Holiday Card
Jack thought the snowman was so cool. All he could say is, “Wow! Look at that!” π
Candy
Not the safest, we know…
But just ONCE around the block….S-L-O-W-L-Y! πΒ
Playing around!
I’m so glad Mommy and Daddy are back! I missed them!
I’m 2!
Happy birthday, Jack!
Mesmorized by Barney
And a chocolate chip cookie!
Still Smiling 4 the Camera
He understands, "Smile!"
We Miss U, Jack
We hope you are having fun with Oma!
We know you are cause she does the Wiggles WITH you. π
Happy Easter!
Jack LOVED the bunny!
Our King!
It’s so hard to believe that it’s been one year ago tomorrow that we met this little guy!
Before last March, we so worried about how we’d have a child, then scared about which child we’d get. Our lives seemed paralized and nothing seemed fair. But looking back, we know we were led in a perfect direction. We were taken care of. Sometimes it’s hard to have faith in the middle of hard situations, but we’ve learned that sometimes when it seems like the universe is throwing you a curve ball, it’s really just leading you down a different road. It was difficult to see at the time, but things were indeed working out perfectly. π
So tonight we’ve been reminesing. A year ago, we were anxiously sitting in the hotel room in Kotlas having a beer. We ate those “jelly donuts” that turned out to have WHOLE FISH in them. (Well, I took a bite, screamed, and threw it after seeing that fish face staring at me. π ) The next day we met with the doctors and walked down some hallway to a room and they opened the doors and there was Jack, looking up in his pink outfit with a princess on it…looking up like he recognized us. Β Perfection. π
Jack in the Box
C'mon… You KNEW that was coming at some point! π
FLORIDA!
We just got back from our first vacation together as a family.
Jack busy at the Beach in Florida:
Jack really enjoyed Florida. He loved, loved, loved the beach and the pool. He as no fear of the water. π He probably would have even stayed in all day, every day if we would have been willing. Jack and his cousins, Michael and Joey, had fun playing together every day. Jack was also happy to spend some time with Papa and Dada. Jack loves men. It’s funny – it’s like he really gets a kick out of Erik’s friends or his uncles.
No fear….
Jack did really well on the plane and started to watch DVDs (or should we say AΒ dvd) just in time. We swore we’d never let our kids watch Barney – but here we are …. watching it as I write! π (It’s the ONLY video he’ll sort of watch as he runs around.) Erik had little patience for Jack pushing buttons on the DVD player and the ‘engineer’ in him came out. (see below π )
Michael must be thinking, “Dude ~ what’s wrong with your DVD player?” π
It was a nice week and especially nice to get away from both houses! (Yep, STILL both. π¦ ) …but at least we don’t have any more work to do with the old one. Thank you to everyone btw who helped us move things around! Especially Todd and Kenny – we really appreciated your help!!
Anyway, it was great to get away and get some sunshine!Β
Cousins messing around at the airport:
Jack and Cousin Joey
Back in the cold!! (Jack was shocked at the cold after a week in Florida! Part of the reason may be the fact that he came home in shorts. Poor guy threw up for the first time all over his jeans once we got to the airport in Sarasota to come home. He must’ve thought no jeans = no cold! Have to stay in Florida if all I have is shorts to wear.) Hmmm…I wish it worked that way!Β 
Our baby is really starting to look like a little boy!Β
Happy New Year!
Just a little video of what we’ve been up the past few months. Hope you like it…
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How Do We Spell Relief?
S-O-L-D
Yes – you read that correctly! We had our home inspection yesterday. Now we have this in our front yard:
What a great feeling!! All this from some woman who was walking by and not looking for a house, but then decided she just had to have ours last Monday! (We were happy to oblige.)
We don’t have to be out until January 11th, but the plan is to start to move soon….today? Tomorrow? We want to be out (and in) by Christmas and to FINALLY be able to be ‘normal’ in the new house. Today was our FIRST day NOT for sale and we are taking full advantage! You should see our living room. We’ve made NO effort to put ANYTHING away today. Jack’s toys are still out…it’s so much easier to have a toddler and a house not for sale. Today we didn’t even cringe if he touched the dishwasher or fridge or got food on the floor because….we can clean it L-A-T-E-R… when we want to because nobody is coming over today – at least nobody who doesn’t already know us. The ‘real’ us. π And get this…we may even have FISH for dinner!
We’ve gotten much, much neater as a household through this ordeal, and we don’t intend to let the pendulum swing completely the other way and turn into utter pigs… maybe just on Sundays, but it is liberating to be able to sit in this mess and not care. π I know we’ll put it all away later, but we can actually go to the grocery store tonight and leave everything as is because we won’t have a showing while we are gone.
And…get this – another bonus came with selling the house, last night we actually got to go shopping. Since we didn’t know what house we would be living in (and oh yeah, two mortgages and adopting from Russia made things just a little tough. π ), shopping had almost become nonexistant for the past year except for maybe a stop at Kroger….how I’ve missed shopping….for things other than food….
Last night we bought mirrors for our new bathrooms. Doesn’t that sound exciting?? Actually it was great fun. I think even for Erik:) (Okay, I just reread those 2 sentences. Do I sound old or what?? – did I actually just say it was fun to shop for bathroom mirrors on a Saturday night??)
Wow. π
On the way into the store, Jack was in his first snowfall. He looked up at the sky and opened his mouth. He thinks snow is great fun!
One thing Jack does not think is great fun is getting stuck in the toy box. Earlier today we heard crying by the toy box and after rounding the corner, we were greeted by this sight:
Of course we helped the poor guy out…..(giggling the whole time to ourselves.)
The Christmas Card
Having a baby brings a whole other element to sending out Christmas cards. In the past, we’ve just looked for humorous or cute cards. But now that we have a child…. he should be on the card, right??? And it should be easy. Just take a cute picture. Put it on the card. Kids always cooperate………….right??? Scary!
Here are some of the pictures that didn’t make the cut:
“What the Heck Are You Guys Doing?”
Amish Santa
Gandalf Santa (Lord of the Rings)
Neil Diamond Santa – (a.k.a. – Hairy Chest Santa – all I need is a gold chain)
Shaving Cream Santa
That’s It! We’re finished! It’s Attack of the Crabby Santa!
So after a lot of effort we took finally got the “perfect” spontaneous, candid picture – this is the kind of stuff people only do with their ‘first’ kids, right? π
Jack’s Baptism
Jack’s baptism was today. Just a few pictures from the day:
1. Jack, Mom, Dad, and Godparents Uncle Todd and Aunt Amy.
2. Out to eat with my grandmas
3. Being Silly with Cousin Michael
4. Getting Tired
5. What a Party!
Happy Halloween!
Jack’s New Friend Waiting For Crumbs
Did you know cats will eat string cheese and beg for bologna?
Jack’s Lifebook
Welcome Lucy!
So we went to the Humane Sociecty and got Roy another friend to play with. It’s not Archie and we’ll miss him lots. Leroy purred when he saw her. Cats are supposed to hiss. She’s super friendly and her and Jack will pass a ball back and forth. Jack is pretty curious about this new kitten and she’s equally curious of him. He’s the first cat that has actually come up to Jack! π
Good Thing About Kids…
Cheesy shirts!
We Will Miss You Archie
On Sunday, October 21st, Jack was scheduled to be baptized. About two hours before we walked into the bedroom to find Archie Arch laying on the floor yelping in pain. We immediately left to go to the emergency vet. Archie had a mass on his liver and was in a lot of pain. We didn’t know about the mass. The first time I felt it was when I picked him up that morning. That was also the first time I noticed how light he felt. Now, Arch is around ALL the time and the previous had been begging for turkey or chicken or tuna everytime we opened the fridge. Also he usually comes and lays on us – so maybe that’s why we didn’t notice that he lost 6 lbs. 6 lbs since March. We felt horrible. I’d lift Jack and Archie who weighed about the same when we brought Jack home – both 18 lbs. As the summer went on, I thought Jack was gaining weight and that’s why he felt heavier than Archie. Anyway, we had to put Archie to sleep. He was in so much pain. They said that cat oncologists could help sustain his life for maybe another year. We rescheduled the baptism for November 4th. Leroy is so sad. He is hiding under the bed and won’t come out. We’ll all miss you Archie.
All Dressed Up
Jen
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Why Do Men Think They Can Fix Everything With Tape?
Here is Jack’s favorite toy:
Here is the drum that is still Jack’s favorite toy even after Erik “fixed” it:
(Apparantly, Jack banged it on the wood floor one too many times…:) )
What a Summer!
It’s almost time for me to go back to work. (a week from Monday) Wow! Time flies! What a summer we’ve had. Erik and I were talking of all of the things we’ve learned this summer about being parents. Here’s our top 10 list. (Thanks, Dave. π )
10. No matter how well you THINK you’ve cleaned your child, once you get out in public, you will ALWAYS notice something you missed – maybe lasagna in an ear or even yogurt smeared in his hair.
9. Baby poop comes in a RAINBOW of unimaginable colors and consistencies.
8. Speaking of that subject, it’s amazing how someone else’s poop schedule can affect your daily schedule in such a profound way.
7. Cats will eat hot dogs if they are cut up and thrown on the floor.
6. We left half of our brain cells in Russia. I can go to a meeting, forget to bring paper and a pencil to take notes with, but still have a pacifier and a Little Swimmer in my school/work bag.
5. You can buy a baby all kinds of fancy toys, but it doesn’t mean he will play with them. Outlets (even those covered), remotes, an open dishwasher, cell phones, that little springy doorstop thing, or even a plastic bowl will always be more fun.
4. No matter how well you vacuum the floor, your child will always find that one little piece of fossilized cheese from weeks ago and eat it.
3. Babies never get tired of “Daddy Rides”.
2. Without warning, babies think it’s perfectly okay to give off an ear piercing, startling, scare-all-the-old-people, happy squeal even in the quietest of public places.
