Adjusting

I apologize for being absolutely terrible about posting updates. Andrei finally got moved into his own room last night, and I think it was the first time in nearly a month that I slept more than 3 hours at a time. Maybe I can do better now. The girls are now sharing a room. The bunk beds are not going so well with Kennedi. She is having a hard time settling down and not bugging her sister. It's just too tempting not to keep kicking the upper bunk, ya know??? And from what her sister told me this afternoon, she was up at 5:00 throwing Annsley's doll house furniture all over the room. That would explain why my 6 year old was snoring on the couch this afternoon... Maybe I'm the only one sleeping now... Andrei loves to play peek-a-boo. He is now eating his Puffs using his pincher grasp and hitting his mouth with 90% accuracy. I was having the hardest time getting him to drink all his milk before the end of the day, so in a brainchild move, I put it in a straw sippy cup (I love Zoli Bot straw cups!!!) and it has become a non-issue now. He no longer screams when breakfast/lunch/dinner is over; he no longer screams when he gets his diaper changed. He now will let me rock him for long periods of time. At first, anything over 2 minutes and he was arching his back and throwing one heck of a fit. I'm a big advocate of putting my babies down before they are completely asleep, but he is actually relaxing enough to close his eyes and nearly go to sleep in my arms. Yeah! Now, the napping is another issue. He's been hit or miss on the naps. I've been changing his schedule a little by making sure he is up and adam by 7:30AM, and it seems if I have him in bed by 9:45AM for his morning nap, he will generally sleep an hour then. I've been rereading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child again, and I so I started today with a longer "soothing" time before his naps, and it seemed to help. Both my girls were such awesome sleepers, and I owe so much of it to that book. I've finally decided not to even turn on the video monitor until an hour has passed, so that I don't get frustrated watching him not take his naps. It is certainly helping me with my attitude if nothing else. He has taken to Kennedi's old taggie blanket I had made for her. As soon as I pick it up, he pops his thumb in his mouth; it is so automatic it is frightening. I'm so excited that he has picked that up as a comfort object, as in Russia he was always "fingering" the bed sheet and holding it to his nose. I was afraid I was was going to have to cut up one of my bed sheets and have him tote that around. That was pretty sad watching that whole thing. His sisters love him dearly although Annsley is starting to realize that he is taking alot of my time. Kennedi thinks he is her doll and tries to drag him all over the house. When she takes a toy that he's been playing with, he starts babbling loudly like a mad Chinese man. I know he'd be cussing if he knew how to cuss. Annsley keeps asking if he's going to talk Russian when he starts saying words. He has learned his new name, Andrei. He will pat his chest when we ask him, "Who is Andrei?" He pats and pats his chest and just smiles. I think he is trying to say "Ball." It comes out "ga"...close enough if all you've heard is Russian all your life! (EDIT: I apologize for the lack of paragraphing. Blogger kept taking them out. I promise I had them in there!!)

The Andrei Slide Show

So, since I've been too tired to write anything remotely witty, here's a slide show of Andrei in Russia and since he's been home.

10 Days Home with Andrei

It has certainly been an adjustment around here with Andrei. He's probably doing better than the rest of us though! The return jet lag kept us all three up at 3:00AM, but thanks to Tylenol PM, I'm doing better.

Andrei is a great sleeper at night. He's off and on with his naps--not sure what's going on there. We have him in bed by 7:30, and he usually sleeps until 7:30 the next morning. I'm so thankful for the video monitor (thank you Momma Carol!) because he will be awake---and not make a sound in his crib--just waiting for someone to come get him. It makes it nice in one way, but it is so terribly sad that this behavior is a product of his environment.

He loves baths. We're still dealing with the "funk", but it is so much better. He actually smells like a baby every once in a while, so I know we're getting there. :) He still hates his diaper being changed, but it has gone from being upset and frightened to downright throwing a temper tantrum. Mom is having a hard time dealing with that little fit...

We're on operation "Get Good Nutrition" right now. We're throwing down the avocados, flax seed, beans, broccoli, yogurt and anything else that could be deemed nutritional in an effort to "catch him up." He's a pretty good eater--and he's finally stopped throwing a fit when we quit feeding him. His stomach would literally be ready to burst open, but you'd think you were starving him by the way he acted. We've ditched the bottle; he drinks his luke warm milk from a sippy cup flat on his back or in our arms. He refuses to drink it cold.

We've made an appointment with Cranial Tech in Dallas for next week. He's got some serious head shape issues from being a preemie and not being rotated, and we're hoping they think they will be able to help. It will be quite a commitment on our part as it's a 6 hour drive one way for appointments every 2-3 weeks for several months. Stay tuned for that update.

