For anyone who is "faking it" and struggling in early days

[Just1duck]

My AD, now 17 mnths old, has been home for 4 months.
Although it's been (mostly) great and lovely alongside all the expected stress and challenges, I was beginning to worry that I just didn't feel as wonderful and happy and in love as I should.
Well! Over the past couple of weeks I've been hit with a sledgehammer. I'm sitting looking at photos of her on my phone because I miss her when she is in bed. Quite suddenly, I absolutely adore this little girl. And all the difficult stuff has become a bit easier to manage because I have a constant background feeling of utter joy that AD is in my life.

At 4 months in I am not claiming any great knowledge or experience, just offering a little reassurance to anyone who might be feeling like I was 1,2,3 months ago.

Congratulations!

My favourite part of many days is looking at photos of them when they're in bed.

Me too! 4 months in and I can tear up just looking at pics when he's asleep or like tonight, put him to bed whilst my parent were here and then we talked about him for a bit, about how bloody fab he is and how settled he seems to be and I had to swallow back the tears...bloody brill isn't it

To be fair I am holding back the happy tears most days!

Oh I do love the totally smitten stage!

That's lovely Just1duck! I remember searching the Internet to be reassured that I wasn't the only one struggling to feel love in those early months.
Like you, all of sudden I realised I was head over heels. We're now a year and a half in and it just keeps getting deeper and stronger. Which is bloody lucky, some days

Long time poster here btw, name changed recently.

Lovely thread 😊😊

Ah that's lovely MrTodd - and yes, even now it is bloody lucky some days, like today.
It's amazing how much being smitten makes everything else more endurable!
MintyLizzy9 I too have to stop myself from bawling when I'm talking about how wonderful she is.
Now if the SWs would just do their bloody reports so our adoption application, which they have had for 6 weeks, could actually be submitted, I could get on with celebrating her loveliness in a more relaxed fashion

Great news.