1. That three months later we would “graduate” from feeling like Aunt Mom and Uncle Dad to just “Mama” and “Dada.”
Continued Progress
Last week Erik and I went on a little vacation. His work pays for a trip out east and wives are encouraged to come. Since his work has been so great about giving him time off to go to Russia and time off afterwards, we thought it important that I go. I was very hesitant in doing so because of the bonding process, but Erik did just start this job the second week of May and so we need to make a good impression there too. He left for Russia after only two weeks of being there – and they gave him paid time off. We are lucky they have been so family-oriented.
Jack stayed with Nana Joyce and Papa Mike two nights and then with his Oma Ingrid two nights. Split equally! π I was really nervous about leaving him and was afraid he would forget us, but as it turned out when we picked him up on Friday we were greeted with a big smile! Even though we really missed him, it turned out to be good for everyone as Jack bonded with his grandparents and Erik and I could have some time together.
Also we are finally seeing this week that Jack has, in fact, bonded to us. We went to the grocery store and as we walked in a cashier said, “Oh how handsome! Can he have a sucker? Is he too young?” I replied that he was too young and gets all sticky. As we were checking out this nice lady came back and tried to talk to him and Jack turned to reach for me to protect him. π (She got really close; π ) I know that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it is. He sees me as someone he can trust and as someone who will protect him. He no longer is going to just any adult.
This week we were also at a playgroup. This is the second time we’ve been with this group of kids/adults. The first time he went around to many adults and begged for food or would let them play with him. This time, this week, he only wanted ME! π He only came to me for food or to be picked up. He does the same with Erik and it’s so nice to see and it helps us really feel like his mom and dad. We are now this baby’s preferred “go to” people! How cool is that??! π
It’s been amazing since watching him learn all kinds of things. He knows how to kiss and hug. He can do “jazz hands” which is really funny. He did it in the car to “Copacabana”. He can stand for about 10 seconds and took his first step yesterday. He’s just amazing to watch!
Because of all of this, even though we haven’t sold the house just yet, we’ve decided that I’m going to wait to go back to work until October 1st. Financially this was a tough decision to make, but I’m just not ready to let someone else care for him a majority of his day. I’m not sure I’ll be ready in October either, but at least we’ll have an extra month of MOM time under our belts!
Good News!
The adoption agency reimbursed us for our last minute tickets! This is such a relief! We talked to the director of the agency last week and she agreed to cut us a check for the full amount! Cashed it yesterday. π
Sometimes You’ll Do Anything
To Entertain a Baby! Halloween came early for Erik this year upon my return from the grocery store. Every time Jack laughed Erik called him a weirdo. Yep,JACK is the weirdo.
Cookie: 99 Cents. Smile: Priceless.
Baba, Nana, Mama, Dadaβ¦all words Jack can say now. Mama is still food. Dada is still both of us. Nana and Babaβ¦he can repeat. Heβs making more sounds. But the biggest deal this week has to do with his UNDERSTANDING of words. His understanding of English has improved so much! I knew something was missing, but I couldnβt put my finger on itβ¦. Weβd talk to Jack and heβd look at us and heβd smile if we DID something goofyβ¦but still I felt like there was something missing. Then Monday it all came together….
We were coming home from the mall and with the forward facing car seat, he now falls asleep during all rides over 15 minutes. This was a 20 minute ride and Iβve learned that falling asleep in a car seat can equal NO NAP and lots of crying the rest of the day. He wonβt fall asleep in his crib if he sleeps in the car seat. Even if he just sleeps in the seat for 10 minutes or so – no nap. So in the mall, I kept thinking, βWhat can I do so he doesnβt fall asleep on the ride home?β Then I thought, βFood! Jack loves food!β And I know this wonβt win me any mother of the year awards, but listen, I needed food that would entertain, food that is tasty, food that will keep him awake the whole ride home and would allow him to take his nap that afternoon and allow ME to take a nap that afternoon. He’s fallen asleep with goldfish in his mouth. I needed something better than goldfish. Better than Cheerios. So I bought him a cookie. And you know what – the cookie worked! He savored that cookie the entire ride home and never fell asleep. At one point, I turned to the backseat to look at him when stopped at a light. I said, βJack, isnβt that GOOD?!β Jack gave me the biggest smile. Then it occurred to me, this was the first time he smiled, not because of something I did, but because of something I SAID. He was understanding ENGLISH. And that was the best feeling! So worth the cookie. Weβve said βIsnβt the good?β about everything weβve fed him. Just a habit, I guessβ¦ Weβve said it about peas, bananas, chicken, everything. He finally understands what we’re saying and that cookie WAS good – for BOTH of us! π
The rest of the week we noticed other words he now knows too. For instance, Iβd say βlookβ and his head would turn or Iβd say βblah, blah, CLAP, blah, blahβ and heβd clap. I didnβt have to demonstrate. Once I said, βSmile for mama.β And he didβ¦I got a giant smile!
We’re understanding each other! How awesome! How fun!
Hugs
This past week Jack has discovered he likes hugs – even sharing one with Elmo.
It’s Over Already? I Could Do This All Night!
CAN I GO BACK IN?
The Italian, The Movie
picture: Sony Classic/The Italian Website
Tonight we finally had the opportunity to rent “The Italian”. It’s a movie about a six year old Russian orphan who is about to be adopted by an Italian couple. The boy, Vanya, runs away from the orphanage after taking papers from his file to go and find his birth mother. He does this after another boy tells Vanya if he ever changes his last name, his mother will never be able to find him.
It’s an interesting movie and one we included a link to at the right. The backdrop of the movie is pretty accurate – at least compared to what we saw while there. We watched remembering those minty green walls, the roads full of potholes, the cold, and the women wearing short skirts and tall heels even though it was freezing. Another interesting note is the movie takes place during the same time of year we went to Russia. It looks as if the Italian couple make their first trip in late winter and then return in late spring.
While most of the set of the movie was extremely accurate compared to what we saw while we were in Russia, we are not sure about the actual orphanage. Once children turn four they move out of the ‘baby home’ which is supposed to be a medical facility and where Jack lived. Once four, children move to an educational facility and this is where Vanya lived. We wonder if this is not unlike the orphanage Jack’s birthmother grew up in.
The movie does a good job describing all of the social layers and complexities that exist – all of the orphans…the new mothers who give up their babies every day. In our experience, it is also accurate with regard to how people treat each other in Russia. We noticed while we were there that people are much ‘gruffer’ with each other than here. There is no mincing of words. Rarely are people polite. It’s “an every man for himself” attitude – even getting off an airplane. People don’t let the row ahead of them go first. Everyone rushes to the middle. People cut in line like crazy. Towards the end of our second trip, we finally just cut in front of the people who cut in front of us at the food stand or in the grocery store… they didn’t seem to mind….it’s just how it is.
In the movie children smoke – we did not see that, but we did see a child who looked to be about 9 pull a pint of vodka out of his coat pocket while playing soccer in Moscow.
What the movie DID do is make us think about Jack’s mom. In the beginning there is a birthmother who longs for her child that she abandoned a few years before. She arrives too late – after he has been adopted. For the first time, I really thought about Jack’s birthmother and what she could be going through. I wonder if she thinks of him. I wonder if she longs for him. I wonder if she’ll ever try to get him back – she can’t, but I wonder if she’ll ever try. What would she think if she knew her son is living in America?
The orphanage in the movie made us wonder if that was what her life was like for 18 years. She was four when the Soviet Union was dissolved. I don’t know if foreign adoptions took place before that. We think it was probably unlikely and people aren’t as likely to adopt a child that is four, five, six, ten – an older child. Did she ever really have a chance? We were told she lived in a clean apartment, but the apartments in the movie are nothing like what we have here. And the older teenage kids at the orphanage – what kind of life will they have when they get out? Perhaps it was very brave for her to give up Jack. Perhaps that’s just me making excuses to make myself feel better. Who knows what the situation really was for her. I can’t imagine how she feels, but I bet she thought about him on his birthday and then again on the 28th of the June – the day she decided to put him up for adoption. I thought of her on those days. For the first time, I see how important it is to include Jack’s birthmother in his lifestory. He needs to know what we know. It’s part of his identity. I haven’t shared it all here (for his privacy) and we are lucky to know so much. If he wants to contact her, he can try. If he wants a picture, we have that too.
The movie also made us wonder about his birthfather for the first time. For the first time, I also COMPLETELY understood why the doctor in the U.S. was SO positive about Jack’s health when she found out his birthmother was young and he was her first. I can totally see how being the second, third, fourth pregnancy may cause issue for health concerns. How depressing to have to keep giving up your children. Why would you even care what you do when you are pregnant if you know they are not yours to keep? I don’t think I would be in my right mind thinking of long term effects and what not.
As the credits rolled, we looked at each other and said, “Five minutes ago we thought this was a good movie.” The ending was contrived for the Russian public and was clearly a statement regarding foreign adoptions, but that didn’t really matter – again it was the middle that mattered….the struggle of the people in Russia, the attitudes, the landscape, that allowed us to really think about things – in the comfort of our own home…it also made us feel really lucky to have Jack and to have had so few problems in our own lives, in our country….
It’s the Little Things that Make a Difference
Like a forward facing car seat….having a whole month go by to get to know each other….
A month ago today we came home. Things are good. Jack is still doing really well. We’re letting him bond with grandparents now – we feel like he knows who we are. Yesterday I put him down for nap and I heard him saying, “Da Daa! Da Daaa!” So I went over to see what he was looking at and he had his little album that we left the first time we met him at the orphanage. He was looking at a picture of Erik. π We both get big smiles when he hasn’t seen us for a little while…when I’m at the gym or Erik is at work….something he doesn’t do for everyone. He’s happy to see us. He sighs a “happy sigh” whenever we pull in the driveway.
There are so many little things that he’s learned this month and that we’ve learned about him. A few minutes ago he held his own bottle for the first time, he helps get himself out of the straps of the car seat, can stand for a few seconds, and he’s familiar with so many new foods that aren’t so new anymore. I think back to a month ago and it’s through all of the little things that we’ve learned about him that have helped us bond to him. I used to get anxiety whenever I’d hear him cry. Now I know the difference between the “I’m annoyed” cry and “I’m tired” cry versus him being really hurt. Now when I hear the “eh eh ehh” over the monitor I just think, “just wait two minutes -he’ll be back asleep.” And he does. Moms know these things about their kids. π Also, he doesn’t wake up in the middle of the night anymore either – he really seems to know where he is. He’s doing great sleeping by himself. I went to wake him up yesterday from a nap and found him just sitting up in his crib smiling looking around his new room.
