I was able to see Cookie briefly yesterday and was stunned at how different it was. Her foster mother invited me to the house before she took Cookie to daycare to spend an hour or so with her. At one point, the foster mother and I were standing about a foot apart and Cookie turned to ME to pick her up.

I went to eat dinner with the family later and again, Cookie showed a preference for me over the foster parents. They were stunned.

But today takes the cake. We went for our supervised/evaluated visitation and Cookie couldn't get down out of her foster father's arms fast enough when she saw me. We had a great time and she was CLEARLY bonded to me in a way that even shocked me. I was so surprised at how much stronger and clearer it was this time. She loved my phone and at one point, she inadvertently called Matt. I thought she was trying to get the phone just to get the phone, but she wanted to hear his voice. Her reaction was astounding: she was excitedly frantic trying to figure out how to get to him through the phone--and was waving to the phone and blowing kisses. The foster parents said she's never done such a thing.

When I had to leave her, the foster parents said that she called out "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" They note that she WILL call her foster parents, foster sister or primary daycare worker "Mommy" as well; but she will not just call anyone with some level of relationship to her "Mommy".

They also said that although Cookie fights getting dressed each morning (viciously), this morning her foster father told her that she was going to see me and she immediately cooperated in getting dressed. They said they have yet to see her have a reaction like this to another human; and had considered that maybe she had an attachment order. They have also seen Cookie with her mother (at a birthday party that included Cookie, birthmom, caseworker and foster parents with their child).

Yesterday I also hired a new attorney. We're hoping the case will move in a different direction; and doubly hoping it's not too late.