Part 1

7. She’s taught me a lot and shared her wisdom with me. She is in a wheelchair and the son I parent is in a wheelchair so I am always able to go to her with questions about being in a wheelchair, what type of wheelchairs are best to order him, etc. She is never offended by my questions and always tells me like it is.

Most of all, I love her because she is a... more

Inspired by the posts by Dr. G and other bloggers about focusing on the positive or negative aspects of adoption, I felt like posting something positive today.

So, I give you reasons I love Charlie's adoptive Mom.

Ok, so this post doesn’t have a whole lot do to do with open adoption besides the fact I am a birthmom in an open adoption writing it. But I know we have some other special needs parents out there and I need to vent and this blog is the perfect place to do it!

A little biographical information first – I parent an almost 10 year old special needs adorable little boy named Noah. Noah has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. He doesn’t walk and is in a wheelchair. He’s non verbal but communicates with sign language,... more

Yesterday, the 20th of September, my birthson turned five years old. One of the perks of our open adoption is spending birthdays with him, however bittersweet they may be. I’m usually good when I am with him and then break down later. I’ve had a hard time writing the past few days while riding this emotional rollercoaster.

While it is still fresh in my memories, I thought I would recap the birthday visit.

Typically in the past we have gone to their house or met in a restaurant. Charlie’s adoptive mom had suggested meeting in a restaurant again to my husband... more

My birthson, Charlie, will be five years in just a few days. At this time of year, I always find myself reflecting on the day he was born and the other birthdays we have celebrated together. His first birthday was probably the hardest and was very emotional.

For some reason, the day before Charlie’s birthday is really hard for me as well. I guess it has something to do with the fact that it is one of the last memories of me being his first mom. Even though I did not sign relinquishment papers until he was three days old, once he made his entrance... more

In yesterday’s post, I talked about gift giving in open adoptions and some of the traditions I have for Charlie on his birthday and Christmas. Today I thought I would share another tradition I have for Charlie.

Each year around his birthday, I sit down and write him a “birthday letter.” This tradition originally started with my son, Noah, around his first birthday. His first year of life had been so full of ups and downs. I thought writing him a letter to read when he... more

With my birthson’s birthday clicking approaching, I will be doing some posts regarding birthdays in open adoptions.

One of the things that birthmoms involved in open adoptions are typically able to do is give our birthchildren gifts at birthdays, Christmas, and other intervals throughout the years. It may seem like something small and un-important, but as mothers, it’s something we think about and are glad we are able to do for our children.

Charlie’s birthday, September 20th, is quickly approaching and I don’t have a gift in mind yet.... more

Recently I’ve been doing a lot of reading and researching on Open Adoption. I wrote a series on it for the Crisis Pregnancy Blog and posted some tips I found here in the Open Adoption Blog.

In my reading and research one of the number one reasons stated over and over of having an open adoption is that the child will have direct answers to his or her questions. When they become of curious age and began to ask questions like “why did my birthmom place me for adoption”... more

When I was pregnant and considering adoption for Charlie, I’d never really heard of open adoption. In fact, I didn’t’ know much about adoption at all. I remember a girl in high school who had placed her baby for adoption bringing pictures to school to show people so I knew I would probably be able to at least get pictures of him. But I didn’t realize that I would be able to have contact and a relationship with Charlie and his family.

It was actually Charlie’s adoptive Mom who first told me about open adoption. (Or adoptive mom to be since I was... more

No your eyes are not deceiving you. It really is me, Coley, blogging in the Open Adoption Section. I am not new to blogging here but am new to this section. I will be co-blogging with Genevieve. You’ve probably seen me around Adoption Blogs as I have been a co-blogger in the Crisis Pregnancy section since June.

I placed my birthson, Charlie, in an open adoption following his birth in 2001. I believe in open adoptions whenever it’s healthy and beneficial to the child. I also believe in open and honest communication between adoptive parents and birth parents. You can read my adoption story and learn more about me in my original... more