Two firsts

Last night:

For the first time, Lucy told me (in a totally unsolicited fashion) that she loves me.

Lily answered the phone and carried on a 10-minute long conversation with my mom without me even knowing it :-)

I may have to finally just give in

and admit that I am overcommitted, stressed and generally low in the mental reserves right now.

That doesn't happen often, my friends. But it seems to have happened in a big way this time. After working about 70 hours last week (including two all nighters) I *barely* completed a big project on time.

Only to find out today that I fucked it up. Big time.

This is not something I typically do. I am sick to my stomach about telling our client. And I'm pissed that I busted my ass for two freaking weeks to fail in the end anyway. Fuck me.

Drive By Linky Type Post

I am a big Disney hypocrite. I detest the Disney princesses and most Disney movies, yet I have this unbelievable desire to take my kids to Disney World. Doesn't make any sense, does it? But I LOVED Disney World when I was little and I think Lily would love it to.

Anyway, here is aforementioned link from sociological images

Princess Link

Questions to ask when you get a placement call

Crayon just posted a comment asking for advice on what to ask during a placement call... I think I remember someone else writing a post about this, but I couldn't find it with a cursory glance, so I'll try to cobble something together.

I should preface this by saying, I am a sucker for placement calls. I have a *really* hard time turning down placements, unless they are something we're clearly not equipped to handle (like large sibling groups, or massive medical needs). But, when I manage to take a step back and think, here are some things I normally ask:

1. Has the child been in care before?
2. Does the child have siblings? Are they in care and if so, with who (i.e. a foster parent, or a relative or what)?
3. Are there any known medical issues? Any known issues with food?
4. Is there any indication that the child could be violent with other children, family pets, etc...
5. If the case is drug related, I ask if the parents have a history of substance abuse and if so, how long.

And that's really about it. Like I said, I am a sucker. I don't even always ask all of these questions, obviously some of them don't apply to younger kids and sometimes they don't apply to every situation.

So, chime in here... what other questions do you ask when you get a placement call?

Hmmm... how about an update?

So... Day started off with a bang, PB took Brooklyn for a visit with her mom. Which she didn't show up to, or call to say she wasn't coming until the time when it would be halfway over. Awesome.

Picked her up at PB's office and took her to a follow up app't. Went very well, she's gained FOUR POUNDS or MORE THAN 20% of her body weight when she came into care) AND the medical issue that was due to neglect is gone. Still concerned about her verbal and gross motor development, but she's definitely brightened up since she got here and is at least trying to play and explore.

Took Lily and Lucy to their gymnastics class, which can I just say they freaking adore? Especially Lily. Too cute.

Then went to work where it all went downhill. You can still love the job but hate the freaking client, right? Cause that's about where I am right now. Fun, fun, fun.

Not really sure where Brooklyn's case is headed. Mom has been pretty consistent with visits up until now, and I vaccilate between wanting to believe her probably totally false story about how Brooklyn came into care and not buying a cent of it. Brooklyn is clearly bonded to her Dad (who isn't her biological Dad but is in every other sense of the word). Just don't know what to think yet.

Well, now I feel like an ass....

Just yesterday I was writing this long post about things that have pissed me off lately. Then today I clicked over to Yondalla's blog and found a link to Cory's story, which is really more like a plea.

I absolutely cannot fathom having to separate yourself from one child in order to protect your other children.* She asked anyone who read her blog to spread the world, so distribute this post as you see fit.


**I generally have very mixed feelings about adoption disruption, because I think that re-abandoning traumatized kids is adding insult to injury. In this case, I can't see what else COULD be done, for the well-being everyone involved.

Look Ma, I'm blogging

Turns out when we have a foster child I have things to blog about. To whit:

Still no visit from Brooklyn's worker. Our worker came out within the requisite three days, but we're well past a week now with no word from hers

How can 3 girls have SO.MANY.APPTS? Really? This week, we've got OT, follow up med for Brooklyn, Help Me Grow for Brooklyn and at least one, maybe two visits for Brooklyn. Well, wait, I guess it's just foster children who have a ton of appts, huh? Poor Brooklyn, I'm sure she is tired of being examined.

Am torn about Brooklyn's mom. She called to check on Brooklyn last night and we had a really good phone conversation. She definitely loves her daughter with a ferocity that matches my feelings for my girls. She says that everything in the report was blown out of proportion, which I actually can kind of see. Basically, everything that she's telling me dovetails with the sketchy information I have. If she's telling the truth, this will be a short(er) case. But I think there will still be medical neglect to deal with, and I'm not sure how long that takes to resolve. I do think she feels comfortable with us caring for Brooklyn (as she put it, she doesn't want her anywhere but with her, but if she has to be somewhere she is glad that it's with us), and I'm really happy about that.

So I don't know. If she is lying, she's the best liar I've ever encountered. But if she's telling the truth, I don't understand why they didn't put services in place rather than removing. And the worker who I spoke with painted a much different picture of mom's state the night I picked her up.

I think the first couple of screenings mom does will shed light on the matter. Right now it's too soon to know.

PS - No lice right now!!! YAY!!