Day 4

Hi all- First, I am soooo sorry that we have not had a chance to update until now. Everything is great, we just haven't had access to the internet. So catch your breath now that you know we are alive and well, and I will catch you up. Some people requested more info about meeting our boy so let me backtrack and start from the beginning.
Day 1- So there we were waiting on pins and needles in the baby house office while coordinator B, translator G, and the director of the baby house chit chatted away in Russian. After the visit from the curly haired little angel, we were just dying to meet our child. I finally caught my breath enough to ask G if they were bringing the baby or just the file when around the corner came one of the caretakers with a baby. I looked at our entourage to question "Is this the one?" and they kind of nodded in encouragement. So I jumped up from my chair and let myself look. I don't know what to say except that he was beautiful. And he had the kind of look on him face that you may have when you run across a friend from long ago in an unexpected place. He looked at us all as if to say "What are YOU doing here?" with a little half smile on his face. They asked if I wanted to hold him and I hesitated, not because I didn't want to, but because I was trying really hard not to burst into tears in the middle of the office. Not that they would have minded. I was just staring at him until I realized that G was talking to me in English and was telling me about a bump that he has on his brow. I hadn't even noticed. Then I heard a chuckle from B and she was looking at Peter who I am not sure was either going to cry or pass out. I asked if he wanted to hold him. We all got ourselved under control and we went to the visiting room where we hung out and got to know each other a bit. After a while, in came a caretaker who seemed to say something in Russian akin to "THERE you are, you little stinker. I have been looking everywhere for you. Let's go get you some lunch!" with little kisses and baby sounds thrown in and she scooped him up and whisked him away for about 10 minutes. We had a chat with the doctor during that time and learned the details of how he came to be in the baby house. And then they brought him back and it was the same half smile and "You guys are still here?" look on his face. We played for another 20 minutes or so and then it was naptime. I know it is killing you not to have details about him but B said it is best to wait for a while. But, luckily, we are on Day 4 of visitation with 11 more to go (Sat and Sun are included). So it won't be too long.
Day 2- So this was the worst day for my by far- but a good one for Peter. We got up, checked internet at the hotel (which I think is when I sent the last one) had breakfast and then we were off to teh baby house. We just got our guy all set when they said one of us had to go sign the contract for our apartment. I wasn't sure Peter knew where to find the money (up front payment in cash) and I know for sure he'd leave half of our stuff at the hotel so I offered to go thinking it wouldn't take but a little bit. I was wrong. It took a while to pack up at the hotel and then we headed over to the apartment (super nice BTW) and spent about an hours being shown the sheets and towels and iron and leftovers in the fridge and every other thing imiginable and all I wanted to do was throw the money at her and say "I DON"T CARE" but the landlord was so sweet that I couldn't. But I did miss the entire 2 hours I should have had with my son that day- including 15 mintues of waiting while she went to buy a new iron since apparently I didn't seem impressed enough by the one that was there. Or amybe I just looked wrinkled. Bummer, huh? Then we went to a good lunch (spaghetti), bought some stuff at the baby store including a really obnoxious toy that is a big hit. Took a nap, Ramen for dinner (at 11pm) and finally at 2 am I went to bed. As I was drifting off I realized that for the first time in several years, I finally don't worry about what will happen next.
Day 3- OK I have to be really quick because we have to meet the locksmith to install an 'estra security' lock in a few minutes. We slept in, went to the grocery (more later), had lunch, rode horses, went to see the capital area. That might be the longest post ever. I hope it goes through! More later (we're hoping to have the internet installed today or tomorrow) -m