Adventures in Adoption and Beyond

The Return of My Hair and Other Things

2011-01-29T07:30:00.002-05:00

Life is grand. I am healthly, wealthy and wise. Well, at least I'm healthy. I completed my last chemo treatment at the beginning of November. Recovery from this round was a bit tougher as I was told to expect but not too bad in the big scheme of things. My wonderful sister in law Sue came up from Florida to take care of us. It was a HUGE help and now thankfully I am done with chemo. I had my first follow up with the doctor and everything looks great. Praise God!

I celebrated the end of my treatments with a trip to China (yes, China!). I had an opportunity to go with my dear friend Mary and my terrific husband kindly offered to take a week off from work to stay with Molly and Aidan. The trip was amazing. We saw the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall and did some great shopping in Beijing. We visited the Terra Cotta Warrior Museum in Xi'an and enjoyed the beautiful modern city of Shanghai. And these are just a few of the highlights. It was a fabulous experience. And for those of you who are wondering...yes I was quite the novelty being a six foot tall bald woman in China! Daddy had a terrific week with Molly and Aidan and I received a hero's welcome home with banners, cards, gifts and of course lots and lots of hugs.

The Christms season was a whirlwind of family, friends, food and much joy. Pat's brother Mike and his wife Mary Ellen moved into there first home several days shy of Christmas. Most exciting of all was the tiny growth of hair that began to make an apperance on my head (well at least to me!). It has continued to grow and I'm now sporting a full head of fuzzy baby chick hair. Not much but I will take it.

Molly and Aidan continue to enjoy kindergarten. This is a good thing because they might be going to school until the 4th of July if we continue to get as much snow as we have been getting. They've already missed 5 days and January is not even over yet. Aidan is wrestling (see video below). And Molly is taking ballet and tap. They have both expressed an interest in playing soccer again this spring. Busy, busy, busy little people.

Talk About Your Alternative Ending...

2010-11-09T11:03:00.001-05:00

April. Was my last post really in April? Well, I do have some news to share but its certainly not what I was expecting. I had surgery in June to remove a cyst from my ovary. My old friend endometreosis had reared its ugly head again. And thankfully it did because in addition to the cyst the surgeon discovered a tumor and I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Needless to say we were floored. Fortunately the tumor was earlier stage. Not so fortunately my ongoing treatment includes chemotherapy. I recovered quickly from the surgery and started chemo at the end of July. This week I will have my 6th of 6 cycles. I have been tolerating chemo well. My hair not so much. I have invested in many pairs of BIG earrings in hopes that they will be a distraction from my bald head! And hey, I haven't had to shave my legs in over two months. I have had tremendous support from my family and friends. This has helped enormously. I have maintained a positive outlook and life surges ahead. Really, who has time to be sick with two 5 (almost 6) year olds!

We had a fabulous summer despite my diagnosis. We spent the 4th at Lake Canandaugia with family, visited Aunt Barbara and Uncle Charlie in VA, made annual pilgrimage to visit our dear friends in Welland Ont., and spent a few days at the beach with Mo, Pop Pop, Aunt Eileen and Uncle Ron. We also spent many, many fun filled hours at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom thanks to Aunt Barbara and her gift of season passes.

Molly and Aidan started kindergarten in September and love it. They are in separate classrooms (per our request) and this is working out well. Most importantly they get to ride on the school bus. Big kids. So hard to believe they are in kindergarten already. Molly lost two teeth. Aidan still has all of his and is not happy about that. At the end of October, Molly and Aidan celebrated their 6th birthday in style at Chuck E. Cheese's.

And on the adoption from....sadly we have decided not to more forward with our adoption. Given my diagnosis it probably wasn't an option anyway. Still, it was difficult. After nearly two years and travel on the horizon our journey is finally over. Tough yes but we will count our Blessing. Molly and Aidan continue to be a joy and fill our lives with love and happiness. Who could ask for more?

No News Is.....

2010-04-09T07:54:00.013-04:00

....No news. Sigh. I've been hoping to post an update that includes news about travel to Kazakhstan but things continue to move sloooooowly on the adoption front. We've updated a bunch of paper work so that is out of the way and I'm ever hopeful that "the call" is going to come any day. Its been 18 months since we've submitted our application to our agency. Its hard to believe that much time has passed and we still don't know when we'll be able to meet and hold our child. At this point in Molly and Aidan's adoption we were already home for a month. Doing my best to try and remain optimistic.

Life is very good otherwise. Molly and Aidan love school and have a full social calendar. We've had some unseasonably warm weather recently and we've been outside as much as possible digging, riding bikes, tooling around in the new jeep (theirs not ours), playing at our favorite parks and splashing around in the creek. Kindergarten registration was at the end of March and we're all set go. Molly and Aidan can hardly wait. So while waiting for news from Kazakhstan is difficult our life continues at full tilt and is filled with much joy.

Stay tuned.....

A Very Merry Christmas Indeed

2010-01-12T13:05:00.012-05:00

Our holidays were merry and bright and spent visiting family and friends. It just doesn't get any better than that. Molly and Aidan truly enjoyed all of the festivities. They were real troopers with many late nights that ended with them passing out in the car on the ride home. Seasoned parents that we are we always made sure to pack their jammies "just in case" (which always ending up being the case). Santa was good to the kids and they were equally spoiled by their Aunts, Uncles and friends. Aidan received the Lego Street Extreme Racers set which he had wanted his whole life. Many, many hundred of pieces and hours of fun. The boy is Lego crazy. Molly received a salon styling station, assorted beauty supplies and a Barbie styling head. Silly me thought she would want to style Barbie. No go. Please call to schedule an appointment. She will find you if you don't. Her college age cousin Craig (who Molly adores) was a good sport and sat patiently for the works. And there were Zhu Zhu pets and accessories for all. Whew.

Pat's brother Mike was married on January 1, 2010. Pat was honored to be the best man, Aidan served as a ring bearer (which he thought was ring bear) and Molly a flower girl. It was a terrific day and we wish Mike and Mary Ellen much happiness and joy.

In adoption news....our dossier was assigned to Taraz in mid-December. We were thrilled to find out that there was a possibility that we might travel in January but dissapointingly things did not work out. We're still hoping to travel in the next couple of months. Praying hard and crossing everything. We are so ready to go.

Snow Angels

2009-12-07T07:40:00.008-05:00

Saturday brought a little over three inches of snow and Molly and Aidan were in Heaven. They dashed out the door as soon as they saw the first flake and began running around the yard laughing and shrieking. Talk about your happy campers. After church on Sunday we bundled them up and they were off making snow angels, snow balls, rolling down the hill in our front yard and making a tiny snowman with Daddy. The snowman looked quite festive until Aidan ate his carrot nose and raisin mouth and buttons. Molly managed to eat several snow balls. One of her favorite wintertime activities. I smiled when I got out of bed this morning and looked out of the window to see Molly and Aidan's foot prints winding here, there and every where. Hopefully there will still be some snow to enjoy when they get home from school this afternoon.

Our dossier is still at the MOE. We discussed options for region assignment with our program coordinator and all include more waiting. With so many waiting families (from our agency and others) and fewer children available time to travel is getting stretched out further and further. At this point we're looking at a 4-6 month time frame. This means we'll be faced with the dreaded dossier redo. SIGH. I'm hoping we'll be surprised but prepared for more waiting. I'll keep praying. You never know. In the mean time we have our Molly and Aidan to fill our hearts and keep us busy. For that we are ever thankful.

The Kazakh Man - A Retrospective

2009-11-04T14:17:00.009-05:00

On October 29th our Aidan Patrick turned 5. He is a wonderful little boy who sees and experiences the world in his own unique way. He is sweet and loving, curious and inquisitive, and has a smile that melts your heart. Aidan is bright, engaing and full of life. He is a Blessing and a joy. We are so fortunate to have him as our son. Happy Birthday Kazakh Man.

She's A Big Girl Now

2009-10-21T14:06:00.012-04:00

(sob, sob)

Our Molly Claire is 5 today. She is a delightful little girl who is full of life. Molly is kind and thoughtful, sweet and caring and has a great, great laugh that we never tire of hearing. She is happy, bright, creative and outgoing. Molly is a Blessing to us. We are so lucky that she is ours. Happy Birthday beautiful girl.

Moving Along...

2009-09-19T10:50:00.013-04:00

Well, our dossier has cleared the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is at the Ministry of Education. Another huge milestone reached and we are thrilled. However, there are a few big bumps in the road ahead.

Once our dossier has cleared the Ministry of Education it will be assigned to a region. It has been in our hearts all along to go back to Kostanai. Molly and Aidan will travel with us and we wanted them to see the town where they were born and the baby home where they spent the first 9 months of their lives. To perhaps meet some of the people who so lovingly cared for them. We wanted to return to the wonderful place where our live were forever changed. This may not happen. Our program manager has indicated that things are moving very slowly in Kostanai. They have one family registered in Kostanai who have been waiting six months or so to travel and I do not believe that they have a travel date yet (I hope I am wrong about this). Our agency is hesitant to request an assignment to Kostanai for us and we are too. The agency is going to contact its in-country team and see what if anything is going on. We've been asked if we would consider another region. I know people have had terrific experiences in many other regions. Its just that we were so set on Kostanai. We will have to make up our minds quickly as our dossier should clear the Ministry of Ed the next several weeks.

There has been some chatter on Blogs regarding a potential change to the length of the required bonding period from 14 to 30 days. Our agency sent an email on Friday indicating that while there has been no official confirmation their in-country coordinators feel that it is very likely to happen. They've indicated that the change would be implemented beginning in January 2010. Some people may think "What's the big deal? Its just a couple of weeks.". True but its another two weeks of lodging and food and another two weeks of missed work. Its not the time so much as the associated expenses. Here are the options for travel:

1) one trip lasting 3 months (yikes)

2) two trips; #1 6-8 weeks, #2 5-7 days in length (traveling about 4 weeks after 1st trip)

3) three trips; #1 4 weeks for bonding, #2 5-7 days for court proceedings (4 weeks after trip #1), #3 5-7 days for medical exam and US Embassy processing (4 weeks after trip #2)

We were in Kazakhstan for 9 1/2 weeks while we completed Molly and Aidan's adoptions. It was an amazing trip. But now we're a one income family with two nearly 5 year olds. One trip is sadly not even on the table (unless we win that Powerball). We were planning on two trips prior to the news about the change in the bonding period but one trip 6-8 weeks in length is not really feasible either. And three 30 hour each way trips to Kazakhstan is daunting. Some options. Sigh.

So, we are moving along but somehow feel farther away from our precious Kaz baby.

In meantime were enjoying our full and happy lives with Molly and Aidan. School started last week. They missed our school district cut-off for kindergarten by a month so will be in a pre-k program at the same school they attended last year. They go 4 times a week. So far they like their teachers ("they're old mommy") and have made new friends.

Dossier Approved!!

2009-08-07T08:14:00.003-04:00

Can you believe it? I checked my email last night and there was a message from our agency indicating that our dossier was approved on Tuesday (8/4)and was on its way to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Astana KZ. Totally unexpected and very cool news. We've been busy running around (vacation bible school this week for M & A among other things) and I haven't been checking email that frequently because I wasn't expecting to hear anything until the end of August at the earliest. Woo Hoo!!

And We Have Lift Off

2009-07-23T16:52:00.008-04:00

I received an email from our agency saying that our dossier was sent to the Consulate of Kazakhstan in NY yesterday and should be arriving today. Another milestone to check off and another step closer to our Kazakh bundle of joy:) Now.....more waiting.

Never Forget Kostanai

2009-06-17T08:00:00.024-04:00

That's what the sign says that this funny little guy is holding. A souvenir from our most unforgettable trip to Kostanai Kazakhstan and our precious children.

This time 4 years ago we were fulfilling our dream of becoming parents. After 15 months of waiting we were finally holding our beautiful children in our arms. We first met Molly and Aidan on the evening of June 8th, 2005. We were greeted at the Kostanai City airport by our facilitator, Olessya, and driven directly to the baby home. We met with Dr. Irina, director of the Delphin baby home, and after introductions and a brief conversation were shown several files. We asked to see Molly and Aidan and it was love at first sight. After a too short visit our babies were returned to their rooms and we floated over to our hotel. The next day we toured the baby home, were assigned a time to visit (1:00PM - 2:30PM), and began the required bonding period. We had our preliminary court date on July 4th and final court on July 8th. After the mandatory 15 day waiting period the court decision came into power on July 26th and Molly and Aidan were ours forever. If you're interested in all of the details check out our entries beginning June 7, 2005.

We didn't publish any pictures on our Blog during our trip because the adoption wasn't finalized and we were connecting to the Internet via dial-up and that would have been too painful. I intended to go back and update postings with pictures but life with two babies/toddlers/preschoolers is hectic to say the least. So now I'll post a few as I reflect back upon those magical days.

I'm a big follower of other family's adoption Blogs. Frequently I find a person or family who are trying to decide what country is the best fit for them. Many of them are hesitant about choosing to adopt from Kazakhstan because of the extensive travel. I usually leave a comment about our positive experience and emphasize that while the travel may seem daunting it is one of the the most amazing parts of the journey. To be able to spend that amount of time in your child's country of birth and to be able to share those memories with your child is a rare and wonderful opportunity.

Forget Kostanai. Not in a million years.

Keeping Busy

2009-06-08T21:17:00.012-04:00

The last couple of weekends have been action packed including a visit from my niece and her family and a jaunt to Citizens Bank Park to route for the Fightin' Phils. We picnicked in the parking lot and had a really good time. Once in the ball park it took Molly 3 full innings before she was satisfied that we weren't going to pitch over the railing. Granted we were on the 300 level but nowhere near the nose bleed section. Prior to that she was glued to her seat fearing for her life. I think her Godmother can relate. All was really well when the Phanatic made an appearance in the 5th. Unfortunately, Molly will have to get used to these seats as anything field level is definitely not in the budget.

After a wet week we finally had some decent weather and took full advantage. We spent the entire day outside on Saturday. Molly and Aidan had breakfast alfresco in their PJs (Molly in a fetching Dora nightgown) and stayed that way until when we put on their bathing suits after lunch. I bought a slip and slide at Toys R Us for $9.99 and got what I paid for. I set it up and when I turned on the hose water gushed out where it should not. I patched the rip with duct tape and we were good to go. Molly and Aidan were none the wiser. Pat mowed the lawn and I explored my artistic side trimming bushes and trees while the kids played. We finished up our day outside with a BBQ.

On Sunday we attended our adoption agency's annual picnic. We've gone every year since Molly and Aidan arrived home and its always a great day. There are several family with children adopted from Kazakhstan who also attend and its so wonderful to see them and for all of the Kaz kids to get together. Molly and Aidan have been looking to having their faces painted since the last picnic and waited so patiently in the LONG line. They were thrilled with the results. The agency hires a professional photographer for the day and families can get their pictures taken at no cost. When it was our turn we quickly arranged ourselves in the usual pose and smiled away. The photographer laughed and said "I guess this isn't your first time." Hard to believe it was our 4th sitting. After the picnic wrapped up we went to see friends who live in the area (the picnic is about 1 or so from our house) and stayed for dinner. They have 3 children who were very good to Molly and Aidan. We really enjoyed seeing our friends and catching up. It makes you wonder why you don't get together more often.

And We're Off

2009-05-27T09:35:00.008-04:00

Our dossier for our second adoption from Kazakhstan is DONE. We are sending it to our agency today via FedEx overnight. The agency will give it a once over, have it translated and then its off to its first stop at the Consulate of Kazakhstan in NY. Whew. Now, more waiting. In the mean time, we're busy, busy, with the little people.

The closing program for preschool was last Tuesday. Songs, props and "diplomas" were the highlights of the day. The school offers an extended session which Molly and Aidan will attend. It started today (AM instead of PM. Will need some time to get used to that schedule) and several of their friends are in the same class as well as some new kids. They were excited to be going and should have a good time.

