Nicholas and Elena have been home for almost a year now. I can't believe how quickly the first year went.
At least once a day Nicholas comes to me and asks to watch his favorite video on T.V.
“Bears?” he says, one hand outstretched toward the television.
“Bears, please?” I correct.
“Bears, please!” He mimics.
What he calls “Bears” is actually an opening skit of an episode of Sesame Street that I taped off the air one morning. It opens with Baby Bear – from the storybook classic “The Three Bears” – helping Mama Bear run some errands.
“She needs my help carrying things these days because she’s pregnant,” Baby Bear says to the camera. “That means a baby is growing inside her not-so-wee little belly,” Baby Bear says
But when Baby Bear realizes this new baby is going to mean changes for the Bear family, he announces he doesn’t want his new brother or sister to turn the storybook-classic “The Three Bears” into “The Four Bears.”
“I like being an only child. I never have to share, my parent’s love, with anyone. This just doesn’t seem fair. I want us to be a perfect family, no other kid but me. Only one-two-three we’re as happy as can be – a perfect family,” he sings.
But Mama Bear has a different idea:
“What makes us perfect is the love we share. And parents have lots of love to give. We’ll still have love like we did before, but when baby makes four we’ll have even more. We’ll always be a perfect family. Adding one more to our three, means more love for you and me. … And when baby makes four they’ll be even more. And we’ll always be a perfect family.”
Finally Baby Bear agrees and he gets excited about becoming a big brother. Which is when Mama Bear's contractions start.
“Come here Baby Bear,” Mama Bear says as they get ready to drive off. “The next time I see you, you’ll be a big brother.”
In good all-inclusive Sesame Street, that skit is followed by a song talking about all the different types of families.
“Any group of people, living together and loving each other is living in a family.”
Throughout it all my son Nicholas stands in the middle of the livingroom, thumb in his mouth, staring at the TV. I am convinced he is trying to figure out how his family fits this story. It's like he somehow understands that he didn't start out in my tummy but somewhere else. He'll watch this episode over and over again trying to rectify his beginnings with the storybook beginnings.
And it's just in time. I'm pregnant.
(Gregory Michael was born 12/1/04 by emergency C-Section.)
2 comments:
I love you story. My husband and I had an unsuccessful trip 1 to Arkangelsk and we went to the same orphanage as the one in this story. It was heartbreaking but we are waiting on another referral and stories like this make me hopeful and not want to give up. How are your children doing now?
Thanks Laura. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. It makes me sad to hear you had an unsuccessful trip to Ark. I will keep you in my thoughts.
The children are doing great. Nicholas and Elena are 7 and in 1st grade (we kept them in preschool an extra year to give them a chance to catch up). They both are doing well. Their brother Gregory is now 4, but he thinks he's 7!
They all understand how our family came together. Lena is very interested in Russia and will from time to time ask about her birthmother. In fact, just yesterday when she and I were out shopping together she mentioned she didn't know her birthmother's name. So I told her. Niko doesn't show any interest.
Keep me posted on your adoptions!
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