Erlan is home now and taking a nap with Daddy! What a glorious day!
Today started like a normal visit day. We were picked up at 9:45 for our 10:00 am visit. Ben went to get Erlan from the nannies, and they had a present for Erlan. :-) Erlan's nannies gave him a traditional Kazakh hat, a picture, and a painted spoon. Our favorite nanny, Nazipa, also had her daughter write a note to us in English saying that she wished us much happiness. Erlan's nannies are terrific. They were kind women, and they clearly cared for Erlan and he cared for them. Nazipa cried when she said good bye to him. Erlan cried when Nazipa put him down for the last time.
By 11:00 am, our paperwork was ready and we went to the head Dr.'s office to sign Erlan out. By this point, Erlan was crying. I think he understood that he was leaving his home. The head doctor wished us happiness and health. We thanked him for the care he provided to our son and gave him his gift. The head doctor told us that the staff really liked our family b/c Ben helped with the chores.
Shortly thereafter we went outside to meet Ceric. Erlan screamed when he saw Ceric. He screamed when we tried to take a picture. He screamed about half-way home (it's about a 5-minute trip). We met the Spanish translator Ainura outside of our apartment, and Erlan was calm while we chatted with her. (She speaks English, Spanish, Russian, and Kazakh!)Erlan cried when we got him in the apartment. I walked him around and showed him all of the rooms (n=5). We showed him his toys. He started exploring the apartment, and he was happy whenever he looked around and saw us. We were given lots and lots of smiles. :-D
Here are a couple of pictures from lunch and a video from lunch. Erlan is an incredibly messy eater. You'll notice that he is fully clothed on Mama, but minus one shirt on Papa. A short time later he was minus two shirts. :-) This was the first time we fed him lunch, so we were very happy when he ate the soup that we made.
Now Erlan is asleep with Papa. We had to lay down with him b/c there is absolutely no way to kid-proof this apartment. Erlan cannot be left to his own devices---who knows what havoc he'd create.
This has been an amazing day, and we're only half-way through. We're so happy Erlan is home with us. :-)
17 comments:
Hi Ben, Karla, and Erlan
I can only imagine how you felt preparing to leave the orphanage with Erlan for the apartment! What great pictures and videos. He is even sharing his soup already!
I am sure naps will be in order for Mom and Dad even more than for Erlan!!!!
Some of the adjustments are just beginning, but it will be oh so sweet as the days go by until that is all behind you and it's just about being a family with normal ups and downs in Marshall!!!
Have a great time with each other!!! Thank you all for sharing this personal time!!!
Love, Aunt Debbie
Congratulations -- you are now a family! The pictures and video brought tears to my eyes. I can't wait for you to get home.
Yep, I'm crying again! I'm so happy for the three of you! What a wonderful family you make.
I am amazed at how he shares his soup! What a little sweetheart. Enjoy this time to focus entirely on Erlan and prepare for this last leg of your journey home.
Congratulations!
Alysa
wow!! at long last you can be a family together. i hope he slept good the first night. he is going to have lots of adjustments, but i know he will adapt with all the love and attention he will get. i love the eating video. you might need a drop cloth under the table, but he looks like he can handle a spoon really well.
it sounds like erlan was a favorite with the nannies and they will miss him . kind of bittersweet for them. love, mom
What a way to start a day--getting to hear about Erlan and his trip home with his new mommy and daddy!! Good luck on this week in the apartment and your trip home. I can just visualize how he looks at the two of you to make everything is going okay. Thanks, thanks, and thanks for adding Erlan to our family. love you much
I don't really know what to say other than WOW! What a day. Congratulations! I can't even imagine the range of emotions going through Erlan (and mom and dad). SO happy for you guys.
p.s. I noticed those Sudoku puzzles really wore Ben out!
Woohoo!!! :) Oh Happy Day!! Doing the Happy Dance!! Finally!!! I can quit holding my breath now. I can only imagine all the emotions. Karla did you have to change your shirt, too? It's raining here today, just thinking how fun it will be to teach Erlan to jump in puddles!! Now just counting the days til you all are home!!
Congratulations! I've been waiting for this post -- as I'm sure everyone has! After reading your post it makes me realize how the adoption process that you went through is so good for the child. A long process for you -- but it really gave Erlan a chance to know you before changing his environment. The difficulties he had with leaving the orphanage would have been so much greater if the process wouldn't have been so gradual.
What a wonderful family. I am so happy for you.
Mary
P.S. Love the picture of Erlan sleeping. Something about little kids in only diapers that's so sweet.
Congratulations!!!!!! What a wonderful day for you three! Having you and Ben spend all of this time with Erlan will make the adjustments smoother. Little ones love structure and 'sameness' and you are his structure and sameness. Good luck with your week. Congrats again.
Congratulations!!!! What a big day for you all. It will be a day of firsts for all of you.. how exciting. I hope you get to come home soon to your own environment - I'm sure it will make things easier as far as baby proofing and naps. I'm so happy for you!!!!
I hate crying at work!!
I imagined leaving would be hard on him but I'm sure all the love you're giving him will help him adjust pretty quickly. I hope the rest of the week goes smoothly.
Wow, Erlan's world as he knows it will cease to exist. It looks as tho he is adapting nicely. It wont be too long before he has mommy and daddy trained nicely. Thanks for shareing your special moments with us. Let me suggest, if I may, put those pictures in print so they wont get lost on magnetic media. They are priceless.
Have a nice nap
Dad
Congratulations!!!!!
Love the picture of the two boys sleeping.
Karla, you may never have to feed yourself again!!!!!
What a glorious day indeed! Happy happy joy joy!
Your little man is so good at eating and sharing his soup! I'm impressed with his generosity. :-)
Congratulations Karla, Ben and Erlan! Like other people have said in their comments, I can't put into words how happy I am for you! :-) I'm so glad you guys have been able to post to the blog while you're over there. Erlan is such an amazing little boy (with the cutest laugh) and it is awesome getting to see the bond between you and Erlan growing stronger everyday through your words, pictures, and videos! :-)
What a glorious long-awaited day! Congrats to you all. I am so honored to have shared in this journey with you, thanks for sharing it all with us. I can't wait to meet your son!
Love,
Lisa, Fraser and Samantha
As sad as it is that his nannies and he cried as you left, you know that means he was so loved and cared for there. That is a good thing.
KEEP BELIEVING
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