"When will they get us a new kid?"

On my recent trip there was a moment in which it seemed completely obvious to me that as long as Brian's anxiety is still an issue we shouldn't take on more kids. It didn't matter whether doing care had some part in creating the problem, the problem was here. Brian was having anxiety symptoms, and he needed more of my attention, not less.

And then I got back.

Aside from those four days in which Brian could not speak, he has done wonderfully since he went to half days. He has been the least anxious he has been since before he went to school. Hubby thinks that the voice thing was a not-quite-conscious attempt to get out of school altogether. In any case, he is once again that non-anxious happy boy.

Except not entirely happy. He keeps asking me things like, "When are we getting another kid?" "Are you sure the social workers are looking?" "I miss Carl, David and Evan. I need someone else around here to do stuff with me."

To that last plea I responded, "You can't count on the new kid being a play mate. He or she might not enjoy the same things. You might not get along. You might even fight."

"Maybe. But even that would be better. At least I wouldn't be bored."

Oh dear. Can I pretend that that means that he is enthusiastically committed to care? Or is it just that he would rather torment another older brother (Andrew just doesn't take the bait anymore) than entertain himself?