fold in the peanut butter at the very end, I will put smaller globs of peanut butter in at a time...I made the mistake of taking my whole 1/4 cup and plopping it right in mostly together which creating a few huge chunks of peanut butter in the final result.
We ate some of the ice cream the same night we made it (once again not letting it set long enough in the freezer), and it was tasty even though the peanut butter was quite soft still. Then the remaining ice cream we ate the following day was amazing...the consistency and flavor of the stuff you buy at the ice cream shops.
Fair warning, this only makes a small portion. If you plan on feeding several people, I would definitely increase the amount.
The ice cream is decadently delicious! I highly recommend trying it if you are a lover of chocolate and peanut butter.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Simple Joys
Oh, to be two years old again! My son, James, finds joy in the most simple ways.
This morning we went out front, and James ran through the Elmo sprinkler squealing with delight. It was adorable and precious to watch his overwhelming excitement.
James is enthralled with floss. He will actually climb up to the bathroom counter to extract floss. James will pretend to floss his teeth, and then he will roll his floss up, stick it in his mouth and chew on it. Apparently he likes the minty flavor and the feel of the woven floss.
Chap stick is another popular item with James. If he finds a stick, it is equivalent to finding a buried treasure, or so you would guess based of James's reaction. James will put some on his lips, but he will also stick his finger in to extract some and rub it all over the place.
If I put James in his highchair with some yogurt and turn my back too long, he will have covered himself in the yogurt...his face...his arms. I have taken more than one picture of my silly yogurt boy. There is something about the tactile feel of the yogurt that is greatly appealing.
Finger painting is an activity James loves as well. There is once again great delight in spreading the finger paint on the body creating a body masterpiece, but usually that is after James has already painted a few pictures. A quick rinse in the hose and playing in the water afterward makes for easy clean up.
I need to be sure to incorporate more tactile experiences in our days. I have no problems with James getting messy or dirty...I expect as much. I should be creating more opportunities to experience new textures and fun new ways to experience the same item. Then again...some of that happens already because James is such a little explorer and a creative child.
This morning we went out front, and James ran through the Elmo sprinkler squealing with delight. It was adorable and precious to watch his overwhelming excitement.
James is enthralled with floss. He will actually climb up to the bathroom counter to extract floss. James will pretend to floss his teeth, and then he will roll his floss up, stick it in his mouth and chew on it. Apparently he likes the minty flavor and the feel of the woven floss.
Chap stick is another popular item with James. If he finds a stick, it is equivalent to finding a buried treasure, or so you would guess based of James's reaction. James will put some on his lips, but he will also stick his finger in to extract some and rub it all over the place.
If I put James in his highchair with some yogurt and turn my back too long, he will have covered himself in the yogurt...his face...his arms. I have taken more than one picture of my silly yogurt boy. There is something about the tactile feel of the yogurt that is greatly appealing.
Finger painting is an activity James loves as well. There is once again great delight in spreading the finger paint on the body creating a body masterpiece, but usually that is after James has already painted a few pictures. A quick rinse in the hose and playing in the water afterward makes for easy clean up.
I need to be sure to incorporate more tactile experiences in our days. I have no problems with James getting messy or dirty...I expect as much. I should be creating more opportunities to experience new textures and fun new ways to experience the same item. Then again...some of that happens already because James is such a little explorer and a creative child.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Homemade Baby Food
I have decided for Sam I am going to make his baby food...at least until WIC provides baby food for him when he is six months old. Then any food I need to supplement, I will make myself. I probably should have done the same thing with James, but he didn't even start baby food until he was six months old, and he had so many gagging issues that it might have just been an overall frustrating experience had I made homemade baby food.
Well...Sam has been on rice cereal about two weeks now without any reactions, so we decided to start introducing new foods. I had read that avocado is a good first food to introduce, and since it is available and easy to prepare, I have started there. Last night I just took a chunk of avocado, smashed it up really well and then added some water to thin it out. Sam was really hungry when we tried it, and he seemed indifferent to the taste, but he did eat about six small spoonfuls. I will continue with the avocado for the next few days to check for allergies and then move onto other foods.
I purchase some ice cube trays (we didn't have any because we have an ice maker in our fridge), so I will be able to make large portions at one time and freeze them. This is something I also read works well. Each ice cube is about one ounce, and once frozen, they can be bagged into freezer bags and marked with the date of preparation. Then they can just be removed from the freezer and thawed in order to serve them. We will see how all of this goes, but it is my plan this time around.