Daddy was away on business all of last week. It was a good week but a long week. The kids really missed Daddy (as did I). We picked him up at the airport on Friday night and greeted him with a welcome home banner. It was a joyful reunion.

We kicked off BBQ season over Memorial Day weekend with a trifecta. On Saturday we went to friends who live in a farmhouse situated on a beautiful property featuring woods, a creek, kitty cats and lots of interesting caterpillars and bugs. Sunday was a neighborhood picnic and on Monday we headed to the in-laws for a family cook out. It was a great weekend but a few too many late nights for the kids. We took it easy on Tuesday and everyone seems to have recovered from their BBQ hangovers.

There has been quite a fascination lately with death and dying. Lots of questions about who dies and when will they die. We've told Molly and Aidan that yes everyone dies. We told them after you die you go to Heaven to be with God. We stressed that someone dies when they are really, really, really, old. Not the exact truth I know but we don't want Molly and Aidan to have worry about it. So....I stopped over our neighbor Darleen's house with Molly and Aidan. Darleen's 94 year old grandmother was there for a visit. As were getting ready to leave Aidan looks at grandma and says to me "Mom she looks really, really old. Is she going to die soon?". Luckily grandma was far away enough and hard of hearing enough not to hear the question.

Molly is gearing up for her big ballet/tap recital at the end of June. Good Lord I had no idea how involved and complicated a recital can be. Hair, makeup, dress rehearsals, mad stampede to purchase show tickets, grand finale extravaganzas. I was given a 12 page document outlining all of the details. Simply mind boggling. Next year we're signing up for soccer!

Livin' La Vida Loca

2009-04-28T07:28:00.016-04:00

Well here it is the end of April and I'm just getting around to posting an update. Molly and Aidan are great and continue to grow at warp speed. Sometimes I look at them and just marvel at how big they are. It feels like only a short while ago I was able to carry both of my babies at the same time and now I'm struggling to carry one. They continue to be busy, busy, busy little people and are literally on the go from sun up to sun down.

Preschool has gone well this year and will be winding up at the end of May. Parent-teacher conferences were held several weeks ago and other than not being able to walk backwards on the balance beam both Molly and Aidan are doing great. Molly has blossomed tremendously. She is extremely social and the queen of crafting. She has not had any trouble keeping up with the other kids despite being one of the youngest in the class. All of the children in their class except one will be headed to kindergarten next year. Molly and Aidan will stay at their current school for Pre-K as they miss ourschool district's cut-off by three and four weeks. Its wonderful to listen to Molly explain the amazing discoveries she makes each day. Aidan has enjoyed school as well but has had some difficulties with an environment that has more structure than he is accustomed to (or cares for). He can get easily frustrated when unable do something perfectly on the first try (like zipping his coat). We're working with him on these things and hopefully encouragement and time will help. Aidan is academically and intellectually off the charts (this is a topic for a separate post) and the challenge will be to keep him interested in the curriculum and manage his expectations of himself. Both Molly and Aidan love playing with their friends and we frequently get together with many of them outside of school. Overall, preschool has been a positive and enriching experience for both.

What else is going on....Molly started ballet and tap dancing lessons in January. She loves it and will be dancing in her first recital in June....Molly and Aidan are taking swimming lessons. They've gone a few times and are doing well. They're gaining confidence with each class which is good but makes mom nervous....Molly, Aidan and I flew to Florida in February to attend my Dad's 80th birthday celebration. My whole family was there and we had a great time. We didn't go to any of the Disney theme parks (Pat wasn't there and we think its too much for 4 year olds) but we did spend a day at Downtown Disney. Molly and Aidan had a blast. I would have planned a longer stay had I know how well Molly and Aidan would travel. Next time......The weather has been warm and we've been enjoying the great outdoors- riding bikes, digging in the dirt and going to the park. It's a nice and much needed change of scenery after the winter.

And finally, we've been working on our dossier for our second adoption from Kazakhstan. Our home study was completed in December but our agency wanted us to wait until April to start our dossier. It was hard to wait but now hopefully our paperwork won't get too dated before we travel. The plan is to work on the dossier in April/May, send it to our agency in June for translation and submit it to the Consulate in July. From there who knows. Our agency said we would not travel before the end of this year. I'm hoping for travel the beginning of 2010 but ya never know. The documents required this time around are similar to those we prepared for Molly and Aidan's adoption with several additions including an evaluation by a psychologist, more finger prints to be cleared by the FBI, and copies of professionals licences (home study agency, social worker, physician and psychologist) and a verification of licences from the appropriate licensing boards. All in all there are 30 documents required. We will be compiling two original dossiers so that is 60 total documents (all to be notarized and apostilled). The good news it that we're making excellent progress and a significant part of the work is complete.

Pat and I are also doing well. Work continues to be challenging for Pat but we are relieved that there is still a job to go to. Like so many others, Pat's company has been through lay offs and restructuring. We're keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best. I blessed with the opportunity to stay at home with our beloved children and I'm truly thankful for that. I'm also training for a ten mile run that takes place this Sunday. Wish me luck because I'm going to need it!!

Year in Review 2008

2009-01-13T14:07:00.010-05:00

Yikes! I was shocked to see that I only posted 4 times in 2008. I knew time was flying but that is just crazy. Below is the letter Pat wrote and we sent with our christmas card. Also included are a few recent photos. I hope I will do a better job of blogging in 2009.

Family and Friends,

What a year we have had! Home improvement and family matters dominated the landscape in 2008. Through all and throughout, Molly and Aidan, our reason for every season, continued to grow and to learn about themselves and the world around them: probing, pushing, testing, and bringing Mom and Dad equal measures of surprise, bedevilment and delight. Some blessings from this year nearly passed:

We had our home built six years ago and never thought four bedrooms, 3.5 baths and 3500 square feet of living space might one day be too small. Who knew we’d have two toddlers one day, much less how much stuff they can accumulate and how much room they need? So we began 2008 by having a substantial portion of our basement finished for living space, most of which is “Kidland” for now. The kids love the space, with room for play and crafts, Aidan’s trains and Molly’s kitchen, and Mom enjoys having some place the kids can be other than underfoot at every minute.

This summer was a wonderful collection of family get-togethers and celebrations. First, we spent the July 4th Weekend at Lake Canandaigua with the extended Reed and Reed-Hudson families. We stayed in a little B&B with Aunt Barbara and Uncle Charlie. The weather was good, the company and fireworks were great.

August began with cousin Sara Dwyer’s wedding on the first. Nearly one hundred family and friends from across the continent celebrated Mom and Dad Donohoe’s 50th wedding anniversary on the 10th: Laughs and tears flowed freely and a tableau of memories and recollections formed a fitting tribute to exceptional love and commitment. The family made the trek to Schnecksville on the 23rd for Dad Donohoe’s 75th birthday party. Finally, we spent Labor Day weekend with our Canadian family, the Petrachenko clan.

Molly and Aidan started pre-school in September! So far, so good: They love it. Coincidentally, we began the process of adopting a third child in September too. We are working with a new agency but plan to return to Kazakhstan and to Baby Home Delfin in Kostanai, from where we adopted Molly and Aidan. Molly would like a baby sister, Aidan a baby brother. In a moment of four-year old wisdom, Aidan suggested one of each, to be named – naturally – Molly and Aidan.

The kids turned 4 in October. We spent Thanksgiving with Barb and Charlie in Virginia and made a train trip into DC for “Black Friday” at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

Molly is a study of emotion in bold relief. She’s sweet and kind and affectionate; she’s loud and boisterous and full of life, with a great sense of humor and a genuine, infectious laugh. She loves arts and crafts, particularly anything to do with glue and/or tape. Her new passions are dance and frequent costume changes and she aspires to a career as a princess or fairy.

Aidan is bright and creative, imaginative and outgoing. He is curious and observant: He wants to know how things work and why things are done. His new favorite word is actually, which is followed typically by a frighteningly accurate recounting of the earlier how’s and why’s. He continues to provide hilarious and engaging commentary on the events of his life whether or not anyone’s listening.

So here we are: Christmastime has come again. We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and the happiest of new years. May God continue to bless us one and all.

With love,

Pat, Alli, Molly and Aidan

Update Coming Soon

2008-08-19T09:23:00.008-04:00

I want to post. I really, really do. Until then here are a few recent photos.

Aidan's Artwork

2008-05-23T09:23:00.001-04:00

Aidan is really branching out with his drawing. For a while it was trains, trains and not much else but trains. Here are a few of his latest works with some commentary from mom.

Rocket ships and bunny

Aidan waiting for an apple to fall from an apple tree into his bucket. Black clouds threaten.

Variation on a theme

Map to undisclosed location (signed by the artist)

Green house in watercolor

Happy family in our house. Pictured from left to right...Mo, Pop Pop, Mommy, Aidan, Molly and Daddy (we're holding hands).

A Bee, a Bee, a Bee

2008-05-12T09:06:00.013-04:00

Molly is a lover of the outdoors. She picks flowers all day long. She loves digging in the dirt and mud. She picks up worms and ants. Any bug really that crawls inspires interest. But add some wings to said bug and the girl loses her mind. Anything that flies by prompts a shout of "abeeabeeabee!!!!!!!!!!!" (all one word). We remain calm and assure her that bees don't like little girls just flowers. This works until the next close encounter.

Last night we were awakened by Molly's screaming. Unusual as she hasn't woken up in the middle of the night for quite some time now. Daddy went to her room to investigate. Molly was convinced there were bees in her room. Big fat buzzing bumble bees everywhere. Poor girl. She really was frightened. Daddy did his best to calm her down and reassure her that there weren't any bees in her room (the wind was howling and rattling the window a bit making it "buzz") but after two trips back she still wasn't convinced. Mommy's turn as Daddy needed to get up for work the next day. The third time seemed to be the charm. I held her and stroked her hair until she was calm, put her back in bed (after a thorough bee inspection) and she drifted off the sleep. The whole ordeal lasted more than an hour. She seem none the worse for wear this morning but did wake up crying that there was a bee in her room. I'm sure this is just the beginning of the "somethings in my room" stage. We're actually surprised it didn't start sooner and we were expecting monsters not bees. Ya just never know.

My niece Danielle rows for Stetson University (FL). Her 4 person boat took the gold at the regionals and qualified to compete in the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia which was held this past weekend. They won their heat on Friday so we got a chance to see her row on Saturday. Unfortunately, they placed third in their heat and did not make the finals. We did get a chance to spend time with Danielle her sister Nicole and my bother Grant and SIL Sue. We had a terrific visit which included cheese steaks at Pat's in South Philly. We'll see them again in July at the lake house.

More To Come

2008-04-30T07:42:00.008-04:00

It's been a long absence and I do intend to post a proper update but until then I thought I'd at least put up a few pictures.....

O Christmas Tree

2007-12-17T22:53:00.001-05:00

Remember Us?

2007-12-10T21:07:00.001-05:00

Hello to all who are still checking in on us. We've been super busy leaving little time (and energy) for Blogging. Now, where to start... Molly and Aidan turned 3 at the end of October. So hard to believe they are 3. People are forever remarking how quickly time flies as your children grow and man are they spot on. What an amazing age. Everything is a wonder. Their imaginations are in high gear and they are fascinating to watch. Aidan continues to refine his train drawings and has started to write letters. He also can write his own name. Molly and Aidan are babies no more. They are really neat little people. We celebrated their birthdays with a family party with all the trimmings including one Thomas and one Princess cake. The kids were showered with gifts and lots of love.

Molly and Aidan had their 3 year well exams and both are healthy and growing like weeds. Molly is in the 75-95th percentile for height and weight. Aidan is in the 75-95th percentile for height and 25th for weight. The Kazakh man is lean and mean. We had been practicing what to expect at the doctor's office with Molly and Aidan's toy doctor's kits and the doctor chuckled when the kids said ah before she even had to ask. I told Molly and Aidan that they would probably get a needle at the doctor's and they both received two. There were tears but cool band aides and lollipops helped to lessen the sting.

Pat has been doing a bit of traveling so one of the weeks he was away we headed to VA to visit Aunt Barbara and Uncle Charlie. This trip I left the pack-n-plays home and brought Molly and Aidan's kiddie-sized blow up beds. We set them up in the same room the first night. DUH. Do you really expect two three year olds to stay in their beds? There was much hilarity despite multiple visits and request to stay in bed by all three adults. On occasion Uncle Charlie saw two faces peeking out of the door (which was quickly shut when they spotted him). Charlie opened the door to find two kids in bed. When he asked "what are you doing?" they replied "sleeping". After two hours of partying Molly and Aidan finally fell asleep. It was funny but not conducive to a good nights sleep for anyone. We put them in separate rooms for the remainder of our stay and that worked out much better.

November 18th marked the arrival of Torin Daniel Evans, my niece Kristen and her husband Russell's new baby boy. I had the honor of being present at his birth. Kristen did wonderfully and when it was time to deliver she pushed the boy out in about 20 minutes. A beautiful, healthy baby with a full head of wavy black hair. Hearing his first cry was amazing. Torin is doing well and the new parents are happy and exhausted.

In other exciting news, our dear friends Bob and Beth welcomed home from Guatemala their daughter, Grace. They're getting settled in (including big brother Nicholas) and we can't wait to finally meet her.

Holiday preparations are underway and the kids are having a blast. This is going to be one magical Christmas. We've seen Santa several times already. Aidan leaps on his lap ready to chat and recite his wish list. It's hit or miss for Molly. Pat think the length of Santa's beard is a factor. The longer the beard the scarier the Santa. She's doing better than last year and actually sat on his lap on two occasions. Rudolph, Frosty, and as they call him, The Little Boy Who Drums are big, big hits. Their not big fans of the Bumble or the Winter Warlock as one might imagine.

Mo and Pop Pop arrived at lunch time on Sunday to baby sit while Pat and I did some shopping. Molly was headed to the potty as we were leaving when we heard her begin to wail. I thought she must have seen a spider in the bathroom as she did once before. I peek my head around the corner to see two little feet wiggling up from the toilet seat. The poor girl sat back too far and dunked herself in the toilet. Mo quickly rescued her and she doesn't seem to show any lingering effects.

Other than that it's been the normal whirlwind of life with our two 3 year olds.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2007-10-16T21:04:00.000-04:00

Wow. Has it really been two weeks since my last post? Time has been just zooming by. My dad and step mom were here from Florida for a visit. We had a really nice time and Molly and Aidan enjoyed spending time with their "other Pop Pop" and grandma. Molly is now fond of telling everyone that she has two Pop Pops. Aunt Barbara and Uncle Charlie also joined us for a few days.

Next on the agenda was preparing for my niece Kristen's baby shower. It was held at her house in Harrisburg on an unseasonably warm and beautiful Saturday. Kristen and Russell now have all the gear. The only thing missing is the baby. Torin Daniel is due at the end of November and we can hardly wait for him to arrive. Molly has been pouring over catalogs remarking that "Baby Torin will like this". Aidan's think what more could a boy want besides trains.

On Sunday we took the kids to a local farm that has a pumpkin patch. The weather was beautiful. Molly and Aidan picked out pumpkins, went on a pony ride (This is the first time Aidan wanted to ride after the incident at the zoo this past spring), and picked apples. Sunday was also our 18 year wedding anniversary. Who could ask for anything more.

Pat was out of town for a few days so I was flying solo. It's been a bit dodgy with Molly at bedtime but both kids were good a gold going down for mommy. And at a reasonable hour too. Whew! Daddy arrived home this evening to much hopping and dancing. Molly and Aidan missed their daddy and are glad to have him home. That makes three of us :-)

Next on the agenda...3rd birthday celebration. How did they get to be 3??? We'll be having a combo party. Now I just need to figure out how to make a Thomas The Tank Engine cake with Cinderella, Belle and Sleeping Beauty riding on top. No small task.

