Drew called from Almaty, Update from Patrick!!

I just got off the phone with Patrick and Drew!!! Well, more Patrick than Drew, but still - it was so great to hear from them.

They are doing well and staying warm - there's lots of paperwork to do every day, but Patrick is doing OK with it. Still no word on if he can have his Embassy exit interview Friday...but we're still crossing our fingers it will work out.

Drew is doing great!!! He's eating everything and having fun playing and enjoying his "Tails" book! Apparently though he doesn't want to sleep in his crib and needs to sleep with Patrick - I guess he's scared, which is understandable. Thankfully all his clothes are fittng him well, as is his winter jacket.

Patrick put Drew on the phone so I could talk to him - Patrick said he was listening to me, until he saw some animals on TV and that was more interesting - LOL...oh my god - I just can't wait to hug and kiss that child and never let him go!!!

Patrick said people have come up to him in the hotel to tell him how cute Drew is!! I'm such a proud mom :)

Patrick also was able to see Drew's revised birth certificate and passport - both have his name that we gave him and we are listed as his parents on the birth certificate - so it's official...I can't wait to see it all myself...

We were only able to talk about 20 minutes - I can't imagine how much it cost, but it was worth it to hear Patrick's and Drew's voices...

Update from Patrick....

Hello! Drew has decided to get an early start to the day today, waking up for good at 6:30 a.m. I think sleep issues are going to be the biggest obstacle to hurdle, at least in the first few days.

We started the beginnings of a bedtime routine last night. Drew will be very good about letting us know when he’s tired – he doesn’t cry or fuss about it, but he starts rubbing his eyes nearly constantly. So shortly after 8 last night when he started making the signs, I gave him a quick sponge bath (which he hated!). Then we changed into his very warm and comfy blue and white PJs, and I lowered the lights a bit and we played quietly for another 20 minutes or so. Finally, at 8:30, we cleaned up the toys and I took him to the chair for his bedtime story – “Tails” by acclaimed author Matthew van Fleet, of course!

Then it was bedtime. Even though he was completely exhausted, he fought hard going to sleep. He didn’t want to be held or rocked, but he didn’t want to be in the crib, either – unless I was standing next to him, stroking his forehead or holding his hand. I really think bedtime is when he misses his old routines the most and when he’s most scared of all the changes that are happening in his life.

After about 30 minutes, Drew finally settled down, but still got upset if I went even as far as the bathroom. My only choice was to lay down on my own bed, about 3 feet from his, and we both fell asleep at the same time.

That lasted until about midnight, however, when Drew woke up in a complete thermonuclear meltdown fit. Maybe this wasn’t the best thing to do, but I brought him over to my bed, and he continued sleeping over there until about 6 or so. I tried, once, to put him back in his crib, about 5 a.m. or so, but he would have nothing of it.

We’ve been told this may happen – Drew not wanting to sleep by himself. And I’m sure we’re going to have the same problems when we get home and he finds himself in a crib in a bedroom all by himself. Suggestions?

Otherwise, Drew’s doing great. I’ve gotten him several toys that he can have on the plane as well – a wooden block set shaped as numbers, a set of rings, Lego-style toys, stacking cups and a set of toy cars. Drew likes to sit in the middle of the foor completely surrounded by all of his toys, and he’ll run the cars on the ground or knock the wood toys together while babbling contentedly. His favorite word is “a-ba” which he’ll repeat in various pitches and volumes until he’s nearly squealing. Sometimes I sit with him and play, but other times it’s more fun to sit back and watch.

He also seemed to rediscover his “Tails” book today after two days of ignoring it completely. I think there’s a good chance that the pig tail will take serious damage today – he’s got a very good grip on it right now in fact as he watches me type.

Drew had a rough day on Wednesday – he didn’t sleep well last night and woke up too early. So he was nodding off by 10:30 a.m., just when we were supposed to be getting ready to see Galina with more paperwork. Drew just wasn’t going to make it, so I put him down in his crib and he fought sleep until 11, when he finally dropped off. Galina and I just worked quietly outside the room.

The paperwork was pretty funny on the face of it. … it was Drew’s application for a visa from the US government, in which he had to attest that he was not a war criminal, had not committed human atrocities or acts of moral turpitude and he was not affiliated with any terrorism groups or planning any acts of terror against the USA. I hope our government screens adults better than 17-month-olds!

Galina says our revised paperwork, now that it’s been corrected by Taraz, made it to Astana safely. She’s hoping that it gets turned around today so it can be here in time for our appointment Friday at the Embassy. It makes me sick to think that after all our planning, and Beth’s dedication to the paperwork, that we now have to wait for some government official to rush our stuff because of mistakes that were made in Taraz and not caught until now. Cross your fingers that we get good news tomorrow! I’m not expected to see or hear from Galina until she knows the status of our paperwork, so all we can do is wait.

Galina left and Drew woke at 11:30 screaming, so I put him down with me in my bed and we slept until about 2. His schedule was completely thrown off but there’s really nothing I can do about it now. He was still tired and cranky when I decided it was time for an outing and we hit the Stetson – an American-themed restaurant about 2 blocks from the hotel. Drew was kind of fussy at first, but he likes watching people and there was a lot to see. Finally the food came – apple juice, pizza and French fries (really, I was just going for something he would like on his first restaurant visit, but now that I see it on the computer screen I look like a horrible father!). Drew liked the fries better than the pizza; I think it was too cheesy for him. And he completely refused his apple juice until I gave him some of my tea. Old Kazakh habits die hard!

I guess that’s all for now. I’m hoping for a quiet night, and Drew and I can settle in and relax a bit. Hello to everyone in the USA. Chris and Ben, are you reading? I can’t wait to talk to you on Sunday!