G&R tomorrow morning

We have to leave the hotel at 5:30 in the morning to get to Binh Duong at 7:30 for the 8 AM Giving and Receiving Ceremony. That is the official recognition by the Vietnamese government that I am Henry's parent. Then in the afternoon we have the mandatory (and no doubt well needed) medical examination. If all goes well I hope to be home with Henry and my mother by the end of next week.
Last night as I was bathing Henry he wailed loudly and two of the staff fromthe hotel poked their heads in to see what was happening. The one pictured here has been particularly helpful both with Henry and also with turning pineapples we buy into fresh juice for my mother.

A Message from Henry as told to my Mother

My GranBetty showed my twin brother Ben's web site to me today. I must say I did not realize he had become such a literary genius in such a short period of time, but see for yourself-- http://www.journey4babyben.blogspot.com/ He has been having all kinds of fun adventures since going home to Wisconsin. I really look forward to going home to Texas and beginning my adventures on the ranch where my GranBetty lived as a child and where my Daddy now lives in a house next to my GranBetty. She retired to her childhood home after a career of practicing law in San Antonio. But to more important things...... My daddy really needs lots of OTJ training. He does not have very good skills associated with diaper changes, especially the "big jobs" He may have a lot of University credits, but he does not know much about taking care of little boys. But I am patient with him and am willing to take it slow as he does not catch on very fast. His skills at formula preparation need a lot of improvement. He just discovered a few minutes ago that he was using the wrong size measure to measure the dry powder that is my formula. The can of formula that the orphanage gave to him as it turns out had two measuring spoons. He did not know this at first. Then when he realized it, he was in a panic, not knowing which spoon to use, for he realized this was the reason I had been having such copious bowel movements. But my GranBetty came to the rescue. Confidentially her skills are somewhat rusty and outdated, but I bear with her. She taught me how to play ball yesterday while my Daddy was out getting food. I was very sad and was crying, thinking about leaving my friends and my caretakes at the orphanage. But after about the 4th try of GranBetty rolling to ball to me, I learned to roll and also throw it back. GranBetty really praised me and said I was really learning fast and would probably be a great ball player one day. I don't know about that, but playing with GranBetty took my sadness away and I began to smile and laugh. I am glad I no longer feel sad, but am now happy with my new Daddy and GranBetty and looking forward to returning to Texas.

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Our First Morning

The night went better than expected. Henry ate at 4, 7, and 10. I was expecting him to wake up at 1 given the three hour intervals between feedings. But he slept somewhat fitfully until almost 5 AM. He rolled from one end of the bed to another, twitched and mumbled in his sleep. A few times he whimpered and seemed on the verge of waking but I rubbed his back and he quieted down.

Of course the quiet night had a price--when he woke up this morning there was a big mess on the sheet to clean up as his diaper had leaked out his first bowel movement. I think the diapers are the right size, I'm not sure why the leak happened. Probably I should have changed him in the middle of the night after he pee-ed, but he cries so loudly when his diaper is changed and I was reluctant to cause anymore noise in the hotel. Although I notice that the hotel is not putting anyone in the room next to us again today.
I found out he likes water, but I'm not sure how much to give him. He seems to sweat easily, I guess he acclimated to the hotness of the orphanage. I've also been mixing apple juice with water and he seems to like that.
I think the crying when he sees us is over with. Now he cries when is diaper is change--if you even touch it in a way that seems like you are going to change him he will wail. He also will cry when somebody enters the room. This morning Hoi and Loc came over (they are staying in the hotel next door) and he initially cried but soon he was letting them hold him.
It is great to be able to make him laugh and I hope he feels safe and comfortable, loved and accepted.

The first evening

I understand those signs on doors now that say "Do not ring doorbell, baby asleep." Henry cries loudly whenever a change occurs--if he is passed from one person to another, if somebody leaves the room, etc. I hope he doesn't disturb the people in the room next to us tonight (then again, if they could sleep through our hacking coughs last night it may not pose a problem).

The other two families decided to meet for a late lunch and we had arranged to eat at a restaurant just around the corner from my hotel. I was still leery about taking Henry out, wondering if he would cry the whole time, so I left him with my mother and went out for a quick bite. I was very hungry--all I ate yesterday was a small banana and today I had a baguette for breakfast and that's it. They had their children with them and they were both very quiet and docile.

Then when I got home my mother was playing "ball" with Henry and he was laughing. He was initially disturbed by me entering the room but he quieted down. Thank goodness I brought a CD of lullabies. It really seems to quiet him down. Both of the photos posted here are taken while that CD is playing.

Here he is!

We were picked up by a van and went with the other two families and Loc and Hoi to the orphanage at Binh Duong. Happily things were worked out and we all got our babies.
Henry cried, he didn't like to be transferred from one person to another. He was in a walker when I first saw him and he moved around like a spider, very fast.

It all went in a whirlwind, moreso because Henry cried wheras the other babies were quite docile so I didn't pay much attention to anything else.

The day is finally here!

It's been a past few days of wondering and deciphering conflicting reports but all now seems to be on schedule for me to be picked up at 9 AM to be taken to the orphanage to pick up Henry.

Yesterday both my mother and I were very sick. We both got sick with allergies in Hoi An and it seemed to get worse in Danang and really bad when we got back here to Saigon. She has lung problems so it affected her more than me. But then I got what I guess might have been food poisoning and was running a high temperature yesterday. We stayed in the room all day trying to get better and thank goodness we feel well enough today.

Loc and Hoi are arriving in a half hour on the night train from Danang and they will be able to accompany us to the orphanage to pick up Henry.

However the other two families that I thought would be picking up their children the same time as me will not be able to do so. They will need your prayers and well wishes as it is very trying and stressful.