Our first day working on our license for foster care we learned that you can never have expectations as things will change rapidly. Last night we prepped the kids for their Case Worker visit today. We had them ready to show off their new room, their toy shelf, and where they sit for meals. As you guessed it, we didn't have our visit. Had I known that, I could have snuck a half-day of work in.
As of this morning our agency had still not been able to get in contact with the birth family. At 6:00 PM we received a text. We have a family visit tomorrow at 11:30, and of course I was scheduled for a half day. I guess it will be an early morning for me. We haven't told the girls yet, we are afraid we would never get them into bed. All the girls would hear would be "see mommy" and not the part where they will be returning with us afterwards. Sissy and I have discussed that a few times already, but she just doesn't seem to understand.
I was starting to wonder, how do you have your children taken from your home and not check up on them in over a week? From what the CPS worker told us it isn't a complete surprise, but then again I had hope for them. We will just wait and see how tomorrow goes, as I said earlier, I need to not have expectations.
We had some company tonight and mixed reactions... the best behaved was when one of our guests sat down to dinner with us and not all the attention was on the girls. Another set of guests was only here for a moment to pick up some things so naturally the girls wanted to run outside and we were trying to stay in right before dinner.
The girls have been with us for a whole week and today may have been the most difficult. We had so many requests to leave. It is mostly Sissy. Bug is actually starting to develop her own reactions to things. We repeat on a few things, but tonight in the bath is an example since Sissy was screaming because I was putting water on her head and Bug started laughing. Bug also runs to a bubble bath while we practically have to drag Sissy. Sissy eventually calms down in the tub, however tonight I didn't give her the time to and pulled her out when she swung at Bug.
Speaking of taking a swing. Now that the girls are more comfortable here they have started hitting. We address this immediately, but it is not something we saw the first few days.
Off to bed for us, we didn't manage to let Sissy fall asleep on her own. She is still wide awake, but maybe the 2 hour nap has something to do with that. I hope tomorrow that we can write how wonderful the family visit goes, but I'm not sure that is how it will be.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Brave toddlers
We had to have the conversation with Sissy tonight. The conversation about not seeing Mommy or Daddy and when we do it is only going to be for a little while and then she has to come back home with us. I don't know how much she comprehends. It is super hard to try to explain what isn't right at her Mommy's house and what is good at our house. All we can do is explain that we will always give her bubble baths, keep her belly full, take her to school, and love her. How do you logic these heavy issues that adults can barely handle with a three year old. Throughout the week we have had small pieces of this, but today it was unavoidable. Every day we have to explain that this is their house. Someday we may have to explain to them that they will be moving out. The kids never win in this situation.
Today we moved some things around to help the home feel more permanent to them. The shelf from the girls' room was brought down to the living room to be their "toy shelf" and extra items from their room were removed. We got our "new" bikes and helmets out today. Our routine is also becoming more set. All of the kid clothes have been put away in their wardrobe. All the items too big or too small have been tucked away for another day. This morning before the kids were even out of their pajamas I spied them sitting in front of their wardrobe putting on their shoes. They love their shoes. It is hard as a foster parent to be really prepared as you don't know who will be coming to live with you. Had we accepted the case right before the girls we would be redecorating in teen boy stuff rather than looking for Tinkerbell items.
Bug is adjusting much better than Sissy, but she is a year younger. When she first arrived she would start in on an angry muttering "story" several times a day. Now we only see the "story" once a day and it has only been a week. Today Bug didn't yell "Dammit" so it is a win. She has much more smiles and joy every day. Bug is a naturally happy child and that hasn't been taken from her. I really wish that Sissy didn't have the wounds to her little heart. She wants so desperately to be loved. We also have to be incredibly careful when correcting her. The smallest thing can send her into an upset mood needing a lot of reassurance and love.
This is all so challenging. It is so much easier to love a happy child. Sissy takes so much energy from you. She doesn't mean to, but she craves the attention and has such a much more troubled mind. We now make sure that every time we give a bit of attention to Bug we do the same for Sissy.
It is also getting easier as the kids self-play more. The need for reassurance is subsiding. We are also not having to chase to the refrigerator every two minutes. We do however need to get a refrigerator latch and some cabinet latches very soon.
Tomorrow our case worker comes to visit, and we have been gently prepping the girls. Wednesday is our Dr. visit and we have already been prepping for that. The beauty of the Dr. visit is that we understand that it has to be done before we can go to school and they just adored school the other night.
In the end all we can do is tuck them in, tell them we love them and tell them how smart, talented, strong and brave they are.
Today we moved some things around to help the home feel more permanent to them. The shelf from the girls' room was brought down to the living room to be their "toy shelf" and extra items from their room were removed. We got our "new" bikes and helmets out today. Our routine is also becoming more set. All of the kid clothes have been put away in their wardrobe. All the items too big or too small have been tucked away for another day. This morning before the kids were even out of their pajamas I spied them sitting in front of their wardrobe putting on their shoes. They love their shoes. It is hard as a foster parent to be really prepared as you don't know who will be coming to live with you. Had we accepted the case right before the girls we would be redecorating in teen boy stuff rather than looking for Tinkerbell items.
Bug is adjusting much better than Sissy, but she is a year younger. When she first arrived she would start in on an angry muttering "story" several times a day. Now we only see the "story" once a day and it has only been a week. Today Bug didn't yell "Dammit" so it is a win. She has much more smiles and joy every day. Bug is a naturally happy child and that hasn't been taken from her. I really wish that Sissy didn't have the wounds to her little heart. She wants so desperately to be loved. We also have to be incredibly careful when correcting her. The smallest thing can send her into an upset mood needing a lot of reassurance and love.
This is all so challenging. It is so much easier to love a happy child. Sissy takes so much energy from you. She doesn't mean to, but she craves the attention and has such a much more troubled mind. We now make sure that every time we give a bit of attention to Bug we do the same for Sissy.
