(BTW, before I start, I'll try to get pictures up today sometime!)

We have had 2 full nights and a full day with our new little one so far, and it's going really well!

He LOVED his bath, which is nice, but I will try the toothbrushing thing this morning, and don't expect it to go well at all, but I have got to try - his teeth are pretty gross. I doubt they've EVER been brushed. (I've got to find a good pediatric dentist!)

Feeding is going fair. Either likes something or he HATES it, spitting it out and letting out a SCREAM of anger at the betrayal - how could we violate him with something so hideous?!?! But we don't know unless we try. He can push back quite a volume of food, surprising us! But that's good as he's SO undersize (not sure of his weight, but he fits into 18 mo. clothes!!) He is an extremely messy eater, even with us feeding him! He's also still on a bottle, which I hope to change when I can to a sippy cup. When he drinks from the bottle, he sucks on it so hard that I think the nipple folds on itself and it leaks all over the front of him.

He can sit by himself for some time without entertainment, but I don't think this behavior will last long. Unlike Nikolai, 15, who can STILL sit for hours (literally!!) and just look at the furniture or whatever, Erik has to be wiggling all the time, and looking at something, and "talking" constantly. It won't be long before simply sitting isn't good enough for him!!

I think his vision is really bad. I also think he has poor hearing, but both of these can be worked on, I'm sure. I am waiting for word from my insurance company of how to apply to get him on our medical and dental programs. Not sure what docs they need. I really want to get him going to the professionals!!

He's got a TEMPER!!! If he's not happy about something (sometimes we have NO clue what triggers it) he gets MAD and screams bloody murder for about 2 seconds, then goes all stiff and we can see EVERY vessel in his neck. He makes a war face, then it's over. He's fine. Go figure!! He will also bite us and pinch us and throw things at us, but Mark said that he did that to the caregivers at the orphanage and they didn't react - just let him do it, so he probably just doesn't know that that is not acceptable yet. He will. ;o)

He loves stuffed animals, which is fun. He talks to them and LOOKS at them, and likes to wing them around. Doesn't cuddle with them or anything, but hopefully that'll come in time. He's not really big into toys yet, either, though he does love this one light up musical Baby Mozart toy and plays with it a lot.

He also likes TV, but he gets his face RIGHT UP to the screen, and this is one indication that I have that he can't see well. (He does it with books, too.)

I'll be honest, though, he doesn't really seem to interested in whether we are with him or not. He certainly lets us take care of him, tickle him and kiss him, and he has NO problems with touching us or sleeping next to us, but the "love" thing with him isn't quite here, yet. We know it's coming and are not worried, but I wanted to be honest, too.

I'm going to go take him for a walk around the block. He's antsy and I think, is looking for action. ;o) Bye!!