Family of 5- week 1

Family of 5, week 1 has flown by!  Where does time go?  Oh, yes, there is one more to feed, bathe, and play with!
Doug, Karen, and Eli arrived home Thursday evening after a 2 hour delay in Washington DC.

This is how Hannah entertained herself while waiting on Papa to arrive--drive Mila's wheelchair!

When they finally arrived off the plane in Columbus the girls were beside themselves.  Mila was so excited to see Papa, and Hannah to meet her little brother.  Eli was sound asleep on Papa's chest in the Baby Bjorn.  We got their luggage and headed home.  Eli slept all the way home in his car seat.  When we arrived home, Mila was horribly upset, saying "I thought Eli was going to play with me!"

Friday morning was Eli's first trip to Grandma's house.  He willingly went, seeing her as another "Mama" and had no problems.  The girls had Botox injections Friday morning.  We stopped at the pet store on the way home to play with puppies, then picked up pizza to eat with Grandma and Grandpa.

Sunday we celebrate my Aunt Judy's birthday, so the entire family was at Mom's house.  Our little man was happy and easy going.  Then the three kiddos got dressed up and we went trick-or-treating in Ashville.

Brutus Buckeye

Brutus and a black kitty cat

Bath time takes longer now.  I now have two kiddos who get out of the tub willingly when the water is all gone! Thankfully Hannah will bathe and willingly give someone else a turn!

Monday, the girls returned to school and I took the day off to stay home with Elijah.  We had some good Mama bonding time while we vacuumed the floor and straightened up the living room.  We went to Grandma and Grandpa Layne's house for the afternoon.  Even on a 45 minute car ride, Eli was pleasant and happy. 

Tuesday Mama went back to school, so Eli was at the babysitter; Amy's house or at Grandma's.  Wednesday I had to stay after school for Parent Teacher Conferences, so Doug got the experience of trying to feed two kiddos dinner himself!  He did quite well, but was amazed how much energy it took out of him!
Friday, Elijah had his first doctor appointment.  I took him to the International Adoption Clinic at Columbus Children's hospital.  It is a nice place to go to get baseline information and be referred to all the specialists your kiddo will need to see.  He got a TB skin test and a Flu shot.  My poor boy knows what  needle is before it pokes him--he started crying before it touched his skin.  We came home with vials to collect stool samples--(my favorite part YUCK!) to check for any parasites.

Look at that belly!

 The evaluations he had done determined he was behind developmentally.  REALLY?! The people at the clinic were hesitant telling me.  It was quite comical to hear them.  I was totally aware that Elijah was behind developmentally.  First, he has Down Syndrome, so he's going to learn slower.  Second, he spent the first 17 months of life in an orphanage. 
Last night, for the first time, Elijah fell asleep on my chest.  He loves to be held and allows you to interact with him.  When someone holds him, it is almost stimulating to him, rather than calming at this point.  He will let me rock him, but he generally "talks" to me the entire time. Last night while watching TV together, he cuddled up on my chest and fell asleep.

This Weekend many churches around the world celebrate Orphan Sunday.  Our pastor has asked Doug and I to share our adoption testimony.  We will be sharing tonight at the Saturday night service as well as both services tomorrow.
We were able to talk to Max this morning on the phone and this afternoon via Skype.  We are so thankful for Nate and Diana Medlong, who have opened their hearts and home to our son. 

 They went to pick Max up on Friday to stay with them for the weekend.  He has helped Diana shell chickpeas, visited Diana's family with them, and will go to church tomorrow with them.  Though we can be hands-on parents for max in the next few months, it is so good to know we can talk to him and see him.  Nate and Diana will take good care of him, I have no doubt.  This weekend they are working on homework with him and reiterating how important it is to do homework.  Thanks Nate, thanks Diana!