He really likes banging on the keyboard, so here we go...
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Saturday, September 3, 2011
First Full Day
I am quietly typing while Jae naps. But here is a brief overview of the last 24 hours:
The first 2 or 3 hours was tough. Jae would be okay and look around and realize foster family is not here so he would wimper.
Jae broke a plate when it flew off the table because he got so excited when he was feeding Paul apples.
In order to get him to sleep we had to walk around outside.
When he finally did get asleep we were so scared to wake him that he literally just stayed sleeping like I was holding him. I slept most of the night with Jae on my chest.
Jae actually called Paul "Dadda!" Paul looked like he was going to cry he was so proud.
He loves Gerber puffs! Mom and Dad - please stock our house with 3 or 4 containers of Gerber Graduates Puffs..the apple cinnamon flavor.
There are a few other families staying here that also got their babies last night. It has been really fun to watch them play and interact.
Jae loves watching the washing machine! The one here is front loading with a glass front and he keeps squating down and pointing at the clothes as they go round and round. Pretty cute.
He likes me to hold him but really starts to whine if Paul leaves the room. It is a team effort right now.
Paul left to go get a pizza for dinner. We are going to get a large Pizza Hut pizza and eat off it for the next couple of days. I am ramen noodled out.
Forget Friday strength class, my arms are already sore.
If I am being honest, it is hard right now. We are doing okay but in reality, a 17 month old just lost everything he knows. He is getting more and more comfortable with us each hour, but we can tell he looks around for foster family a lot. There are two entrances to our building and we have resorted to only using the one that he did NOT see foster family leave through. Poor little guy..that just woke up.
Love,
Jae's Mom
The first 2 or 3 hours was tough. Jae would be okay and look around and realize foster family is not here so he would wimper.
Jae broke a plate when it flew off the table because he got so excited when he was feeding Paul apples.
In order to get him to sleep we had to walk around outside.
When he finally did get asleep we were so scared to wake him that he literally just stayed sleeping like I was holding him. I slept most of the night with Jae on my chest.
Jae actually called Paul "Dadda!" Paul looked like he was going to cry he was so proud.
He loves Gerber puffs! Mom and Dad - please stock our house with 3 or 4 containers of Gerber Graduates Puffs..the apple cinnamon flavor.
There are a few other families staying here that also got their babies last night. It has been really fun to watch them play and interact.
Jae loves watching the washing machine! The one here is front loading with a glass front and he keeps squating down and pointing at the clothes as they go round and round. Pretty cute.
He likes me to hold him but really starts to whine if Paul leaves the room. It is a team effort right now.
Paul left to go get a pizza for dinner. We are going to get a large Pizza Hut pizza and eat off it for the next couple of days. I am ramen noodled out.
Forget Friday strength class, my arms are already sore.
If I am being honest, it is hard right now. We are doing okay but in reality, a 17 month old just lost everything he knows. He is getting more and more comfortable with us each hour, but we can tell he looks around for foster family a lot. There are two entrances to our building and we have resorted to only using the one that he did NOT see foster family leave through. Poor little guy..that just woke up.
Love,
Jae's Mom
Friday, September 2, 2011
We are doing ok
Jae is still sleeping, but we are doing okay. He misses his foster mom but has already had some good attachment moments with both of us. He really likes putting food in Pauls mouth and is pretty good about letting me hold him.
I will post pictures later. Oh yeah, speaking of pics, foster family made this huge book and gave us a USB full of pictures.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Gotcha Day Pre-Jae...the Eastern Nursery
Pictures are all that is needed. If these little tykes don't warm your heart than nothing will...
A Small Request
I have a small request, since today is Jae's Gotcha Day, will everyone write a comment below? It doesn't matter if you are an official follower, friend, family or a casual observer that got this blog from a friend of a friend. I would like to print off a large list of comments for Jae's baby book. Whatever you feel is appropriate to write will be just fine.
In exchange, I promise to post some pictures of the cutest little 17 month old later today!
But for now, a few pictures of Seoul. The pictures of me at the waffle stand and at dinner are after the rain storm...just keep that in mind. :)
Happy Gotcha Day!
Love,
Jae's Mom
In exchange, I promise to post some pictures of the cutest little 17 month old later today!
But for now, a few pictures of Seoul. The pictures of me at the waffle stand and at dinner are after the rain storm...just keep that in mind. :)
Happy Gotcha Day!
Love,
Jae's Mom
Last Day as a Family of Two
Ironic, but our final day as a family of two was mostly spent preparing for Jae's Gotcha Day and every day after. We purchased gifts for Jae (toys, books, etc) and items needed to care for him over the next 3 days (baby wipes, favorite foods, etc). In the morning we stayed mostly in the neighborhood only because we had an important lunch date that we didn't want to be late for. At 11:30 we had lunch with the President of Eastern (our Korean agency) as well as 6 other couples who are here to meet their child. It wasn't until this lunch that we realized how lucky we were to get agency housing. There are quite a few other families that were forced to get an expensive hotel room and as a result, feel quite isolated from the group. Paul and I are very lucky to come back here every night and share stories with all the other guests. It makes it easier. Thank goodness we were smart enough to move fast the day we got the travel call because even a few minutes might have been the difference between $60/night at a warm friendly location vs. a $250/night hotel. Going back to the lunch, the President, Dr. Kim, gave a small talk about Eastern and its mission followed by a buffet style lunch for typical Korean food. It was really nice. They do a lot of good things here and it goes well beyond adoption.
After lunch we caught the subway over to a market more common for tourists. A lot of souviners, crafts, and traditional Korean items for purchase. Our main goal was to get Jae a name chop. A name chop is a Korean name stamp made out of hand carved stone that is inked and used as a signature. We had a good recomendation for a particular shop and it lived up to its standards. The lady was very sweet and apparently does good work because she has made name chops for the Queen of England, the Prince of Norway and the Prime Minister of New Zeland and had the pictures to prove it.
