3 years ago today I was grocery shopping and picking up some Christmas gifts at Kohl's. I was huge and ready to get this baby out of me! However, I was only experiencing very light contractions and assumed my induction would still take place on 11/16. Little did I know my baby had other ideas. My contractions starting picking up later that night to the point I called my midwife. She said I could labor at home for a little longer. I had tons of work to finalize before being "out of the office" for a few days. I sat at my computer and typed between my contractions that were now 10 minutes apart. My Mom sat in the adjacent room and couldn't believe I was holding off on getting to the hospital. She told me work could wait but I was determined to finish up what needed to be done. Finally, I told David we should probably go. At this point my water had not yet broken. A bit difference from Katelyn since my water broke first in that case and I had to be induced to get labor started. I won't go through all the details of that day but let's just say we BARELY made it to the hospital. Meredith was born less than an hour from when we arrived and I had the opportunity for a natural birth. Not a choice I would have ever made on my own but Meredith decided when she was ready....she was ready and not enough time for the drugs. I will say Meredith's personality has been this way ever since.
Dear Meredith,
I feel so lucky to be your Mommy. Yes, you are a very spirited and at times a challenging child to raise. However, I know your spirit will take you to wonderful places. You light up a room when you walk into it and you're only 3 today. Your curly hair and bubbly personality are impossible to forget. You have added so much to our lives and I know your sister and brother just adore you. Even when you dump out all my lotion in the sink, ruin your sister's art project and grab every toy your brother wants....we still adore you!
I look forward to watching you grow from a toddler to a young girl. I can't even imagine what exciting times are to come as you grow into a teenager and young woman. I will always be here for you during all the good and the bad times.
I've been told you're a lot like me. I hope that's a good thing! I know you will be a strong and independent woman. I know you will never let anyone tell you no and yes, I've already experienced this myself. Keep your spirit and cute way about you even when you are punished for it.
Happy 3rd Birthday, Meredith!
Love Always,
Mommy
Friday, November 14, 2008
Yes...It's Been a Long Time Coming!
Somehow having 3 kids (5 and under), a full time job and all the other things in my life has left me with little blogging time. Can you believe it?
Drew is doing GREAT! He is so funny, charming, loving, whiny, clingy, rambunctious, chatty and a perfect little son. We really hit the jackpot. All of his behaviors and development are completely normal. He's starting to be quite the talker as well. Of course his favorite sayings are "I want more", "I want snack" and "I want milk"....do you see a pattern?!?
Drew uses the potty on a daily basis along with plenty of diapers. He starting going on the potty right around his 2nd birthday. I have done NOTHING to potty train him. He doesn't go on his own but will sit and go almost anytime you ask him. I don't think he's quite ready yet as he doesn't seem to hold his bladder long enough but I'm hoping to start training the first of the year. I would be thrilled to have all 3 kids out of diapers!
Drew enjoys playing with his sisters and is quite fond of princess dresses, crowns and especially high heels. I must take pictures so when he's a macho football playing senior in high school I can take out an ad in the Friday night football program with a picture of him all dressed in drag. Won't he just love me?!?
Drew loved his first Halloween and was an adorable Yoda. He still walks around with his trick or treat basket in the house and I'm sure he thinks he'll continue to get it filled up with candy. I can't wait until he experiences his first Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm sure he will be a little overwhelmed with everything.
What a great 2008 and we're looking forward to an even better 2009!
I'll try to post more often :)
Kimberly
Drew is doing GREAT! He is so funny, charming, loving, whiny, clingy, rambunctious, chatty and a perfect little son. We really hit the jackpot. All of his behaviors and development are completely normal. He's starting to be quite the talker as well. Of course his favorite sayings are "I want more", "I want snack" and "I want milk"....do you see a pattern?!?
Drew uses the potty on a daily basis along with plenty of diapers. He starting going on the potty right around his 2nd birthday. I have done NOTHING to potty train him. He doesn't go on his own but will sit and go almost anytime you ask him. I don't think he's quite ready yet as he doesn't seem to hold his bladder long enough but I'm hoping to start training the first of the year. I would be thrilled to have all 3 kids out of diapers!
Drew enjoys playing with his sisters and is quite fond of princess dresses, crowns and especially high heels. I must take pictures so when he's a macho football playing senior in high school I can take out an ad in the Friday night football program with a picture of him all dressed in drag. Won't he just love me?!?
