I'm not going anywhere!

Many more trips to church in oversized clothing to come! N terminated her rights today. We still have a wait with the birthfather, but our level of anxiety is much lower with that and we're grateful for each and every step that gets us closer to our forever family.

Court

Tomorrow is a big day for us. Colt's birthmother, N is going to court to appear before the judge and permanently relinquish her parental rights.

We have a lot of thoughts and prayers on our hearts for tomorrow for so many things. Hopefully by this time tomorrow night John and I will be breathing a sweet sigh of relief that we're one step closer to Colt being ours forever. There will still be a wait for the birthfather but we're not too worried about that.

I took Colt to our agency's offices today to visit, and I brought a gift for N. It was a photo album full of photos (since we take a picture of every outfit it's easy to fill an album in two weeks!). There was also room for more photos that we send her as he grows. I also got her a bracelet with a heart charm and his full name engraved on it.

A heart because:
"The heart is a symbol of God's love, humanity, and charity. The heart is also considered to be the source of understanding, love, courage, devotion, sorrow, and joy."

So please keep us in your prayers tomorrow. Around 2:15 she should be appearing in court, and I can't imagine how hard it is for her, and how wonderful it will be for us.

More family visits

So almost everyone in the family has spread the love with Colt...here are the most recent family portraits!

Merry Christmas from John, Jessica, Colt and Faith!

We hope this day brings as much joy to you as it has to us.

Our new favorite pastime!

Colt is no longer under those obnoxious lights! Doctor says he's doing much better, and I can tell. Colt is more alert, eating more, sleeping less, and even more fun. Lots of fun faces and such.

We officially went stir crazy so we have been running around. Despite the cold, nasty weather we've needed to be out and about and it's been nice. When we're not running around town visiting the doctor, family, and friends, we're sleeping. Naps come most often when Colt is cuddled on our chests.

So forgive my lack of posting. Days and nights are blurring together and I can't believe a week has already gone by! More updates soon!!!

Poor Baby

In case you couldn't tell from previous pictures, Colt has jaundice. But luckily, rather than admit him to the hospital they brought a phototherapy machine to the house! So the centerpiece on our coffee table is now a tanning bed!

It's not been bad, except he hasn't slept in a while so he's active and wild in there, meaning not as much light can be on his skin...we have to protect his eyes. Hopefully it won't take long to make him better!

Family Visits

Forgot to get one of Uncle Matt holding him...but hopefully we'll get that tonight when they come back and bring the cousins by!

Colt is a little socialite already!

Posted by John: Introduction

Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are proud to introduce to you Colton Thomas Anderson.
He was born on December 16th, 2008 at 1:06 P.M. He weighed 9 lbs. 7 oz and was 22 inches long. He has a full head of hair and at this time is receiving a full belly of formula! Birthmother and baby are fine. Possible discharge (from the hospital, not the other discharge!) tomorrow. We will keep you updated!

We're having a baby today!

We're having a baby today!

The roads are pretty bad, but not terrible. We're waiting until around 3:00 (2 1/2 hours from now) to head out with T, our caseworker. Then it's a 2-hour (maybe more with the ice) drive to the hospital. Where likely Colt will be waiting on us!

N was dilated to a 6, had an epidural, and the doctor was coming in to break her water when we last talked to her. That's right...I got to talk to her on the phone. She sounds so nice. She even told me "oh, you sound so sweet"! She wants us to call on our way so she knows when to expect us, and she told us to drive safely. She also checked to make sure I knew how to get to the hospital!

Her dad, sister, grandma and three best friends are there with her.

We're having a baby today. I'll keep you posted as much as I can! Ongoing status updates will be on Facebook, so feel free to follow me there. Either Liz or I will update here as soon as we know more.

Pray for safe travels, safe delivery, and ease and comfort for N. We're having a baby!!!!

Dear Zachary

Yesterday was a banner day to stay curled up in bed, which I did. And after watching some real life mystery show on MSNBC this documentary started called Dear Zachary. And I was immediately entranced in the premise. It started out as a film about how one person's life can affect so many people. About how one average, everyday person can leave an impression and touch other lives in a profound way. About how much one person can be missed by so many when they're gone.

