Day 6

He LOVES the slide!

Papa spinning him around

Look at the smile! :)

Her View -

(sorry for the pictures posting at the top -- I didn't mean too but they took so long to load, I am not moving them) :)

waiting with Eva for Geo to return

This morning we got to the orphanage at 9 am, since yesterday they told us we could come an hour earlier.  So we arrived only to find that they had taken him to get his passport photo, and he'd be back soon.  So Eva, Bobby and I sat outside on the stoop to wait since it was so nice out.  After being out there for about 10 minutes the Nanny walked up with Geo from the parking lot and he was so excited! He was jumping up and down and chatting away. When they came up to us, the Nanny told him to go to Mama and he came running and I picked him up.  He had such a big smile on his face.  Then Eva told us that they hadn't got to get his photo yet since there was another baby in the orphanage that was being adopted.  They were waiting on the baby so they could take both of them together.  We only got to see Geo for a few moments, but it was spectacular.

How can you not love this face?

They came back about an hour later (about 10:00) they came back.  Geo knew where we were sitting on the step and we could hear him squealing louder and louder until he could see us.  Then his face lit up and he ran to Bobby this time :) Bobby picked him up, and they told him we could play out back with him today.  So Geo held onto Bobby's hand and I followed as they walked down the steps and around the building.

He knew we were on the stairs, so after his photo he was pulling his Nanny to get to us. Bobby snapped this before he saw us :) He was a little excited!

Bobby was so excited that he chose him first -- you can see it on his face! :)

He was so excited to be with us.  He grabbed my hand too and we walked to the back.  I love this boy!

He was so happy for Papa to hold him :) Can't you tell? :)

He played on the teeter-totter for a minute, ran in a circle, and then came to our backpack and started motioning for us to open it.  He wanted a cookie, and his bag of cars.  Then he sat on the bench and ate his cookie, and then emptied his bag of cars.  After a few minutes we moved to the ground and did the same thing.  This really relaxes him, and he seeks it out at the begining and end of our visit.

He is throwing the teeter-totter up, so it bounces.  It's the little things in life...

Yes Mama, I want a cookie :)

He was much calmer during our visit.  Near the end we noticed that he had to go to the bathroom, and Eva said he missed his bathroom break because he was getting his picture taken.  She asked him if he had to go, and he ignored her.  She said he probably didn't want to go back inside because he thought he wouldn't be able to come back out.

Giving Mama his cars

Eva was sitting on the bench reading Pride and Prejudice, and he walked over and wanted the book.  He took it from her, sniffed it and started flipping through the pages.  We showed him the picture book we brought for him, and a dinosaur coloring book (which he also smelled) and then flipped through the pages.  He really enjoyed the book and took it to the stairs, on the ground, and on the bench to flip through it.  He didn't want to give it to us, he was enjoying it.  He would rub his hands over the words.  Eva told us he was trying to learn English :)

He wanted a kiss, so I kissed his cheek and then hugged him. :) 

and then I tickled him...

while I tickle him I say "tickle, tickle, tickle" and today he started saying "ickle, ickle, ickle" to me :)

We played chase (you can't call it tag because he is never "it") with us, and we went down the slide a few times.

Showing him the photo book of our family.

His favorite page was the pictures of him. 

He was starting to melt down and we noticed it was 11:30 (the time flies by when we have him) and it was lunch time.  So we walked him back to the orphanage and gave him to a nanny.  He is well liked and when we walk by the Nanny they always say hi to him and he always smiles and waves back.

Pride and Prejudice

He kept flipping through it (that is Eva in the background)

After our visit, we went to the beach for our last lunch.  We even got ice cream today! :) It was yummy!

We are back in the hotel for an hour and half then it will be time to go see him again.  After our visit tonight we are going to walk down to the shopping area and go shopping for some souvenirs with Eva.  Marty said he was going to relax since it will be a long, difficult drive tomorrow.

I'll write more after our next visit. :)

The Glow worm caught Geo!

Our evening visit flew by.  They brought him to us and he was so happy he gave me a hug.  Then we went into the playroom where he grabbed a glow worm and handed it to Bobby so Bobby could chase him with it.  He loves this game.  We did this for a few minutes, and then we played with the legos.  He loves when we build him things.  Then he pointed to the window and I picked him up and he stared outside.  He kept looking at my face and then looking outside, so we decided to free him and let him run around.

He lead the way outside today

Bobby repacked up the backpack, and then he grabbed both of our hands and led us through the doors to the outside.  We walked to the playground and once we got to the playground he ran in a huge circle a few times, then he came back to us and wanted a cookie.  He was so, so happy to be outdoors.  We gave him some more animal crackers and then he wanted his bag of cars and the globe (so Bobby blew it up for him).

We played on the swings, and on the slide.

We learned today that if we crouch down and hold our arms out, he will come running towards us and will give us a huge hug.  It was the most amazing feeling.  He just melts into your arms.  I was worried about the stiff hugs that I have read about, but he is so natural.  He just melds into me. :) I love it!!!

Also when I tickle him I kiss him on the cheek when I am done.  Now he will come up to me and grunt at me until I kiss him.  After I kiss him he smiles and looks in my eyes.  We are connecting, and I LOVE it.

I can't wait to bring him home!

When we were outside Bobby pulled out his sun glasses and put them on, and he immediately wanted them.  He kept putting them on his face at his mouth level, and staring at us.  I took my sun glasses off and showed him how to put them on his head (so he did it too), and then I showed him how to flip them over the right way and slide them on his head.  He was so happy!  He didn't want to give them back, and would run in a circle then stop and put them on and smile, and then run in a circle. :)

We also played on the tricycle today.  Which really means we pushed him around and around on it. :) He was helping today by walking with his feet. 

Our visit ended very quickly and the time flew by.  I can't believe how fast 90 minutes goes.

After our visit we went shopping with Eva.  We bought a few souvenirs from his village, and then walked back to the hotel and met Marty for dinner.

It is now almost 9 pm and we have to pack up because we are leaving straight from our visit to drive to Sillistra (which is in Northern Bulgaria).  We are staying in a hotel that is about 40 minutes from Gia.

Geo saying "caio" to us when they were leaving to get his photo.

I can't wait to meet her on Friday, but I am dreading leaving tomorrow.

I hope you enjoy the pictures, Bobby is tired and said he is not going to blog tonight - so you are stuck with just me :)  

Love,

Lura