One of the most fun parts for me has been watching Erik learn about babies. Erik has only held one baby (my nephew) and that was because we made him hold him. π Erik was always afraid of babies. He said he dropped a video camera once and has been afraid to hold valuable things since! Erik has gotten so comfortable with Jack. It’s fun to watch the Daddy-Jack time they have whenever Erik comes home from work. Jack gets to fly around the house (with the help of Erik) and really have a chance at catching Archie or he gets to go on the “Demon Drop” (like Cedar Point). Jack loves to bounce and fall and fly and have his stomach drop. He’s really attaching to Erik. It’s good to see. He’s also testing Erik which is funny for me to watch. It’s interesting because he doesn’t do this with me yet. When Erik feeds him there’s a lot of dropping of food on the floor and then watching for dad’s reaction and then when dad picks it up, Jack throws more food at Erik. It’s hard for me not to laugh, I have to go in the other room. I’m letting them work out that power struggle by themselves.
It’s amazing how a baby can make everything seem better. Even when things are tough, he can lighten everyone’s mood just by being here. Today has been a sad day – Erik’s grandma is not doing so well. She told me a couple of years ago that she would be around until Erik had a baby. I took Jack to meet his great grandma, perhaps for the only time and to help his grandma get through today. She lit up when she saw Jack. Erik lit up when he saw Jack. Something about just watching a baby play that makes things a little better.
And things continue to get easier and better…:)I finally feel relaxed around him this week and I finally feel like it’s really summer and realize that I’m not working. I’m hoping we sell our house soon so that I can stay home an extra month in the fall and have some extra time to just be a “normal” family who didn’t just get home from Russia. Just a normal family having fun in the summer…with one house…
Lastly, we’re still waiting to actually speak with someone at the Adoption Associates who can actually reimburse us for those last minute tickets we had to purchase in Moscow. The director of the agency called us at the end of the day on Friday to tell us she could speak with us on the 17th. She wants us to go all the way to Jenison to meet, but we don’t want to do that. Erik started his job about two weeks before we left for Russia and has used much of his vacation time. In addition we’d have to leave Jack with somebody for the day. The director won’t come to Farmington Hills where we initally had a consultant. We’ll see what happens with the phone call next week. We’ve had to talk a lawyer and we’ve written the news stations. We had one of the stations write us back and ask for more information so we sent them more detail of what happened…we are determined to get that money back.
Push me, Dada!
Immunizations make babies crabby, right? Really crabby, right? I think I heard that somewhere… For the next 33 hours (yep, we counted the hours) after the doctor he was like a different kid. An EXTREMELY ornary kid. At the grocery store Erik was looking for us and when he found us all he could say was, “My God! You mean THAT NOISE was OUR baby?” Yep. Our Baby. It was the shots though, right??
Today, Happy Jack was back. (phew) And he REACHED for Erik to pick him up when my parents stopped over. I know. I know – that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but in the world of attachment, it is a very good sign! π
Congratulations, dada….one month ago today!
Article about Kotlas
Just wanted to quickly share an interesting article about Jack’s birth city, Kotlas.
http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/4036394.html
Also I’ve included some links (on the right side) to other information regarding different subjects such as: adopting from Russia, the process, how much it costs, bonding, attachment, lifebooks, etc. Some of the links answer questions you’ve asked, some are just links that we are personally finding helpful right now.
Good News!
The good news for the day is we went to the doctor and all of Jack’s tests have come back as normal! We are seeing a pediatrician that is very familiar with international adoptions. Poor Jack had to get three vials of blood drawn last week….poor mom had to collect 6 vials for a stool sample….dad collected some urine….:) Anyway, he needed to be tested for lead, TB, STDs, proteins, parasites, etc. and it all came back good! That is a weight lifted off! π
The doctor also asked how he was doing with regards to bonding and I told her that I think he’s doing well. (Erik and I finally did go see that movie btw, and I know he had fun at Oma’s, but was happy to see us when we got back. He only wanted us to hold him once we came back – good sign – maybe there’s another movie in our future?) She also said that she was impressed with his eye contact and that he liked to be touched. She said that she’s worked with quite a few children adopted from Russia and that many of them have sensory issues. We are lucky that Jack doesn’t seem to have any problems so far. He’s cautious at first, yet very social.
He’s also gained a pound putting him at about 15% on the growth chart. He loves all the food we’ve introduced so far (except peaches) and we’ve found that none of the allergies they told us he had in Russia hold true. (or else he grew out of them) You may remember they said he’s allergic to milk, chicken but not turkey, juice from green apples but not red, etc. Because of all of his allergies, they were only feeding him porridge, ground beef mixed with instant potatoes and water, one bottle of formula a day, and drinkable yogurt 3-4 times per week at the orphanage. The pediatrician said that this is also common for children she’s treated from Russia – the allergies just aren’t there or else they’ve grown out of them.
Anyway, he’s doing so well developmentally for being institutionalized his first year of life that she was wondering if he is perhaps a month or two older than they said. We have his birth certificate, but I guess it’s possible. Any of my friends and my sister who have seen him, say he is doing what their boys have done at the same age.
I’m just amazed and happy that things have turned out okay. Last October we had to go to a “Risks” meeting to go over the risks of adopting internationally. What a scary meeting. I couldn’t sleep after that meeting. They talked about the strong possibility of fetal alcohol, various diseases, delays, kids not attaching, major behavior issues, all kinds of things. It almost scared us away from going forward…
Glad we followed our guts and took the plunge! :)Maybe we’ll do it again…:)
So, Why is it Cool to Gel My Hair on My Birthday, Dad?
Jack had his first birthday party yesterday. Jen made two cakes for him (one just for him to mess up) and he ate most of the frosting and bit into the cake like a dog. It was pretty funny and he needed a bath because he had frosting everywhere. It was nice having the family there to help him celebrate. Even in the short time that weβve had him, I think Iβve noticed him get bigger. I feed him breakfast and he can take down about 360 calories. Thatβs pretty impressive. Heβs really good in the morning and I enjoy this time with him. I think he has gotten stronger as well. Erik
It’s the Middle that Counts
Weβre all still getting to know each other and every day things get better. We are learning his personality and that makes things much easier. We understand the different cries and what he needs. Jack is making eye contact with everyone and is such a social baby. He watches everything.
There are also more signs that he is attaching to us. I needed to go the dentist on Thursday and so needed to drop him off his grandma and grandpa’s for about a half hour. He was fine while I was gone, but after I got back, he’d get fussy if I left the room to get something to drink or go to the bathroom. He didn’t want me to go anywhere again. That’s a good sign. He also loves playing with Erik and sitting with him. Things have been going so well, that Erik and I are going to try and see a movie on Sunday afternoon. He’s going to hang out with his other Oma. (Grandma in German)
Also, I appreciate everyone who wrote to us regarding the βattachingβ post. It was good to see that I was normal about the attachment process and that it’s hard even for people who actually give birth. At times, itβs been difficult, especially at the end of last week – hence no posts. Weβve wanted a baby for so long and just kind of figured that once we brought him home it would all be good. Weβd be happy. Truth is itβs a huge adjustment, even with the best baby. I found myself feeling bad wishing I had more time with Erik or by myself. I know itβs not a politically correct thing to say that I didnβt just instantly feel like a mother, but it’s true. It takes time. The good news is Erik and I are so much further ahead (in our minds) than we were that night in Moscow when Jack was screaming. I remember Erik and I asking each other, “Is this really what we’re supposed to do forever?” But that was just a bad day. Things are much better now. Erik and I are starting to call dibs on who gets to wake him up now, stuff like thatβ¦we’re excited to wake him up in the morning and spend time with him, but there are still moments. Erik keeps reminding me that we are still just beginning. He keeps saying, “Beginnings are always scary. Endings are always sad. It’s the middle that counts. Just relax and take things day by day.”
Jack’s presence has also drawn attention to Fritz’s absence (Erik’s dad). Another sad ending that is still too new. That has made us sad these past couple of days. Having his first birthday without Fritz was hard. But when we’re sad about that we just have to look up at Jack who is usually doing something cute or funny and that makes things easier. Last night we went out to dinner for sushi and as we left we noticed that Jack has one grain of rice perfectly placed half in and half out of his nose. That made us laugh…and the waitress laugh. Wish I had my camera…
Doctors
One of the interesting things with International adoption is all of the things you need to do once you get home. Weβve spent the last few days gathering documents to get a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport (proof of citizenship β currently he has a Green Card β which isnβt green btw, it looks like a driverβs license. ο ), and going from doctor to doctor. Next week, we go back to the doctor to see if heβs gained any weight. He feels like he has and he looks longerβ¦. He got his blood drawn Thursday and did awesome. Three vials and didnβt seem to care! ο Heβs also being tested for parasites because he drank water in a foreign country and his blood is being tested for lead levels, etc. Poor kid has been poked and prodded a lot lately. Yesterday he is has circumcision consult. (Ironically the doctor is Dr. Richard which makes us laugh.)
Jack has been adjusting quite well. Heβs a happy little guy. Since heβs moved to his new room, heβs woken up twice during the night. It was a different kind of cry and so I went up after a few minutes. He just needed to be held for a couple of minutes and look around the room and see where he was and then he fell back asleep. I wonder if heβs waking up and expecting to see the other babies from the orphanage.
Ma-Ma, Da-Da
We’re getting there! Jack has learned to say those two words!! Those two ultra-important, life-changing words – Mama and Dada! Now we just need to get him to understand what the two mean. I was sooo excited the first time he said, “ma-ma.” (which is more like “muh-muh”) When I was about to give him a bottle yesterday he said “mama”. I was excited. Then, I fed him the bottle and he looked up into my eyes, smiled, and said, “Dada.” He thinks “ma-ma” is food! He now says it EVERY time WE feed him. And he calls Erik and ME “dada.” (LOL) We’re definitely still going to work on this….:)
Anyway, our computer likes me today! It’s letting me post the entire video we made for Jack to document his homecoming!(The one that includes scenes from the ‘delivery room’-ha! ha!)See the top of the right sidebar.
