We've got him!

He's so precious and adorable and cute!

I just want to let everyone know that a lot of my emails have been bouncing back....I have written everyone =) So just check the blog if you're not getting anything.

Our estimated return date is now Tues Oct 5! I can't wait to get home and show this baby off.

Here's what happened!

Wednesday at 3:00 we got a call at our hotel from Ninh (our agency representative). He said "the driver is at the hotel now....check out and leave immediately.") We didn't think we had to be packed, so we ran around like crazy throwing things in our suitcase and getting ready. I didn't even get to fix my hair the way I wanted to. We were told that people's committee office would close at 4:30 so we really had to hurry (it's a 1 hr 15 min drive). We were running so late that the Ninh got the nannies and the babies in his car and met us at the people's committee office. We didn't even have time to change him into his famcy outfit! He had on an orange shirt, and then pee-peed in his yellow pants so he put on his OU pants. It was such a funny outfit for the special occasion. I have pictures, of course. Hope I'll get to upload them soon.

When we got to the office, the nannies were there and they were all so sad! One was even sobbing. We can tell the babies were really loved and well taken care of. The ceremony was brief....each family was called up and given a certificate of adoption and handed their baby. Then the head official gave us a little talk about taking care of the babies and bringing them back to visit someday. It was very nice. Then we were asked if we'd like to say a few words! After a brief moment of panic, one of the other dads got up and said some really nice things (we appreciate getting to adopt babies, we'll love them and bring them back for a visit, etc). Then we went back to the orphanage to visit with the nannies and ask questions. We asked about his feeding and sleeping schedules, etc. We gave the orphanage a gift of some clothes and towels and blankets.

Then we were out of there! We had a 1.5 hour drive back to the airport at Da Nang. The flight was delayed an hour and a half so we ate a big communal "authentic" Vietnamese dinner....it was interesting and fun but we were all so exhausted! Then we took the hour flight back to Hanoi. After the ride to the hotel it was midnight. Baby Eddie slept for about two hours and was then up every twenty mintues after that. I can definitely understand why....he's out of his orphanage for the first time with strange people....away from his nanny and familiar surroundings.

Next morning we were up at 5:30....we went to breakfast and baby went on a long walk with daddy in the carrier. Then we played on the bed and he giggled and cooed and it was sooooo cute! He loves to look in the mirror....we "read" a board book with mirrors in it and he was fascinated.

We were starting to realize that he didn't feel very well. He was a little more subdued and fussy than the other babies and kept pulling at his ears and coughing.

Daddy picked us lunch up from a restaurant next door (pretty good...a cheese/cucumber sandwich) and then we were too tired to go out for dinner.

On Friday we took him to the doctor....he has an ear infection, slight bronchitis, and is teething! He is taking an antibiotic, some tylenol, and teething gel. Hopefull he will be feeling better soon! We went out to a fancy dinner at "Bobby Chin's." He is apparently a famous chef with a show on the Discovery channel. Our food was so good....it was so nice because almost everything I've been eating here hasn't been sitting right with me and it's just not what I'm used to.

Last night he slept all night from 8:00PM to 6:00 AM with only one brief crying spell....Eddie just patted him and he went back to sleep! Let's hope this is a pattern. We felt so much better with a full-night's sleep. Of course I kept waking up and looking at him because I was worried about him NOT waking up!

Today we're about to go out for a walk....baby Eddie loves being out and about and gets bored after being in the room for a while.

I have to go....they're waiting on me but next time I will tell the funny "Happy Buddha"-Eddie story!

J