Letter for K

Dear K,

Recently someone who actually reads these letters told me I’d never written you a letter. I thought they had to be wrong, but nope. I looked back and never have. We didn’t even make an official introduction of you on the blog. Please forgive me! You’ve been an important and lively part of our family now for almost 8 months despite your absence from the blog!

You’re the youngest baby we’ve fostered. I met you at the hospital when you were only 4 days old! You were born on a Thursday and we learned about you on Saturday at a foster parent training. We were told you would be going to relatives probably – but before I knew it I remember saying “if something changes and he needs us we can work it out to have him.” The DFCS person said "I didn't think ya'll wanted newborns" and I said "crazier things have happened."

I picked you up on a Monday afternoon in May. Getting a baby from the hospital is something I never thought I would have a chance to do. While we waited for DFCS to get their paperwork in order I asked the nurses a million questions. They gave me some tips for caring for such a new baby and assured me I was going to be ok. I left the hospital with your few belongings and some formula in a trash bag. So not the way you want to enter the world - but we've made sure you had a much better welcome since then.  I strapped you in the infant seat we used for J and thought – are they really going to let me leave with him? The DFCS worker waited with you while I got the van – and then we were off. Bubbie and S and J came home that night excited to meet you. 

You had some allergies and tummy troubles that we didn’t know about yet. We spend your first days with us mostly trying to get you to stop crying. (We really spent your first months with us trying to get you to stop crying.) Once we got you on special formula and meds for reflux things calmed down.

We’ve learned a lot about parenting from you. We learned just how little sleep we can survive on. We've learned what colic looks like. And what silent reflux is. We’ve learned how easy we had it with our first 5 kids. They all were unusually good sleepers – and you’re still not sleeping through the night. We’ve also learned that there is no “one size fits all” approach for parenting. You’re exactly one year younger than K. We had him at the same time through the same stages last year and you’re so different. Some of that has to do with his and your special needs – but most of it has to do with your temperaments. We've also learned what it is like to have a positive relationship with the bio mom of our foster kid.

These days you’re happy 90% of the time. You’re sitting on your own and rolling over. You love being in the walker and cruising all over the house. You are super charming and have the best smile. Your favorite thing is for S to talk or sing to you or pay attention to you in general.  You have one little puff of hair on top of your head. You’re not eating much baby food yet. In fact when we try to give it to you, you scream like the worst thing in the world has happened. We’re hoping you warm up to it soon!

You get to see your birth mom every week and she is working hard to get you back. She comes to all of your doctor’s appointments to keep up with what’s going on with you. You also have been getting some visits with your grandma and your sister too.

We’re excited to have you in our home for Christmas. Your first Christmas is a big deal. You already have seen Santa three times!  You like the sparkle of the lights everywhere  too. We make a big deal out of Christmas because we celebrate and remember that God’s love became real and lived with us. God became one of us. It helps to remember the real-ness of that little baby when we have a real little baby in our home. We love you and care for you because God loves us and cares for us. We hope we make that love real for you every day.

Love,

Meggie and Bubbie