It's In Her Genes

2007-10-03T09:19:00.000-04:00

Those of us who have been to Kazakhstan (or Russia) have witnessed it first hand. Women every where in high heels. Not just for a night out but for everyday wear. Walking miles and miles. Expertly navigating city streets and shopping malls. Now I don't know about you but this is not a feat I could accomplish and after watching Molly sprinting around the house in her princess heels I have concluded that this skill is hereditary. I've seen the girl trip over invisible obstacles in bare feet or sneaker but amazingly never in her heels. It's gotta be in the genes.

Princess Power

2007-09-30T13:44:00.000-04:00

Aidan has been sleeping in a toddler bed for the last 9 months. Molly in her beloved cribby. We've asked periodically if she would like a bed like Aidan's and her reply has been "No. I like my crib". Truth be told mommy and daddy weren't in any rush to set her free as she is not always cooperative at bedtime. Recently, Aunt Barbara found toddler sized Thomas sheets and a matching pillow case. I finally got around to washing and putting them on Aidan's bed. The boy was in heaven. Molly wanted to know where her new sheet were. We told her she could have princess sheets when she slept in a big girl bed. Behold the power of the Princess. Daddy couldn't get the tools out fast enough. While Daddy and Aidan worked on the crib, Mommy and Molly (decked out in her princess skirt, tiara, jewels and purse) went in search of princess sheets. Three stores later we hit the mother load and headed home with our booty. We put her to bed that night and she promptly requested to have her crib back. We told her that she sleeps in a bed now. She was okay with that and we got her settled in. We left her room and waited anxiously downstairs. Not a peep from the little princess and she's been sleeping in her bed ever since. She only fell out once and didn't wake from the fall or from being put back in her bed. She's still less than cooperative about going to bed but once she's tucked in she sleeps like a champ. We're proud of you big girl.

Fun in the Sun

2007-09-18T14:05:00.000-04:00

We had a TERRIFIC week in Ocean City, New Jersey. The weather was gorgeous and we went to the beach every day. September really is the best month at the Jersey shore. The week featured lots of time on the beach, bike rides, fun on the boardwalk and quality time with Mommy, Daddy, Mo and Pop Pop.

Molly and Aidan loved the beach and we went for several hours each day after nap time. The house was a short two blocks away so we were able to load up the wagon with our gear and walk over. Molly loved the ocean and went in as often as Daddy would take her. The water was warm at the beginning of the week and cooled off a bit towards the end but that didn't dampen Molly's enthusiasm. She would request to go back in as she stood shivering and blue-lipped in the sand. Aidan wasn't crazy about the ocean because the "wave-es" splashed him in the face. He went in reluctantly when it was time to rinse off and go back to the beach house. Besides, the boy was way too busy digging in the sand and pushing his dump truck up and down the beach. We would set up sand "cones" and he would plow them over. Molly also liked digging and rolling in the sand. It was non-stop action on the beach. Our friends the Taylors were also staying the week in Ocean City and joined us on the beach a few days. Their son Andrew (2) is from Astana, Kazakhstan and their son James (10 months) is from Guatemala. The kids had fun together and so did the parents. There were a few stand offs between the Kazakh boys but it all worked out in the end. James was a happy baby and was content to crawl around and eat the occasional fist full of sand.

One evening we went for ice cream and took the kids in their strollers. They like when we turn them around and pull them backwards on the back wheels of the stroller. Pat was pulling Aidan in this manner and hit a bump in the side walk. The stroller slipped from his hands and Aidan was dropped on the pavement. The boy has a hard head and the drop wasn't very far but he was startled and began to wail as only a 2 year old can. We were in the process of calming him down when we noticed the two grandmotherly figures on the porch. Molly apparently spotted them at the same time, waved her hand merrily and shouted "Hello hiney!". Not exactly our most shining moment as parents.

During our stay we visited a friend of my in-laws. Her name is Dolly and she is 100 years old. She is an Olympic Gold Medalist (1924 games-swimming) and also swam the English channel. Molly and Aidan immediately sat on her lap upon arrival and hugged and kissed her. She was very sweet.

Molly was shall we say less than cooperative at bed time. She cried and called out for Mommy/Daddy and it took a good 1/2 hour or so to finally get her settled. Mo and Pop Pop offered to watch the kids one evening while we went out. The night arrived and we were a bit nervous about how Molly would behave at bed time but my in-laws are seasoned veterans and told us not to worry. We went to dinner and a movie and had a great time. We figured no news was good news and didn't check in. And we were right. The little stinkers went right down without a peep. How does that work?

We were originally scheduled to come home on Friday but Aunt "Leen and Uncle Ron decide to take the day off from work and come down so we stayed until Saturday. We had a very nice visit with them. On Saturday, we packed up the car after dinner, put Molly and Aidan in their PJs and headed home around 8:30pm. Its about a 2 1/2 hour drive and it wasn't until we were about 10 minutes from home that Molly closed her eyes as Aidan's began to flutter. I think we have the only two kids known to mankind that DO NOT sleep in the car. It was a great week. Thanks for having us Mo and Pop Pop.

To The Beach

2007-09-09T08:50:00.000-04:00

We're leaving shortly for a week at the Jersey shore. All our bags are packed and we're ready to go but the wee slugs are still in bed. Aunt 'Leen and Uncle Ron must have worn them out yesterday. They sat for Molly and Aidan while mommy and daddy golfed in the 4th annual neighborhood open. We'll have a full report on the trip when we return. Here are a couple a pictures from out trip last year.

Mutiny On The Potty Revisited

2007-09-03T14:09:00.000-04:00

If you had asked me a few weeks ago I would have told you that Molly and Aidan we're fully potty trained with the exception of nap time and overnight. We still use a pull up at these time because the kids don't have access to the potty. Aidan is usually dry after a nap and many mornings he is also dry. We were cruising. We spent two weeks traveling to Virgina and Canada. The kids did really well in the car and used the "big" potty where ever we were.

It all started at my sisters house. Molly and Aidan were outside on the deck while we watched them through the sliding glass doors from the kitchen. For whatever reason they were in their underwear (not an unusual occurrence). Aidan suddenly begins to dance and run in circles. I leap out of my chair, threw open the door and ran outside. Too late. This was the first time since we started potty training at the beginning of March that the boy p*oo*ped his pants. Accidents happen. Don't worry my sister and I tell him as we hose him off and clean up the mess. You'll make it next time. No big deal.

We decided before the trip to Barb's that this would be a good time to put the little potties away. Molly and Aidan arrive home to find their potties gone. We use the big potty now we tell them. Doesn't seem to be a big deal. We head off to Canada. Again both kids do well using the toilet. Aidan po*ops in his pull up after we put him to bed. This hasn't happened in a while. The day before we leave he hides in another room and po*ops his pants again. Luckily it is contained in his drawers. This time I'm a little firmer in my reminder that we don't go in our pants.

We get home and there are now many requests for the return of "my little potty". No we say. You're big kids now and can use the big potty. Aidan po*ops in his pull up one day and his pants the next. We were not so luck this time and have a mess to clean on the rug. Even firmer this time in our reminders that we don't go in our underpants. The next day we head to my in-laws to celebrate my FIL's birthday. Yep, you guessed it. Aidan sneaked off into the guest bedroom, p*oo*ped his pants and left a mess on the rug. Needless to say there was a lot of crying (mommy and Aidan) this time. Just to make things interesting and in an effort not to miss out on mom and dad's attention, Molly suddenly cannot hold her bladder. We're not talking a little wet either. Good Lord. She peed twice in her car seat (don't worry Kristen you can wash the cover). The second time she did it was on our way to the park. She had gone before we left the house. We didn't allow her to play at the park and she was one unhappy little girl.

We were in trouble folks and needed to bring in the big guns. No TV in the house or in the car for little girls and boys who pee and po*op in their underwear. Aidan decided to be on the safe side and not po*op at all. Nothing for two days (unusual for him). I was debating whether or not to get out the little potties but decided against it. Finally the boy tells me "mama I have to go stinkies" and he does. He has done so for the last few days and we're hoping that we weathered the storm. Molly decided she can't live without her beloved Backyardigans and has been dry as a bone. She will go to the bathroom and wash her hands all by herself. Of course, she has to close the door all but a crack because "I need some privacy" as she is fond of saying. Ah, the never ending joys of parenthood.

North of the Border

2007-08-24T14:11:00.000-04:00

The remainder of our stay with Aunt Barbara and Uncle Charlie was terrific. Barb watched the kids for a day while I had a pedicure, shopped, went to lunch and then a movie. Needless to say I enjoyed my day off and Barb Molly and Aidan did too. We packed the car on Friday morning and there were many long faces as we pulled out of the driveway. Everyone agreed that it was a great visit and we plan on doing it again soon. Daddy received many hugs and kisses when we got home.

We were home just long enough to do the laundry and pack the car for our next adventure. We left Sunday morning and headed to Welland Ontario to visit our dear friends the Petrachenkos. Our hosts were Mike and Monique and their two children-Savannah (15) and Maverick (12). The travels went well and took about 7 hours. We arrived around 4pm and headed straight for the pool. Molly and Aidan swam in the pool by themselves (with their vests on and several adults standing on the edge). This was a first (one of many for the trip as it turned out) for both. They even climbed in and out of the pool unassisted via the ladder. Daddy hopped in after a while but Molly and Aidan insisted on "doing it myself".

Other highlights of the trip included a birthday BBQ for Mike, golf for the guys and a trip to the zoo for the girls and kids. The rest of the time was spent eating, drinking and being very merry indeed. We stayed up into the wee hours almost every night and spent several of them around an outstanding camp fire. I must mention that Monique is an OUTSTANDING cook and I'm sure we've added more than a few pounds during our stay.

Molly and Aidan were very comfortable. They loved the swings and sand volleyball court in the back yard. They also took a shining the Savannah and Maverick. Molly started calling Maverick her "favorite kid" while Aidan called him Max. Both Savannah and Maverick were good to the kids. Molly and Aidan napped and slept at night well. They went to bed at 11pm two of the nights we were there (a first) and Aidan napped in his stroller at the zoo (another first). Both kids ate well and we discovered that they both like cashews and pistachios.

After a whirlwind tour that when by in a flash we loaded up the car and headed home yesterday. We had a great trip. It was wonderful to spend time with our friends whom we consider family. We already look forward to our next visit.

On the Road Again

2007-08-14T14:32:00.000-04:00

After breakfast on Sunday, Mommy, Molly and Aidan piled into the van for a road trip to Virgina and a visit with Aunt Barbara and Uncle Charlie. It was smooth sailing except for the automatic toilet that flushed while Aidan was doing his business and literally scared the poop out of him. Poor boy! The kiddies were whisked out of the car upon arrival and I was practically left standing on curb after a brief hug and kiss. You know how it is when you have kids. Molly and Aidan explored the house and got acquainted with the two HUGE resident dogs, Dakota (yellow lab) and Simba (Akita/chow mix). Aidan made quick friends with them while Molly kept her distance. Aunt Barbara supervised a Play-Doh session while Uncle Charlie and Mommy enjoyed a few cold ones on the deck. Molly and Aidan knew they were going to like it here when Uncle Charlie bought them a cone from the ice cream truck shortly before dinner. The treat didn't ruin their appetites and the feasted heartily on steak, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. We played outside after dinner and Molly and Aidan went to bed around 9pm with hardly a peep.

We spent Monday at the pool and had a great time. Aidan is now comfortable swimming unassisted (with his vest on) in the big pool. Molly continues to be a water baby and gets more confident every time she swims. Both kids crashed after we got home and we had to wake them up from their nap. Aunt Barbara has DVR and recorded several episodes of the Backyardigans. Molly and Aidan watched one on the 42" flat screen while drinking a juice box in Aunt Barbara and Uncle Charlie's bed. It doesn't get much better than that! It was off to the Lego store when Uncle Charlie got home. Aidan has been talking about going for more than a month and his face was priceless as he perused the selection. He selected Gordon and carried the box around until we got home. We also visited another toy store where Molly selected some princess gear and a toy princess camera. We had dinner out, came home and played with the new toys and had a bath. Lights out at 9:30pm with very little protesting. Aidan brought Gordon to bed with him and we heard him playing for a while. Molly sacked right out. Another great day.

I should also mention that I have been receiving my usual royal treatment. Barb has been getting the kids up, getting my coffee ready and preparing all of the meals. Sweet!

Gotcha Day Anniversary

2007-08-09T08:42:00.000-04:00

On August 8, 2005 we walked through the gates of the Delphin baby home in Kostanai, Kazakhstan with Molly and Aidan strapped to our chests in their Snugglies ready to begin our new lives together as a family. Bob, Beth and Nicholas were by our sides. We were fortunate to have run into an other adoptive family who was able to record the unforgettable moment for us. That was the day our real journey began and it has been one amazing ride. Our overwhelming love for Molly and Aidan grows and grows. We still look at their sweet little faces and cannot believe how blessed we are.

In celebration of the occasion, Beth, Nicholas, Molly, Aidan and I spent the day together. The kids enjoyed a day of playing and swimming at our house and got along famously with only a few minor poking incidents. Aidan referred to Nicholas as "that other guy" and his buddy. Molly called Nicholas her brother. Pat and Bob joined us after work for Chinese. We watched the video of our last few days in Kostanai which included the memorable moment I wrote about above. It was a GREAT day. Our family grew in Kostanai not to 4 but to 7 as we've also added Bob, Beth and Nicholas. More blessings. We are truly thankful.

What's Going On?

2007-08-07T14:05:00.000-04:00

I haven't been in the mood to write so I thought I'd post of few pictures instead.

A Visit From Aunt Barbara

2007-07-19T14:50:00.000-04:00

My sister Barbara arrived on Monday for one of her somewhat regularly scheduled visits. We were all thrilled to see her (and the delicious chocolate chip cookies that she always brings). Uncle Charlie packed a surprise for Molly and Aidan in Barbara's Jeep-a crab shaped sand box. Needless to say, they loved it and have spent many hours happily digging.

It's so great to have Barb here. Not only is she good company but also a much welcomed extra pair of hands. And she cuts our hair to boot. This trip I received an extra special treat...a day off :-) I got up on Tuesday morning and enjoyed my coffee while Barb got the kids dressed and ready for the day. I left the house as she was making them breakfast and didn't return home until dinner time. I went to the gym, met my husband for lunch, shopped and had a pedicure. What a day! I felt refreshed. Barb, Molly and Aidan had a great day. What more could you ask for? It was my turn to put Molly to bed that night. Molly said to me "Barbara said no it's too hot. I said I need that Barbara." What?? When I got down stairs I asked Barb about this. She told me that when she put Molly down for her nap she (Barb) was sweating from getting the kids upstairs. Barb covered Molly with her fleece blanket but she also wanted her quilt. Barb told Molly it was too hot for the quilt. Molly carefully placed this in her memory bank and relayed it to me later that night. Barb also said that she tried to give the kids milk with their lunch and they refused to drink it saying "Oh no Barbara milk is for night time. We drink water with lunch." So water it was. And finally, as we sat around the table laughing at these things we heard Aidan from his bedroom saying "See Barbara I'm not touching Thomas, I'm only looking." He was referring to his new Thomas nightlight that she plugged in at nap time and reminded him not to touch. Beware, they are listening/watching everything!

Aunt Barbara left this morning despite many protests and sad faces (including mine) but we'll see her again soon. Thanks so much for everything. We planning on visiting her (and Uncle Charlie) sometime in August.

