And then there were FIVE!

There are so many emotions tied up in Gotcha Day for everyone: the child, the adoptive family, and the foster mom or nanny.  I tried to warn Levi and Sophia that Zeke might be frightened and not too happy to see us.  After all, Zeke had not been counting down the days until this moment for months like our family had, and all that was familiar was being torn from him.  I retold the story of Levi's Gotcha Day when Levi cried for 7 straight hours refusing to be consoled until he fell into an exhausted heap asleep on the floor.  Yea, Gotcha Day is tough. 

And as expected, poor Zeke was terrified and clung to his nanny as she tried to place him in my arms.  He screamed and shook, and our hearts really broke for him.  His nanny was so sweet, patient, and determined.  One by one, she joined our hands with Zeke's hand and quietly spoke the Mandarin name for mommy, sister, etc.  She was able to console him long enough for the kids to bring out the toys and snacks we had brought.  I've won many a child with Cheerios, bananas, and suckers and thankfully, Zeke was no exception.  :) 

And then, the kids and I began to do what we do best....act silly!  We rolled the matchbox car on our arms pretending it was tickling us.  We made funny faces and giggled.  And, we dropped a toy phone on the ground with a giant "Uh Oh!".  (That last one I WILL regret as Zeke has already picked up this behavior and toys are flying, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures.)  It wasn't long before Zeke was joining in the silliness, and Adam and I could see that he was going to fit in just fine! 

Here are a few things we've learned about our new son:

1.  Zeke is a BIG BOY!  He weighs about the same as Sophia (30 pounds) and is only a few inches shorter than her. Sophia is such a nurturer and wants to be mommy's helper so I had to chuckle a little seeing her give her giant "baby" brother a bottle. 

2.  Zeke was greatly loved at the orphanage.  His nanny and orphanage director kept returning to check on him, take pictures, and share special nuggets of information  about our son.  They reminded me of proud parents showing off a cherished child.  For this, I am beyond grateful.

3. The nanny told us Zeke was completely potty trained, but I suspect  he may regress a bit.  In fact, back at the hotel, he took one look at the Western style toilet and decided he would hold it! (This is exactly how I feel when I walk into a Chinese restroom and find only squatty pottys....You want me to do WHAT in WHERE???). 

4.  For a child with hip dysplasia, Zeke is extremely mobile and FAST!  We don't see much lopsidedness in his walk or run, but I suppose time will tell on this one.  

5. Zeke is smart! Like I said, he quickly picked up the Uh Oh game,  and Zeke can imitate just about any action.  He even imitated the English words of Mommy, Daddy, Bubba, and Chow-Chow ( our nickname for Sophia).  I have a feeling he will pick up English quickly.  

All in all, a blessed day.  After returning from the civil affairs office, we ate a quiet dinner in the room, played a little with cars and stacking cups, and then called it an early night.  Zeke was asleep between Adam and me in about two minutes and is still snoozing peacefully as I write this.