It is also getting easier as the kids self-play more. The need for reassurance is subsiding. We are also not having to chase to the refrigerator every two minutes. We do however need to get a refrigerator latch and some cabinet latches very soon.
Tomorrow our case worker comes to visit, and we have been gently prepping the girls. Wednesday is our Dr. visit and we have already been prepping for that. The beauty of the Dr. visit is that we understand that it has to be done before we can go to school and they just adored school the other night.
In the end all we can do is tuck them in, tell them we love them and tell them how smart, talented, strong and brave they are.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Discovering what works
Last night Squirrel discovered that we ran out of Pull-ups for Sissy which resulted moving back to a normal diaper which did not go over well. We are moving in the right direction! Odd thing is neither one of us recalls using the last pull-up and I recall last that there were a bunch in there. Perhaps after we buy a new bag we will find the rest somewhere in the house. Probably with a stash of apple cores.
How much Beef Stroganoff can one toddler eat? I would like to enter my youngest in a few eating contests. She is bottomless. Last night we tried a very adult friendly meal and both girls ate adult size servings. The real challenge was that I put dinner in the oven late. I was about to have anarchy. We were all but throwing snacks at the kids to satiate them before dinner was fully done. We know when Bug is really hungry as she goes into the linen drawer in the kitchen and pulls a cloth napkin out for everyone and places it at their spot. I try to hand her one item at a time to put at the table as to keep her busy until dinner is ready. Never did I imagine I would have a 2 year old set the table. We do however hold off with the plates as I load the kids' plates and stick them in the freezer for a speedy cool off. They aren't patient enough to wait for things to cool.
I have begun to wonder if kids are like pets when it comes to food. When we got Percy dog as a stray he ate anything and he continues to do so. Wouldn't imagine that most dogs like lettuce. The kids didn't have food in their home. They aren't gaunt and looking malnourished and they are tall, but maybe that lack of easily accessible food has left them wanting it. Sissy isn't as bad, but Bug wants all food and at the end of a meal when she wants to be done she puts all the food she can in her mouth at one time. It is that she panics and needs all food. We need to buy appliance straps for the refrigerator and stove.
Pee... everything is pee. Last night was a pee puddle. After our very fun bubble bath with our new ABC's we all went to get dressed. We were working on getting Sissy dressed to turn around and see Bug standing there wiggling her toes in a puddle of pee.
This morning we were nice and leisurely getting going when we realized we had 30 minutes to get out of the house. With only breakfast done we managed to shower 2 adults and dress 2 wees, pack the diaper bag (including apples) and make it out the door.
We have been calling things "adventures" so that there is not a lot of whining if they don't like the sound or don't understand where we are going. Today's adventure was to Relay for Life where I was playing in the band. The girls hated it. Before the band even started Squirrel was off to the playground with them. At least it was an amazing playground. After we were done there we headed to a potluck with the band. We were very unsure how this would go over because of the crowd, but these two were champs. Perhaps it was because there was an endless supply of food!
After the meal we drove home (slowly) with a quick stop to grab two bike helmets. Only moments from home we still had Sissy awake, but there was a detour (gas main exploded and had a huge fire) and in that extra clip of time we had success. We even managed to carry them both to the couch without waking them. Sissy is so long that we don't like to carry her up the stairs too much. In another few months we may not be able to carry her at all. An hour nap for Bug, 2 for Sissy, and a 1/2 hour for Squirrel. A dynamic duo nap is rare. Typically we only get one down at a time. I think being able to do this after only a week is pretty good.
Squirrel's mom came over for dinner tonight. What is great is that she understands our willingness to accept gifts, but we don't always reveal them to the duo. Some days are just too overwhelming so we tuck things away for another day. Speaking of gifts we had a very pleasant surprise from a neighbor. He is a bachelor, in his 50s, and he saw a defiant minute when I asked Sissy to try on a bike helmet. After that he mentioned to the other neighbor how she even told him a thing or two when he encouraged her to try it on and that neighbor explained how the girls had just arrived this week and would be staying with us. Mr. Bachelor then went home and came to us later with two books for the girls. Would you believe it that one of them was a copy of a favorite book of mine as a child. The girls even allowed that to be our bedtime book tonight. Reading the stories, and then flipping through the pages (as a 2 year old always thinks the story needs to go faster) was like saying hello to an old friend.
After dinner we went straight to a bubble bath. For the first time ever we had both with no disagreements! Bug started stripping as she went up the stairs. For the first time we also were able to close the shower doors. We encourage splashing and playing and making it fun as we aren't sure how often they were ever able to bathe. From the CPS worker we found that big sister (who is 7 and in another home) is thrilled that there is running water so these two may be still a bit mystified by it.
We follow bath time with a bit of movie time so that we can brush hair (we still haven't quite gotten through Sissy's wound area) and we need to really look for the nits (thank goodness they don't transfer to animals). That we only got done with Sissy, but Bug won't be too much of an issue tomorrow.
Major evening issue was when Sissy picked at her wound (or should I say wounds as she has picked her scalp open quite a bit) and really opened a big area. We redirect her picking all the time and there is only so much you can do with a three year old. The new blood terrified her. I was able to get some "magic medicine" aka triple antibiotic on her wound and place a band aid. Tomorrow I'm going to have to text our case manager and see if there would be an issue if we trimmed/shaved the bottom inch or two of hair at her hairline. It looks as though someone already trimmed it down so maybe it won't be an issue.
After the picking meltdown I redirected Sissy (again) and her frail little self took it as I was mad at her. We cried and cried. I held her and just had to tell her how much we love her and we aren't mad at her, we just want to take care of her and help her boo-boos go away. These moments are also when she realizes that this isn't a sleep over and we trip into the I want mommy and I don't want to be here and then we have to talk about the good things that are here in our home. That we will keep her safe, we will keep her belly full, we will take good care of her and Bug. You really shouldn't have to reassure a 3 year old that she will be safe.
