Fosterhood in NYC

19th January 2012

37 notes

Baby Girl Names (!)

Here are some names that I really like but will not be using:

1. Dorothy   2.  Marigold “Goldie”  3. Loretta  4. Matilda  5. Louise  6. Julia  7. Reese  8. June  9.  Alice  10.  Maple

I’ve already chosen a traditional European/American (aka ‘White’) name and now I’m working on a traditional African or African-American name.  I’d like one that is 2 syllables or less and which everyone will know how to pronounce (e.g. Uma, Isha).  Check out this website:

http://www.blackbabynames.org/index.html

I’m partial to names that start with the letters B, C, D, K, L, M, R, S, and V - for whatever reason…

Suggestions?

Tagged: foster-to-adoptadoption

19th January 2012

32 notes

The baby was already placed

To be honest, I breathed a big sigh of relief.  It’s definitely what I want, but it’s soooo scary.  Figuring out daycare, finances, my mental health under the conditions of sleep deprivation and infant screams.  And of course, the pressure to continue dating.

Foster care was such a good experience to show me that I CAN do it.  The beginning will be the most difficult, especially not having 9 months to plan.  This time I think I’m going to take maternity leave (Federal Medical Leave Act - FMLA- actually stipulates that a leave can be taken for foster children and of course adoption)- but the routine of going to work has always been key to my sanity.  Yet not sleeping at night and trying to go to work makes me delirious.

Then there’s the whole wrench in my dating life.  But what if I’m 40 and I still haven’t found someone?  I would then totally regret passing up this opportunity to adopt.  I don’t want to wait a few more years because then I will feel as if my back is up against the wall and more years will be wasted, and thousands of dollars that I don’t have will be spent in desperation to adopt.  I want to be a young(er) mom. 

My plan- I have two very close friends who are on maternity leave and they are both open to me coming over to their house with the baby and freaking out all day.  I will force myself out of the house and over to their home every single day if I need to in order to keep my sanity.  They understand the mind fuck of a baby that requires feedings every two hours.  And in remembering Snap and Eaglet, I understand their struggles as well.

Any advice on how to handle those first few months without losing my mind?

Tagged: adoption

19th January 2012

54 notes

I didn’t expect it to happen this fast

I missed a call from the foster agency last night (and just saw it this morning)-

“7 day old girl, like we talked about- older sibling has already been adopted”.

I just left a message saying yes- but for all I know the child has already been placed.  We’ll see….

18th January 2012

3 notes

I need a babysitter for Jacket (UPDATE- nevermind, she canceled already)

Yeah, Jacket’s mom did a 180 and has asked me to take her today- Saturday. I’d like to pay someone to take her to the aquarium in Coney Island (near my job) tomorrow and then I’m open to ideas for Friday while I’m at work (9am-4pm). Email me if you or someone you know are interested. Obviously I’ll check references and whatnot. Thanks!

Tagged: jacketpost-reunification

18th January 2012

7 notes

Got a weird voicemail message from Jacket’s mom chewing me out but I can’t make out why. She keeps repeating “I dress my baby classy”.

Ugh, this could be anything.

17th January 2012

19 notes

Ah! Get her out of my dreams!

I had a dream last night that I met Marilyn Monroe (thank you Golden Globes).  Turns out, people were totally wrong about her birthday, she was actually born in 1976.  We ate at McDonald’s.  We had fun.  We talked about that cruise ship in Italy that went down.  She let me take photos to prove to everyone that I was hangin’ with her.

Sometime later in my dream I told Jacket’s mom.  But instead of Marilyn Monroe she was convinced that I had met Lindsay Lohan.  In fact, she was ADAMANT that it was Lindsay and not Marilyn- even though she wasn’t even there.  This nonetheless testing my reality.  In the end, I gave up and let her tell everyone I met Lindsay Lohan.

My dreams aren’t that original.

Tagged: jacketpost-reunification

16th January 2012

36 notes

By the way, 3 HUGE cheers for Jacket’s mom for eating one of these with fake joy.  She’s finally starting to get it. 

Tagged: jacketpost-reunification

15th January 2012

12 notes

Jacket and her mom are on their way over for lunch and the iPad.

14th January 2012

28 notes

There’s a reason I don’t want to adopt a boy

I LOVE the name “Crockett” and my friends will disown me if I give that name to a child.