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Glad to be back home from VT after a long Holiday weekend. We decorated our artifical Christimas tree today before we left. AK said the saddest thing: He hasn't ever had Christmas with his parents (Mom and Step Dad). I know we are at least his seventh foster home and this is his third stay with us. Yet he is still so loyal to both parents. Thanksgiving he called one of the relatives - they passed the phone around. I lost count at uncle/aunt number seven. Why haven't any one of them stepped up???? Why are the four kids with strangers again??? Each kid in a different foster home. How is this OK with them?? Or do they all have rap sheets and their own open cases with "The Division" that would prevent them from parenting the kids. Maybe the functional siblings have run far, far, away from the chaos and craziness...In any case, it was so fricking sad to hear him talk to all those people and not be with his family.

Cal FINALLY called his Mom today - he has only spoken to her once in over 3 weeks...he can call her twice weekly and has avoided it...not sure why??? Attaching here?? Divided loyalties??? Too painful to talk to Mom?? Passive Aggressive to let Mom know he is mad at her - and rightly should be! I talked with is therapist and expressed my concern about his lack of contact, the stolen wallet from school and his overall "regressing" with everyday routines and familiar tasks. Report card consistently mentions misssing works and incomplete assignments. We have an IEP this Friday to update his IEP from his old school to match the services at his new school. Hope to hear more about these missing assignments...

Bobby has been so cute - carrying around Alex's two cattens LEVI and NUGGET. They are no longer kittens - but not yet cats. Thus: a teenaged catten.....) and bouncing them over his shoulder and crooning to them just like we do with Baby Dee.
Nice to see him translating nurturing - particularly in light of his own abusive early years. We haven't had any meltdowns in a few weeks. Yippeeeee!!!!

The baby is so stinking cute - lots of noises and squeals of delight as she finds her fingers and toes....She is still only seven pounds - but is acting more and more like the four month old that she is... Genetics appointment Tuesday...Hoping she has a diagnosis...

Alex drove to his paternal Grandparents for Thansgiving where he saw aunts/uncles and cousins...but did not see his Dad, Step Mom and two younger half brothers. They are living in New Jersey, where they moved in Septemeber. He is planning on going there for Christmas since Dad bought hm a train ticket. Nice. Car insurance, college tuition, car payments, food money, living expenses, help with an emergency room visit bill, phone minutes....any of that would be even MORE appreciated than a train ticket....but I guess I should expect nothing less from his father. You think after all these years I could just let the anger towards his Dad go??AARRRGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

On that bitter note - I'm going to finish unpacking.