It started out as memories of a man named Andrew Bagby. And it was sweet and profound. Even the filmmaker, Andrew's childhood best friend, admitted that he started making the movie to preserve memories of Andrew before they were gone. He was an only child, people's stories would be precious to his parents.

But as he began his journey around the world to talk to pretty much everybody who ever knew Andrew it quickly turned into a different story. It became a movie about a father...Andrew had been murdered by a crazy woman who turned out to be pregnant with his child. So it was even more important to make the film so one day his son would know more about the father that had been selfishly taken from him.

It doesn't stop turning and twisting into more. By the end I was in shock, awe, and tears. I can't shake the story. I think everyone should watch it. It was that powerful and amazing to me. I had not heard of the story before seeing the film, so I didn't know the horrific twist it would take. Which made it that much more effective. The end is absolutely horrifying. And it's all TRUE.

If you get the chance to catch Dear Zachary on MSNBC sometime, do yourself a favor and watch it. You'll hurt for those left behind, cry out at the way the law often fails to protect, and wonder how one family can suffer so much incredible pain. At the same time, you'll walk away wishing that you have even a fraction of the effect on your friends and family that Andrew had on his.

Really, I can't stop thinking about it. It's really, really good. Just watching the trailer gives me chillbumps and brings tears to my eyes. Just watch it.

New Computer

So I'm typing this blog on our new computer. It has Windows Vista, so there is A LOT to learn. So far, the coolest things about it are the built-in webcam, fingerprint scanner, and the fact that I can automatically pull up a window for this blog without logging in through the internet. I don't know how to explain it, but we'll see if it works!

I want to openly admit it now: I'm addicted to blogging and Facebook. And I've been more away from it than usual, but not really too far away. I'm an addict....Cary, did you hear me? This is my "blog binge" confession.

Anyway, not too much going on except WAITING! Lots of waiting and I really thought Colt would come last night, with the fullest and brightest moon of the year. But he obviously has other ideas. I'm pretty sure he must be related to the Bladcox clan with his tendency to arrive late...he obviously isn't getting that from me and John who are always annoyingly early.

Anyway...we wait. And I keep reading embarrassing journal entries from my middle school and high school year (thanks, Courtney, for bringing that up) so maybe I'll feel like posting some of them here. Or not. They may just be too ghey for public record.

Update

Well, I mentioned that I'd be back with good news. And while on the surface the update I got yesterday is not good news....there is still good news to be found.

Our birthmother, N had a doctor appointment yesterday. She's made no progress and the doctor is refusing to set an induction date. She's very frustrated, tired, and upset. John and I are equally frustrated and upset. It's a bad deal, everyone is ready for Colt to make his grand entrance, like, yesterday.

Also, there are major ice storms predicted to hit Sunday night through Wednesday of next week. Which means we'll likely either be driving through them to get to the hospital or to get home. And if it shuts down the city and county court systems it puts us at legal risk longer than we'd hoped.

But, hey, who likes a person with a "glass half full" kind of attitude. Well, besides me of course! Here are the positives that came out of that update:

-Colt is still very healthy and growing
-N is still healthy, even though she's uncomfortable
-The doctor still thinks he can be delivered without a C-section
-N is still confident in her decision to make an adoption plan
-I get to work a few more days to add a few more days to my maternity leave in February
-More nights to sleep a full 8+ hours

So, see, I can handle it.

But, really...I want Colt to be here. I want to see him and kiss him and snuggle. I'm ready to know he's safe and healthy. So...prayers for patience but also a speedy delivery are much appreciated!

Totally separate re-entry into Blogworld and it doesn't really count because I'm not really back.

Dear Emily,

Please join Facebook. Just do it. It's time. I'm not asking for Twitter just yet. Just Facebook. I bet there are others who would join me in my plea.

