Update Time...

It's been two and a half months since Monkey was returned to his daddy, and our arrangement couldn't be working out any better!  His dad is finally loosening up a little and starting to realize that I really do mean it when I say he can call me any time he needs help.  After Monkey gave his dad a horrible upper respiratory infection that put him out of commission for an entire week and he had no choice but to do what I told him and bring Monkey to me so he could rest, he seemed relieved to hand him over and trust that I would just be Mama and take care of things for Monkey while he got well himself.  I think he knew all along that I would do it, but he was afraid that I'd look down on him for not being able to take care of Monkey.  I think I finally convinced him that I completely understand how hard it is to be a single parent because I've done it on my own for the past three years.  I reassured him over and over that I understood, and that he just needed to take the time to rest and get well and that I'd handle everything for Monkey in the meantime.  Since that week, Monkey's dad has simply sighed a relieved "thank you!" any time I offer to keep him longer when I know his dad needs help.  His dad had the opportunity to get in some overtime this week, so I am currently on Day Four of 11 straight nights with my Monkey man!  :-) 



LOVE that I can share him with you now!

At 15 months old now, Monkey is a full-fledged toddler and continues to crack me up and melt my heart every single day.  He is finally taking an interest in walking (although he still prefers the speed of his aerodynamic crawl).  He loves the applause and praise that he gets every time he attempts to walk, so his "routine" tends to be:  Stand up, clap, walk a few steps, clap, sit down, stand up, clap, repeat.  He is talking up a storm and will repeat just about anything you ask him to when he's in the mood.  His favorite phrases at the moment are "Uh-oh...  Where'd it go?" and "It da cat!  It da kitty cat!"  His morning conversation with Mr. Bunny tends to go something like, "Doh doi took-a took-a.  Uh-uh-uh (his version of "choo-choo" for Thomas the Train).  Mama.  It da cat!  Dada. Cough cough.  Nana.  Bugga doh doi.  Duck!  Quack! Quack!"


I'm moving into my bigger place on the 15th, and am super-excited about being able to open my home back up for new placements!  It's going to be an adjustment having more than one little one, but it feels too weird without CPS controlling every aspect of my life.  It's pretty bad when your "social life" is having your agency worker, caseworkers, CASAs, etc. come for their monthly home visits.  Now that I think about it, my house stays a lot cleaner when I have placements too.  :-)

I never heard back from the GAL about the girls.  I can't say that I'm shocked.  I've learned not to expect too much when it comes to these things.  When she started our conversation with "I'm probably overstepping, but..." I was pretty sure it wouldn't go very far.  She probably called the girls' caseworker who I'm sure got mad that the GAL was trying to do her job for her and just refused out of spite.  (Gee...  I don't sound jaded at all, huh? ;-)  I'm going to call again after I get moved into the new place and tell her that I'm going to open back up for new placements if it doesn't look like there's a chance the girls will end up with me.  Hopefully she'll at least return my call this time!

So that's where things stand right now...  Monkey is awesome.  Monkey's dad is awesome.  Moving on the 15th.  Licensed in the new place on the 18th.  Calling GAL about potential adoptive placement after that.  Opening back up and awaiting "The Call" after that!  Might be a busy summer!  :-)