The second adoption review

Yesterday we hosted our second adoption review, our social worker, child 4's social worker and the independent social worker called in to discuss how we were all settling down since the last review, this time we all sat in the living room so that child 4 could build his marble run and watch the marbles race following different pathways to reach the base.

Following the last set of  minutes that were taken we talked about how everything was going within the household. They could see how well settled child 4 is, he is very comfortable here with us, chattering and playing. He knows where his toys and books are and he certainly knows what he wants. I could say that child 3 is beginning to settle down, she doesn't shout at me so often now, in fact she has almost returned to the little girlie she was prior to child 4 arriving. She loves a cuddle in the morning and asks me to kiss her sandwiches before I put them into her lunch box.

The glass throwing has ceased, although that could be because I neurotically put them away these days.  He is still sleeping well, once we've got him off, he doesn't settle well in the evening any more, although to be fair it's getting a little easier. The mornings are still early, but he will watch the TV (Fi Fi in his speech) for a little while, which is a god send at 5.30 am when all you want to do is drink a hot, caffeine rich cup of tea.

Of course there are new issues, he can let himself into child 2 and 3's bedrooms so we now have hook and eye locks at the top of their doors - although our marvellous social worker has found us a spare stair gate. He pulls hair and loves to hit his siblings especially when he is getting tired. But he has also started to say sorry and kiss their hurts better. He now asks us for hugs and holds his arms up for a cuddle. He calls my daddy, when his daddy comes home from work. He snuggles on my lap to hear a story or watch In the Night Garden. He goes to find a story, knowing that it is my weakness, if any of the children ask for a story I just have to read them one. He has learned some nursery rhymes, his favourite at the moment is Sleeping bunnies. He gets everyone to lie on the carpet, pretending they are sleeping and them when I whisper "wake up bunnies" up they all hop, hop, hop! He holds my hand when we cross a road and sometimes he comes back when I call him.

He is growing and thriving and hopefully will be legally ours within the next 10 weeks. Yippee