Trip Two Photos
Attaching
We started this blog because we wanted family and friends to understand what itβs like to adopt. Once we decided we were adopting, we found that there were people who were curious and asked us all kinds of questions. Then there were also people who wanted to ask about it, but were afraid to or didnβt know where to start or what to ask and so they just said nothing. They seemed uneasy around us all of a sudden. We also didnβt want to bombard uninterested people with our story and so we wanted a place where people could go check out what was going on if they wanted to.
Adopting is such a weird way to become a parent. Everyone understands the pregnant way, but the adopted wayβ¦.well thatβs just strange for some people. Throughout our travels today we had two different sets of people tell me how much Jack looked like me. I just smiled β I mean I guess he does, we have the same coloring. But it was the next comment that made me uneasy. After they said he looked like me, they added βYouβd never know he was adopted.β I had to bite my lip so I didnβt respond with, βWhy? Is that such a bad thing?β Another conversation happened tonight when a woman, whom I just met tonight btw, asked how old Jack was and then some questions that I couldn’t answer. I explained that we’ve only been together for a short time, that we just brought him home from Russia. The lady proceeded to tell me about other people being infertile. Why is it always assumed that adoption is second best or what people resort to only after they can’t have their own? Even with regard to work, technically if it wasn’t summer vacation, I would’ve had to go back this past Monday. My time would be up. If I actually gave birth, I’d have an additional 2-4 weeks paid to spend with Jack. How can this be seen as fair?
Iβm finding that adoption has a stigma. Maybe people automatically think about the poor baby whose mother gave him up and feel sorry for him. So many people have told us how lucky he is to have us. He is. But we just as lucky, if not luckier to have him. Adoptive parents have the same feelings towards their children as biological parents. I remember the first time I saw him like it was yesterday. I was in my classroom, the class was gone, and myself and another teacher were leaning over my computer. I remember moving the mouse to click on the picture. But once I saw it, I knew. Erik says he did too. Just like biological parents know the moment they first see their child that their child belongs to them.
The biggest difference, I think, is in the bonding process. When youβre pregnant I think you feel your baby moving and start to attach to that little thing inside. It causes you to stay out of harms way, make better choices, stay safe, and eat healthier when you are pregnant. When the baby comes out, you might even recognize some of his or her movements and remember when he or she did that inside of you. I could be wrong, but I think that the bonding process for biological mothers begins during pregnancy. After birth, you are all the baby knows and he looks to you to continue to supply him food, etc. She recognizes you voice, your smell.
With adoptive children, especially those who have lived in an orphanage, they have been fed by many people. Jack had an entire 11 months of life experiences before joining us. Because of this, there are special measures that have to be taken to assure bonding and attachment takes place. These children have been cared for by so many different caregivers, that many of them have trouble forming attachments and this can lead to many behavior issues later in life.
Thatβs why weβve been venturing out slowly. The pediatrition yesterday stressed to me again that’s it’s most important grandparents stay away because they will want the baby to bond with them. Theyβll do things like try to feed him and want to walk around holding him. Jack needs to see us as his sole providers. This has been hard for our parents, but we are so happy they are respecting this need that we have. It makes it harder on us too, because unlike biological parents, we cannot have help from our parents. Not now, anyway. Not yet.
I can see Jack is starting to bond with me. He looks for me when I leave the room and just wants to be held or even just lay down together. Heβs different than many other kids his age in this way. He can spend an hour just sitting and having Erik or I rub his back. After our day yesterday, he didnβt want to have anything to do with Erik once he came home from work. I know that Erik felt bad, but this was actually a very good thing. His screaming and crying when Erik picked him up and walked away showed he is attaching to me. It shows that Jack IS ABLE to attach. This is important.
I like our little routine we have going. The past two days Erik has fed him breakfast and played with him while I got a little extra sleep. Jack goes back down around 7:30 for his morning nap, so I get up at 8:30 and can relax and have some coffee, get ready for the day, before waking him up at 9:30. Then we eat and play and go to the gym.
I didnβt plan on going to the gym and using the daycare this early, but I think itβs important for both Jack and I. I need a way to deal with the stress of this adjustment and Jack needs to be around other children. He so misses other kids. The moment I walked in there, he saw the kids, the toys and had a big smile on his face. He also needs to know that I can leave for 45 minutes and that I will always come back. Heβs only playing with kids, and not bonding with adults during this time. I donβt leave them any bottles or food for them to feed him. We eat before the gym and after the gym. Anyway, it went so well yesterday, that we went back today. He was more than excited to see the other babies β there can be up to three others in his little room. He was equally as excited 45 minutes later when he saw me walk in. I think it worked out well for both of us. Erik and I watched the old video – the one when we first met him tonight. Both of us commented on how that baby – the baby in the video- Alexander (Jack) in the ophanage – the one that we thought was SO happy even at the orphanage looks sad in comparison to how he looks now. We must be doing something right.
So anyway, we do welcome visitors. It makes the adjustment easier to talk to other people. Grandparents, weβre not ready yet. Sorry. We need him to attach to Erik and be sure heβs attached to me for a little while before he can attach to you. You guys will in time be very important in his life, but for now, well you know.
Once weβve established our routine a few more days, weβre looking to venture out to other peopleβs houses/different places with others. Let us know when we can come visit or when you can come visit! We ARE looking forward to seeing you!
Also, I havenβt forgotten about getting that other video up. It shows how we started to become a family in a hotel room.
How American Can I Look!?
So I just put little Jack to sleep. Things are going well today. Yesterday, well, it started out a little rough. It was my first day ALONE with him!
Poor Jack woke up teething and with a rash on his butt! The same rash I had on my inner elbow. Right where he sits when I pull him up out of the bath. Who gave it to whom??? Who knows? But I freaked a little thinking it was poison ivy (where heβd get it, who knowsβ¦who still thinks grass is creepy!). Anyway, I started to run the bath, set him on the floor, and looked over at this little person with a big smile and puddle surrounding him that was getting bigger and bigger as I starred at him. I guess now we had two reasons for that bath!
The afternoon went much better and I we both made it through. Went to the doctor and Kinkos, the gym and Kroger. Which also made me wonder, will I forever be this nerd who sings as she drives because her baby is crabby? We sang, βLetβs Go Krogering!β the entire time at that the grocery store and then I even made up some song about Kinkos. All I cared about is the baby in the back seat didnβt cry when I sang. So I did! Heβs the only person in the world that enjoys my singing!
The doctorβs office went fine. The purpose of the visit was to see if Jack is up to par for his age developmentally. He is for the most part, but as expected, he is small for his age. Heβs in the 5th percentile for weight, 55th for height. This is common for children who have spent a significant time in an orphanage.
Adjusting
We had quite a scare yesterday. We set up his room and introduced Jack to his new crib. He sat in it for a while while we put some clothes away. Then we took him downstairs for lunch and when we went back up for his first nap time in the crib, we found out that the ceiling fixture had come smashing down on the crib and there was glass everywhere. Boy, were we lucky! We were shaken up and at the same time so happy no one was hurt.
We’ve started establishing our new routine now that the jet lag has worn off. Jack is such a happy, easy baby – however, because this is our first, this has still been a big adjustment – for us. It’s been a good adjustment though and it’s fun to see the signs of Jack bonding. He now looks for us when we leave the room and leave him with someone new for a minute, he lays his head on us and likes to be held, reaches up to be picked up by us, etc. We can really tell that he enjoys being the focus of attention. He eats up any attention either us give him. Vistors are welcome – we’re just not quite ready to venture too far away from home just yet.
Also, Archie and Leroy have finally come to realize Jack is staying and are starting to at least be in the same room as him. π Jack loves to watch the cats and if he gets to touch one of them, he thinks it’s hilarious!
Jack is Home!
Trip Two Highlights! This is only the second half. I’m trying to get the part from court and Ark to load…….pictures and first half (fingers crossed) to come soon!
(Movie moved to top of sidebar)
Also, visitors are welcome if anybody wants to come and meet him!
One Full Day Home – also What Happened in Moscow
Made it through one full day. Still a little jetlagged – Jack still took two naps and we’re all adjusting.
Some of you guys have asked what the heck happened in Moscow. Why couldn’t we leave? We couldn’t leave because Jack did not have the proper visa to allow him to travel through Dusseldorf, Germany. Dusseldorf has a small airport and no transit area. Other airports in Germany such as Munich and Frankfurt allow Russian citizens to fly through them without a visa. The adoption agency did not inform us of this rule and did not get him the proper visa. They had our flight arrangements well before we left and they said we wre fine. Dimitry said our arrangements were fine. This is why we are fighting to get the $3300 we had to spend last minute to get a second set of tickets home. There was no reason we should’ve needed TWO SETS of tickets for the SAME DAY to get home.
So needless to say we were a little freaked out and my phone would not work in the airport. Thank you to everyone who offered to help us and make calls for us since we only had access to email. We really appreciate that and are so glad that we are home!!
Yea!
Now this is what I call a toy!
Love Lufthansa Baby Row!
He's sleeping! We're reading and sleeping!
Feeling MUCH better!
Frankfurt
We made it this far. Jack is finally sleeping. We've all been up since 4:30 because Dimitry picked us up at 5:15 for our 8:30 flight. Our new flight did not leave until 1:30. Jack actally fell asleep as the wheels hit the ground as we landed. Before that he was up the whole time. Our next flight has a baby row with basinets. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all get some sleep?
Still Coming Home Tuesday
Mom, Dad,
We will be flying in Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. Through Lufthansa. We had to buy all new tickets. The agency better pay for these. Everyone in this airport knows a Russian citizen can't fly through Dusseldorf. Why didn't they? Or Dimitry? We leave at 11:00 a.m. Moscow time. Glad to get out of here. I can't call you anymore because my Russian Russian airport SIM card doesn't work in this airport even though the lady I just bought it from said it would and my U.S. one only works in certain areas. Jen
Help!
