I can hardly believe it, but RP and I have been home for FOUR WEEKS as of last Saturday. Wow. My head is still spinning with all that has transpired in 2010 and we aren't even through the first quarter yet! It is amazing to me that RP has been here for four weeks already (and in my "custody" for five weeks as of tomorrow!), but at the same time it seems like she has been in my life forever - perhaps because that is truly how long I believe she has been in my heart. :)
I have had to leave RP with my parents on two additional occasions since my last post - last Thursday for the baptismal class and then again yesterday so I could go to the office for a few hours (and no, I didn't quit my job - much as I would like to and stay home with my little one full-time!). Thursday broke my heart because it was truly the first time I've had to say "bye-bye" to her and watch her become just devastated at the thought of Mommy leaving her, but Monday was worse because she screamed so hard her head turned purple (true story - NOT even exaggerating on this one!) and was so clearly distraught that I wasn't sure I'd be able to go. Long stories short are that she survived, and I survived, so all is well at the moment.
Sunday will be RP's first Easter and the Easter Bunny (from what I understand anyway!) has gone just a little crazy in helping her celebrate it - yikes!!! Couple that with a trip to the outlet mall tomorrow and her birthday and christening coming up VERY soon and I am pretty sure that I will soon need a new, larger house just to contain all her stuff!!!
It's all still pretty chaotic around here right now, but I have to admit - I'm loving' it...
Lilypie Trying to Conceive Event tickers
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Up and left my baby today
No, not in the way you might be thinking. Today I left RP for the first time in almost four weeks. I ran a quick errand and my parents were gracious enough to watch her so I didn't have to lug her BACK to Target for the second time today.
I didn't realize until I was driving home that this is the first time in almost four weeks that I have left my baby and done something without her since I picked her up at the orphanage (with the exception of the 45 minutes she stayed in the hotel room with my Mom while I finished up some last minute Embassy paperwork with my coordinator in Moscow). Since we left Moscow my little RP has been within earshot 24/7 and going out without her this afternoon was both refreshing and weird at the same time. It was nice not to have to crawl into the back seat and try to wiggle her out of her car seat, then deal with her "squirmy-wormies" in the cart, and her new obsession to touch EVERYTHING she sees, even after Mommy tells her "No..." several times. That being said, it was weird because she is a part of me now, and I missed those big brown eyes that now sparkle when she KNOWS she's about to do something naughty, and that big, crooked grin of hers.
This Thursday I have to leave her for a few hours while I attend her baptismal class, and today's brief jaunt was a test run, for her and for me. When I got home I expected to hear screaming, crying, and have to snuggle and dry the tears, but she was happily playing Strawberry Shortcake with Grandma and Papa (wish I had a picture of THAT - thanks Dad!) and apparently had been a complete angel while I was gone. The only tears that came occurred when I returned home and she realized I was there - THEN she started to cry, ran to me, and threw her arms around me in a gigantic hug, which helped my slightly bruised ego a bit.
Hopefully this means that Thursday will be successful and non-stressful - for both RP and her grandparents!!! :)
I didn't realize until I was driving home that this is the first time in almost four weeks that I have left my baby and done something without her since I picked her up at the orphanage (with the exception of the 45 minutes she stayed in the hotel room with my Mom while I finished up some last minute Embassy paperwork with my coordinator in Moscow). Since we left Moscow my little RP has been within earshot 24/7 and going out without her this afternoon was both refreshing and weird at the same time. It was nice not to have to crawl into the back seat and try to wiggle her out of her car seat, then deal with her "squirmy-wormies" in the cart, and her new obsession to touch EVERYTHING she sees, even after Mommy tells her "No..." several times. That being said, it was weird because she is a part of me now, and I missed those big brown eyes that now sparkle when she KNOWS she's about to do something naughty, and that big, crooked grin of hers.
This Thursday I have to leave her for a few hours while I attend her baptismal class, and today's brief jaunt was a test run, for her and for me. When I got home I expected to hear screaming, crying, and have to snuggle and dry the tears, but she was happily playing Strawberry Shortcake with Grandma and Papa (wish I had a picture of THAT - thanks Dad!) and apparently had been a complete angel while I was gone. The only tears that came occurred when I returned home and she realized I was there - THEN she started to cry, ran to me, and threw her arms around me in a gigantic hug, which helped my slightly bruised ego a bit.
Hopefully this means that Thursday will be successful and non-stressful - for both RP and her grandparents!!! :)
Monday, March 22, 2010
RP's bad day
My poor little baby had such a bad day today! First she started off the day grumpy due to waking up several times in the night because of her cold. I made an appointment to go back to the doctor and we struggled through the morning as she was so miserable she couldn't be happy no matter WHAT she was doing - if she was sitting she wanted to be held, if I was holding her she wanted down, if she was in the kitchen she wanted to be upstairs, and well, you get the idea...
