Our First Road Trip

This weekend I took B & G on our first road trip.  We traveled with my parents and my brother.  During the trip we visited Legoland and an aquarium.  Legoland did not go so well.  Babies were tired and really it was for older kids.   They both loved the aquarium.   Overall the weekend was ok.  G though was close to being thrown out on the way home.  Everyone tired of her behavior.   I wish I could figure out how to get her to take naps.  She becomes so intolerable when she doesn't have one.   I can't believe she didn't fall asleep on the road, but nope (didn't want to miss anything).   l know when she came there was no way we could have done this, but I'm not entirely sure she was ready now.   I do see some improvements, but boy do we have a ways to go.   I ended up putting them in daycare today for a break and to get back into our normal schedule.   

More Lies from the TFI

Last week I received word that my Great Uncle is not doing well at all and has been given limited time to live.  I grew up traveling to his house (Him and my aunt raised my cousin - their granddaughter).   I requested that the kids be able to travel out of state with me for a weekend so that I could go and visit them.  Apparently all the parents have to ok it.   B's dad said no.  That is extremely frustrating.  He doesn't want to have to worry about b on the road.  All the training says treat them like your own, take them on the trips. And then I get turned down.   So instead of going out of state, we are going to travel in state.  I don't have to have permission to do that.   And the funny thing is that we will actually be traveling the same distance/time - it will just be in state.   SO frustrating.

Bubble Wrap + Toddler = days of entertainment

Who knew that bubble wrap could be such a source of entertainment, but G has played with it for days.   Even focused on it for awhile which is a big thing for her.   The past week has improved dramatically.  I don't feel like I need to call and have the kids moved out of my house.   Last week I begged that they get G some help and I still believe that she desperately needs it.   The day after that things changed.  We started having good moments.  G started curling up in my lap in the evening for awhile - at first still unable to sit still and then for longer moments.  I've found that if I put B to bed and spend some time with G, things are better.   In the past couple of nights, bedtime has even been better.  She goes in and at least sits in the bed now for the most part.   Daycare has reported things are better there too.  She's finally attaching and realizing she's ok.
As far as the behavior overall, we do have some problems still.  Sunday was a long day and didn't go real well.  Overall though for longer periods of time, things are better.   I can not get her to say please though for the life of me.  It's interesting.
School is fast approaching and I'm not sure how that will go, but I'm ready to go back...sort of.
Here's a pic from the pool the other day.

I feel out of control

Sometimes I think this fostering idea is the biggest mistake of my life.   I don't seem to have any control over my own life anymore and worse sometimes I feel like I lose control of myself.   After 2 1/2 weeks things have not improved much with the little girl I have.  Her listening skills and ability to follow any instructions hasn't improved at all and my ability to handle it seems to be declining.  If she would just follow simple instructions life would be so much better.  I probably need to have them moved to another home, but then I feel bad for them and I feel like a complete failure.  There are such worse things she could be doing.  The little boy is a challenge at times, but overall is not to bad.
Today I saw into the system a little more when attending a case plan.  This case seems a little out of the ordinary.   The sad thing I figured out from the meeting is that more than likely the kids will be split up. I will be surprised if they are in my care much longer anyway.   I really need to figure out how I feel fostering and if it is something I want to continue.   I keep going back and forth in my thought pattern.   Here are a couple of pictures from the 4th.  They don't show faces so I figure it can't hurt anything.

 All worn out B can't even stay awake at fireworks. (we weren't' that far from them either)

 G watching fireworks (this was probably the only second she was sitting)

Pretty fireworks