Planning Introductions

After such fantastic news neither of us could sleep following panel, I think I got 2 hours before we had to wake up and head back to the placing LA offices for our meeting to plan next weeks introductions.

We were early again which was fine as we had time to get breakfast on the way in with our SW. On arrival we met up with our sons foster carer in reception who was full of lovely little stories about what our boy had been up to the day before and how he's doing (he has two teeth already).

So, today's meeting was to look ahead to next weeks introductions where we will finally meet our son and to draw up a schedule for his transition from living with his foster carers to coming home with us. Leading the meeting was the Manager of the placing LA's adoption team, the Family Finding SW and of course us, our SW, our sons SW, the foster carer and his SW. It was decided that introductions will last exactly a week, starting next week with the first visit lasting just an hour or so. A meeting with our sons birth mother and a mid-way review were also scheduled.

At the meeting we played the DVD we had made for everyone to see which was met with high praise - along with the talking photo album this will be taken home by the foster carer for our son to see so that he can become familiar with our voices and faces ahead of next week. It was also suggested that we wear the same outfits we had worn in the DVD (should have thought more about this before we wore shorts on the sunniest day in September - hope its decent weather next week!!).

After the meeting we swapped contact details with the foster carer. It was lovely to receive an email later in the afternoon telling us that our son was having a nap - moments like this really are so precious when all we can think about is that first cuddle with our baby next week. We received a new DVD from the foster carers recently also in which our boy is having his bottle before bed, as his heavy eyes close and he drifts off to sleep the foster carers tells him how many days are left until he meets his new daddies(!) This was just such a wonderful thing for us to hear and a great thing to look back on with our son as part of his life story in the years that will follow.

Right... time to paint the nursery!