They're here! Where to even begin???

The caseworker called from the hospital. She said that there's a grandpa she didn't know about who called and wants to take them. All 3 of them. This worker is just taking the case temporarily while the "regular" one is out for a few weeks with health issues. She doesn't know the case well, so doesn't know this person. She obviously asked why J's foster daughter "E" hasn't been placed with him then. He said he's tried, but they wouldn't. (ahh hahh) She was going to just place them with him, my two plus J's one, but decided to wait until she could check him out on Monday. My two "M" and "W" will be here until at least then. While she was talking to me, M, the one who will be 9 in Aug, was on the phone talking to grandpa. M told him that he wanted to see what my place was like cause he might want to stay here. That is a HUGE red flag to me!!!

Anyway, they arrived and were FILTHY! I gave W a bath pretty much right away. I also gave M some dinner as he hadn't eaten. He was so thankful and polite. Such a nice nice boy! W came with one outfit and some diapers, M came with a set of PJs. I had picked up an outfit earlier for W, so I put that on him after the bath and we went directly to the store. They had clothing vouchers, so we were able to get some nice things without me spending money. If they stay, we will add to that. I did buy formula, diapers, baby food, and a gift for each of them. I had found earlier an awesome Hot Wheels set that had been $20 and was $5!! I also got him 3 extra cars. He was so funny. The cars said they were for 3+ so he asked me how old Liam was and when I told him 2, he put them away from Liam (who was not very happy). Too cute.

M was pretty sad when the worker left. While she was still there he was asking me questions about how long each of the kids had been with me. I explained and then he asked if they still got to see their moms. We tried to tell him how it was a different situation than his. He said, "Well can't they still see their moms even though their yours forever?" So hard to explain to him!

Before we left, when M was eating, Olivia went up to him and said, "I've had a lot of changes in my life too." Wow. She gets it, but she was old enough that she stll remembers a lot, especially her brother. Tonight at bedtime, which was 8:30 - my kids are usually in bed at 7 - M was having a hard time. He couldn't believe how early we were going to bed, and it's just a hard time especially the first night. M asked me about his parents and why he wasn't there. I explained that sometimes homes aren't safe places for kids to be and we talked a little about that. Braeden, my 4 year old I've had since 3 days old, said, "My life was like that, but now I have my mom who takes good care of me forever." I about cried. I think they finally were asleep by 10.

The hardest has been W. He's a doll, but imagine, especially you moms, a 6 month old child you know NOTHING about. Not when he sleeps, how he goes to sleep, what position he sleeps in, when he eats, if they have given him baby food, if so what, etc. Right now I can't get him to sleep unless I'm holding him. I got him to bed for a bit by himself, cleaned the kitchen, and wrote the first three sentences here, now he's sleeping in my arms and I'm typing one handed!

Cute coincidences - M's bday is 6 days before Olivia's and W's is 7 days before Liam's, whose is 8 days before Braeden's!

I'm wiped. Off to bed... well if I can...