Monday, May 7, 2007

Four Month Check up

Well, Twan had his 4 mo check up and I am pleased to say that he is now officially "on the charts" - the growth charts that is

He is 12 lb 6 oz, head 41 cm, and 24 1/4 inches long. He is on the growth chart for all 3 - 25th percentile for head, 10th percentile for length, and 5th for weight. It is good that he is there so soon - dr. told us that they give preemies until they are 2 to make it onto the charts - but Twan has done it already

He has also reached all the milestones for his "adjusted" age and many for his "actual" ago - really the only one is that he doesn't do is reach for an item that is held in front of him. He bats things away, but doesn't reach - yet

Parenting

So, Russell and I have been parents to Riana for almost a year and half now, unofficially and officially for a little over a year - and there are times I realize we were not prepared to be instant parents to a little girl who most likely suffered a lot in her very young years.

She and I butt heads on everything - and really a five year old shouldn't be butting heads with her mother. Talked to the dr. again on Saturday when we were there for Twan's 4 mo check up - and she said that we should get "the explosive child" it's a book. These explosions only happen for me though, so I am thinking there is some kind of a problem.

Now, if I think back she hasn't had any real "mother" figures in her life that I can think of - the time she spent with bio mom couldn't have been quality as I know that her older sister was taking care of her, and she was only ten at the time. Time with the foster parent didn't seem to have a real strong mother figure in the household - and I wonder if she was the victim of favoritism there.

So, possibly my "strong" personality and her need to take care of herself are what is causing the clashes - I am willing to try anything to make it more peaceful here - because before we know it she will be a teenager and there will be no peace at all......

Friday, May 4, 2007

Feeling Fulfilled

Just needed to write about this while the feeling is fresh in my mind -

Was just shopping at Wal-Mart (of couse) and was inline waiting to check out when I heard a voice that I knew sounded familiar to me. As I looked up to see the source of the voice the person attached to it looked up at the same time. It was Shante - she was one of our foster daughter's - she was 16 at the time and pregnant.

She only stayed a short time, but while she was here she was part of the family and I admit that I have missed her since we lost contact. She was so happy to see me, as happy as I was. She is living right up the road now and has completed high school and is taking nursing classes.

She told me that we will never know how much of an impact we had on her life - we got her to go back to school and not become a statistic in the system that she was once a cog in.

She is supposed to visit and I feel like there is something good I have done in this world - for her to think so highly of us still after over a year.....

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Waiting is the Hardest Part

It has been a bit over 10 days since I sent my edited manuscript to PA and received a response that it was being sent to formatting. I grow more and more impaitent each day that I don't receive a thing from them. I am anxious to see my book in print.

With that and the MANY other things that are stressing my to the hilt lately I am not sure how much longer I can keep my cool and my sanity in place