Saturday, February 27, 2016

Declan Connor

"How do you know you'll love a child that you've never met?" 


We have come across this question while researching adoption. Most websites, blogs and advice on social media regarding adoption will almost always include a post about this topic. And it seems to be the theme of conversation from well meaning family, friends and even perfect strangers. Everyone has their reasons for choosing adoption. 

We know it is possible to love a child that we have never met because we have before. 


A year and a half ago we were elated to find out that we were expecting our first child. A son. We spent those precious 9 months eagerly awaiting for him to arrive. With sonograms pictures proudly displayed on the fridge and the nursery ready to go, all we could do was wait. But fate had other plans and complications occurred during the last stage of labor. Annie suffered from a rare form of HELLP Syndrome. Her life was in real danger and little Declan couldn't withstand the trauma. We lost our precious baby boy on his due date. 

Annie spent several days in a medically induced coma. She woke up to a world that had been forever changed. Her recovery took time. She spent a month regaining her strength through physical and speech therapy and has since made a full recovery. 


She carried Declan for 40 weeks. He grew into a shy baby that only wiggled at her or Sean's touch. He was big. 8 lbs. and 22 inches long. He enjoyed kicking his mommy in the ribs, was always calm during a warm camomile bath, had the hiccups on a regular basis and listened to the Beatles every night. 

Sean was given the opportunity to hold Declan after he passed. It's in those moments that Sean became a father and he truly understood how very precious and fragile we are. To say hello and goodbye in a single moment changes you forever. 


We held a small funeral for our sweet boy. A chance to honor him. We had an outpour of love and support from a family and friends. They came to show their support and respect for Declan's short little life. We are forever grateful to have such beautiful people in our lives. In times like this, you really learn who can be counted on. 


Through the loss of Declan we have learned many things:


Life is precious

You will never understand how important each moment is until all you have is a few precious moments. 

Our relationship is strong
You don't know how much you can endure until you are forced to endure such loss. And although we have been strong on our own, together we are unfailing. 

We are parents because of Declan
In our love for Declan we have become acutely aware of how it feels to have a part of you that is forever missing. Not a day goes by that we do not think of him and how our life would be different had he lived. 

But through the tears and sadness we have come to realize that this love for Declan must be shared. He would want that. And so our focus has become adoption. There is a child out there that is searching and waiting of us. And we will find him or her. 

Declan will always be our first child. Our son. He will live in our hearts. And he will urge us on as we build our family through adoption. 



Declan Connor
February 27, 2015 

Gone Too Soon 

Yours was a life that had hardly begun
No time to find your place in the sun
No time to do all you could have done
But we loved you enough for a lifetime.

No time to enjoy the world and its wealth
No time to take life down from the shelf
No time to sing the song of yourself
Though you had enough love for a lifetime.

Those who live long endure sadness and tears
But you'll never suffer the sorrowing years
No betrayal, no anger, no hatred, no fears
Just love, only love, in your lifetime.











Monday, February 22, 2016

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Our Adventure in Pottery

      
We love to try new things! 

So when Sean surprised me with a pre-Valentine's Day pottery class.... I was totally up for the new adventure. He is always finding thoughtful ways for us to spend time together. He joked that the most we would learn is how to make an ash tray (although neither one of us smoke). But I think we did okay for our first try.  What a great way to get your hands dirty. We were both a little nervous at first but began to get the hang of it after a while. I found it to be a great way to relax and focus at the same time. 


They will Glaze & Fire all of our creations and we'll pick them up in a couple of weeks! Definitely going back for another class.                     

Written by: Annie


Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Baby Proofing

As a part of the Home Study process, we were asked to "Baby Proof" our home. Yes, our home is baby proofed even though we have yet to receive The Call. 

Here are some easy ways to make sure your little one is safe in your home:

1. Sit on the floor and look at things from your baby/toddler's point of view. 
    Sure it sounds silly but your home looks completely different to a kiddo. 


2. Make a list of the obvious areas that need attention. Then research the best solutions for the needs of your home. Here is our starter list of the Baby Proofing tools we have implemented:


Electrical Outlets 
Safety 1st Plug 'N Outlet Covers - 4 Pack

Electrical Cords     

Blind Cords
Dreambaby Blind Cord Wraps,4 Count(Pack of 2)
Kitchen & Bathroom Cabinets 
Oven Knobs


Sliding Glass Door & Window Latches
Dreambaby Sliding Door and Window Locks


Balcony 
Safety 1st Furniture Wall Straps - 8 Straps



3. There are also other safety concerns that were addressed during our Home Study walk through. So in addition to list above, we also purchased:

Fire Extinguisher
Kid FA110 Multi Purpose Fire Extinguisher 1A10BC

Second Floor Escape Ladder 
Kid KL-2S Two-Story Fire Escape Ladder with Anti-Slip Rungs, 13-Foot

Bathtub Faucet Cover
Skip Hop Bath Spout Cover, Moby


4. Of course there a tons of additional ways to Baby Proof your home but this is what we have chosen... so far. Other safety tips are:

Keep cleaners and medication in a locked cabinet 
Keep pet food out of reach 
Keep lids on trash cans
Remove breakable Knick-Knacks from lower tables and shelves 
Add baby gates to top and bottom of stairs
Consider a safety latch for toilet
Get in the habit of using back burners on stovetop

5. Keep emergency phone numbers in a visible place
Parent's Phone Numbers
Physician Phone Numbers
Poison Control Emergency Hotline: (800) 222-1222




And when all else fails you can try this:


Just kidding!!!!!


Of course, do your own research before purchasing anything for your home. You can also consult our neighborhood Fire House for general recommendations. 



All of the items highlighted in this post are available in our Amazon Shop

Sean & Annie's Adoption Journey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate adverting program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com 

Monday, February 15, 2016

Doc McStuffins Learns About Adoption

Click Link for full article: Doc McStuffins Learns About Adoption


This is a fantastic idea! What a great way to normalize adoption in a way that children can understand. Not only for adoptive families but for their friends and family too! 


Friday, February 12, 2016

Sean & Annie's Adoption Related Recommendations

Hello Moms & Dads, 

We have created our very own Amazon Shop!!!!!!! There will, of course, be adoption related suggestions. But we will also feature our favorite baby & kiddo picks as well as anything home related that we love. YAY! 

Here is the link: http://astore.amazon.com/seaandannsado-20
(It is also located on the right side of this blog and on our website)


Today, we are highlighting our favorite adoption themed books for children.