[ddahl]

tweeetymom04, They have grown so much! They are beautiful! Those mischevious little faces.... keeping you busy no doubt! Hugs!

[ddahl]

We are having our 2 year post placement next month as our agency does them a bit early to ensure they go in on time. Can not believe it. Some pictures included of my little munchkin. He is now going to Christian school and loves it. He is also a little swimmer and is now famous for these words" I do it mee-selth Mommy". He can dress himself and is hitting all his milestone developmentals. He is a constant chatterbox so this once quiet home is never silent unless DS is totally passed out for a nap or night night. Amazing what a 31 pounder can do in the way of changing everything. I wouldn't have it any other way. Since I have been a SAHM our relationship has dramatically changed for the better. We have lots of snuggles and he will come up to me ans say "lets cuddle Mommy". Its the best feeling ever.

First photo is of our first trip to the baby home and the next photo is of our recent trip to Key West. Ds informed me that he loves hotels and wants to go back to key west to stay in a hotel. I thinks its the ice machine. He is still talking about it!

[votemom]

this is a great thread. all the kids look terrific! congratulations to all of you.

[Chris3148]

I am still a lurker, sometimes a poster. So here goes...

We started our adoption journey in Feb 2004, after coming to terms with the dreaded news that I had Premature Ovarian Failure at the age of 30...we researched all types of adoptions and it seemed as Russia was pulling both of us there. So we started our paperwork for one child under 12 months old and were told we should have HIM home by Christmas. They told us to be ready for a boy since we said either gender and many families were waiting for girls. Then at the end of 2004 things looked bleak as there were temporary closures, then the databank change law, then 2005 more bad news with accreditation lapses. We seriously considered jumping ship and looked into other EE programs. Then we decided the grass isn't always greener on the otherside...stayed with Russia and changed our dossier (since we had to re-do it anyway since it was over a year old) to say one child under 18 months or siblings under 4, any gender since the original plan was to do this twice and there was nooooo way I was going through this again. So, we sat and waited more and more...then FINALLY in Sept. 2005 we got the call for our little girls, 3.1 years old and 15 months at the time. We should have had a first trip date by the end of September but the MOE official in our region fell sick, no one apparently could do her work, and we waited until mid November for them to replace her. So, new MOE official should = first trip date-NOPE. It = a phone call from agency saying that the girls should have never been put on the database and they are unadoptable. After a month of us and our agency pushing for answers and in the meantime us deciding on another sibling referral we were granted a MIRACLE...the MOE agreed to allow the girls to be adopted. We then got our first trip dates after the holidays and met our girls. Court trip was 7 weeks later and on March 13th after standing in a court room TWICE that day (judge said too that they were unadoptable, had to convince again) we became their parents. All in all 2 years and 1 month to complete our adoption journey.

We have been home for 15 months now and our girls are the loves of our lives. Long painful journey, but worth every second of it.

First 3 months home were ROUGH, did I say ROUGH? Emmalee, almost 4 at the time was scared and confused and constantly had temper tantrums and tested us. She also did not let me out of her sight and did not let my husband near her till about 5 months home. Alexis, just turned 2 at the time had an easy start with us.

Next months home were great for Emmalee. She bonded more and more with Dh and developed a healthy attachment to me. Her langauge was amazing and she started Pre-K at our local school for children with special needs. (Hers being ESOL, but she tested out of the program the first month). Since then she has blossomed into the most beautiful little girl inside and out. She has her last day of pre-k today and can't wait for the summer. Our little Siberian princess is a FISH! She takes swim lessons 2x a week, lives in our blow up pool or at the pools at our community club!!! She also takes gymnastics ( no real talent but loves it) and dance lessons. She loves to tell you rhymes, find letters in signs while driving, and tell anyone that will listen what sounds letters make. She also loves to pretend play and dress up as any princess! And I love when I see her rough housing with my husband and all I hear is that belly laugh. God, she has come a long way. Plus the hugs, kisses, and love you forever mommy I hear all day is great too!

Alexis started having a rough time around 5 months home. I think she started to realize she was with us forever and started trying to attach more. This paired with learning to put a few words together to make sentences even though in her head she could tell us everything = frustration! She started the temper tantrums and testing us. Still does to a point now, but I think it is more the age-3. 3 seems so much harder than 2!!!! Also, she had minor surgery in March for a herniated umbilical cord and since then she seems to be more anxiously attached to me. Still working on this. But she also is the most beautiful girl inside and out. She tested out of speech therapy in January and although her pronounciation isn't always there she never stops talking! She has also learned to rhyme, know her letters, and is starting to recognize letter sounds probably since her sister makes her play school all morning long! She is also a FISH!!! She was enrolled in a mommy and me program, but after 2 weeks they put her in a program without me and she is learning to swim already-about 5 feet across before she goes under!!! She also takes gymnastics and dancing and really has some talent! She also loves to dress up and makes up songs that she sings all day long. Today she sang this short one over and over, "I don't know, I can't see it, I'll play instead. " This was made up while I was asking her to pick up a toy. LOL

Their health has been good except for allergies which they take medicine for and Alexis has eksema. They have both grown over 6 inches and gained over 10 lbs since being home. They are now almost 5 and just turned 3.