Play-Doh Palooza

2007-07-14T14:49:00.000-04:00

We had some beastly hot weather here this week and in a effort to entertain the troops I got out the Play-Doh. Molly and Aidan have played with it before but only a few times and they were restricted to their high chairs and one color at a time (I know, I have some issues). This time I decided to throw caution to the wind and got out all of the colors. Needless to say, Molly and Aidan have been having a great time. I even purchased some Play-Doh accessories that include blunt scissors, shape cutters and tools that squeeze out different shapes. Molly finds the tool that resembles a garlic press and squeezes out spaghetti like strands hysterical and cracks up every time she uses the thing. The colors have been co-mingled and started out with a cool psychedelic look but have since turned a drab olive. Molly and Aidan will sit at the table happily playing for more than an hour. In fact, I have had to break up the fun when it was time for lunch or dinner. So all in all it's been great fun and not nearly as messy as I imagined.

I'm including some miscellanous photos since the last two posts didn't have any.

There and Back Again

2007-07-09T13:57:00.000-04:00

After the rocky start I'm happy to report that the rest of the trip was loads of fun. Molly and Aidan settled into the new routine at the hotel which included napping and sleeping at night. There were still pleas of "I want to get out" from Aidan when I put in the pack-n-play but he eventually accepted the situation and slept. Molly and Aidan also got used to the many new faces at the lake house and had fun playing with the other kids. Throw in some new toys from Aunt Sue and Uncle Grant and what's not to like?

We woke up to rain on the 4th and after a trip to Wal*Mart we spent the morning coloring and doing stickers. I had brought along some business envelopes (a new fav) and Molly and Aidan made "letters" for Uncle Grant and Aunt Sue. We headed to the lake house for a brief visit and then returned back to the hotel for lunch. Following lunch Molly and Aidan took a 3 hours nap. Woohoo! Then it was back to the lake house for a fabulous meal which included whole lobsters, steak, chicken, corn on the cob, boiled potatoes and much, much more. Unfortunately, it was still raining so there was no camp fire or fireworks but we had a terrific time anyway. I was particularly happy to see my nieces Danielle and Nicole. Nicole just completed her freshman year at UCF and Danielle flew to the lake house from New Zealand where she spent the last year studying. She will return to Stetson University in the fall. We got back to the hotel at 9pm and Molly and Aidan went to sleep after only some minor protesting. I told them that we would be going home the next day and Molly said "Hooray I can see my Daddy. Molly's so happy".

We arrived at the lake house around 10am on Thursday. Molly got her wish and went for a ride on the boat. The girl had literally been asking anyone and everyone all week if she could go out on the boat. My niece Nicole held Aidan and Molly sat with me. Molly did not stop smiling, singing and squealing the entire time. She kept saying "I love boats." The girl was in heaven. When asked, Aidan said he had fun but having seen his face on the boat I find that hard to believe. This was a first for both. After the boat ride we hung out until 3pm and then hit the road. Molly took a brief nap in the car but Aidan never shut his little brown eyes. We stopped once for a picnic dinner and arrived home around 8:30pm. Both kids were so excited to see their daddy. He received many hugs and kisses. We were treated to a clean house thanks to daddy. The carpet in the toy room had received a much needed shampoo. Not all of Molly and Aidan's toys had been returned to their designated spots which caused Aidan some concern and prompted him to ask daddy to "please bring all of my toys back". After visiting with Daddy, Molly and Aidan went to bed without a peep. You've never seen two kids so happy to see their beds.

Greetings From Canandaigua

2007-07-03T21:11:00.000-04:00

We kicked the trip off with a stop at Dunkin Doughnuts around 10am and arrived safely at our destination around 4pm. Molly and Aidan traveled well. We stopped several times to use the potty we brought with us and enjoyed a roadside picnic lunch. We went directly to the lake house and received a warm welcome. Molly and Aidan made themselves right at home and were happy to find a stash of toys and other kids to play with. It was too cold to go swimming but we waded in the lake. Molly lost her footing and took an unexpected dip but that didn't seem to phase her. Our hostess served a lovely meal and that's when everything when horribly wrong. No naps were had on the drive up so both kids were tired. Add to that being in a new place among so many new faces and we have the perfect recipe for toddle mania. My SIL Sue had already checked us into our hotel that afternoon so we just had to head to the room. I unloaded the car while the kids explored. They helped me blow up their travel beds and then both began to cry, scream and refuse every request from Mom. Did I mention that I was exhausted too? Bad combo. I called Pat several times in utter despair. I even packed the car with thoughts of driving home (clearly I was not rational at that point since it would have been a 4 1/2 hour trip). Pat had suggested a ride in the car and I finally tried that around 11pm. After a few minutes both kiddies were zonked. But I wasn't about to get off that easy. Aidan didn't flinch when I took him from the car to put him in bed. Molly had woken up when we arrive back at the hotel and she was not a happy little girl. She kept repeating "I want to go home now". I felt terrible. I was able to rock her until she was calm and finally put her down at midnight. I passed out shortly afterward but slept fitfully all night.

So, today was a new day right?. It started as horribly as yesterday ended. I packed the car once again in anticipation of driving home after stopping at the lake house to say goodbye. However, I had a good cry upon arrival and received the encouragement I needed to stay. We had a great morning. The kids played in the sand, swam in the lake and enjoyed the company. After lunch we headed back to the hotel for an attempt at a nap. Having acted upon another brilliant suggestion from my husband, I found two portable cribs waiting for my in the room (which by the way is very nice-its a suite with separate living and sleeping areas and a mini kitchen with a not quite full size fridge). We watched a new Elmo DVD that was a present from Aunt Sue and then it was into the crib. I layed down on the bed and tried to inspire Molly and Aidan to sleep but instead listened to a comedy show and shouts of "mommy I want to get out" that lasted about 45 minutes. I finally decided to leave the room and after a few brief minutes of unhappiness they finally fell asleep. Molly coughed herself awake after only about an hour but hey I'll take anything at this point. Aidan had to be woken up and did so begrudgingly.

We headed back to the lake house and arrived just in time for a delicious lasagna dinner. Molly and Aidan had a good time again and lasted until 8pm when Molly declared that she wanted to go home. There was more unhappiness with being asked to use the potty and take in bath in a strange tub but we muddled throught. I read a story over Molly's protests, rocked both kids briefly and it was lights out shortly before 9pm. Molly crashed while Aidan chatted for a while. I don't hear anything now (10pm). Cross your fingers for a good night's sleep for everyone. Dispite the difficulties I'm glad I decided to stay.

Awaiting A New Arrival

2007-06-28T14:44:00.000-04:00

I have some happy family news to share. My niece Kristen and her husband Russell are expecting their first baby. Kristen is 19 1/2 weeks along and doing well. She is a bit tired and irritable but not really any more than usual :) Today was the ultrasound and the baby is healthy and developing normally. They also found out the sex but I forgot to ask if she minded if I posted it on the Blog so I'll have to wait to share that info. Too bad she didn't find out last week so I could have sold the clothes she won't need at the yard sale! We've already started passing along some of our baby stuff to them. We have a ton of it (two of most things) and I'm glad they'll be able to use it. Kristen and Russell live about an hour away so we'll get to see the baby (oh, and them) frequently. I'm so excited. It's always fun to have a little one in the family.

Friends invited us over for an evening swim this week. It's been beastly hot so we were happy to go. It was Molly and Aidan's third time in a "big" pool this year. They have vests and we hold onto them in the water. This time Molly decided she could "do it myself" and lo and behold off she went swimming. She paddled across the pool (lengthwise no less) and all over without any assistance. She even flipped over on her back and swam backwards. We really were amazed by her ability but not surprised by her love of water. Her first experience in a pool was at the Hyatt in Almaty Kazakhstan and she was a little water baby then. All this after riding a pony at the zoo accompanied only by the handler. We finished the evening off catching lightning bugs. Aidan AND Molly were thrilled to catch and hold the blinking buggies. Just a few short weeks ago this was the girl who could be heard shrieking "a bee, a bee, a bee" whenever any insect with wings passed near by. You've come a long way little girl. Now, if she would stop making that sound when she's mad that reminds me of Reagan from the Exorcist...

Our neighbor has been generously passing along her children's clothing to Molly and Aidan. Molly loves to tell everyone that she's wearing something that belonged to Abby. Today I found a bag on the stoop from our clothing elf. The kids had fun inspecting the contents and trying a few things on. As you can see, the pumpkin hat was a fan favorite. The boy was smitten by a pair of pants and insisted on wearing them to bed for his nap. Sounds good to me.

Yard Sale and Other News

2007-06-26T14:21:00.000-04:00

Not much computer time last week as all of my "free" time was spent getting ready for our yard sale which took place on Saturday. We did not add much income to the coffers but we unloaded a bunch of stuff and had some fun too. The only hitch was the man who took the "help yourself" sign next to the box of mini doughnuts literally and made off with the entire thing. Luckily the doughnuts had been on sale at the market and we had several reserve boxes. Molly and Aidan had fun chatting with all of the shoppers and visiting the other houses in the neighborhood that were included in the sale.

In addition to preparing for the yard sale, we've been having a bit of a rough patch with the dynamic duo. Mutiny is in the air and we've been waging many a battle. Not unexpected given the age but very frustrating because of the frequency and intensity. Wears a person out! Things have settled back to a more manageable level but man what a week. We're hoping for a bit of smooth sailing before more rough seas.

Next week I'll be taking Molly and Aidan to the Finger Lakes in NY. My brother's wife's family owns a lovely cottage on Lake Canandaigua. Pat and I have gone several times before we had kiddies and have had a terrific time. I will be flying solo since Pat is just back to work after six weeks off for his surgery. The only thing I'm a bit nervous about is sleeping. I'm hoping a busy schedule and lots of fresh air will help in this department. I'm looking forward to seeing my big brother, Grant, his wifey Sue and all of her family.

Shutter Bugs

2007-06-19T13:44:00.000-04:00

I let Molly and Aidan snap a few photos the other day. Here's a little something from their portfolio.

To Daddy With Love

2007-06-17T21:53:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to our favorite Daddy.

Everything Tastes Great on a Stick

2007-06-14T14:39:00.000-04:00

We were at my in-laws a few weeks ago for a family BBQ. Molly and Aidan sat across the table from our 12 year old niece, Kaitlyn, who was enjoying her grilled chicken right off the skewer. "I want to eat with a stick" chimed the dynamic duo. Being the safety conscience mother that I am I opted for cocktail toothpicks in lieu of the large wooden spike the chicken was grilled on. This was a big hit and Molly and Aidan cleaned their plates. They also discovered that dispite your best efforts you cannot eat apple sauce with a toothpick. Another one of life's valuable lessons. Needless to say there have been many requests to "eat my meal with a stick" over the past few weeks. And I have to say it works like a charm. Who knew?

A Family At Last

2007-06-08T00:22:00.000-04:00

Our dearest Molly and Aidan,

Two years ago today you came into our lives. Our dreams come true. It was magical to finally hold you in our arms. June 8th, 2005, the day our lives became forever entwined. A family. The beginning of an amazing journey that continues today. You dear children have brought us more joy than we ever could have imagined. We love you with all our heart, all our soul. We thank God each day for blessing us with you both. We can't imagine it any other way.

love,
Mommy & Daddy

A Boy and His Bins

2007-06-06T14:54:00.000-04:00

Aidan's new favorite past time is to play with the storage bins in his room. Construction takes place prior to naps and bedtime. We can hear something going on and look forward to peeking in after he is asleep to see what he has done. He likes to put all of his "things" in the bins and then arrange them. Sometimes he lines them up on the floor like a train or stacks them in his bed. Occasionally we'll go in to his room in the morning and find him in a bin on his bed.

Aidan has also developed a love of jeans and requests to wear them every day. This has not been possible because 1) the weather has been too warm and 2) the boy doesn't own enough pairs. He's decided to take matters into his own hands and has been digging through his drawers after we leave his room. I walked into his room the other morning and didn't see him in his bed. I looked across the room and found him sitting in his chair with his jeans on. "I found some pants." he said. We now leave a pair beside his bed to minimize the rooting in his drawers.

Kazakh Kids Reunion

2007-06-04T07:17:00.000-04:00

Wow. What a great weekend.

On Saturday we attended a get together with families whose children are also from the Delphin baby home in Kostanai. We gathered at a lovely home surrounded by woods and beautiful gardens. Our host was Beth, mother to Alex and Lana. Beth's last week in Kostanai coincided with our first week there and we followed her around like baby ducklings as she showed us the ropes. All told there were six families and 9 Kaz kids ranging in age from two to six. Our dear friends the Meusers (Bob, Beth and Nicholas) were among the group.

We arrive at noon after a few errant turns. Molly was a bit shy as is her m.o. when new faces are around but warmed up quickly. Aidan headed straight for the shelf lined with toy trains (anyone surprised). He became attached to a Lego Percy engine which didn't leave his side all day. He would have happily stayed in the playroom all day if we didn't insist he put on his bathing suit and join everyone outside. Yes, the lovely house also had an in ground pool. The day was hot and sunny and the pool shall we say "refreshing". Molly and Aidan have not been in a "real" pool since shortly after we arrived home in August of '05 so we weren't sure what to expect. Molly and Aidan loved it. A little hesitant at first, both were "swimming" by themselves (life vest and noodle under the arms) after a short while. There was a small inflatable boat that Molly took a shining to and we heard many choruses of "Molly's in a boat" sung by a laughing little girl. Molly wanted to be in the pool all day so mommy and daddy took turns. After lunch Aidan and Nicholas headed to the swing set and dug and drove trucks in the sand. At 5:30 we packed our gear to head home. Molly was not in agreement with our decision and pitched a MAJOR fit including full volume crying and screaming. Getting her dressed was a two person job. After 5 1/2 of playing and swimming and no nap the girl was done. We managed to wrangle her into the car and after a while she settled down. Aidan was cooked too but to tired to fight. After only a few minutes on the road I looked back to see him passed out with his chin on his chest. Molly tried to keep her eyes open in protest but lost after a valient effort. So what did we do with our tired children? Dragged them to a soccer game. Hey, they got a few winks. It was the championship game for the league Pat used to play in and his former team was playing. Molly and Aidan were cranky when we woke them up (duh) but came around after mom whipped out some PB&J sandwiches. Pat's team won. We arrived home at 8:30pm and Molly and Aidan went to their beds without a peep. What a GREAT day!!

Saturday was followed up by our agency's annual picnic at a state park. The picnic was well attended and included families created through both domestic and international adoption. Several of the same cast of characters from Saturday's festivities were there. We also met up with friends from my former place of employment. They had moved to Florida but are now living in Maryland. Their beautiful daughter was born in Astana and recently turned 3. Families pack their own lunch and the agency provides activities for the kids, a live band, free family portraits by a professional photographer, and an ice cream truck. We hung our Kazakhstani flag and set up camp. It was another great day only slightly dampened by some tears when Molly's balloon animal teddy bear popped.

Everybody Into the Pool

2007-05-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

Summer fun officially began after a quick trip to Target (is there really such a thing as a quick trip to Target??). We purchased our pool for the season and Molly and Aidan are in heaven. Daddy blew up the pool while the kiddies napped and Mommy went grocery shopping. Pat got the kids up, into their suits and into the pool. As I put the groceries away I enjoyed the giggles and laughter of two happy toddlers. Pure magic. Needless to say swimming has been the preferred activity for the last several days.

Today the temps were close to 90 and Molly and Aidan were swimming after their nap. Pat was finishing up his outside chore for the day (yes, the man who had his hip replaced a scant 5 weeks ago). He joined us poolside when he was done and decided to go for a dip. The pool is not really big and his presence took up a good bit of real estate. After about five minutes Molly said to him "Daddy, please get out. You're too big." Well, at least she said please. Daddy had to settle for having water poured on his feet.

Toddlers are so silly. Molly and Aidan play a game they created which they call ha-poo. We have no idea what it is or how it is played but they rip around the house saying ha-poo and laughing like maniacs. If Molly wants to play she'll ask "Aidan ha-poo hmmmmm?" and the games begin. Yesterday Pat said to Molly "Molly ha-poo hmmmm?" Molly responded "Nope, not yet." Pat has asked several time since and received the same reply. No ha-poo for daddy.

