After all the hemming and hawing, we decided to sign on the dotted line with our local agency. I'm impressed by the fact that they are actively seeking new ways to market and have started working with an on-line profiling service that we'll use to get our profile out to various sources as many matches are happening via web searches these days. Plus, after working with them for Baby X's adoption, we are very comfortable with how they approach counseling of the expectant parents. There were a few things about the other agency that I couldn't really feel out very well when it came to their counseling of expectant parents. It sounds like they do a fine job, but one of the things our agency was clear about in our training is that they go through all possible scenarios with the parents before making the decision. That wasn't specifically mentioned when I specifically asked about expectant parent counseling. Also, it bothered me a little bit when I asked about open adoption how quickly our contact jumped to the "we won't force you into an open adoption" line. When I followed up by saying that we are currently in an open adoption and it's something that we are open to for our next child, the contact was a little cagey saying that it was up to the expectant parents. Anyway, as we only had one 30 minute conversation, that's something we could have probed deeper if we weren't in so much shock over cost (ultimately the driver of our decision).
It's official, we are a waiting family and we are number 45 on the list. When we went live on the list for the first adoption, we bought a little minky blanket for the baby-to-be. And I started collecting baby clothes/accessories from every vacation we took, all of the ski areas we frequent, and various other random places. I think that Baby #2 deserves no less, don't you?
Hurray!!! And congratulations! And yes, Baby #2 deserves no less. :) So happy for you guys!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! What an exciting milestone!
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the open adoption conversation. If this is the same agency we are using, I was shocked to hear that only a small percentage of adoptive parents they work with want an open adoption. Most prefer semi-open.
ReplyDeleteI agree, #2 deserves the swag too! :-)
Yeah, he definitely went more towards the "semi-open" spiel. I thought it was weird given our obvious comfort level (and we did not get there overnight, like many families I'm sure). I suppose it could have just been the conversation, I just think there are other ways to talk about it.
DeleteI agree with you. Justin (I'm assuming that's who you spoke with as well) never mention it to us, but I didn't ask about it either until I spoke with Kelly. She seemed very pleased that we wanted an open adoption and encouraged it as being very good for the entire triad.
DeleteSo so exciting!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's exciting! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI think it's wonderful that you are purchasing items for the second baby too.
ReplyDeleteYay, so excited for you!
ReplyDeleteYea! Yes, #2 deserves all the swag while you still have time to collect it.
ReplyDeleteI was the first and my mom created a baby book for me with my first haircut, words, milestones, first impressions by family, birthday cards until I was 2, etc. It was bulging. When my brother came (2 years later) he also had a baby book but it had his birth date and maybe hair from his first haircut. There wasn't much else. My mom didn't have time with a toddler and a baby to record all those "firsts."
You might even write a letter to #2 now while you have those excited thoughts of your future little girl/boy.