Well...Sam has been on rice cereal about two weeks now without any reactions, so we decided to start introducing new foods. I had read that avocado is a good first food to introduce, and since it is available and easy to prepare, I have started there. Last night I just took a chunk of avocado, smashed it up really well and then added some water to thin it out. Sam was really hungry when we tried it, and he seemed indifferent to the taste, but he did eat about six small spoonfuls. I will continue with the avocado for the next few days to check for allergies and then move onto other foods.
I purchase some ice cube trays (we didn't have any because we have an ice maker in our fridge), so I will be able to make large portions at one time and freeze them. This is something I also read works well. Each ice cube is about one ounce, and once frozen, they can be bagged into freezer bags and marked with the date of preparation. Then they can just be removed from the freezer and thawed in order to serve them. We will see how all of this goes, but it is my plan this time around.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Rough Transitions
James, my older son, doesn't seem to handle transitions very well unless he has enough warning and is prepared for what will be happening next. This applies to many activities: leaving the park, getting ready for bed, going grocery shopping, etc. Most of this is probably typical of being a two year old.
The hardest lately has been Sunday school at church. At our church, the classrooms are broken down by age groups (except for the infants which are broken down by walkers or non-walkers). Every six months there is a promotion weekend where children are moved up into their next classroom if they have already turned the appropriate age. James was moved up from the walkers room to the two year old room at the last promotion.
When we drop James off at his class, he is crying and clinging to Daddy. Then according to the workers in his classroom, he settles down; however, each time the class transitions, James has a mini meltdown and needs someone to hold him for a little bit. I can see this happening because the same thing can happen at home if I do not prepare James well for a switch in activities. Also this is so unlike the walkers room because there wasn't much structure in the walkers room...mainly just free play. Now James has open play, story time, music time, arts & crafts, snack and outdoor play in a much more structured environment.
I know it will probably just take a little more time for James to adjust to his new class. The same thing happened when he moved from the nursery room to the walkers room...it took him a few weeks to settle into the rhythm, so to speak. It is just so hard in the meantime to have James start saying "no church" when we pull into the parking lot and to see him melt down when he gets dropped off.
I know the Sunday school workers will page us if he doesn't settle down and needs a parent to come calm him down, so that helps put me a little at ease, but it is still difficult. At the same time, I don't want to make the issue worse by pulling him out or allowing him to sit in the big church with us because James won't learn to handle these situations well.
Don't get me wrong...if James was obviously hating being in his class, we would pull him out and allow him to sit with us until he settled in more. However, he is smiling when we come to pick him up, and he is usually pretty excited about his craft projects and everything. There is no way the big church service would be fun for him at all...except perhaps the music.
Hopefully James will adjust soon to his new classroom and look forward to church on the weekends instead of dreading it. I expect we may have to deal with this emotional conundrum each time James moves up to a new classroom, but eventually I have hope that James will be able to handle the changes without it affecting him so drastically.
I also know the time will be coming for Sam as well. It will not be a fun process, but with separation anxiety, I can at least breathe a sigh of relief and think I am doing something right since that is a sign of bonding and attachment...or so I've been told. With James we pulled him out of the nursery for a good few months when he went through separation anxiety because we would be paged out of church all the time, and we figured it wasn't worth the stress to James. We will do the same for Sam if need be. Technically the only reason we have Sam in the nursery already is because there are occasional weekends where both my husband and I volunteer (hubby works in tech booth, I help with special needs), so we wanted to make sure Sam could handle nursery well for those days. We kept him with us in service for awhile at first for the whole bonding and attachment focus.
Watching your child grow up is amazing, and you just hope you are doing the right thing and teaching them properly.
The hardest lately has been Sunday school at church. At our church, the classrooms are broken down by age groups (except for the infants which are broken down by walkers or non-walkers). Every six months there is a promotion weekend where children are moved up into their next classroom if they have already turned the appropriate age. James was moved up from the walkers room to the two year old room at the last promotion.
When we drop James off at his class, he is crying and clinging to Daddy. Then according to the workers in his classroom, he settles down; however, each time the class transitions, James has a mini meltdown and needs someone to hold him for a little bit. I can see this happening because the same thing can happen at home if I do not prepare James well for a switch in activities. Also this is so unlike the walkers room because there wasn't much structure in the walkers room...mainly just free play. Now James has open play, story time, music time, arts & crafts, snack and outdoor play in a much more structured environment.
