Evan likes to climb over everything - furniture, me, etc. Here he is on the credenza before we left for Ho Chi Minh city, playing with his favorite toy, his spoon, and showing some teeth. (to my social worker, I'm sure this represents horrible parenting and a grave risk to him but I was sitting right there):
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As I mentioned in my last post, the flight down was an adventure. Here's a picture at the airport, when I thought Evan was tiring himself out playing with the chairs and a plastic bag. (to my social worker, again, this only looks like bad parenting to let him play with a plastic bag):
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Here we are about to board Evan's FIRST (fateful) flight:
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Here's the big smile I promised in my last post. 4 of his 7 or 8 teeth are showing. This was in the hotel room after Evan aced his CIS interview.
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Did I mention that he created an international incident at the CIS? I gave him my badge to play with and he left it in the interview room. Irresponsible kid. The guard had to interrupt the next interview to retrieve it so I could leave.
Back at the hotel and after a nap, I gave Evan a teething biscuit to enjoy. He absolutely loved it but I spent the time petrified that he would choke and running through my choking emergency procedures in my mind. In fairness to Evan, he is very good about chewing and spitting out anything that he thinks is too big. He's got a good little cough if something gets too far to the back of his throat. In fact, I think that his little wet cough is not related to his cold at all - a little drool just goes down the wrong way. The rest of his cold is pretty much gone, by the way, which is good because he liked to wipe his nose with my shirt. Anyway, here's the post-teething biscuit devastation:
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Friday evening, a crew of adoptive parents (whom I adopted) and I went out to check out the night market and just generally walk around Saigon. At dinner, Even melted everybody's hearts. I had handed Evan to another dad briefly to get something out of my bag. In the space of 10 seconds Evan's face dissolved from a happy one into the cutest saddest faces I've ever seen. His lower lip curled way out and his face completely fell (and he started wailing). It's tough to see him cry but this it is a really strong sign that he is attaching to me well...he recognizes who his dad is.
The evening was so hot, Evan got a bath before going to bed. He's really liking baths now. Here he is afterwards looking not at all unhappy.
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On Saturday, I spent the morning shopping in Saigon. The shopping is excellent - better than Hanoi, as far as I could tell. Afterwards, I took a chance and left Evan with the hotel babysitter for 30 minutes so I could get a quick massage for my aching back (being alone with an infant is a great fitness program - you hardly eat and you're constantly carrying weights). Anyway, I was so worried about how he was doing that I did not enjoy the massage as much as I wanted to. As it turned out, he did just fine.
In any case, it was off to the airport and another flight adventure. One thing I learned is that EVERYBODY in Vietnam feels they qualify when the boarding announcement for "parents with small children and those needing extra time." I braced myself for another fidgety flight. Evan proved me wrong. He fell asleep at takeoff and slept against my chest for two hours. That meant I got to enjoy my first hot meal in peace in nearly a week.
That's about enough for now.
