Day 3, the day we meet Oliver

Us in front of the orphanage!

On Monday morning we arrived in Kirov on the train around 8:00 in the morning. It was funny but none of us slept, everyone was awake with excitement and anticipation of meeting our children. We had been told we would go to the hotel to leave our luggage and then on to the orphanage. As I said there was a ton of luggage so the van was packed and they had an additional car for us. Don and I rode in the car with another couple on the snow packed streets of Kirov and it was lightly snowing. We went about 15 minutes and then down some snow banked side streets and came around a corner and I saw the orphanage. I announced that is where we were and the driver confirmed it. (Thanks Donna for showing me pictures so I could reconginize it!) The van arrived and we all went in to the orphanage which is old and worn but very clean. After we all settled in to the room they slowly brought in the children. Oliver and one of the girls were brought in but no one knew who they belonged to so they took them out and then brought them out and announced "Barr", which is Baer in Russian. I took him from the caregiver and he began to whimper and shed some tears. This is a wonderful sign! We didn't see another tear all four of our visits!

The room where we visited each day.

We spent time playing with him on the floor, just a ton of smiles and then went to talk to the director to have our questions answered. When she spoke to him he really listened and perked up for her. He just loves his thumb! He enjoys cuddling and makes wonderful eye contact with us. After a while he fell asleep while I rocked him on the floor. He loved the few toys we had and played on his blanket which had some rattles and things on it. We was so fun! We had to leave to check in to the hotel and drop off our luggage. We went in two groups. Don and I stayed back at the orphanage and three of us couples chatted while the others went to the hotel. It was nice to all sit and talk about how we were all feeling. We then went to the hotel and dropped our luggage. The lobby was very nice and one of the other gals and I commented that the hotel wasn't bad. All I can say is the lobby was very deceiving. The room was clean but very ancient and in Russian style with small cot type beds. I think it is a typical Russian hotel, not my cup of tea!

We then went on to lunch which was nice and we had soup, salad and main courses. It was different type of food, very simple. I had Pelmeni, which was good! They said the borscht was excellent but I dislike beets so I didn't try it. It was funny but Lena, our Kirov translator, asked "chicken, steak or fish" and then when asked gave us more descriptions. We all enjoyed chatting and we all were a in fog from lack of sleep. It is so hard to explain the range of emotions going through you! Don and I had already made up our minds and didn't need to contact our international adoption doctor but some families did and were not 100% sure like us. I cannot imagine what they were going through. We were so fortunate to know right away. Don said early on in the orphanage that he was sold!

We then returned to the orphanage and visited for many hours with the babies. Oliver fell asleep on Don. We had to write out his name so they could prepare the paperwork over night for us to sign the next day. We had already decided so long as it fit him (which we think it fits him to a T). Our only debate was the spelling of Maxim/Maksim and had decided however it was on the paperwork was how we would spell it. He had on his pajamas for the visit and was so cuddly! He and Don did the Donald Duck routine and he just smile, laughed and shook his back and forth at him. He loves Don's buttons and glasses!

Hotel Kirov (I don't know the real name) will be a post all by itself so more tomorrow!