Oct

16

Sept/Oct ‘05 And now for something completely different

Filed Under Morgan 

Another month has gone by and I feel this Journal had gotten in a rut. I have droned on about what Becky and I have done with Morgan in the evenings and weekends, you know Morgan’s busy social schedule. This entry will be different. This entry will be about the people that take care of Morgan while Becky and I are at work. Don’t get me wrong I could still fill pages talking about what we did this month, but if I’m getting tired writing the same old thing that I know you should be getting tired of reading. (Now for something new and refreshing) We often joke about the fact that we have Grandparent daycare. Becky and I both agree that it’s the right thing for Morgan right now and that she seems to have blossomed (girls blossom right). I think it has worked out for everyone involved. Now don’t get jealous but both sets of grandparents live about 45 minuets or less from us. The Grandparents take alternating weeks watching Morgan. My parents are Nana and Papa and Becky’s parents are Grandma and Grandpa. This child could not be more loved. How cool is that almost free daycare. We try to keep the pantry stocked with foods the grandparents like so they keep coming back. So far it appears that the fountain of youth for our parents is not a fountain at all it’s a 22 month old Chinese girl named Morgan. I’ve never seen our parents this full of energy and excited. This is a typical day for Morgan or so we are lead to believe. The Grandparents can correct me later. Typically Becky and I are trying to quietly get ready for work so we don’t disturb the Beast when we hear the Grandparents coming through the front door. We have an informal pre-dawn briefing about last night and events of the day that may need to take place. Usually I’ll get out the door and won’t see Morgan until after work. Becky leaves about 30 minuets after me and she’s sometimes lucky enough to hear Morgan stirring in her crib. Those days Becky will go up and get Morgan so that she is able to see that smiling face that can make your day before she goes to work. Then the Grandparents get her. This is where some corrections, additions and revisions may be necessary. When Nana and Papa are watching her, Papa puts on a gourmet breakfast show with eggs, sausage, etc. If it’s just Nana, then it’s usually cereal, banana and yogurt while trying to make her drink milk. Grandma and Grandpa usually try eggs, grits and toast with fruit and yogurt. If either set of grandparent decides that they don’t want to cook, Morgan has become well known at the local Waffle House. Morgan fits in with Becky and I because she’s not a morning person either. She’s not in a foul mood in the mornings but is slow to get started but when she does look out. This summer has been HOT and most of the playing has been inside. We encouraged that not only for Morgan but for the Grandparents. Morgan may go out and play for a half an hour or so but not much longer. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, our library has a story time program in the morning for toddlers and Morgan has perfect attendance. This summer Morgan also went to a place called The Puppet Playhouse once a week. I think the Puppet Playhouse is a little over Morgan’s head but it was something to do inside. Then it is usually naptime for Morgan and grandparents. Ever since we got Morgan, we have held her for naptime. We felt that it would improve the bond we had with her and it was also for selfish reasons. We didn’t get the first year with her that most parents do with their children so we felt the need and desire to make up for that lost time of holding our sleeping daughter. It doesn’t hurt that Morgan is a good snuggler! Apparently Papa and Grandma take Morgan for a nap more than the Nana and Grandpa. Morgan will sleep for 2-3 hours. Typically Morgan takes her nap in a leather recliner in our FROG (Finished Room Over the Garage) curled on top of a pillow on top of a grandparent. We tried to get her to take her nap in her crib when we got back to the US but quickly gave up, taking the easy way out and snuggling. This January we are going to put Morgan in regular daycare and I think she will adjust quickly. I don’t think Becky, the Grandparents and I will adjust as quickly but she needs the additional socialization with other children other than what she gets on the weekends and a few nights a week. Lunch, it usually depends on Morgan’s mood weather she eats before or after naptime. Once again, either the grandparents will whip up some veggies and fruit or Morgan will get to visit some other restaurants “where everybody knows her name” Wendy’s or Ryan’s. It’s kind of weird when we are out and about and run into people that know Morgan and we don’t know them. Then we get “you must be Morgan’s parents” and they tell us about where they’ve met Morgan and that she was with her grandparents. Then the rest of the day is usually spent winding down at our house until I get off work and the party is just getting started. Oh, on days where nothing is really planned, you could find Morgan and her Grand parents at one of the many parks around our house, the mall, large department store, Zoo or the gym. Yes, Morgan now belongs to a gym. We were getting concerned about her social skills and her confidence to do things. I’m proud to say that the gym has done wonders for Morgan. Here are two stories about Morgan that are not on the Journal. When we first joined the gym, Morgan was shy and didn’t want to do much but as time passed she became more confident and comfortable. There were two things I wanted her to do that I always either wanted to do or thought would be a lot of fun to do. One was the ball pit and the other was the trampoline. Two weeks ago we finally got Morgan to play on and in both and now she makes a beeline to the trampoline when we get to the gym. One other thing, yes Grandparent Daycare is Great, but we try to pay the Grandparents one way or another. We try to take them out to nice restaurants that they have never been to for a group dinner. This last time was at Carraba’s and Morgan had a blast. Her 6 people were there with her. What could be better? We also got our parents Zoo passes to take Morgan whenever they wanted and have offered gas money to help with CRAZY gas prices. We tried to make Free Grandparent Daycare a worthwhile venture for all involved. If only I could be Morgan for a day. I’m going to only post occasionally to give more time to Morgan, video, and photos of Morgan. We’ll start the journal again Big time when we start the adoption process for Isabelle, our next daughter from China.

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