Our First Day as a Family with Steven

Our first morning together, we all woke up about the same time. I was sure to get Steven’s schedule from the orphanage director before we left there so I knew what times he is used to eating and napping as well as bedtime. He is not used to eating when he first wakes up like we are, therefore, he was just staring at his cereal bowl as the rest of us were eating. I figured it was either too early for him to eat or that he wasn’t used to cereal. I realized when he wouldn’t drink even the glass of milk that he is used to drinking milk warm and not cold. Before bedtime last night I warmed up the milk and he and Andrew had a chugging contest to see who would finish their milk first. Therefore, I realized when he pushed the milk away from him after feeling the temperature of the glass that he wanted it warmed up. Once I warmed it up he then drank it. Since he is used to warm milk, he then probably doesn’t like cold cereal. He did eat about half of the cereal though, which surprised me since it was a while before he even touched it. I figured I should give him some warm oatmeal in the morning instead, since he is probably used to something warm in his belly in the morning.

After breakfast, Robert put a dvd of Disney’s songs on the television as I was finishing putting on my makeup. For the next 30 minutes or so Steven would run up to the bathroom where I was and jump up and down and say, “Mama, Dveitza! Dveitza!” over and over again and would wave his hand like come here until I ran into the living room where he led me into to see the dvd of “It’s a Small World After All” being played. Then he would exclaim, “Papa, Dveitza! Dveitza!” And then point to the television and ramble something else in Ukrainian. He is so precious. All day he was so excited with everything that he saw in and around town as we were driving in the taxi that he would say, “Dveitza” and then point to a bus or “Dveitza” and then point to something else. It was like he was seeing everything for the first time in real life opposed to in a book or on television.

After picking up some gifts for Evan’s caretakers, orphanage director, doctors and lawyers of the orphanage we made our way to Evan’s orphanage. Once we got there we went to see Evan in his groupa. When Evan saw us he came running and hugged and kissed Robert and I. Alla explained to Evan’s groupa teacher that Steven is Evan’s older biological brother. She was happy to see both boys being adopted by us and then asked Evan who is his brother? Evan went running over to Andrew and tapped Andrew on the shoulder. It seems to me that Evan doesn’t remember Steven either.

Evan’s orphanage director, Valentina, asked us if we would pick Evan up tomorrow instead of today since she wanted him to have an extra day of medication. So we agreed and will pick him up tomorrow. It was lunchtime when we arrived, therefore, couldn’t have a party with his groupa to celebrate. We had to say our goodbyes to Evan until tomorrow. As soon as we said, “Paka” (Bye), Evan started crying. We didn’t have anytime to play with him and he was upset we were leaving again and probably missed us yesterday since we were running around getting our paperwork finished all day. Well it is good to see that Evan misses us and is attached to us already, but it was heartbreaking to see him cry and not be able to take him now. Until tomorrow.