Big Sloppy Bucket of Crazy

Mamma and I stayed up late one night over the weekend -- late enough to watch a Saturday Night Live episode -- and we heard this phrase.  ONE BIG BUCKET OF CRAZY!

And I haven't stopped using it EVERY chance I can.  It totally works in sooooo many situations--from work to home.  In the grocery store. While commuting to and from work.  And, duh, when you're in Walmart!

We have a new little girl with us.  She joined us last Thursday.  She's 4.  Mom's in jail for beating up a neighbor.  A pregnant neighbor.  With a stroller.  She was drunk.  Yea, I'm putting mom in the big sloppy bucket of crazy.

She hasn't stopped crying since last Thursday.  No, I mean it.  She hasn't. stopped. crying. 

Today she met with her attorney 'cause he'll represent her in court tomorrow.  We could hear the conversation from the other room (okay, we were eavesdropping) and her stories were amazing.  She's decided that mom is home watching TV (she's in jail), wanted to go home with the attorney (can you say attachment issue), started referring to herself in the third person, and, interestingly, edit some stories about mom's other (frequent) bouts with the bottle for the attorney. I looked at Mama and said, "she is one crazy chicken."  Yup, she's going in the big sloppy bucket of crazy.

The attorney will tell how all she wanted was to see mom, to call mom, to go home.  The judge will hear how attached she is to mom.  The recommendation will probably be for her to be reunified after mom is released jail. 

THAT will go in the BIG SLOPPY BUCKET OF CRAZY!

Wordless Wendesday: The Life and Times of an 18 Month Old

Anticipation

A little over a year ago we reunited Baby Dee with her bio mom.  I cried for 2 days.  Her mom remained in contact with us, calling with updates or to just chat, sending photos to mark her growth and developmental progress.  She's still tiny but starting to hit her developmental milestones. It's nice.

We've had babies come and go since Baby Dee--4 in fact.  But Baby Dee holds a special place in my heart.

Our first meeting.

So, yesterday, Mama received a call telling her that Baby Dee's mom is in the hospital and that we are listed as the people to call if anything was to happen. 

Would we be able to take Baby Dee?  Well, hell yea!

Mama is on her way this morning to the other side of the State to pick her up.

How will she be?

Is he healthy? What about medical stuff?  When she was with us she had 17 medical professionals following her case.

Is she talking?

Is she walking?

How will Baby Natalie be with her?  Jealous? Aggressive?  Playful?

What about a car seat?  Do we bring ours (hers acatually, from when she was with us before)?

How do we configure the bedrooms to accommodate 2 babies under 2???

What's Baby Dee's schedule like?  Does she sleep thorugh the night?  'Cause right now Natalie sleeps a good 12 hours and we really love that!

How long will she be with us? 

I know all those questions and concerns will be answered and everything will fall into place as if she's always been with us.

Can't wait to see her. 

Friday Fragments

Another busy week for us....

Went to the beach last weekend and while Mama cleaned up the aftermath of a leaking pipe in the basement, I took the boys to the ocean.  The water was hypothermia cold but that didn't seem to matter to them.

The Baby enjoyed free reign of the house, keeping an eye on the dogs and sporting my hat.

Then, of course, there was the Tornado that swept though our area.  Thankfully no damage but a different kind of stress. Think I'll stick with snow.

Mama had to bring someone to some appointment every day this week. 

Looking forward to the weekend, spending some down time with Mama.  Maybe on the porch.  

Baby Invasion

Oh, hello. It's been a while, I know.  It has taken some time to rebound from our experience with Manny.  (Pop on over the Mama Drama  Times Two for details.)  

But when the Department called with a one week respite placement for a 1 year old boy, we said, YES. 

Babies are good.

They're small.

They don't use profanity--at least, if they do, it just sounds like cute baby jibberish.

They smell good.

They think you are the best thing in the world because you feed them and make funny faces.

They're a little more work sometimes but they don't zap the last ion of energy from you.

I could go on...

So, Baby Boy J arrived for his 10 day stay. 

OMG what a sweet little guy.  Wonderful temperment.  Great appetite.  Sleeps through the night...


Baby Boy J hanging out on the porch

Then another call from the Department and on day 5 of Baby Boy J's stay, Baby Girl A arrived--an adorable 16 month old girl.  Sweet, but sometimes fierce, temperment (I like that in a baby).  Great appetite.  Sleeps through the night...

Baby Girl A with our BFF

OK! TWO babies!!!

Hundreds of dollars worth of educational toys and the dog dishes are more interesting

Bobby entertaining the babies with the toy piano

 

Then, our first foster daughter, Amber, came by with her little boy.  Adorable.



Baby Boy A



Did we mention that babies are good?



The Hit Parade #2

When we first started doing foster care and had a house full of teenagers, we made it a point to be a visible presence at their respective high schools and made sure teachers knew who we were.  In fact, Mama was a teacher at the girls' high school for a while (actually how we met the girls)  We attended open houses and I gave all the teachers my business card.  We wanted to support the girls--and, because we knew our girls, wanted to support the teachers.  Call us anytime!

"A" is an avid reader.  She always had a book with her and could literally devour a Harry Potter in a weekend. 



This is a good thing, you're thinking.


Wow, a kid who likes to read.

It is fabulous.....

Except.....

When her math teacher called me at work to tell me that A was reading her novel during class. 

OK......

Had she already completed her work and was using her time wisely?

No.

She was reading her novel DURING class.  As in, while the teacher was teaching.

"Did you tell her to put it down?" I asked.

"Well, I told her it was inappropriate, and she put it down," her teacher said.  "But then I noticed that she started reading again."

"Did you take the book away from her?" I asked.

"Well, NO, I couldn't do that," was the teacher's incredulous reply.

"And, what is it you think I can do?" I asked.

I don't know who I was more annoyed with.  A for reading during class.

Or the teacher for being so rediculoulsy inept.

The Weekend

A very busy and productive weekend here.  The weather finally broke free from winter's chilly grip and we ventured outside to try to tame our yard.  I had done a bit of raking last weekend before the flu sent me to bed for two days so I still had a little yard mojo going. 

After a trip to the dump, the boys and I, with rakes and leaf blowers in hand, got to work.  I had purchased some yard games so the motivation to get the leaves off the back patio and front yard was pretty high.  I was really pleased to see all the boys work so well together and we made quick work of the back patio and moved to the front yard. 

Don't get me wrong, there was a fair amount of redirecting and everyone wanted to be in charge and everyone had the best way to move the leaves and everyone had the best idea of where they should go and everyone had to have a turn raking next to me (I had the leaf blower) and, even though no one was wearing a watch, everyone's time next to me was precisely monitored.  Oh, and then there was the pasive aggressive battle for the plastic rake--as soon as one kid put it down, another would pick it up.  It was all very subtle but clearly that rake was by far superior to the other three.  But, all in all, we had a good time.  Such a good time that I suggested we do it again on Sunday.

After a gourmet lunch of peanut butter and jelly roll ups, it was time to put up the yard games! 

Yay! It was all up and ready to be used. And what was the first question my children asked?

Can we go next door to play at the neighbors?!

Ah, no.