Love,
Jess

P.S. - Liz, you're next.
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Thank goodness I erased all episodes of "Pushing Daisies" that I had on my DVR last season. Also that I stopped watching "Dirty, Sexy Money" because I didn't have the time. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing one of your shows get canceled. I'm still recovering from "My So-Called Life" 13 years ago.
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Reunited with my childhood friend Courtney via Facebook last night. Spent this morning reading her hilarious blog. She then wrote about some of our good times over the last 22 years. OMG...always good to have friends who knew you back when...we got into a lot of trouble together. Which I recounted in my journals from the turbulent middle school years that I never shared here, but Courtney doesn't mind sharing and it made me cry I laughed so hard.

I remember Courtney for many things over the years in youth group and Girl Scouts. One of the best things I remember about her was her Barbie dream house. It was three stories and had a pink elevator in it. I used to LOVE that thing! Did you ever have toy envy with your friends?

She's straight up funny, and apparently knows everything there is to know about water. Just trust me.
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I've laughed a lot today. Not the least of which is because of the conversation posed between Angelina Jolie and JLo at my new favorite website.
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I left my cell phone in the car after lunch today and it was a touch decision about whether to go get it or not. Ultimately the cold won out and I've not gone to get it (parked very far away). It has been liberating spending and entire afternoon not staring at it and willing it to ring.
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I couldn't sleep last night. That doesn't happen to me very often, and usually when I have the rare instance of insomnia I just watch TV until I drift to sleep. But I was REALLY not tired, so I got up and wrapped all my Christmas presents last night! Finally fell asleep around 4 a.m. this morning but the wrapped beauties under my Christmas tree and the check on the to-do list make it all worth it.
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Penn Square Mall two days in a row. Because apparently I did something really bad and I'm asking for punishment.
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The end, lovelies. Hope to have good news for you soon!

Out

It has to be stress causing the headaches. I'm completely stressed out and feeling another one developing.

I will be out of Blogland for a little while. Long story short it's making me crazy with doubts and freak-outs are following. I love that everyone loves us and is excited to know what's going on, but it's making me irrational and downright obsessive. And stressed. And while I may be one or another at times, I'm never all of them at once.

I need to have a calming, relaxing last week with my husband and not worry anymore about how things are out of my control.

I will update here as soon as we have news on the baby. In the meantime, I'll try to work on a good post about how annoying Nicole Kidman is to me. That's what you are all here for, I know.

I am not on narcotics. clearly.

Know what's awesome? A Sunday morning trip to the ER! What's even more awesome? Being treated like a narcotic-seeker.

I'm not sure what triggers these occasional migraines. John's best guess is that it's stress because they really started increasing in frequency and severity in January of this year. Only three times have I been so bad off that I end up seeking the care of a doctor. Usually I can medicate and sleep it off.

But Saturday I woke up with a feeling. Just knowing I was going to get a headache. But I second-guessed myself thinking some food would take care of it. By 4:00 it was a full-blown migraine. By halftime of the OU game (Boomer Sooner! I totally called it!) I was throwing up because of the pain. By Sunday morning I couldn't take it anymore...either have a headache or be nauseous...I can't take both.

So John took me to the local hospital that advertises seeing you in 25 minutes or less. Sure enough, they got me in in less than 5 minutes. Saw a doctor pretty quickly but it took almost an hour for the nurse to come give me a shot. AN HOUR. Let's examine this: the pain and nausea are bad enough that I've dragged my husband out of bed on a Sunday morning, I'm in a ballcap and wearing NO MAKEUP...an extra hour may, in fact, kill me. For real.

Did I mention NO MAKEUP? No shower, and a ballcap. It's serious.

The doctor was very clear he was not giving me a narcotic. Very clear. Like, repeated it 10 times in the three minutes he was with me. I wanted to say "ok, it's not like I'm Heather Locklear here please just give me something...anything. Narcotic or not."

Eventually I got a shot of anti-nausea meds and a shot of something else (NON-NARCOTIC) and by then I was feeling better anyway. Kind of a waste of a day and a $100 co-pay. I felt well enough by that afternoon to eat (because I threw up everything I'd ever eaten), get a Sam's Club card, shop at Sam's (and kind of wig out because shopping at Sam's while still on sleepy meds...wicked), have coffee at Starbucks, and see a movie.