I know it will probably just take a little more time for James to adjust to his new class. The same thing happened when he moved from the nursery room to the walkers room...it took him a few weeks to settle into the rhythm, so to speak. It is just so hard in the meantime to have James start saying "no church" when we pull into the parking lot and to see him melt down when he gets dropped off.
I know the Sunday school workers will page us if he doesn't settle down and needs a parent to come calm him down, so that helps put me a little at ease, but it is still difficult. At the same time, I don't want to make the issue worse by pulling him out or allowing him to sit in the big church with us because James won't learn to handle these situations well.
Don't get me wrong...if James was obviously hating being in his class, we would pull him out and allow him to sit with us until he settled in more. However, he is smiling when we come to pick him up, and he is usually pretty excited about his craft projects and everything. There is no way the big church service would be fun for him at all...except perhaps the music.
Hopefully James will adjust soon to his new classroom and look forward to church on the weekends instead of dreading it. I expect we may have to deal with this emotional conundrum each time James moves up to a new classroom, but eventually I have hope that James will be able to handle the changes without it affecting him so drastically.
I also know the time will be coming for Sam as well. It will not be a fun process, but with separation anxiety, I can at least breathe a sigh of relief and think I am doing something right since that is a sign of bonding and attachment...or so I've been told. With James we pulled him out of the nursery for a good few months when he went through separation anxiety because we would be paged out of church all the time, and we figured it wasn't worth the stress to James. We will do the same for Sam if need be. Technically the only reason we have Sam in the nursery already is because there are occasional weekends where both my husband and I volunteer (hubby works in tech booth, I help with special needs), so we wanted to make sure Sam could handle nursery well for those days. We kept him with us in service for awhile at first for the whole bonding and attachment focus.
Watching your child grow up is amazing, and you just hope you are doing the right thing and teaching them properly.
Friday, July 22, 2011
The Cheering Squad
My husband is participating in a triathlon this weekend. I am hoping to see him a couple times along the way with the boys, but if nothing else, we will meet him at the finish line. For each of the boys I took a plain white shirt and decorated it with fabric markers. It has an outline of a trophy with the words "Daddy is # 1" on the inside. Then I took a plain gray shirt of my own and made the same trophy outline with the words "Hubby is # 1" for me to wear.
It is a tiny way to show our support, and families are meant to support each other and encourage one another in activities of interest. Hopefully he will appreciate the small gesture.
It is a tiny way to show our support, and families are meant to support each other and encourage one another in activities of interest. Hopefully he will appreciate the small gesture.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
One of Those Days
Have you ever had a day where no matter what you do or how hard you try, you cannot seem to make your children happy? That is today for me. It didn't start off that way. Everyone was happy while Daddy got ready for work and headed out the door, and it lasted for a little while later. Perhaps it was because my plate was too full...perhaps I was trying to get too much done and not able to give adequate attention to my little ones. After all I was baking banana bread (had extremely ripe bananas I needed to get rid of), packing a lunch (for us to meet Daddy at the park by his work during lunchtime), changing laundry loads, packing the diaper bag and whatnot. Don't get me wrong...I did give attention to my boys. In fact I helped my little engineer, James, relocated his train tracks from the train table to create a more elaborate layout on the floor of the living room.
Both of the boys started melting down as I tried desperately to get us out of the house in time to meet Daddy. I had two crying, screaming little boys on my hands. Thankfully James passed out in the car (that was most of the problem...he was tired) and Sam passed out once we reached Daddy's work. They were able to take short little naps which helped them enjoy their time at the park with Daddy. I am grateful that Daddy had a good experience with the boys.
However, upon returning home, I have the same issue all over again. James, who usually goes right down to sleep without a fuss, started to cry and scream after being put into bed. Meanwhile Sam was crying in the other room, so I changed Sam's diaper, went back to James and sang him a couple more songs while holding him and then put him to bed. That time he decided to succumb to sleep. However, even though Sam is exhausted, I cannot for the life of me get him to close those little eyes. Instead he cries and fusses at me. He will be content for a brief moment and then start crying again. I do think Sam is teething, so I am sure that is where most of his inability to remain content comes from. In just a moment, I am going to rock him in the rocking chair and hope for the best.