They won't let us leave. Mom and dad don't pick is up. We'll get more info. Later. Russia sucks. Someone please call Ingrid or mom and dad, they don't check their email often.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld.
Goodbye, Russia. I’m Going Home.
So we made it this far. I think weβve also all finally just adjusted to this time zone and new routine. Tomorrow will change all that! It will be nice to get home though β grill food, sleep in our own bed, let him crawl around on a clean floorβ¦. IF we make it home. He wonβt go to sleep tonight so far. We are all sitting in the dark β literally β wondering how tomorrow will go.
Weβre very glad we decided to stay here for a little while longer and see some of little Jackβs country. He has Russian books and toys to share with his cousins. We have lots of pictures for him and artwork for him to keep when heβs older. For the most part Jack was a trooper. Heβs pretty content just riding around anywhere in the stroller. He lasted about 45 minutes at the circus before getting squirmy. Today he had his first taste of cotton candy and had his first balloon. There are many more firsts to come β¦ for all of us!
We are starting to figure things out. For instance the happy baby needs TWO naps or else NO orange juice. Weβre unsure which. At the circus, we gave him some juice and weβre thinking that may have given him heartburn. He screamed the whole way back in the street β he was like a horn saying βGET OUT OF MY WAYβ to everyone in front of us. Erik and I just looked at each other like βoh sh*t!β People starred at us. Once we got back to the room we gave him some medicine and put him in his crib and he was sleeping within about 10 minutes. He goes down pretty easily (on every other night but tonight)β¦.but he couldβve been tired just the same. He only had one longer nap yesterdayβ¦he had two todayβ¦.who knows!! Hard to tell with babies who canβt just tell you whatβs wrong, I guess. P.S. I think he just went to sleep!
Weβve also learned that he stores food in his diaper, which explains the undigested ham and goldfish that weβve found in there. Weβre trying to get him to eat a little slower than in the orphanage. We know that he likes to have goldfish hiding in both of his hands and then tries to eat with his mouth. Itβs like he doesnβt want to ever be without food. I think that scares him. He eats REALLY fast. Faster than we can break it up for him.
Dimitry is picking us up at 5:30 in the morning tomorrow. Weβre all packed. Jack Alexander Fritz Reis is coming home! Funny thing, by the way, Natalya and Dimitry both thought that βFritzβ was a funny name. They said that during World War II, βFritzesβ was a derogatory name for the Germans that Russians used. . But what do Russians know?? Dimitry also said that there is a five month wait for a Ford Focus here because itβs the hot new car everybody wants! J
So heβs still sleeping! Five hours until we all get up. Hope βsomebodyβ is able to do some sleeping on the plane too!!
Gorky Park
Last day!
He thinks it's weird to crawl or sit in the grass.
Looking at the Fountains
Time for bed. It's almost 10:00!
Good Morning
Happy birthday again, Babushka Joyce!
Marriott!
And we have another crib!
Wonder Is This Could’ve Happened to Jack’s Birthmom
http://tc.m.yahoo.net/tc/1181342434_301tfn0qah4or/www.themoscowtimes.com%2Fstories%2F2007%2F06%2F08%2F003.html?tc-img=n
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld.
I Still Love to Bounce!
Also, Happy Birthday Grandma! I know you want a real dog, but Papa Mike said you can only have a plastic one. π Anything else you want from Russia?
Best Invention EVER
Constipation
Coming to America! (Tuesday)
We are free to leave except the only problem is Northwest wants $500 to change our tickets and Aeroflot wants $100. So weβll be staying. The hotel we leave for tomorrow is free courtesy of Erikβs dad. (The agency originally told us to stay until Tuesday just in case we couldnβt get an appointment at the embassy today.) We wouldβve stayed at the free hotel these past two nights but Dr. Boris wanted to come here so he could see the families together. As it turned out the other one wasnβt even in Moscow yet. Anyway, long story short, if we were staying at a hotel that we were paying for, weβd leave because $600 would be a draw. Now we just think weβll stay and try and enjoy ourselves. Maybe go to the Moscow Zoo and Gorky Park?
Dr. Boris
Dr. Boris came today at 7:15. He said everything looks good. Jack started feeling better last night. Figuresβ¦. J Anyway, there is nothing on him preventing us from bringing him into the country. Although yesterday I must at admit we were a little nervous. We changed his diaper and honestly thought he had a growth. We both starred at it. It turned out to be a chunk of ham on his lower stomach.
Jack did finally fell off the bed last night. He looks has rug burn on his forehead. He now looks like Gorbachev with a big red blotch. The doctor is still going to let us leave with him. π
He’s still a happy, easy going baby. He didn’t like putting on his coat today and started to squirm. I said, “nyet” and he stopped right away. I know he’s still figuring out how to work us, but for now that’s kinda nice. π
Moscow – We Made It!
Jack was great on the plane. He was exhausted but great. He started to get crabby as Natalia and Dimitry drove us to our hotel. Keep in mind the poor kid did not have an opportunity for a diaper change for six hours. (Erik wants me to add that that diaper was a heavy one. J ) The flight was only an hour and 20 minutes and about 15 miles to our hotel. From the airport, it took us TWO and A HALF HOURS to get to our hotel. Traffic was at a standstill. Cars were on the side of the road β broken down. Semis were pulling over. Then about 2 hours into the drive, the lanes started moving. No accident, no construction, no lane closure, no reason β just a βcorkβ as Dimitry and Natalya call it. A βcorkβ is what we call a βbottleneckβ in traffic. Only thing is their corks happen everywhere and all the time for no reason.
We checked in and immediately went to McDonaldβs! So good to eat beef! (Never thought Iβd get that excited about it, but seriously it was the best hamburger ever.) And us being new at this had no idea what to order Jack. We know itβs not the most nutritious food, but thought heβd really enjoy a good American meal. Erik asked, βSo how many nuggets should I get him?β J Just so you know the baby with four teeth could eat Β½ a nugget broken up. We gave him formula when we got back.
Still no crib. We asked for one and they said they would send one up. Some lady knocked on the door with a COT. Yep, that sure helps. Doctor and visa tomorrow!
Moscow
Jen
Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles.
Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center.
Uncle Dad and Aunt Mom
Jen
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Yep, this is fun (Right)
Bored stiff? Loosen up…
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Gotcha Day! June 5, 2007
Introducing the Reis Family!
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Signed, Sealed, Delivered – He’s Ours!
Luggage? GPS? Comic books?
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I Love to Eat!
Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows.
Yahoo! Answers – Check it out.
On the Beach – (It’s Still Cold Up Here)
…and 12:25 a.m. right now and perfectly light out! (Picture was taken 5 hours ago.)
Jen
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Erik and Jack
Now if he could just stop calling himself “Uncle Erik.” π
Jen
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Ten Fingers, Ten Toes, and Yes Sir, One of Those
It really is a boy!
Jen
Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
Play Monopoly Here and Now (it’s updated for today’s economy) at Yahoo! Games.
BLUE – man BLUE
Jen
Building a website is a piece of cake.
Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.
What a Day!
What a day. You never know quite what to expect when in Russia. Today around 10:30 in the morning Dimitry and one of the doctors brought Jack to our room.
You might remember that before we came we were told that we MAY get to see Jack the day before court and that a caregiver would care for him the rest of the day/night and before court tomorrow. Well we have yet to see a caregiver from the orphanage and itβs about 10:00 at night. I wonder if we are still paying her! I am so glad we packed everything we did to get us through the first few hours… We had no idea he would be with us all day. And heβs sick β congested β and they dropped him off with no food, diapers, medicineβ¦.. Heβs not even technically βoursβ yet. Iβm so happy we were prepared!
We did need to leave for a couple of hours and a young Russian girl was brought in to baby-sit for a little bit. Jack slept the whole time. He went to sleep while we were still in the room and woke up right when we got back. We were told that weβd need to go a couple of hours before it was time to go. I assumed the caregiver was coming back, but I guess not! It worked out great because we want to spend time with him β itβs just that we never know quite what to expect.
We had to leave so that we could discuss how court will go tomorrow with the Minister of Education. His name is Sergey and is a very nice, plump guy. Anna was our translator and she had on a short see-throughish top. Sheβll be translating for us tomorrow as well. She said if we mess up on what we say, sheβll help us fix it. J They said Erikβs speech will take approximately 35 minutes with translation. I still just basically say, βI agree with everything my husband has said.β J There are a couple of more things I have to say such as I promise to take care of the baby and not workβ¦.also if they ask if I will love my son or husband more, I should say, βI will love them equallyβ β stuff like that. Basically, tomorrow I get to be June Cleaver! J I wish I wouldβve brought my pearls!
Jack does not go to court. Another babysitter comes back.
This also seemed strange at first – we were also told not to go to any restaurants while we are here. I guess in the past people have went to celebrate and because the parents were speaking English and the children were speaking Russian, some Russian people were afraid the kids were kidnapped and police were called. So, no restaurants for us. We ordered pizza tonight and went to the grocery store to last us the next few days until Thursday when we leave for Moscow.
The other family that is here is really nice. They are adopting two boys ages 2 and 3. Both of the boys are having a rough time. They are sad and confused. We went to visit them and one of them was looking down the hallway to see if someone would come back. Tomorrow they might try one of our Elmo DVDs.
Jack is so young that he has been really easy and fun so far. He seemed to recognize us when he first saw us. I donβt know if thatβs possible, but it seemed like it. Heβs still very smiley. He loves to bounce and jump. He has four teeth β and Melissa he loves that vibrating John Deere corn teether that you bought him. He just sits there with it in his mouth and smiles. He is mesmerized by the T.V. Michelle, they brought him back with the album of us we left at the orphanage and so far this has been his favorite toy.
As soon as we kinda figured out no one was coming to get him today from the orphanage (No one told us β after about 6 hours we just kind of assumed), we quickly took off his teal tights and crocheted pants. We put on jeans, tennis shoes, and a BLUE flannel. It was fun to put him in some American clothing.
