bran and mrbran met their new DD today

[bran]

She is absolutely adorable, I am smitten. She is less smitten with us, but we'll wear her down.

It actually went better than expected - although the planning meeting was dreadful and very long with lots of waffle and needless pedantry.

When we went to meet DD she was still having a nap and I went up with the foster mum to get her up. The foster parents had warned us that she is very wary of strangers and will often cry so we gave her plenty of space and didn't try to rush her into communicating with us. She wasn't too overcome, although she didn't come over to us or smile at us she did let go of her FM after about 30 mins and roamed around the room on her little ride-on toy. FM said it usually took longer for DD to relax enough to get off her lap and go and play.

We are going back tomorrow with DS, he's really looking forward to it.

Wow! How did I miss this? What fab fab news.

Many congratulations on your DD bran! So happy for you.

Ah, how lovely. Congratulations on having your DD home.

I've been following this too - hoping it all continues to go smoothly for you all.

Congratulations bran and family. Lovely news.

so pleased for all of you!

I've been following this thread and I'm so glad things are going well. Brings happy tears to my eyes.

oh, how brilliant bran. many congratulations on your new dd .

Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Bran, on the addition to your family. What lovely news!

oh bran, what wonderful news, congratulations to you & mr bran & her big brother

Congratulations Bran Family

Sod the cabinets just dazzle the SW with your lovely new DD being her happy little self

Wonderful! I'm so pleased for you all. Congratulations to Ds on becoming a big brother and welcome home to your new LO

Our SW is coming tomorrow to admire the cabinets check that we are child-safe. The sitting room looks better than it is likely to ever look again, but there are so many boxes in DS's bedroom that he has difficulty getting to and from the bed.

DD's SW is obliged to make a statutory visit within the first week of placement, but she is the polar opposite of our SW and so laid back that she is virtually horizontal so I think we'll be lucky if she makes it in the first fortnight. I doubt she'll even notice the state of the place TBH, although we make have a half-hearted tidy up session beforehand.

DD is being very cute and cuddly. I think sibling rivalry may kick in soon as she is getting much braver about snatching toys out of DS's hands and she is getting a bit jealous if DS snuggles up to me on the sofa. DS wanted her to play hide and seek this afternoon but I was too full of cold she is too little so he was a bit disenchanted about that.

well did your furniture pass? LOL, you have to laugh or you woudl cry, just think of all those other baby P's out there and SW are spending time checking the suitability of your cupboards

its a well known fact that most placements break down because the house isn't child safe. sigh. when will we ever get evidence based practice?

how is Ds coping? Has the sibling jealousy kicked in yet?

Oh, how did it go?

Oh how exciting ... like KristinaM, I am a bit shocked about the SW's obsession with your cabinets, of all things. I mean, really ...

I hope it goes smoothly & wish you all the best.

glad things are all going well?

The cabinets were fine, they're not finished yet but they are perfectly safe and the shelves are useable. I think our SW was imagining nails and hammers scattered everywhere. She is a very thorough and conscientious SW and I do quite like her, but I think pregnancy hormones are possibly getting the better of her. I think it being an inter-agency adoption makes things a little tenser too as if anything did go wrong both sides would be seeking to blame the other.

DD's SW is coming on Monday but she is pretty dippy and I doubt she would have noticed even if there were nails etc everywhere. Anyway, we have managed not to damage DD at all so far. I remember with DS that he would always fall over and bruise his face just before a SW visit.

Sibling rivalry is coming along nicely. DS woke DD early from her nap yesterday by running in and out of her room while shouting. I think he was fed up with being indoors and staying quiet and thought if she woke up she would play with him. She wouldn't go back to sleep and whinged loudly for the rest of the afternoon. It taught DS a very important lesson though because she cried loudly enough to drown out his favourite TV programme.

If I can figure out how to set up a profile I might post a few pics tomorrow, for a brief time only.

awww bran....glad all is well than, and by the sounds of it, rather normal, too

photos now please bran . glad she's settling in so nicely.

WOw, justread this thread. Its so amzing what you are all going through.

Inspiring, thanks and best mega good wishes

Just seen this, bran (we met at a canary wharf lunch ages ago) - CONGRATULATIONS on your DD! What terrific news. Hope you are having a lovely mothering sunday.

Bran, sorry rather behind this week, I am so pleased for you. Wow, your descriptions take me back......... Congratulations x

ah, what wonderful news!

And huge congratulations on getting through all the adoption bureaucracy.

Bran - I hope you have had a wonderful mothersday with DD and DS