And More Paperwork! Does it ever end? Ever???

I think Andrei has gained 50 pounds this last week! Not really, but he's sporting himself a little buddha belly these days, and many of his size 12 month clothes are starting to look a bit snug. It's amazing what good nutrition will do!

Our agency gave us the option of doing our Russian Consulate registration at home rather than stay in Moscow for another day, and we gladly opted for that! By the way, I am so incredibly glad that we chose our agency, Wyoming Children's Society. I don't think I had mentioned this before, but while in Krasnoyarsk, we met up with another couple adopting from another agency. Their 2nd trip was 6 days longer than ours! They were spending 29 out of their 30 day tourist visas! Can I have a big shout for our agency's efficiency???!!! So, anyway, we have 3 months to get Andrei registered at the Russian Consulate. I think I have everything ready for poor Loritta to notarize. We have to send in Andrei's Russian passport, and they will put a stamp in it and then send it back to us. So that will be added to the "make sure this file folder goes with you in the event of a natural catastophe." When we left the American Embassy, we were given all the original notarized Russian documents (birth certificate, court decree, adoption certificate, etc.) If we lose them, the only way to get another copy is to travel back to Russia.

We still need to get his American passport...one of these days (sigh...). We got Andrei's certificate of citizenship from the Department of Homeland Security today. We plan to readopt him in Texas one of these days. I'm thinking that it will be much easier to get copies of birth certificates and such as he gets older and will need them rather than using the Russian one with the translation stapled to it. I did find it interesting that he already has a social security card and we didn't fill out any paperwork for that one. Big Brother is watching! :(