Where has the time gone?

The weeks are flying by. I can't even keep track of the days. Our friends left us on the 27th I think. I had fun with them here.

I've found child care for Adrian. She has 3 children, one Adrian's age, and lives near Adrian's Grandma Linda and Grandpa Tim. She's willing to do more days if I need which is wonderful if I need back-up sitters.

I have to testify in court tomorrow for work. My first time ever and I almost had to testify in two different hearings but one was vacated. I'm a little nervous...didn't sleep well last night.

Last weekend my friend's kiddo spent the night! That was fun...his first sleepover!

I'm so busy with work, it seems to be consuming my life and I'm fighting just to keep my house in a semi-orderly condition all while trying not to miss my baby growing up! It's a little overwhelming.

Adrian is doing great at sitting up! He tumbles easily but if I prop him up he can balance and is strong enough to hold himself up! He's a pro at rolling from tummy to back and has rolled the other way a couple times.

Aunt Noodles (aka Aunt Laurie) has arrived in Ft. Collins. She's staying until the 4th to find a place to live for her and Uncle Wally. Grandpa Tim also arrived this week and is living here now! Hurray for everyone moving to us!

<====Sleeping Baby

Baby Love

Abominable SnowBaby!

Babysitter Dilemma and Video

Our baby can roll! Only one way of course....

So on Friday my babysitter called me crying and told me "I tried everything..." My heart sank so fast. ....What had really happened was that she basically neglected the baby and he cried all morning b/c she wasn't willing to hold him b/c she 'already tried that' or maybe just doesn't know how to care for a baby. Who knows. Her feelings got hurt when my friend went up to rescue Adrian. Anyways we're done with her. She just left Adrian with my friends and didn't tell them she was leaving. She didn't follow my directions about feeding him. She stayed upstairs all day. She also disclosed to me that she was pregnant and emotional which gets in the way of professionalism obviously. She TOLD me that since my friends are here I should use my free babysitting until they leave but she won't watch Adrian until they're gone...yeah right...so she can neglect him again and who's she to TELL me anything. I may make mistakes about people but I'm not stupid.

I interviewed someone else today and she's my age, has 3 kids (3, 1.5, and 5 months). She seems very appropriate and child-friendly also a good price and nearby. She's a military wife and has a support network in Ft. Collins. I have a few more people to meet but hope to hire someone by next week.

I think our friends are leaving this weekend, but they've offered to watch Adrian for a small fee on Thur/Fri. They are wonderful with him. They play music to him and tell him about sex, drugs, music, literature, and traveling. Someone's got to eventually I guess!

Video: Adrian Laughing Hysterically

BABY
Our babysitter, April, started today. She took Adrian on a nice long walk on the trail and to the park. I came home for lunch and he seemed happy! He also drank two bottles this morning for here which is wonderful to hear since he can be finicky with bottles sometimes and rarely drinks that much before I get home for early lunch!!!

Anyways, You Must See This Video. Click Play! So Cute! Melissa making Adrian laugh!

LIFE

My bff is coming down for Friday and we're going out!!! No kids attached. My friends are still staying with us. Just trying to get their car fixed before they're ready to head out. I'm still having fun with them here though. Uncle Judah came to visit today and to do laundry.

WORK
Well...working full time is kicking my butt. It is so much harder to leave work at work and not think about it at home. Not to mention that I have some really difficult cases. A majority of my cases are going to termination of parental rights and I battle with helping parents but also knowing that no matter what I do, I cannot change their attitude or way of life without them being motivated to change in the first place.
Isn't it ironic that I work with unmotivated parents to get their children home, while the only place I want to be is home with my baby. All I know is that I get a lunch break and get to visit my baby and enjoy every moment I have with him not at work and wouldn't give that up for any drug/etc.

Uncle Ty

Adrian sure likes his Uncle Ty! Uncle Ty likes to make his little arms dance and his whole body wiggle while he sings.

Officially Full Time Working Mom

All is well if not a little overwhelming right now. I'm officially full time today although I've been working full time since last thursday. It went by quickly actually. I still feel like I'm running in circles since I don't know my schedule yet and have soooo many new cases, people, and routes that I have to learn.