For the last several weeks we've been dropping Pat at his PT appointment and heading to the gym. After I'm done my workout we head back to pick Daddy up. The other day we got into the car and I told Molly and Aidan that we were going to pick Daddy up. Molly said "He's my favorite Daddy." My heart just melted.

I wanted to let everyone know that we are the proud owners of a new cat. For the past week or so Aidan has been crawling around on all fours while meowing. This is the perfect alternative for us since both Pat and I are allergic to cats. It's all good.

They Call Me Mom

2007-05-15T14:09:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day has always been a bitter sweet day for me. For more years than I care to remember it was a painful reminder that I was not a mother though I longed to be one. Then I lost my own mother and my heart still hasn't fully healed. This Mother's Day I found myself struggling to let go of my dream of becoming a mother to another child as my husband finally closed the door on another adoption. Not an easy one for me. Mother's Day also reminds me that there are people I love dearly that have hoped and prayed for a child and still have empty arms. I share their pain.

I know, I know. You say "How can you feel this way when you have two beautiful, healthy, amazing children to love and hold?" Molly and Aidan are my world. I feel blessed that they are mine. I consider it a great privilege and honor to be their mother. I KNOW that I am their mother. I see it in their eyes, hear it in their voices and feel it in their touch. This is the sweet part of Mother's Day for me. But I feel this everyday.

On a much, much lighter note....In a short span of time I've gone from mama, to mommy, to mom. How did this happen? Molly and Aidan are only 2 1/2. Today as I was doing the dishes Aidan approached me with a paper in his hand and said "Here Allison, I drew this for you." Mom isn't sounding too bad now.

Back To Normal

2007-05-06T15:35:00.000-04:00

Life resumed it's "normal" rhythm this past week. This included three days at the gym (Aidan now has two 5 year old girls fussing over him..Chloe and Lily), story time at the library, a visit from Mo and Pop Pop, and several trips to the park. Molly and Aidan helped Mommy fill the bird feeders with seeds and have been having fun watching the birds. They talk to their birdie friends and are disappointed when they fly away. Mommy, Molly and Aidan are happy that Daddy is around even if he is limited in what he can do. It will be tough when he is ready to return to work.

The weather has been pleasant enough to be outside but it's not warm enough yet for shorts. I LOVE the hot weather and I'm anxious for it to arrive. Molly and Aidan enjoyed their first ice cream cones. They've had ice cream before of course but we've always given it to them in a bowl to avoid a mess. They were thrilled to have their own cones and were amazed to find out that you get to eat the cone. Life is good.

I took the kids to the zoo this morning after Mass. Daddy stayed home to rest. Molly and Aidan had a great time. They walked most of the time while Mommy followed behind with the double jog stroller. Should have left it in the car. Trips to the zoo are becoming very interesting. Today's highlights included the discovery of camel poop and noticing that camels have hineys.

Back Seat Drivers

2007-05-01T14:39:00.000-04:00

Molly and Aidan have begun to point out stop signs to me as we're driving. I hear from the back "Mommy stop sign. Stop Mommy.". This is followed by "OK, go now Mommy." Are you kidding me! They are 2 1/2. For kicks I threw out "green light means go.". Aidan replied "red light stop." Very scary. Aidan has recently turned into a parrot. Frequently he will repeat what you say to him including sentences of 7 or 8 words. It has been absolutely facinating to watch Molly and Aidan's language skills develop. They can tell us what they want and express their ideas. They are constantly asking "what's that?" or "who's that?" Their vocabulary is quite impressive. Vehicles on the road are not simply cars or trucks but tractor trailers, tanker trucks, and pick up trucks. Construction vehicles are now excavators, front loaders and backhoes. Flowers are tulips, irises and daffodils. Truly amazing.

In other news, Pat arrived home from the hospital last Monday and is doing very well. He is able to get around on crutches including going up and down steps. He will have in-home PT for a few more weeks and then will continue at the rehab facility. He is also visited several time a week by an RN to check his vitals, wound and draw blood. The staples were removed yesterday (25-30 of them) and he is healing nicely. His pain is managable with the medication prescribed by the doctor. He is getting stronger every day and we are pleased with his continuing recovery. Molly and Aidan are glad to have Daddy home even if he can't play with them like he usually does. My sister and her husband returned home on Sunday. We had a terrific week and are so greatful for having had their help. My BIL took home a lovely parting gift...a stomach bug.

On the Mend

2007-04-22T06:33:00.000-04:00

Pat had his hip replacement surgery on Friday the 20th. We got the call on Thursday night to be at the hospital at 5:15am. Ouch. Luckily the hospital is only about 15-20 minutes away. We arrived at the appointed time and Pat was taken back to the pre-surgery area. I stayed in the waiting room while they got him ready and then was able to sit with him until they took him to the OR at 7:00am. The surgeon spoke to me at 9:00am to let me know that everything went smoothly and that Pat would be in recovery for "a few hours". It turned out to be 5 hours because they had to wait until bed was available to move him to his room. Reminded me of a over booked flight. We weren't offered a free hospital stay for our wait. I finally saw Pat around 2:30pm. He was very groggy (I guess anesthesia and morphine will do that to you) and I only stayed with him a few minutes. I headed home to see the kids. My sister and her husband arrived on Thursday night and will be staying through the week. I am so grateful to have their help. My niece, her husband and his 8 year old son are also here to help out for the weekend. Molly and Aidan are having a great time and Aunt Barbara, Uncle Charlie and the gang are keeping them busy. We've also had a break in the weather and are enjoying some warm temps. The kids have been able to play outside and have been to the park. My sister and niece have put Molly and Aidan to bed the last two nights and they've gone right down. I think we may hire them full-time!

I went to the hospital around noon and found Pat sitting in a chair. He had already been for a short walk using his spiffy new walker. He was feeling better and was less groggy. He didn't sleep that well but not unexpected in the hospital with all the regularly scheduled poking and prodding. Pat's brother Mike came to visit. The OT came to give Pat some gadgets and show him how to put on his pants and socks. She also went over the Dont's for hip replacement patients. I went home for a bit to see Molly and Aidan and make them dinner. Afterwards I went back to the hospital. Pat was still sitting in his chair. He was sleepy and took a nap. We took a stroll up and down the hallway, kissed good night and then I went home. The surgeon will be in to see Pat tomorrow. He seems to be doing very well. He still has a long way to go but hes on the road to recovery. Pat should be coming home on Monday. Daddy misses his kids and they miss him too.

Ready for Spring

2007-04-14T14:42:00.000-04:00

The weather has been unseasonably cold and rainy. Despite our best efforts to get the kids out and about it was a LONG week.

Last Saturday our church held an Easter egg hunt. The Easter Bunny arrived on a fire engine with sirens blaring. The hunt for eggs went well and a ton of candy was procured. All was topped off with family photo with the Easter Bunny. Molly and Aidan had a great time even though it felt more like January than April.

Easter Sunday was also very nice. We got the kids up earlier than usual so that we could avoid the crazy crowds at the 10:00 Mass. Molly and Aidan were good as gold. We gave them their baskets after church and several chocolate bunnies were quickly devoured. We drove to Pat's cousin's house in NJ for Easter dinner. They have a 2 year old daughter so we didn't have to bring toys. We barely saw Molly and Aidan as they were having such fun with their cousins. Holidays are much easier these days. We don't have to bring the gear we used to. This trip all we brought were there pajamas and blankies. So nice :-)

We had a hard time this week putting the kids to bed. There was a lot more unhappiness than usual and we felt like we were performing in a three ring circus. Molly has a list of requests...I'm thirsty, change me my diaper is wet, I need to go potty, I don't like this book in my crib (take out book), I NEED that book in my crib (put book back in crib), I didn't kiss Aidan (reminder her that she kissed him on the head, now she needs to kiss him on the lips), etc. The list is growing longer and more creative. We can't just ignore her because she'll just keep whining/crying if you don't at least go into her room (1 1/2 hour one night). When we go into her room we don't give her what she wants, we don't stay long, and we tell her firmly that it's time to go to sleep and tell her that we love her. After 5 or 6 trips she settles down and goes to sleep.

Aidan on the other had will try and come up with things to keep you in his room. Read me another book, rub my back, let me close the door when mommy/daddy leaves the room (then try to escape into the hall or play with the door knobs). Once you make it out the door you're good. He doesn't fall asleep right away but is content to play in his bed until he doses off. Sometimes he poops in his diaper before drifting off and we have to wake him up to change him when we check on him before we go to bed. Luckily he is half asleep through it all and goes back to bed without a peep. Bedtime this week has been stressful for mom and dad. We're hoping this too, like other things, shall pass.

Mother's Little Helper

2007-03-30T15:05:00.000-04:00

Molly love to help around the house. She has the hang of some things....

...and needs a little work on others.

I also had some help making cup cakes.

Another Week Gone By?

2007-03-28T20:59:00.000-04:00

I was reminded by my niece Kristen that I'm overdue for a new post and I promised her that I'd get on the ball. Not much going other than the usual shenanigans of the typical toddler times two. Molly and Aidan are the loves of our lives but man can they wear you out. We're finding two to be as tough as it is rewarding. It is amazing to watch them learn and grow and discover the world. Their vocabulary is expanding like crazy and they now speak in full sentences. They are putting together thoughts and ideas. I know every parent thinks this but Molly and Aidan really are bright kids. They can identify colors (the basics and much, much more) and shapes, count to 10 hitting all numbers on most occasions, sing the alphabet song and get it about 60% right, and they can identify a handful of letters and the sounds they make. Both have terrific memories. Molly loves, loves, loves to sing, dance and move to the music. The Kazakh man is still not an excellent dancer but what he lacks in form is more than made up by his enthusiasm. Trains continue to be Aidan's passion and he can name a good number of engines from the Thomas collection. Molly and Aidan love books and we recently started another session of toddler story time at the local library. They really enjoy the program and have gone from quiet observers to enthusiastic participants. We check out a few books each week and they think that is the best.

My sister Barbara arrive from VA on Monday for a week long visit and that is always great. She is terrific company and a big, big help with the kids. She was out of commission recovering from knee surgery when she visited in January and developed bronchitis on her February visit. She is back to her normal form and can really enjoy the kids. More importantly, she has resumed her role as nanny. LOL. It's always difficult after she leaves because it's back to reality and making my own coffee in the morning. Luckily she visits frequently.

Potty training update...Things continue to go well. Accidents are few and minimal. Number 2 is either done on the potty or in a diaper at nap/bed time. There are no issues using a public restroom. Aidan can get his own pants down now and Molly can get hers up and down. There is a downside to all of this though. The convenience of having a child in diapers is gone. We have to make sure we use the potty before we leave the house, make sure we know where the bathroom is when we're out and head straight for the potty when we return home. Already they are learning the power they have over us with the request of "I have to use the potty". Last Sunday we went to the LaSalle Women's Basketball banquet. I saw very little of the presentations and awards as I was busy making trips to the bathroom with either Molly or Aidan in tow. But we can't complain. They are doing so well and we're so proud of them.

In other news...My husband Pat has scheduled his hip replacement surgery for the 20th of April. For those of you who don't know him you might be surprised to hear that he is only 46 and quite young for this type of procedure. I'm looking forward to his improved health and the better quality of life the surgery promises. I'm praying all goes as planned and that he has a speedy recovery.

Winter Blast

2007-03-19T14:47:00.000-04:00

What a difference a day makes. We enjoyed unseasonably warm weather earlier in the week and got out as often as possible. The snow was just about all melted. Then on Friday we were hit with a storm that dumped 8.5 inches on us. Molly and Aidan were happy whatever the weather.

We'll be ready with our new rainboots when the snow melts.

Really Nice Weekend

2007-03-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

My niece Kristen arrived Friday night for a weekend visit. Lucky for me as Pat was scheduled to go out with the guys. Kristen and I took Molly and Aidan for ice cream. She helped me give them a bath, put them to bed and then we watched "Little Miss Sunshine". A nice quiet evening at home.

On Saturday, Pat put together the table and chairs I had ordered for Molly and Aidan from The Land of Nod. It has a roll of art paper attached to the end. The kids love it. Now they can color whenever they want to without having to ask me to get everything out. We made a quick run to the toy store in the afternoon as Aidan was successful again in doing his business on the potty. Surprise, surprise, he selected another train from the Thomas collection. Molly on the other hand was eyeballing the pink Barbie Escalade a few aisles over.

Our friends Bob and Beth and their son Nicholas came for a visit on Saturday night. For those who don't know or remember, we traveled to Kazakhstan with Bob and Beth. Nicholas' crib was next to Aidan's in the baby home. We're fortunate that they only live 25 minutes away. We had Chinese for dinner and a fabulous raspberry cream tart creation from Wegman's (courtesy of Bob and Beth) for dessert. The kids ripped around the house and had a great time. We sat at the table and talked for hours. The only mishap was a bruised pinkie finger for Aidan. After he stopped crying he asked me for some tape. I gave him a piece and he applied it to the injured hand. He asked for another and then another. He was satisfied after the hand was covered with about 8 pieces. I wish I had thought to take a picture.

We took the kids to Mass on Sunday. Didn't think it would be fair to leave Kristen alone with two toddlers. I'm sure she's more than capable but I thought it would be nice for her just to relax. After Mass we went to the zoo for the first time in a few months. We had a good time but it was colder and more windy than we anticipated. The pathways around the zoo were covered with puddles as the temps are rising and the snow melting. One section was completely covered and people had to wade across several inches of water. I'm looking forward to the nicer weather and more frequent trips to the zoo.

Potty update: Congratulations to our Molly Claire who made #2 on the potty for the first time Sunday. Of course there is a story...I was upstairs doing something and Pat was in the living room playing with Aidan. Molly was in the toy room. We suddenly heard her wailing. Pat ran into the room to find Molly standing in front of her potty with her pants down. He looked inside and bada bing she had done her business. We figure she sat down to pee and it just happened. She apparently was quite caught off guard! We sang, danced and clapped. She started to laugh. Meanwhile, the boy had his face almost in the bowl looking at the contents saying "pine cone, pine cone". Guess he thought it looked like a pine cone!! The toy store was closed so we'll be making another trip tonight after daddy gets home from work.

Now We're Cruisin'

2007-03-09T13:47:00.000-05:00

Molly and Aidan continue to do well on the potty. The boy has even figured out how to get his pants down without assistance. Silly me. I thought this was something that came naturally for boys/men. The really big news is that Aidan "did his business" on the potty for the first time on Wednesday. A huge celebration ensued with hopping, dancing and singing. We called Daddy at work and Aunt Barbara in VA. Mo and Pop Pop arrived for their weekly visit and the fussing continued. When daddy got home from work we went to the toy store. As we pulled into the parking lot Aidan exclaimed "Bar-buh takes me here." Once inside we headed to the Thomas the Tank Engine section and the boy was in Thomas heaven. Several people stopped to watch him and chuckle. Molly was a great sport and kept pointing out things for Aidan to consider. We thought she might get bent out of shape since only Aidan was getting something. What a good girl.

We've been hanging around the house most of the week but have made a few short outings. No problems keeping dry. Last night after dinner Pat generously offered to go the the gym with me and stay will Molly and Aidan at the child care center. I haven't taken them all week because I was afraid it would be too long for them to go without going to the potty. They had a great time, stayed dry and mom got a much needed workout. Thanks Daddy!

OK, I hear you. Enough of the potty training play by play. I promise only to include the occasional update in future postings unless something truly worthy happens. I've included a few pictures of our week around the house.

