Gotcha Day Part 2

Monday May 14, 2012 continued....

Sorry it took so long to get the post up.  It takes about 5 minutes to upload each picture and that just wasn't time I had the last 2 days.  More on that later though.  Ok, so we left off with me having to do a double take b/c I recognized Konnor but was initially shocked by how small he was compared to his photos.  I immediately dropped my stuff and got down on his level and the nanny walked him over to me.  About that time our guide recommended we go over to some couches.  I sat down to get on his level while Mark pulled out the camera's.  I know it sounds crazy, but we kinda thought we would have at least a minutes warning before poof here he is!  The nanny walked Konnor over to me (it had been decided that I should hold him first b/c I will be home with him for a couple months and be the primary caregiver).  I was itching to grab him, but I knew I should give him a couple minutes to get his bearings so I was trying to just sit there and talk to him.  The nanny had other ideas though b/c after about 45 seconds she just handed him to me.  I couldn't believe we finally had him. I held him for about a minute when our guide snagged Mark and the nannies to go finish some paperwork.  They left Konnor and I alone for about 15 minutes of snuggle time.  He only cried for a few seconds on and off.  It didn't take me long to figure out that this little guy is inquisitive (that's a nice way to say nosey : )  It worked to our advantage that there were several other families there having their Gotcha Day b/c I think it took his mind off what was happening.  Finally everyone came back and BaBa (Daddy in Chinese)  got to hold him for the first time. There is no greater feeling in the world than getting to watch the man you love hold your Son for the first time.

While Konnor and BaBa had snuggle time our guide Richard asked our Gotcha Day questions: he eats congee (a type of rice porridge) twice daily and formula with rice cereal twice daily, he has had no major illness recently but did have a little cold last week, they gave us his daily schedule and Richard translated it for us, he likes to be held--ALOT, he has recently started showing some stranger anxiety, he walks by holding on to someones fingers, likes to play outside and with other children, they have a special name they call him but Richard said it is in their local dialect and even he can't really pronounce it, he is very healthy and rarely sick and overall he is a very happy baby.  The nanny's were awesome at showing us how he likes to be rocked and giving us alot of details.  They brought us the photo album and camera that we had sent him and they also brought us a little album that has a picture of the front of the orphanage and 5 new pictures of Konnor.  I kept every single piece of paper (including his name tag) from Gotcha Day.  I recorded all the question and answer session so we can go back and review it when we have questions b/c I know we won't remember it all.  Richard said that Konnor's orphanage Leizhou SWI has approx. 40-50 children, but this is only the 4th adoption they have done this year.  The nannies said that alot of their children are on the list waiting for families, but that a majority of their children have pretty significant special needs and so noone is willing to adopt them.  They said that Konnor is actually one of their healthiest children.  Richard said that the area and orphanage Konnor is from is very poor.  There is very little industry in the area, which is good in a way b/c that means there is less polution there, but it is bad b/c it makes the local economy so bad.  They do alot of fishing in the area b/c they are near the sea.

At this point we all got together so we could take pictures with the nannies.  I had to do a little giggle b/c even the nannies wanted individual pictures with me.  They told Richard that they thought I was very pretty and could they get pictures. Well DUH!!  I would take pictures anyway, but these are the ladies that have taken care of my Son for the first year of his life so I will pretty much do whatever they want!!!  They really were very sweet though and you could tell that they were very happy Konnor was getting a forever family.  At this point we headed to the car.  Poor Konnor had a 7 hour drive from Leizhou so he was pretty tuckered out.  His nannies said that this is the first time he has ever been away from the orphanage.  I swear he is one calm little dude.  He just looks around and takes it all in when other children would be totally freaked out by all the noise and people. He finally caved on the way back to the hotel and fell asleep sitting up.  We went up to the room and Mark filled out some paperwork while I snuggled with the little man.  Then we did the trade off and I filled in all my sections while BaBa had snuggles.  Our guide kept saying how surprised he was at how healthy he looked.  He said most children coming from the orphanage don't look as good as Konnor.  I thought is was great b/c Richard said he has been doing this since 1997 so he has been around the block a few times and I figure he has a pretty good idea of what to expect.  For the last day he had been reminding us of all the worst case scenarios' that we could encounter with Konnor to try and prepare us.

Richard eventually left and Konnor woke up from his short nap.  Oh my gosh he is such a good baby.  We spent the rest of the night playing, snuggling and trying to figure out the best way to feed him.  As the nannies told us he loves anything that makes noise.  He is all boy : )  Travel Tip:  stacking cups are $1 at the dollar stores and are the most amazing toys.  He absolutely loves them!!!  He is also pretty fascinated with the travel size thing of wipes b/c he likes to crinkle the wrapper.  Noise--anything that makes noise : )  We were able to get some rice cereal mixed with formula and 3 oz of formula down him before bed.  He does a really good job of clearing his palate and hardly loses a drop of food.  He knows to tip his head back when he swallows and he was so patient with us as we figured out how he liked to eat.  We found out that he also LOVES his bath.  He splashed and splashed and had a grand old time.  Overall he looks pretty healthy, but is very tiny.  Thank goodness another recently home adoptive MaMa talked to me about diapers before we left and I brought size 2 diapers with me b/c even those we have to wrap pretty tight on him. And THANK YOU so much to the ladies at work who recently brought me in some 3-9 month clothes after we got our last update.  I am definitely using them.  He does pretty good on the length of things, but he has this itty bitty little waist that just swims in 6-9 month shorts. He ended up going to bed at 9 and I couldn't believe it but he slept until 430!!!!  What?!?!  I was totally expecting him to be up every half hour.  According to his schedule he usually goes to bed at 930 and sleeps till 630, but man 7 1/2 hours our first night.  I was ecstatic.  Now granted I didn't sleep that long.  He is a VERY noisy sleeper.  Partially b/c his cleft is so bad that he has no closure so you hear every breath like an echo.  This new MaMa was up about every 30-45 minutes.   Everytime he rolled over or coughed etc.  I would wake up thinking he needed something.

Overall Gotcha Day couldn't have gone any better.  I never in a million years expected him to do so well.  He is letting both Mark and I hold him which is definitely a huge thing.  I can't believe how blessed we are to have this little guy with us.  I will stop here and post about today later b/c we were finally able to get a thingamajig to download pictures and I know that is really what you all want to see : )  So enjoy.  Oh as you will see in an upcoming picture.  He has the greatest smile.  I was so excited the first time I saw it b/c we was not smiling in any of our pictures we had of him.

Konnor walking to MaMa and BaBa

BaBa holding Konnor for the first time. 

MaMa holding Konnor for the first time

This smile is worth more than the rarest gem.  His giggle is just as great!!!