Classroom Preparation

Yes, I'm still alive. I've been busy preparing my classroom, because I'm gonna start teaching in 2 weeks! I am excited and scared, but mostly excited. There is just so much stuff to do and stuff I don't know I have to do that my head is spinning. To make matters worse, Smiley's adoption worker cancelled her visit and I wasn't notified until I had just strapped the kids in the car picking them up from daycare(I hadn't even started the car). This screwed up my whole day because no way was I gonna bring them back in when they were already in my car making the cutest baby noises.

Well, at least I can work on my lesson plans...yeah right, Bubbles is giving me googly eyes now while I'm typing.

I actually have a classroom, and students. I'm really so excited.

He Wants to Call me Mom.

My stepson that is.

Considering all he's been through I told him he could call me whatever he's comfortable with as long as it's nice. We talked for the first time through email a couple days ago.

I hope I can help comfort him without overstepping my boundaries. I can't imagine how hard it must be for him.

Still Broken

Saw my doctor and the verdict was higher dose BCP. He asked if we've done a fertility workup and I was like, been there, done that, had eough. Then we discussed continuous BCP and I jumped at the option. I mean, if I can't get pregnant, why bother having periods. I really do like this local doctor. I had another huge cyst on my left ovary and I hope it doesn't burst.

I told my doctor we are in the process of adopting a 20 mo old boy, have a 9 mo girl is foster care and her mom is expecting a boy, so we will potentially adopt 1-3 kids and told him that was enough.

He was doing so well until he said, "some people adopt a few and end up pregnant later." Even some of the doctors don't get it, but he saved himself by saying " I'm sorry you are going through this." I almost told him I was sorry anymore because of all the babies I've got to parent.

We are adopting Smiley! We are going to have a son, our legal son. We actually have an adoption worker who is coming for a home visit next week and giving him all he's legally entitled to: the medical card, 80% of the board payment and will reimburse medical expenses not covered by the card. Also, found out the state pays for our adoption attorney! So total adoption fees will just be our personal attorney reviewin the adoption contract before we sign.

I can't wait until this is over and I can introduce you to my son, by his new adoptive name. We are only changing his middle and last name, because we like his first name.

Home Visit

Check out the Palace for wedding pics for a short time only.


Today Bubbles caseworker came for her monthly home visit. I was honest about my feelings of concern for Bubbles' safety and she seemed to listen and agree. Here's part of the conversation:

Caseworker: Are you still supporting reunification?

Me: Well....considering the incident with her parents and grandma, I'm not thinking it's a good idea at this time.

Caseworker: I understand what you mean. We visited her house and the trailer is old and in need of lots of repairs.

Me: Well, it's old, but is it clean.

Caseworker: NOPE, and there are too many people living there. Mom will need to find her own place.

Me: I just want mom to understand that Bubbles needs to be in a clean environment and could you please explain how important it is that if she must smoke, she needs to do it outside for Bubbles' sake because it will make her start wheezing like crazy.

Caseworker: Ok, I need to have a talk with her. I haven't got a chance to sit and talk since the incident and I didn't want to do it over the phone.

Me: I just want her to be safe and healthy.

I probably said way too much, but I had to at least make sure her parents' knew how serious her condition can be if they don't take precautions to keep her healthy.

In other news, back to my new ob/gyn tomorrow since I've been bleeding and cramping for almost 4 days, starting CD 11! It's a good thing I let go of hopes of becoming pregnant. I'm not sure what else I can do though. Yes I am on the pill and still bleeding.

Well, gonnna try and get some rest. Being a single mom is exhausting. L will be back Friday. Tonight he's at a sports banquet with my stepson and his ex. Poor thing.

Recovering from the Wedding

Wow, I haven't written in days. My sister's wedding was much more hectic than mine and I was completely exhausted; so exhausted I had to bring the babies to daycare this morning just so I could catch up on sleep.

The wedding was awesome of course. My mom has 5 sisters who have had plenty experience and practice throwing kick ass weddings. One is even a seamstress(who saved me bundles on alteration fees) and another makes wedding cakes on the side. I took Smiley on the dance floor, dancing while holding him and he laughed so much.

Raising two babies under two, I can handle that. No problem.

Traveling with two babies under two...pure hell!

Those of you who know me understands our separation of duties: I do most of the baby care, L takes care of social services, lawyers, and keeping on their ass to do their jobs, and most of the cleaning. As soon as L left the wedding(he's on a business trip), I went completely nuts trying to look after both babies and do my bridesmaid duties. Maybe he really does more baby care than I give him credit for. Of course, MIL was watching them during the wedding and some of the reception, so it may have been her I missed, lol.

