Happy birthday Mary Jacinta!

Happy birthday sweet baby girl! Thank you L for choosing life and for choosing us! We are so blessed. Thank you Lord for our precious "sissy"!




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Happy heart day !!

I haven't blogged in ages. With two babies and working full time I have basically no free time at all - but we are happy and healthy and thankful everyday.
Mary Jacinta's adoption was finalized December 21, and it was the smoothest adoption ever I feel like. Our lawyer was AMAZING and it was was finalized before I could practically blink, exactly 4 months from her birthdate. What a Christmas present she is! Her birthmom is proving to not want as much contact as we would like (which surprised me how much we want it!) and we are having problems with her eating (she is barely 10 lbs @ 6 mos). She gags, sometimes pukes so hard it comes out her nose and she gasps for breath- so scary- and I worry about her weight gain everyday but we get an A for effort that's for sure. Sometimes it takes her an hour to get 3 oz down. It's so upsetting when all you want to see is an empty bottle and a full baby...She is such a great baby other than not eating well. She talks non stop especially when Blake talks to her and she loves to watch Benjamin and smile at him.
Benjamin is such a happy baby which is so different from his first 6 weeks when all he seemed to do was eat and cry. He is the perfect baby and he is totally enamored with his sister which is so precious to watch. He coos, smiles, squeals at her - I will post a video soon.
I feel like I lost my job at the greatest job ever- a stay at home mom. I loved every second of my 13 weeks at home. I only left to go to mass ;) and when January 3 arrived I felt such sadness. I can't even describe it. It was like I was missing an arm or leg. I cried every morning until about 2 weeks ago but it is still hard. The only thing that makes it easier is knowing my mother is there taking care of them or Blake if he isnt working due to the weather. I get butterflies every afternoon thinking of seeing them again. I keep thinking to myself "we must have insurance, our insurance is only $75 a month, we need my insurance". But we still buy lotto tickets in hopes I can quit!! And I know I'll be Sooooo glad I have this job in four years when I get to see my kids all day long at school and teach them too so I keep on keeping on.
Happy Valentines Day to you all and my prayers are with all of you!















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Prayers please

I am returning to work today. Please pray for me - I am terribly sad.


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Prayer buddy JBTC :)))

My prayer buddy this advent was so easy to pray for. Not only do I already pray for her everyday, but she is one of my dearest blog friends!! I already prayed for her, her dh, and her upcoming baby before prayer buddies so I added her intentions as well as a few things I thought she would need help managing after the baby came- like patience after no sleep and no anxiety over baby's health or having to return to work. It was such a blessing to be able to pray for our own beloved and much read JOY BEYOND THE CROSS!! I love you M and baby Elizabeth Marie is INSANELY lucky to be blessed with parents like you two. I will continue praying for you three daily :)

Thanks so much to my prayer buddy Gee at www.renewingmoments.blogspot.com. We have many similarities and though I haven't connected with her before, I look forward to reading her story!! She was so very sweet to send my babies some knotted caps pictures below. They are so soft and fit perfectly. She even made Mary Jacintas a tad smaller :) she also
made me a lovely scarf I look forward to wearing.

God bless you Marie amd Gee!








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FMLA - Family Medical Leave Act Questions, HELP??

Babies in their Christmas outfits :)

Benjamin's baptism (and Mary Jacinta's annointing with Chrism since she was already baptized in the NICU)

My last prayer buddy sent the babies these adorable pea pod hats - thanks again Kate!

I have such anxiety thinking about returning to work on January 3. I go to mass every Saturday night while DH stays with the babies, have been to Walmart once, Macys to get "big girl pants" for the babies baptism last Sunday, and to get my hair cut. Other than that, I don't leave the house and am completely happy to be holed up inside with my babies. January 3rd marks 13 weeks I've been home since we brought Mary Jacinta home on Sept 29. I used 1.5 weeks paid vacation, 2 weeks unpaid leave, and 8 weeks short-term disability pay for the c section recovery period and my school's Christmas break just coincides for an additional 2 weeks.

My question (and I pray someone knows the answer!!!) is this:
Am I guarenteed 12 additional weeks due to the adoption? The US Dept of Labor's website states FMLA leave of 12 weeks is granted for birth of a child, adoption of a child, military leave, to care for a sick relative. SO???? Can I take additional time off? Things will be T-I-G-H-T around this house without my return to work for 3 more months, but I know God will provide. These may be our only babies, and I want to spend as much time as possible with them! I will always have to work to provide insurance since DH is self employed, but under FMLA law, insurance is still paid by the employer during that leave. I am about to call our HR person....so nervous!

Happy adoption day Mary Jacinta!!

In light of today being national adoption day, I thought I would share some pics of our precious jewel Mary Jacinta. How we love her and the beautiful gift of her adoption (which will be finalized December 21 at 9am!!)














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My sweet babies ;)

I haven't had any time to post, two babies are alot of work! My mom stayed for two weeks overnight and still comes most days so I can shower, eat, and brush my teeth ;)

We are doubly blessed and doubly busy - Mary Jacinta is a perfect baby so happy and rarely cries. Benjamin is still getting used to his surroundings and trying to get days and nights on track. He cries a bit more but is easily soothed and loves to be cuddled! DH and I are sleeping apart to be able to get any sleep- He has MJ is our room and I sleep and nurse Benjamin in the guest room otherwise we would both be up every hour! I have tried nursing her but after two months on a bottle, she is not able to latch, and her pedi said she needs the extra calories from the fortified preemie formula so I pump for her a couple times a day. She gets half formula half breast milk.

He is up to 8 lbs at 3 weeks and she is 6.4 at 12 weeks (4 weeks corrected age). They are just starting to notice each other lately, it is so precious to watch.

I hope to post his birth story soon while it is still fresh on my mind!









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