And my Sooners are Big 12 Champions, and I'm calling it now...we're winning the National Championship. It's going to be awesome.

The Perfect Day

Here is what a perfect day looks like if your baby decides not to come:

-browsing blogs and Facebook in the morning
-lunch with your husband at Friday's (hello Jack Daniels burger!)
-Rush to the theatre to buy tickets for "Four Christmases" with only 5 minutes to wait. By yourself!
-Wander the mall
-Stop by eyeglasses shop and end up filling your 2-month-old perscription and getting frames AND lenses for $99!
-Get two people DONE on your Christmas list
-Grab a Diet Dr. Pepper
-Stop by the chair massage kiosk in the mall
-Get a 25-minute massage where you're only charged for 20 minutes
-Feel awesome and hazily call your husband to leave work and come get a massage right then
-Walk around the mall with your husband, buying clothes at Baby Gap
-Browse e-mail on the phone while he gets his massage
-Meet 4 great friends for dinner at Cheesecake Factory...where you end the day with cheesecake and coffee
-Come home to crash and get a great night's sleep

Not too shabby, eh?

Colt's First OU Game

Also, you heard it here first. Colt's first OU game will actually be watching us win the National Championship, since he probably won't be out in time to watch us crush Missouri this weekend in the Big 12 Championship.

That's ok...his OU outfits will fit him better for that game anyway. Boomer Sooner!

No baby today!

Just FYI, Colt will not be arriving today. The induction date was today, but the doctor canceled it and wants to wait another week to see if he will come on his own. Sigh...kind of frustrating but we're ok with that!

Hate to do it, but the long drawn out story is at Here's to Hope. Just know last night was terrible, but we're ok today, and we're doing our best to be patient! He'll come any day now...so we're ready!

I will be back to regularly scheduled boringisms once my heart stops pounding and I can breathe again. I'm going to see "Four Christmases" today by myself (I LOVE seeing movies by myself!) and doing some Christmas shopping...we'll talk soon!

The weekend in a flash

Just a few thoughts from the last week:

-I am awfully proud of myself, seeing as how I called the Big 12 Championship spot back when we lost to Texas. I'm a believer, and my Sooners didn't let me down. On to beat Missouri and into the National Championship. Where we're going to win. Calling it now....you heard it here!

-If we don't win, I still love my Sooners and have lots of faith. But I think this is their season. We're doing it!

-I passed my cold on to several people at work and in the family. I'm a giver, y'all.

-Yesterday was a full-on marathon of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and I couldn't pull myself away. That is one crazy family. And I'm dumber now for having watched it.

-John made "trash" this weekend, so guess what we'll be snacking on for a while? For those not in John's world, that's fancy chex mix that he mixes and bakes for hours and hours.

-Had my first Black Friday experience. Probably because I couldn't sleep on Wednesday or Thursday night because of the cold. John and I were both awake all night Thursday. At 1:30 John said that if we were still awake at 3, we were going out. So, we headed out around 3, got donuts, and were fourth in line at Target! We got some great deals and about half our shopping done. Those people are crazy. Let's just say there was sprinting involved down the aisles.

-Thanks to my dad's visit, we now have a real live leg lamp to add to our Christmas decorations. One of our favorite Christmas movies is "A Christmas Story" with Ralphie and the Red Ryder BB Gun. You know, his dad gets a "major award", it's a mannequin leg with fishnet stockings that goes in the front window? Surely you guys have seen it. Anyway, that was John's Christmas present. Nice!! I am trying to find a spot in the front window for it. I'm that kind of wife.

-We saw "Bolt" this weekend. WAY cute and I highly recommend it!

-For the first time in our married life, I bought frozen pizzas yesterday at the store. He will tell you otherwise now, but John has ALWAYS told me he hates anything frozen including pizzas. They're not crispy enough. But seeing as though I will be home during the day with a baby for the next 8 weeks...I bought myself some frozen pizzas. And fish sticks. And curly fries. And pizza rolls. And bagel bites. And I'm finally looking forward to eating at home!

And that's all I can think of for right now!