Potty Training Day 4

2007-03-06T13:29:00.000-05:00

Molly and Aidan are doing great. Mom is exhausted. We had just one accident today. Molly has been flying solo since Monday. She has discovered how to go just enough to get me dancing and singing her praises and to get her reward...two M&Ms. She then repeats the process 5 minutes later. Smart little cookie. Makes you wonder who's being trained here. Aidan will always go if you sit him down but as yet won't take the initiative himself. He was dry this morning when he woke up. I believe this is a positive sign. They both seem pleased with themselves and never miss an opportunity to tell people they're wearing underpants. I watched my neighbors two children for a few hours today while she went to the doctors. Molly and Aidan were so excited to show Abby and Ryan what they could do on the potty. "Look Abby, look Ryan see, see, pee pee in the potty" they shouted. The five and six year old couldn't have been any less interested. I was able to get them to give Molly and Aidan a few high fives. We took Molly and Aidan out tonight for ice cream and told them we were going because they were doing so well on the potty. They made it there and back again with dry pants. So progress continues to be made in the Number 1 department.

Number 2 is another story. They either make it until naptime or bedtime when we put diapers on them or just go in their underpants (extremely unpleasant option for mom and dad). We're scratching our heads and grasping at straws on this one. We talk about doing it in the potty. I follow them around diligently watching for any indication that they might need to go (and they can tell you when they do). Sometimes they sit on the potty for a second, then get up and say "too hard mommy". Today our builder came over to look at our basement and discuss some ideas for finishing it. I brought the kids down with us as they have tons of toys down there to play with. Not five minutes into our discussions I look over and see Molly standing there with that look on her face. She sees me looking and says "making stinkies mommy". Dang, a missed opportunity. We're hoping a few more viewings of the "Elmo's Potty Time" DVD will shed some light on the subject.

Mutiny on the Potty

2007-03-04T13:34:00.000-05:00

We awoke Saturday morning to a beautifully sunny day. The bounty of underpants was spread out on the bedroom floor and Molly and Aidan carefully considered each pair before making their selections. Spirits were high. It went downhill from there. We got downstairs, took off our PJs, said goodbye to our diapers and proceeded to sit on the potty. You would have thought we were trying to make them sit on a pile of hot coals. There was much complaining, crying and attempts at escape. Nothing else. We were a bit taken aback since this was not the first time Molly and Aidan used the potty. Pat and I remained calm and enthusiastic. We periodically asked if anyone needed to use the potty. We periodically placed them on the potty (again with much protesting and crying). Aidan did go a few times but also had an accident. Molly wouldn't go and had several accidents. We still remained positive and encouraging. We went with pull ups for nap time. The afternoon went much better with fewer accidents and fewer protests. Both went a few times. Molly and Aidan had a bath and when it was time for bed we sat on the potty before going upstairs. Both sat without protest and did their business. HOORAY!! Progress was being made. At days end the tally for underpants stood at 9 pairs. We're going with diapers overnight until Molly and Aidan get the hang of things.

Today (Sunday) has been a much, much better day. No one has cried when asked to sit on the potty. I took Aidan to the bathroom during Mass and he went on the "big potty". When we got home Molly took the initiative and went all by herself! Aidan had two accidents this morning which is surprising because last time we attempted this he was a pro. Go figure. Anyway we still have a long, long way to go but we've started and are moving forward. Good job Molly and Aidan.

Hooray for Underpants

2007-03-02T14:29:00.000-05:00

We've decided to revisit potty training and tomorrow is the big day. Last time we used pull ups which ended up being too much like diapers. This time we've decided to go cold turkey and straight to underpants. Molly and Aidan helped pick out their underpants. My sister also brought some on her last visit. They have about 20 pairs each. Hopefully this will be enough! Both kids are ready. They know what's going on. It's time. Wish us luck!! We'll keep you posted.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2007-02-26T14:56:00.000-05:00

We had a family wedding last weekend in South Jersey. My sister and BIL came up from VA to babysit. A trip that usually takes them 4 1/2 hours ended up taking 9 1/2 hours due to several Interstate highways being closed for weather related conditions. They stopped along the way to pick up my niece and arrived safe and sound at 10:30PM. My BIL was happy as he was just in time for the Laker's tip-off. Pat and I left for the wedding the next morning. This was the first time both of us would be away overnight. Molly and Aidan waved to us over their shoulders as they headed out to the toy store with their entourage. This after having had chocolate chip cookies with their breakfast. We were not going to be missed!! The wedding was terrific and Pat and I enjoyed some time together as a couple. The kids were good as gold while we were away and made out like bandits at the toy store. Thank you Aunt Bar-buh (and Uncle Charlie).

My BIL drove back to VA (that whole gotta work thing) and my sister stayed for the week. Unfortunately she pickup up a stomach bug and then a nasty cold and wasn't feeling well all week. She was a trooper and never failed to respond to a request of "sing Aunt Bar-buh". We did get out and about a bit during the week including toddler story time at the public library. The kids were glad to have her around. When she wasn't feeling better by Friday I convinced her to go the our local Emergicare center. Turns our she had bronchitis and after she was given a "magic shot" and several prescriptions she was on the road to recovery.

Saturday was my birthday. I also received the honor of being inducted into the Hall Of Athletes at my Almamater, LaSalle University. What a day!! The festivities included a Men's Basketball game on campus followed by a reception. The inductees (there were 4 of us) were introduced at halftime of the basketball game. I was overwhelmed by the number of people who came to support me. Family, friends, teammates and neighbors traveled from near and far. More than 30 in total. The reception was top notch. Good food and adult beverages. The inductees were introduced and we each made some remarks. The event was well done. Afterwards the troops trekked back up the PA turnpike to our house to continue the celebration. My husband had planned everything and did a great job. He also surprised me with a framed LaSalle jersey with my #42 on it. It was also my 42nd birthday. Coincidence? I think not.

In kiddie news....When Molly gets aggressive with Aidan he moves several feet from her, puts his hands on his hips and says "Go ahead Molly push me down". This tactic was successful the first several times as Molly stared at him with a puzzled look on her face. However, the boy is going to need some new material. I saw him try it today and Molly said "okay" and began to chase him. He ran in terror saying "no no, no don't knock me down!!". It was good while it lasted. I had a proud moment today. I had just filled Molly and Aidan's cups with ice and was at the sink filling them with water. There was a buzz around the fridge and I turned to see Molly and Aidan licking the floor trying to pick up tiny pieces of ice with their mouths.

Down for the Count

2007-02-21T13:22:00.001-05:00

At 2:00 am on Sunday morning we were awakend by Molly's crying. In addition to crying she was calling for her mama. This is an unusual occurrence as the girl is a champion sleeper. Mommy opens the door to find her little girl standing in her crib, pointing and saying "wet, wet". Mommy immediately thinks that Molly's diaper has been saturated and as a result the sheets are wet. This happens on occasion but she's never woken up in the middle of the night to complain. I begin to feel around to assess the damage and something is definitely wrong. The sheets are wet but there are also shall we say foreign objects that used to be food products in the mix. DUH!!!! What in the world could I have been thinking? In all fairness, this was the first time Molly had been sick to her stomach so it just didn't register. Poor little girl didn't know what was going on. I called in the reinforcements and daddy changed Molly while I stripped the crib. We gave her some ibuprofen for her fever and put her back in her crib. I rubbed her little back and she was snoring before I let the room. Molly woke up the next morning still feeling under the weather. Pat took Aidan to church and the girls stayed home. Molly spent most of the day sitting on her daddy's lap and only ate a few pretzels. I gave her a bath in the afternoon to help with the fever. She began to nod off on the couch shortly before her normal bedtime so I took her up and again she was snoring before I left the room. She slept through the night and woke up the next morning feeling much, much better. Mommy and daddy (and Aidan too!) were very happy. Aidan didn't catch whatever it was that Molly had and we thanked our lucky stars.

Happy Mardi Gras

2007-02-10T14:14:00.000-05:00

Well, 'tis the season. The crew I celebrated Mardi Gras with for the past many years left for New Orleans on Thursday (sigh). No time (or money) to trip the light fantastic these days. Besides, I'm having a party right here with my two beautiful kiddies. In honor of the season I dug into my collection and introduced Molly and Aidan to beads. I put a few strands out in the playroom for them to find after their nap. When I joined them in the playroom the beads had been discovered and Molly was sporting all but the one strand she allowed Aidan the have. The girl is bead crazy!! She dances and whirls around with her beads. It is a sight to see. Aidan also enjoys playing with beads but has a hard time getting his hands on any without mom's assistance. It's that whole sharing thing again. The boy has found a different use for beads and it involves trains of course. He drapes his beads over Thomas, Percy and James or fills his freight cars with the precious cargo. They both like to fill cups and bowls with the beads and pour them in and out. Hours of fun which is helpful as were mostly stuck inside due to the chill temps.

This whole talking thing is a hoot. Below are some of our new favorite phrases....

"I don't like it" (multipurpose phrase)
"Too scary" (also multipurpose)
"Two kids" (said when they're doing something together i.e. both sitting on daddy's lap
"Go ahead Molly, push me down" (don't know where this one came from)
"Out" (shouted at top volume while pointing a finger...guess who)
"Who's that?" (when asking mom and dad to identify Disney princesses)
"no thank you" (said while throwing a toy offered by your brother or sister)
"MINES" (no explanation needed)
"I'm busy"
"one minute please"

Aidan has begun to use I, me and my. The other day shortly after his nap he asked me "I have my dinner now?" I gave him a snack and when he was done he repeated "I have my dinner now?" Guess the boy was hungry. I like that they can tell us what they want. We're working on getting them to use words when they need/want something instead of hopping up and down while crying or whining. Slow going but we're making some progress.

Christmas in February

2007-02-03T13:46:00.000-05:00

Last night we survived a sacred right of passage for parents. We assembled a kitchen set for Molly and a Geotrax train set for Aidan. We started around 9:00PM and weren't done until 12:30AM. The assembly directions for the kitchen included 19 steps each involving multiple pieces. An engineering degrees was recommended but not required. Pat and I worked well together and there was minimal squabbling. What was the occasion you may ask? Well, these were to be presents for the kids for Christmas but Christmas Eve festivities and a few glasses of wine after Molly and Aidan went to bed put the kibosh on that. Then Pat decided to clean the rug in the playroom before we put everything together so January turned to February and there you have it. The kids were thrilled with their new play things and spent most of the morning playing with them. Aidan was in choo choo heaven and Molly was cooking up a storm. They each played with the other's new toy and exhibited excellent sharing skills (surprise, not always the case!). It was fun to watch them play.

We had a sorry excuse for a snow storm last night and were left with a measly two inches. This was the first accumulation we've had all winter so we had to make the best of it. After breakfast we told the kids that we were going outside to play in the snow. Aidan said to me "I need my bathing suit." Snow suit, bathing suit whatever. We bundled the kids up and they had a blast. They helped daddy shovel the driveway with the shovels from their sand pails. They enjoyed walking through the snow and seeing their foot prints. Pat made them snowballs and not knowing what they were or what you're supposed to do with them Molly quickly deduced that they were to be eaten. She ate one snowball and unhappily left another outside for later. We were out for about an hour and went inside because mom and dad were cold. A much more successful outing than last year when Molly and Aidan cried to go back inside after only 15 minutes in the bitter cold and whipping winds. They'd never make it in their native Kazakhstan.

All In a Day

2007-01-26T14:23:00.000-05:00

I have some exciting news....we now have high speed Internet access at home. We need not be ashamed by the fact that we have dial-up. YIPEEEE!! I also have a new wireless router thanks to my BIL Charle and a new Dell notebook that we purchased after Christmas. I'm wired and ready to go!! The DSL modem was installed on Monday and I setup the router on Tuesday. I had some techinical difficulties with the router and spent some time on the phone with support. Normally I love this kind of stuff. Digging in and solving a technical issue. Now with two toddlers time spent in this way has lost it's appeal. Very difficult to concentrate. Anyway, everything is in working order and I'm happy.

Molly and Aidan have been in there own rooms for about 3 weeks now. Molly is all settled in. She goes down easily and snores the night away. A different story for the boy. Dispite having all of his gear (two fleece blanckets, three stuffed dogs, a soft race car, two mini trucks, several books and some tissues) he is having some difficulty going to sleep at night. He cries when we leave his room for the night. This is something he hasn't done in a quite a while. A couple of nights he fell asleep with his body on the bed and his feet on the floor. We put him on the bed when we checked on him before going to bed. He does seems to be adjusting and the last few nights his protests have been brief. Naptime is a different story. He's realized that being in a bed means freedom. Fun and games. He likes to roam around the room and check things out. Most days he only does this for a while and then gets in bed to sleep. One afternoon I got Aidan up from his nap and found him sporting one of his sister's hot pink socks. Several other pairs were in his bed and several more were scattered around the room. All in all I think they're doing well with the change.

Below is Aidan's rendition of a choo choo train. Pretty good for a two year old don't you think? After watching his Uncle Charlie do it a few times he decided to try it himself.

On Boohbah and Other Toddler Fears

2007-01-17T14:43:00.000-05:00

Our Molly is engaging, vivacious, giggly and an out and out character. She hugs and kisses with gusto and can be incredibly sweet and kind. Molly hops, dances, claps and laughs all day long. We like to say that she has two volumes...loud and louder. She is her brother's keeper and bosses him around unrelentlessly. She seamlessly flows from the role of sister to mother and back again. She insists on doing things for herself and can put up quite the protest when she is told no. Yet despite all of her confidence she is plagued by toddler fears.

The list is long and growing and includes but is not limited to Santa (in most forms), Opus, large stuffed animals, bug of most kind (not including worms and the itsy bitsy spider), Aidan's remote control Scoop (truck from Bob the Builder) and musical race car, and Boohbah.

For those of you who don't know Boobahs are characters from a children's show of the same name. They are very strange looking (see photo above) and make weird noises. Why anyone would think they are appealing to children is beyond me. We have two Boohbahs which currently reside in a shoebox in our closet. Molly must never know they are there. These Boohbahs made a short appearance in what is now Molly's room. When they were in there she would not go in. They terrified her (and I don't blame her on this one). Daddy sent the Boohbahs "away" and for many weeks after Molly repeated the mantra of "No Boohbahs, Boohbahs away". We were afraid that she wouldn't sleep in her new room because of Boohbah. Luckily this was not the case.

The good news is that over time Molly seems to be able to conquer her fears . Some of the things that she was afraid of months ago do not seem to bother her anymore. In fact, I saw her just the other day playing ring-around-the-roses with a stuffed Santa. Boohbah is still in the shoe box but she's making progress. You go girl!

It's a Whole New Year

2007-01-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

The dust has just about settled from the holiday whirlwind and our family rhythm is back to "normal" (whatever that means with two 2 year olds in the mix). Christmas with Molly and Aidan was magical. To see the delight in their eyes and hear the wonder in their voices was amazing. Presents were opened with enthusiasm. It was several days before everything was opened and not because there was so much but because each toy became an instant favorite and had to be played with right away. Thomas the Tank Engine, Dora the Explorer and Disney Princesses are currently at the top Aidan and Molly's list. We did a lot of visiting over the holidays which reeked havoc with "the schedule" but we all really enjoyed ourselves and the kids did very well. Our friends the Meusers received a special gift this Christmas. They accepted a referral for a beautiful baby girl from Guatemala. Her name is Grace Elizabeth and they hope to have her home this summer.

The big news around our house is Molly and Aidan are in their own rooms. Last Saturday Pat took Molly's crib apart and moved it into her new room just across the hall (Aidan walked in as Pat was reassembling the crib and exclaimed "Oh, no! Molly's crib upside down! He was relieved when the crib was returned to its upright position.) We had intended to separate them a while ago and had already begun to get Molly's room together (hang pink velvet curtains with daisy curtain rods, assemble a storage rack with pastel bins and a book case). On move in day the kids helped carry books and toys from Aidan's room into Molly's. We moved over the lamp that matches her bedding and installed a switch plate from the same grouping. We also rearranged Aidan's bedroom. He was still sleeping in the pack-n-play and we intended to keep him there until the kids were comfortable being in their own rooms. Everything was ready by nap time. After lunch we were ready for the moment of truth. We walked the kids upstairs, told them to give each other a kiss and took them to their rooms. Molly went contentedly into her crib and layed down without a peep. Aidan walked into his room and said "Aidan sleep here" and hopped into his bed. This is not what we were expecting at all. We were prepared for crying and unhappiness and were pleasantly surprised by the opposite. Who knew?? They have been in their own rooms for week and seem quite content. Nighttime is met with some resistance but not more than usual. They don't like us to leave for the night and try various ploys to get us to stay...there are requests for one more book, rub my hiney, kiss Aidan/Molly or kiss mommy/daddy (whoever is in the other room). Aidan's newest request is to cry for a tissue after we leave his room. We let him go for a few minutes and when we go in his room we find him standing under the wall shelf were the tissue box is located with his blanket and stuffed race car in hand. After a few nights of this my sister Barb (who is here visiting for the week) suggested we put the box of tissues next to his bed. That did the trick last night. Tonight...we shall see.