Other notables: Bug had a failed attempt at tail surfing today (scared her good). Bug threw her sippy cup in the trash (was only a matter of time). Bug spider-monkeyed up a tall slide one handed as she refused to surrender her apple. Sissy answered correctly every time I asked if she was wet (even if I had to check because I didn't trust her).
There is so much we can write about each day. Hopefully tomorrow we aren't writing about any major bike crashes as we will probably get the second bike tomorrow.
The toddler lisp of the day:
"Big Stick" - somehow Sissy managed to toddler lisp that to "Big Dick"
How much Beef Stroganoff can one toddler eat? I would like to enter my youngest in a few eating contests. She is bottomless. Last night we tried a very adult friendly meal and both girls ate adult size servings. The real challenge was that I put dinner in the oven late. I was about to have anarchy. We were all but throwing snacks at the kids to satiate them before dinner was fully done. We know when Bug is really hungry as she goes into the linen drawer in the kitchen and pulls a cloth napkin out for everyone and places it at their spot. I try to hand her one item at a time to put at the table as to keep her busy until dinner is ready. Never did I imagine I would have a 2 year old set the table. We do however hold off with the plates as I load the kids' plates and stick them in the freezer for a speedy cool off. They aren't patient enough to wait for things to cool.
I have begun to wonder if kids are like pets when it comes to food. When we got Percy dog as a stray he ate anything and he continues to do so. Wouldn't imagine that most dogs like lettuce. The kids didn't have food in their home. They aren't gaunt and looking malnourished and they are tall, but maybe that lack of easily accessible food has left them wanting it. Sissy isn't as bad, but Bug wants all food and at the end of a meal when she wants to be done she puts all the food she can in her mouth at one time. It is that she panics and needs all food. We need to buy appliance straps for the refrigerator and stove.
Pee... everything is pee. Last night was a pee puddle. After our very fun bubble bath with our new ABC's we all went to get dressed. We were working on getting Sissy dressed to turn around and see Bug standing there wiggling her toes in a puddle of pee.
This morning we were nice and leisurely getting going when we realized we had 30 minutes to get out of the house. With only breakfast done we managed to shower 2 adults and dress 2 wees, pack the diaper bag (including apples) and make it out the door.
We have been calling things "adventures" so that there is not a lot of whining if they don't like the sound or don't understand where we are going. Today's adventure was to Relay for Life where I was playing in the band. The girls hated it. Before the band even started Squirrel was off to the playground with them. At least it was an amazing playground. After we were done there we headed to a potluck with the band. We were very unsure how this would go over because of the crowd, but these two were champs. Perhaps it was because there was an endless supply of food!
After the meal we drove home (slowly) with a quick stop to grab two bike helmets. Only moments from home we still had Sissy awake, but there was a detour (gas main exploded and had a huge fire) and in that extra clip of time we had success. We even managed to carry them both to the couch without waking them. Sissy is so long that we don't like to carry her up the stairs too much. In another few months we may not be able to carry her at all. An hour nap for Bug, 2 for Sissy, and a 1/2 hour for Squirrel. A dynamic duo nap is rare. Typically we only get one down at a time. I think being able to do this after only a week is pretty good.
Squirrel's mom came over for dinner tonight. What is great is that she understands our willingness to accept gifts, but we don't always reveal them to the duo. Some days are just too overwhelming so we tuck things away for another day. Speaking of gifts we had a very pleasant surprise from a neighbor. He is a bachelor, in his 50s, and he saw a defiant minute when I asked Sissy to try on a bike helmet. After that he mentioned to the other neighbor how she even told him a thing or two when he encouraged her to try it on and that neighbor explained how the girls had just arrived this week and would be staying with us. Mr. Bachelor then went home and came to us later with two books for the girls. Would you believe it that one of them was a copy of a favorite book of mine as a child. The girls even allowed that to be our bedtime book tonight. Reading the stories, and then flipping through the pages (as a 2 year old always thinks the story needs to go faster) was like saying hello to an old friend.
After dinner we went straight to a bubble bath. For the first time ever we had both with no disagreements! Bug started stripping as she went up the stairs. For the first time we also were able to close the shower doors. We encourage splashing and playing and making it fun as we aren't sure how often they were ever able to bathe. From the CPS worker we found that big sister (who is 7 and in another home) is thrilled that there is running water so these two may be still a bit mystified by it.
We follow bath time with a bit of movie time so that we can brush hair (we still haven't quite gotten through Sissy's wound area) and we need to really look for the nits (thank goodness they don't transfer to animals). That we only got done with Sissy, but Bug won't be too much of an issue tomorrow.
Major evening issue was when Sissy picked at her wound (or should I say wounds as she has picked her scalp open quite a bit) and really opened a big area. We redirect her picking all the time and there is only so much you can do with a three year old. The new blood terrified her. I was able to get some "magic medicine" aka triple antibiotic on her wound and place a band aid. Tomorrow I'm going to have to text our case manager and see if there would be an issue if we trimmed/shaved the bottom inch or two of hair at her hairline. It looks as though someone already trimmed it down so maybe it won't be an issue.
After the picking meltdown I redirected Sissy (again) and her frail little self took it as I was mad at her. We cried and cried. I held her and just had to tell her how much we love her and we aren't mad at her, we just want to take care of her and help her boo-boos go away. These moments are also when she realizes that this isn't a sleep over and we trip into the I want mommy and I don't want to be here and then we have to talk about the good things that are here in our home. That we will keep her safe, we will keep her belly full, we will take good care of her and Bug. You really shouldn't have to reassure a 3 year old that she will be safe.
Other notables: Bug had a failed attempt at tail surfing today (scared her good). Bug threw her sippy cup in the trash (was only a matter of time). Bug spider-monkeyed up a tall slide one handed as she refused to surrender her apple. Sissy answered correctly every time I asked if she was wet (even if I had to check because I didn't trust her).
