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Back in the Saddle Again

We have hit the one month mark with Kiddo officially in our home! Hooray! When I run into people, so many ask, "How are things going?" and most of the time, all I can really say is, "Great!" 

 I think it is going very well.  Our life is not without its hiccups and bumps.  Some days, the
morning or evening routine runs smoother than others. Some days she's sad. Some days, she frustrates us. Some days we have so much fun I can hardly contain myself.  
My new Happy Hour includes
sassy nail design.
So this is what parenting is like (again)!  In some ways, I feel like I never left. I have always worked in jobs involving kids so spending time with Kiddo feels natural as well. Of course, she is different from the kids I work with in the community and she is also different from Charlotte. There are many similarities as well, though. All you need to do is look on Facebook or spend some time chatting with your fellow friends who are parents to realize that we all experience the same frustrations and challenges in raising our children.  
With Kiddo, of course, there is the added extra layer of support provided by the foster care system and UMFS.  Kiddo has a lot of players on her team and we play only a small part. Over the last month, we have met with a pediatrician, an eye doctor, her CASA workers, her DSS case worker, her UMFS case worker, the therapist working with us through the Attachment Clinic, the folks at the Y who provide her after school care three days a week, and her IEP team at the school.  Am I leaving anyone out? That makes for some interesting logistics.  Roger and I have both (as expected) needed to flex our work schedules more than usual but I think we are adapting well. 
I went to Philly and found
people hiding in the Liberty Bell
We also each had an opportunity to parent Kiddo solo while the other left town for work. It all went much better than I expected. She missed each of us in our respective absences but phone calls, FaceTime, and videos shared back and forth via phone were helpful distractions.  I actually think it was very good for her to experience a "going away time" from each of us that was brief and resulted in a successful return.  This helps confirm to her that we're not going anywhere.

 It must be mentioned that I am exceedingly grateful for the support my parents have provided during this time. They are staying up in Virginia for their semi-annual 6-8 week visit and I have appreciated the time my mom spends every week helping to prepare meals and offer support to us.  Do they really have to leave in June?

 So as I approach what feels like my first Mother's Day in a really long time, I'm overwhelmed with emotions. Most of them are happy ones.  I know I never really stopped being a Mom but, as you know, holidays have been difficult for me in recent years.  It's nice to have something (someONE) else in my life who provides some focus and another reason to celebrate.  
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