The build up, The Scramble, and The Let Down

Its been a draining week at the Fiamovi house. There was a very short roller coaster of a timeline that we rode, and ultimately didn't end up as Cricket's foster parents.

Thursday
We learned Cricket existed, and asked to be referred to her social worker

Friday
4:45pm: Crickets social worker called to ask more about us and set up a "Trial Overnight" right before the government work week ends
4:50pm: I contacted Cricket's current foster home to set up the overnight for Super Bowl Sunday
6:00pm: I discovered that Cricket didn't have a spot at the preschool we previously used because she was younger than Jellybean- commence panic! not being able to accept a placement because of preschool would not feel great



Saturday
Not wanting to panic until Monday, when preschools are open,  I diligently sat down and emailed every government approved preschool within 10 miles of our house, and my work. now just to wait.....

We went to get a bed railing since cricket usually sleeps in a crib and we don't have one. We of course also started looking at clothes and toys thinking about how excited we were to start a new adventure with a new kid and wondering how different it would be from having Jellybean, and how we miss Jellybean too.

Sunday- Monday
Pick up Cricket, experiment with toys to figure out what she likes and doesn't like. We felt relieved because she was such an easy kid, we stayed up talking about how she looked like me as a kid, and how much fun it is going to be to have a girl in the house- and how much quieter it is.

Preschool watch: a most of my responses were "no we don't have space" there were two that stood out to me because they read more like "WOMAN! are you crazy!??? there's a 2 year waiting list"  (both written by men) which wasn't the best vibe to get while i spent the day bonding with Cricket. One, I know its a long shot, and Two I mentioned that the placement was a foster child and there's no way I could have planned for this day or child two years ago thankyouverymuch.

Tuesday
Roman emailed the schools that had not responded to us yet- now we were getting desperate because we knew that the Social worker would have to move on if we didn't hear anything soon

4:50pm We find a spot at a preschool, and immediately text the social worker that we can take her!
Roman and I spent the rest of the night being excited and planning the short term future!
Wednesday
I got a call while I was at work. The social worker felt so bad- she had found another home for Cricket minutes before we texted her about finding a preschool.  So, Cricket wont be living with us. what a bummer.

Back to the waiting game- we have been waiting to hear about three other placements for a few weeks maybe one of those will finally come through- and now we have a better idea of which preschools have openings near us, there were multiple, just late respond-ers

Trial Overnight

For most, it was Superbowl Sunday, but for us, it was a day we had a trial overnight with a new possible placement. We will call her Cricket here. She will be two in the spring and is very quiet and shy with big ol' eyes that see the world as a deer in the headlights.

She was quiet the whole ride home and was just fine meeting the dogs, She doesn't seem to like them in her face, unfortunately, they are all three the same size. Much to Roman's delight, she walked in and picked out a car to play with. He had been agonizing about how to play with a girl and if he would have to have a tea party- guess all that worrying was for naught. Although, I think he'd be good company at a tea party. Cricket really bonded with Roman, there were lots of cheerful squeaks and giggles to most things he did, and she watched a movie in his lap with her hand in his beard the whole time. so cute.


Bedtime was fairly easy for trying to put a stranger to bed in a strange room. Cricket normally sleeps in a crib, but with the railing we got, and all the quilts, she didn't even try to escape. She slept great! Both of us, on the other hand, stayed awake flinching at every unusual sound waiting for her to wake up crying. she coughed quite a bit but slept all the way through the night without a peep.



In the morning we dropped Roman off at work and headed to the zoo. She was really content with just walking around and was only mesmerized by certain things- the waterfall in the conservatory, frogs, and the tropical fish. We did get lucky enough to see the polar bear up close and personal. He was trying to break the barrel.

After lunch and nap, we drove to drop her back off with her social worker. The worker was running late so I didn't get to interrogate her with all my questions of what happens next, I guess we will have to see!