Drew loved his first Halloween and was an adorable Yoda. He still walks around with his trick or treat basket in the house and I'm sure he thinks he'll continue to get it filled up with candy. I can't wait until he experiences his first Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm sure he will be a little overwhelmed with everything.
What a great 2008 and we're looking forward to an even better 2009!
I'll try to post more often :)
Kimberly
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Funny Things Kids Say
This will be an ongoing thread of funny/interesting things my kids have said over the years. Most of the current ones will be from Katelyn since she continues to amaze me with her insight and wit. As Meredith gets older I can only imagine what will come out of her mouth. I think Drew will be more laid back and may not have as much to add. Still too soon to determine.....
Katelyn (Age 5) ~ If God created the trees, animals and everything else than who created God?
Meredith (Age 2) ~ I am not your friend! I am very mad at you! (this is later usually followed up with an I love you mommy and I'm your friend)
Katelyn had her first brush with profanity this week at age 5 and used it correctly. When asked where she heard the word she couldn't remember. I guess that's better than her saying she heard it from me. Word of choice? dammit! After using it correctly twice in a matter of days we suggested with consequences spelled out the word should be removed from her vocabulary. I'm sure we'll hear it again some day but hopefully she's at least riding a bicycle without training wheels the next time it pops out of her mouth.....
Meredith (Age 2) ~ Doing a shake her booty dance and singing along...shake my booty, shake my booty. When asked where she learned this fine dance and song she replied, "Grammy". Somehow I don't think that's the case....
Meredith (Age 5) ~ "I'm either marrying Justin Beiber or Lee (our next door neighbor)". Apparently she likes much older boys since Lee is about 5 years older than her!
Later, she said she was going to marry her brother, Drew. I explained this wasn't allowed and she declared..."If I don't tell them he's my brother than they won't know and I can marry him!".
After Drew (Age 4) was told how cute he is for the millionth time Katelyn (Age 7 1/2) told him "Enjoy it now because you won't hear it when you are older...trust me, I know!".
Katelyn (Age 5) ~ If God created the trees, animals and everything else than who created God?
Meredith (Age 2) ~ I am not your friend! I am very mad at you! (this is later usually followed up with an I love you mommy and I'm your friend)
Katelyn had her first brush with profanity this week at age 5 and used it correctly. When asked where she heard the word she couldn't remember. I guess that's better than her saying she heard it from me. Word of choice? dammit! After using it correctly twice in a matter of days we suggested with consequences spelled out the word should be removed from her vocabulary. I'm sure we'll hear it again some day but hopefully she's at least riding a bicycle without training wheels the next time it pops out of her mouth.....
Meredith (Age 2) ~ Doing a shake her booty dance and singing along...shake my booty, shake my booty. When asked where she learned this fine dance and song she replied, "Grammy". Somehow I don't think that's the case....
Meredith (Just Turned 4) ~ We were thanking God for our day and started saying specifics things we were grateful for and Meredith exclaimed "I thank God for potty words!".
Meredith (Early 4) ~ "I know where I came from....you went to the people store in the baby area and picked me out of the cage". Apparently she's confused between making babies and the pet store!
Meredith (Age 4) ~ "I wish Lady GaGa was my mother". Apparently I'm not eccentric enough for my crazy child!
Drew (Age 3) ~ "I think Lady GaGa is cute"
Meredith (Age 4) ~ "Daddy I love everything about you"
Drew (Age 3) ~ "Daddy you make the best pasta ever"
Meredith (Age 4) ~ "I wish Lady GaGa was my mother". Apparently I'm not eccentric enough for my crazy child!
Drew (Age 3) ~ "I think Lady GaGa is cute"
Meredith (Age 4) ~ "Daddy I love everything about you"
Drew (Age 3) ~ "Daddy you make the best pasta ever"
Meredith (Age 5) ~ "I'm either marrying Justin Beiber or Lee (our next door neighbor)". Apparently she likes much older boys since Lee is about 5 years older than her!
Later, she said she was going to marry her brother, Drew. I explained this wasn't allowed and she declared..."If I don't tell them he's my brother than they won't know and I can marry him!".
