Fostering: Jumping in with both feet!

Wow. One week ago today two girls were placed with us. One 4 year old and one two year old. Sisters. The two year old is definitely quite a bit older than Bryce (21 months), but we still don't know her birthday. The 4 year old was out of control. Already, at four years old! I mean, it was crazy. She seemed like she was trying at times to behave, and then at times it seemed as if she wanted to see how mad she could make you. Well, she was pretty good at it anyway. It finally became a joke. Just tell her the opposite of what you want her to do and she'd do it! We were at the store and she asked for a piece of gum. I said no. I was already getting her a Sprite and that was enough. She got the gum anyway, opened it, popped it into her mouth, and said, "Well, it's already open now!" That was a typical interaction! After a few days of that constantly, it's hard not to be on edge.

She was a safety hazard for the baby, too. Once when he was sleeping in his bassinet in the den, I knew she was curious, so I said "Don't touch the baby!" And then a minute later I hear Shawn (in the living room) sounding a little panicky and telling her not to carry the baby around without help. Then I hear "Marcie!" Lo and behold, there she is in the living room carrying the once sleeping, now screaming, baby around. She's only 4! There's no way I trust her to carry around a 2 month old baby! It scared me. That was the first day she was here. After that I moved the bassinet into our room and felt a lot better...

But anyway, when the foster agency heard about that, they said she needed to be moved. We agreed, because we couldn't live with ourselves if something happened to the baby and it could have been prevented. The two year old stayed though, and she and Bryce like to play together. THere is a fair amount of rivalry, but the good outweighs the bad so far :) They are both potty training, too! Bryce is learning pretty quickly, I am happy about that. The only thing is that Shawn is out of town during the week for the next 3 weeks, so I have 3 kids 2 and under by myself! I am going a little stir-crazy... When I did go out by myself it took me forever to get the 2 year-olds in the double stroller and the baby in a front carrier just to get out of the car!

So I decided to invite some ladies out that I know from school for lunch. That way I don't have to leave to get some adult conversation:)