Week 21

Another good week with the boys, and for the first half of the week at least, Charlie's great behaviour of last week, where he stopped pushing boundaries seemed to continue, although it returned by the end of the week. I must say however, we are not complaining, we haven't really got any issues - Charlie is pushing and sometimes refusing to listen to instructions, but it's little more than that, and we know other adopters are battling some really tough battles, whereas we feel we are just dealing with normal little boy behaviour, perhaps a little bit later than for most children due to their obvious emotional delay, but in reality, we're being let off easily, there's certainly no malice in the way they both act.

This was week two of our first summer holiday, and I think we had both been expecting the school holidays to be tough, but actually the house felt more relaxed every night I got back from work. I think G is enjoying having them around all day, and enjoying not being in the routine of school and nursery runs, everything feels just a bit more laid back.

The country has of course been in great spirit this week, with the amazing success of week one of the London Olympics, and it's felt like that good spirit has continued at home, there has been a real feeling of family satisfaction at home.

G provided the boys with an entertaining week, taking in trips to Nanny and Aunty Nikki, as well as their first train ride and a day at the seaside.

On Friday we had our first social worker interaction for some time. The boy's social worker has gone off on long term sick, and it doesn't feel as though we are going to see her again, which is a real shame as the boys are very fond of her, and she's so good with children that we really valued her input too. But our own social worker, who has also been very supportive, visited on Friday morning. Charlie also had a looked after child health review with the social services paediatrician, and all was well. We have at last got the information that we need for our court application too, so we spent an evening filling the forms in, and we're ready to submit these to the family court after our holiday.

At the weekend, my parents came to visit, and really took some time to bond with the children. By the end of the weekend, the boys were all over them, choosing Grandad and Grandma to read their stories and get the dressed. It was a low key, but fantastic weekend, mum and dad really did what they could to give us a bit of a break, mum always gets stuck in and helps around the house, and on Saturday night they baby sat for us, so G and I got a much needed night out on our own. We did champagne in a lovely wine bar in town, followed by a great meal at a restaurant we've been wanting to try for a very long time. It was great to spend some time out as a couple, we of course talked about the boys but we really reflected on our feelings and emotions, and the way our life has changed over the last five months. I think we both got emotional at times, but for all the right reasons. Mum told G yesterday that she really thought he was doing an amazing job as the stay at home parent. I could see instantly on his face how much that meant to him, he physically lifted at the positive support and feedback. It's nice to have moral support!

On Sunday we had lots to sort ahead of our first family holiday, and again mum and dad were great at affording us some space to get on with jobs, I think they secretly loved having the excuse to spend time with the boys!

And so now it's off to Centre Parcs, for our first family holiday experience. I feel emotional just at the thought of giving the boys their first ever holiday. It feels like now we are really starting to create memories and providing the boys with new experiences.

As each day passes, I fall more and more in love with our great new family. Dad said to me on Saturday that he was so pleased we had followed the path that we did, taking the 'risk' of adopting slightly older children, knowing that if we hadn't, there was every chance the boys might have spent the rest of their childhood's in the care system. Every time I look at their innocent, happy little faces, I feel the same. I cannot imagine life without them, and I cannot imagine how anyone could ever have hurt them and failed to take care of them. I am so thankful for the chance that G and I have been given to create a family. And I cannot wait to go away with them for a week and give them as much fun as we can possibly squeeze in!