Year in Review 2006

2006-12-27T14:38:00.000-05:00

What a difference a year makes...

It was Christmastime one year ago when we were just beginning to feel acclimated to family life and the challenges of parenting. Today our lives have a comfortable and familiar rhythm and the kids are thriving.

Christmas 2005: It took a week for the kids to open their gifts, as love at first sight gave way to fascination with boxes and shredding wrapping paper. In the interim, we had a great visit with the Breslin and Trautwein families; enjoyed the “Cousins’ Lunch” at Whitemarsh; hosted Aunt TT, Uncle Scott, Megan, Craig and Casey for a couple of days; and ROCKED New Year’s Eve until 10 PM!

In January 2006 we said good-bye to Molly’s baby chick hair (quite the sad occasion for me) and hello to a couple mouths full of teeth. The winter’s first significant snowstorm found us trying our hand at a time-honored tradition: wrestling the kids into snowsuits. An hour of bundling and buckling and swathing in layers left Mom and Dad drenched with perspiration and the children appropriately immobile. Fifteen minutes later, Mom and the kids retreated to the warmth of the house to watch Dad snow-blow the driveway. On our first “date” as parents, Alli and I attended the Big 5’s 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Palestra.

Aidan had minor little boy outpatient surgery to kick off a busy month of February. Mom was a bit of a wreck in pre-op, but the boy was so loopy on the sedative he’d been given he fairly leapt into the arms of the nurse with scarcely a look back when the time came for his procedure. Post-op was another story, though, and after we arrived home he spent the afternoon at home sleeping first in Alli’s arms and then mine. After a few days of delicate diaper changes he was good as new. February also brought the first of Aunt Barbara’s regularly scheduled visits as she helped Alli take care of the kids and the two of them hosted a bridal shower for Barbara’s daughter/our niece Kristen. Shank, Monique and their kids came down from Welland, Ontario for a weekend.

Spring arrived not a moment too soon: After too many months confined to the house, Alli could take the kids outside! They love being outdoors: playing in their little cottage on the back patio, running around in the yard, pushing their trucks on the driveway, taking wagon rides through the neighborhood, going to children’s parks in the area, and visiting the Lehigh Valley Zoo. When the weather turned warm enough, Molly and Aidan “swam” in their pool, ran under the sprinkler, and ran away from Daddy’s garden hose. We spent July 4th at a neighbor’s house, where the kids got their first look at fireworks up close and personal.

In August, neighbors gave us bike seats their children had outgrown. Alli took Molly and Aidan for helmets (or as Aidan likes to say, “Bipe hap Daddy!”) and taking the kids for a bike ride in the evening became a favorite family activity. August 8th marked the one-year anniversary of the kid’s discharge from the baby home into our permanent custody and we celebrated with our Kazakhstan travel companions Bob, Beth and Nicholas. Molly and Daddy and Aidan and Mommy enjoyed the sights and sounds of Musikfest and polkaed like pros. An article written for La Salle’s quarterly alumni magazine about us, the kids and our adoption experience was published in the summer issue and delivered later in the month. We closed August with a week in Ocean City, NJ with Mo and Pop-Pop: The kids loved the beach and the boardwalk and sleeping in their “beach cribs” (pack-n-plays).

Potty training began in September. Dora the Explorer and Bob the Builder pull-ups along with M & Ms were the catalyst for early success. The kids turned two in late October – the 21st for Molly, the 28th for Aidan – and received terrific two-year wellness check-up reports. For Halloween, Molly was a princess and Aidan a bumblebee. The damp, raw weather limited our trick-or treating but the candy
haul was impressive nonetheless and Kit Kats were an unmistakable favorite. To our delight, the kids got a big a kick out of answering the door and distributing candy, and on more than one occasion we watched as a Kit Kat was extended to a waiting ghoul or goblin only to be recalled at the last moment in favor of a Milky Way or Snickers, said Kit Kat then promptly redeployed to Molly or Aidan’s substantial pile.

November brought exciting news: Alli will be inducted into La Salle’s Hall of Athletes in a ceremony scheduled for February 24, 2007. The stars aligned for this one: 2007 marks the 20th anniversary of her graduation and the 10th anniversary of her induction into the Big 5 Hall of Fame, and February 24 is her birthday. For Thanksgiving, we took Molly and Aidan to Canada: Monique prepared an award-winning turkey dinner; the kids met Nick and Virg and Tara and Tara’s eighteen-month old son Cooper, who took a shining to our Molly, and learned a little French from Mrs. C and Giselle; we all took a trip to see Niagara Falls; and Aidan drove a front-end loader (no kidding!), a two-year old boy’s dream come true if there ever was one.

So here we are, a year gone by and the holidays upon us. Molly and Aidan enjoyed their first Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem. As with last year, Molly wants nothing to do with visiting Santa’s lap, though Aidan took the opportunity to charm the fat man and request a school bus and a choo-choo. We took the kids to get our tree again this year, and they trooped up hill and down dale with Mom and Dad in search of evergreen perfection. They’ve been excited participants in our preparations, anxiously exploring box after box of Christmas treasures (how have we managed to accumulate so much stuff over the years?) and helping to decorate the tree. We enjoyed a cookie party at our adoption agency and were delighted to find Aidan’s picture in the local paper the next day.

Molly remains as vivacious as ever. She has a great sense of humor, loves to laugh and dance, and enjoys singing and clapping games. She hugs and kisses her babies and stuffed animals with gusto. Circumspect and hesitant by nature, she has made wonderful strides in handling new situations and meeting new people. She is content with solitary play or quiet reading at times but prefers company in most activities. She loves her brother, often at his peril and only so long as he remembers who’s the boss. We watch with fascination as their interaction changes with their developing personalities. She bedevils Mom and Dad at times but remains the apple of her Pop-Pop’s eye. Molly is a sweet, sweet little girl.

Aidan, so small and so frail when we met him, has flourished in the last year. He is keenly observant and extremely curious about how things work. The more adventurous of the two, he eagerly tries new things; however, his ambitions sometimes exceed his capabilities, at which point things begin to fly! He loves everything to do with cars and trucks and trains (Thomas the Tank Engine has dethroned Elmo), and is content to spend hours playing with them. Much like his Dad, Aidan enjoys cleaning and counts the dust buster and vacuum attachments among his favorite toys. He remains a little boy through and through, however, smashing into this and crashing into that and all the while providing play by play and color commentary whether anyone is listening or not. Like his sister, he strikes us as very bright and we marvel at his ability to string words together and form ideas. He is quick to smile and laughs heartily and often. Aidan is a sweet, sweet little boy.

We are reminded each and every day that we are truly blessed. We wish you the special blessings of Christmas throughout the season and the New Year.

Merry Christmas with love,
Pat, Alli, Molly and Aidan

(We’re still Blogging @ http://donohoefamily.blogspot.com)

Holiday Preparations

2006-12-19T14:54:00.000-05:00

Unlike last year, Molly and Aidan have been enthusiastic participants in our Christmas preparations. They've anxiously explored box after box of Christmas treasures and helped us decorate the tree. I know it's still early but they've been good about touching things gently or leaving things alone when we ask. The two exceptions have been the ornaments on the tree and the gift wrapped boxes (which are empty and for display only) and who can blame them. We put a gate across the doorway into the room where the tree is and placed the boxes up a little higher. We've designated the sofa table as Molly and Aidan's and they are able to touch and play with whatever is on there. They also have a Little People Nativity (given to them by our friends Nick and Virg from Welland, Ontario) which they like to play with. The baby Jesus was missing for a few days but luckily was found in between the sofa cushions. Any figure from the Nativity can be seen atop the Creche; one of the wisemen, Mary, Joseph, a camel...whatever. With our decorating complete, I'll be moving on to baking cookies. We also need to get our Christmas cards out but we'll be happy as long as they're in the mail by the 24th. You always get a few cards after Christmas.

Aidan has taken a real shining to a plush Rudolph toy and has been carrying him around the house. Rudolph has also be seen tooling around in the back of Aidan's dump truck. He is not really a stuffed animal kids so this attachment is a wonder to us. Molly has had a few issues with some of our decorations. Our closet has a growing collection of things she is afraid of including two plush Santas, a stuffed Opus (for those of you who remember Calvin and Hobbs), and a plush Grinch in a Santa suit. I hope this is it because we're running out of space. Poor little girl!!

On Saturday we took the kids to Jim Thorpe, PA. Jim Thorpe, formerly Mauch Chunk, is a small picturesque Pennsylvania town with a fascinating history. Established in a wilderness on the banks of the Lehigh River in 1818, Mauch Chunk became a bustling coal transportation center, tourist Mecca, and the esteemed seat of Carbon County by the middle of the 19th century. It's only 45 minutes from our house and a really cool place. One of the highlights of the day was the H.O. train display. The display is 47 ft. x 12 ft. and features 13 mainlines measuring 1087 sq. ft. of track, over 200 structures, 100 bridges, and trestles, moving autos, a burning building, old fashioned football stadium, and more. Some engines pull more than 50 railroad cars. Aidan was in heaven. They had a nice supply of candy canes so Molly was happy too!

All in all we're in pretty good shape for the upcoming holidays. We've taken a low stress approach and are getting done what time allows. This has been a good plan as we've really been enjoying getting ready for Christmas.

Oh Christmas Tree

2006-12-11T14:07:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday night we attended a holiday party sponsored by our adoption agency. The turn out was great and it was wonderful to see so many families that were created through adoption. It was also nice to see the agency people we worked so closely with during the process. They genuinely enjoy getting a chance to see the children since much of their involvement is on the paperwork end. Bob, Beth and Nicholas (the family we traveled with to Kaz) were also there. Their paperwork to adopt a child from Guatemala is complete. Now they wait for a referral and are hopeful they will travel this summer. We're very excited for them. We discovered that Aidan LOVES cookies and he had a grand feast with those he was served and those to which he helped himself. We were concerned that the agency people would think we never feed the boy. Luckily, he suffered no ill effects from the copious quantites he consumed. Santa stopped in for a visit. He received mixed reviews from the kids as one might expect. Some greeted him with joy while others burst into tears. Molly hopped into the safety of her daddy's arms but did not cry. Aidan sat on Santa's lap again. "School bus please" was his request. No lap for Molly however she did blow Santa a kiss when we were leaving. She's making progress.

On Saturday I attended a bridal shower for Pat's cousin. The shower was in South Jersey and started at 11:00am so I was out the door early. Daddy had Molly and Aidan all to himself. A great day was had by one and all.

We woke the kids up early on Sunday morning and went to the 8:30 Mass. After church and a quick breakfast we headed out to find our Christmas tree. The first place we went to had a lot of atmosphere but the trees were pre-cut. You could cut your own but the selection wasn't great. This place had a nice train display, horse drawn wagon rides and guess who...yes, Santa. There weren't many people there so Santa was trying to talk to Molly and Aidan from where he was seated. Aidan was too mesmerized by the trains to notice and Molly was hiding between my legs. After a few minutes he came over and gave them each a candy cane. Aidan took his and surprisingly so did Molly. Candy is hard to resist. Pat theorized that Molly was too caught off guard by Santa sneaking up on her to react. Both kids scarfed down the candy canes. We didn't even know they liked peppermint. Aidan took another opportunity to sit on the fat man's lap. His Christmas wish list has grown. He now would like a school bus and a choo choo.

The next place we stopped had tons of trees to choose from and we inspected nearly every one. Molly and Aidan were troopers and didn't complain as we climbed up and down the mountain side. After we found the one, Pat broke out the saw and cut it down. The kids were intrigued. The tractor swung by for the tree and we walked to the checkout. Aidan was fascinated by the baler (hard to imagine). While we waited for our tree to be done, Aidan invented a new game called "throw the stump down the hill". Pat had cut a small round piece from the tree stump for each of the kids. Aidan threw his down the hill and didn't it roll about 25 feet. Pat retrieved it and both kids threw theirs again. This time they all chased them down. I wish I had the video camera. It was hysterical. Everyone there was laughing. We paid for the tree, tied it to the roof and headed home. We had a terrific time. Tonight we'll put the tree in the stand and Pat will put on the lights. That will be enough to accomplish with two 2 year old "helpers".

Adventures in Bedland

2006-12-06T15:16:00.000-05:00

The guys from Sherwood's Furniture arrived on Tuesday morning to convert Molly and Aidan's cribs to toddler beds. They made quick work of Aidan's crib but Molly's was another story. They were not familiar with the brand (Morigeau-Lepine: a French Canadian company) and weren't sure if it converted to a toddler bed. These convertible types go from a crib to a toddler bed (small bed that still uses the crib mattress)to a full-size bed. We didn't seem to have the parts needed to make Molly's crib into a toddler bed. I hopped on our computer (embarrassed by our dial-up connection) to find a number for the manufacturer. After placing a phone call the guys were able to determine that her crib does convert to a toddler bed but we don't have the necessary parts. They were going to straighten it out back at the shop. So we were one for two. Molly and Aidan were involved in all of the activity and seemed to enjoy themselves and entertain the company. As usual, they were very "helpful".

After a quick lunch it was time for the moment of truth. "Aidan, I know you can get out of your bed now and run around your room play but mommy and daddy want you to stay in bed and sleep." That's all you have to say to a two year old, right? Not exactly as anyone whose been through this knows. Molly now feels she has her own personal assistant. She can throw toys from her crib and Aidan can retrieve them. If she can't figure out which buttons to push to get the fish to swim in her oceans of wonder aquarium, no problem. Aidan can help. After about a 1/2 hour of frivolity and visits from mom the room became quite. The boy slept in his bed. All in all, not too bad.

But wait, in addition to nap time there is bed time. Oi vay! "Aidan, I know you can get out of your bed now and run around your room play but mommy and daddy want you to stay in bed and sleep." After nearly 2 hours of fun and games and numerous visits from mom and dad we threw in the towel. Pat retrieved the pack-n-play from the basement and we set the boy up in there. Everyone was out within 10 minutes. Although this is what we expected, it was a stressful experience. We decided that we would put Aidan's crib back together and try again after the holidays when we have more time to devote to the transition.

However, after sleeping on it mom and dad re-stategized. We'll keep the pack-n-play up, buy a bed rail to help Aidan feel more comfortable and keep with it. Worse comes to worst, we'll keep putting him in the pack-n-play for a while. We also decided that it's time to move our dear little girl to her own room. We'll convert her bed and move her across the hall at the beginning of next year. I like to say it that way because it sounds like we have more time than we really do.

And don't ya know it....today when we arrive in Molly and Aidan's room for their nap Aidan hops in his bed, stretches out and says "mommy, mommy, mommy, Aidan sleep here now." Go figure.