With my luck, by the time I get Sam sleeping, James will be yelling "Mommy!" to let me know he is awake and ready to play. As long as James wakes up in a good mood, it will be alright. If not, the long day will have an even longer afternoon.
Both of the boys started melting down as I tried desperately to get us out of the house in time to meet Daddy. I had two crying, screaming little boys on my hands. Thankfully James passed out in the car (that was most of the problem...he was tired) and Sam passed out once we reached Daddy's work. They were able to take short little naps which helped them enjoy their time at the park with Daddy. I am grateful that Daddy had a good experience with the boys.
However, upon returning home, I have the same issue all over again. James, who usually goes right down to sleep without a fuss, started to cry and scream after being put into bed. Meanwhile Sam was crying in the other room, so I changed Sam's diaper, went back to James and sang him a couple more songs while holding him and then put him to bed. That time he decided to succumb to sleep. However, even though Sam is exhausted, I cannot for the life of me get him to close those little eyes. Instead he cries and fusses at me. He will be content for a brief moment and then start crying again. I do think Sam is teething, so I am sure that is where most of his inability to remain content comes from. In just a moment, I am going to rock him in the rocking chair and hope for the best.
With my luck, by the time I get Sam sleeping, James will be yelling "Mommy!" to let me know he is awake and ready to play. As long as James wakes up in a good mood, it will be alright. If not, the long day will have an even longer afternoon.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Birth Family Visits
Our family didn't deal with birth family visits with our first son. Once he moved from his emergency placement foster home to our concurrent (willing to foster or adopt) home, his birth mom essentially fell off the planet. We think that is about the time she found out she was pregnant again, but that is a different story.
Sam has been having visits throughout his time in our home. Although I don't know that it counts much...considering he only had a total of three visits with a family friend during the first couple weeks in our home. We originally thought he would move there since she has his older brother whom she is in the process of adopting. It is confusing and complicated, but Sam will not be living in that home. The current visits are with birth mom and birth dad who just recently requested them once the court ruled that the court would not be providing birth mom and birth dad with a case plan...they are moving Sam into the adoptions unit. Today's visit was the first time birth mom was present seeing as how she was just released from jail.
I feel divided in my thoughts regarding this whole process. I think it is good for the birth parents to see Sam and see that he is being taken care of well. I feel bad for the parents because they cannot get their acts together...some of the issues being mental capacities. My heart breaks that there isn't family able to provide appropriate care for this special baby boy. I know my husband and I are doing nothing wrong by taking Sam into our home and providing a family for him, but a part of me grieves Sam's loss already, and the adoption hasn't even taken place yet.
Pros of visits:
*The visits are supervised, and the supervisor is amazing in dealing with threat assessment and keeping the baby's safety the biggest priority.
*We will have pictures of birth mom and birth dad to show to Sam as he gets older and asks about them.
*Birth mom and birth dad will hopefully feel better about Sam being in our home.
*We have been able to get a better picture of what mental health issues and developmental delays look like in the parents, so we have a better idea of what we may encounter during Sam's lifetime.
*I have been able to send pictures to the birth parents, so they have some to hold onto. We would be willing to continue sending small updates and pictures with them after the adoption is finalized.
Cons of visits:
*It is hard on my son, James. He always asks for Sam a lot while he is gone and gets really clingy. This is good because you can see a bond is forming between the boys, but it breaks your heart too.
*I am afraid it may give birth parents a false sense of being in their child's life. At this point in time we do not feel it would be safe to have visits with the birth parents, but we would be willing to send a few pictures and updates a few times a year.
*I am not sure if visits will create attachment issues for Sam. I imagine not, but I don't know what goes through a baby's head when you essentially hand them over to a stranger and allowed them to leave for a few hours being under the care of strangers (maybe not the best word, but the best I can think of right now). I mean...we have had our boys baby-sat by our family members for short periods of time, so my husband and I could have a date or something, but in these circumstances, the baby is being left with familiar faces...people he is used to seeing in his life.
I don't know. Like I said, I am torn on how I feel. I am grateful we will have pictures of Sam's birth parents, but I wish we had the same for James. I am glad Sam's birth parents at least wanted to see him, and I wish I could say the same for James. My heart breaks for my two precious babies. Sometimes when I think about their stories, it makes me cry for them. Hopefully someday they will grow into confident, amazing young men who choose not to let their pasts define them. That is a tiny tidbit of my prayers for them.
