Monday, June 18, 2012

Meet our Son!

Well the day started out at a very early 5:45 am.  I didn’t have the alarm set until 6:30 but I woke earlier and was too excited/anxious to sleep any more.  I got up… got ready, checked FB and email.  Got my things packed up and ready to go.  Toni had told me that Dani and her father would be there to pick me up at 8 am.  I got a cup of coffee and had some bread and butter for breakfast!  (YUMMY)  Sat on the patio and read a couple chapters of Hunger Games (yes, I know I am about 2-3 months behind the rest of the world in reading it… but now that I am, I can hardly put it down!)  I heard someone in the house and Dani and her father had arrived.  They were talking with Toni’s mother.  Not long after Toni came out and we chatted a bit. 

About 8:45 we left to the orphanage.  The traffic was awful and it took what seemed like hours to get there.  In reality, it was probably only about 45 minutes.  My palms were sweaty already.

We pulled up in front of the orphanage.  Very typical Eastern European orphanage.  There we were and my son was on the other side of those 4 walls.  Dani and I went in.  Straight to the directors office where she showed me some pictures of Landon (or Vladi as they call him).  Oh he was a ham.  He even had a part in a play they were doing.  He was a duck and oh so adorable.

Then I asked some additional information about his medical history (nothing I didn’t already know, but I thought I better ask some questions! lol)  Then Dani said, “let’s go meet him”.  So downstairs we went into a small room filled with toys.  In he came…. very full of energy and didn’t want anything to do with me.  He wanted to go in a different room so the director asked us to come with her.  The other room was what seemed to be a therapy room.  A ball pit sat on one side and the other side was full of play mats all stacked up.  Landon was very busy in there.. throwing balls out of the ball pit.  I have decided I need to get really good on my reflex skills before he comes home, that boy has an arm on him!  The psychologist came in the room and asked him to come out of the ball pit and pick up the toys.  He did.  He follows directions really well for the most part. 

He still didn’t want me to touch him or play with him unless it was helping him pick up the mess he had created.  I wasn’t expecting much as far as affection from him on this first visit so I wasn’t surprised at all.  He’s got a lot of energy and didn’t want to stay in one place for long.  We decided it was better to go outside.  All the little ones got to go out too. 

Out we went.  Landon didn’t want me to stay.. he motioned over to the gate door and when I got over there with him, he tried to open it and blow me kisses!  LOL  Well he didn’t scare me away that easily.  We played over the course of the next hour and I would follow him around asking him questions that he couldn’t understand or telling him “nay” when he would try to hit another child with something!  Smile

I kept my distance for awhile to allow him to warm up to me on his terms. 

He would gradually get closer to me and closer until we were playing together, just the two of us!  He would show me how to play his game and we must have sat there playing for at least 15 minutes.  His attention span is great. 

We got up and started walking over to the other kids and I held out my hand hoping he might take it and he did.  We walked hand in hand all around the grounds outside.  He showed me a car and a horse going by.  I would say let’s sit down and he would pull me the other way and say “nay”.  I walked with him.  He wouldn’t let go of my hand and if another child would take my other hand, he would look at them and say Nay and kind of growl and that was the end of that! 

OK, I won’t keep you in suspense anymore because these pictures show just what happened during our visit so here they are:

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Nay – Don’t follow me!  I don’t know you!!!

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He uses this stroller as a lawn mower.  It is so cute.. occasional he will grab a toy tool and tip it over and fix it!!

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I was trying to wrangle him for a picture with me and he would have NO part of it!

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Happily mowing the grass!

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He was spitting at me in this picture.  Something that will be stopped soon after we get him.  It isn’t too bad and he only did about 2 times while I was there, but 2 times too many!  But he sure is cute when he’s doing it isn’t he??

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Don’t let this photo fool you, he really was trying to get away from me get to my camera…  I thought I could fool him with a self portrait and it worked for the most part!

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Here take my hand and let me show you around this place!

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This little one behind us is one that he told no when they grabbed my hand. 

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This is fun.. she will go anywhere I take her!

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Come on… let’s go through the grass and trees!

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Let’s see if we can get out of this fence!  Come on!!

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My first un-resisted hug!!

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Then after that hug he turned to me and put his hands up.   I didn’t think this would happen today!  LUCKY ME!!!

