Baby Naming Rules

I think picking a name for a child is one of the hardest things a parent has to do in the early years. Should the name be unique and unusual or should the name be traditional. These are all things that need to be addressed when you name your child. Now add in the extra step of honoring the name that was given by either the birth parents or care givers. This is my dilemma.

Over the years I have heard many different names and I have to say I am very picky about what names I would even consider. I think the reason why I am so picky is because I am around when so many children are receiving their names. There is always a discussion about who likes or dislikes the name. Usually there is a wonderful story that goes along with how these two people came up with the name for their precious little one. Opinions are given even when the parents are not asking for one by just about everyone. More often then not I find myself in the middle of these discussions because the parents ask for my opinion or are looking for support for an unpopular decision.

I started the poll about whether parents think about what their child's initials spell because Gerard's initials spell something and as a result he refuses to use his middle name. I think besides him I was the only other person to realize that his initials spell G.A.S.

For a boy I love the name Gerard but here is the problem he hates it. He hates the fact that pretty much everyone spells it wrong or can not pronounce it. I have gotten him to agree to Gerard as a middle name. So now I have to wait to see what name the child has to see if it is something that I would like a first name or an additional middle name.

So here are the rules that I am using to determine what name I will.

1. Must be traditional
2. Must have a nice meaning
3. Initials or monogram must not spell anything crazy
4. Must be spelled the traditional way
5. Name must not be the most popular name of the year
6. Can not rhyme with something weird.

These were some of the things that I will be thinking about when we make the final decision on what name we will give the little bean. I know this list makes me sound very ridge but honestly I am not.

Portable Car Seat for Trip #2

I have read on one of the web sites that Russia has passed a new law about children and car seats as of January 1, 2007. Yesterday when I was talking with the social worker I asked her if she had heard of this new law and she said that she did. I looked up portable car seat on the internet and found one that folds down so that it is easy to pack into your suitcase. I thought it might be of interest to those of you who will be traveling soon. It also does not look too bulky and might be good for the plane ride.

I guess like everyone else who is waiting for the refferal and travel dates I am making a list. I have attached the link to the web site where I found this car seat. I plan on talking with my friend who is a car seat specialist to get her opinion. Apparently 70% of car seats are installed incorrectly. In New Jersey the Sheriff's department will install it for you free of charge. There is apparently a course and a certification that they have that enables them to do this for new parents. Also check with your local hospital to see if someone in the Nursery or Pedicatric unit is certifed to check a car seat. My friend is the one for the hospital that I work at so I plan to take her to lunch and buy a car seat while we are out when the time comes.

Part #2 of the Home Study is DONE!

Our Home

Well I have just completed the home visit for my home study. I do not know why I worried about this part so much. I know that I have a nice home and I try to keep it clean. The funny thing that happened last week was my usually neat and orderly home was trashed. There was stuff everywhere. Now I know you are all asking who trashed your house. It was me. I think I was so nervous about having someone come to my home that I did not put a thing away. The shear amount of stuff in my kitchen was overwhelming.

Kitchen



So I planned to clean and pick everything up this weekend.
Well that did not happen. I ended up picking up everything last night after Gerard left for work. I have inserted some pictures of what the house looked like right before the Social worker came to visit. Our house is not a McMansion but I love anyway. The other house was way too big for us.

Living Room



Little Bean's Room (That is our Nickname for the Baby)



My Social Worker and I spoke about my concerns about CHI not being accredited for Russia as of yet. Her opinion of the matter was that Russia has just not gotten to CHI’s application. She has worked with CHI quite a bit and is very confident that they will be one of the next agencies that are accredited.

CHI was not able to do my home study because they do not have an office in New Jersey. My coordinator referred me to A Loving Choice Adoption Associates. I have to say if anyone in New Jersey needs an agency to do their home study I highly recommend this agency. I felt very comfortable talking with them about the things that I need to complete and steps that I will take along the way. There is a link to their web page on the side of my blog.

Gerard is some how convinced that this adoption will not take much time at all but I am a little more realistic. He keeps saying that it will all happen at once. He swears that it is because I count how many additional PTO hours I am getting in each paycheck. I plan to go back to work on a reduced work week of 2-12 hour shifts and use a PTO day to make up the pay.
I am off to make fish tacos for dinner. Don't knock them until you try them. Then I am off to work. What a beautiful day today was.

Let's be a Lighthouse!

I have thought long and hard about how I want my child's room to be decorated. I know that this sounds a little selfish in one way but try to stick with me. As many know I have grown up near the ocean most of my life. The one constant in my mother's life has been her connection with her home town of Barnegat Light, New Jersey. My mother has always loved this town and in particular the Barnegat Lighthouse.



I have often thought that a coastal beach feel for my home is the most comfortable way for Gerard and me to live. Gerard loves the ocean, fishing and everything that goes with it so our Baby's room will mirror these loves. I have decided that we will focus on the Barnegat Lighthouse as the 'theme' for the room. This got me thinking about what is the underlying meaning of this 'theme'. I know Gerard and all of you are right I have been thinking too hard on this topic.