We headed to the doctor's appointment early because I had to drop off paperwork for her baptismal class that I am attending on Thursday, so since we had time to kill I let her play in the playground at the church. She seemed to enjoy running around the open areas and swinging on the swings with me (no toddler swings), but didn't enjoy the belly flop she did to the ground while running around ahead of me. No biggie - dusted her off and chose to ignore the grass stains on the pants of what WAS my favorite outfit of hers...
We get to the doctor and get good news - her head circumference is now .5" bigger than it was last time, she has grown an INCH (woo-hoo!), and has gained several ounces (not quite a pound, but we're working on it!)! THEN I find out she has to have several vaccinations AND go at the end of the week for blood work - youch! She was NOT happy to have received four vaccinations (two in each thigh) AND get a TB test (needle in the forearm) but all was forgiven when the nurse brought her a sucker (although I was worried she would never return from the shade of purple she turned during shot number four - she put the chick from "Willie Wonka" to shame!).
We had to run to the store where she was remarkably giddy, laughing and playing in the cart - playing which included rocking back and forth and smacking her head into Mommy's arms, during which time I warned her it was really going to hurt if she missed when WHAM! - she slammed her mouth into the handle of the cart because I had moved my hands to grab something off a shelf. Luckily no broken teeth and no blood, and several kisses from Mommy seemed to be just the remedy for this most recent run of bad luck of the day.
When we got home RP was bound and determined to play outside with the puppies, so we headed out into the backyard to enjoy some nice weather and fresh air. RP then decided that she wanted to walk out front, so we went through the fence gate and started a nice stroll down the block when RP got the idea to run away from Mommy (luckily for me she can't run very fast yet AND she stayed on the sidewalk), which lasted all of about 5 steps when she tripped over her own feet and took a header into the sidewalk. My beautiful baby now has scratches all over her nose and cheek AND a huge lump on her noggin. Snuggles from Mommy and a few M&M's later and she seemed good as new, albeit banged up.
Hopefully tomorrow is a better day and she starts to feel better - she is sleeping peacefully now and I KNEW it was a bad day when she went to bed tonight without so much as a whimper and was asleep before I even left the room. Ahhh.... now to hoping that this doesn't mean she's up and at 'em at 6 a.m. tomorrow!!! :)
We headed to the doctor's appointment early because I had to drop off paperwork for her baptismal class that I am attending on Thursday, so since we had time to kill I let her play in the playground at the church. She seemed to enjoy running around the open areas and swinging on the swings with me (no toddler swings), but didn't enjoy the belly flop she did to the ground while running around ahead of me. No biggie - dusted her off and chose to ignore the grass stains on the pants of what WAS my favorite outfit of hers...
We get to the doctor and get good news - her head circumference is now .5" bigger than it was last time, she has grown an INCH (woo-hoo!), and has gained several ounces (not quite a pound, but we're working on it!)! THEN I find out she has to have several vaccinations AND go at the end of the week for blood work - youch! She was NOT happy to have received four vaccinations (two in each thigh) AND get a TB test (needle in the forearm) but all was forgiven when the nurse brought her a sucker (although I was worried she would never return from the shade of purple she turned during shot number four - she put the chick from "Willie Wonka" to shame!).
We had to run to the store where she was remarkably giddy, laughing and playing in the cart - playing which included rocking back and forth and smacking her head into Mommy's arms, during which time I warned her it was really going to hurt if she missed when WHAM! - she slammed her mouth into the handle of the cart because I had moved my hands to grab something off a shelf. Luckily no broken teeth and no blood, and several kisses from Mommy seemed to be just the remedy for this most recent run of bad luck of the day.
When we got home RP was bound and determined to play outside with the puppies, so we headed out into the backyard to enjoy some nice weather and fresh air. RP then decided that she wanted to walk out front, so we went through the fence gate and started a nice stroll down the block when RP got the idea to run away from Mommy (luckily for me she can't run very fast yet AND she stayed on the sidewalk), which lasted all of about 5 steps when she tripped over her own feet and took a header into the sidewalk. My beautiful baby now has scratches all over her nose and cheek AND a huge lump on her noggin. Snuggles from Mommy and a few M&M's later and she seemed good as new, albeit banged up.
Hopefully tomorrow is a better day and she starts to feel better - she is sleeping peacefully now and I KNEW it was a bad day when she went to bed tonight without so much as a whimper and was asleep before I even left the room. Ahhh.... now to hoping that this doesn't mean she's up and at 'em at 6 a.m. tomorrow!!! :)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Some of my favorite pictures from these first three weeks
The morning after one of our first nights home
She loves snack time (and meal times too!)
