Day 2 Visit 2

I have tried to be pragmatic and sensible and careful in this "process" but this afternoon... I threw my heart right over the fence.  I know every adoptive parent who goes through this likely feels exactly the same (and we all should) and from the outside looking in I think that others likely temper our enthusiasm knowing it has been such a long time coming and likely a bit overstated... and maybe this is... but...
This afternoon we walked up to the baby home and Grisha was in the window looking out with another boy.  He broke out in a big smile and ran to the door.  He took my hand once we were inside (we didn't even have our boots off) and walked me down the hall to the visiting room.  I picked him up at some point and carried him and he just melted into me.  His caregiver came and she said, "that is all he needs and wants... he just wants to be loved and held".  I can do that :)  We just started playing... going through the puzzles and the stacking games.  I pulled the bubbles out today and at first, he wasn't all that interested in them - wanted to go back to the books.  Later, Elya got the bubbles out again and he decided that he wanted to learn how to make bubbles.  It was absolutely amazing to watch the excitement on his face when he blew and saw his first bubble... then he didn't stop.  This really got him wired up and he started chattering a bit more (albeit still very quietly) - I have some amazing video and photos of this that I can't wait to share.  He has not been interested in eating anything that I brought until today.  He WOLFED down a nutrigrain bar and a bag of goldfish... he opened his mouth up so wide he looked like a little baby bird lol.  I got more kisses today and at the end of our visit I got to watch him back in his groupa.  There were two tables with children about his age around them during "quiet time".  They were each given a book to "read".  Grisha decided he wanted a different one and went to the other table and said to a little girl, "give me yours please" - they exchanged books.  He talks so much more when he is with the group - he was very vocal and funny.  We dropped some ballons off that we had been playing with in the room and he ran like a mad man to claim them (or at least one of them) as his.  He yelled out, "my balloon" just to make sure there were no mistakes.  One of the care givers that I hadn't seen before came while we were cleaning up and asked Elya what I thought of Grisha... I told her that I think he is perfect and would very much like for him to be my son.  She smiled a big smile and told me that he will miss me when I go and was so sad to hear that it will likely be for months.  I then asked Elya - what does she think of Grisha?  She told me that compared to others his age his is very bright and interested in EVERYTHING.  He asks more questions and figures stuff out more than the others.  He is very vocal and the care givers love him very much.  He doesn't have any special friends but plays well with everyone.  He is a nice boy.  I could have stayed and watched him all night from the doorway... The children were so cute and I told Elya that the one little girl would fit perfectly in my suitcase just for you Carala :) 
That's enough for now.  Elya and I will be celebrating her birthday over dinner and I hope to be in bed early because I am so exhausted... in a most excellent way.
Spa-coin-a   nochey
Stacey