Camden's New Toy and being 7 weeks

Well Camden is 7 weeks today. It is kind of bittersweet for me. We tried for so long to get pregnant and have a baby (7years) and it never happened. However, Floyd and I were blessed with being able to adopt Camden. When we found out we were going to be parents to Camden I realized, while I do want to experience pregnancy, morning sickness, cravings and labor having a child was more important to me . Camden has been a blessing. At 7 weeks he is talking a lot, smiling more and more and really does have some great contact with people and faces. He lights up when his dad talks to him. And he knows when I am in the room. Camden loves Breonna and Nathan and just stares at them when they walk by. The best part, he is sleeping a little longer these days at night. Last night he went to bed about 8ish which is earlier than normal for him, he woke up about 9:30 had a bottle and went back to bed until 1:30, woke me up at 4am...this is where I go a little nutty...he is awake and eats, get a diaper change and then wants to stay up for about 30 to 45min. This has to change soon. Though he will go back to bed and sleeps until 7:30ish eats and goes back to bed until 9ish. Camden is then up most of the morning. He is getting bigger. While I love the new things he is doing it still makes me sad that he is getting big SO fast.

Camden has a new toy! We got him the Baby Einstein Neptunes Floor Mat. Since he was loving his mobile and its not portable we decided to get it. It was supposed to be his Christmas present BUT I couldnt wait and I am glad we didnt wait. Here are some photos and short video of him "playing" with it. (not sure why the videos are so grainy)






New Toy from Nicole Powell on Vimeo.

Giving thanks for what you are thankful for

Today the daycare kids and I were doing a craft where they had to tell me what they were thankful for. Many of the kids said sill things like " toys, dolls, pudding, rocks and tissues" a few of my older kids said meaningful things like "mommy, dad, a sibling or an animal". It of course got me to thinking about what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for:

* A warm home to live in. There are so many people losing their homes right now and I am very thankful to have ours.

* Kelli,John and Zack. They are Camden's birthparents and brother. Without them we would not have Camden. I can't imagine life without Camden at this point. I am so thankful to John and Kelli. I don't think I will ever be able to express, show or tell them how thankful I truly am.

* My health. I have struggled with my weight for years now. But I am still around and kicking.

* My husband. Floyd is my everything. He truly does try his best to be there even when I am being a little nutty. I thank him for that.

* Nathan and Breonna. Without them I wonder if I would be who I am today.

* My father in law. He is still after all these years fighting a losing battle. But I am thankful he is trying his best to continue to fight.

* My job. Even when I feel like I could scream and run away I am thankful I have my job still. There are many people losing their jobs and I am so very grateful to still have my job. I guess that would be mean I am thankful to the parents who continue to bring their children here into our home.

* My parents. They are so amazing, so supportive and so loving. Through the adoption, through everything they have ALWAYS been there with NO strings attached. My parents are amazing people and I hope to be that for Nathan, Breonna and Camden.

and last but not least...

* My life. Overall it is just a wonderful one. Filled with tons of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, hardships and wins, wonderful family and friends and so so so much more.


Tell me what you are Thankful for this Thanksgiving year.

The Iron Chef

Last Friday I was asked by Breonna's school PTA to come and be a "taste tester" for their Iron Chef cooking thing. I was excited to go. I had not heard anything about it, but I was happy to leave work for a few hours and be a "judge" and taste some cool new foods.

When I got to the school there was a line down the hall into the main lobby of the school of children holding their food entry. I was a little leary seeing all the desserts being labeled but no worry, there was bound to be more things there. After about 20min of watching the line of kids slowly come to a hault we all moved into the cafteria. Camden was with me and he was passed out so I was good to go. When Anita (the lady running the Iron chef) announced there were three different areas and they were 1. Pies 2. Cookies and 3. Other I *knew* right away I did NOT want to be in the "Pies or cookies" area to judge. I just have this thing about chocolate. It is not my thing and all the pies and cookies were of course chocolate. I opted to be in the "other" catagory. Well I got all the paperwork I needed and headed to my section and I about friggin died. I was in chocolate HELL. The other section was a ton of chocolate desserts and I had 25 of them to "try". All but ONE was chocolate. It was horrible. I wanted to leave, or cry. It was too late to ask to be in another section because the other two sections were just about done. They only had about 4 to 10 entries. I was screwed......I taste tested WAY too much chocolate. Some where pretty good others were so nasty! There was one I tried with two other moms and we all about puked. It looked like a brownie platter with blue frosting on top, it looked okay. Then as I was biting in I knew I was in for it. I bit into something chewy and gooey. The other moms looked just as ill as I was feeling...I couldnt bear it anymore and I spat it out into a napkin. I had to look to see what I bit into and it was FRUIT someone put FRUIT into a brownie...chewy fruit! It was a chocolate FRUIT CAKE!

Well an hour later and three bottles of water later we were done. We added up the points, gave our bonus's and low and behold my best friend's daughter won! Check out the winning entry here on Michelle's blog

Sleepy time..

I love Sunday's. It usually means everyone under the age of 18 is in bed and asleep by 9pm. Sunday's mean a quiet night earlier than every other day of the week.


(Nathan out fast! He had a friend stay the night last night and I believe they were up way past 2am. Amazing how there is never a fight after a friend stays the night when its bedtime the NEXT night. Sometimes that makes it all worth it! Nathan was asleep by 8pm)



(this little one will be up in about 2 to 3 hours so for now we enjoy the peace)



(Breonna the one who fights sleep. Finds something to do every single night in order to keep her eyes awake. But alas she is out.)

The house is quiet and still.

.....now I just need to get the husband to actually go to bed.

A small tid-bit of news..

For the 1st time ever Camden has gone to sleep in his crib, woken up and put himself back to bed without me going in there to give him his binky.

The small stuff is what counts!


And ummmm in other news..Christmas is in 1 month and 2 days. How soon is that? I am however getting excited about it. It means I will have from December 24th to January 2nd off from work, my kids will be home from school and we will all get to enjoy hanging out with one another. I am super excited for that. I love when there are no daycare kids and Nathan, Bree, Floyd, myself and now Camden can just relax and hang out with one another.

With Christmas coming also comes our 3 month post placement homestudy for Camden and then soon following an adoption date for Camden! Keep us in your prayers!!

Camden videos from his birth

Here are a few videos of when Camden was born. I finally figured out how to share them on here. Enjoy!


Camden 2 from Nicole Powell on Vimeo.


Camden 10/7/08 from Nicole Powell on Vimeo.

Bath Time

When Camden was born and we gave him a bath he would scream so loud the entire time making bathtime not so much fun. Eventually Floyd and I decided he may feel more secure and safe if we were in there with him. We were right. Since then Camden has enjoyed his baths much more and Floyd and I have got some great bonding time in with him. Here are some pictures of Camden and mommy taking a bath.

Here is Camden talking to Mommy.

Camden not so thrilled about this bath idea.

Checking out the thing infront of Daddy's face

Camden talking to Daddy now

One of the new things Camden has started to do it smile and chatter to his mobile. Of course when I finally got the camera and got it out he wouldnt do it. But he looks cute watching "his friends" dance above his head.

11/22/08 Mobile from Nicole Powell on Vimeo.