GOTCHA DAY!!!

At 1030 AM we were waiting on our baby boy, and I was a bit anxious. They were a little bit late for our appointment, and our guide, Mamie, kept getting phone calls and speaking loudly on her phone. Even the rooms were all locked and it seemed like they didn’t know we were coming. Finally, the assistant director and Kai walk in! I was so excited to see him! The assistant director handed him to me first. He was so incredibly light. I could not believe he was in my arms. I knew I loved this child before I got him, but once they put him in my arms, I knew at that moment how much my love grew for him in that one instant. I knew at that time that there was nothing I wouldn’t do for him. He easily went to Roger and they got to bond. He never cried, but he did look at us with great curiosity. When the assistant director was leaving, Kai looked like he was going to be upset. We distracted him with Fruit Loops Cereal. Worked like a charm. As a matter of fact, we couldn’t get him to stop eating them. He ate the entire snack cup. He was acting like he was starving.

When we got to the room, he began to take in all that was handed to him. Finally we got to see some of the cute personality we had seen in some of the pictures. He easily laughed and smiled all the time. Roger got him to do a ‘high five’ and he blew kisses. He even said ‘mama’. He took a nap by himself without a fight. It really seems like we have the perfect baby. In fact, my husband said I did a good job picking this one out.

We had an appointment to return to the civil affairs office at 3PM to make sure we really wanted him. No question. Anyway, we had to wake him up from a nap and we were told by the nannies that he was easy going as long as you don’t wake him before he is ready. He was all smiles when he woke up and was playing with his “baba” (Roger), but as soon as we went to the lobby to meet Mamie, he turned all serious on us again. Once we got to the civil affairs office, Kai got slightly anxious. We could feel him breathing fast and using accessory muscles to breathe. He would not even touch the assistant director who was steadily trying to get his attention. I really think Kai thought we were going to send him back to the orphanage. Kai looked at this man so seriously it was kind of sad. I could sense the rejection the man must have felt.

I was prepared for tears, but he had already bonded to us. It was so fast. We are now wondering if an orphanage visit is worth some of the trauma he might feel. I don’t know what to do. I do know that I am the luckiest mom to be so connected with the most wonderful baby out there. I cannot wait for the world to meet our Baby Kai.

We love and miss you.