Also, so far he has not cried. Itβs been about 12 hours now. And I canβt believe I will admit this β I guess Iβm just hoping some other people have made some of these mistakes, but weβve accidentally boinked his head getting him out of the bath, squirted a ton of Johnosonβs and Johnsonβs shampoo on him on accident, and served him food a bit too hot from the container in the hot pot (The top and middle were warm, the bottom of the jar β kinda hot β he just looked like he ate a lemon that mouthful.) J He also looked a little nervous when we left to go to the grocery store. (It was getting close to when he normally ate supper and he was probably wondering if he was going to eat.) He had his little hands clasped together β which we think he does when he gets nervous or excited. We even have to check him to see if heβs wet because he doesnβt let us know. Weβve been taking turns changing his diaper. There was one point where he squatted down with a big smile laughing and I knew exactly what he was doing! J Thank goodness, he did it when it was ERIKβS turn! J
I think Jackβs a little confused about this whole food thingβ¦we gave him a cup full of baby cereal finger foods and he gets to eat as much as he wants. He tries to stick about 8 in his mouth at a time. He looks at us pretty excitedly when we put more in the cup when itβs empty. We also fed him some Russian babyfood β we thought it was beef but it ended up being something like spaghetti-Os and he ate it all in about 5 minutes. Heβs a fast eater. He also likes goldfish, oatmeal, apple juice, banana yogurt; soy formulaβ¦.He hasnβt disliked anything weβve given him so far. Weβve heard horror stories from other adoptive parents about the child not liking the texture of the food or what have you, but so far heβs been fine with everything. We even cut up a pepperoni from our pizza and he ate that. The only thing weβre not giving him here is milk. They say he has an allergy to only milk (not yogurt), so weβre not going to take our chances. Weβve decided to wait and see how that pans out when we get back to the states.
We gave him a bath which he loved. He loves to play in the water and has no problem getting his clothes changed or diaper changed or hair washed. I donβt know when all of this will end, but so far heβs been really good and happy.
Heβs sleeping in the other room now. We have a big king size bed and heβs in the middle of it. Iβm sure weβll both sleep on the edges with one leg on the floor so that we donβt roll onto him tonight. J
If all goes well, tomorrow at this time weβll be on Jackβs birth certificate and Dimitry will be getting papers together for his passport on Wednesday.
Lastly, we just want to thank everyone who sent us emails today or posted messages. We are getting them. Our phone is just intermittenly sending things OUT. Now that we now we can leave the room, hopefully we’ll be able to respond!
One last thing – please excuse any typos….sometimes this thing makes up words and I have no idea what all the “J”s are for!
Arkhangelsk!
We landed safely. 10:00 p.m.
Moscow is Going to the Dogs
Still sitting and reading – trying to pass the time.
Did you know Moscow has a dog problem? Apparently vodka and labs don't mix.
http://www.mnweekly.ru/feature/20070531/55255588.html
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld.
Everything Always Changes…
When You Get to Russia!
So we made it to Moscow and Dimitry's wife, Natalya met us. She said we have two choices because our next flight does not leave until 8 p.m. Which is 6 hours from now. She said we can hang out at the airport or go to that gross hotel that we stayed at last time next to the airport. She said it would cost us the same as one night cost for a few hours. That gross hotel was just over 200 dollars, so we opted to hang out at the airport. We were originally told to arrange our flight so we got into Moscow by 2:00 because our flight to Arkhangelsk left at 4:00. Oh well. At least she took us to a nicer terminal. Now we just sit. Funny how everything changes once you get to Russia…
Goodbye Dusseldorf…
As mentioned previously, today is Japan Day. Weβre not sure why β maybe it ties back to World War II, but at least half of the people are dressed up as something β they might be dressed as a geisha or comic book character or maybe their just wearing a t-shirt celebrating Japan, but they are dressed as something. Itβs really kinda strange. The people of this city seem to love to dress up. There are also a lot of bachelor/bachelorette parties of which everyone has on matching shirts declaring the end of the bride or groomβs life as he or she knows it. Weβve seen at least 15 of these parties today alone. The guys all run around with a milk crate of beer and sing songs. The groom may have on an old lady wig or be dressed up as a cowboy. The women dress the bride up in a robe and curlers or perhaps a nun outfit and make her do shots. Itβs funny to watch. J
DΓΌsseldorf has 200 bars all connected side by side in the old part of the city and along the Rhine. Itβs nicknamed βThe Worldβs Largest Barβ so itβs the perfect place for this kind of party and itβs been perfect for people watching β kind of a βhappy accidentβ for us.β The people are all friendly. Last night we met three guys that were more than happy to hang out with us. Before introducing themselves in their broken English they made it known ββVe are not a man group, you know.β (?) They noticed us because we were βdrinking the sh*t beer.β
So now that weβve adjusted (a little) and had time to relax and have a little fun, itβs time to go be serious. Back to Russiaβ¦Back to Jackβ¦
Struwwelpeter
Found a new addition of Der Struwwelpeter today. It’s funny they actually read this book to kids!
Almost Ready!
It hit us today. Northwest FedExed us a ticket for Jack Reis. JACK REIS is real and he is coming home
. π
Better!
Okay, so I think we have a solution! I know this is a strange thing to post. π We might actually get all of this into our suitcase. We’ll still be over on weight (40 lbs. each Aeroflot) BUT we can get it all in the one bag we are allowed. I passed by these travel bag things that squish the air out at Linens N Things today and decided to give them a try. They work pretty good! I know – it doesn’t take much to impress me, but seriously – these bags just made my life a whole lot less stressful. Think Erik would kill me if I put his court suit in one? π I still have to write his speech and send it to the consultant today. Apparently in court he gives a 5-10 minute speech and when he’s finished, all I’m allowed to say is “I agree with everything my husband has said.” Little does the judge know – his wife wrote it! π Jen
Last Monday Night at Home with No Baby
I told Erik it was his turn to post something. I don’t think he’s that freaked out. But Super Nanny is on right now and I don’t think that is helping – so he might be a little bit. We need to change the channel. π
We are very excited and overwhelmed. We’re trying to finish the new house, leave our current house ready for showings, and pack at the same time. The hardest part is packing for Jack. He’s not allowed a suitcase until he’s actually on the plane and he’s taking up most of ours before we get to him!! We thought about washing clothes in the sink, but that still doesn’t cut down too much on the amount of clothes to bring. It’s a high of 50 degrees/low of high 30s in Arkhangel’sk and it’s about 90 degrees in Moscow! On Aeroflot we are each allowed one suitcase and we need to bring food, diapers, all that stuff! We have to be prepared if they hand us Jack and tell us he’s hungry. I guess it’s common for the caregiver to get the day off before court so we may not have time to go and buy food and diapers before court.
70 hours and counting….
Freaked Out
We’re about to go get our baby.Holy sh*t. Leaving Thursday.
Erik
Adult Movies?
We are wondering if anybody has any regular movies on DVD that we may borrow for our trip. We have many Baby Einstein, Happy Feet, Nemo etc. for Jack. Last time, we did not have an English channel on the television, so we’re wondering if anybody has any regular movies that we could borrow – we’d make sure they got back to you in great shape when we return. Thank you!
My, He’s REALLY Grown!
Dusseldorf! – Archie Wants to Come Too!
Well, it’s official – we’ve got a plane ticket! We’ll be leaving May 31st and then spending two nights in Dusseldorf, Germany to start to get acclimated to the time zones of Europe. Then we’ll arrive in Moscow on June 3rd where we’ll meet Dimitry and one other family from North Carolina. We’ll all fly to Arkhangel’sk together. Alexander (Jack) will fly with a caregiver from Kotlas and meet us in Ark. On Monday, June 4th, we’ll finally get to spend more time with him. π
Our consultant told us that he’s not supposed to stay with us until after court, June 5th and so we can buy supplies there. However other families have told us that they’ve been handed the baby the day before court and then expected to take care of him/her from then on. The caregivers don’t always want to continue to care for the children. They’ve told me that when they weren’t prepared and didn’t have food, diapers, or medicine – the social worker gets angry. They say it’s best to bring a couple days of supplies such as food and diapers because often there’s no time to shop in between the all of the appointments. It will be fun trying to pack everything! On Russian planes we are only allowed 40 lbs. a piece so we are not even going to bring an infant carrier on the plane. We’ve decided to take turns holding him so that we can save $1000 and take more luggage. The people that I work with have been awesome. Teachers and kids have donated toys and clothes for us to donate to the orphanage and I want to take as much as possible!
On Tuesday the fifth we’ll go to court. Dimitry will work on getting his passport the next couple of days and then we’ll all fly back to Moscow on Thursday. If we can get into the embassy on Friday and get everything finalized and get Jack a visa, we’ll be able to come home June 9th. (Happy Birthday, Mom!) But if not, we have to be there through the weekend, go to the embassy on Monday and leave to return home on Tuesday, June 12th.
I find it really amazing that we’ll be back just in time for Father’s Day. Last Father’s Day was heartbreaking for Erik. I know Erik has been dreading this Father’s Day, but coming home at this time will make it a day to celebrate. Can’t help but think someone is watching over us! π
Almost home…
June FIVE
Last week we heard our date would be around June 1st- that some more paperwork needed to be done on the Russian side of things. Today we heard our paperwork is in, but the Minister of Education is having surgery and so our date needs to be moved to June 5. Let’s hope he has a fast recovery!
Meeting Jack Alexander Fritz Reis
Click on the triangle to view. The baby below is not him – it’s one of his buddies. For recent posts, see archive in pane to the right.
Video
Sorry it took so long. As Amy would say, my jet “leg” has been bothering me. π
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDB_GB2Vfk4
Toys
PICTURES
Home!
Well, we are finally home! It’s nice to back. Wish Alexander was here. We fixed the pictures on the page – it’s nice to be back to our own computer too! Tomorrow we’ll post some pictures and a short video.
Good night. π
Pick up?
Hey mom and dad,
I know you can't check your email, so I hope you get this.
Will you pick is up at 7:45 tonight?
If you can't call my cell.
Thanks,
Jen
Good bye, Moscow!
We got up early and tried to go to Red Square. Maybe next time. They told us it would take us 3 hours to get there by taxi because traffic is so bad. Next time Dmitry gets us to the embassy so we will be able to take the metro from there. It'll be nice to get pictures there with Alexander!
