Big Sis...

Nikolas has a younger cousin who is 4 who has decided that he is her Little Brother. The bond she has with him is so special. She comes over and spends the night with us. The entire time she is here it's all about her Little Brother. He is learning so much from studying her. They have a great time playing. She doesn't like it when its nap time cause she wants to play with him. So she has a special assignment to keep me informed on what he is doing. She lets me know if he is rocking himself to sleep and when he starts to cry she runs over to me and says "it a emergency KeKe is crying". She likes to eat when he does and and has started to feed him with her auntie's guidance. She helps bath him too. When he needs to be changed she is right thier helping. You can see the bond they have with each other. It's so wonderful!!

It was picture day!

Today Nikolas has his Christmas and homecoming pictures taken at the Picture Me Portrait Studio! He smiled in every photo and had fun having them taken. He had two different alfits in his pictures. One was a red and white striped christmas alfit with a matching hat that had a HO HO HO on one side and santa on the other side. Nikolas looked like a Elf. He never once grabbed the hat to remove it. He was so good today. I cannot wait to see the prints in two weeks......

Trip to the allergist

Nikolas had his first Dr Appt yesterday at the allergist. When we got him from the orphanage he was covered from head to toe in a raw rash from scratching. The pediatrician who looked at him prior to leaving Russia said he had allergies or as his papers said Dermititus. The Dr at the allergist took one look at him and said lets runs some test. He could only do 24 tray tests on his back due to his size and Beef came back positive. So he is on allergy medication, special lotions and everything is washed in dye/fragrance free soaps and doing very well. His skin is the best I have seen it yet.
I have to say Nikolas was a trooper when the test was administrated. When my niece had the same test she cried and Nikolas laughed. He also did well with momma having to hold him still on his tummy for 2o minutes.

Home 24hrs......

Nikolas has been home from 24 hours now. His trip home went pretty good. He slept through a third of the first flight from Russia to Washington DC and through the entire flight from DC to Detroit. Nikolas is use to having floor time so on the flight we put our trays down and layed a blanket accross them so he could lay on his back and tummy and play with his toys for a few minuites.

Since we have been home he has been curious. He discovered the Christmas tree and he rolls or scoots himself to the endge of it and pulls on plastic bulbs with his hands and kicks them with his feet. He got one of his packages and managed to rip the paper open on it so he has a early Christmas gift.

He is rolling all over the place and starting to scoot more. He is facinated by the snowmen we have infront of the fireplace. But he decided that he should taste the tile by draging his teeth across it. So we are keeping close tabs on the tile time.

We put him in a Jumparoo today he loved it so much he put himeself into a deep sleep that we woke him from two hours into it.

I will write more soon.....

36 hours after I Gotcha!!

It's been a great 36 hours so far! Nikolas is doing well. He loves all the attention he is getting from his momma and his grandma. He is a very happy boy. Here is a few tidbits so far on how things are going:

He is playing with all his toys well. He loves to bang on his toys especially if they make noises. He has 2 in particular are his favorites a gitar and a car.

He is eating well. He likes mangos,apples, turkey & potatoes, yogurt and so far dislikes carrots alot. He was only eating from a bottle when we got him from the orophanage and would you know that he has not taken a bottle hardly at all since we got him. The hotel has these small spoons for tea and coffee and he has taken to spoon feeding very well even if it is messy.. LOL

His motor skills are improving since I met him in September. He now can sit on his own but not straight up just yet. He loves to rock on all fours and has started to attempt to crawl himself across the floor his left side is still weak and he drags his leg slightly behind him. But with time it will get better..

He love mirrors.. he like to look at himself in the mirror and others. He has such a curiosity about things. He likes TV and he will just lay thier and watch it or while we are rocking him.

His bonding has started to go very well. He likes to be snuggled, cuddled kissed and hugged. Today he let us rock him to sleep on two occasions. It was a wonderful feeling.

He is sleeping well and napping twice a day too..

I will keep you posted and write more once we are home .....

Pictures from my Court week visits..

He has changed so much. He is now sitting up on his own, he has began to get up on all four and rock back and forth. It's just a matter of time before he takes off and crawls all over. He was so happy this visit. He remembered me from my last visit. I cannot wait to fly back and have him in my arms on the 22nd of November. It will be a Thanksgiving week to remember.

