Rocky is a Big Brother

Rocky has done so AMAZING through the transition of becoming a big brother that I feel like he deserves his own post.  He has done so well and loving new baby girl and being the cutest thing ever still.  Most of my other toddlers struggled SO much each time a new baby came home that I was expecting the same from Rockwell.  But it hasn't really even phased him.  This boy has been through so much change in his first few years of life and has already added 4 new siblings in his first 2 years.  He does it all with a smile on his face and a bounce in his step.  He adores baby girl and will do just about anything to help make her happy.  He is the calmest and sweetest boy who loves his family so much.  Rocky thanks for being a fun toddler and a very cute big brother.

   

Kids Meet Baby Girl

 Baby girl spent one week in the NICU and then once her antibiotics were finished she was able to come home.  The process of getting her discharged and the transition to us becoming her official foster parents was quite a long process that confused a lot of people.  Our situation with me being involved with the birth is not common in the foster care world. The hospital and DCFS were just not sure how to handle it.  But eventually they figured it all out, and Baby was discharged on November 2nd.  She ended up coming home on oxygen as well, but only on the lowest setting possible.   

Neither McKay nor the kids had met baby girl and they were all SO excited.  Managing the excitement of 8 young kids while trying to protect a tiny newborn was the part of bringing home a new baby that I was most nervous about.  The last time we had brought a newborn into the house we only had 4 other kids and THAT had seemed crazy.  So we were nervous.  Thankfully my mom was able to stay with us for a week while we readjusted to newborn life.  

When I got home we had all of the kids wash their hands and sit on the couch.  Then we brought the baby in and they all circled around her making very quiet (thankfully) squealing noises.  They all loved her immediately.  It was fun to see how genuinely interested in her they were.  Surprisingly Jensen was upset and honestly overwhelmed by the excitement.  He pouted in the corner for a while.  Not because he was upset about the baby but because he was worried about her and didn't want the other kids to hurt her.  Large families can be a challenge sometimes.  Thankfully he warmed up to the situation soon and wanted to hold the baby as well.  Daddy got to get her out of her carseat first and finally held his baby girl.  He basically holds her all day now to make up for lost time.  After McKay held her for a few minutes we took turns letting all of the kids hold her while I snapped pictures like crazy.  Such a fun moment.

Then we began life as a family of 11.  phew!  

        

Welcome Baby Girl October 27, 2020

 Here is Baby girl's "birth story".  This story has a special place in my heart.  While I did not personally carry her and give birth to her I have been involved and loved her since the beginning.  Here is the story leading up to her arrival...

We started hearing rumors in the beginning of 2020 that bio mom was expecting a new baby.  We didn't know what to think of this news.  Finally in March and April 2020 we started hearing more news that she was really expecting.  She started talking to the caseworker about her plans with the baby and she started looking into an adoptive family since she knew she couldn't take care of the baby herself.  Then in May of 2020 during a team meeting she asked me if McKay and I would adopt her new baby as well as the other 3 children.  McKay and I had already discussed things before hand.  We feel strongly that siblings should stay together if at all possible so while we were nervous... we decided to say yes.  She was excited that the kids were going to be able to grow up together and we were excited for a new baby in the family.  A few weeks after the meeting she had her 20 week ultrasound and invited me to come along.  I was thrilled to get to see the baby and find out the gender.  At her ultrasound before this appointment the tech had told her the baby was a boy so that is what we were both expecting.  But to our surprise the tech said that the baby was actually a girl (I was thrilled for another girl!).  The tech confirmed that her due date was November 2, 2020.  After the ultrasound many months past and I kept hoping that bio mom would invite me to another dr. appointment but she ended up not going to any more so the ultrasound was all that I got to attend.  

Finally in the middle of October bio mom told me that she had decided to have an induction and that she was scheduled to be induced on October 27th.  Honestly I was pretty bummed that she chose to be induced in October since I was REALLY hoping baby would be born in November since all of our other kids have their own birth months (but we were missing November).  But she was SO ready to be done being pregnant, and I can completely understand that :)

The day of the induction came we had been emailing back and forth regularly for a few months so I felt confident that she was still planning on going through with the induction.  But when I showed up at the hospital and talked to the nurses in labor and delivery they told me that no one was scheduled to be induced that day.  I tried to get ahold of bio mom but she wasn't responding.  So I went home, I sent the babysitter home and honestly was a bit bummed that I prepped everything and still no baby.  This was about 11:30 in the morning.  Then surprise surprise bio mom emailed me back and said she decided to deliver at a different hospital then the one we had previously discussed.  She said she was all hooked up and ready to start.  Wow whiplash for sure!  I ended up jumping back in the car and heading to the hospital.  

I got there in time and was able to visit with bio mom, get familiar with the nurses, and get settled.  In the end her labor went fast and she delivered less then 2 hours after I got to the hospital.  Baby girl came out screaming and crying.  They began to suction her out and soon realized that she was struggling to breathe on her own.  Nothing major, but she was needing oxygen to help maintain her levels.  They flirted with the idea of taking her to the NICU for a while, but in the end decided that was the place that she needed to be.  Luckily I was able to follow her to the NICU and stay with her as they worked with her on her breathing.  She was 6 lbs exactly at birth and about 18 inches long.  She had beautiful dark hair and was just the cutest little peanut.  Finally at about 3 hours old I was able to settle into her room in the NICU and snuggle her.  What a sweet moment that was and I was thrilled to finally meet her.

  

They ended up finding out that she was born with an infection which was why she was struggling to breathe on her own.  They had to keep her in the NICU for 1 week while they gave her antibiotics.  She continued to be on oxygen for the remainder of her stay.  I loved being able to visit her a few time each day while she was in the NICU.  We cuddled lots and got to know each other.  I hated that she was sick, but I was grateful for the extra quiet time that her and I got together before we brought her home to the other 8 crazy kids.  She celebrated her first Halloween in the NICU and took a few baths.  I am grateful to the nurses who took such good care of her while she was in the hospital.  

Baby girl we LOVE you soo much!  Welcome home! 

  

 

Baby Girl's Newborn Photos

 We welcomed a new baby girl to our family on October 27, 2020.  She is big sis, Mr. J, and Little A's little sister.  Their mom knew that she wasn't going to be able to take care of the baby as well as she deserved so she kindly asked us to be her adoptive parents.  We feel lucky that she asked us and of course wanted to keep the siblings together.  She is currently our foster daughter, like the other kids, and we are moving forward with the process to have her become a permanent member of our family.  Welcome to the family Baby Girl!  

Here are the photos from our newborn photo session with Katie Phillips Photography.  We took these at a studio in Ogden called the Ogden Click.