After Drew (Age 4) was told how cute he is for the millionth time Katelyn (Age 7 1/2) told him "Enjoy it now because you won't hear it when you are older...trust me, I know!".
I guess I'll Never Make Money Doing This.....
I really enjoy blogging....it's actually very therapeutic. I'm guessing not many people even read the words I put on paper but maybe some day it will be fun for my kids to read through and wonder who the heck raised them :). I read some popular Mommy blogs and the bloggers are on almost every day. I can't imagine being that diligent. Maybe if I wasn't raising 3 kids, running a business, maintaining the house, paying the bills, putting food on the table, running to the grocery store to pick up milk...how do they do it?
Life has been hectic this summer. It's tough having the kids out of school even with Carolyn helping out 3 times a week. I'm thinking summer camp is the option next year. Hopefully I can find something for at least the girls. They get so bored. My kids need constant activity in their lives. It's amazing to me how much energy they can store in their little bodies. It's also amazing that with a house full of toys, all 3 kids will fight over the same darn toy. How does that happen? There must be a scientific law somewhere that explains it.
I'm getting the best belated anniversary gift this weekend. The husband and kids are going to the lake house and I have the house to myself. Not that I don't thoroughly enjoy spending time with them and not to mention I've traveled a lot this month. But, I am so behind with work it's ridiculous. I guess I should be doing that right now and making money rather than typing in my blog. Not only will I never make money doing this but I've just penned myself a procrastinator.
Life has been hectic this summer. It's tough having the kids out of school even with Carolyn helping out 3 times a week. I'm thinking summer camp is the option next year. Hopefully I can find something for at least the girls. They get so bored. My kids need constant activity in their lives. It's amazing to me how much energy they can store in their little bodies. It's also amazing that with a house full of toys, all 3 kids will fight over the same darn toy. How does that happen? There must be a scientific law somewhere that explains it.
I'm getting the best belated anniversary gift this weekend. The husband and kids are going to the lake house and I have the house to myself. Not that I don't thoroughly enjoy spending time with them and not to mention I've traveled a lot this month. But, I am so behind with work it's ridiculous. I guess I should be doing that right now and making money rather than typing in my blog. Not only will I never make money doing this but I've just penned myself a procrastinator.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Raising a 2 Year Old....OH MY!
I've heard it's because she's gifted....she's curious....she gets bored easily. Why does it always involve stuff I just bought and a huge mess?
In the past week here are the highlights of Meredith's messes:
Meredith is an extremely loving child when she's in the moment. She is also a lot of fun. Yep, she will be the child getting everyone else in trouble. I can see her now as a teenager. We are going to be in trouble!
Patience is being tried daily at this point. I need to keep reminding myself that she's only 2 and this phase will past. I keep hearing someday I will miss these days. Hard to believe right now. Will I really miss cleaning suntan lotion off of the hardwood floors?
The challenge of balancing a stay at home working mother. As if the phrase minus the "working" is an easy task. I will admit....the joys far outweigh the frustrations and I wouldn't change it for the world! However, I will moan and groan when the feeling arises!
In the past week here are the highlights of Meredith's messes:
- Emptying a brand new container of continuous spray suntan lotion all over the hardwood floors. Apparently they too needed protection from the sun. Cost $7
- Emptying a brand new container of MY hair conditioner all over the carpet. Cost $4
- Dumping children's shampoo all over Drew's head and into the shower. Mind you the shower was not on at the time but they managed to get in there just long enough to make a big mess. At least it was inside the shower!
- Emptying an entire brand new refill of Kandoo kids hand soap into the sink. Cost $4
- Almost emptying an entire container of suntan lotion all over the hardwood floor, carpet and DREW! Poor Drew had a head full of suntan lotion and even had it in his eyes. It was children's lotion so I'm sure wasn't as bad as it could be although he had irrated eyes for quite a while, poor thing! Cost $3
Meredith is an extremely loving child when she's in the moment. She is also a lot of fun. Yep, she will be the child getting everyone else in trouble. I can see her now as a teenager. We are going to be in trouble!
Patience is being tried daily at this point. I need to keep reminding myself that she's only 2 and this phase will past. I keep hearing someday I will miss these days. Hard to believe right now. Will I really miss cleaning suntan lotion off of the hardwood floors?