The Process
Itβs rare to find anyone here who knows any English. It makes sense when you think about it β this is a relatively new country and has only been open to outside influence since β91. Itβs good we have Dmitry, but weβre not his only case and heβs a busy man. Not knowing the language of a country leads to many surprises.
What we mean by that is all of a sudden weβll find out we need to be here or there. Most often the surprise is something we ordered from a menu just doesnβt look quite how we pictured.
! J
The best surprise yesterday was going into a room yesterday to find Alexander on a blanket on the floor. We actually had no idea when we went through that he would be on the other side of that door.
We just kind of looked at each other and said, βWow! Thatβs him!β
They gave us four hours to get know Alexander. (Weβre still calling him that because his name doesnβt officially change until the court date. )
He was a little uncertain of us at first β youβll see that in the video to come this weekend, but he warmed up rather quickly. He holds his hands together like a little old man praying and sucks on his lower lip when heβs nervous.
After about a half hour (or maybe even less) he started to smile. He smiles easily and watches EVERYTHING. He can sit up if you put him in the position. He canβt quite get there himself yet, but he tries.
The most amazing thing about this baby is that he did not cry until around 3:45. (We had been with him since 11:00) And let me rephrase that β he didnβt really even cry, he just got a little fussy. He is very used to his rigid routine and he knew it was time for his afternoon snack and subsequent nap. J
\
Even more amazing is that he also easily entertained himself on the blanket when we ate lunch. He responds to his name (Sasha or Alexander βbut you have to say alex-ah-nder), loves to bounce, asks for contact by reaching out or handing you something, and responds to contact with a big toothless smile.
The orphanage is in need of many things, and among them are teething rings. Poor little guy keeps gnawing at his fingers β his top knuckle on a couple fingers is almost raw. I could feel his first tooth coming in β itβs almost through the gum.
We asked what his schedule is. They said he wakes up at 7:00 a.m., has breakfast, then βtoiletβ, then plays. We laughed at the βtoiletβ part. (Ha! Ha! Ha! ALWAYS in that order we asked.) Little did we know how literal they were being. They are actually potty training an 8 month old! (I guess it makes sense. Diapers can be expensive.) It was pretty strange seeing all those babies on little pots. Then form 9-11:00 he naps, has lunch then TOILET again, and then plays until 3:00. He has a snack at 3:00- we watched this also β he can eat a big bowl of porridge in about 2 minutes flat. Not kidding. Just wait to the video! J Then he naps until 5:30, has dinner at 6:00, plays, goes to the toilet at 8:00, and then goes to sleep at 8:00. They wake him up at 10:00 for a bottle. Then he sleeps until 7:00 the next morning. Thatβs life in an orphanage.
The ladies that work there make eye contact with the babies and call them by name. They constatntly talk to them. At least while we were there.
Everything seems so be on target for his ageβ¦he rolls around, balances on one leg on the side, tries to talk, and follows everything with his eyes. But itβs the big easy toothless smiles that are nice to see. All the babies actually do seem happy. Itβs not until they get older that they seem to understand where they are.
Alexander weighs in at about 15 lbs. right now. Such a little guy for such a big name! They keep saying he skinny (maybe compared to some of the others) but he continues to gain weight.
We got to see him again after his second nap to say βgood-bye.β Then some lady took him and something in Russian. Probably βgood-byeβ because that was the last we got to see him.
Today we flew back to Arkhanglesk. (The pilot had breakfast in the cockpit again. J ) The stewardess passed out barf bags before we took off. I thought (as anyone would, I think) that we were up for a rough flight, but actually it was fine!
We had to go to the notary office to petition the court to adopt him and officially change his name. Itβs now Dmitryβs turn to complete a bunch of paper work on behalf of little Alex. Heβs making sure no Russian citizens or other couples can petition the court to adopt him. We have him officially βon holdβ so to speak until we go to court!
Russian citizens had six months from the time he was in the federal database to adopt him. He was put in September 10 and available to us March 10. We were the first family he was referred to. He spent the first month of his life in a maternity hospital (which is normal). Very unlike the U.S. where they kick you out 48 hours after giving birth!
Alexander has appointments here in Arkhangelsk April 19 and 20 with many doctors. They need to find something ANYTHING wrong with him. Russians do not like to see their βhealthyβ children being adopted by foreign citizens. Weβre not nervous about this part because if you look hard enough at anyone you can find some sort of defect. I would have some kind of foot disease because one foot is a whole half size bigger than the other. (Iβm being serious.) J
After Alexanderβs doctor appointments, they will give us a court date. Weβre hoping for the end of April or beginning of Mayβ¦
His hair is blond!
He has blond hair and dark blue eyes. There is no more red in it although it can sometimes look that way depending on your computer screen. His hair does look reddish in pictures from his younger days. Dmitry copied them for us. He also let us have a picture of his birth mom. She is very pretty with brown hair. Very young looking.
I will send more tomorrow. We got some great ones of the other kids as well. The 1-2 year olds would all stare at Erik. Some would yell DADA DADA or something like it. They didn’t care too much about me. I don’t think they see too many men. Erik said he felt like an exotic zoo animal. They just all stood back and WATCHED him carefully! Oh and by the way Erik said to add tigers are cool. He’d be a tiger.
JACK
Yes. The name he has now would look better on a hockey jersey. But unfortunately we have a German last name and they only look best on soccer jerseys! We know… We realize this…BUT…
The vote is over! It's a done deal. We will however, open up the polls again to those offering a 4 year scholarship to a college of Jack's choice! π
He’s a happy kid!
We had a heard time deciding on a name. We wanted to keep Alexander for part of it and have Fritz be a part as well. Our favorite is Jack so we used them all. He is Jack Alexander Fritz Reis. I'm sure we will call him Sasha for a while to come. It's what he's used to. Who knew Sasha was short for Alexander? π it is now time to leave the orphanage. They tell us we may hear at the end of April about a court date.
The album was a hit!
I know some of these pictures are sending goofy but he really is alert, happy, and cute!
BLUE!
It's the only time in my life you'll hear me say, "Go Blue!"
Hi Ingrid!
Are you put there? Our emails aren't going through. We found another penny right when we got to our kotlas room… Are you back from Georgia? We are getting comments but not all our emails.
Fw: Kotlas
The plane ride was … Indescribable. We were on a turbo prop. Two engines, Russian built. It looked kinda old, but also kinda cool. No one else was afraid or nervous, so we decided right away we would not be either. Plus it was comforting to know that Dmitry had flown this route many times before. But if you are the type who doesn’t like to fly (Michelle) this may not be the best choice of travel for you.
Our window was directly underneath the wing and the landing gear. Yes, it was that small of a plane. As I sat on the plane saving Erik a seat (you could sit where you wanted and Erik and Dmitry we’re busy loading our bags into the cargo hold) I was slightly taken aback bythe sight of them using jumper cables to start the plane. After they plugged them in, the lights got brighter, the engines roared…
And I mean ROARED! They were so load that our voices took on a whole new vibration. We sounded like we we’re talking into a couple of oscilating fans.
The stewardess came down the aisle with food – for the pilot. She emerged from the cockpit with an empty tray. At home the news reports the dangers of distracted driving. Apparently, not the same case here. I just hope he wasn’t on his cell phone too while flying the plane!
It took about an hour and 20 minutes to fly down to Kotlas. We landed on a sheet of thick, thick ice. It was just warm enough or the plane was just heavy enough or a combination of the two, we could look out and see the wheels cut two thick gashes as the plan went through the ice going down the runway. We got off the plane and stepped down a narrow stairway with one handrail. It was like being on skates for the first time watching everyone take teeny, tiny babysteps for next 20 yards. You’d think a country surrounded by all this ocean could find a little salt! I actually bit it going to get my suitcase. Most of what I was carrying ended up under the plane. There must not be many Sam Bernsteins here cause you know in Michigan that dude would be watching from the fence in situations like this passing out business cards.
We piled into a van with the other Russians we are now traveling with-Dimitry. The doctor/director, and two other ladies. Dimitry said we can meet them tomorrow. For now we all just kinda smile at each other and they say things like, “Ha! Ha! Ha! Russian safari!” whenever I take a picture.
Riding on the roads is similar to riding a horse with all the potholes. There is a lot of up down up down. You can go about 10-20 miles per hour at any given time. Erik and I will never again complain about the potholes in Michigan! Lauren, you are right- this isn’t something you’d find in a Frommer’s guidebook, but very cool just the same!
The important thing is we are here in Kotlas! We made it – and so now we are just sitting watching a DVD and Erik is eating a Russian “jelly donut” – a Danish wrapped around a whole little fish!
12 hours and counting…
Old Soviet Buildings are Cool
That's right, this place is just like the history books. Every thing is plain looking but the old Soviet presence is all around. We saw a MIG jet just outside of the airport. I will try to get a picture of it later. As you can see, Jen is thoroughly enjoying the food. She is still looking for caviar and the famous herring. Maybe later. I will tell you this, Vodka is cheap as hell and people here can really put it away.
Erik
Alexander Evgenyevich Bolotov
That's his full name. We just met with Dimitry again. He's trying his best to fix a bad situation. He said tomorrow we will go to the orphanage at 9 and then be with Alexander from 11-3. Then we can tour the orphanage and also walk around freely wherever we want. He says the ladies there are really nice and he wants us to see the kids. He says they feel loved from the ladies that work there and he wants us to see the children smiling. Babies can't fake smiling like adults he says. Then he's arranged for us to back from 6:30 to 8 even though the orphanage is supposed to be closed after 5. He says if weather pemits, we can take him out in the stroller. At first I was surprised-what if we just steal the baby? But I guess they realize we couldn't get out of Kotlas by ourselves if we tried! π
The picture is Alex at 2 months. Dmitry says he’s taken picture every 2 months and will give us those. Notice the yellow sweater. You can’t see it but he’s wearing blue pants.
Oh and mom, his birthday is June 26. I know you were hoping for June 9-but would that still make him a Gemini?
