crazy ride...

Little Mighty's case is going nowhere fast.  I spoke to the county worker (who is the 'horse's mouth', so to speak) She is leaving to go work for CPS.  I wanted to know what the bios had to do towards reunification.  She said they had to take parenting classes, mental health counseling, they have to understand the diagnosis of FAILURE TO THRIVE.  They have to attend substance abuse counseling and dr's appointments for Little Mighty.  They have to KEEP visiting with him and stop canceling.  They have averaged one visit a week since December...canceling often. They also have to keep Bailey in counseling and follow through on doctor's orders for her.  The main worker, Genie, has been supervising the majority of the visits so she is experiencing all kinds of crazy.  She is seeing the ups and downs of bio mom and dad.  It seems that if one is stable the other is not and vice versa.  

Little Mighty is THRIVING!  At 15 months old he is over 21 pounds and pulling to stand. He was not even sitting up back in October when he was placed here.  He is crawling on all fours instead of doing the worm across the floor.  He is pre-talking and babbling.  His speech is probably at a 6-7 month age and his gross motor is around 10 1/2 months.  I am so proud of his progress. 

His bios think that I am the block to him going home.  They think that I control the reunification process.  Bio mom said yesterday that it's taking too long and the county should just 'take him' because he's never coming home anyway.  They want to know why they can't have visits in my home and phone calls.  (Usually visits are only held in the foster home if the bios are sane (they are not) and homeless (they are not).  Phone calls wouldn't work either because Little Mighty can't speak.  And to be brutally honest, it's not worth the 10 minutes of my time every night.  I am fed up with them complaining about his clothes and his runny nose (it's winter in NY....EVERYONE has a runny nose). He is eating, sleeping, playing, peeing, pooping, fever free and happy...why would I take him to the dr???  I wish Genie would filter a bit more of the bios opinions.  

The easiest part of foster care is taking care of the kids.   

Cancelled...

After ALL the complaining about ME..you'd think the bios would want to see Little Mighty as much as possible. But they cancelled AGAIN.  This is the 4th visit in a row ((2/6, 2/9, 2/11 and today, 2/13).  The county worker was going to supervise the visit. She planned to pick up Bailey after school and bring her and Little Mighty back to their house. Bio mom agreed to this yesterday. 

Let me back track. Even though Monday and Wednesday's visits were cancelled, the agency worker was trying to work with bios to find a time that is good for everyone.  She couldn't make the usual Friday visit work due to scheduling conflicts and they (the bios) were ok with not seeing their son this week.  The county worker called me very upset stating that the bios HAVE TO have visits offered at THEIR convenience because she didn't want to hear in court that they say they're denied promised visits with their son.  So the county worker was supposed to supervise today's visit.  She just called me very upset that they bios called to cancel this morning.  She thinks that the bios don't want Bailey to see Little Mighty and this is her way to control that.  I guess we'll see for Monday. 

Anyway, the county worker just asked if we are pre-adoptive.  Um, I said yes...

(Realistically, we have to make it until October without Bailey and Winter coming into care to even entertain the thought of adopting.  But it was nice of her to ask) :)

What are they hiding?

Snow day here in NY today.  Kids are home.  I got a call this morning from the agency supervisor.  She said that they cancelled the visit for Little Mighty today.  I asked if it would be rescheduled and she said that she will not rush to reschedule it because bio mom called saying that Bailey has strep but I cant help but think she's not contagious after 24 hours and if she was sick on Friday, she should be ok to see Little Mighty.  Then I'm thinking that maybe bios don't want Bailey to see Little Mighty OR that bios don't want the agency workers see BAILEY for some reason.  What are they hiding? Last Friday's visit was cancelled when Bailey would have been able to see her little brother and now today, another chance to visit...is cancelled.