The challenge of balancing a stay at home working mother. As if the phrase minus the "working" is an easy task. I will admit....the joys far outweigh the frustrations and I wouldn't change it for the world! However, I will moan and groan when the feeling arises!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Big House....Everyone Finds Me!
Since I've been pondering life's little mysteries lately why is it that we can live in a good size house and yet all 3 children are constantly in whatever room I'm in? I can be in the smallest room in our house (the master bedroom toilet closet) and yet all 3 children are right there with me! I guess you can say my children are well bonded. No issue there! David has been home from work for about 30 minutes and I'm in my home office (the front of our house) typing on the computer. While David gets to sit peacefully in the family room on the couch watching TV, all three children have found something to do in my office. Katelyn is lying on the floor writing in a workbook, Drew is playing with a car and Meredith was reading a book. I say was for Meredith as she started tearing apart the book and ended up in time out. I read about children being all about Daddy. I read about Mommy's upset that their children don't want much to do with them. Sometimes I wish I could experience that for just an hour or so. How peaceful it would be. And than I realize although I wanted the big house, it was because I wanted a big family to fill it up. Therefore, if everyone being in the same room of every hour of the day makes us complete.....the mystery is solved!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
My Baby is 5!
It's so hard to believe my baby blew out a big 5 on her cake today. Her actual birthday is on Wednesday, April 16 but we had her party at the house today. She wanted a pajama party so everyone showed up at noon wearing their PJ's! How clever is my oldest? She loved her party and was beaming the entire time. We played lots of games, danced to Hannah Montana (aka Miley Cyrus) and ate lots of food. We continue the birthday weekend on Sunday with The My Little Pony live on stage show and a stop after at The American Girl store. She is very excited.
We're all doing really well. Drew continues to be a pure joy in our lives. Have I mentioned I have the sweetest son ever? He walks up to people and hugs them. His giggle is infectious. He started his life under such trying conditions and yet isn't the least bit phased. It's hard to imagine he didn't have that perfect first year. I have to believe his caretakers were very loving people and he is thriving because of it. We made the right decision. Thank goodness we let our heart lead us to St. Petersburg, Russia. Life is so full....even when all three are fighting over the same darn toy. Why is that? We have enough for a whole village of children yet all 3 children want the same toy at the same time. One of life's mysteries :)
We have lots of fun and exciting adventures coming up....next weekend we have our semi-annual neighbors camp out. For those of you who haven't been to our house, although we're in a large neighborhood (1,800+ homes) our house sits on over 2 acres. We have a camping area in the back on the river and it's amazing. We have a fire pit and can easily accommodate about 6 tents. We're expecting 30+ people at our camp out this coming weekend and it will be a fun time. Drew and I will end up in the cozy house and we'll let David with the girls hit the tent. It will be fun to cook at the campfire with everyone and end the night with smores! Early May we'll head to Myrtle Beach for a week of fun with my parents. We're all looking forward to this vacation. It's been awhile since Katelyn has hit the beach and it will be a first time at the beach for Meredith and Drew. Lots of wonderful memories to create. Later in May we head to Six Flags for David's company family day.
The summer is sure to bring lots of fun times for our family of 5. I have a couple of trips planned for Mommy only. I'll be heading on a cruise with my girlfriends for our annual girl's trip and also to Pittsburgh for a work-related conference. Although I'll miss the kids terribly these times are good for all of us and yes, being away makes the heart grow fonder.....
Sorry for making some of you wait too long for an update. Now you know why I took so long to start a blog. I'm bad about logging in and updating.
Soon,
Kimberly
We're all doing really well. Drew continues to be a pure joy in our lives. Have I mentioned I have the sweetest son ever? He walks up to people and hugs them. His giggle is infectious. He started his life under such trying conditions and yet isn't the least bit phased. It's hard to imagine he didn't have that perfect first year. I have to believe his caretakers were very loving people and he is thriving because of it. We made the right decision. Thank goodness we let our heart lead us to St. Petersburg, Russia. Life is so full....even when all three are fighting over the same darn toy. Why is that? We have enough for a whole village of children yet all 3 children want the same toy at the same time. One of life's mysteries :)
We have lots of fun and exciting adventures coming up....next weekend we have our semi-annual neighbors camp out. For those of you who haven't been to our house, although we're in a large neighborhood (1,800+ homes) our house sits on over 2 acres. We have a camping area in the back on the river and it's amazing. We have a fire pit and can easily accommodate about 6 tents. We're expecting 30+ people at our camp out this coming weekend and it will be a fun time. Drew and I will end up in the cozy house and we'll let David with the girls hit the tent. It will be fun to cook at the campfire with everyone and end the night with smores! Early May we'll head to Myrtle Beach for a week of fun with my parents. We're all looking forward to this vacation. It's been awhile since Katelyn has hit the beach and it will be a first time at the beach for Meredith and Drew. Lots of wonderful memories to create. Later in May we head to Six Flags for David's company family day.