There is so much we can write about each day. Hopefully tomorrow we aren't writing about any major bike crashes as we will probably get the second bike tomorrow.
The toddler lisp of the day:
"Big Stick" - somehow Sissy managed to toddler lisp that to "Big Dick"
Friday, June 5, 2015
Hot Dogs for an Army
Yesterday already seems a blur... most days do. We have noticed that at meals as soon as Sissy is done Bug wishes to be done too. Unfortunately Bug either is not full or just doesn't want to leave anything behind so she tries to fit all her remaining food in her mouth at the same time. Hopefully time will just assure her that we have plenty of food here.
We experimented with Bug shopping. I can't remember why or how, but Sissy was down for a nap. Bug's pants kept falling down so we needed a solution. We found a one piece that looks cute as well as a pair of shoes for Sissy. It was a little challenging in the store. I'm not sure she is used to not running around. Her little fingers wanted to touch everything. The little toy aisle in the Dollar Store was okay once we started to help put all the balls away other kids had left, but on the way out the candy and the balloons were what we really wanted.
Our real adventure was to visit "school". Wow, we know where we are going. The dynamic duo responded beautifully when in the classrooms. There also doesn't seem to be separation issues there. They both played independently and responded well to the teachers. Even though DHS will probably only pick up half the cost we are going to go there. The great calm environment will help them be good at home. Squirrel and I also seemed to pick up some good cues from them and have started really lowering our voices, giving choices, and watching them learn through play. The school is not overly concerned that Sissy is not toilet trained and believes that just being in an environment of peers who are trained will help her want to as well. At one point during our visit (we stayed 2 hours) Sissy even went to check out the bathroom in the classroom. We also found that Sissy may be eligible for GSRP - a preK program for at risk kids. It is hard not knowing what risk factors our kids have, but at a minimum we can say neglect. It is interesting though how well they are doing at the same time.
There are points that you really don't know what you are doing. When we find people like at the school it is a relief for us and the kids. Not only do the kids feel at ease, but we do too. The paperwork for school requires things that we don't have, and they were completely understanding. They even gave us some information on potential grants that can help offset the remaining cost of the school. It isn't that we aren't able to afford it, it is that we are doing this for little ones that may be here 3 months, maybe 2 years, it is all a guess.
When we went to the foster closet last week we got all 2T and 4T clothes. Well, Bug seems to be smaller than we thought so we were really lucky yesterday when a neighbor (that we didn't know) posted that she had little girl clothes available. She even delivered! Bug now has pants that fit and we don't have to visit the closet yet. We don't mind going, it just is an inconvenience and we must go without the kids as it is too much stimulus. After dropping off the clothes the neighbor went next door as they are good friends, so through this we made a new adult friend!
This morning we split the girls for a little bit more. Yesterday I took Bug to the store without Sissy, but Sissy was having a nap so she didn't notice. This morning I took Sissy to take the dogs to the Vet so she learned more about the Dr. and Dentist. Bug was already awake and she was frantic that her sister left her. We may need to practice this and make it common that there is time apart every day. School will also help this. I was also brave and after dropping the dogs off we took a visit to a grocery store together (Gordon's). While I would love to be able to cook everything from scratch it isn't going to be possible so we cheated and bought some trays for the week. Gordon's was a good start. The only thing we were grabby on was bananas... so we got some. Sissy was really good at remembering the items I told her we needed.
I have surrendered on this as well... we bought 4 lbs of hotdogs. Guess what we decided we wanted for lunch? We don't only feed them hotdogs. If you are hungry you are welcome to join us for some Beef Stroganoff for dinner in about an hour.
After Gordon's we all ventured out to the park. We saw superhero dad with his two kids again. He must think we are stalking him. The park wasn't as exciting to the girls today, but we experienced our first skinned knee which promptly followed by a request to go home.
Today was our first day that we were nap successful for everyone. First Sissy and I curled up with a book and then Squirrel sat by us and then we heard a clink from the dining room. Bug had poured herself a bowl of ketchup and had eaten it. We aren't sure how much. Oops! Bug and Squirrel then both went upstairs for a nap.
After naps I picked up the dogs. Poor little guy needed 13 teeth pulled. How do I think I can care for toddlers when my dog needs 13 teeth pulled? Well, good thing is the girl needed none pulled. Poor dog now has to deal with feeling crummy with two toddlers.
Squirrel tried shopping for some items by herself today. The girls have stolen her heart as she wanted to buy them lots of stuff!
For now it is time for dinner... we will see how this goes not serving hot dogs.
We experimented with Bug shopping. I can't remember why or how, but Sissy was down for a nap. Bug's pants kept falling down so we needed a solution. We found a one piece that looks cute as well as a pair of shoes for Sissy. It was a little challenging in the store. I'm not sure she is used to not running around. Her little fingers wanted to touch everything. The little toy aisle in the Dollar Store was okay once we started to help put all the balls away other kids had left, but on the way out the candy and the balloons were what we really wanted.
Our real adventure was to visit "school". Wow, we know where we are going. The dynamic duo responded beautifully when in the classrooms. There also doesn't seem to be separation issues there. They both played independently and responded well to the teachers. Even though DHS will probably only pick up half the cost we are going to go there. The great calm environment will help them be good at home. Squirrel and I also seemed to pick up some good cues from them and have started really lowering our voices, giving choices, and watching them learn through play. The school is not overly concerned that Sissy is not toilet trained and believes that just being in an environment of peers who are trained will help her want to as well. At one point during our visit (we stayed 2 hours) Sissy even went to check out the bathroom in the classroom. We also found that Sissy may be eligible for GSRP - a preK program for at risk kids. It is hard not knowing what risk factors our kids have, but at a minimum we can say neglect. It is interesting though how well they are doing at the same time.
