Yes, Daniel is 4 years old despite his size.
Today we visited Daniel from about 9am-1pm. Anna was pretty tired and hungry by then! Daniel refused his meal with us again. I hope he is eating more for his caretakers. I am not worried about working through feeding challenges with him at home. But I do worry about him while he is here for the next months until we can get him.
Daniel does not look at our faces or look for touch for comfort. Perhaps because we are strangers. But I think more of this is because of the small amount of touch he’s received during his life. And the lack of a parent’s attention. We see a lot of growth and healing that we will need to help him with in order for him to feel safe and to trust us.
That he sings, and even sings real songs, is a treasure I did not expect. I only got one song on video today, but it is as sweet as the others. This song is an actual song, which our interpreter found for us and played for him immediately after he sang it.
We went to a restaurant for lunch and then the afternoon on the beach. The weather is beautiful and we are glad to be here. Tomorrow we will take him to get his Visa picture taken and then visit some more. Sometime we will interview a baba and hopefully like her. We think we will hire her to spend time with Daniel until we come for him. It is hard to trust a stranger with him. There is not a lot more to do! Just visit and sign papers. We’ll do a few more papers when we are home, but almost all the rest of the work is done here in his country. Papers, papers, then court, then another month of papers and then we pick him up. It will probably take 6 months. Hanging onto Jesus!
Sitting in the visiting room near the front door.
On the swing. Eye contact and personal space are not an immediately comfortable or desired thing for Daniel.
He made up a lot of games with the measuring tape I used to get some of his measurements with. He was more comfortable across from me than in my lap.
Little guy. Will be won over eventually by the big guy with the big heart next to him.
Warming up.
With our firstborn.
Something special about a daddy holding their child.
Daniel is not bothered by the sensory input of being in tickly grass.
He fit, so he got a ride!
Daniel liked to hold the tree branch!
Well, he didn’t just hold it. He grabbed on and shook it. Did mini pull ups and basically was a tiny lumberjack in training.
Part of our salad after a few bites were taken.
After lunch.
Getting some time on the beach!
The water is very comfortably cool.
There is soft sand… and sand with large crystals and small seashells.
For scale
This is my postcard picture.
On the swing with Mama:
He loved playing “fish” with Anna and giggled when she tugged on the end of the tape:
Sisters:
Adorableness:
Playing swords?
Singing a children’s song:
He’s so sweet. I just tear up watching him