Okay, I tried the nap but I have too much floating around in my head to sleep. I learned a lot – WE learned a lot the past few days. I don’t know that it will come out in any particular order, but here goes . . .
1. Before agreeing to a placement, it is essential to ask the following question, “Will any of the children be given THREE sippy cups of Dr. Pepper and TWO neon green quasi-fruit drinks by their bio parent(s) prior to me picking them up?” Trust me.
1. Before agreeing to a placement, it is essential to ask the following question, “Will any of the children be given THREE sippy cups of Dr. Pepper and TWO neon green quasi-fruit drinks by their bio parent(s) prior to me picking them up?” Trust me.
2. You may think that you are a pretty smart, on-the-ball adult, but children will always, always find a way to get to the things you don’t want them to have.
3. Additionally, you may think that you have your home pretty well child-proofed. That is all well and good until four busy hands come racing down the hall honed in on the things cost a lot of money, are irreplaceable, or can cause them grave bodily injury.
4. ONE CHILD is plenty for us. Plenty. This experience definitely disavowed me of the notion that “two or three might be nice”. One. One is good.
5. I cry more easily if I don’t get enough sleep but learned this week that I can actually be too tired to cry. Didn’t even know that was possible.
6. Do not make one of your favorite childhood comfort foods (Kraft mac-n-cheese in the blue box) for the kids if you are new to caring for two toddlers. You might just find yourself eating all of the leftovers with a big red serving spoon.
7. Watching Sponge Bob and Blue’s Clues will make you long for the days of Bugs Bunny, the Roadrunner, and The Electric Company.
8. There are some really adorable kids in the foster care system.
9. The best way to clean up goldfish crackers and cheerios that have been pulverized on your hardwood floor is just by the brush of your foot, sending them sailing under the sofa till you can get the vacuum out later in the day (week).
10. Spaghetti may not be the easiest thing for a child to eat, but it sure is fun to watch them try.
11. It is going to be virtually impossible for us to guard our hearts in this process. We tried and tried to keep an emotional distance, particularly from the baby who was so beautiful, laid back, and smart, but we just couldn’t do it. We both hated to see him go and would have gladly kept him for a lifetime.
12. My husband is an absolute natural as a father. Every time he’d walk in the room, The Older Boy would say, “Hiya Daddy!”, completely filled with glee, and The Younger Boy’s face would light up and he’d throw up his arms to be picked up, calling him “Dadadada”. They just adored him and spent most evenings in his lap.
13. 40-year-old knees are not the same as 20-year-old-knees.
14. Naptimes and bedtimes are a beautiful thing. Oh so beautiful.
15. You can spend all kinds of $ on toys, but the children’s favorite things will be a cardboard box, a hairbrush, and the baby wipes container.
16. Baby poop really is green sometimes. I’d forgotten that. (Sorry for the gross out.)
17. Silence can be a really lovely thing, or a really lonely thing. I've experienced both in the last couple of hours.
The past 4 days have definitely answered some questions for us, and raised some others. When I arrive at some answers re: any of it, or when I wake up from my planned 28-hour slumber, I’ll be back. Whichever comes first.
The past 4 days have definitely answered some questions for us, and raised some others. When I arrive at some answers re: any of it, or when I wake up from my planned 28-hour slumber, I’ll be back. Whichever comes first.
