just wandering
as I posted below my DH and I are pursing foster/adopt. I set an appointment up for the28th to have our finger prints updated and then when they come back they will set up our first home study.
I was wandering for those of you who foster/adopt what you recommend we begin with? I know looking at 0-5 we should have car seat/booster crib/toddler bed and stroller. What other things should we have off hand? I know we should have a mixture of clothes for all ages and genders toys etc.
Have any of you had any type of shower to help prepare? I had a friend offer to through me a shower of support to allow the hubby and I to get some help with getting things in order. Does this make sense? Then she said when/if we do adopt than we would have a weocine to your forever family party. What are your thoughts/suggestions. All advice welcome.
Re: just wandering
We also had a sippy cup, a bottle, some utensils, a plate...one of everything to get us through day 1.
I got a lot of free clothes off Craigslist.
We also had a few toys to hold us over.
We're just fostering..our county doesn't do foster to adopt.
The ladies in my bible study through a shower for me. They got me some kiddie books and gift cards. The gift cards were life savers because then we could buy what we needed when the time came.
When LO was dropped off at our door he had the clothes on his back and 1 diaper. The county did give us a voucher to use, but I couldn't just grab him and jump in the car to go shopping, so it helped to have a few things ready.
~*Jenna*~
TTC since November 2009.
Currently licensed foster parents with the hope of adopting! Also pursuing pregnancy through IUI! First IUI scheduled 10/3/13
Currently loving our placements:
A 1/08
C 4/11
K 6/12
I have the type of personality where I would MUCH rather be over-prepared. So we got tons of stuff beforehand. We also had 2 showers, which helped us a lot!
Prior to being licensed for 2 children with an age preference of infant to 4yo, we had the entire nursery set up (crib, changing table, twin bed, desk, books, diapers, diaper genie, crack machine, etc.). We also had 2 outfits and 2 sets of pajamas in every size NB to 5T, along with 1 pack of diapers in each size and underwear. This was a lifesaver since we used these clothes the first few days since we didn't have time to unpack and sort through all of their stuff.
We also had carseats (2 convertible Britax and 2 booster seats). Our county does provide vouchers for carseats, but we preferred to buy our own (that we'd get to keep) that we had time to research and not hope they would be in stock when we needed them.
We had simple toys (blocks, wooden train set, etc.) that we got from consignment sales and given to us from friends. We also had bottles, dishes, kiddie spoons, sippy cups, bibs, high chair, etc. And we had a meal for each baby food stage and always a box of Mac and Cheese!
I was way over-prepared, but I really liked that our first few days with the boys were spent together getting to know one another and not constantly at the store trying to buy all of the essentials. But I know others have said it would be hard emotionally to have all of the baby stuff in their home while they wait for "the call"- this didn't bother me but kept me excited that a baby (or two) would come since we had all of this stuff- they just had to!