Baby J's First Thanksgiving

 It's baby J's first Thanksgiving and we spent it with my parents and brother (well for as much as he could be off work---don't shop retail on Thanksgiving people).....They all came to my apartment so that baby J did not have to go out...which was awesome since it has been raining and sleeting all day...in fact the yard in the back of my apartment is completely flooded and the only thing that's going to change is that it is slowly turning to sleet to ice.
I have so much to be thankful for this year.  These are in no particular order and probably don't truly express how thankful I am.
   I have a wonderful new job, while still stressful at times, is nothing like the horrible job I came from.  I have bosses who are kind and supportive instead of hateful and abusive.  I'm thankful that even though I know the kids are having to adapt to a new teacher they have mostly done it with respect and made the transition easier than I expected.   Though there have been some bumps I am thankful that we have overcome them.  I'm thankful I have a job that pays my bills.  Financially I'm very tight right now and barely making it...but I am making it and I'm so lucky that I am.  

I'm also thankful to all the people who have reached out and show support through prayer, gifts, kind words throughout this adoption process.   I could not have accomplished a lot that has happened without that support.  Please know that every little kind thought, gift, and prayer was /has been so appreciated.   Not only has it helped Baby J, but it has shown me that the world still has great people and kindness and hope.  

I am thankful for my friends and family.  They have been my rock during so much in my life.  They have supported me from day 1 of starting foster care and not one of them made me doubt adopting a very sick preemie was a bad decision.  I'm especially thankful for my parents, brother, Aunt, and cousin who have helped me out with Baby J so that I can survive as a working, single mom.  I know it's hard being a single mom, but they have made it so much easier.  I'm especially thankful for my Mom who has given up her weekdays to care for Baby J.  I'm so glad that she doesn't have to go to daycare right now.   My job takes a lot of time and I'm glad she gets one on one time with someone who loves her.  I could go on and on about how appreciative I am of my friends and family....hopefully they already know how thankful I am.  
I'm thankful for doctors and nurses who kept baby J alive and sent her home a healthy little girl.  I'm thankful for her health and for mine.   There are so many other scenarios that could occur with preemies (or any baby) and I do not for one second take for granted how lucky/blessed we are that baby girl is overall healthy and doing pretty darn good.    And I'm very thankful she is now sleeping through the night.
I'm thankful for a break.  On Aug 22, I quickly threw some stuff into this apartment and then headed to spend the weekend with baby girl in Topeka, she came home a couple days later and I have been going non stop.  I didn't get any time off from work.  I'm so thankful for a break and for getting to spend the weekend with baby girl.  This is the longest I've gotten to spend with her since she came home and I love it and will be sad to go back to work.

I'm thankful for my puppies who have been great with Baby J.  Herbie loves her and I'm so glad of that.  they are going to be so cute together as they grow up.
The biggest thing I'm grateful for this year is Baby J.   Being a mom has always been something I have wanted and for whatever reason  family by normal means did not seem to be in the plans.  I NEVER intended to be single or familyless.   But for whatever reason I am.  Baby J has been the biggest blessing of my life and I am so very lucky to call her mine.  When this teeny tiny baby came into my life, she filled a big part of my heart.   We've already conquered so much together and I can't imagine life without her.  If you had asked me if I ever thought I would spend almost 3 months in a NICU hospital waiting to bring home a less than 2 lb baby I would have laughed.   Being matched with Baby J has changed my life.   I love this little girl and am so very very thankful for her.

This is how I get ready now.  ha ha

A little update on Baby J.   She has started to grab toys a little more and hold onto them.   She has reached a stage where she thinks she should be sitting up and struggles to try to get herself there...no she can't actually get there but that doesn't stop her from trying.  She is now sleeping at least 8-10 hrs a night...which I love.   In the past few days I have figured out that she loves to play on my bed...so we go upstairs and play for about an hour till she rubs her little eyes and then I put her in her bassinet and she goes to sleep pretty fast.   I'm considering starting to move her to her crib in the other room, but she does so well in the bassinet.  Tonight I laid her down and went downstairs.   I only heard her once and when I came to check she was asleep.   Yea!

I hope everyone had a very nice and safe Thanksgiving.  I'm looking forward to the rest of the weekend and seeing the rest of my family.  

Baby J will sit her and talk to Herbie as long as he stays there

After Thanksgiving naps with everyone!