First Meeting

We took off from the hotel this moring giving ourselves 45 minutes to get to holt by the subway. We had directions from the web forums that another mom had posted and they were AWESOME directions. We referred to them many times. I don't think we would have made it without them. As it was, 45 min for us was not enough. We did take a few wrong turns on the way and had to backtrack. The directions were right, we just didn't follow them to a tee, missed a part here or there. Then when we read them agian we got it right. Anyone waiting to go, print those off to take with you!!!
Anyway with our two wrong turns and having to wait a whole 5 min for one train, no clue what that was about, we ended up being 15 minutes late. We went inside and mistakingly went to the first floor. The guy there did not speak any english so we sat and waited. One foster mother walked in with a very large baby and we almost assumed it was Jack. He was waving like crazy at us and had a huge smile. So we waved back and smiled too. But this was not Jack. We were not dissapointed by this, but the pic we had of him was from 5 months and we thought he would be HUGE since he weighs 25lbs.
Next we saw another foster mother walk in. We noticed the back of her coat buldging. It kind of made her look like a she had a hump back. We smiled because we knew she had a baby under her wool dress coat. Her coat in the front was all buttoned up. We assued it was a small baby because it just doesn't seem physically possible to fit an older child under a coat like that. Later we learned that that bump was Jack!
We finally talked to a man in another office nearby and leared we were supposed to go to the second floor. So now about 20 minutes late, we sat and waited with Mrs. Lee for Jack.
I guess Jack was downstairs having a bottle before he came up. He didn't drink much of it because he was upstairs pretty quick. Well daddy got his wish as you can see. Jack's hair no longer sticks straight up. But oh is he ever cute! We think so anyway. We soon got to hold him but he was not very happy about it. He started to cry, but he didn't turn and reach for his foster mother, he just burried his head in my shoulder and snuggled in. When we knew we could not distract him with toys I handed him back to his foster mother who sat him next to her and Mrs. Lee gave him a snack. You can see he is pretty happy eating in some of the pictures. When we tried to play with him a bit he would start to pout. But after we exchanged gifts with the foster mother he had warmed up to us already. Let us hold him and play with him a bit. Still keeping Omma close by.
I asked Mrs. Lee to ask Jack's foster mother how many children she had fostered. Well it turns out she can't even remember the exact number. Somewhere between 35 and 40 children. I know from experience right there that I probably didn't need to ask half the questions I had lined up. An incredible woman who has cared for over 35 children, told me that Jack was an easy going guy. She told us he loves other kids, and when I asked about if she was concerned with any of his medical background she answered that he is perfectly normal. She thinks the doctor was overly concerned about nothing. I figure that a foster mother who has cared for that many children would know. We didn't even ask to see his back knee, or the tip-toeing at this meeting. Honestly we are not concerned about it. I am sure when we talk to the doctor tomorrow he will show us.
We took Jack down to see the doctor today too. He is getting his two top teeth, which may be the cause of his cold. Yep poor thing has a cold, is teething, and had some dirriah yesterday, but not today, and is fighting a diaper rash from the dirreah yesterday. Lucky I packed a whole baby pharmacy so I think we totally have these things covered. Plus have a couple days. The rash doesn't seem to bother him too much even when the doctor was examining it, he didn't cry.
Jacks foster mother said he is not shy with anyone but was with us a bit this morning and was tired at our meeting. He came down with his cold yesterday or the day before, and is cutting his top teeth. She says she thinks he knows something is coming. I belive she would know after all her experience.
I don't expect her to be super sad tomorrow. Sad yes, but not fall down greeving sad, which is a relief to us especially John. We have a pro on our hands so to speak. I wouldn't doubt if she took a new baby home with her tomorrow possibly. That doesn't mean she doesn't love Jack. Oh my you can tell she does, We got professional pictures from her of Jack, and tons of other pictures from the camera we sent, and from her personal camera as well. We got gifts from her on top of that as well. Some artwork for our home, and a hanbok for Jack.
Jack actually had two foster mothers and his first Foster mother actually saved us his umbilical chord when it fell off. She also sent to us his first set of clothes that he wore home from the hospital, she bought them herself, and made him a mobile by hand that she sent with him for us to bring home. We also have pictures of Jack that she took. We are so blessed by these two women!
We showed Jack pictures of Allie and Ethan and he was really interested in them, or maybe dad's credit card which was right by them. He did like the pictures though. I can't wait until we are all together as a family of 5.
We still don't know how things will go on the plane ride home. We are hopeful that his personality will make things a bit easier, but the cold and diaper rash may do us in. We have a few days before we leave so hopefully we can get that taken care of before we board.
We pick him up tomorrow at 10am. I origionally thought we met at 10am today and got him at 11 tomorrow but I somehow had switched that around. John randomly asked to read that email and caught the mistake so at least we were not as late today as we could have been. Yet we still go there before Jack so I think we were ok. I just kept picturing him there waiting for us but was glad that was not the case.
We left the meeting on a high. Perminate smiles were on our faces all though the subway. What an amazing day!
Oh and you probably wondered how we knew Jack was under the coat. We saw his foster mother outside walking down the street with her bump on her back. Jack looks like he has a full head of hair but actually is is bit like an old man in the back. I think it maybe from her coat. We treid to get a picture, but couldn't get the camera out while walking and she soon had crossed the street and was too far away. But I will never forget our/her little baby bump.