Day 3 started at our usual 8:30 am. We arrived at the orphanage and all of the children were outside playing. Asa was very happy to see us and grabbed Daddy's leg as soon as he could. He let me hold him for an extended period of time and "showed off" to all of his friends that his Mama and Papa were there. He much prefers Daddy over me and that is fine with us for now.
We made a little photo book with pictures of our house and the kids and today was the first time Asa was really engaged in looking at the pictures. And, he can say all of his brothers' and sister's names perfectly! He had a great time looking at every picture and naming the people in the pictures. So sweet.
We were also told that the director would like us to change our visit schedule. Instead of coming twice per day we will stay for one long visit, including staying with the kids through lunch! It was so nice to sit with them and even to feed Asa. The workers brought the kids' lunch into the play room and the kids sat down. Everyone was taking pics and making a big deal of it and poor little Asa just completely shut down. It was so sad to see. He would not look at anyone or speak, and refused to eat. They went and got his nanny and she talked to him. He said he was sad because he was not eating with all of his friends. He did let Daddy put him in his lap and allowed Daddy to spoon feed him. An incredible step in bonding and attaching. Spoon feeding someone is a very intimate act and for him to allow that means he trusts us. What an incredibly brave step for a little boy.
We also saw today that Asa has the same nanny that we met in 2008. We are so thankful to know for sure that he has had the same nannies since he was a newborn baby! So many children in institutions go through new caregiver after new caregiver and that sets them up for attachment issues and behavioral and emotional problems. We know that our relationship with Asa and our attaching and bonding will be a very long process, but what a gift it is for Asa and for us to have that consistency of care through out his little life. We count our blessings for sure. I brought with us a book of baby pictures we have of Asa and the nanny had the best time looking at them. It was really neat that as soon as she saw us, she recognized us and began telling us her memories of our visits with Asa when he was a baby.
We got to take a trip this afternoon into the mountains and had dinner at a really neat place. Traditional food and a beautiful setting right on a rushing river in the mountains.
We will spend several hours tomorrow at the orphanage and hopefully our time with Asa will just continue to get better and better. I am definitely dreading the thought of leaving him at the end of our time here. The nannies said that he and his little friend cried themselves to sleep last night asking for Mama and Papa. Oh it breaks my heart.
We made a little photo book with pictures of our house and the kids and today was the first time Asa was really engaged in looking at the pictures. And, he can say all of his brothers' and sister's names perfectly! He had a great time looking at every picture and naming the people in the pictures. So sweet.
We were also told that the director would like us to change our visit schedule. Instead of coming twice per day we will stay for one long visit, including staying with the kids through lunch! It was so nice to sit with them and even to feed Asa. The workers brought the kids' lunch into the play room and the kids sat down. Everyone was taking pics and making a big deal of it and poor little Asa just completely shut down. It was so sad to see. He would not look at anyone or speak, and refused to eat. They went and got his nanny and she talked to him. He said he was sad because he was not eating with all of his friends. He did let Daddy put him in his lap and allowed Daddy to spoon feed him. An incredible step in bonding and attaching. Spoon feeding someone is a very intimate act and for him to allow that means he trusts us. What an incredibly brave step for a little boy.
We also saw today that Asa has the same nanny that we met in 2008. We are so thankful to know for sure that he has had the same nannies since he was a newborn baby! So many children in institutions go through new caregiver after new caregiver and that sets them up for attachment issues and behavioral and emotional problems. We know that our relationship with Asa and our attaching and bonding will be a very long process, but what a gift it is for Asa and for us to have that consistency of care through out his little life. We count our blessings for sure. I brought with us a book of baby pictures we have of Asa and the nanny had the best time looking at them. It was really neat that as soon as she saw us, she recognized us and began telling us her memories of our visits with Asa when he was a baby.
We got to take a trip this afternoon into the mountains and had dinner at a really neat place. Traditional food and a beautiful setting right on a rushing river in the mountains.
We will spend several hours tomorrow at the orphanage and hopefully our time with Asa will just continue to get better and better. I am definitely dreading the thought of leaving him at the end of our time here. The nannies said that he and his little friend cried themselves to sleep last night asking for Mama and Papa. Oh it breaks my heart.
love and blessings,mike&karla&Asa-Vladik
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