There are points that you really don't know what you are doing. When we find people like at the school it is a relief for us and the kids. Not only do the kids feel at ease, but we do too. The paperwork for school requires things that we don't have, and they were completely understanding. They even gave us some information on potential grants that can help offset the remaining cost of the school. It isn't that we aren't able to afford it, it is that we are doing this for little ones that may be here 3 months, maybe 2 years, it is all a guess.
When we went to the foster closet last week we got all 2T and 4T clothes. Well, Bug seems to be smaller than we thought so we were really lucky yesterday when a neighbor (that we didn't know) posted that she had little girl clothes available. She even delivered! Bug now has pants that fit and we don't have to visit the closet yet. We don't mind going, it just is an inconvenience and we must go without the kids as it is too much stimulus. After dropping off the clothes the neighbor went next door as they are good friends, so through this we made a new adult friend!
This morning we split the girls for a little bit more. Yesterday I took Bug to the store without Sissy, but Sissy was having a nap so she didn't notice. This morning I took Sissy to take the dogs to the Vet so she learned more about the Dr. and Dentist. Bug was already awake and she was frantic that her sister left her. We may need to practice this and make it common that there is time apart every day. School will also help this. I was also brave and after dropping the dogs off we took a visit to a grocery store together (Gordon's). While I would love to be able to cook everything from scratch it isn't going to be possible so we cheated and bought some trays for the week. Gordon's was a good start. The only thing we were grabby on was bananas... so we got some. Sissy was really good at remembering the items I told her we needed.
After Gordon's we all ventured out to the park. We saw superhero dad with his two kids again. He must think we are stalking him. The park wasn't as exciting to the girls today, but we experienced our first skinned knee which promptly followed by a request to go home.
Today was our first day that we were nap successful for everyone. First Sissy and I curled up with a book and then Squirrel sat by us and then we heard a clink from the dining room. Bug had poured herself a bowl of ketchup and had eaten it. We aren't sure how much. Oops! Bug and Squirrel then both went upstairs for a nap.
After naps I picked up the dogs. Poor little guy needed 13 teeth pulled. How do I think I can care for toddlers when my dog needs 13 teeth pulled? Well, good thing is the girl needed none pulled. Poor dog now has to deal with feeling crummy with two toddlers.
Squirrel tried shopping for some items by herself today. The girls have stolen her heart as she wanted to buy them lots of stuff!
For now it is time for dinner... we will see how this goes not serving hot dogs.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Today just wasnt Bugs day...
So Today Rabbit managed to slip to work and get a half day in. This left Squirrel outnumbered. At least we didn't need to worry about Bug climbing out of her crib anymore after Rabbit adjusted the mattress to the very lowest setting. Sissy always just plays quietly in bed when she wakes up, so no worries there. After Rabbit left, Squirrel went back to peaceful sleep... Only to hear sometime later, a tiny voice standing next to my bed saying "What are you doing?". "Apparently I'm getting up now", I replied (but not in a mean way). How the DUCE did that Little bug climb out of her crib again? I'm wondering if she has a tiny bug sized grappling hook hidden under her mattress. From there her day went down hill.
Bug and Squirrel enjoyed about 15 or 20 minutes of quiet time together watching Daniel Tiger - then Bug matter of factly proclaimed that she was going to go wake up Sissy... and proceed to march upstairs and do just that.... I guess Sissy is more exciting company than I am.
After breakfast of toast, eggs, and grapes we were fueled up and ready for trouble. Actually the morning was moving along as smoothly as possible when toddlers outnumber adults... Then the CPS (Child Protective Services) worker stopped by to get some paperwork. That tended to make us a bit 'Manic' and 'Frantic'... which then turned into super clingy. I told the worker (because It didn't seem like she realized) That the clingy was probably due to the big 'State Logo' on the car door. We were outside playing at that point so it could plainly be seen. And IT IS the SAME logo as the car that pulled them all out of the home on Friday. How traumatic that must have been. I may be wrong... But kiddos get much more, on an intuitive level, then people realize.
The CPS worker shared with Squirrel pictures of the home that the girls come from. It is heartbreaking that such small innocent children had to wait for help that long. We got an update on a sister who is really liking her home and excited about running water, food, clean clothes, and that she gets a bath every day. I wish ours were as excited about their baths. There is also a brother who is in the system now and unfortunately he didn't even know Sissy's name. I'm not talking about a tiny brother here... this is a teenager.
Our DHS health services liason called today as well. She decided that the kids are changing doctors and we will now be going closer to home, but it is a very busy place and we couldn't get in until next week Wednesday, even with our Emergency Room follow up being needed. I guess if anything really happens or if we have colds it is off to the Emergency Room for these two.
So Earlier today a Blog reader texted to say she liked our term 'Hangry'. Being that she herself has two toddlers (twins) She was able to share a new term for me... One I Have indeed had the pleasure of encountering...(but didn't have a nifty name for it) .... She asked me if I have had the experience of "going boneless" yet? And It made me laugh because I Loved it. In fact I'm chuckling a little now just writing it... Boneless.. How do kids pull that off so efficiently? And when can I try it? Because it seems sort of fun. ohh well; I guess if I didn't "Go Boneless" while trying on Bridesmaid dresses - its not going to happen now.
For lunch today we braved the world. We went to Rabbit's work and ate in the cafeteria. The girls ate everything! Pizza, Chicken Sandwich, Mashed Potatos, Green Beans, Sweet Potato Fries, and Chocolate Milk... suprisingly neither of them seemed all that excited about chocolate. We failed to bring sippy cups so they drank out of big cups with a straw and we only had one small fail. After lunch we visited the Police Officers on campus to help the girls understand that they are helpers. Over time we expect that there have or will be interactions with officers and we want them to be seen as help they can go to. The girls could take about an hour and a half before a major crash.