Sam has been having visits throughout his time in our home. Although I don't know that it counts much...considering he only had a total of three visits with a family friend during the first couple weeks in our home. We originally thought he would move there since she has his older brother whom she is in the process of adopting. It is confusing and complicated, but Sam will not be living in that home. The current visits are with birth mom and birth dad who just recently requested them once the court ruled that the court would not be providing birth mom and birth dad with a case plan...they are moving Sam into the adoptions unit. Today's visit was the first time birth mom was present seeing as how she was just released from jail.
I feel divided in my thoughts regarding this whole process. I think it is good for the birth parents to see Sam and see that he is being taken care of well. I feel bad for the parents because they cannot get their acts together...some of the issues being mental capacities. My heart breaks that there isn't family able to provide appropriate care for this special baby boy. I know my husband and I are doing nothing wrong by taking Sam into our home and providing a family for him, but a part of me grieves Sam's loss already, and the adoption hasn't even taken place yet.
Pros of visits:
*The visits are supervised, and the supervisor is amazing in dealing with threat assessment and keeping the baby's safety the biggest priority.
*We will have pictures of birth mom and birth dad to show to Sam as he gets older and asks about them.
*Birth mom and birth dad will hopefully feel better about Sam being in our home.
*We have been able to get a better picture of what mental health issues and developmental delays look like in the parents, so we have a better idea of what we may encounter during Sam's lifetime.
*I have been able to send pictures to the birth parents, so they have some to hold onto. We would be willing to continue sending small updates and pictures with them after the adoption is finalized.
Cons of visits:
*It is hard on my son, James. He always asks for Sam a lot while he is gone and gets really clingy. This is good because you can see a bond is forming between the boys, but it breaks your heart too.
*I am afraid it may give birth parents a false sense of being in their child's life. At this point in time we do not feel it would be safe to have visits with the birth parents, but we would be willing to send a few pictures and updates a few times a year.
*I am not sure if visits will create attachment issues for Sam. I imagine not, but I don't know what goes through a baby's head when you essentially hand them over to a stranger and allowed them to leave for a few hours being under the care of strangers (maybe not the best word, but the best I can think of right now). I mean...we have had our boys baby-sat by our family members for short periods of time, so my husband and I could have a date or something, but in these circumstances, the baby is being left with familiar faces...people he is used to seeing in his life.
I don't know. Like I said, I am torn on how I feel. I am grateful we will have pictures of Sam's birth parents, but I wish we had the same for James. I am glad Sam's birth parents at least wanted to see him, and I wish I could say the same for James. My heart breaks for my two precious babies. Sometimes when I think about their stories, it makes me cry for them. Hopefully someday they will grow into confident, amazing young men who choose not to let their pasts define them. That is a tiny tidbit of my prayers for them.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Baby Backpacks
My husband and I have always loved to go hiking and backpacking, and even with our children, we want to continue these pursuits. Hiking is the easy one to plan and implement. It gets a lot trickier when planning a backpacking trip. Things are so much more complicated figuring out the need to pack out all the dirty, smelly diapers and make sure there is enough water and formula for all necessary bottles (if only I could breastfeed...that would make feedings much more simple).
Anyway...on to the point...when James was an infant we purchased a Sherpani backpack carrier because it has more cargo space and can hold up to 70 lbs. (weight of child and gear). We figured we would go backpacking a lot. Let's just say...we have taken James on one backpacking trip before Sam came into our lives. This isn't to say we didn't use the backpack carrier...it was used a lot for day hikes and snowshoe adventures, but for the purpose we purchased it, it was used one time.
With Sam, I had been carrying him around in the Baby Bjorn the first hike we went on, but then we decided we would get him a backpack carrier as well since he is gaining weight well and puts some strain on my shoulder for long time periods in the Bjorn...not to mention he isn't a huge fan of the Bjorn anymore either. Well...we went with a more expensive backpack carrier this time around looking at the comfort factor over backpacking ability because with two that becomes even more impossible than it was before. We settled on the Deuter Kid Comfort III. Not only is Sam more comfortable now, but the Deuter is an amazingly comfortable backpack. We have used it a total of two times, but to be fair, we just bought the Deuter two weeks ago.