A lighthouse is a beacon for ships to signal danger but also to signal an area of save passage in the waterways. I want to be this beacon for my child. I want our home to be that safe place for him or her to grow; a place where love, understanding and discipline are delivered in the kindest of ways. Lighthouses are a constant in my mind. They never go away you can always find them in the day or night time. That is the type of mother that I want to be for my child. Lighthouses never come in out of a storm and are always their in the sunshine. I want to be there for my child during bad and good times. The light from a lighthouse shines in an unconditional non-judgmental way always bright. I want to love my child in that way unconditionally and non-judgmentally.



So see you are all right I have thought too much about this small thing of decorating a room for a baby but this is one small way that I will teach my child about life and the lessons that comes from living life to the fullest. We can all be the lighthouse in someone else’s life. Live life to the fullest, love like there is no tomorrow and be the best person that you can be always. If a friend needs you be there for both the good and the bad times.

Preparing for the Little One and Free Gifts

Well, this post is for those of you who have your children. I came across this web site last night. Apparently, pampers.com is offering free gifts for points that are collected with a purchase. I just wanted to let everyone know because I have checked it out and it seems pretty easy. You just have to join and collect point stickers from inside the packages. The points range from 1-14 points. Some of the free gifts include 200 pictures from shutterfly, Legos and blockbusters videos all free. Once you join you can put your points in on the internet. The site tracks the number of points entered and a wish list for the things that you want.

I must be a little bit of a type A personality because I am starting to nest. I know that I am very far off from getting my child but I like to be prepared. So I have been buying 3 or 4 things every payday. I keep only my Christmas decorations in the attic so I have purchased 3 Rubbermaid totes. I figure that all children would need socks, sippy cups and pampers. I have to say after talking to my CHI coordinator I am pretty sure that we will be getting a boy so I have been picking up an outfit or two. I separate them into the tubs according to sizes. I got some Levis jean shorts for $2.50 so I bought one in each size.

The funny thing is even though Gerard and I have decided to take the first referral I did tell him that we will probably have a boy. Well since that he is convinced that we will only get a boy. My friend has started to torture him by telling him that he is going to get a girl. Seeing his face when she says that makes me laugh. It is good that he takes this all in stride. Well you guessed it I torture him and he loves it.

Who's the Mommy?

Well since I have made the decision to turn this blog into a book there are a few things I should include. Unfortunately, for my readers these things may seem to be a little boring for you. I have decided to write a little bit about each family member. I think this is the part of those baby books that is almost never filled out but is very important. I know with my sisters this part was only filled out in 2 of 7 books and not for both sides of the family. So here goes.

Who's the Mommy? I think it is difficult for most people to highlight their strengths as an adult at least for me it is that way. Writing the autobiography was the most difficult part of the home study. Currently I am a Registered Nurse who works in a newborn nursery. I love my job. I work at night mostly because that was the shift that was available when I needed a change from adult nursing. I went to many different schools as a young child because my family moved around a lot. I once counted that we had moved over 26 times before I was 18 years old.

I think because of all of those moves I missed out on having a best friend that would be there for a life time like so many other woman have. In place of best friends I have my sisters; most of the time we all get along very well and do lots of things together.

Long Beach Island Grade School

Southern Regional Middle School



Southern Regional High School

The first school that I can remember the name of is the LBI School on Long Beach Island. I went there from 4th to 6th grade. We lived in Loveladies, NJ. Then it was off to Southern Regional middle school for 7th through 9th grade. We had move to the mainland or Manahawkin. I finished my high school education at Southern Regional High School. Wow, these last 2 schools have grown. After that I started my college career at Felician College and transferred to Ocean County College where I graduated with an Associated Degree in Nursing Science at the age of 20. So there you have it I was a Registered Nurse at 20.

The one funny thing about being a nurse so young was that I was in charge of people's lives could give very potent medications but could not go to a bar go figure. I looked very young at 20 as most 20 year olds did so it was harder for me to convince my patients that I was the nurse. But after talking to me for a couple of minutes they usually figured it out.

I have started back to school in 2004 for my Baccalaureate degree in Nursing Science at the University of Phoenix. I started this because I want to be able to spend as much time with my child as possible. I am hoping to finish this degree before he or she comes home. This will let me sit for the certification as a school nurse. Weekends off, summers off and Christmas off all things that I do not want to miss once the baby is here. The only reason why I would leave acute care nursing is to raise my child.

I love to quilt, ‘read’ books my own special way in the car while driving (more on that later I promise it is very safe, do not worry), decorate my home, watch the birds and go to the beach even though I burn easily. My favorite thing to talk about now is when my baby comes home. I will write more about me later on days when I have no adoption news to post. I figured that is a good time to put the information into the blog. Bye for now.

Writing a Book

I have often thought of writing a book. Then it occurred to me that this blog will essentially be a book about my experiences as I adopt my child from Russia. So then I thought some more about what I want this blog to represent. I have read many different blogs and even posted to some of them. I want this blog to represent the good and bad times that Gerard and I will go through together as we adopt our child. I want it to include the suggestions of all who care to read and post to this blog.
I would love to have this blog bound into a book of daily or almost daily thoughts during my adoption process. If any one knows how I could do this please post or email me the information.