So in Bug's Bad Day... she is fantastic walking up and down the stairs and since she is part spider monkey it isn't in our best interest to put up a gate for the main stairs that would trap the dogs in toddler hell and provide a convenient trip hazard for the adults. Plus, since the kid is also MacGuyver's trainer she would have it dismantled in a matter of seconds. Does anyone know how to put a scanner together? Well back to those stairs, she was on them and somehow took a faceplant off the bottom one right onto the hardwood floor. Those floors are a blessing and a curse. If we had carpet we would be going Dexter on the place and coating it with plastic. We drilled our sharp little toddler teeth right into our lip. Blood everywhere, Rabbit nearly lost one of her favorite T-shirts. We caved... we busted out sugar and gave her a popsicle.
We played outside for a bit and tried a walk. There were some big trucks taking out some trees down the street and Bug loves trucks. Everything was good and we were going to walk to a park and then Sissy decided to be defiant and cross without holding hands - twice - so we had to come home. When Sissy gets tired she gets really difficult. It is hard for us though because she doesn't necessarily look like a three year old and we have to remember that this smart little girl is only 3. Sissy and Rabbit went in the house when we returned and Bug and Squirrel played outside. Sissy loves to be held, and Rabbit and her cuddled up and she was out for a nap. Bug managed to be curious and check out the birdfeeder and sent it swinging which went right back... at her head. THONK.
Dinner tonight - uneventful. I don't know how they were hungry after they ate like grown adults at lunch, but they managed to polish off hotdogs, mac n cheese, spaghetti, and grapes for dinner. We really need to make a grocery store run.
We decided to try another walk. This time we let the girls walk the dogs. Then the dreaded/loved bath time. All is fine until we get to the hair, which is the most necessary. We needed to do some major brushing tonight so we skipped the books and did a movie instead and really worked on combing out their hair. No worries though, I think we have read a million books in the last 4 days.
While we won't get into the Dr. until next Wednesday and thus, no Day Care until at least next Thursday since Bug needs a lot of shots we did make a call that was returned promptly! We get to go visit "school" tomorrow and see if it is where we want to go.
Today Rabbit learned that your toddler may have a wet diaper if they put their hands on your cheeks to look at you and all you smell is pee.
Bug and Squirrel enjoyed about 15 or 20 minutes of quiet time together watching Daniel Tiger - then Bug matter of factly proclaimed that she was going to go wake up Sissy... and proceed to march upstairs and do just that.... I guess Sissy is more exciting company than I am.
After breakfast of toast, eggs, and grapes we were fueled up and ready for trouble. Actually the morning was moving along as smoothly as possible when toddlers outnumber adults... Then the CPS (Child Protective Services) worker stopped by to get some paperwork. That tended to make us a bit 'Manic' and 'Frantic'... which then turned into super clingy. I told the worker (because It didn't seem like she realized) That the clingy was probably due to the big 'State Logo' on the car door. We were outside playing at that point so it could plainly be seen. And IT IS the SAME logo as the car that pulled them all out of the home on Friday. How traumatic that must have been. I may be wrong... But kiddos get much more, on an intuitive level, then people realize.
The CPS worker shared with Squirrel pictures of the home that the girls come from. It is heartbreaking that such small innocent children had to wait for help that long. We got an update on a sister who is really liking her home and excited about running water, food, clean clothes, and that she gets a bath every day. I wish ours were as excited about their baths. There is also a brother who is in the system now and unfortunately he didn't even know Sissy's name. I'm not talking about a tiny brother here... this is a teenager.
Our DHS health services liason called today as well. She decided that the kids are changing doctors and we will now be going closer to home, but it is a very busy place and we couldn't get in until next week Wednesday, even with our Emergency Room follow up being needed. I guess if anything really happens or if we have colds it is off to the Emergency Room for these two.
So Earlier today a Blog reader texted to say she liked our term 'Hangry'. Being that she herself has two toddlers (twins) She was able to share a new term for me... One I Have indeed had the pleasure of encountering...(but didn't have a nifty name for it) .... She asked me if I have had the experience of "going boneless" yet? And It made me laugh because I Loved it. In fact I'm chuckling a little now just writing it... Boneless.. How do kids pull that off so efficiently? And when can I try it? Because it seems sort of fun. ohh well; I guess if I didn't "Go Boneless" while trying on Bridesmaid dresses - its not going to happen now.
For lunch today we braved the world. We went to Rabbit's work and ate in the cafeteria. The girls ate everything! Pizza, Chicken Sandwich, Mashed Potatos, Green Beans, Sweet Potato Fries, and Chocolate Milk... suprisingly neither of them seemed all that excited about chocolate. We failed to bring sippy cups so they drank out of big cups with a straw and we only had one small fail. After lunch we visited the Police Officers on campus to help the girls understand that they are helpers. Over time we expect that there have or will be interactions with officers and we want them to be seen as help they can go to. The girls could take about an hour and a half before a major crash.
So in Bug's Bad Day... she is fantastic walking up and down the stairs and since she is part spider monkey it isn't in our best interest to put up a gate for the main stairs that would trap the dogs in toddler hell and provide a convenient trip hazard for the adults. Plus, since the kid is also MacGuyver's trainer she would have it dismantled in a matter of seconds. Does anyone know how to put a scanner together? Well back to those stairs, she was on them and somehow took a faceplant off the bottom one right onto the hardwood floor. Those floors are a blessing and a curse. If we had carpet we would be going Dexter on the place and coating it with plastic. We drilled our sharp little toddler teeth right into our lip. Blood everywhere, Rabbit nearly lost one of her favorite T-shirts. We caved... we busted out sugar and gave her a popsicle.
We played outside for a bit and tried a walk. There were some big trucks taking out some trees down the street and Bug loves trucks. Everything was good and we were going to walk to a park and then Sissy decided to be defiant and cross without holding hands - twice - so we had to come home. When Sissy gets tired she gets really difficult. It is hard for us though because she doesn't necessarily look like a three year old and we have to remember that this smart little girl is only 3. Sissy and Rabbit went in the house when we returned and Bug and Squirrel played outside. Sissy loves to be held, and Rabbit and her cuddled up and she was out for a nap. Bug managed to be curious and check out the birdfeeder and sent it swinging which went right back... at her head. THONK.
