Moving Day...

Yes, it seems after two months of being in the second-best apartment, we are finally being moved into the one upstairs. I’m not too happy, and I’d just as soon stay where we are (at least it has less stairs to climb), but since the one we’re in is not owned by our co-ordinator, and the one that is was vacated last night, move we must. We’ll see how it goes...

The good news is, the paperwork is in Moscow this morning to be processed. Normally, it’s a one day process, but we won’t know for sure until today or tomorrow. Hopefully, all goes well and we are on the plane on Saturday.

We have another tooth! It popped through the gums the other day, and now I can see the tiniest bit of white pushing it way up! And, I sure can feel them when his sticks my finger is his mouth... good thing the gums cushion it on top. Then again, since I can see the shape of the top ones in the gums, I’m sure it won’t be long for those ones too.

Happy Birthday Gramma!!

Yes, today is my mother's birthday - Happy Birthday! (and I hope you enjoy the picture!)

What can I say except I am getting really bored - and definitely ready to come home! I can say that I have enjoyed my time here - at least for the most part - and I am enjoying the time with my son. But, damn it - I want my own home, my own house! The best it looks like is Saturday, Sept 4th - which isn't so bad, I suppose, barely a week away, but that's assuming everything goes wuickly in Moscow! If it doesn't, I could be stuck here for a few more days even yet!

Last night, we went to the park about a ten minute walk from the apartment, with a fountain and a path to walk. I just let him crawl around the centre, surrounding the fountain - and he had a great time! When I went to put him back in the stroller, he cried. He wanted to keep going. At least he's happy...

The Fires of Moscow...

Yes, if you have been following world news, you may have heard about the fires in Moscow. As a result, some of the staff in the Canadian Embassy there - the people I need to process his VISA application - were sent home. To Canada. I have been told they should hopefully be returning this week, and that they will process the application, "...as quickly as possible". What should normally be a same day service - and then back to me - well, let's just say we have to wait and see how long it takes. Hopefully, not too long...

The weather here is the craziest weather I have ever known! It is hot, hot, hot - like 30,40 degrees - for a few days, then it's cold, cold, cold - I mean fall cold, wear a jacket cold - and wet. It rains for five minutes, but the water on the ground hangs around. It is so crazy. (As you can imagine, it was hot over the weekend, and now today I had to pull out pants and a jacket).

It is funny, how now I am meeting lots of new people. On Saturday, I approached a couple of young girls who were speaking english, and ended up going out for lunch yesterday with a couple ladies from the states. It was a good lunch, and nice to get out with new people. Also, it doesn't hurt since Marie-Dominique will be leaving for Almaty and then to France in two days. Anyways, just now, I was approahed by a couple because I was speaking english to Lucas, inviting me to their cultural and language studies school. Very cool! It almost makes me not want to go home... but not quite.

And, so people out there know, I am still having problems sending from my yahoo account. I had to use Jer's gmail account to e-mail about the VISA stuff - I may have to set up my own gmail account...

An Evening In The Park...

The past few nights, Marie-Dominique and I having been taking the kids to the park, where we enjoy the music and sights of the park, as well as a walk around the mini-lake. Well, last night, we took the kids again – but this time, we let them play around on the ground. Not the cleanest thing, and I was a little hesitant at first – but then I said, what the heck, a dirty kid is a happy kid! (plus, I made sure to wash his hands before he started sticking them in his mouth again.) And boy, did they have a great time! I think they just enjoyed being out the confines of the strollers and able to explore more freely. Anyways, enjoy the pictures! And, if you notice, there was a nice long bench – which I am very happy to say Lucas was walking up and down, on his own! I wasn’t ever very far, but still. He was actually strolling up and down the bench – it was great to watch.

Not sure when I will be home - still working on figuring out if the office in Moscow is actually open, with everything going on over there. Sent an e-mail today - should know soon.

Good News/Bad News...

Well, the VERY GOOD news is that the passport is in. Hurray! The very bad news is that apparently before it can be sent to Moscow, it has to go to Astana (capital city about 2 hours by car) with some more paperwork, for some stamp, so it won't be sent to Moscow until Monday. Which means it looks like I will not make my flight on the 28th. Boo hoo! But, as my husband said - I have my little boy, and that's what really matters. The other good thing about this is that we are bonding, and he is doing so well. I am keeping my fingers crossed about adjusting at home, but I think he'll be okay. It's actualy adjusting him to the new time zone I am more concerned about, and getting him back into some sort of routine like we have here - feeding, sleeping, formula, naps. But, oh how I look forward to showing him the park and river by our house! It will be so nice to be able to just walk out my front door, without having to take a 25-minute bus ride to the park!

I still can't believe how unbeliveably well he is doing! He's doing better than me! Well, not quite - but I sure do enjoy my morning naps! ;)

And, we have tooth! There is no doubt this time! I was rubbing oral gel on his gums the other night, and I very distinctly felt the rough edge of the top of his bottom front tooth popping through the gums. It's not quite there yet - I can't actually see white - but I can see a difference in his gums there, it is cutting through the gums from underneeth. No wonder they start to whine when they're teething - those new teeth are sharp!

Hope to see you all soon!

A Day In The Life Of...

Okay, so I have hot water back - hurray! And the passport information has been sent and is on its way! I just hope its back in time to get it on the train for Thursday, Friday this week - or I will not make my Aug 28th flight! And that would suck...

Things are going good, though we have had a few moments - including an hour and half the other night at midnight. It was not fun! But I am apparently still getting off easy, as the other mom who just took her baby last week is having a bit of a rough time. All I can say is thank goodness for Baby Einstien! At 1:00 in the morning, it was the only thing that would calm him down.