Okay, I have gone on and on. I'll stop now!

Hang in there all you waiters, it may be a long process but so worth it.

Old timers, I loved seeing the photos and hearing the updates.

So, here are a few recent photos of my Novosibirsk beauties and their referral pics.

[DCD]

It's hard to believe so much time has passed. This board was such a life saver especially the first time around. I truly met such great friends here.

DD has been home almost 3 1/2 years. She will be 4 this summer. She has had some rocky moments. She has a very strong personality and a very high energy level. She actually seems to be moving past a really tough stage. Regardless she is the sparkplug of our home. She is such a personality!!! Through some of the most difficult times, she still melts my heart everyday.

DS will be home a year in July. He is DD bio brother. His transition has been a little easier, but he has his moments also. He also has a very strong will. He is also so tender and loves any one on one time he can steal from me.

Both are a handful, but worth every minute of it!!!

Great to see other familliar faces.

Dina

[aimeemk]

Pinkie - Thank you very much!!!

It was so wonderful to see so many familiar oldtimers!! I remember watching so many of you guys bring your children home and to now see them thriving!!

Just awesome!

[momofmax]

Yes I read but have never posted until tonight.
My son came home from the city of Orenburg
Russia in February 2004. I received his referral in November of 2003 and was blessed to bring him home in February, 3 days after his first birthday. He was very small, weighing in at a hefty 14lbs. 15ozs at his
first doctors appointment one week after coming home. Today he is a very out going, energentic 4 year old. He is still very small, 28lbs, 37" tall, but very healthy.

My adoption journey was one that went fairly smoothly and quickly after changing to Russia from another country. A wonderful agency, a interpreter
in Orenburg that was very supportive and helpful, and
lots of luck made my process a wonderful experience.

My son is the most wonderful, and loving child and I am very blessed to have him in my life.


mom of Max now 4 years
Born 2/19/03
referral 11/4/03
home forever 2/22/04

[angelkisses0102]

Some pictures of my fishes...ummm kiddos...

[angelkisses0102]

A couple more...

[Javalita]

Fun thread Karen! Nice to read all of the updates and see the pics.

Wow. It has been awhile for me. I lurk and almost never post. It has been over 2 years since we've been home.

The first year was rough - lots of attachment issues. It was hard with lots of changes to our lives. After lots of holding time, cosleeping and attachment parenting things seem to be better. Sean starts preschool in September so we'll see how things go with that. I'm sad that my little boy is growing up.

He's an active little guy, great sense of humor and fun to be around (for the most part!) He swims like a fish this year - holding his breath, swimming across the pool with his floatys and even doing summersaults into the water. He constantly surprises us with the things he can do or the stuff he comes up with. It is fun to watch him grow and learn. On another note, he lost his tooth a few months back on our local slide. Other than that though, life is pretty normal.

Anyone who remembers me may remember that we lost our sweet pug Java last October. We still miss her horribly. But we have a new pug named Ruby and she is a nice girl too. We also recently added a foster pug to our home. He was about to be put to sleep - his owner went into hospice and the son didn't want him. So through Pug Rescue he was saved and we picked him up.

This pic shows Sean, Curly (our foster pug) and Ruby. Great shot of the missing tooth too!!!

[kalina87]

OMG!! I lurked on here from time to time. Most of the time, i can't remember my username! LOL

What about the bigger of the questions?? How many of you feel like a genius when you hear someone else adoption from Russia. And you SWARE you will only write a few lines, and it ends up being a novel?! lol

I can't believe it's been almost 3.5 yrs since Maverick came home!! Unfortunately I had divorced a year ago after all of this.

Anyhow, Maverick's birthday is around the corner He's going to be 5!!!! I can't get over it. Before his legs were so short. Now I can't keep jeans long enough for him. Everything thinks he's definitely older than 4.5 Since the day we got him home, he's been nothing but a WIRED machine! Do they ever calm down??? lol

Anyhow, here are some updated pics of Mav-Tav. from the first picture we ever got - to most recent last week...

mav000.jpg

mav22.jpg

mav11.jpg

[angelkisses0102]

I am so luvin' all these updates...and big congrats to you Aimeemk!

[jenn13]

I too just lurk these days. We have been home since October 2004 and the changes in our boys have been amazing.

They are getting ready to start Kindergarten in August and I just can't believe how time flies by us.

Here are some pics.

[Waiting4Skip]

It is almost 3 years since we arrived home with Skip, but our story is bittersweet. 2 years after our first visit, we are still no closer to a court date for Harry...

Most days I can put it all into perspective...this isn't one of those days.

I miss him terribly, have been back to visit him 2x including a 3 week trip at Christmas, but each time I leave him behind breaks my heart a little more.

On the bright side, Skip is a happy, loving, beautiful & bright 4-1/2 year old:

[votemom]

gosh, i think skip looks a LOT like karen's son alex.