Ok, so I'm back from picking up Little Guy after visiting his parents at the DCFS offices. I had vowed that I no longer would randomly supply info regarding Little Guy to the parents - I wanted to see if they would ask about him. In all the previous visits (and there had been 8 up to today) they had not outright asked anything about him. They just waited for me to talk incessantly about him when I handed him over for the visit. So, now that the hearing has been postponed, and I'm allowed to make a written report to the court, I wanted to report on how much interest the parents seem to take in Little Guy's daily activities. Today, the first question his mom asked was "How is the reflux doing?" And I'm thinking - OK, she's asked a very good question, I'll give her due credit for that. I answered her question - reflux still there, but not as bad, medicine is working. Ok, we sit quiet for about 30 seconds. Then dad asks "How long has he been sleeping?" And now I'm thinking, well, I guess it is good for me to just sit quietly and wait - the parents do know how to ask questions. Which, in my selfish vein, I say "Darn it, you're not supposed to show interest! You know I want to keep this Little Guy!". But I have to push the selfish vein away, and say a silent cheer for parents, that they at least show some interest in how he is doing. So we'll play it this way for the next several visits, and see if they ask more questions. I know if it were me, and someone had my baby even for an hour, I'd want to know everything. When did he last poop? Pee? Spit up? Sleep? Wake-up? Make a noise? Everything!!!
OK, I'm done. Whew! Got that off my chest! Little Guy is asleep, so I think I'll go take a nap myself.
Monday, February 27, 2006
1st review hearing postponed
We were schedule to have a review hearing on Friday, Feb. 24 at 9:30. We got a call late afternoon Thursday that the hearing had been postponed, due to the parents and/or therapists not getting everything done they were supposed to. And then Friday afternoon I got a letter from the social worker that indicated the next hearing is April 3 at 10:30. YIKES! It's good news and bad news - good that we get to keep Little Guy longer, and love on him and cuddle him and pray over him - but bad that we won't know until April what the next steps will be. We just would like to know whether he is going to go home to parents or stay with us. Oh well, I guess this is the roller coaster journey that they warned us about. It has officially started!
More news - since Little Guy has now been in Foster Care for over a month, and will continue that way for a while, he gets a new social worker. He goes from a short-term worker to a long-term worker. I don't know if that's good or bad - so far his short-term worker has been wonderful. We meet the new SW on Tuesday afternoon - just us, the old SW and the new SW - no bio parents - so we can discuss Little Guy's case and find out what might be in store for us.
We also have our first Foster Parent Evening Support Group meeting on Tuesday night. I've been attending the once a month day time meetings, but my husband has really been wanting to attend one and can't because of work. So they have finally put together an evening one. It will be nice for him to be a part of it. Although I am the stay at home Foster Mom, he is really involved in Little Guy's care - he takes over feedings and such in the alte afternoon when he gets home (around 3:30) so that I can rest or do my things for a while. He and Little Guy love to hang out and cuddle in the Lazy Boy!
Gotta run for now - Little Guy is at a parent visit, and I need to leave now to go pick him up.
"But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors." Psalm 31:14-15
More news - since Little Guy has now been in Foster Care for over a month, and will continue that way for a while, he gets a new social worker. He goes from a short-term worker to a long-term worker. I don't know if that's good or bad - so far his short-term worker has been wonderful. We meet the new SW on Tuesday afternoon - just us, the old SW and the new SW - no bio parents - so we can discuss Little Guy's case and find out what might be in store for us.
We also have our first Foster Parent Evening Support Group meeting on Tuesday night. I've been attending the once a month day time meetings, but my husband has really been wanting to attend one and can't because of work. So they have finally put together an evening one. It will be nice for him to be a part of it. Although I am the stay at home Foster Mom, he is really involved in Little Guy's care - he takes over feedings and such in the alte afternoon when he gets home (around 3:30) so that I can rest or do my things for a while. He and Little Guy love to hang out and cuddle in the Lazy Boy!
Gotta run for now - Little Guy is at a parent visit, and I need to leave now to go pick him up.
"But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors." Psalm 31:14-15
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Diaper Rash, Hair dryers & Bag Balm!
I am so thankful that I found a solution to Little Guy's bad diaper rash! He had been doing great - no rashes at all since he was placed with us. And then a diagnoses of Reflux, and the start of a new medicine (Zantac). This started Monday afternoon. All through Monday night/Tuesday morning , the poor guy had diarhea, which of course caused a diaper rash. Very red and angry. I had tried the old zinc cream and barrier cream, but that wasn't doing the trick. So I tried a method another adoptive mom told me about - a hair dryer! I cleaned his bottom, then used the hair dryer on low to gently dry his bottom, and once dry, applied my mom's favorite fix-all, Bag Balm. And before you knew it, the angry red was quickly disappearing. Now, some of you moms are probably shaking your heads saying "duh!" but this was new to me! And the Little Guy seems to absolutely love the hair dryer - he just lays there with a happy spaced out look on his face when I start to dry his body with the hair dryer. So I now have a new favorite remedy!
He's finally down to sleep, so I'm watching the Olympics - Ladies Figure Skating Long Program. How I managed to not find out who won today I don't know, but I'm getting ready to watch the final group of skaters. I'll hunker down on the couch with my big quilt, and see if I can stay awake! The next bottle should be around midnight, so we'll see if I get any sleep before that!
"You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy." Psalm30:11
He's finally down to sleep, so I'm watching the Olympics - Ladies Figure Skating Long Program. How I managed to not find out who won today I don't know, but I'm getting ready to watch the final group of skaters. I'll hunker down on the couch with my big quilt, and see if I can stay awake! The next bottle should be around midnight, so we'll see if I get any sleep before that!
"You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy." Psalm30:11
My first post
Good early Thursday morning - it is 12:49 am (yes, right after midnight!) and I'm still awake. Why, I don't know. Our little guy just had a bottle at 11 pm, so I should be in bed now getting what sleep I can before the next bottle. Yet here I am, sitting at the computer. It draws me in and grabs a hold and won't let go, I swear! I started by doing some Google searches for things like diaper rash and hair dryers, reflux, and Fetal Alcohol Exposure. Then I started looking for Foster Mom blogs, to see if there was anyone out there I could relate to. And I found Tamara's blog http://pre-midlifecrisis.blogspot.com/ Finally, someone I can really relate to! Which made me think - I should have a blog of my own - so now I do!
But for now, I'm headed to bed. I'll start my story tomorrow. Maybe someone will be interested in reading it. We'll see. If nothing else, it will be my journal, to record my journey, and see how it all ends up.
But for now, I'm headed to bed. I'll start my story tomorrow. Maybe someone will be interested in reading it. We'll see. If nothing else, it will be my journal, to record my journey, and see how it all ends up.
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