One of the first genuine and spontaneous smiles I saw!
Not entirely sure what to think
She hated baths in the tub but LOVES them in the sink!
Watching the world outside
She is equal opportunity with the thumbs - when she gets tired of one, the other goes right in!
It's totally self-serving that I love her jammies here!
Snapped this candid moment in the car - she was NOT happy about being in the carseat, or about wearing those glasses!
Enjoying some rare 60+ degree weather in March
More spontaneous smiles
Jumping on Mommy is fun - or so SHE thinks!!!Three weeks home
Yes, we have officially been home for three weeks now and while we have a long way to go, the transformation in my little RP has been amazing. She smiles more, giggles (which I heard only once while we were in Russia!) all the time, and is becoming more comfortable in her own home. I have figured out that when introducing her to new people it's best to let her come to them - if they fawn all over here and make a big deal about her she retreats and only wants to suck her thumb and hide her head in my shoulder whereas if they say "hello" and engage her occasionally she will be more open (aka curious) about them, and more comfortable overall.
While this makes perfect sense to me, it is so hard for those who have waited, hoped, and prayed with me to bring her home - they want to cuddle and kiss her and show her all the affection she missed for those first 22 months of her life - it's only natural. She is still very clingy and needy with "Mama" but it seems to be getting better, and hopefully will only continue to do so.
In the interim we have continued to venture out places like the bank, grocery store, McDonald's, and today - church. She was FANTASTIC in church, thanks in large part to the great deal of people-watching that church offers as well as the stash of multi-colored marshmallows that Grandma smuggled in (and were gone before the first reading even took place!).
Still don't have my taxes done, haven't started on a presentation that is due on Friday, the house is mess, and the laundry needs to be done, but if my little RP is making progress with me, my friends, and family, the rest of that can wait!!! It's amazing how quickly, and concretely, your priorities can change.....
While this makes perfect sense to me, it is so hard for those who have waited, hoped, and prayed with me to bring her home - they want to cuddle and kiss her and show her all the affection she missed for those first 22 months of her life - it's only natural. She is still very clingy and needy with "Mama" but it seems to be getting better, and hopefully will only continue to do so.
In the interim we have continued to venture out places like the bank, grocery store, McDonald's, and today - church. She was FANTASTIC in church, thanks in large part to the great deal of people-watching that church offers as well as the stash of multi-colored marshmallows that Grandma smuggled in (and were gone before the first reading even took place!).
Still don't have my taxes done, haven't started on a presentation that is due on Friday, the house is mess, and the laundry needs to be done, but if my little RP is making progress with me, my friends, and family, the rest of that can wait!!! It's amazing how quickly, and concretely, your priorities can change.....
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Three weeks ago today...
... was our Gotcha Day! I can't believe it's been three weeks already, OR that's it's only been three weeks. RP is doing pretty well, although she is having a rough time adjusting to Daylight Savings time, which had impeccable timing since I had JUST gotten her onto a schedule, only for it to be thrown completely out of whack.
We've done a LOT in these three weeks - we've travelled across the ocean to her new home, she has met two puppies and a cat who share our home with us, started bonding with Grandma and Papa, met an aunt, uncle, and four cousins, and been on several trips to the store - all without major incident (knock on wood!).
The temper tantrums had seemed to subside but are back in full force since she is overtired and stubbornly refuses to go to sleep, but I'm hopeful that this too shall pass and we'll become more adjusted in the next few weeks.
Technically I am supposed to head back to work in April, but the closer that gets, the less likely that date becomes. I still need to get RP acclimated to me and to her grandparents (who will be watching her sometimes while I am at work), find daycare for her, and plan for her second birthday AND her christening. While there are days (or more so times of the day) that I can't wait go back to work, I also know that I will someday long for this time and as such am trying to cherish every minute of it.
Wonder if I can just win the Mega Millions and never have to worry about heading back to work again???
We've done a LOT in these three weeks - we've travelled across the ocean to her new home, she has met two puppies and a cat who share our home with us, started bonding with Grandma and Papa, met an aunt, uncle, and four cousins, and been on several trips to the store - all without major incident (knock on wood!).
The temper tantrums had seemed to subside but are back in full force since she is overtired and stubbornly refuses to go to sleep, but I'm hopeful that this too shall pass and we'll become more adjusted in the next few weeks.
Technically I am supposed to head back to work in April, but the closer that gets, the less likely that date becomes. I still need to get RP acclimated to me and to her grandparents (who will be watching her sometimes while I am at work), find daycare for her, and plan for her second birthday AND her christening. While there are days (or more so times of the day) that I can't wait go back to work, I also know that I will someday long for this time and as such am trying to cherish every minute of it.
Wonder if I can just win the Mega Millions and never have to worry about heading back to work again???