We've also got the mother's relinquishment papers so if we sign for him, no one else can have him. His mom was kinda tall, brown hair, gray blue eyes. Kinda like a mix of Erik and I. π
We also have to decide on a name by Thursday. Everyone calls him Sasha. Sasha is short for Alexander. Interesting… But I kinds like it. Still like Jack too. I guess we'll have to meet him first! What do you guys think?
Just Hanging Out on Top of the World
So here we are in Arkhanglesk. If you’ve followed our first itinerary or even second maybe it’s time to stop following because we now have a third. I feel like we’ve been running a marathon these past few months/years and just when I thought we were almost finished someone says, “nope β haven’t you heard? Marathons are now 30 miles long instead of 26. But don’t worry about it. Just keep going.”
So that’s what we are trying to doβ¦just go with the flow. And we were doing that fine UNTIL they touched the amount of time we were to have with the baby.
Earlier we were told we’d have some time Tuesday, all of Wednesday, and then some more on Thursday. Now we don’t even leave Archangelsk until tomorrow nightβ¦.tomorrow night is TUESDAY. And we leave Kotlas to come back here on Thursday, but our flight time is 8:00 A.M. That only leaves us Wednesday to spend with him.
Dimitry is the one who is scheduling all of our flights and seemed like a nice guy and I’m sure he is. But he found out days ago the flight was cancelled β so why couldn’t we have taken a train?? There are other modes of transportation. (How ironic- we even brought Planes, Trains, and Automobiles β the movie β to watch during all of our “downtime.” Seriously.)
So we are frustrated. I looked at Dmitry and just said, “no that is not good enough.” I actually started crying. I’m sure he thinks I’m crazy, but at this point I don’t care what all of Russia thinks of us. We did not take four planes to come to the top of the world for a one hour meeting. We cannot base a decision on one or even two hours with a baby we’ve never met. I don’t have one, but I do know that sometimes they are crabby or sometimes they are happy. Wouldn’t it be nice to at least be able to compare two experiences with him? To see how he is when cold medication wears off or how he is at night versus in the morning? To see if his motor skills are consistent or whatever. This is all information it would be helpful to have even when we take him home. Also what about the video we were going to email the doctor just to make sure his gross motor skills were on par for a child his age in an orphanage????
So after all my voicemails and emails to the U.S. at what would be 4 a.m. eastern time, Dimitry and knocked on our door with the director/doctor of the orphanage. I guess they are stuck here too.
They agreed we could spend ALL DAY Wednesday with him. We can feed him and see how he plays and what his routine is. Dmitry also gave us the paper that we needed from the Minister of Education. I guess that has changed as well and we don’t have to actually meet with him. He told Erik to MAKE SURE he did not lose it because he needed to give it to the director of the orphanage tomorrow. He was very adamant. Don’t lose it! The director needs it! Did I mention he gave it to Erik IN FRONT OF THE DIRECTOR? I guess it’s just something else we don’t quite understand about Russian culture. Erik saved the paper to give to the director tomorrow.
They both smile when Dmitry tells them we are going to meet Alexander and it seems like they both really enjoy him. They say they are like his orphanage mother and father. This kid is gonna be really confused because my count that is six parents now β birth parents, adoptive parents, and ORPHANAGE parents! J Erik said he saw a picture of Alexander when he was 2 months old and that he looked fat and healthy. So tomorrow if his is tall and boney we at least know that he started out healthy. They will let us look at the file and pictures they have Wednesday when we get to the orphanage.
I hope that our Wednesday itinerary stays true. Tomorrow night we have the ticket to go to Kotlas.
So now we are going to actually venture out of our room for a little bit, since we are no longer waiting for calls or emails from the U.S. The room is nicer this time by the way. We don’t have the I Love Lucy beds and it smells like β AIR. We love the smell of AIR β even if our baggage smell still reminds us of other room. JThere are even occupied buildings all around us and a working T.V. with BBC. It’s also half the price of last night’s hotel to boot! Go figureβ¦
We are here
It’s funny because our consultant was going to try and avoid having us stay in Moscow because the hotels are outrageous. She said bottom one stars are $250 and Marriots are $800 a night. We are paying 200 so I guess you can imagine where we are at. We have a beautiful room and a very pretty view! π it also has a beautiful intense smoke smell – much worse than the a downtown casino in Vegas! We went to a small store and cigarettes are about 70 cents a pack. I guess that may explain why!
We leave in the morning for Ark to meet with the minister of education sothat we can get permission to go to the orphanage. If he gives it to us, we fly to Kotlas tomorrow night!
One last thing, I opened my suitcase to find another penny sitting perfectly on top of my clothes. I didn’t put it there and after all the shifting in flight we can’t figure our why it was there. There were no coins in my clothes. Very strange, but kinda cool. It’s been a while since Fritz left us one.
Leaving soon…
Hopefully….
We’re off!
We're at the gate! Ready to go. 13 more hours and we'll be in Moscow.
MOSCOW
Things have already changed! We’ve just been notified that we’ll be staying in MOSCOW on the 18th and then flying to Arkhangelsk on Monday. If we can get on a flight to Kotlas then we’ll be in Kotlas Monday night. If not, we’ll have to stay a night in Ark and won’t get to Kotlas until sometime Tuesday. We’re confused as to why we can’t buy tickets ahead of time and secure them…???? I guess it’ll be fun to see Red Square at night…. maybe we can get on the webcam. π It’s warmer there…34 degrees and “broken clouds.” That must mean partly cloudy!
ΠΠΠΠΠΠ€ΠΠ Π ΠΠΠ Π’ΠΠΠΠ‘ Π ΠΠΠ‘ and ΠΠ ΠΠ ΠΠΠΠΠ Π ΠΠΠ‘
Bet you don’t know what that says…
We finally received our visas today. Interesting little tidbit β they wrote our names in Russian.
We are ΠΠΠΠΠΠ€ΠΠ Π ΠΠΠ (Jennifer Rene) and ΠΠ ΠΠ ΠΠΠΠΠ (Erik Michael).
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost time to go…just TWO more days! It’s weird packing Cheerios and baby clothes for a baby we’ve never met! π
Erik’s mom found a website that gives information about Kotlas – the town where the orphanage is. You’ll find pictures, history, etc. here. Thanks Ingrid!
http://www.kotlas.org/kotlas/index.html
The countryside looks very pretty. It’ll be very interesting to compare going in March with going again closer to summer. Here are some pictures from the town’s official website:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/urltrurl?lp=ru_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2fkotlas-city.ru%2fgallery.htm
We’ve heard so many mixed comments from other people that have been. Some say they were told to stay in their room in Kotlas when they are not at the orphanage because people are suspicious of outsiders and don’t like foreigners to adopt Russian children. Some say they have been approached in a bad way by people. Some people have found Russians in this town to be quite friendly. Either way, I know we’ll be fine….usually we find if we just fly a little under the radar people are pretty nice everywhere!
Hopefully we’ll spend most of next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the orphanage. They only send us away when he needs to take a nap. Otherwise, I guess we can visit 2-3 times a day…
I’ve added a live webcam of the Red Square. You’ll find it if you scroll down on the right side of the screen.
Well I guess it’s back to packing….
One week left!
It’s funny, we feel like we know NOTHING about where we are going. In the past when we’ve traveled, we’ve had guide books, been able to look things up on the net. This time, nada. We have no idea what we’ll be able to do once we get to Kotlas – where the baby home is. We’ve found information about the city of Arkhangel’sk. The hotel looks nice…we’ll have a bathroom…Internet access. In Amsterdam Erik has an idea of where he’d like to stay…and even that I can check out on the website before saying, “yes.” (or “no”) Apparently people with mullets stay 50% off. (Not kidding by the way – check out “The Winston”! ) π
But Kotlas is a different story…
We know it exists. It has to – it’s on the map, right? But whenever we try to do an Internet search, the weather station comes up and that’s about it. It’s like no one has traveled there except those who want to adopt. If we do a search on msn, THIS website comes up third. π That’s how little is written about Kotlas. It’s an enigma.
To us, this is a little nerve wracking. We’re used to having contact with the outside world….of being connected… or going to a restaurant, to be able to plan out what we will see or do. This is definitely new territory.
I guess we stay in an apartment, but whose – we have no idea. We have a picture from another parent who adopted from the agency…. I guess we stay in the penthouse of this building.
We might be expecting the worst, but I’m thinking there’s a chance it may be difficult to stay in touch…
PINK!
So I was in a chat room for adoptive parents who adopt through the same agency in the same region last night. All of the boys they were referred were dressed in pink too! Little pastel pink jumpers, hot pink t-shirts, red tights!! π The pictures they sent me are really cute. I know they must use whatever they have, but it looks like Alexander has on a little cute blue outfit underneath. I wonder if they save the pink clothes for pictures or for presenting kids to potential parents…
Any Ideas?
When we were talking to our consultant yesterday, she suggested we bring age appropriate snacks and toys to the orphanage so that when they leave us with Alexander we will have something to share with him. Does anybody have any ideas of things that we can bring? He is 8 months old.
Thanks for the help!
Off to Russia!
We got travel somewhat finalized today. We’ll be traveling in two weeks. (March 17th-24th) We’ll be flying to the captial first – Moscow! We’ll then fly from Moscow to the city of Arkhangel’sk where we’ll get permission to visit the orphanage. On Monday we’ll get on another small plane and we’ll fly from Arkhangel’sk to Kotlas where we will meet Alexander and get to play with him. We’ll be at the orphanage Monday through Thursday. It’ll be very interesting to be there and to meet all of the Russian children and their caregivers. Maybe we’ll even get to meet the lady in the picture!
Then we’ll make the return trip home with a layover in Amsterdam Friday night. We’ve heard that Internet access will be fairly easy to find. We’ll be sure to send lot of pictures of Alexander and of cool things we see along the way! We are so excited! (I don’t even care how cold it is anymore!) Can’t wait!
Cold…But Not as Cold as it was in January
Travel Dates!
Found out today that we need to be in Russia on March 18th. They want us there that whole week so we can meet Alexander and see if he’s the baby for us. Now hopefully we can use those frequent flyer miles!!!
REFERRAL!
Just Checking to See if This Works!
The Russian Baby Adventure 