Of course I wasn't actually watching the babies as much as checking up on them every few minutes with the relatives who were holding them at the time.

After the wedding I had a situation I just could not possibly handle; I had to get some of Smiley's things out the hotel room so he could stay the night at my mom's(Bubbles stayed with me in the hotel). So, how do you carry two babies up the stairs and carry the luggage down the stairs? I didn't. I called my mom's neighbor (who loves my lil' ones to death) and asked her to keep one baby while I went to my room and got some stuff. She said she'd keep them both, and to take my time, rest and do what I needed. God bless her! I was able to go to the hotel room and shower and get all the hairspray out of my hair.

You think I'd be done after the wedding...of course not! The next day was a barbeque for my New York cousins, who are awesome. By 4 pm Sunday, I packed up my car and just had to get home and get the babies back on their schedules and have access to all my baby gear and have them sleep in a different room than me!

I thought I would get work done this week but I'm booked. Bubbles check up today, visit tomorrow, Smiley's Speech and Bubbles' workers visit Wed. Thurs morning is my doctor appointment(I have been bleeding for 2 days and only on CD 12) followed by Smiley's Occupational therapy in the afternoon. Friday Smiley goes to speech again and L comes home. I feel like a SAHM this week and it is awesome. I am meeting with a teacher at my school tomorrow morning to get some help and questions answered, so I will get something done.

Anyway, I'm gonna try to be a good blogger again soon.

Adoption

We got a call from the adoption supervisor finally. We don't have a worker, but we're about to hire our own attorney, because from the conservation we had yesterday, sounds like they are gonna try and screw Smiley out of his adoption subsidy, which being medically needy, he needs(just like they tried to get away with paying nothing for Princess' funeral).

I was promised immediately that he would keep the insurance card but then she said, "Don't you have private insurance?" I said, "Yes, but he will max it out very quickly." I didn't argue too much because I figure she didn't really look through his case yet. It is not about the money, but he has many health issues ahead:

1-2 more possible surgeries on mouth and privates
EXTENSIVE oral surgery for him to have teeth at the top of his mouth.
Braces are a definate
He still has significant development delays and getting speech twice a week and occupational therapy once a week.
At this point, we are unsure of of the extent of mental retardation he may have(if any).
He is still having significant feeding issues and having trouble putting weight on.

Many of these may not be covered by the card, or the wait to see a surgeon who accepts the card may be unreasonably long and may have to pay everything out of pocket.

Anyway, I am excited to get the process started,but I didn't expect things to go smoothly, so I'm not really surprised.

I did take Smiley and Bubbles to the doctor today and while the doctor was examining Bubbles she said, "I saw your mom's name in the paper." I about died laughing and almost mentioned that her dad and grandma's name were also in there!

No Show

Well, Bubbles' mom didn't show for the visit yesterday. They even had the visit somewhere in town and she didn't show or call.

I can't imagine what better things she had to do.

Bachlorette

My title thingie is screwing up. Oh well.

Saturday night we threw a wild bacholerette party for my sis who is getting married this Saturday. You should have seen the look on her face when the "dancers" showed up! She had absolutely no idea. One was dressed as a police officer(her fiance is a police officer).

I can't say anything, because I was turning really red too. I thought I was gonna watch the show, not be part of it! Ok,don't laugh at me but I didn't know they could actually touch you, so it kinda creeped me out(not that they weren't cute). Then everyone was taking pictures! Maybe it was mostly embarrassment or I'm just way too shy for that sort of thing.

Anyway, still exhausted because the party kept me up til' 2am and I'm usually in bed before 9! I have got to get out more often. I feel like an old lady.

Oh yeah, nothing like having a lingerie, fun party and "dancers" while your mom, grandma, aunts, sisters and cousins are in the room with you.

Even Maw Maw got some action from the dancers!

Ok, I'm turning red again...

I can't believe I'm even blogging about this.

New Placement

Well, he ran away...

It was a boy..I think.

We were not going to be able to adopt him.

He was furry and full of fleas.

He did get a meal and flea spray before he took off down the street.

Haha! Fooled ya! It was a kitty, not a child. L was working in a nearby town and saw a kitten thrown out of someone's truck and almost got ran over. He took it home for us to foster until we could find him a home. I didn't bring him in the house(see above statement about fleas). I took him out of the kennel to settle him into a bigger kennel, but he got out of my grasp and ran away.

Oh well. At least he got a meal and a little flea medicine. Maybe he will find himself a family to take him in.

We tried...

Why I Can't Get Any Work Done...

Darn! My post just got eaten. Let's try again:



How am I supposed to get any work done laughing at these two?


I will post some more soon at the Palace for a limited time.