The summer is sure to bring lots of fun times for our family of 5. I have a couple of trips planned for Mommy only. I'll be heading on a cruise with my girlfriends for our annual girl's trip and also to Pittsburgh for a work-related conference. Although I'll miss the kids terribly these times are good for all of us and yes, being away makes the heart grow fonder.....
Sorry for making some of you wait too long for an update. Now you know why I took so long to start a blog. I'm bad about logging in and updating.
Soon,
Kimberly
Monday, March 17, 2008
We're a FAMILY of 5!
It's definitely a little crazy around here but in a good way! The kids have been a little under the weather with all the junk going around. My allergies are beating me up but I'm hanging in there! Bottom line...life is great!
Drew is a true joy to have in our lives. Even when he's fussing because his teeth are bothering him or he's just having a moment, I can't imagine not having him in our lives. He fits right in perfectly. His piece of the puzzle didn't even need any help....it slid right into place. Already people have said he looks so much like me.
Not a lot of time to jot down all that's happening but I wanted to take a moment to update with pictures and a few other notes. I will have lots more once the pictures from TRIP 2 are uploaded from my Dad's camera and emailed to me. I'll have to give him a call and get him on the ball.....
More Soon!
Kimberly
Drew is a true joy to have in our lives. Even when he's fussing because his teeth are bothering him or he's just having a moment, I can't imagine not having him in our lives. He fits right in perfectly. His piece of the puzzle didn't even need any help....it slid right into place. Already people have said he looks so much like me.
Not a lot of time to jot down all that's happening but I wanted to take a moment to update with pictures and a few other notes. I will have lots more once the pictures from TRIP 2 are uploaded from my Dad's camera and emailed to me. I'll have to give him a call and get him on the ball.....
More Soon!
Kimberly
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The Miracle of Birth
When a child is born, it's truly a miracle.....God's greatest miracle. I will always remember the birth of each of my daughters and hold it close to my heart. It's amazing how you forget the pain of the whole experience and only treasure the moment of your child being placed on your chest and your heartbeats pulsating together. Yes, this is a miracle.
This week I experienced another miracle of life. Watching our son bond with us so quickly is a true miracle. It is testament to his heart, his character, his mind that he has allowed us to be his parents. Do we choose our babies? Certainly not. Even in adoption they most certainly chose you. Drew became our baby when he chose to open his heart to us in the orphanage. He is God sent to us and as miraculous as a birthing event. I feel as if Drew was born this week. He has a family! We have him. He goes to bed with ease and wakes up fully rested. He is content and at peace. We will bring him home in 24 hours and the rest of his life will start. Is this really different from coming home from the hospital? I would argue, not. On Saturday when he meets his sisters along with my parents for the first time he will have experienced a family for the first time. Hard to imagine how much love he has kept inside all of these years. He may have been left behind at the hospital on August 30, 2006 but he wasn't abandoned. He has been waiting for his family for 18 months to bring him home. We will be there soon.......
This week I experienced another miracle of life. Watching our son bond with us so quickly is a true miracle. It is testament to his heart, his character, his mind that he has allowed us to be his parents. Do we choose our babies? Certainly not. Even in adoption they most certainly chose you. Drew became our baby when he chose to open his heart to us in the orphanage. He is God sent to us and as miraculous as a birthing event. I feel as if Drew was born this week. He has a family! We have him. He goes to bed with ease and wakes up fully rested. He is content and at peace. We will bring him home in 24 hours and the rest of his life will start. Is this really different from coming home from the hospital? I would argue, not. On Saturday when he meets his sisters along with my parents for the first time he will have experienced a family for the first time. Hard to imagine how much love he has kept inside all of these years. He may have been left behind at the hospital on August 30, 2006 but he wasn't abandoned. He has been waiting for his family for 18 months to bring him home. We will be there soon.......
