Waiting…again!

Today was the last time we were able to see Bradyn until our “Gotcha Day”. That means 5 days ahead of us trying to figure out what to do in our hotel room. Bradyn was very upset when he was brought into the room today. Every time a caregiver would try and distract him, he would get even more upset. The only thing that seemed to console him was holding him close and walking back and forth. Easy enough, however, he has no idea how to sit on my hip and wrap his legs. We think this is because they aren’t held very often. So trying to hold 23 pounds with stiff legs was a bit of a challenge for my weakling arms! Meanwhile, Mike was filling out paperwork for the embassy with our facilitator. We think they are trying to get as much done here, so when we go to Moscow we won’t have as much to do. The caregivers were decorating the room we were in for their fall celebration tomorrow. Bradyn would keep looking at them and then start crying. Finally, they left and he was able to settle down. We showed him the photo of our dogs again, and amidst the sniffles he was able to muster “Buh-ba-ba” (Sabaka). He spent the rest of the time on our laps playing with the toys we gave him. He especially loved looking into the diaper bag and taking out the toys…then putting them back…then taking them out, and so on. It is common for Russians to wear the same outfit a couple of days in a row, such is the case with Bradyn’s outfit the last 2 days. Yesterday, he was wearing red tights, with tight blue shorts over the top and a purple shirt. We thought he looked like a hockey player ready for practice. To add to the hockey look, he had a cut on his nose because he had climbed onto table and it fell on him. To help the cut heal they put the purple paste on it, so it looked like he had a big bruise between his eyes. He makes an awfully cute hockey player! Today he was wearing the same outfit, but his tights were pink, and his blue shorts looked like a leotard, so I thought he looked like a ballerina, regardless, he is absolutely adorable.

Now, we are sitting in our hotel room watching old episodes of Northern Exposure, drinking Orange Fanta, and eating cheese crackers. Obviously Scrabble and Cribbage will be our favorite pastime the next 5 days. It helps that there are several other families that are here right now, so it is nice to commiserate on our wonderful journeys.