My husband is already considering loading our toddler up into the Deuter to see how he does in it and see if there is a big difference in comfort for him (my husband). If so, he is tempted to get a second one for James as well. I did carry James in the Sherpani for our backpack trip, and I can attest that the Deuter is more comfortable, but there is also a sizable weight difference between my infant and toddler.
Sherpani Rhumba Carrier
Pros:
Can carry up to 70 lbs. (including child and gear)
Foot stirrups for child (these are described as an amazing thing, and I know people whose children love to be able to shift their weight...however, our toddler hates having his feet stuck in the stirrups. He would much rather bring his feet up and rest them on the metal frame)
Comes with shade cover and rain enclosure
Storage space for supplies
Less expensive
Con:
Nowhere for child to rest head (we always have to bundle up a sweatshirt for our toddler to sleep comfortably...he will actually ask for a pillow when he is ready to try to sleep)
More straps to fasten
Deuter Kid Comfort III
Pros:
Comfortable padding on the back and should straps for the adult carrying the backpack
Soft, molded pillow for the infant to rest their head (removable for washing)
Storage space for diapers and all other necessary items.
Straps are incorporated for strapping baby in
Comes with shade enclosure
Small mirror velcroed in side pocket to allow you to view your child behind you
Can hold a hydration system
Con:
More expensive (However, with how often we go out hiking and snowshoeing it will pay for itself)
I am sure there are other factors as well. These are just some of the ones I have noticed personally in the short time we have owned the Deuter.
Anyway...on to the point...when James was an infant we purchased a Sherpani backpack carrier because it has more cargo space and can hold up to 70 lbs. (weight of child and gear). We figured we would go backpacking a lot. Let's just say...we have taken James on one backpacking trip before Sam came into our lives. This isn't to say we didn't use the backpack carrier...it was used a lot for day hikes and snowshoe adventures, but for the purpose we purchased it, it was used one time.
With Sam, I had been carrying him around in the Baby Bjorn the first hike we went on, but then we decided we would get him a backpack carrier as well since he is gaining weight well and puts some strain on my shoulder for long time periods in the Bjorn...not to mention he isn't a huge fan of the Bjorn anymore either. Well...we went with a more expensive backpack carrier this time around looking at the comfort factor over backpacking ability because with two that becomes even more impossible than it was before. We settled on the Deuter Kid Comfort III. Not only is Sam more comfortable now, but the Deuter is an amazingly comfortable backpack. We have used it a total of two times, but to be fair, we just bought the Deuter two weeks ago.
My husband is already considering loading our toddler up into the Deuter to see how he does in it and see if there is a big difference in comfort for him (my husband). If so, he is tempted to get a second one for James as well. I did carry James in the Sherpani for our backpack trip, and I can attest that the Deuter is more comfortable, but there is also a sizable weight difference between my infant and toddler.
Sherpani Rhumba Carrier
Pros:
Can carry up to 70 lbs. (including child and gear)
Foot stirrups for child (these are described as an amazing thing, and I know people whose children love to be able to shift their weight...however, our toddler hates having his feet stuck in the stirrups. He would much rather bring his feet up and rest them on the metal frame)
Comes with shade cover and rain enclosure
Storage space for supplies
Less expensive
Con:
Nowhere for child to rest head (we always have to bundle up a sweatshirt for our toddler to sleep comfortably...he will actually ask for a pillow when he is ready to try to sleep)
More straps to fasten
Deuter Kid Comfort III
Pros:
Comfortable padding on the back and should straps for the adult carrying the backpack
Soft, molded pillow for the infant to rest their head (removable for washing)
Storage space for diapers and all other necessary items.
Straps are incorporated for strapping baby in
Comes with shade enclosure
Small mirror velcroed in side pocket to allow you to view your child behind you
Can hold a hydration system
Con:
More expensive (However, with how often we go out hiking and snowshoeing it will pay for itself)
I am sure there are other factors as well. These are just some of the ones I have noticed personally in the short time we have owned the Deuter.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Adoptive Parenting
Yes, I am an adoptive mother. My two year old, James, was placed in our home when he was 2.5 months old. He was adopted when he was 13 months old. Sam was placed in our home at 1.5 months old, and we are awaiting his adoption date.
Why are you adopting? Are you unable to have children of your own?
