Randman's World

Charlie and Daddy had their first catch last night. Charlie figured out how to throw one of the rings from his ring and peg toy. So, Daddy began throwing it back to him. Pretty soon, a full fledged game of catch was occuring in the living room.

Then, amazingly, Charlie actually began catching the thrown ring. At first, it was mostly a case of catching the ring between his body and arms. Then, Charlie began catching the ring in his hands. The pride on his face when this happened was precious. And there was just a little pride on Daddy's face, as well.

Watch out, MLB. We've got a future ball-teamer here!

Kim is doing Charlie's lifebook, and we really didn't have any pictures of Charlie before our adoption. We had gotten one picture off of the Russian Adoption Database, but I didn't get copies of the photos that I was shown during my visit with the Ministry of Education, when they asked if I would like to see Charlie.

We wrote an email to Vika, our translator in Astrakhan, and asked if she thought she could help us get the photos. She wasn't sure, but she would ask Galena (our CHI representative) to see if she could ask.

Vika and Galena came through. We now have a true baby photo of Charlie, plus several others. Here is one of the two pictures I saw while at the Ministry of Education.

Then, the other photo of a caretaker holding Charlie when he is a bit older.

And here are a couple of bonus photos that Vika sent.

And lastly, the close up of one of the above photos that was used on the Russian Database Website.

To say we are excited to have these photos is an understatement. There are no ways to express our gratitude to Galena and Vika. Even 7 months after the adoption is finalized, they continue to help our family. God bless them both.

UPDATE: The more I have looked at these photos, the sadder they have made me. This little child I love so much, who runs around the house, laughing at everything, so full of joy, is not the same child in these photos. He is so dead in the eyes, so lacking in love and comfort. I truly wish I could have been there, to take him from that orphanage when he was an infant, and give him all the love he needed so badly.

But, now, I guess I have the next 17 years to make up for it. And I'll never stop trying.

Walt Disney's first animated cartoon character has rejoined the Disney family. Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit, was Walt's first successful cartoon character. Walt and Ub Iwerks animated Oswald in several cartoon shorts, which were distributed by Charles Mintz, representing Universal. Walt learned a valuable lesson from Mintz when he went to Mintz and asked for more money per film. Mintz told him that they were cutting his pay 20%, and if he didn't like it, they would take Oswald from him. Seems that the contract Walt signed with Universal gave them rights to the character.

So, Walt walked away from his creation. Mintz thought he had Walt over the barrel, but he was the first of many to underestimate Walt Disney. Walt went back to his studio, and developed a new character. A character that looked a bit like Oswald, but with smaller ears. Mortimer Mouse (who would later be renamed Mickey after Walt's wife, Lilly, didn't like the name.) Universal continued making Oswald cartoons for a few years, but it never took off like Mickey.

So, jump to present day. Bob Iger, the new President of Disney, heard that Oswald has regained popularity in Japan. So, he has his staff do some research, and finds that Universal still owns the rights to the character. Bob waits until he has something that Universal wants. What is that? Al Michaels. He wants to be freed from his contract with ABC so he can continue doing football on NBC, now that ABC has ended Monday Night Football. Iger makes the trade, but throws in one extra thing . . .he wants the rights back to Walt's first character. Al Michaels is traded for a cartoon character (and other concessions by NBC).

So, Oswald The Lucky Rabbit has come home. I'm really liking Bob Iger. I doubt Eisner would have thought a moment about something like this. But, Iger seems to get it. Disney is not just a corporation, it's a legacy. Perhaps they can make some more money on Oswald, but, in reality, it's just good to have him back where he belongs.

Charlie likes lima beans. Grandmama found this out yesterday. He liked picking them up, feeding himself. Who knew a kid would actually like lima beans? Normally, this is the attitude.

But he loved them.

So, we get him home last night, and are playing with him before dinner. Both Kim and I noticed that his belly looks bigger. Of course, we want him to put on weight, so we didn't think much of it. We had dinner, and he ate a little bit, but not a lot. So, I took him in the living room to play until bath time.

About 7:15, I noticed a smell coming from my child. I figured he had done a doodle, so I decided to bathe him early. I took him into his room, put him on the changing table, and he began screaming. The smell got worse! Then, I took his shirt off, and noticed his white t-shirt was not so white on the back.



The poor little guy had a case of explosive diarrhea.

I never knew that much stuff could be stored in such a little body. Needless to say, we quickly identified that he had eaten a lot of lima beans, and that many of them were swallowed whole.

So, after a quick clean up (of many other things besides Charlie), he was a happy camper, taking his bath and getting ready for bed.

I've heard of doing #1, and doing #2, but last night was definiately #3.

It's obvious that Charlie is really attaching to his mother. He runs to her, squealed last nigth when he saw her, and will grab her to go play. I understand that boys tend to favor their mothers, so, it's not bothering me too bad (note "too bad").

Last nigth, after dinner, I had Charlie in the living room, and was planning on giving him his bath and putting him to bed. Kim came in from cleaning up after dinner, and sat with us. 7:30 came, and Kim said, "Are you ready to give Charlie his bath?" Well, Charlie gets up, walks to his mother, grabs her hand, and walks her to the bathroom for his bath. I said, "I guess you're giving him his bath tonight!" Charlie had made his preference plain and clear. So, I sat and watched TIVO while Kim bathed him and put him to bed.

It's so much fun to see his personality come out, and to see him becoming his own little person. He has changed so much since coming here, and he is really becoming a normal little boy. I'm sure his first months were hard, leaving the only home he had known, and having these two strangers, who speak a different language, take care of him. But, with Grandmama and Grandpa's help providing daycare, he is really progressing great. We can't wait until he begins to talk, and then, I'm sure, we'll think back fondly to the days he didn't. We're still waiting on that first good, clear "Mama!"

Charlie has passed the final test. He has embraced Disney!

I had put Mickey Mouse in his crib during nap time today. He ignored him. But, tonight, I went in to check on Charlie, and found him sleeping with Mickey, almost hugging him in his sleep.

I took a quick picture, using the flash, but he didn't wake up.

Charlie has truly become a Tennison! Can't wait till September, when he gets to go to Walt Disney World for the first (of many) times.