Before You Were Adopted...

BEFORE YOU WERE ADOPTED…you lived in my house. My name is Rachel. Mommy, Daddy, and I were your foster family. You were ours, but not for 
keeps. We took care of you until you went to live with your forever family.

Before you came to us we took care of a little girl. Her mom was sick and she needed a place to stay. She was my age and we went to school together 
until she went back to her mom.

But you were our first baby. I asked Mommy why you didn’t live with your own mommy and daddy.

“Most babies do stay with their birth parents,” she said. “But sometimes the birth parents  can’t take care of their baby, so they make plans to find him or 
her a good home. A birth mommy and daddy will always love their baby even if they can’t take care of him themselves.”

Mommy says there are many kinds of families. One kind isn’t any better than another as long as there is love.  
        
BEFORE YOU WERE ADOPTED…we were busy getting ready for you. Mommy laughed and said, “It’s been a long time since there was a baby in this 
house so there’s a lot to do.” Daddy brought the cradle Uncle Ted made for me up from the basement. Mommy and I went shopping. We needed clothes 
for a baby boy. Most of my baby clothes are pink and frilly. We bought formula too, because that’s the special milk babies drink. I bought you a green 
rattle with my own money. Green is my favorite color.
    
Mommy said you were a special needs baby and you might be with us for a long time. I didn’t know what that meant.
    
“This baby was born with Down Syndrome,” Mommy said. “That means he won’t be able to learn in the same way, or as fast as you do. But we’ll all work 
with him to give him a strong start.”  

BEFORE YOU WERE ADOPTED…Mommy let me stay home from school on the day you came to us. I waited and waited and waited. Mommy said waiting 
is hard. The school bus came and went. The mailman came and went. Finally, a strange car pulled into our driveway. The social worker brought you to 
our door.

Your name is Sammy. I stood on tiptoes to see you better. You were only three days old and very small.  You were wrapped in a blanket and wearing a 
blue hat.  “Volunteers knit these hats for all the babies,” the social worker said.  
    
BEFORE YOU WERE ADOPTED…I helped Mommy take care of you because babies are a lot of work. Sometimes Mommy let me feed you when I sat in 
our big armchair. You would hold one of my fingers in your little hand. One day you smiled at me. “That’s Sammy’s first smile,” Mommy said. “And it’s for 
you.” I went with Mommy when she took you to the doctor. I held your hand when you got your shots.

In the beginning, therapists came to our house.  When you were a little older, Mommy and I took you to classes in a school. “Therapists are special kinds 
of teachers,” Mommy explained. “They will help us to help Sammy.”  Mommy, Daddy and I learned how to help you roll over, how to support you so you 
could sit up, and even how to play with your toys. The therapist said you might not speak right away but you would try to mimic us. You listened to me 
make silly sounds. When you tried to speak you blew raspberries.
    
BEFORE YOU WERE ADOPTED…we didn’t know how long you would live with us. Mommy said the adoption agency wanted to find the perfect family to 
be yours forever. She said they wanted a family who would understand your special needs.

I really, really liked having you for a baby brother, even if it was pretend. Each day Mommy pushed you in your stroller when she walked me to the bus 
stop.