Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News (Day 3)

Our first night together went well. Dylan woke up for two feedings, but otherwise slept a little over 12 hours. The hotel provided us with a bassinette cradle. It was nice having him right next to me and being able to gently rock him whenever he cried.

This morning we applied for Dylan’s passport and then went on to the clinic to have him examined by a doctor (a prerequisite to obtaining a travel Visa). He weighed in at a whoppin’ 10 pounds and is 61 cm long. The doctor acknowledged that he was malnourished, but otherwise gave him a clean bill of health. He discussed Dylan’s weight with us, and assured us that he would “catch up” with the right diet. We were not particularly concerned, as below-average body weight is commonly seen in orphanages. He is physically strong, despite his size, and is able to roll, get on all fours and lift his bottom, and scoot himself across the floor. He is not able to sit on his own. And emotionally, he is very responsive. He is bonding rather quickly and is taking everything in stride. He will stare into our eyes for several minutes at a time and will watch us walk around the room. Tonight at dinner, he was giggling so hard it brought tears to my eyes. I was making a simple gesture with one of his little teething rings, and when I touched his tummy he laughed out loud. I repeated it over and over and his giggle got louder and louder. At one point I began to laugh too, and then he laughed even harder at me. He melts me. Such a cutie-patootie!

This afternoon we booked our tickets to travel to Hanoi—where we will complete the Visa process. We are scheduled to leave HCMC on Saturday morning. We are hoping we will be able to complete our business and come home before the 4th of July holiday.