self.enables = self.process.enables[:]
             self.disables = self.process.disables[:]
 
+    @classmethod
+    def create_with_children(cls, db_conn: DatabaseConnection, date: str,
+                             process_ids: list[int]) -> list[Todo]:
+        """Create Todos of process_ids for date, ensure children."""
+        new_todos = []
+        for process_id in process_ids:
+            process = Process.by_id(db_conn, process_id)
+            todo = Todo(None, process, False, date)
+            todo.save(db_conn)
+            new_todos += [todo]
+        nothing_to_adopt = False
+        while not nothing_to_adopt:
+            nothing_to_adopt = True
+            existing_todos = Todo.by_date(db_conn, date)
+            for todo in new_todos:
+                if todo.adopt_from(existing_todos):
+                    nothing_to_adopt = False
+                todo.make_missing_children(db_conn)
+                todo.save(db_conn)
+        return new_todos
+
     @classmethod
     def from_table_row(cls, db_conn: DatabaseConnection,
                        row: Row | list[Any]) -> Todo:
 
     def make_missing_children(self, db_conn: DatabaseConnection) -> None:
         """Fill unsatisfied dependencies with new Todos."""
-        for process_id in self.unsatisfied_dependencies:
-            process = Process.by_id(db_conn, process_id)
-            todo = self.__class__(None, process, False, self.date)
-            todo.save(db_conn)
+        new_todos = self.__class__.create_with_children(
+                db_conn, self.date, self.unsatisfied_dependencies)
+        for todo in new_todos:
             self.add_child(todo)
 
     def get_step_tree(self, seen_todos: set[int]) -> TodoNode:
 
         self.assertEqual(todo_3.children, [])
         self.assertEqual(todo_4.process, proc3)
         self.assertEqual(todo_4.parents, [todo_2])
-        # test .make_missing_children doesn't further than top-level
-        self.assertEqual(todo_4.children, [])
         # test .make_missing_children lower down the tree
         todo_4.make_missing_children(self.db_conn)
         todo_5 = Todo.by_id(self.db_conn, 5)
 
     def test_do_POST_day_todo_multiple_inner_adoption(self) -> None:
         """Test multiple Todos can be posted to Day view w. inner adoption."""
+
+        def key_order_func(t: Todo) -> int:
+            assert isinstance(t.process.id_, int)
+            return t.process.id_
+
+        def check_adoption(date: str, new_todo: list[int]) -> None:
+            form_data = {'day_comment': '', 'new_todo': new_todo}
+            self.check_post(form_data, f'/day?date={date}', 302)
+            day_todos = Todo.by_date(self.db_conn, date)
+            day_todos.sort(key=key_order_func)
+            todo1 = day_todos[0]
+            todo2 = day_todos[1]
+            self.assertEqual(todo1.children, [])
+            self.assertEqual(todo1.parents, [todo2])
+            self.assertEqual(todo2.children, [todo1])
+            self.assertEqual(todo2.parents, [])
+
+        def check_nesting_adoption(process_id: int, date: str,
+                                   new_top_steps: list[int]) -> None:
+            result_reversed = new_top_steps[1] < new_top_steps[0]
+            form_data = self.post_process()
+            form_data = self.post_process(process_id,
+                                          form_data |
+                                          {'new_top_step': new_top_steps})
+            form_data = {'day_comment': '', 'new_todo': [process_id]}
+            self.check_post(form_data, f'/day?date={date}', 302)
+            day_todos = Todo.by_date(self.db_conn, date)
+            day_todos.sort(key=key_order_func, reverse=True)
+            self.assertEqual(len(day_todos), 3)
+            todo1 = day_todos[0]  # process of process_id
+            todo2 = day_todos[1]  # process 2
+            todo3 = day_todos[2]  # process 1
+            if result_reversed:
+                self.assertEqual(todo1.children, [todo2, todo3])
+            else:
+                self.assertEqual(todo1.children, [todo3, todo2])
+            self.assertEqual(todo1.parents, [])
+            self.assertEqual(todo2.children, [todo3])
+            self.assertEqual(todo2.parents, [todo1])
+            self.assertEqual(todo3.children, [])
+            self.assertEqual(todo3.parents, [todo2, todo1])
+
         form_data = self.post_process()
         form_data = self.post_process(2, form_data | {'new_top_step': 1})
-        form_data = {'day_comment': '', 'new_todo': [1, 2]}
-        self.check_post(form_data, '/day?date=2024-01-01', 302)
-        todo1 = Todo.by_date(self.db_conn, '2024-01-01')[0]
-        todo2 = Todo.by_date(self.db_conn, '2024-01-01')[1]
-        self.assertEqual(todo1.children, [])
-        self.assertEqual(todo1.parents, [todo2])
-        self.assertEqual(todo2.children, [todo1])
-        self.assertEqual(todo2.parents, [])
-        # check process ID order does not affect end result
-        form_data = {'day_comment': '', 'new_todo': [2, 1]}
-        self.check_post(form_data, '/day?date=2024-01-02', 302)
-        todo1 = Todo.by_date(self.db_conn, '2024-01-02')[1]
-        todo2 = Todo.by_date(self.db_conn, '2024-01-02')[0]
-        self.assertEqual(todo1.children, [])
-        self.assertEqual(todo1.parents, [todo2])
-        self.assertEqual(todo2.children, [todo1])
-        self.assertEqual(todo2.parents, [])
+        check_adoption('2024-01-01', [1, 2])
+        check_adoption('2024-01-02', [2, 1])
+        check_nesting_adoption(3, '2024-01-03', [1, 2])
+        check_nesting_adoption(4, '2024-01-04', [2, 1])
 
     def test_do_POST_day_todo_doneness(self) -> None:
         """Test Todo doneness can be posted to Day view."""