Waiting

It feels like it's been a long time since we had kids in the house, even though it's been a little over a week. I kind of miss the girls. They pop into my head often as I think about what they would be doing if we still had them. I also wonder if they went back to their parents.

DH and I were talking the other day how weird it's going to be to only have one instead of two in the house. I guess it's not set in stone that we will only have one. Maybe we will have siblings again. If one of them was little and the other was older, that would be alright. The way I feel right now (could change), I would really like a little one.

The agency called with a placement. It was a preteen that had some issues that we would rather not deal with. The child also has a older sibling that they would like to place in the same house at a later date. If we would have taken this placement, we would not be able to take a younger child or a child of the opposite sex while they were with us. We would have considered it if not for that reason. It was a foster to adopt placement.

Training

We are able to get a few hours of training the other night. We met some other foster parents along with Linda at the local library. Anyone who had kids in their house at the time, was allowed to bring them along. Two families brought their foster children. A few kids were up for adoption but they were older than I would prefer.

We watched a movie and then discussed it with each other. The kids were in on the discussion also. It was sad to hear about how they felt. One of the kids said they felt abandoned by their parents. It's sad. DH whispered to me that we could take them, but I didn't say a word. I think he got the idea that I didn't feel the same way. Plus, we received our actual license and it states we are approved for two children and the kids are a family of three. I just don't want to start out with teenagers.

Linda told us the first two girls, that we had for respite, might need respite again at the end of summer. But she also told us that some of the people in the agency are saving us for a placement. I'm sure the right placement will come along soon.

The house is quite

Foster mom called to ask if she could pick the girls up early. They were suppose to be picked up the next morning but instead the family got back from vacation early. I told her if it would save her a trip into town, that it would be OK to pick them up that evening.

Since I knew she was coming right before the girls would usually go to bed, I gave them their bath early and dressed them in their PJs. DH and I played with them until foster mom showed up. Cuddly discovered she could bounce on DHs lap while he held her hands. I took some great pictures for our album. Then Curly wanted to bounce but didn't seem to have as much fun.

I was surprised that the girls didn't want to go to foster mom when she arrived. Cuddly actually wanted to get up into my lap and Curly wasn't sure of the situation either. After a little while, FM was able to get a hug out of each one of them. We helped them to the car, all the while Cuddly cried. She stopped crying after FM got her strapped in her seat. We stayed by the car talking to FM for a little while. By the time she drove away the girls were fine.

DH made the comment of how quite the house was after they left. It didn't take long before we got use to the silence. I was glad, by the next morning, she had picked them up early. I had to get up early for work and it would have been harder for DH to get them ready to leave. I don't think we really miss them. They just weren't there long enough and we knew they were only going to be with us for a short amount of time.

Regarding the pictures; we can take pictures for our own use but can't show them to anyone. I would love to post some but I'm not allow.

The time wasn't long enough

We had a lot of fun with the girls. I wish we had them longer but being a respite situation, we knew when they were going back to their foster family.

Most everyday went the same way. We tried to stay in a routine. When they woke up in the morning, which seemed to be earlier every day, we started by changing diapers. I would go in to their room when I heard the glowing seahorse music. I asked them "who would like their diaper changed?". It was always Curly who would want to be changed first. Cuddly was a little slower to wake up. Then we would get something to drink and snuggle in my chair and watch a little cartoons. After about a half hour, we would have breakfast of mini-mini wheats with milk and a sippy cup of milk. They were good eaters. They always wanted more after they finished what I had given them. In fact, they finished a whole small box of mini-mini wheats in four days! After breakfast they would decide what they wanted to wear. I would give them a choice of two outfits but they always wore matching cloths. Then we would play until it was time for a nap. They liked to color and play with the doll house. They also like to push this little grocery cart around with pretend food in it.