Since this seems to be a common question, I will go ahead and address it. As far as we know, we have no infertility issues. My husband has always thought it would be wonderful to adopt children who, through no fault of their own, need a family to take care of them. God spoke to my heart and put me on the same page as my husband, and we have gone forward with the foster-adopt, and honestly we do not plan on birthing any children. In fact, my husband had a vasectomy done after the adoption of James was finalized. There is always that small chance we could become pregnant anyway, and if that is the case, we will sum it up that God really wanted us to birth a child.
Do I regret the decision to create my family through adoption?
NO WAY!! I am content and at peace with our decision. I have been blessed with the most precious boys in the whole world (a mother's bias, of course), and I love them with my whole heart. I feel blessed beyond measure!
What are some of the difficulties of adoption?
To me, there are several factors that create difficulties unlike those of natural born families.
***Not knowing family history is HUGE! James is a really smart two year old, and he seems to be doing well on all accounts, but down the road, there may very well be issues due to the exposure he endured while in the womb. The same applies for Sam...although in his case there are other mental health issues stacked against him as well. Only time will tell...
***There are physical differences between my husband and myself and our two boys as well...more so with James than with Sam...although differences all the same. Hopefully since they both share some similarities in their differences, this will create a strong brotherly bond.
***Finding birth family creates an interesting puzzle as well. James never had visits with his birth family after he entered our home. I have some basic information (no pictures) about his parents, and we (my husband and I) will be willing to help him find them when he is older, but it will be difficult to locate them. Sam, on the other hand, has visits with his birth father, so we will have a picture of him to show Sam, and we have contact with a family friend who could help us find the birth parents down the road (if there isn't an open adoption worked out in the meantime). How hard is that going to be for my boys? One of them has a lot of information that can be given, and the other very little. I imagine that in itself will create some problems.
***Creating an environment where the children feel safe to express their opinions and work through their feelings on adoption can be tricky as well. We made an adoption book for James, our oldest, and we will pull it out and read it to him occasionally. It is a very basic book, but it walks through his adoption story at a very basic level. As he gets older and wants to know more, we can explain the best we can to him at an age appropriate level. Once Sam's adoption goes through, we will create an adoption book for him as well. However, I cannot even imagine all the grief and pain that my boys will feel because their parents were unable and/or unwilling to put their child's needs first. How do I explain to my son that he has two older brothers, both adopted by different families, he is with us, and his birth mom has his younger brother?
It will be a difficult road ahead. We are preparing for storms to brew as our boys grow, get older and process their stories better. However, we will be here for our boys as their parents and will help them in any way we can. God has called us to create our family in this way, and throughout my lifetime I will pray that He gives me wisdom in how to handle all the adoption issues that may arise.
Why are you adopting? Are you unable to have children of your own?
Since this seems to be a common question, I will go ahead and address it. As far as we know, we have no infertility issues. My husband has always thought it would be wonderful to adopt children who, through no fault of their own, need a family to take care of them. God spoke to my heart and put me on the same page as my husband, and we have gone forward with the foster-adopt, and honestly we do not plan on birthing any children. In fact, my husband had a vasectomy done after the adoption of James was finalized. There is always that small chance we could become pregnant anyway, and if that is the case, we will sum it up that God really wanted us to birth a child.
Do I regret the decision to create my family through adoption?
NO WAY!! I am content and at peace with our decision. I have been blessed with the most precious boys in the whole world (a mother's bias, of course), and I love them with my whole heart. I feel blessed beyond measure!
What are some of the difficulties of adoption?
To me, there are several factors that create difficulties unlike those of natural born families.
***Not knowing family history is HUGE! James is a really smart two year old, and he seems to be doing well on all accounts, but down the road, there may very well be issues due to the exposure he endured while in the womb. The same applies for Sam...although in his case there are other mental health issues stacked against him as well. Only time will tell...
***There are physical differences between my husband and myself and our two boys as well...more so with James than with Sam...although differences all the same. Hopefully since they both share some similarities in their differences, this will create a strong brotherly bond.
***Finding birth family creates an interesting puzzle as well. James never had visits with his birth family after he entered our home. I have some basic information (no pictures) about his parents, and we (my husband and I) will be willing to help him find them when he is older, but it will be difficult to locate them. Sam, on the other hand, has visits with his birth father, so we will have a picture of him to show Sam, and we have contact with a family friend who could help us find the birth parents down the road (if there isn't an open adoption worked out in the meantime). How hard is that going to be for my boys? One of them has a lot of information that can be given, and the other very little. I imagine that in itself will create some problems.
