Our First Hello

Meeting your child for the first time is an indescribable experience.  Meeting Pip was certainly that. It was very emotionally overwhelming and amazing and beautiful.  I've had to come home and have two carrot cake cupcakes and a really good cry before I can write anything.

We arrived about 25 minutes early at the Foster Carers. Anyone who knows me us knows that we are never on time for anything. I work on a whole different time zone to the rest of the world that runs at around 5-10 minutes behind the GMT clock!  Today was very special and I didn't want to get lost again (and we didn't have a Katie to argue with about sitting in the back seat) so we left very early.  The FCs car wasn't there when we arrived (I was secretly hoping we could sneak in early) so we waited in the car, champing at the bit, desperate for her to arrive home and keeping busy by texting a friend.

Finally, 12pm arrived along with our Social Worker, and we could go in.

Pip's FC opened the door with him in her arms.  We stood there just gazing at him until the FC invited us in and ushered us into the lounge.  I was wondering what would happen next.

He was munching on the remnants of a grape and having a good old dribble. I smiled at him and said hello.

He smiled. A dribbly and grape filled smile.

Then the FC handed him to me. I wasn't sure if she would.

And he cuddled straight into my arms and I fell totally and completely in love.

What a gorgeous little fella he is.  Firstly I will say, just to get it out of the way, that he doesn't look at podgy as everyone has been going on about. Yes he has at least two more chins than you might ordinarily expect to see, but he's a baby. A gorgeous little chubby baby!

What a happy little chap he is as well. He's so sociable and just loves to smile and giggle and cuddle. He's got incredibly strong legs and loved standing up on us both for most of the time.  He loves the book we made him and has almost worn the batteries out, in fact they are starting to make us sound like we are chipmunks!  He particularly loves the sounds of the cats meowing and purring. He loved the squeaky toy and cuddly blue bear we had brought him and we had lots of giggles and dribbles.  He loved his Daddy, it was very clear to see that almost immediately and Daddy seemed to be having a lovely time. He sat and played with him like a pro.  Pip happily stayed with us, in both our arms with us swapping reluctantly every so often, until it was almost time to leave and then he got a bit fretful. I'm going to pretend that he got fretful because he knew we were leaving. I was very good and let him go back to his FC to settle him but he came straight back to me afterwards.

Whilst we were huggling and playing we learned that Pip has now dropped a bottle and is only having three a day and that he is now having three proper meals a day (and that he rather likes this stuff called food - particularly cheese!). He is sitting more strongly so I don't think it will be long before he can sit unaided and is now rolling around. He is just having one nap most days, in the morning and he goes to bed without any fan fare or faffle! He might teach Katie a thing or two....not the other way around I beg though!

The one thing that marred the visit ever so slightly is an issue over the Planning Meeting on Wednesday. The FC won't be able to get to our LA's offices and then back to her house for us to spend time with Pip before the school run starts so there is currently a possibility that we won't have an introduction on Wednesday as well. We're already missing out tomorrow because the FC has an outing planned. I will not miss Wednesday as well! Our SW is going to speak to her manager to gain approval to have the meeting at the FC's house (which is what we did when we were having intros with Katie). I will be kicking up a storm if we don't get to see him on Wednesday I can tell you that know. I can just about hang on until then.

I'm going to have to busy myself a lot tomorrow to distract myself. I hate leaving Pip when we said goodbye and I didn't really speak much on the way home. I was upset about the Planning Meeting issue and just so overwhelmed with emotions that I felt unable to speak other than to smile at Daddy and exchange a few excited words. I emailed our SW in the car to send the confirmatory email that we wanted to proceed.

Roll on Wednesday - I just want my boy home with me.

NOW!!!! - please.....