Adrian is doing pretty good with solids...doesn't like sweet potatoes, loves frozen avocados in his mesh self feeder, frozen bananas in his feeder, and does ok eating cereal with bananas mixed in. I think the texture of eating cereal and sweet potatoes will take some time getting used to. Sometimes he gags on it. Tonight we gave him a chicken bone to gnaw on. It had cooked all day for chicken soup and he grabbed it and drooled all over one end, then held both sides and sucked on the middle, then twisted it to the other end making sure he got all the flavor out.










<---- The Boy Likes Meat







Adrian rolled over today for our friends who watched him and then for Barry. He was so giggly today when I came home and went to say hello. I love when he's so happy to see me he laughs! That makes me feel loved and happy to be home.


I am hiring a girl to come to my house. Her name is April. Barry still needs to meet her and plans to this Saturday. I want his opinion about her before we definitely hire her despite him saying he has no idea about these things. She will charge $30/day which is a great deal. I looked into her background and she has her driving record for me, although she probably won't have to drive with Adrian. I have a good feeling about her and love how honest she is. She's had a good amount of experience and I had a good feeling about her from the first message I heard. It's amazing that the people I had a feeling wouldn't work out from their first phone message alone didn't work out due to weird issues like messy homes, open cases with the dept! My biggest advice to anyone in any situation, especially regarding your children or your own safety, is to follow your instincts/feelings/first impression.

My brother and friends have been awesome to watch Adrian for us while I have not had childcare set up. It takes a village and I'm glad I have so many caring people in my 'village'.

5 Months

Today Mommy, and our friends, Jeff and Alana, went snake hunting. Jeff saw 1 but we didn't catch dinner tonight. First we went to the Poudre Canyon for a little drive. We went to the fish hatchery and it started raining on us. Then we went to Bingham Hill Cemetary and it rained on us again. We also stopped by the Poudre River Overland trailhead and walked a little. Then we came home and I ate a frozen avocado snack in my new mesh feeder. Before we went out I enjoyed an ice cube in it. That felt good on my gums.

Now that I'm 5 months old I weigh about 17 lbs. Mommy had to go through all the clothes today and boxed up the little ones and pulled out the hundreds of outfits that I will hopefully will not grow out of too quickly during the next couple months.

Mommy started working full time this past Thursday. Uncle Judah watched me on Thursday and Molly watched me on Friday. Our friends will take care of me on Monday and then Grandma on Tuesday, Molly on Wednesday, and maybe I will have a babysitter by Thursday. Mommy has been interviewing people and so far likes a 19 year old girl that is willing to come to our house for $30/day and play with me. That's a good deal!

HEE HEE HEE...I'm so big!
When we went to visit Cousin Cavyn, I wacked him and made him cry. Just had to remind him that I'm the big one. Mommy and Aunt Julie were not excited about that one though.










The Ol' Switcharoo













I like to eat, eat, eat...apples and bananas...er I mean carrots! Mommy gave me avacados today and maybe on Saturday I'll get to try sweet potatoes. So far I like bananas and sometimes I like my cereal...and I LOVE my water in my sippy cup.

Childcare Interview Questions

I'm interviewing for childcare today and here are some questions that I'm asking. If you have any questions that would be good to ask...let me know?

Are you licensed home center? If not do you have home/rental insurance?

Are you first aid/cpr certified? Where do you keep emergency info? What is your plan in an emergency?

Times offered for care?

For what reasons would you call parents at work?

Do you have experience with breast-feeding moms and feeding frozen breast milk to babies?

What if my child ingests something he shouldn’t whether food or nonfood?

What do you do if he is crying excessively and nothing you try can calm him?

How do you cope with stress?

Where do the children sleep/play/activities out of home?

What does a typical day look like?

Do you have your own baby gear or does parent provide it?

What does eating schedule/area look like? Other areas? Can I see?

Do you or anyone in house smoke?

Do you have Pets?

Daily Errands you might run?

What are your discipline strategies?

What if he won’t take a bottle?

What do you think about crying it out?

What is your policy on ‘dropping in?’

Who else is in the home? Background checks? Fingerprinting? Willing to do?

What if a child hits or bites my child? How do you deal with that?

What if my child hits or bites some another child or you?

What if my child chokes on a bead but you get it out in time and he’s ok?

What is your cancellation policy?

What is your sick policy? What if other child is sick and can’t go home?

How many children and what ages are in your home at one time? Do you make any exceptions in an emergency?

How do you manage age differences/needs of children?

How would you spend your time if the children are all asleep and everything is cleaned up/organized?

How do you minimize spreading of illness between children?

Do you have a copy of references/policies/etc? Email them to me?