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Our trek home (in pictures!)
Gotcha Day - February 24, 2010Literally steps from walking out those doors forever!
St. Petersburg Airport - headed to Moscow!
Moscow Radisson - our first night as a family!
February 25, 2010 - First time in a restaurant!
February 26, 2010 - Headed to Red Square, then the US Embassy in Moscow
February 27, 2010: Welcome to the USA!!
First meal at home!
March, 2010 - Still getting used to things, but doing alright!
Playing "catch-up"
As you may have expected things have been pretty hectic around here and as such I find myself playing "catch up" on this blog. To catch you up from where the "story" last left off:
February 26: Headed to Red Square for a photo op with the couple that I met from Houston and our daughters before heading to the US Embassy to receive our final FINAL paperwork before leaving - hooray!!! RP did well in the van and even in Red Square, but was really wary of everything going on around her. At the Embassy she was on the verge of a meltdown when I grabbed a hair clip off my purse and started playing with it with her and it was the first time I ever heard her giggle - music to my ears! After the Embassy we headed back to the hotel for a fitful night sleep (she slept a bit, I didn't), then it was up at 3 a.m. on the 27th to catch our flight home.
February 27: Spent 18 hours traveling on two airplanes from Moscow to Zurich, then Zurich to Chicago. RP did NOT do well on the Moscow to Zurich flight - after sleeping for the first hour she proceeded to scream and throw a MAJOR tantrum for the rest of the flight - yes, my child was "that kid" on the plane. By the time we landed I was a frazzled mess until one of the VERY sweet flight attendants asked me "why" and reminded me that I never have to see any of these passengers again, so not to worry about it. Our 10-hour flight from Zurich to Chicago actually landed 40 minutes early, and RP did much better on that flight. She did have her moments but for the most part seemed more comfortable with me and her surroundings and actually was able to play and interact with me instead of just scream. Regardless, I was never SO glad to get back to land AND to get back home. Ahh....
February 28: Our first full day home was quite a challenge. RP was VERY uncomfortable and spent the entire day either throwing temper tantrums or recovering from them (aka - sleeping). Her body clock was completely on Moscow time and therefore she laid down for a nap at 1:00 and I had to wake her up at 7 p.m. on the advice of the social worker at my agency's help desk. NEVER wake a sleeping baby if you can help it - she made life miserable for both of us for next 48 hours after this!!!
We've had our challenges and we've had our good times, as I imagine all parents/children do. We've gotten into a schedule/rhythm at this time and although she STILL wants to fight nap time and going to bed at night, all in all things seem to be getting better day by day. I see her cute little crooked grin and hear her giggle more and more frequently, and that makes MY heart smile!!!
February 26: Headed to Red Square for a photo op with the couple that I met from Houston and our daughters before heading to the US Embassy to receive our final FINAL paperwork before leaving - hooray!!! RP did well in the van and even in Red Square, but was really wary of everything going on around her. At the Embassy she was on the verge of a meltdown when I grabbed a hair clip off my purse and started playing with it with her and it was the first time I ever heard her giggle - music to my ears! After the Embassy we headed back to the hotel for a fitful night sleep (she slept a bit, I didn't), then it was up at 3 a.m. on the 27th to catch our flight home.
February 27: Spent 18 hours traveling on two airplanes from Moscow to Zurich, then Zurich to Chicago. RP did NOT do well on the Moscow to Zurich flight - after sleeping for the first hour she proceeded to scream and throw a MAJOR tantrum for the rest of the flight - yes, my child was "that kid" on the plane. By the time we landed I was a frazzled mess until one of the VERY sweet flight attendants asked me "why" and reminded me that I never have to see any of these passengers again, so not to worry about it. Our 10-hour flight from Zurich to Chicago actually landed 40 minutes early, and RP did much better on that flight. She did have her moments but for the most part seemed more comfortable with me and her surroundings and actually was able to play and interact with me instead of just scream. Regardless, I was never SO glad to get back to land AND to get back home. Ahh....
February 28: Our first full day home was quite a challenge. RP was VERY uncomfortable and spent the entire day either throwing temper tantrums or recovering from them (aka - sleeping). Her body clock was completely on Moscow time and therefore she laid down for a nap at 1:00 and I had to wake her up at 7 p.m. on the advice of the social worker at my agency's help desk. NEVER wake a sleeping baby if you can help it - she made life miserable for both of us for next 48 hours after this!!!
We've had our challenges and we've had our good times, as I imagine all parents/children do. We've gotten into a schedule/rhythm at this time and although she STILL wants to fight nap time and going to bed at night, all in all things seem to be getting better day by day. I see her cute little crooked grin and hear her giggle more and more frequently, and that makes MY heart smile!!!
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