He crawls all over the house. He's pulling himself up and walking along the couch, so it won't be long before he's walking. His fine motor skills are lacking to say the least though. We've seen him use the pincher grasp a few times, but he still doesn't know how to feed himself. He never puts anything in his mouth. We're working on putting the Puffs in his hand and bringing his hand to his mouth to feed himself. He's starting to do it sometimes by grabbing the Puff in his fist, sticking his whole hand in his mouth, and using his teeth to scrape the Puff off his hand. It's very interesting to see the skills that were so abundant in our girls to be non existent in his repertoire.

His attachment to us is going well I think. He maintains great eye contact with us, he "melds" his body to ours when we carry him, and he has started crawling to us for us to pick him up when he is upset. His sisters are great with him; he prefers Annsley by far simply because she is not constantly in his face. Kennedi is dealing with some jealousy issues. I'll be reading a story to her while she's sitting in my lap, and if Andrei pulls himself up and stands by us, she will ever so slowly take her foot and try to push him away. However, she is right there with me when I change his diaper! :)

Trip 2, Day 20: Headin' Home!

A bit tardy, but here's the run down of our return to the US. It began with a wakeup call at 2:15AM. We were off to the airport at approximately 3:30AM. The entire time while in Moscow, our driver had a wonderful SUV that we rode in. This morning, we had a different driver and a different car--something akin to a little Ford Focus that didn't grow up. Our 2 big suitcases were all that would fit in the trunk, so our coordinator had a bag in his lap, Doug had one in his lap, and I had Andrei and the diaper bag on my lap. Cozy! It was about an hour's drive to the airport; you would think that it would be an uneventful trip, but not so. Halfway there, our driver gets pulled over by the traffic police. He was not breaking any Russian law; apparently, the traffic police can pull anyone over any time for any reason and check your "documents." Our driver pulls over, gets out of the car, and takes his passport to the police officer. He comes back, and I'm thinking we'll be on our way. Not so. No the police officers--two of them--are knocking on our coordinator's side of the window. They want to check his documents. Now we can be on our way. Not so fast. Now they want to check the people in the back seats' documents. We hand them our passports. And these two officers start going through all the little papers you're suppose to carry in your passport.

This time, it's not a quick look-see and hand them back to the owner. Now they're reading the registration paper. Our coordinator is saying something to them, but they are not buying it. Apparently, something is amiss. It's dark outside, their voices are getting loud, and all I can see out the window is police #2's fire power slung over his shoulder and around his chest. He's carrying something like an M-16 with about a 100 rounds over one shoulder, and some other rifle thing he's holding in his hand ready to point and shoot. It's like they forgot to turn in their guns after World War II was over. Did you not get the memo? I'm praying at this point. Our coordinator is telling us that we don't have our registration paperwork from when we stayed in Moscow the last few days, and they are wanting that. Well, we didn't get any from the hotel. Didn't know to ask. We thought our registration from Krasnoyarsk was good for the whole trip, but apparently not. Now I am in serious prayer mode. Our coordinator is trying to tell them that we stayed at the Marriott Courtyard. He makes a phone call to the hotel and hands his cell phone to police officer #1, who by the way is only carrying a 9 Millimeter gun with about enough ammunition to decimate a cattle herd in 60 seconds. About 3 minutes later we get our passports back and we are on our merry way. Not a good start to our day to say the least. Oh, but the fun is just beginning.

We check in at the Lufthansa desk, and they can't print a boarding pass for Andrei (again!). The agent spends about 20 minutes on the computer, but to no avail. I leave the line and find a place to set my weary body and Andrei to wait. Now Doug is across the lobby having to buy Andrei a seat. He does that, and goes back to the main counter. Now they can't print Doug's boarding pass because it was tied to the earlier "can't print Andrei's boarding pass" ticket. What??? Time is ticking. We have now been dealing with this whole boarding pass thing for over 2 hours now. Our flight leaves in 30 minutes. I'm praying again. I am having a serious problem with this country and need to leave now. Actually, I am the only one who can leave. They can print my boarding pass, but no one elses. I really think at this point I'm about to flip out, and all I want to do is take my boarding pass and let "the boys" fend for themselves. Finally, a merciful angel types the right thing into the computer, and Doug can get his boarding pass. Thank you Lord!

Now we're off to passport control. Sergei goes with us as far as he can, we say thank you, and now we're on our own. At passport control, the lady behind the glass wants to see our paperwork for Andrei. We hand the packet (not the sealed one) from the US Embassy, and she calls for a supervisor. You have got to be kidding me! They can't find his birth certificate in it with our names as his parents. The supervisor, who is not a smiling woman, (is anyone in this country??) goes through it twice. I'm not sure she knows what she's looking for. Finally, she finds it, and we go on our way. They are already boarding our flight by the time we get through security. Doug looks like he's been hiking in the Mohabi Desert there is so much sweat pouring off him. No early boarding for children (not that we would have made that announcement anyway...) Andrei does great on the plane, and we arrive in Frankfurt 3 hours later.