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See how long my tongue is??  Is yours that long?

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Oh I LOVE to snuggle!

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And I LOVE to be tickled.. I laugh so HARD!!!!

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I could get used to this… it was right after this that he bit me on the shoulder… but when I said “nay” he knew he had done something wrong because he immediately put his hand over his mouth and rubbed me where he had bitten me.  He repeated “nay”.  I think he does it and then thinks after “Oh crap.. I am in trouble!”  Nothing a little vinegar won’t take care of when we get home!

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This is how our visit ended.  I am good with that.  Not bad for our first couple hours together!  I was happy… oh so happy!!! 

Now I am at the Budapest hotel.. going to get some lunch and Dani and her father will be back here at 3:30 to pick me up for the afternoon visit.  I will try to get some more pictures and post them if I can!  I will update though on how our next visit goes!

22 comments:

Hansina said...

He is absolutely adorable! I love the pictures of him hugging you!

Anonymous said...

He's so cute!! But the snuggling a strangers indicative of rad and his facial features of fasd. You might wanna check out RRomm Kari Reilly's blog -- she's just disrupted lil victor for those very reasons!!

Anonymous said...

Super cute boy!! Snuggliness indicative of rad and facial features of fasd... You might wanna check out RR momma Kari reillys blog - she's allegedly disrupted victor for that very reason!!!

Erin said...

Love!!!!!!! So excited! What a blesssing of those hugs!

Erin said...

Love it!! What a blessing of those hugs! Such a cutie!!

Kim said...

What a cutie! I loved all the pictures and especially the lady one of him hugging you!

Kim said...

I love all the pictures, especially the of him hugging you. What a cutie!

amyl4 said...

Oh, he's just precious! He looks like he is going to be so much fun and he's a snuggler too! So happy for you Bridgette!

summer said...

Oh He is so BEAUTIFUL!!!!! Yes, the snuggle pictures are the BEST!!!!

Linda said...

Brigette, He's adorable! Love the "lawn mower"! LOL He's got a good imagination. So happy he let you snuggle eventually. enjoy your time with him...it goes way too fast!

Unknown said...

Awesome! Looks like you had a good day!

Jamie and Jim Coleman said...

Yeah :') such a sweetie pie

Shelley said...

Love the pictures!!! He is adorable!!!!

Suzee, he does not have any features of FAS. I've met him in person. He has features typical of a child w/Ds. As for the RAD comment, she said that it took him a long time to even allow her near him. That is a very GOOD sign that he'll attach very well because he knows the difference between familiar people and strangers.

Brigitte, I am loving his hair. I can't believe they are letting it get long!

Kim said...

Having a Rad kid myself-- No worries Bridgette. As Shelly said he was cautious at first. Enjoy your little guy!!! His hair is long like Dayton's when Dan visited him. :)

Gillian Marchenko said...

He is just adorable! :) :)

sacra vim said...

Awesome, yay! I love the snuggly pictures...praying for lots more snuggles throughout the week!

Butterfly Kisses Childcare said...

Very cute little guy with a great imagination!

Michelle said...

I agree, RAD should not be a concern at this point. I've had a 3.5 yr old and a 9.5 yr old come right to me...and a 5 yr old with Ds that had a lot of similar behaviors (x100) as you've described Landon of having. It's a completely different world you've now introduced him too...a personal visitor, with 100% interest and love for him, speaking a completely different language. You are an experienced mom to children with Ds and adoption, you guys will do great. Surely, you will know what to do or who to talk to if you should come across any issues of concern.

I'm absolutely thrilled for you. He is so precious and I too love that hair, even though I typically do not like the modern longer hair on boys, he's rockin' it for sure! Love it!!

Dave Baldacchino said...

Congratulations Van Nice family! Very happy for you :)

curlieangelgirl said...

What a wonderful visit. I will be praying for you and your family. I can't wait to read more and follow your Journey. this has brought a big smile to my face, and tears of joy to my eyes. So happy for you!

curlieangelgirl said...

This was a wonderful visit. I will be praying for you and look forward to reading more about your Journey of Love. This brought a smile to my face, tears of Joy in my eyes and thankfulness in my heart, another child is going home!

Blessedmom said...

Brigitte,
He's really very, very cute!!! And the fact that he changed his behavior so quickly is a very good sign. Those hugs were priceless!!!