***Creating an environment where the children feel safe to express their opinions and work through their feelings on adoption can be tricky as well. We made an adoption book for James, our oldest, and we will pull it out and read it to him occasionally. It is a very basic book, but it walks through his adoption story at a very basic level. As he gets older and wants to know more, we can explain the best we can to him at an age appropriate level. Once Sam's adoption goes through, we will create an adoption book for him as well. However, I cannot even imagine all the grief and pain that my boys will feel because their parents were unable and/or unwilling to put their child's needs first. How do I explain to my son that he has two older brothers, both adopted by different families, he is with us, and his birth mom has his younger brother?
It will be a difficult road ahead. We are preparing for storms to brew as our boys grow, get older and process their stories better. However, we will be here for our boys as their parents and will help them in any way we can. God has called us to create our family in this way, and throughout my lifetime I will pray that He gives me wisdom in how to handle all the adoption issues that may arise.
Starting Solid Foods
A lot has changed since James was a baby. He is only 28 months old to put things into perspective. When he was a baby, I was told by the doctor not to start solid foods until he was six months old, and I followed that advice exactly being a new mom and all and wanting what is best for my baby.
Well...Sam just had his four month check up, and the doctor gave the okay to start feeding him rice cereal and if he does well to introduce other cereals and fruits/veggies. I was a bit surprised but fine with it because I am hoping the rice cereal helps with the major spitting up. Anyway...it is only Day 7 of the rice cereal, and Sam is doing amazingly well! He is eating quite a bit of it and seems to really enjoy the process. We are offering him a small amount in the morning and a small amount at night. Sam doesn't seem to have any problems at all with the new introduction which I am happy about. However, the down side is the rice cereal doesn't seem to be helping with the spitting up. Oh well! He will outgrow that eventually. The spitting up is one of the few things I don't think I will miss as I look back on Sam's babyhood.
Part of me wonders if a lot of James's food issues could have been avoided if I had started solid food with him at four months as well. James had the hardest time with textures from the very beginning. He took awhile to get the hang of eating, and then whenever the texture was thicker, he would gag. When James started finger foods, he couldn't even eat those dissolve-able puffs without gagging. I would literally have to break the dissolve-able puffs in half, and even then he would still gag on them. For awhile we were worried he wouldn't be able to handle a birthday cake for his 1st birthday. Thankfully that worry was unnecessary, and now he is doing great as far as eating is concerned. Of course he can be picky, but that comes with being a toddler. Lately James has decided he no longer likes the apricot and mango Greek yogurt that Trader Joe's carries since it has chunks of fruit in it. I know everyone has their own preferences, so that's not a big deal. James eats extremely well now...no one would know he had so many eating issues as an infant.
Well...Sam just had his four month check up, and the doctor gave the okay to start feeding him rice cereal and if he does well to introduce other cereals and fruits/veggies. I was a bit surprised but fine with it because I am hoping the rice cereal helps with the major spitting up. Anyway...it is only Day 7 of the rice cereal, and Sam is doing amazingly well! He is eating quite a bit of it and seems to really enjoy the process. We are offering him a small amount in the morning and a small amount at night. Sam doesn't seem to have any problems at all with the new introduction which I am happy about. However, the down side is the rice cereal doesn't seem to be helping with the spitting up. Oh well! He will outgrow that eventually. The spitting up is one of the few things I don't think I will miss as I look back on Sam's babyhood.
Part of me wonders if a lot of James's food issues could have been avoided if I had started solid food with him at four months as well. James had the hardest time with textures from the very beginning. He took awhile to get the hang of eating, and then whenever the texture was thicker, he would gag. When James started finger foods, he couldn't even eat those dissolve-able puffs without gagging. I would literally have to break the dissolve-able puffs in half, and even then he would still gag on them. For awhile we were worried he wouldn't be able to handle a birthday cake for his 1st birthday. Thankfully that worry was unnecessary, and now he is doing great as far as eating is concerned. Of course he can be picky, but that comes with being a toddler. Lately James has decided he no longer likes the apricot and mango Greek yogurt that Trader Joe's carries since it has chunks of fruit in it. I know everyone has their own preferences, so that's not a big deal. James eats extremely well now...no one would know he had so many eating issues as an infant.
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