Day 4 was all about Aiden. We woke around 6, couldn't believe I'd finally slept till then, all week it was 4 am! Guess it was catching up with me. We got up, showered, checked the iPod for stuff, then went downstairs to eat breakfast. I tried to eat a big breakfast, didn't know how the day would go, but my stomach was in knots!! We finished and went back upstairs to get ready to go get Aiden.
All I could do was sit on the couch in our room, quietly. I had a hundred thoughts going through my head. Here we are, in Seoul, the day we are to meet Aiden for the first time, only to see a hand full of pictures of him, and I'm pretty much a nervous wreck!! I glanced at my watch to see the time!
We had a little over an hour till we were to meet him and his foster mother. OMGosh time was getting closer! I wanted to leave early because we had to carry all of these gifts to Holt.
There was no way we could carry all these things on the subway, we took a taxi. We arrived there early, about 30 minutes early! We went up the handful of steps, looked lost, then a lady pointed and said "upstairs". Guess we looked normal to her! :) We went to the second floor of the Holt building and saw a little sign by the elevator saying Holt. We walked down the hall, knocked on a door and saw DJ! We told her who we were and she showed us into the "meeting room"! We sat there. I was a nervous wreck, even worse than at the hotel! Mike pulled out the iPod and said we've got wi-fi! Seriously?!?! I said give me that thing! I started taking pictures! (which helped tremendously to occupy my mind at that point!).
Donations at work! :)
Then, DJ stuck her head in and said, "are you ready?" My heart sank! Then in walks Aiden's foster mother and father and AIDEN!! I think I was in shock, but it seemed so real! DJ sat down and said this was the foster mother's first child, the foster mother was a little upset and trying to compose herself. It was really hard to see her upset. I knew this was going to be very hard for her and it was. DJ translated things between the parents and us for a while, then we gave them their gifts, they seemed appreciative, lots of smiles. Aiden did well, but DJ said that Aiden has a stranger anxiety... oh no! He did okay with us sitting close to him.
After talking some more we all went downstairs so Aiden could have his last check up before we leave. Aiden loved his foster parents so much, it was so evident and heartbreaking to be taking him away from all that. They cared for him so much, so easy to see. After everything was checked. We went back up stairs and got our things together. I asked DJ who should take Aiden, she kind of pointed to Mike. She said the foster dad was very involved in their family life, which really touched me to hear. Mike put the carrier on and DJ took Aiden from his foster parents and placed him in the carrier. It was heartbreaking, we all walked outside, the taxi was waiting, and Aiden was screaming - HEARTBREAKING! I wanted to cry so bad, but I didn't want to scare Aiden and I knew if I did cry there would be no stopping and it'd turn into the uncontrollable ugly cry! We jumped right in the taxi and Mike turned to say goodbye to the foster parents - HEARTBREAKING!
Aiden cried and cried and cried all the way back to the hotel. It was so sad, he was so scared, brings me to tears everytime I think about that short trip back to the hotel.
When we finally got back to the hotel, we got upstairs quickly, Aiden cried the whole way. The foster mother mixed up a bottle before we left and said it was his bottle time and nap time. When we got to the room we took all his clothes off and put something I'd brought on him, he had 3 layers on and was sweating. I picked him up and before we could give him his bottle, he fell asleep. Poor little guy cried himself to sleep.
After a two hour nap, Aiden woke up in the carrier. I quickly took him out of it and I gave him his bottle. No crying..... I thought good! :)
When he finished, I sat him up and he was good! I kept waiting for the crying to begin again, but he was doing pretty good! :)
This little video clip was right after he finished his bottle. Amazed me! :)
We just hung out in the hotel room the rest of the day, getting to know each other, playing, eating, etc. It was a great day. That evening I thought we'd try giving Aiden a bath. He was scared at first, didn't like taking his clothes off or his diaper. I put him in the water and after a few seconds of being upset he was playing, splashing and smiling!
This little guy has had so much love given to him. It is so evident! He is the sweetest and loves being loved! We got ready for bed, I put him in the carrier and tried to soothe him to sleep, he was a little upset, which I figured he would be at night and he was. I tried my best to find out what soothes him, rocking, bouncing, patting his butt, etc. I think a little of everything worked and him just being exhausted! I didn't want to put him in the crib as he slept on a mat on the floor with his foster mother. He slept between us in our big bed. He slept till morning, waking once crying. I picked him up and soothed him back to sleep. I was so so SO tired that night, we were all exhausted mentally and physically! All in all it was a great day! I never felt "the love" for Aiden this whole process. But at the end of this day, I knew I loved him more than life itself. He's a special little boy and we were chosen for him, no doubt about it! :)