The Typical Tourist!
Our day started very early with a visit from the doctor. This is required to complete the requirements to take Drew back home. He arrived at about 6 AM and we had to wake up Drew. he was not pleased with being woken up but he survived. The doctor said he seemed to be in very good health and did mention he's on the little side. Appears to be in the 10-15th percentile for height and the doctor is fairly certain he is off the chart for weight. He's definitely a little one! After the visit, Drew and I spent about an hour resting in the bed until we had to get ready to begin our day. We headed to the hotel where the other couple was staying to meet our agency contact and do all of the paperwork. It really wasn't too bad as our contact, Michael, made it very easy. I completed all paperwork while David ran around with Drew. They had quite a good time and are bonding so nicely. Definitely a cute Daddy and Son team! After we headed back to the apartment for naps. Drew and Mommy rested for about 2 hours and than it was time to sightsee. We were able to walk to the Kremlin and The Red Square from our apartment. It was a nice walk and the weather was rather mild. Drew sat in his stroller and did great. He definitely preferred to be moving! We walked around and toured a church. The Kremlin was closed (on all Thursdays) but we still got to see a lot. We'll probably try to head back to the area tomorrow to do some touring of the closed areas. Tonight we'll go back to the Japanese restaurant for dinner. Drew is doing very well and is enjoying playing with his blocks. He enjoyed his first bath with us today and has been an angel. He is such an easy child...so far! I sure hope this continues. We can't wait to get home and let him meet his sisters. Katelyn is going to fall in love with him. She will definitely spoil him!
More Soon.....
Kimberly
More Soon.....
Kimberly
We Got 'EM!
We spent the day after court sightseeing in St. Petersburg. We headed to The Hermitage and hired a tour guide to give us the 2 hour version. I have to admit that while it is magnificent and something I'm glad I saw....I was done after about an hour. It's just too much for me. I did enjoy (at the very end) standing face to face with some of the most famous paintings of history. All the magnificent painters had works of art on display and it was very nice to see them.
Wednesday was the day we had started planning for almost a year ago. We drove to the orphanage to pick up our son. It was strange arriving there for the last time. We went in and gave them his clothes so they could dress him. He arrived looking cuter than ever! We knew he would be quite a site in the adorable clothes we had purchased for him. We had him dressed in black Oshkosh overalls with a long sleeved button up shirt. His cute little Thomas the Train shoes on his feet. Meredith will want those shoes! We said our goodbyes and his caregivers gave him hugs. It was very sweet. We went in the van and he was completely fine with everything. The other boy (age 4) started screaming when his parents tried to get him in the van. However, he was fine while finally seated and we were driving. We arrived at the airport and all went well. We had too much luggage weight (which we knew) but only paid about $10 for the extra 10 lbs so that wasn't bad! The flight was a little over an hour and went very well. Drew seemed to enjoy himself and ate the food. He really likes apple juice! He is such an easy going kid! We arrived in Moscow and it took about 1 1/2 hours to get to our apartment. We rented an apartment rather than staying at the hotel. It was about 1/2 the price and we have a kitchen and more room. Drew even has a pack n play which we set up in the kitchen so he has his own room to sleep in each night. Perfect! After a nice dinner at a Japanese restaurant just downstairs from the apartment we headed to bed. Drew went right to sleep and slept until we had to wake him at 6 AM for the doctor's visit.
I'll start a new post about Thursday.....