The flight from Frankfurt to Houston was about 10 hours. Andrei slept maybe 20 minutes. He has now been up over 16 hours with 20 minutes of sleep. I'll just let your imaginations run wild envisioning that plane ride. We arrive in Houston, go through passport control, and then are directed to the Immigration Office to process Andrei's paperwork. Now, I realize that this office probably sees a majority of people of "questionable" character, but we got nothin'. I mean nothin'. I wasn't expecting them to play the Star Spangled Banner and blow a paper horn, but come on, can't you at least say, "Congratulations! Andrei is now a US citizen." All we got was, "You should be getting something in the mail about getting him a passport. I'm all done here. You may go." That's it. Thank you friendly Mr. Immigration Man.

We go to the Continental counter to get our boarding passes; it is the first time we have not had to jump through 9 million hoops to get on a plane. We let the ticket lady know how thankful we are. Andrei finally falls asleep before our plane takes off, and sleep until we land.

We have the most wonderful welcoming party at the airport. I cried when I hugged my girls. It was so good to see them. We had balloons, and banners, and even a limo to take us home. My house was cleaner than it had ever been in its life. We had Bar B Que ordered and waiting for us for our supper. Thank you everyone for welcoming us home. (I hope someone got pictures of the whole thing?? Hint hint!) I was so excited to be back, I seriously could have licked the airport windows.

Trip 2, Day 19

Our appointment as the American Embassy went smoothly. There were 5 other adoptive parents there as well. Andrei was by far the "robust" child there and the most vocal--but in a happy way despite only getting a 30 minute nap in before we left. Most of our time was spent waiting. Adoptive parents move to the front of all lines. I was surprised that not everyone who worked there wasn't American, and many didn't even speak English. Once we made it past security and paid our $404 for Andrei's visa, we sat in the waiting room for probably 45 minutes. The American Embassy guy comes out and talks to all of us adoptive parents at the same time to explain the process, how to handle the paperwork, what lines to get in when we get back to the US, understand that our children are dual citizens until at least 18, etc. One thing that I learned that I did not know was that if our child does not renounce his citizenship after he turns 18 and travels to Russia during his "draft years", he could be called into military service while visiting and there would be nothing he or we could do about it. Yikes! Each of us then has our "interview" where we basically signed two documents and got our sealed envelope to take to the US Immigration in Houston. While we were all waiting for our children's American visas, we met Chad and Heather who had their embassy appointment for the afternoon. Their little boy is as darling in person as in the pictures! Afterwards our coordinator took us on a tour of Red Square. That was truly amazing. I wish I had a recording of everything Sergei was explaining because I doubt I'm going to remember it all when I look at our pictures. Andrei slept through the entire thing as by then it was time for nap #2 of the day.

The traffic in Moscow is horrendous. Not so much because of the crazy out of control driving apparently so popular in Krasnoyarsk but because of the sheer traffic jams everywhere. Our coordinator does not drive, so I asked him if he just takes a taxi whenever he need to go somewhere. He shrugs, and then gives me the hitchhiker sign and says, "I just do this when I need a ride. It's very common over here and not like hitchhiking a ride. Everyone is trying to make extra money, and they will just pull over and you give them some money and they take you if they're going the same way." He then told us he was working with adoptive parents once and their car broke down on the way to the airport, so he was trying to hitch a ride for them. The first car that stopped to help was an ambulance. The driver said he was not in an emergency situation and could take him to the airport, and the second was a police officer in his official police car. Both guys begged him to let them take them as they needed the money, but Sergei said foreigners wouldn't understand going to the airport in the back of a Russian ambulance. With all we experienced in Krasnoyarsk, we did not experience that one!

Yesterday was not a pleasant experience with Andrei. I think I triggered some unpleasant memories he had at the orphanage. Ever since we have had him with us, he has cried when he gets laid on his back and his diaper is changed. We learned to distract him with a toy and before we left Krasnoyarsk, he had about quit crying when his diaper was off. Yesterday he woke up from his nap, and his diaper had leaked from his chest to his ankles. I'm having a hard time getting back into baby mode and remembering to change his diaper before nap. I grab the wipes and start wiping his leg off. He come unglued and starts shaking. I'm beginning to wonder if that is how he got his "baths" at the orphanage with a cold "spit" bath. He is not afraid of the bathtub or water, but he doesn't like being undressed and on his back at all. He basically was a very unhappy baby the rest of the day. It was a very very long day.

We're being picked up at 3:30 in the morning to head to the airport. I feel like Dorothy--"There is no place like home!"

