personality test

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness. You're generally good at balancing work and play. When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done. But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have high agreeableness. You are easy to get along with, and you value harmony highly. Helpful and generous, you are willing to compromise with almost anyone. You give people the benefit of the doubt and don't mind giving someone a second chance. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is medium. You are generally broad minded when it come to new things. But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it. You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.

The Five Factor Personality Test

(OK, so I had to change a few answers so that I felt it actually described me... What do you think?)

Henry's Newborn Moments

Well I finally got to a computer with some pictures on it! Here they are, 3 months later almost: Pictures of the newborn Henry Cadence Lockett!! Notice he is wearing the same Aggie outfit Bryce was brought home in (he's 3 days old in that picture)...

Fostering: Jumping in with both feet!

Wow. One week ago today two girls were placed with us. One 4 year old and one two year old. Sisters. The two year old is definitely quite a bit older than Bryce (21 months), but we still don't know her birthday. The 4 year old was out of control. Already, at four years old! I mean, it was crazy. She seemed like she was trying at times to behave, and then at times it seemed as if she wanted to see how mad she could make you. Well, she was pretty good at it anyway. It finally became a joke. Just tell her the opposite of what you want her to do and she'd do it! We were at the store and she asked for a piece of gum. I said no. I was already getting her a Sprite and that was enough. She got the gum anyway, opened it, popped it into her mouth, and said, "Well, it's already open now!" That was a typical interaction! After a few days of that constantly, it's hard not to be on edge.

She was a safety hazard for the baby, too. Once when he was sleeping in his bassinet in the den, I knew she was curious, so I said "Don't touch the baby!" And then a minute later I hear Shawn (in the living room) sounding a little panicky and telling her not to carry the baby around without help. Then I hear "Marcie!" Lo and behold, there she is in the living room carrying the once sleeping, now screaming, baby around. She's only 4! There's no way I trust her to carry around a 2 month old baby! It scared me. That was the first day she was here. After that I moved the bassinet into our room and felt a lot better...

But anyway, when the foster agency heard about that, they said she needed to be moved. We agreed, because we couldn't live with ourselves if something happened to the baby and it could have been prevented. The two year old stayed though, and she and Bryce like to play together. THere is a fair amount of rivalry, but the good outweighs the bad so far :) They are both potty training, too! Bryce is learning pretty quickly, I am happy about that. The only thing is that Shawn is out of town during the week for the next 3 weeks, so I have 3 kids 2 and under by myself! I am going a little stir-crazy... When I did go out by myself it took me forever to get the 2 year-olds in the double stroller and the baby in a front carrier just to get out of the car!

So I decided to invite some ladies out that I know from school for lunch. That way I don't have to leave to get some adult conversation:)

Our first girl leaving...

Well we have been doing some respite care for about a week and a half. That just means short term care for a foster child so the actual foster parents can have some time away. But this time it was for a transition to a new foster home. It has gone pretty well. I can't really say much on here because of confidentiality issues, but I think we are going to do well as foster parents. I like having another person around, and it's fun watching Shawn. He spoils her more than I would! (We also know her from school. Shawn has her for fourth grade math and science.) Anyway, she is leaving Friday to go to her new home, and the people she will be staying with seem really nice. We are licensed now, so we are still hoping to have two other girls placed with us that we also know from school... We'll see what happens!

Before and after Henry

These are a couple of pictures that I never got to put on here! The first is (obviously) a picture before I had Henry. The second was taken on Cinco de Mayo (5-5-07).

Henry's 2 months old!

Well we had Henry's 2 month appointment on Monday and he is now 12 lbs. 7 oz, 22.5 inches long, and his head circumference is 40 cm.

This is up from 7 lbs 11 oz, 20 inches at birth. I don't remember head circumference... But all is well with him. He got 3 shots and an oral vaccine, but he did really well. He is usually fussier than Bryce was, but when he got his shots he only screamed once. Once! And then he just sat there. Later he was a little fussy, but no more than usual really.

Brandy is due late July, so she doesn't have long left. Sarah is getting married in June. And Kristen is coming down to Houston for the wedding also. And Brandy's baby shower will probably be that weekend, too. I get to see all my best friends (except my sister) in the same weekend! I am excited. So here is the countdown to June 22nd~ 38 days to go!

so we have been in the process of getting licensed for foster care since December. It is now May and we are still doing things... We had to switch agencies which meant we had to redo a lot of our inspections and training.

We are almost there! We have a shortened version of a homestudy this afternoon since our first one is only two months old, and we have to get our well water tested, and then we will be done (again)! We are hoping for two girls that we know from school and who were moved to a different foster family after their foster dad died in an accident. We'll see what happens in the next few weeks!

Time flies when you are having a baby!

Well it is now 13 weeks since my last post... oops. Henry is here and he is 6 weeks old now:) Everything went great with the C-section, I got to go home the next day. I was sore, but felt good other than that. He is finally becoming a little more interactive and alert which makes it more fun having him around :)

I had to take Bryce to get shots yesterday. He had to get 3 of them and he started screaming before we even put him on the table! It was bad... But he recovered quickly and the nurse gave him a sugar-free lollipop. I think he forgave her after that. Henry is doing great and Bryce loves to give him kisses. If he sees me holding him, he asks "Holdem? Holdem?" And then he sits down with his arms open for me to lay the baby in his lap. It is really cute:)

Well, more later! I'll get some pics on here soon, too!

Only 7 weeks left!

I had a doctor's appointment with my OB yesterday and the C-section is all scheduled... March 14, 2007 we'll be having Henry Cadence Lockett! That is the Wednesday of Spring Break for us, and that Monday I'll be doing preop stuff. I can't believe we are almost there.

We had a snow day about a week and a half ago and I have tried several times to put a picture on here, but it's not working... I'll try again later I guess. I am hopefully going to get some maternity pictures taken soon. That should be fun to do and cool to look back at later :)

~Marcie

More cute pictures

The first pic is of course Bryce eating. It was ravioli, and I think he liked it!

This other picture was taken at one of Shawn's flag football games, October 11, 2006. It was pretty cold, and his grandpa is cold-natured anyway, so they were all bundled up! I just realized I don't have any pictures of Bryce since his last haircut. We cut it with the longest clippers we had, but it is still pretty short compared to these pictures!