Wednesday was the day we had started planning for almost a year ago. We drove to the orphanage to pick up our son. It was strange arriving there for the last time. We went in and gave them his clothes so they could dress him. He arrived looking cuter than ever! We knew he would be quite a site in the adorable clothes we had purchased for him. We had him dressed in black Oshkosh overalls with a long sleeved button up shirt. His cute little Thomas the Train shoes on his feet. Meredith will want those shoes! We said our goodbyes and his caregivers gave him hugs. It was very sweet. We went in the van and he was completely fine with everything. The other boy (age 4) started screaming when his parents tried to get him in the van. However, he was fine while finally seated and we were driving. We arrived at the airport and all went well. We had too much luggage weight (which we knew) but only paid about $10 for the extra 10 lbs so that wasn't bad! The flight was a little over an hour and went very well. Drew seemed to enjoy himself and ate the food. He really likes apple juice! He is such an easy going kid! We arrived in Moscow and it took about 1 1/2 hours to get to our apartment. We rented an apartment rather than staying at the hotel. It was about 1/2 the price and we have a kitchen and more room. Drew even has a pack n play which we set up in the kitchen so he has his own room to sleep in each night. Perfect! After a nice dinner at a Japanese restaurant just downstairs from the apartment we headed to bed. Drew went right to sleep and slept until we had to wake him at 6 AM for the doctor's visit.
I'll start a new post about Thursday.....
We're in Russia and Our Son is With US!
I've been super bad about keeping this updated over the last week. I guess there's a little too much going on....
Before I start....we finally picked a name! It's Andrew "Drew" Wesley. Andrew is David's middle name and Wesley is a family name (his grandfather's middle name and many generations back).
Here's an update on the last week.
We arrived in St. Petersburg on Friday, February 29 after traveling through the night. Of course I didn't sleep a wink! I got a little sick on the plane from Frankfurt to St. Petersburg. This was the first time a plane ride made me sick so perhaps it was the nerves and lack of sleep that helped it along. When we arrived at the airport we had issues with the initial passport control area and the paperwork but finally got it right after 3 tries! We found our luggage easily and our driver was waiting for us. We met another couple in the van who are with the same agency. They adopted a little boy who just turned 4. We checked into the hotel and after a nice dinner got some much needed rest.
On Saturday we headed to the orphanage. When we arrived Drew was taking a nap and at first we weren't sure if we could even see him. We ended up spending about an hour with him so it worked out just fine. Did not get the idea our son remembered us at all but he's still very young. The other couple's son (just turned 4) definitely remembered him and that was neat to see. While waiting for Drew, we were able to see the other couple's son and his music class. It was so sweet to see the young children playing instruments and singing. We continue to be so impressed with the orphanage where our son has spent his entire life. We had a very nice visit and headed back to the hotel. Another nice dinner and off to bed!
On Sunday we went back to the orphanage for one last visit before the court hearing. We had a fun visit and headed back to the hotel.
Monday was a fairly early morning as we had court. I actually had my best night of sleep since arriving in Russia. I slept right through the night for the first time EVER in Russia! I was refreshed and ready to go. We sat outside the courtroom and waited. This was the tough part. The other couple went in first so our wait was even longer. After about an hour, it was our turn. It went really well. David prepared a speech and did most of the talking. I know that it's hard to believe knowing us but I thought it was best I kept my big mouth to a minimum! When it was time the judge made the decision to let us adopt Drew AND bring him right home. The judge had the power to enforce a 10 day wait period but she did not which was great news. She did the same for the other couple. We heard while in court that our son was declared an orphan as a 1 day old baby as the mother left the hospital without him and without telling anyone. He had lived in the same baby home his entire life and it was very obvious he was well taken care of and loved. We feel so grateful for these caretakers. We are so very lucky to have him and he's ours! We are the parents and couldn't be more proud. After court we headed out to do the paperwork which included his new birth certificate. We also visited our son and got to hold him for the first time as his parents. Very similar to that first time in the hospital when you hold your newborn.
I'm going to continue the story in a new post as I think this one is getting rather full.
Thanks for listening!
Love,
Kimberly
Before I start....we finally picked a name! It's Andrew "Drew" Wesley. Andrew is David's middle name and Wesley is a family name (his grandfather's middle name and many generations back).
Here's an update on the last week.
We arrived in St. Petersburg on Friday, February 29 after traveling through the night. Of course I didn't sleep a wink! I got a little sick on the plane from Frankfurt to St. Petersburg. This was the first time a plane ride made me sick so perhaps it was the nerves and lack of sleep that helped it along. When we arrived at the airport we had issues with the initial passport control area and the paperwork but finally got it right after 3 tries! We found our luggage easily and our driver was waiting for us. We met another couple in the van who are with the same agency. They adopted a little boy who just turned 4. We checked into the hotel and after a nice dinner got some much needed rest.