After a few other small purchases and ice cream we made our way back to the subway and home. Since we were done being on our feet and ready to get home, dinner consisted of 2 small clemtine oranges and Korean ramen noodles (AKA spicy ramen noodles) that we purchased at the neighborhood grocery store.
Tomorrow is Gotcha Day! We are less than 24 hours away from taking Jae in our arms! And if I am being honest, we are overwhelmed at the idea. We are going to be caring for a 17 month old out of a tiny little room for the next 3 days! But, everyone here is very supportive (again, nice to be at the agency) and has already offered to do a diaper run, or a dinner run, or whatever we need.
Tomorrow is a very BIG DAY!
ps - In case you haven't already notice, my spell check is not working. Everytime I go back and read an old post I find another spelling error. Just remember I am sleep deprived, nervous, and in general, just a bad speller. A horrible combo.
Love,
Jae's Mom
After lunch we caught the subway over to a market more common for tourists. A lot of souviners, crafts, and traditional Korean items for purchase. Our main goal was to get Jae a name chop. A name chop is a Korean name stamp made out of hand carved stone that is inked and used as a signature. We had a good recomendation for a particular shop and it lived up to its standards. The lady was very sweet and apparently does good work because she has made name chops for the Queen of England, the Prince of Norway and the Prime Minister of New Zeland and had the pictures to prove it.
After a few other small purchases and ice cream we made our way back to the subway and home. Since we were done being on our feet and ready to get home, dinner consisted of 2 small clemtine oranges and Korean ramen noodles (AKA spicy ramen noodles) that we purchased at the neighborhood grocery store.
Tomorrow is Gotcha Day! We are less than 24 hours away from taking Jae in our arms! And if I am being honest, we are overwhelmed at the idea. We are going to be caring for a 17 month old out of a tiny little room for the next 3 days! But, everyone here is very supportive (again, nice to be at the agency) and has already offered to do a diaper run, or a dinner run, or whatever we need.
Tomorrow is a very BIG DAY!
ps - In case you haven't already notice, my spell check is not working. Everytime I go back and read an old post I find another spelling error. Just remember I am sleep deprived, nervous, and in general, just a bad speller. A horrible combo.
Love,
Jae's Mom
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Korean Culture
We had heard that the Korean people are very welcoming of visitors, and it is true. We have had so many wondeful people help us out. During the rain storm, we stopped briefly at a Liege style waffle stand (can you believe it? A little tast of Belgium right here in Seoul! The owner had pictures of his trip to Liege and everything) and when we finally figured out that the storm was not going to let up, the owner tried to give us his umbrella! That was after two gentleman walking in the rain tried to give us one of their umbrellas.
Yesterday a lady ran to get a subway attendent when Paul's subway card didn't work.
On our second subway trip the attendant (at a different station) made sure to help us work the ticket machines. Which really wasn't necessary since there is a button for English, but it was the thought that counts.
We purchased two Poweraides from a street vendor and he ran after us to give us our change.
And of course the lady that ran to get a size 14 hanbok for Sophie and our lunch spot that opened their doors to us during the rain storm. It has been really nice to have everyone go out of their way to help two people that are clearly out of their element. It is so different from any other time we have traveled to a foreign country. Normally the alphabet is at least the same. But that is the thing, it doesn't matter because there is always someone close by that is willing to help.
One more story before getting in the shower and starting our day...and this is a good one! I love Korean food, I really do. But my nervous stomach can only take so much spice; so Paul and I have a routine of a Korean style lunch but than a more American style dinner. Or at least something with a little less red pepper sauce. Last night we found what looked to be a typical pasta restaurant. Brown sign with white lettering declaring "I Love Pasta" or something like that. But the inside was like the Pink Panther had thrown up pink cotton candy. I am not kidding...pink tableclothes, pink curtains, pink floral arrangements from the ceiling, pink ruffled throw pillows on each of the pink chairs, etc, etc. I tried to snap a few pictures, but they really don't reflect the amount of pink in this very small restaurant. Paul is pretty confident that he is the first ever male to eat at this joint. :)
Love,
Jae's Mom
Yesterday a lady ran to get a subway attendent when Paul's subway card didn't work.
On our second subway trip the attendant (at a different station) made sure to help us work the ticket machines. Which really wasn't necessary since there is a button for English, but it was the thought that counts.
We purchased two Poweraides from a street vendor and he ran after us to give us our change.
And of course the lady that ran to get a size 14 hanbok for Sophie and our lunch spot that opened their doors to us during the rain storm. It has been really nice to have everyone go out of their way to help two people that are clearly out of their element. It is so different from any other time we have traveled to a foreign country. Normally the alphabet is at least the same. But that is the thing, it doesn't matter because there is always someone close by that is willing to help.
One more story before getting in the shower and starting our day...and this is a good one! I love Korean food, I really do. But my nervous stomach can only take so much spice; so Paul and I have a routine of a Korean style lunch but than a more American style dinner. Or at least something with a little less red pepper sauce. Last night we found what looked to be a typical pasta restaurant. Brown sign with white lettering declaring "I Love Pasta" or something like that. But the inside was like the Pink Panther had thrown up pink cotton candy. I am not kidding...pink tableclothes, pink curtains, pink floral arrangements from the ceiling, pink ruffled throw pillows on each of the pink chairs, etc, etc. I tried to snap a few pictures, but they really don't reflect the amount of pink in this very small restaurant. Paul is pretty confident that he is the first ever male to eat at this joint. :)
Love,
Jae's Mom
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