Dinner tonight - uneventful. I don't know how they were hungry after they ate like grown adults at lunch, but they managed to polish off hotdogs, mac n cheese, spaghetti, and grapes for dinner. We really need to make a grocery store run.
We decided to try another walk. This time we let the girls walk the dogs. Then the dreaded/loved bath time. All is fine until we get to the hair, which is the most necessary. We needed to do some major brushing tonight so we skipped the books and did a movie instead and really worked on combing out their hair. No worries though, I think we have read a million books in the last 4 days.
While we won't get into the Dr. until next Wednesday and thus, no Day Care until at least next Thursday since Bug needs a lot of shots we did make a call that was returned promptly! We get to go visit "school" tomorrow and see if it is where we want to go.
Today Rabbit learned that your toddler may have a wet diaper if they put their hands on your cheeks to look at you and all you smell is pee.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Hangry Kraken
Today started with a much needed sleep in for me. Rabbit was up before everyone and Bug soon followed. Sissy and I both slept in a bit. Now that we all four are up its breakfast time....
... It seems we struck out with the oatmeal, even though we added blueberries, strawberries, and raisins... the girls made some pretty cute faces while trying it though.. eventually - it became so awful that it wasnt even worth it to even pick the fruit from and eat. **cue the theme music** Rabbit to the Rescue... She quickly scrambled up some eggs/ham and toast with strawberry jam. Now all our bellys were happy. Maybe next time Rabbit won't skip the sugar when making steelies. We have been very concious about not giving these two extra sugar since they get so much in their normal fruit intake. The dogs however didn't mind the lack of sugar in their oatmeal.
This Toddler Diet that we are on may just cause me to loose some weight. I have been struggling for so long.. and here is the cure at last. I could market it and make enough money to not work. Tonight's meal was a real cheat. We have been doing so well, but with the impending melt down we served Tater Tots and Veggie Corn Dogs... well, we then had to make a hot dog. There is nothing like a hangry (hungry-angry) 2 year old. The Kraken comes out and we nearly throw food at her. We also almost let the Kraken out at lunch, but we pulled out the baked beans and all was good. Nothing like cold baked beans for a 2 year old (you should have seen that diaper). Don't worry, we also fed them peas, carrots, and chicken quesadillas.
Our days are so busy that I cant even imagine HOW we are going to squeeze two full times jobs and parental visits 3 times a week. I Know I Know - What all you seasoned parents out there reading this are thinking... But I'm new at this and we can barely keep up with both of us not working. Laundry is started at 10:00 pm, and then there is the daily run streak.. YES my friends - It lives on! Rabbit started laundry and mopped the floors while I did mine. I'm starting tonight's blog and cycling laundry while Rabbit runs. I'm Only talking about a short run here.. a quiet calm short run.
Did someone say laundry? It use to be that I could wear the same hoody a couple days and jeans or shorts too for that matter.... Now - not so much. It seemes like everytime I look down at myself i see a mystery smear of something - aacck what IS that on my sleeve? Nothing is good for two wears anymore. Most often when it isn't identifiable it is booger. We could just put ourselves on a recording "come here and use the tissue" which unfortunately doesn't happen before it is rubbed all down their arms. Followed by a hug.
In our bath time adventures we only opted to wash 1 kid. Bug was just too wiped out to be argued with. We didn't have a lot of outside time today, so putting her to bed without a bath is okay. She is also the less booger smearing of the two. Sissy however couldn't wait to get in! This is the same kid we had to pick up and force in only 3 days earlier. The gift of rubber duckies from our new friends today really helped. Now imagine a 3 year old with a lisp saying they have a "Big Duck in the cup". Between that and saying "Percy" we have a lot of silent chuckles.
This house has crossed to the point that if you warn us that you are coming over we will give you a quick grocery list. Today we had some friends come over with apples and eggs. Our fruit bats are constantly attached to an apple. We have gone through 2 lbs in 2 days with only 2 kids. Sometimes the apples are eaten all the way through the core. Sometimes they end up like this:
... It seems we struck out with the oatmeal, even though we added blueberries, strawberries, and raisins... the girls made some pretty cute faces while trying it though.. eventually - it became so awful that it wasnt even worth it to even pick the fruit from and eat. **cue the theme music** Rabbit to the Rescue... She quickly scrambled up some eggs/ham and toast with strawberry jam. Now all our bellys were happy. Maybe next time Rabbit won't skip the sugar when making steelies. We have been very concious about not giving these two extra sugar since they get so much in their normal fruit intake. The dogs however didn't mind the lack of sugar in their oatmeal.
This Toddler Diet that we are on may just cause me to loose some weight. I have been struggling for so long.. and here is the cure at last. I could market it and make enough money to not work. Tonight's meal was a real cheat. We have been doing so well, but with the impending melt down we served Tater Tots and Veggie Corn Dogs... well, we then had to make a hot dog. There is nothing like a hangry (hungry-angry) 2 year old. The Kraken comes out and we nearly throw food at her. We also almost let the Kraken out at lunch, but we pulled out the baked beans and all was good. Nothing like cold baked beans for a 2 year old (you should have seen that diaper). Don't worry, we also fed them peas, carrots, and chicken quesadillas.
Our days are so busy that I cant even imagine HOW we are going to squeeze two full times jobs and parental visits 3 times a week. I Know I Know - What all you seasoned parents out there reading this are thinking... But I'm new at this and we can barely keep up with both of us not working. Laundry is started at 10:00 pm, and then there is the daily run streak.. YES my friends - It lives on! Rabbit started laundry and mopped the floors while I did mine. I'm starting tonight's blog and cycling laundry while Rabbit runs. I'm Only talking about a short run here.. a quiet calm short run.
