Things to Do While Expecting
I like to plan, I like lists, and I like to get things accomplished. Here is another "working" list of things to do while we wait for Kylie Grace. This "pregnancy" is expected to be much longer than the traditional 10 months. As of today, it's already been 5 months with approximately 6-12 more months to go... so we have plenty of time to get these things done. You are going to think I am crazy, when you see the massive list below. I have compiled the list from advice from experienced parents, and adoptive parents who have been there.
Again, not necessarily in order of priority, and items "grayed" out are accomplished!
- Create a website for our journey to Kylie Grace
- Purchase chinese videos and music for familiarity when she arrives
- Choose an adoption website after we receive our referral through coming home
- Organize all of our pictures and put them into albums
- Finish Brad's childhood - highschool scrapbook
- Compile list of friends/family and send out request for good wishes for the quilt
- Have 100 Good Wishes Quilt assembled
- Clean out and reorganize the 2nd guest room "stuff" to prepare for the nursery
- Order furniture for the nursery and have the crib assembled
- Read "Twenty Things Adoptive Children wish their Adoptive Parents Knew"
- Read " Raising Adopted Children"
- Subscribe to Parents and Adoptive Families magazines
- Read "Attaching in Adoption", Gray
- Read "Adoption Parenting"
- Read "Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother"
- Read Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, by Jung Chang
- Read Waiting, by Ha Jin
- Read Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie
- Read the Babywise series
- Read "What to expect the First Year"
- Read " The Lost Daughters of China"
- Read "Coming to America"
- Read about typical medical conditions in China
- Watch atleast one program a week from the chinasprouttv list
- Prepare list of questions we want to ask her caregivers
- Prepare care package for our daughter, in shoebox size plastic container, when we receive the referral to include:
- ..clothing
- ..toy
- ..blankie
- ..questions in Chinese for caregivers that they will hopefully answer for us when we pick her up
- ..small album with photos of her new family (with descriptions in Chinese since the caregivers will show them to her before we arrive)
- ..1-2 disposable cameras with instructions in chinese
- Send care package for our daughter and orphange or foster family at referral (get address)
- Choose announcements
- Prepare and address announcements
- Choose thank you notes
- Join agency yahoo groups
- Join lifebook yahoo group
- Create lifebook for our baby
- Compile and have questions handy for the referral call (since we'll be so excited we probably won't remember what we wanted to ask)
- Research and choose specialized pediatrician
- ..and schedule an appointment to meet with him/her before we go
- ..schedule an appointment with the pediatrician before we leave to see us immediately when we return to the US
- Research and choose car seat, buy it, and practice safely taking it in and out
- Research and choose carrier for China,...buy it, and practice!
- Research and choose highchair, buy it
- Research and choose stroller, buy it
- Research and choose new digital camera that will take photos without delays, buy it soon so that we'll know exactly how to use it for the best photos.
- Research and choose video camera
- Take parenting safety course at Babies R Us or firestation/hospital
- Wash all clothes/bedding in Dreft before we leave
- Research child's province at referral
- Educate ourselves with holidays celebrated in China
- Find and choose babysitter (chinese to be bi-lingual?) for our date nights in Tampa
- Practice for those blatant questions that may come for Brad in the grocery store line..."is she your real daughter?"
- Buy and fill our diaper bags (one for each car, and one to carry?)
- Stock nursery with the essentials (unscented, keep it natural)
- Finish the details in the nursery
- Get forms to process re-adoption in our state to obtain US birth certificate
- Apply for her social security number
- Get visa photos done
- Have Paula get her passport and visa photos done
- Update our will
- Research and start process to get her covered under our health insurance policy
- Plan for all the paperwork and necessary requirements in FL post adoption and arrival in the US
- Find play group in Tampa and in Atlanta
- Join DTC/LID yahoo group
- Find and communicate/stay in touch with adoptive families in the area
- Set up all bills for electronic payment and pay in advance of our trip
- Set up college fund
- Create budget and start sticking to it, now!
- Update life insurance policies
- Get Paula's house ready for visits
- List and prepare gifts for China officials per agency recommendations
- Choose godparents/guardians
- Get hep a/b and dpt immunizations
- Have Paula get immunizations
- Make arrangements for someone to stock our house with essentials for when we arrive home so we don't have to worry about the grocery store right away
- Freeze mail with our postman
- Learn essential mandarin (order cd/book from agency) and share with family
- Order translation vocabulary cards from chinaconnection or chineseforadoptiveparents
- Research and practice the sign language we want to teach her
- Start stashing the required "crisp" bills for orphanage donation
- Arrange for Casey and Zoe while we travel
- Register
- Make a list for gifts from China for family/friends
- Shop and pack from agency list of required travel items
- Research packmates at QVC, purchase?
- Purchase power converter
- Find out what the luggage weight requirements are and plan
- Start list of books/music/videos we want to have for her
- Look for local meal services
- Call HOA re childcare recommendations
- Find Mommy/Baby exercise classes
- Schedule housekeeper for when we return
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