One of them always cried when it was time for their nap. Actually, you couldn't say "nap" or "bed" without Cuddly pouting or flat out crying but she was usually the first one asleep. After they got up from their nap, I would change diapers again then they would have a snack of either gummy bears, goldfish, or animal crackers. One afternoon I tried to get them to eat an Orange. Both of them said they didn't like it but either of them would try it. So I tore it all apart and Cuddly finally ate some of it. Curly tried a little bitty bit.

We had very little problems and a whole lot of fun. Lunch consisted of either jr. lunchables or mac-n-cheese. At first they didn't want the mac-n-cheese but then I ate it and told them it was really good and I would pretend it was fantastic. That got them to try it and even finish what I had given them. A couple days later I fixed it again but added chicken. They liked that too. Actually Cuddly liked the chicken more and Curly like the mac-n-cheese more. Curly actually finished her sisters mac-n-cheese. For dinner they pretty much ate what we ate. Both of them loved chicken and green beans.

After the first night they would ask me, a few times through out the day, if they could take a bath. I would always tell them they would have to wait until later. Bath time was about an hour before bed. They like the bubble bath I would add to the water. They cleaned themselves with their own wash clothes and toddler bedtime soap. I would wash their hair about every other day since they really didn't get dirty. I thought it was interesting that Curly would wash her sister. She started that about the second or third night. At first she just wanted to wash Cuddly's feet but then it was her bottom and private parts. I didn't want to make a big deal about it but I've wondered if I should say something to the case worker.

Bedtime went about the same as nap time. Sometimes with a little crying and sometimes with a lot of crying. I didn't discover that Curly wanted to sleep in her own bed, instead of with her sister, until the last night. She kept crying, so I asked her if she wanted to sleep in the little bed, thinking that she would say "no" but, to my surprise, she asked if she could take her pillow with her. I moved her to the toddler bed and she was asleep in minutes. We did the same thing for her nap the next day.

Two but smaller

The twins are adorable. I sure would like to have childern like them but I know the main goal is to get them back home. The first evening was busy but not too bad. DH was really tired by the time I got home. He had worked the night before and hadn't slept. As soon as I got home we ate dinner. DH had ordered Dominos for all of us. Mac & Cheese with breadsticks for the little ones. I had a pasta bowl which the twins thought looked better than what they had. I shared a little bit but was afraid that the spiciness would give them a tummy ache. After dinner, I gave them a bath which went really well. They splashed to their hearts content. Then we put PJs on and snuggled in the chair. Soon they were ready for bed. Well, their little bodies were but they weren't. "Cuddly" cried when I meantioned bed but she stopped before too long. Both her and "Curly" kept looking to see if I was still sitting in the chair across the room. DH told me they did the same thing when he put them down for their nap. He's such a softy, he bought them some toys before they arrived. One of the toys, they both love, is a glow seahorse. It lights up and plays music everytime they push the tummy. That's how I knew they were asleep, they stopped pushing the tummy.

Double the fun

We are doing respite again. I'm so excited. I've had a hard time getting to sleep for the past two nights. We are taking care of twin toddlers for about 5 days. I was hoping I didn't have to work today but here I am. I haven't met the girls yet, DH has them until I get home this evening. He's real nervous. He's so cute, he called me early this morning from the store to tell me he was buying juice and diapers. He also bought a couple booster chairs (we don't have highchairs). Anyway, after they arrived, he called me to tell me that the girls are scared of the dogs. He said they are fine as long as they are sitting on his lap but as soon as they get down and the dogs come around, they start crying. I told him they will probably get used to them (I hope), but to call me if he has any problems. Not that I can leave work or anything but I can try to give moral support...lol. I can't wait 'til this evening. Right after work I have to get them dinner asap and give them a bath. Soon after that will be bedtime. I'm looking forward to reading them a bedtime story and tucking them in. I will try to write more in the next few days but I have a feeling I will have my hands full!

If we hadn't said "no" to the teenager, we wouldn't have gotten the twins. I spoke to the foster mom who the teenager is with. She told me it turned out that she knows the girl and her home is a better fit. I was glad to hear that they found a temp. home for her.