Orphanage Visit #2 and #3

YAY!!!  It only took a couple of minutes for Christian to come to me on Day 2 and only seconds on Day 3! Ok, so I bribed him with dangling the music box in front of him but he grabbed it and held up his arms for me to pick him up immediately.  I am so glad he likes that music box and that he connects it with me.  I bring it back each day and he lights up whenever he sees it. Who knows, maybe he's a budding musician :)  Although he does screech, yes screeches, when I take it from him when I leave each day. They wanted me to leave it there but I know the other kids will latch on to it, I'll probably never see it again, and that special connection of the box between us will lessen and I don't want that right now.  I might buy another one when I come home and take it back with me to leave with them on my next trip.  However you just never know if they'll let the children have it or put it up on a high shelf where I see so many other toys right now.  As far as playthings go, they really don't allow much in the playroom for them to play with. They said it causes fights and they have to pick them up constantly.  What!?!? It's no wonder why their delayed in development and motor skills, they have to play with things to develop.  Sweet angels, all of them, I pray they find loving forever families soon.

Christian danced for me again today along with a little karoke to the Farmer and Dell, although the words resembled "La, La, La"....He is enthralled with mirrors, it just cracks me up!  The orphanage is having their old tall water heat radiators replaced so the place was torn up and we couldn't be in the playroom by ourselves, instead we ended up in the office area.  I kept chasing him around (figuratively chasing as this room was about 12'x15') keeping him out of the desk drawers.  He kept asking for me to turn on the microwave thinking it was a TV.  They had a TV in the large playroom this time and some ballet was on the caregivers were watching, nothing kid friendly. They had a full length mirror on a cabinet door that he kept going back to. He would move just past it, then look back, like kids do when they are figuring out the person in the mirror is them.  He was so cute to watch!  Then he would turn to the side and look at himself in a stance and look on his face like he was checking himself out saying,"dang I look good."  I would laugh at him and he would laugh at me. Good thing I have a full length mirror at home! In a moment of fussiness, I brough out my next piece of kid soothing ammunition, a book with kittens and puppies dressed for Christmas or sitting in ribbons, stuff like that. I put him on my lap and read the story to him or tried, as he was flipping the pages back and forth telling something in Russian. He spoke alot more these two visits, even though I have no earthly idea what he said.  He would explore the room, come back, hand me the music box he constantly clutched, held up his arms to be put on my lap, put the book in my hands, take the music box back and tell me to read it (at least that what I interrupted he said).  We repeated this several times throughout our 2 hour visit.

We did have one major meltdown and I still haven't determined the exact reason.  He was coloring with the washable markers I brought, got a little on his hands, and my translator wanted to wash it off immediately. So off we go into the tiny bathroom in the office.  We turn on the water and he freaks out big time!  I make sure the water is warm, put a little soap on his hand, rub away, then pick up the squirming, now bordering on hysterical child, to rinse his hand. I mean major upset, huge tears, red face, the whole thing.  Natasha said she thought it was because the water was cold but he freaked the minute she turned it on. So I'll have to tread lightly and slowly for our first bath time to see if I can figure out what the issue is.   I felt so sorry for him but he calmed down quickly after we left the bathroom.  I hope this isn't a sign that he'll balk at even going into bathrooms because potty training will then be an interesting scene.

We go for another visit tomorrow and then on Monday at 10:00 is the court session. I was briefed today about what they would ask and I am so incredibly nervous. I just pray I answer all the questions the way they like.  Hoping to get some sleep tonight, got only 2 hours last night. Found a place that has good pasta!!!! Yay, a break from PB&J's :)
Thanks for all the support!
~Amy