First thing this morning we headed to a big supermarket to buy our supplies for the girls and a donation to the orphanage. The director had asked for juice so Mike and Neil filled a huge shopping cart completely with apple juice. The total bill came to less than $100 but I couldn’t believe how many containers we got. (about 30 huge containers) The orphanage was very happy with the donation so we were thrilled to do it. We also bought pampers and a ton of food, juice and milk for the girls. We also got this baby tea that they drink.
Heading to the orphanage we brought all of our gifts to give to the workers, doctors, director etc and the clothing and snowsuits for the girls to leave in. As soon as we got in the group workers took the clothing to dress the girls, I think they wanted to say their good byes privately to them. Once they brought the girls down they looked adorable in the Janie and Jack outfits Lulu got for them and I was thrilled that they fit both of them. We were able to say our goodbyes to the caregivers and even got a picture taken with them. We had a really nice good bye visit with the doctor who spoke on our behalf at our trial. We also gave our gifts and got may wonderful hugs and well wishes from the rest of the staff. It was almost about 12:30 when we were finally able to get them into their new snowsuits and take them away. Neil took a picture of us in front of the orphanage for the last time! 
Here are photos of us taking them to the hotel with us. Bye Bye Teremok!!!!!!! Paka...
We got them back to the hotel right around when they would normally be napping. We really tried hard to get them to nap but they were definitely over stimulated from the entire event. I am sure it is completely traumatizing for them to be taken away from everything they have known their whole life. Even though we have been visiting them for a number of weeks in a row, we were only able to play with them twice a day and did not have to feed, bathe or get them to nap. So, once they got to the hotel with us and realize we were not giving them back to their caregivers it must have been a shock.
We were finally able to get Danielle to nap for about an hour. Meredith would have no part of it. She was completely awake. Neil and Lulu were gems. They ran to the resturarant and got us lunch while we tried to calm the girls. By about 4 pm we fed them lunch/snack of cheerios, jarred applesauce. Danielle even took some milk in a sippy cup. We played with them and tried to relax in the room until dinner. We didn’t get down to the restaurant until 6:30 ish. The girls were excellent and behaved so well. They both ate great. We ordered semolina and Meredith loved it and ate it up. It is amazing how much that little girl eats. I do not know where it goes right now but I am thrilled to see her eat and hope they she starts putting on weight ASAP, she is all skin and bones right now. Danielle drank some of the tea out of a cup and we all around had a good time with them. The staff loved them too, and it was fun showing them off.
We got back up to the room and though their normal bed time is around 7 pm we did not get them to go down until 9:15. They both cried and cried and fought it so much. It is completely heartbreaking to not know what to do to sooth them. They would be soothed when we picked them up but they would then not go to sleep and want to play. So we had to try to sooth them while they were in the cribs (pack and plays). Not an easy task to sooth an institutionalized child on the first night away from the institution. We had to let them cry a little bit and they did do some rocking/self soothing. But finally they both got down. A couple times throughout the early night I heard and saw Meredith rocking a lot for about 15 seconds and then collapse right back down to sleep. Danielle pooped around 5 am and It stunk but I was afraid to wake her to change her for fear of her not going back to sleep. So, not sure if it was a horrible decision or not but I left her stinky for anther 2 hours. She was sound asleep.
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