Day 5

This is also known as the day from hell with bits of sunshine here and there.  Last night our adapter started smoking and then smelled really bad.  Now it doesn't work...soooo:.. computer down!  We were able to get a different cord for the iPad because there is an Apple store on every corner but that means every post has to be typed on this tiny phone!  It also means no pics from the camera:(  but I will try to use the phone camera more.  We started out the morning with pure terror as he woke up and realized it was still the horrible people here and not his beloved Omma. He commenced operation "Stony Silence.". This is carried out by standing in the bathroom doorway and watching us.

 No moving, no facial expression, nothing. No matter what we did he didn't respond. Really freaky. Almost made me wish for the screaming and crying again. At least that was honest emotion and completely understandable. After about an hour he was lured out with Kka Kka (spicy shrimp crackers in this case) and apparently this is his weakness because we actually got a smile. This kid also has consumed a lot of soda in his small life. When he saw it in the fridge, he immediately started pointing in his mouth. I'm sure this will earn me Mom of the year points here, but I'm in survival mode and this is the first thing the kid has ever asked for. Yup, breakfast of shrimp crackers and coke it is!

 So we get dressed and in the carrier (screaming and pure terror while we strapped him into the thing) and the minute we get into the cab he's out like a light. We decided to not do any real sight seeing today. Mostly just a test drive to see if we could manage anything Friday. We took the subway down to Seoul Station, wandered around Lotte Mart, and came back.

 Nothing big or stressful. He was a trooper. I'm glad he slept through most of it. I'm from a small town and the area around Seoul station is not for the faint of heart. There were so many older men crouched on the ground surrounded by Soju bottles and litter. I imagine it's much like any rough neighborhood in cities like NY or Chicago. Anyway, just keeping it real. We had a pretty uneventful outting. He did freak out though when he woke up on the subway when we were almost home. It seems when he gets into a deep sleep and wakes up it hits him all over again. When we got off the subway Lee asked me if I noticed the nasty looks the two older women next to us were giving me. Thank goodness I was oblivious. Adoption by foreigners is not a popular topic here and while most Koreans are polite enough not to mention it, it doesn't always stop the dirty looks. Anyway.... This afternoon was rough. There seems to be a lot of grieving when he slows down and isn't distracted. We wandered around outside for awhile and then came back in to rest. We also went down and played in the play place in the basement of the apartment building.  Finally a place he LOVED!

He finally ended up eating and entire bowl of rice and seaweed. 

 Poor guy had to be starving but he had been rejecting anything we offered him. This seemed to open up the gates because after that we got giggles and playing and laughter. Whole new kid! 

Right now, I have to go clean up puffs because apparently he took that song "make it rain" literally and he's dancing around throwing puffs. Did I mention he's obsessed with "Girl's Generation"? It's hilarious! His foster mom wasn't kidding. It totally turns his mood around. Google them. Now. So funny!

Another thing he's obsessed with...Pororo.  It's a kid's cartoon here in Korea.  Even Jackson loves it.  I had come across it while learning Korean and downloaded a bunch of episodes and games on the Ipad for the flight.  His addiction to this Penguin is no joke. His foster mom warned us when we picked him up that he would go crazy for Pororo.  She packed him forks, spoons, chopsticks, stuffed toys, his backpack, even his sippy cup.  All with Pororo on it.  She even got him clothes for as he grows with Pororo on it.  Clear up until size 5.  It's true too.  He won't drink unless it's that cup.  He checks his spoon for the picture of this guy.  It's crazy!!