RTT: Back to Babies

OK, I’m a bit late, but it’s still Tuesday here!

 

Two nights ago, I had a nightmare about babies. It was long and involved and I woke up remembering it…and still do, but don’t feel like sharing. In summary, I had a baby, was told she would die ASAP, and we took her home and basically didn’t care for her assuming she”d die in hours. Because, you know, that makes sense. *scratches head* A week later I went to check (hubby had been looking in) and she was alive and thriving and happy..somehow. So we started taking better care of her and accepting her as ours, while being consumed with guilt for trusting the doctors and ignoring her.  Very weird. Like any dream, I guess.

But what’s weirder?

It reignited my baby fever.

Oh my head, as Corey would say, what on earth prompted that? How does a nightmare about a dying baby and then guilt for neglecting a baby make me want a freaking baby??

Baby fever, please go into remission for about 6 months. Then you can contemplate coming back. But definitely not before.

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Christmas is almost here! I <3 Christmas. One of my two love languages is gift-giving. I am a total gift-giver. I take pride in thinking and coming up with just the right gift for people. And I love receiving well-considered gifts. Like when my hubby bought me a book I never asked for, but he knew was by an author I loved and didn’t think I’d realized was out. One of the best presents ever, sweet hubby :-D

But you know what I don’t love? Stressing out trying to figure out what Amazon boxes addressed to me were actually purchased by me, and which I shouldn’t open! I got four boxes addressed to me today. One I opened and shouldn’t have (oops!). One is a present for my hubby, bought by me. One is from my MIL, who warned me it would be coming and to not open it (and thankfully sent me a tracking number when I told her I didn’t know which one it was). And the other is……? Who knows! Ugh, I hate the guessing and trying not to ruin presents! But I also don’t want to just leave them and then have the wrong person open it on Christmas!

It doesn’t seem that complex to me: If you don’t want me opening it, don’t address it to me!

And don’t tell me it’s not a big deal. To me it is a big deal. Gift-giving is my major love-language. Ruining a gift is a big disappointment. So take that Facebook friends who are telling me to get drunk and relax when I posted a perfectly calm comment on the situation.

PS I don’t drink, so clearly said FB friend doesn’t know me well enough to tell me how I should feel, anyway.

PPS No, I am not over-reacting to his stupid (string of) comment(s). Well…OK…maybe a little :-P

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I woke up this morning with a puppy draped across my chest and a kitty sitting on my hips. Is there a better way to wake up? I didn’t think so.

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I had so.much.fun with Erica here last week! I miss her something terrible, but it was so good to see her. Worth the missing, now :-)

Oh, and sending three engineers to the Science Museum? Um..yeah. I’m sure the other patrons had fun laughing at avoiding watching us!

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In-laws, don’t read this. I’m not sure if you read my blog, but if you do, skip to the next ***. Thanks :-)

I just found one of those great gifts for Christmas. I donated money to help support the adoption of a Down Syndrome child in Eastern Europe. In honor of my in-laws, who have two adopted children and one child gotten the “old-fashioned way” with DS.

The blogger sponsoring the fund-raising for this child has rallied people who have donated over $6,000 so far towards the adoption of this infant. Go check her out. At least go look at the pic of the adorable baby.

Oh, and want to know what life is like for kids with DS in EE orphanages? Read this first-hand account of an adoptive mama visiting her DS daughters in their orphanage. Here’s an exerpt:

The children there cannot function.  They sleep most of their lives away.  They are so sedated that they can barely keep their eyes open, even when they are awake. They merely exist from day to day.

I cried like I have never wept.  Looking at their sweet faces just about killed me.  I was not allowed to pick the children up out of the cribs.  But each day I walked around to each one of those precious souls lying there and gently stroked their faces and rubbed their frail, malnourished bodies.  I longed for them to know the joy of a tender touch.  It was something they knew absolutely nothing about.  Not once in all my weeks of visiting did I see any of these children picked up and loved. Never! Even crying children, longing for arms to hold them, never got picked up and loved. They were taken out of the crib ONLY to be fed and changed.

And this is the good place. The baby house. Around age 4-5, these kids are sent to mental institutions where they live out the rest of their lives. So horribly sad. So if you can, consider making it easier for them to come home. Anytime, year-round, but around the holidays we tend to be more open to ways to help. Just something to consider.

There is a lot needing to be done in the world. Find something that moves you, and help make it better!

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Last night I slept 11.5 hours. Which is good. I was making up for the previous night. When I only slept 11 hours.

S.i.g.h.

So tired of being tired!

But so grateful it’s a holiday where I get more downtime :-D

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OK, I should probably go wrap gifts before my hubby gets home.

Happy Tuesday to all, and to all a good night!