7-14 Drs, Drama and Chocolate Ice-cream.

This morning started like so many before it. 
I rolled over and noticed that my David was already out of the bed and dressed, "What time is it???" are there any other 4 words uttered with such dread??  "Time to get up", his usual response, I groan and roll over, then I notice the clock.  Throw the covers off, sit up shakily, maneuver around children that have found their way to the foot of the bed and reach for my glasses.  The morning is off to a shaky start, but I will recover.  Too much to do today.
Get everyone carried to bathrooms, dressed in spite of stretches and yawns, shoes on or under the arm, baby fed and in the car.  Whew!  WHO NEEDS TO WORK OUT???  My heart is racing, I've lifted weights had a little cardio and now comes the cool down.  Driving to the hospital I turn on public radio and they are playing my favorite!!!  Gershwin, no-one does music like Gershwin.  Happy, light, harmonic, you almost forget that you are in a large tin can, hurdling down country roads, on the look-out for the 20 or so deer you are sure to pass, heading into a day that only God has ventured into ahead of us. I say "almost forget" because my husband will tell you I drive like an old lady. I meander, I saunter, I poke.  :-D
A traffic jam on the last big stretch of road has me barking orders,  "Grab your shoes", "Button your shirt", "Help him get unbuckled the SECOND the car parks".  My little ones NEED my older ones, my older ones enjoy being needed.  We park, unload, walk with our buddies, and make it in the door only 2 min til check in time.  We are sweaty, half of us don't have our hair done, we are hungry and needing potty breaks, but we are here.  The nurse laughs as I apologize for cutting it so close, my kids find their usual spots in our usual waiting area.  THEN THE BIOLOGICAL PARENTS SHOW UP.  Now, the judge has ordered that she attend, mostly to prove that I'm not making up these little issues. And almost a month after that order, they make good on it.
 The nurse calls us back, all of us.  His weight has come up a whole pound, he has grown 1/2 an inch, we are back on the way up!  YAY!!! 
We meet with the neurologist, get an EXTENSIVE family history from the bios, and finally get to the results of the MRI.  The abnormalities are enlarged ventricals, and a VERY thin corpus colossus.  Neither of them are life threatening, but our therapist is going to have all the infant time she can handle.  The neurologist does not know the situation so she ignores me.  I'll get the printed report and that will be nice.
Next the nutritionist, she and I are friends, she reminds me of my David's aunt. Petite, soft spoken, gentle and genuinely enjoys her job.  We are trying something new with the baby's formula and we talk specifics.
Then the Pediatrician.  She's young, wearing sandals and capris.  We would be friends on the "outside".  ;-)
She's aware of the situation and takes the opportunity to assure me (in front of the parents) what a great job we are doing.  How he is flourishing, and progressing.  Then turning to the bio mom she explains that the formula he is on is MADE by Similac, it doesn't mean it's not soy based.  The mom argues, but the Ped. stands her ground.  This is not her first "rodeo".
There are some sad things with this visit.  Our little 3yr old man gets his feelings hurt, is told not to believe anything we tell him, calls me mom in front of "his mom", tells her (out of anger) that living with her was yucky and he wants to change his name.  The reality of his world hits home for me again.  This is not a healthy situation with two "moms" in the room.  We will be making changes to the direction these visits will follow in the future.
A sweet friend prayed for peace and joy in our day, and we had both. 

Chocolate ice-cream on the chins

Breakfast bars ready and put in baggies for our day tomorrow.