Last night, we had some difficulties getting to sleep. I let him cry for a few minutes, then he fell alseep - then woke up twice within the next half hour. So I finally took him and rocked him - and he loved it! He's not that much of a cuddler - he was at first, but now he wants to being moving more and has no time for that. But last night, he practically fell asleep in my arms. So I put him back in his bed and he fell asleep - for good this time. I just wish I had a rocker so I could have rocked him more. I think there might be some teething issues happening - but they still refuse to pop out! Ah well, they will in time!

Diane, that reminds me of our wedding - our minister used the same line (and song) to describe the new adventure we were beginning together. And, I have been trying to respond to your e-mail, but for some reason yahoo won't let me "send". I have it in my drafts and will send as soon as it lets me.

Hot water anyone?

Okay, as if I wasn't getting homesick enough, now there's no hot water in the apartment! The apartment leaves a lot to be desired (we are in the second floor apartment, next to Marina's husband) - needs a little bit of remodelling and new tiles in the bathroom floor (there currently are none directly around the toilet), but at least there was hot water - which is more than can be said about the other apartment apparently. But no, this morning was the second day without hot water. It's been out a couple times before - an hour here, a morning there, but this morning I had to take a less-than-warm shower. And, if it doesn't come back on soon, poor Lucas is in for a shock when I have to give him a bath. Ah well - with any luck, two weeks and two days and we'll be on our way home!

Yes, he seems to be a content little boy - except when mommy is out of sight. No, I don't just leave him - but I can wash my hands in the washroom and still see him playing in the living room, and he doesn't like that! He's taken to following me across the apartment, all the while whining. Of course, we always seem to get stopped by the stroller - we much check everything new and different along the way...

My Little Angel

Okay, so now that he is with me, and the orphanage has the paperwork, I can tell you what a little angel he is! All those horror stories about bringing home kids from the orphanage - well, I pretty much have the complete opposite. He is so good - he sleeps when he's supposed to sleep, eating like a little piggy (I think he's going to eat us out of house and home, and he's barely a year old...) and just overall doing well. In fact, right now, he is here with me, in a high chair, and he is quite contented, just looking around. After years of feeling like the most unluckiest person in the world, I can't help but ask myself how I got so lucky wiht my little angel!s!

And, just in case there is any doubt, he knows who mommy is - and he knows how to get what he wants! I said he's an angel, but he can be rather impatient - when he wakes up, he must have food, and when it's time for bottle (formula), he lets me know - and whines until he gets it. Then, when his tummy is full and he's had a good nap, he is all smiles, laughing and giggling away at me. It is too cute!

Yes, I miss home, but I am definitely feeling better, and able to do more. It is a little constricting, to have to adhere to nap times and feeding schedules, but alas, that is motherhood, and I love every minute of it.

And yes, the paperwork did come in yesterday. It was a little touch and go there for a minute, since there was an inspection at the orphanage, but in the end, the paperwork got there and all is well.

Hope to see you all soon!

Best wishes from home...

I am going to cry, with all the best wishes! I know that I am not so good at responding to everyone individually, but please know that it gives me strength to feel everyone's love and support. It gets me through what can otherwise be a very boring - and sometimes lonely - time. I know that I have the baby, and as good as he is - he is amazing, my little angel! - he can't carry a conversation. But know that I am finally feeling better! The 6 am wake up calls are still a little rough - but nap time helps, that's for sure.

As for Wasaga... I've been thinking I would love to bring him to the annual end-of-year bash, but I am not so sure. I am not worried about him adjusting to Canada - he'll be fine - and believe me when I say he is well-adjusted and bonded to me now, but I am concerned about switching that internal clock over to Toronto time. We'll just have to wait and see how it goes. Can't wait to being him home to everyone!

Tommorrow, tommorrow, tommorrow... I get that little piece of paper that says he's ours! Believe me when I say, I can not wait! Everyday our bond grows stronger, and I know that he is mine, but it will be nice to make it "official" with that piece of paper!

What God has brought together, let no Man tear apart.

The Point of No Return...

So, it is here - today is The Point of No Return. If anyone wants to claim my baby, they must do so by 6 pm Karaganda time (8 am Toronto time) - otherwise he is ours! Since it is the weekend, I will get the paperwork saying just that on Monday - then begins yet another process of paperwork to bring him home. Who said we live in a paperless society??? I think we have single handely killed more trees through this process than I have in my entire life!! (of course, it was all using recycled paper...)

Sorry I have been a little too busy - and yet again sick - to write. I swear I have been sick five out of the seven weeks I've been here - if not more! Anyone coming behind me, DO NOT hesitate to bring antibiotics with you - beg your doctor if you have to, because you are going to need them. Don't be like me, and think - oh, it's okay, I'll load up on vitamins and my body can handle it. WRONG! The bugs here are probably only microscopically different, but that's enough to give your body a beating! And you don't want to be sick when you're trying to look after a baby that wakes you up at 6 am every morning. Besides, trust me when I say it's better to have the right medication from home, rather then having to trust the quality here. Not saying there's anything wrong with it here - but we are right next door to China...

Since I am not legally allowed to have custody until I recieve the adoption paperwork on Monday, there is no way that I have him with me in the apartment. Nope, no way. And yet, for some reason, I have a 6 am wake up call every morning...

The good news/bad news is that my co-ordinator said, we get the adoption paperwork on Monday, apply for the passport, get that in ten business days, send the immigration paperwork to Moscow and back to us... back to us on August 29th. For those paying attention, my flight is currently booked for August 28th. Huummm.... So now I am asking all of you out there to please say a prayer for us, and hope that we get that paperwork back just that little bit sooner... like the 27th, because mommy really needs to get her butt back home! I'm actually doing a lot better than I have been, but still, it will be nice to be home again.

See you all then!