13 Months.....

Our sweet Yun-jeong turned 13 months old today!!! It's bittersweet to be half a world away and to know your baby is growing and thriving without you. We know that each day that passes brings us closer to bringing her home.....but its still so hard. Because each day that passes is strengthening her bond with her foster family, making her transition into our family that much harder.

We're preparing our home and our hearts for what is to come. We're also preparing emotionally to use our attachment parenting techniques to help her with the transition. Due to her age and huge bond with her foster family (she has been with them since last March, so over a year by the time we can bring her home), we know that those techniques will be crucial in her bond and attachment with us. We are preparing to meet her each and every need quickly and show her that she can trust us. We are preparing to be the only ones to hold her, comfort her, and care for her initially to show her who her parents are. We are even preparing and learning some comforting phrases in Korean to help her with the transition. Because at 13 months old (and older) these techniques will be essential for bonding and attachment. She will be walking and independent and we need to sort of stifle that independence initially so that she is forced to depend on us. We are preparing for all this, but it is still hard. It will be so hard to watch her try to navigate her new life. We know that these attachment techniques are necessary (and not popular), but as parents we will do what is in the best interest for our child. We will comfort her every time she cries, carry her as much as possible, and be the only ones to hold and care for her until that attachment is formed.

And we have living, breathing proof that these techniques work!!! After attachment parenting with Jae-min we have a happy, secure little boy with a strong bond and attachment to his parents. Yun-jeong's age will make these techniques even more crucial. But we're preparing our hearts to be strong to handle all that is to come!!!