Adoption Day!!!!

Tuesday May 15, 2012

I couldn't believe Konnor slept 7 1/2 hours his first night.  We were ecstatic.  Mark and I are starting to get the hang of taking turns so the other can eat (granted the food is still cold, but it is food) and while one feeds him or plays then the other will go wash bottles, bibs and food containers.  Konnor loves Bannana puffs.  These things are a lifesaver!!!  We left for the Civil Affairs office around 9 to go sign the final paperwork to finalize our adoption.  Wowzer that was a long two hours.  Konnor took a 20 minute nap on the way there, but otherwise pretty much screamed bloody murder the rest of the time.  Poor guy.  He wouldn't take a bottle and just couldn't get comfortable for more than a few minutes at a time.  The other families that were there finishing paperwork too were giving us the very pathetic "been there done that but glad it isn't me this time" looks.

Mark and Richard dropped Konnor and I off at the hotel for a nap while Mark went to the store in search of a few essentials.  I finally got Konnor to take a 1 hr 20 min nap on my chest .  I treasured the moment, but the whole time was praying "please get all your sleep out little guy."  Up to this point we were pretty much attributing how fussy he was to his lack of sleep and having his little world turned upside down.  I don't know how to describe it, but it just didn't seem like "adoption" behavior to me, it seemed like "something is wrong and why can't you figure it out" behavior.  He was ok for a while after his nap and ate peas mixed with rice cereal for lunch.  He still threw a complete fit when you tried to give him a bottle.  We got him to take a few oz the first night and a few oz in the early am, but otherwise he is completely refusing bottles.  He had a really rough afternoon.  He would just arch and cry then be ok for a few minutes then start all over.  Around 5 we were finishing his evening cereal mix and he leaned forward and started chewing on the stroller (we are feeding him in this b/c it is so much easier than one of us trying to hold him while he eats).  When he started this lightening struck and I remembered that as of our last update this little guy has no teeth.  We checked and sure enough he has a brand new tooth on the bottom and it looked like another one working it's way up next to it.  Hallelujah!!!!  Now that I know what the problem is I can help the poor guy.  Orajel and Tylenol to the rescue and he is back to his happy little self in a half hour.

We have noticed that Konnor is having some problems with overstimulation.  It is one of the things they warn you about in all the books and classes you have to take so thankfully we are being really observant and noticed it right away.  We tried to go to dinner last night with some other adoptive families at a restaurant across the street.  We didn't know they have a live band and it was SO LOUD!!!  He lasted about 5 minutes before we noticed that he had what we call "checked out."  We have noticed that when he gets overloaded he gets this blank stare in his eyes and wants to sit facing you so he can hide in your chest. Normally he wants to be held so that he can look out b/c he is so nosey.  He also gets very quiet when he is like this.  We said our regrets as soon as we noticed this behavior and headed back to the hotel where we had McDonald's for the 3rd night in a row b/c it was easy and fast so he could get back in his normal environment.   We are trying to get him out just 1-2 times a day for a little bit so that he can start getting used to the sights and sounds, otherwise we are keeping pretty close to the hotel room.  The nannies had said that before Monday he had never left the orphanage so everything is new to him and probably more than a little scary.  When he is in the room with us he is so happy and outgoing.  As soon as we got back last night he was completely back to his normal self.  We went out for lunch today and he was good for about 20 minutes before he started getting the blank stare again.  He seems to do really well in small groups though, like the last 2 days when we have gone places to fill out paperwork and there have been other adoptive families in the room with us,  he does fine.  Truthfully as long as it is a small group in a confined space he dose great and even the other adoptive parents are marveling at how well he is doing.  We are just taking it one day at a time and trying to make sure that the decisions we make are what is best for him.  We may not get alot of sightseeing done, but as long as he is comfortable and happy that is what's important.  

Here is a photo from adoption day when we signed the final papers to make Konnor part of our forever family.  This is one of the few pictures we took today b/c anytime he saw the flash he started to melt down again.  He just looks so handsome : )