Trip 2, Day 18

Today started at 7:30 with our coordinator filling out the forms needed at the American Embassy. I really like our coordinator who is Sergei. He is not our agency's regular Moscow coordinator, but he is filling in for her. We leave the hotel about an hour later to head to Andrei's doctor's appointment which is needed to receive his visa. We see Dr. Boris. The first thing he says when he sees Andrei is he looks like he will be a Sumo wrestler when he grows up. He checks Andrei out in the buff. Doug says he heard him say that Andrei has two solid stones, but I didn't hear that at all, and I'm afraid to think in what connotation Doug is running toward with that comment. Dr. Boris left us with the advice of "These little ones find out very quickly that their crocodile tears will get you to pick them up, so if give in all the time you will be picking them up when he is 25!" Thank you Dr. Boris; we will note that great advice! :) We leave, drop Sergei off at the American Embassy, and our driver takes us to the supermarket where Doug buys Andrei enough food to last into next month. We have our Embassy appointment tomorrow at 11:30. Friday we are out of here! Even though Moscow is a much brighter place and I could have possibly stayed here for 16 days without about losing my mind, I am so ready to get home.

Here are some pictures from Krasnoyarsk, now that we are blessed with hi speed internet once again:
Here is the meat market. Notice the gloveless workers...
Here is the big ice slide in the ice sculpture park.
Doug going down the big ice slide on his back after trying to navigate it on his feet.
How we spent most of our time at the orphanage:
Beautiful smile!

Trip 2, Day 17

I'm writing this post sitting in the lobby of the Courtyard Marriott where the free Wi-Fi is. I about cried last night when I saw our bed. It still has some Russian nuances, but it is the first time I've been in a place that even hints at screaming American.

Our translator and driver picked us up at our apartment yesterday at 6:00 to head to the airport. It's a good thing we left early because we needed it. Our handy dandy UTAIR airlines couldn't issue Andrei a boarding pass. I'm thinking at this point, "You have got to be kidding me. It took us over 30 minutes and 4 people last time to leave this 3rd world city. Is it all Americans or just us? The ticket lady calls her supervisor. We move out of line. The supervisor comes, looks at our itinerary, and makes a phone call to someone. Five minutes later he and our translator are conversing. Whatever she said isn't working. It appears we will have to go to the ticket window and get this resolved. Doug tells me to stay and watch our luggage which is just sitting on the conveyor belt. Our translator takes Andrei and Doug to the ticket window which basically is a tin booth across the lobby of the airport. This ticket booth does not operate very fast. They are at the window a long time--like 45 minutes long trying to get Andrei a boarding pass. It seems that this airline's computer system won't issue one the way our tickets were purchased. I'm watching Doug wipe the sweat off his forehead. Our translator brings Andrei back to me and says, "Come sit. This is going to take a while." Are you serious? "Yes." In a last ditch effort the lady looks up our itenirary by the number and figures out it is a companion ticket. They don't book it that way with their system. She leaves her post (with others behind Doug and our translator who are needing to pay their excessive baggage fee, but oh well.) She heads up some stairs with our papers in her hands. By now, our flight is boarding. I can't understand a thing that is being said over the intercom, but I know it is our plane that is about to take off. 15 minutes later the lady comes back down the stairs. Thankfully, she is able to put something into the computer, Doug pays $300 rubles, and we had back to the ticket lady to get our boarding passes. Now to navigate the absolutely non English speaking security. Elena can't go past the passport check point, so she is barking out instructions across the way (we're the only ones there). "Put on the blue booties!" "You don't need to pull all that stuff out of your bag!" Not the computer? Too late. "Michile, you go through the metal detector and then come back with Andrei. Doug you get everything into the plastic bins. No, your shoes go in the small one." I think I'm about to have a heart attack. We finally get everything back together, wave by, and head for the bus. It is full. So full that the doors will not close. Everyone sees Doug with our baby and no one offers to get off. I go back in and try to communicate that the bus is full. She doesn't understand. I take her to the window. She finally says, "Wait for 2nd bus." She goes out to get Doug. The full bus takes off and another one falls in line. We get on. We're the only ones on. It does not move. Did we get on the right one? We see some smokers come out. Good. They must be needing a smoke before getting on the bus to join us. They smoke and go back in. Now I'm really getting worried. Does the driver even know we're on here? I start stomping my feet so he knows someone is on the bus. Finally the smokers and the couple who had to pay the excessive baggage fee get on the bus. I'm breathing easier because I know that the excessive baggage couple is on our flight. We're the last ones on our plane, but we're on it. Andrei does really well. He sleeps in the middle seat for several hours. There was no passport control at Vnukonov Airport. I thought that was interesting. Maybe that's where all the trouble makers fly into...