Did someone say laundry? It use to be that I could wear the same hoody a couple days and jeans or shorts too for that matter.... Now - not so much. It seemes like everytime I look down at myself i see a mystery smear of something - aacck what IS that on my sleeve? Nothing is good for two wears anymore. Most often when it isn't identifiable it is booger. We could just put ourselves on a recording "come here and use the tissue" which unfortunately doesn't happen before it is rubbed all down their arms. Followed by a hug.
In our bath time adventures we only opted to wash 1 kid. Bug was just too wiped out to be argued with. We didn't have a lot of outside time today, so putting her to bed without a bath is okay. She is also the less booger smearing of the two. Sissy however couldn't wait to get in! This is the same kid we had to pick up and force in only 3 days earlier. The gift of rubber duckies from our new friends today really helped. Now imagine a 3 year old with a lisp saying they have a "Big Duck in the cup". Between that and saying "Percy" we have a lot of silent chuckles.
This house has crossed to the point that if you warn us that you are coming over we will give you a quick grocery list. Today we had some friends come over with apples and eggs. Our fruit bats are constantly attached to an apple. We have gone through 2 lbs in 2 days with only 2 kids. Sometimes the apples are eaten all the way through the core. Sometimes they end up like this:
Even if the apple isn't finished if it is not currently in our hand we must have a new apple. Rabbit and I are constantly finding apples and handing them back to the kids. Our next guests will be required to bring cheese and baked beans.
Almost forgot - we finally met our caseworker! Not a terrible visit, but not fantastic either. These poor folks just have so much to do. Because the need is so high for foster parents in our area they don't have enough workers to keep up and our caseworker is actually assigned to Saginaw. Poor woman wasn't even in the office to grab our paperwork before getting to our house because she had court all day yesterday and all morning today. Yeah, we have no paperwork for our necessary Dr. visit, Day Care, WIC, and reimbursement. We spent most of her visit catching her up on what we know about the kids and their situation because she knew not a thing. CPS didn't give her much to go on. Amazing to think that all we and she know is found in a little red folder. Not having all these forms may push back our returns to work. Rabbit is piloting a half-day tomorrow to see if we can juggle for a little while without the Day Care (which is an absolute necessity we don't want to put off). Both of us could take FMLA, but after our vacation time runs out it is unpaid and we don't want to go there.
Right at this moment the only place I want to go... Is to bed!
Monday, June 1, 2015
Kryptonite!
Pretty normal day. That is very surprising considering this is only day 3. We ate a late breakfast (these kids sleep in!) and then headed to the park. They are fearless. The slides, swings, and the playscapes were all a hit. We walked great and stopped and looked both ways. Sissy loves to be a helper. Bug rode the stroller all the way there. Big trucks were a big hit as well. We saw a front end loader and a big red dump truck as well as a school bus. The last two blocks home Bug decided to get out of the stroller and that little one can run! She ran the entire last two blocks home. It was our goal today to wear these two out. We even walked to a neighbor's house who had some books for free and picked some out. We visited for a little because we were fascinated by the shovels and were digging in the flowerbed until Bug was ready to take Sissy out!
In our play outside we have discovered that we need to get a few more things... we can get these things, but since everyone wants to help we added them to the wishlist, please noweapons shovels.
We finally found the magic foods for sissy. Grilled cheese and baked beans. We originally served them green beans and Bug told Squirrel "I want the other different kind of beans" since Squirrel and I had the baked beans. These kids ate beans like champs. After lunch we got Bug down for her first nap! We then were outside again until dinner. The bath after dinner was a disaster for Bug, but Sissy allowed Squirrel to poor water on her head! After the bath Squirrel was able to look at Sissy's boo boo and put some antibiotic on it.
Bug is so cute, but when she turns - she is the Kraken! When she and I were alone at the hospital I was super glad there were cameras. At home she yells "Dammit" and it is in the heat of her anger. We also hear a few other things out of her little curly haired 2 year old self that a 2 year old shouldn't be saying. Suprising since Sissy doesn't say these things.
The last few nights we followed the bath with bed. Today we allowed them to play since Sissy was wide awake and Bug could not be separated. All was good and then Sissy took a big smack to Bug's head. We talked... it is strange with a 3 year old that listens, comprehends, and processes.
We then discovered what is the trick with these two. While reading we were running our fingers through hair and it dropped them right to sleep. They don't stand a chance. We know their Kryptonite!
Tomorrow is our meeting with their case worker. We are well on our way.
For now... since the kids are in bed, we are drinking soda and eating ice cream.
In our play outside we have discovered that we need to get a few more things... we can get these things, but since everyone wants to help we added them to the wishlist, please no
We finally found the magic foods for sissy. Grilled cheese and baked beans. We originally served them green beans and Bug told Squirrel "I want the other different kind of beans" since Squirrel and I had the baked beans. These kids ate beans like champs. After lunch we got Bug down for her first nap! We then were outside again until dinner. The bath after dinner was a disaster for Bug, but Sissy allowed Squirrel to poor water on her head! After the bath Squirrel was able to look at Sissy's boo boo and put some antibiotic on it.
Bug is so cute, but when she turns - she is the Kraken! When she and I were alone at the hospital I was super glad there were cameras. At home she yells "Dammit" and it is in the heat of her anger. We also hear a few other things out of her little curly haired 2 year old self that a 2 year old shouldn't be saying. Suprising since Sissy doesn't say these things.
The last few nights we followed the bath with bed. Today we allowed them to play since Sissy was wide awake and Bug could not be separated. All was good and then Sissy took a big smack to Bug's head. We talked... it is strange with a 3 year old that listens, comprehends, and processes.
We then discovered what is the trick with these two. While reading we were running our fingers through hair and it dropped them right to sleep. They don't stand a chance. We know their Kryptonite!
Tomorrow is our meeting with their case worker. We are well on our way.
For now... since the kids are in bed, we are drinking soda and eating ice cream.
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