All About Our Newest

1.  She arrived by surprise stork (AKA social worker) on Thursday night.

2.  She has less hair than Jon, so I get a break with only two girls needing braids.  I can plop a headband on her head and call her a girl.

3.  She is 7 months old.

4.  She was very happy and smiley when she came until it was bed time.  At that point she screamed bloody murder and could not be comforted at all.  The next day she was again so sweet and happy, even napping beautifully.  Bedtime was a repeat of the first night.  By the third night she went to bed just fine.  Tonight she woke up a couple hours after falling asleep and let me comfort her easily back to sleep.  To know the hugs and cuddles and pats on the tummy or back that made her so angry those first two nights now comfort her is a beautiful improvement.  These kids are so resilient and can allow themselves to be loved again when they lose all they know.  That gives me hope for the ones who have left my home.  I know that they, too, could allow themselves to be loved by someone else in very little time.  They loved me (us) and have gone on to love again.

5.  She has such a cute smile and cannot help but smile when we smile at her.

6.  She prefers to be held most of the time but is also happy as long as I am near her on the floor.

7.  Her arrival meant the reintroduction of bottles and all things baby in our house.  Wee One gets very mad when she gets a bottle and he does not.  He's not above smacking her in the head so he can take the bottle and run.  All the kids have been playing with the baby toys like they are the best toys ever invented.

8.  She is still at the beautiful developmental stage where she stays where she is put.  I know it won't last so I am enjoying it for now.

9.  She may only be here for a couple weeks or much longer.  We just never know.

10.  I really wasn't sure if I really wanted another baby, but she reminds me that babies are so doggone lovable!  I also look forward to getting the stipend to buy her some clothes.  I'm going to baby-girl-clothes shop like I'll never get to do it again, because I might not get to do it again.  That's the thing about foster parenting.  I never know when it will be my last of a certain gender or age or anything else.  They may send us some older siblings next, and our baby days could be over forever.

11.  She slept through the night last night.  I can handle that sort of baby!

12.  I love these first days of a new placement before we know whether the parents will be hostile or grateful, before we know if the social worker will be great and super helpful or not at all, before we know how many visits we will have with lawyers and family members and CASAs and others.  I love these days when I can just love on her without interruption, when it is all so simple.

13.  She needs a nickname.  I think I shall call her "Flower."