On Saturday we headed to the orphanage. When we arrived Drew was taking a nap and at first we weren't sure if we could even see him. We ended up spending about an hour with him so it worked out just fine. Did not get the idea our son remembered us at all but he's still very young. The other couple's son (just turned 4) definitely remembered him and that was neat to see. While waiting for Drew, we were able to see the other couple's son and his music class. It was so sweet to see the young children playing instruments and singing. We continue to be so impressed with the orphanage where our son has spent his entire life. We had a very nice visit and headed back to the hotel. Another nice dinner and off to bed!
On Sunday we went back to the orphanage for one last visit before the court hearing. We had a fun visit and headed back to the hotel.
Monday was a fairly early morning as we had court. I actually had my best night of sleep since arriving in Russia. I slept right through the night for the first time EVER in Russia! I was refreshed and ready to go. We sat outside the courtroom and waited. This was the tough part. The other couple went in first so our wait was even longer. After about an hour, it was our turn. It went really well. David prepared a speech and did most of the talking. I know that it's hard to believe knowing us but I thought it was best I kept my big mouth to a minimum! When it was time the judge made the decision to let us adopt Drew AND bring him right home. The judge had the power to enforce a 10 day wait period but she did not which was great news. She did the same for the other couple. We heard while in court that our son was declared an orphan as a 1 day old baby as the mother left the hospital without him and without telling anyone. He had lived in the same baby home his entire life and it was very obvious he was well taken care of and loved. We feel so grateful for these caretakers. We are so very lucky to have him and he's ours! We are the parents and couldn't be more proud. After court we headed out to do the paperwork which included his new birth certificate. We also visited our son and got to hold him for the first time as his parents. Very similar to that first time in the hospital when you hold your newborn.
I'm going to continue the story in a new post as I think this one is getting rather full.
Thanks for listening!
Love,
Kimberly
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
We're Heading to Russia to PIck Up Our Son!
We leave for Russia in about a week to bring our son home. Everything has gone so well thus far that I don't want to jinx it. We have our plane tickets purchased and the Russian VISA's are on the way to our house. All the paperwork is ready to go. We still have quite a bit to do but it's all manageable. We are thrilled it's only a short amount of time until we have our little boy home with us.
And with that said.....we have a name! It's Wesley "Wes" and hopefully soon a middle name will follow.
I'm looking forward to putting pictures of our precious son all over this site!
Love,
Kimberly
And with that said.....we have a name! It's Wesley "Wes" and hopefully soon a middle name will follow.
I'm looking forward to putting pictures of our precious son all over this site!
Love,
Kimberly
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Back from Russia!
We are back from Russia and everything went very well! We had the chance to meet with the baby (on 3 different days) we hope will soon be our son.. He was a little shy the first day but really opened up by day 2. He is very cute and sweet. I think he'll be a perfect addition to our family. We have about an hour of video and lots of great pictures. We're supposed to go back in a month for the court date. For now we are working on getting everything ready back home. We need to paint Meredith's new room and set it up for her. I also have lots of shopping to do. With two daughters, we have lots of pink clothes but nothing for the arrival of a son. Right now I'm just trying to adjust to the schedule back at home and getting on a normal sleep pattern again. It was an emotional journey and one we know will change us forever. More later....
Love,
Kimberly
Love,
Kimberly
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
We'll be there soon!
I can hardly believe we'll be in Russia in less than two weeks and have the opportunity to hold the beautiful baby boy who we'll hopefully call our son. It's been an amazing journey over the last 10 months and we hope everything continues to go smoothly. Our airline is booked and our passports with VISA are ready to go. All that's left is to dig through and find our warmest clothes to pack and book a hotel. I'm still searching for the best rate possible at a hotel with heated bathroom floors :). Actually, I'm most concerned about a restaurant and pool on site since Russia has only about 6 hours of daylight this time of year.
Thanks for checking up on us and I'll be thrilled when I can say we have our son home. I can't wait to show everyone pictures as well. We have to wait until the adoption is finalized but after that I can post away.
Happy 2008! It will be a life changing year for our family.
Love,
Kimberly
Thanks for checking up on us and I'll be thrilled when I can say we have our son home. I can't wait to show everyone pictures as well. We have to wait until the adoption is finalized but after that I can post away.
Happy 2008! It will be a life changing year for our family.
Love,
Kimberly
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