We had an uneventful first night. We got home from the airport after a quiet reception (just me and the boys were there to greet) around 9:30. Mark and I were both SO tired (especially him, of course!) and we just wanted to go to sleep. We didn't want to put Erik into his room all alone on the first night so we kept him with us. Unfortunately, we have a queen sized bed and it's barely big enough for the both of us full-sized parents, but we tried. Erik sat there as we nodded off, wiggling (he's soooooooo wiggly!!) and "lalala"'ing to himself, looking around, half-sitting on top of us, not going anywhere but just quietly entertaining himself. He sat there like that for about an hour when he fell forward onto his face, asleep. Mark laid him down in a more normal position and he slept like that for awhile, while I was so squeezed off the bed I had a "one cheek on, one cheek off" thing going on and KNEW I would never make the night. So, we did what good parents who just brought home a new child from an orphanage would do on his first night in his forever home: we put him on a quilt on the floor and let him sleep there!! LOL!! We didn't want to put him in a bedroom all alone, but we didn't have room on the bed, so that's where he went! He stayed asleep all night, but he was a WILD sleeper, and didn't stay on the quilt long - he rolled all over the bedroom in his sleep! The bad part is that neither Mark nor I slept more than 2 hours all night as we were both paranoid he'd wake up and be scared and we wanted to be right there for him, but he was out like a light all night.

This morning, I took Nikolai to school and after I got back home, went back to bed, where I napped for about 2 hours where Mark FINALLY got to sleep. Erik also slept, but this time with us in bed. ;op

Afterward, I had no choice but to bring him to Wal-Mart. I really wanted to limit activity at first, but Mark was sleeping and I didn't want to leave Erik home with Reese (who is homeschooling this semester) who knows NOTHING about little kids (yet). He did great!! Mark said the orphanage caregivers said he only eats soft/pureed foods, which is a drag - do I trust that he can't eat until he can get evaluated, or do I try to give him little things? Mark even said the Cheerios I bought him, he would choke on!! :o( He doesn't chew his food, true, he "tongues" it, but don't you think I could TRY to feed him a Cheerio or little fish cracker? He also said the workers said not to give him citrus - any insights there, anyone??

Thankfully, Mark is still sleeping, poor guy. He'll probably sleep all day and all night tonight. That's good. He needs it!! I am soooooo proud of him for being so strong to do this with Erik. He has had SUCH a good attitude and is just so in love with his new son!! He really is changed with this experience. :o)

It's almost suppertime and I bought some stuff for Erik for tonight - some sweet potatoes to mash and we have a juice machine, so I will juice some fruits that I bought. I'm trying not to alter his foods too much, and introduce new things slowly, but it's hard!! I want to cook for him!!! ;o)

He's been good with the dogs, too. They've sniffed him up and down (he still smells like orphanage milk - can't wait to give him a good bath tonight!!) and he's not scared of them - he just sort of pulls away like, "What the heck IS this thing???"

We have MUCH to do in the upcoming weeks, with therapy, doctors, etc. But so far we are off to a really good start.

Welcome home, Erik, my beautiful son!!!!