It's Official....

It's official today. After wanting to be a mom for so long the Judge granted my wish today and announced that I am officially Nikolas Alexander's mom. My Gotcha date will be Tuesday November 23. I am so excited and looking forward to having him home for ever Thanksgiving weekend!

Love this picture!

Here is his new data base picture. I love his smile! It reminds me of all the times he smiled when I visited him in September. Soon I will see him each and everyday. I leave for court on the 9th of November! I cannot wait to see how he has changed. I wonder everyday if he is getting stronger, crawling and sitting better. I cannot wait to get him home!

Trip One!

It was a wonderful week in Moscow. I met my referral on Tuesday the 21st of September. I spent 4.5 hours with him on the first day. He was not afraid of me. He was a quiet happy baby boy! He has a smile that will melt your heart!! He loved all the attention we were giving him. The workers at the Orphanage were wonderful and full of information. His medical records were translated and read to me! I had a Pediatric Doctor from the American Medical clinic come in and evaluate him. He was given a Great review. No major issues in his file or during his review were found that could not be corrected. We played with the toys I brought and a few of the toys that were in the meeting room. On the second day I got to visit him twice, in the morining and in late afternoon. We had a fun filled day of playing. He loved the attention he was getting. He smiled more and more and laughed when he was tickled. I got play with him a different room in the late afternoon visit. Their was a toy piano in the room. Once he learned how to bang it he loved it!! On the third day of visiting him I accepted him and could not wait to sign the paperwork. I got the oportunity to see him asleep in his crib that day and the main playroom where he plays. His caregiver also showed me how they modified his bottle so he could eat. I got to feed him lunch that day. I had to say goodbye this visit. It was a sad but joyous moment. Sad to have to leave him behind but Joyous knowing my next visit he could be declared legally mine!! I know await my court date. I have been told it could be as soon as 3 weeks from now!!

The wait is almost over..... the call came in!!!

Early this afternoon I got a call from lorien at Lighthouse Adoptions. I have my first travel date!! I will be meeting with the Ministry of Education on September 21, 2010.


I cried today over come with emotion. This is really happening!! It finally here! Who new a single day could mean so much. So much to do, So little time. Nine days I board a plane and head to Russia! I will finally meet him! Twelve days to the moment that will change my life forever!

The wait continues......

September is here and when I got my referral in the beginning of July we had hoped that I would have gotten my travel date by the end of August. Its now the beginning of September and I am so hoping I will have my travel date no later than the middle of September. May September bring me one step closer to being a mom!! His birthday is in September and he will be turning one! I wonder how much he has changed since his referral picture.

Since my last entry I have been keeping busy. I have painted his room, its two colors Avacato green and soft yellowish beige. The chair molding is up and painted too. I have decided on his Decor for his room. It's going to be a Jungle in thier!!! I even found Jungle themed shower invitaions. So Cool!

I got the Approval I have been waiting for!!

I got my I-600a petition approval!!! One more step closer. Still waiting for my first travel date. Keeping my fingers crossed I will hear by the end of the week. Still keeping busy in anticipation of my travels to come. His room is being painted. Working on invite list and more...

Update

It's been a busy week of getting things together. I have been checking out two possible International Adoption Doctors. I have recieved some great information from both. I think I have decieded on the University of Minnisota. They have been recomended by other adoptive parents and I like the fact that I can get a 24 hour turn around on thier assesment.

I have also been busy decieding on what the room will look like, what colors to paint it and more.

I am still waiting for my 17-H clearance so I can travel and also for the call with my travel dates to meet him. Time is going quick and I am keeping busy so they wait has not been so bad so far!!!

Referral Picture

Here is my little guy! This is his referral picture. He is 9 months old in the picture and was 10 montsh old at the time of referral on July 5, 2010. He is special needs cause of his Clef's. I am currently contacting University of Michigan and Childrens Hospital of Michigan Clef teams to determine his care.

Dossier on its way

I am so excited I just found out my Dossier is apostilled and heading to Russia this weekend. It's hard to believe that I got my referral for Nikita only two weeks ago and everything is moving so smoothly and quickly. They are estimating I will make trip one next month towards the end of August and then Trip two at the end of September. I am so greatful to Lorien from Lighthouse Adoption who is helping me make this all possible..