Baby D News

A few weeks ago we were told that dad wanted to relinquish baby D to us. They set up a meeting for the week we were in Hilton Head so we couldn’t attend. I think it is just as well as dad didn’t show up. He had decided that he didn’t want to relinquish anymore. I never really got my hopes up. The same thing happened with Miss M. Relinquishment was going to happen then it didn’t.

What I don’t get is that he doesn’t want to take the parenting class that is part of his plan. Both of them were dropped from the first session for no-shows and now neither wants to re-enroll in the class. If it is part of the plan, they need to take the parenting class. If they don’t, one of three things can happen:
1. They ignore that progress hasn’t really been made and they delay Baby D’s status change from reunification to termination at next court date (I think this is unlikely)
2. They relinquish
3. It goes to Termination of Parental Rights (TPR).
I have serious doubts that mom will relinquish so even if he did, it wouldn’t really expedite anything. It is already September so getting a sooner court date is unlikely, though I think that is what the social worker is pushing for. It may have expedited it in the sense that mom rarely shows for visits, so they could get an emergency hearing to review status for no-show of visits.

I am still trying not to stress over it too much, we have now had her over 7 months. We are now just 2 ½ months away from the court date that seemed so long from the last court date. She is going to be 1 in 1 ½ months. Hard to believe. Most days I don’t even really think about the status of the case, her permanency, etc. I just go on about a VERY busy life of being a mom to three, working full-time, wife, etc. Of course, several vacations thrown in and now the dude playing flag football and back in school has helped really speed time up and make it seem like it is flying by.

In other Baby D news, she had her nine month appointment a month late at ten months and her most recent stats are: 16 pounds 3 ounces, 27.25 inches, 42.5 cm head circumference. Healthy 5th percentile for weight, 25th for length and 8th for head. She is my tiny doodlebug. She was pretty good for the appointment, loudly screamed her protest of the doctor looking in her ears. She has an earwax problem, so usually there is lots of cleaning involved. But the doctor at urgent care the weekend before had cleaned them out really good. She was so tired by the end of the visit that she slept through her one shot. That is a new one for me; usually I have the loud fits for those. She then slept through a trip to Wal-Mart and the way home. Sweetie pie!