This and That

2006-12-04T14:43:00.000-05:00

Don't know how it happens but another weekend has flown by. On Saturday morning we took the kids to Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem. Christkindlemarkt is a holiday craft fair housed in two huge circus tents featuring shopping, food, live holiday music, kid's rides and activities and of course jolly, old St. Nicholas. We hurried past 5 or 6 busses unloading seniors to purchase our tickets and get inside. The place was mobbed but Molly and Aidan did well. There was so much for them to see. After shopping a bit we made our way to Santa's place. Amazing no one was in line so we pushed our strollers to the front to let the kids see the fat man. Molly immediately began to grind her teeth and say no ho ho, no ho ho. We eventually got her to give a half-hearted wave. Aidan was not all that interested until I mentioned that if he wanted a school bus for Christmas he would have to tell Santa. The boy leapt from his stoller, climbed on Santa's lap and requested said school bus (remembering to say please). No sure if old Santa understood but Aidan was quite pleased with himself and got a box of Mike & Ikes to boot.

We went out to dinner and a movie with the neighbors on Saturday evening. The Rau girls (also neighbors) baby sat. They are the first non-family memebers to put Molly and Aidan to bed. When we got home Jenna reported that the kids went down without a fuss but that when the went to check on them after they were asleep they discovered that Molly had taken her pajamas off. Not to worry we said it's par for the course. All went well and we look forward to having them sit again.

Molly if officially on potty training hiatus. I'll put her on the potty, read a few books and nothing (maybe a drop or two). She then proceeds to wet in her pull up. She just isn't interested. We've decided to give it a rest for a while and pick up again later when she becomes interested. Aidan on the other hand will soon be ready for underwear. "Hooray for underpants" to quote Elmo.

We had a surprise on Sunday night after the kids were in bed (not sleeping mind you but in their cribs). They are doing their normal thing, hopping, talking, laughing. Pat and I are in the kitchen making dinner. Suddenly we hear real wailing. Pat heads up the back stair and I tear up the front (he tells me later that he chose a diffent staircase to avoid being run over by me). I'm sure the holiday candles in the window have ignited the shade. We enter the room to find a little boy wandering in the dark, dazed and crying. Yes, it has finally happened. Aidan climbed (or fell) out of his crib. He wasn't hurt, just startled. Molly was apparently startled as well which accounts for her wailing. So, tomorrow someone from Sherwood's Furniture store will come to convert the cribs to toddler beds. Wish us luck. We'll be entering new and uncharted territory.

Let the Shopping Begin

2006-12-01T14:27:00.000-05:00

Once a week my in-laws (aka Mo and Pop Pop) watch Molly and Aidan. This works out well for all parties involved. Mo and Pop Pop get their weekly Molly and Aidan fix, Molly and Aidan get to spend time with their beloved grand parents, and good old Mom gets out and about. A true win/win/win situation. Yesterday was the day and I used my time off to begin Christmas shopping. This is quite a change for us since prior to the arrival of M & A Pat and I would do all of our shopping the Saturday before Christmas in one big blitz. Not gonna work anymore. Silly me, having rarely been to the mall during the week at holiday time I thought that it would be empty. Boy was I wrong ever wrong. The place was rockin' and I enjoy being out in the hustle and bustle.

I'm off to a good start. I purchased a fleece blanket, pin and sweater for our "secret senior" (senior in a local nursing care facility)and a princess tea set from The Disney Store for Molly. I was also looking for a holiday sweater/vest for Aidan. Has anyone recently tried to find a such a thing for a toddler boy? Next to impossible. I looked in two children's stores and three department stores. Nada. Hundreds of pretty dresses for girls (which we don't need since Molly received one from Aunt Leen and Uncle Ron for her birthday) but nothing for toddler boys. Fortunately when I arrived home and shared my plight with my MIL she remembered that she had forgotten to tell me that she found a vest for Aidan. I'm glad the search is over.

Speaking of Christmas shopping....has anyone received the F*A*O Schwarz catalog? Blew my mind. High-end doesn't describe it. Here are a few examples: 1) Life size Santa (6' tall)...$3,000 2)Custom Lionel Train Set...starting at $10,000 (contact a personal shopper to discuss the details) 3)Your House as a Doll House (detailed scale model of your own home)...starting at $10,000 and 4) Life-Sized Lego Batman (6' 6" tall)...$27,000. YIKES!! They do have one page with items priced at $25. These must be stocking stuffers.

Geronimo

2006-11-29T13:53:00.000-05:00

Our last posting was in April and in that posting I enthusiastically proclaimed that I would begin making updates on a weekly basis. When that didn't happen I thought to myself okay, I'll post monthly. Wrong again. As the months went by and I considered posting I became overwhelmed with the task of summarizing all that had transpired so I avoided it altogether. Now I have a new plan of attack. I'm just going to start with current events and fill in the blanks as needed. So, welcome to our world.....

Molly and Aidan turned two at the end of October. It's a terrific and trying time. Both are very verbal and the house is filled with their voices. Aidan provides a continuous play by play of his life whether anyone is listening or not. He strings four and five words together. Some of it is able to be understood by non-family members but I seem to be the best at interpreting. We are surprised by his non-stop talking as he was a man of few words until a short while ago. Molly is putting together three and four words together and her pronunciation is crystal clear. It is really neat to hear them talk to one another. We often stand outside their bedroom door and laugh as we listen.

We visited our friends the Petrachenkos in their hometown of Welland, Ontario over our Thanksgiving Day holiday. It was a whirlwind trip and the kids did very well. They were comfortable around the new people they met (this is a huge change for Molly as she has always taken a good bit of time to warm up to strangers). One of our Canadian friends has an 18 month old boy who was smitten by Molly. He spent much of the time trying to hug and kiss her. Aidan continued his play by play much to the entertainment of everyone. We did have one meltdown on the trip home but a stop for something to eat and stretch the legs put everything back on track. We've made tentative plans to visit again in the summer.

The potty training initiative has begun. We've been at it for five or six weeks and it's going slowly but well. Aidan is just about there. He will come running from another room shouting "on potty, on potty" when he needs to go. He will ask to sit on the potty if he is in his high chair. Today we were at the zoo and he told me he needed to go but unfortunately I wasn't able to take him. He has been trying desparately to poop on the potty as well. He'll ask to sit on the potty and then say "too hard" and get off. He knows he has to go but isn't quite sure how to make it happen. Molly is doing well but rarely initiates a visit to the potty. She'll go at our suggestion, sometimes willingly and some times in full protest, but she doesn't always stay dry between trips. She has such a strong will and I think that part of this is a stuggle for power and control. And forget pooping on the potty. She will run and hide in one of her "spots" to do her business. If you happen to catch her in the act she'll say "bye bye mommy or bye bye daddy". Interesting how things are working out since many people told me boys were much harder to train.

We have discovered that Molly is a nudist. For the last several weeks she has been peeling of her pajamas sometime after we put her to bed. We've been concerned that she will be cold but it doesn't seem to impact her sleep. Last night after the kids were asleep I sneaked into their room to check on them. Their cycle lately seem to be to poop after they are tucked in at night so we've had to check and wake sleeping children for a change. Such was the case last night as I discovered as soon as I opened the door. Not knowing which child was the offender I flipped the light on low. I peeked into Molly's crib (hers is closest to the door) and their she lay buck naked and sound asleep. I'm happy to report that she was not the offender. We did howerer change Aidan and diaper and re-dress Molly (somewhat futile effort as she was in only a diaper when I went in to get them this morning).

So, I'm back to Blogging. It feels good.

What's New with the Donohoes?

2006-04-25T14:31:00.000-04:00

Well, we're glad you asked. It's hard to believe but we've been home for 9 months. Molly and Aidan are terrific and we've settled into a wonderful family way of life. Both kids are happy, curious, ACTIVE toddlers. They are amazing to us and our hearts are filled with love. We're still figuring out the whole parenting thing but none of us seem any the worse for wear. We've been inspired to return to blogging and plan on posting weekly updates.

Molly is a sweet, giving child and a definite character. She is usually the peacemaker in disputes with her brother (unless he tries to covet her favorite blanket). That's not to say that she doesn't still like to hit him upside his head on occassion but these situations are usually desereved on his part. We don't allow it of course but we do see her point. Molly wakes up in the morning dancing and she goes at it all day long. Her rendition of "Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes" is not to be missed. She has a wonderful sense of humor, is quick to laugh and is ticklish just about everywhere. She is a bright child who loves to "read". She is the more verbal of the two and has a distinguishable vocabulary of a dozen words or so that is growing daily. Molly loves her daddy and would prefer to be in his arms dancing to most other activites (eating NOT included!!) She has overcome her fear of dogs and now runs up to kiss even large ones. She has also overcome her fear of most men in the neighborhood which is more than I can say!! We love her so.

Aidan is a snuggly boy who's gears are always turning. He is extremely inquisitive and I believe he could make me coffee in the morning if allowed. He is bright, persistent and has a fantastic memory. We lovingly refer to him as "Bill Nye the Science Guy". Mealtime most often resembles a science experiment...what happens if I dump my plate?...how do green beans taste when pulverized?...how many times must I throw my cup on the floor before my parents' heads explode?...what foods look best in my hair? Aidan is an outgoing boy with a sweet, sweet smile. He is a mama's boy without a doubt. He has a full agenda and is busy about it day long. One of his favorite activities is to "clean". He has a toy mop, broom, and dust buster (although he prefers the real things) and is the model of cleanliness. He runs the real vaccum while his sister runs from it. We traveled 1/2 way around the world to find a boy who is just like his daddy. Nothing wrong with a little healthy OCD. We love him so.

Mom and dad are adjusting to life with two toddlers. Quite different than BMA (before Molly and Aidan). We maintain our sense of humor, pray daily for patience and keep the fridge well stocked with adult beverages. And keep in mind, these are good kids! We enjoy taking the kids out and about and are glad that the warm weather has arrived. It has been amazing to see them grow, develop and thrive. We try to appreciate what each day brings because they are flying by so fast. Molly and Aidan bring us great joy. We are truly blessed. Tune in for more exciting episodes of the Molly and Aidan show.

The Year in Review

2006-01-06T13:58:00.000-05:00

As 2005 draws to a close with our first Christmas as a family, Alli and I wanted to share with you the events and experiences of our wonderful and blessed year of dreams come true.

Let me start in March of 2004 when Alli attended an informational meeting on international adoption at the office of a local adoption agency. We had discussed adoption on a number of occasions during our many years of trying to begin a family. Alli finally took the initiative and came home with folders filled with information on the program options available at the time, i.e. those foreign countries offering adoption opportunities to citizens of the United States.

We discussed numbers – I favored one child, Alli wanted two – and deliberated on the many factors involved when one considers international adoption as a whole and specific programs/countries in particular. We eliminated countries from which we might adopt just one child – Alli won again - as well as those more gender specific in availability of children for adoption. We evaluated expected duration of process, projected length of stay abroad and, of course, financial obligations. In the end, we settled on Kazakhstan. Once part of the Soviet Union but independent since 1991, Kazakhstan is among the world’s largest countries in land mass, shares borders with Russia and China and counts among its other neighbors combustible countries including Afghanistan, Turkey and Iran. We had never heard of and knew little about Kazakhstan, but hoped it held the answer to our prayers for children.

The arduous process of evaluation and qualification began almost immediately, and we spent weeks completing paperwork, soliciting references, submitting to local and federal background checks and FBI fingerprinting, and proving ourselves physically and financially fit. In July of 2004, our home study behind us and our dossier complete, the waiting began while our agency and the baby home they work with in the town of Kostanai worked to match us with the children who met our qualifications: We hoped for a boy and a girl and expressed preferences for Russian children, one a toddler and the other an infant, with neither older than 24 months and one between 6 and 12 months. We thought we’d like the infant to be a boy, a notion the agency supported at first but later suggested we revise in light of the scarcity of toddler girls. Weeks by with no word as summer turned to fall and then winter.

Early in January, 2005 we spoke with our agency’s stateside placement coordinator, and she encouraged us to further expand our horizons to include children of Kazakh heritage, children closer in age to one another and children of the same sex. We continued to insist on our high-end age parameter but were agreeable to her other suggestions. On January 24, we received our “referral:” pictures and medical histories on two children, a girl (Viktoria Shihova) and a boy (Artyom Lobas) born within eight days of one another in October 2004. We took the medical records to a local pediatrician who specializes in international adoption and is herself the mother of two adopted children. While some of the verbiage in the reports was unnerving to us, the doctor quickly explained the problem lay not in the content of the reports but in what might be lost or confused in the translation of three distinct languages – Russian, English and medical terminology. She was pleased with the information and offered her enthusiastic endorsement of the referral. We accepted the referral on January 28.

The paperwork was grueling and the search for a match very difficult, but the worst was yet to come: The next step involved waiting for the government of Kazakhstan to issue an invitation for us to travel. Only with invitation in hand could we secure our visas, make our travel plans and, of course, meet our kids. At the same time, we were both having an increasingly difficult time of things at work, and we moved from week to week hoping word would come, bringing with it an opportunity to close one unhappy chapter and open a wonderful and exciting new one.

Salvation arrived on May 17: Alli received a phone call at work telling us we were welcome to enter Kazakhstan on June 7. In the ensuing days we began processing the paperwork for our visas, secured transportation to and from Kazakhstan and broke the news at work. The next two weeks were a whirl- wind of planning, packing, preparations and good-byes until Sunday, June 5 arrived and we departed from Newark Airport for what we anticipated would be five to six weeks away from home.

7 ½ hours to London, an eight-hour layover in Heathrow and ten hours from London to Almaty later (Almaty is the former capital city of Kazakhstan and still home to the US Embassy), we were going through customs at 5:30 in the morning under the watchful eyes of very stern-looking, non-English-speaking military personnel. To hotel and bed at 7 AM Tuesday morning Kazakhstan time (9 PM Monday night back home), we awoke in mid-afternoon to word we would fly to Kostanai by way of Astana (the current capital city) the following day at 1 PM. We arrived in Kostanai at 5:30 PM, were greeted by our smiling facilitator, Olesya, and (surprisingly) went directly to the baby home! Less than an hour later, following a brief interview with the head doctor, the children were brought in: first Molly, then Aidan and finally Nicholas (adopted by our traveling companions Bob and Beth Meuser). After nearly 16 years of married life, more than a year in the adoption process, and nearly six months since we’d fallen in love with two tiny photographs, we held our children in our arms for the first time!

Molly was a sturdy nineteen pounds, able to sit without assistance, hold and throw toys and chatter animatedly to herself and others. Stoic and skeptical, a favorite among the baby home staff and the more engaging of the two children, she liked to laugh and shout, took active if briefly focused interest in the goings on around her and expressed both happiness and annoyance with unmistakable clarity. Aidan was tiny and shy. Not quite 16 pounds but two inches longer than Molly, he looked particularly slight and almost frail by comparison, and he was unable to sit by himself or hold any but the smallest toy. He was quiet and withdrawn, rarely made eye contact and seemed to take comfort in studying his fingers. He was more curious about things generally and took time to study that to which Molly might give only passing interest. He liked to snuggle more than his sister and took a shining to his mom.

We visited the children in the baby home every day for 90 minutes from 1 to 2:30 PM. Though the same age, they were housed in different rooms and in all likelihood had little if any contact with each other before we arrived. It was interesting to watch them get to know one another while becoming more comfortable with us. For the first two weeks, the court-prescribed bonding period, we were permitted to feed the children their lunch before taking them to a private area for play and interaction. Through-out the summer, we had opportunities to dress and change them and put them down for their after-noon naps. During our visits, we took them outside as often as possible, and on one occasion took them on a” field trip” off the grounds to have their passport photos taken.

We filled the time around our visits with a variety of activities. In the mornings, Bob and I worked out and carried on a summer-long ping-pong tournament at a local gym while the girls walked from one end of Kostanai to the other. In the afternoons, we’d join Olesya in procedural activities – filling out more paperwork, visiting the notary, etc. – and spend time in the Internet café maintaining our on-line journal for the folks back home. In the evenings, we went to dinner with our translator, Dana, and enjoyed summer sunlight that lasted well past 10 PM. Soccer matches, shopping in the outdoor markets, mass on Sundays, court proceedings, our first Father’s Day, my forty-fifth birthday and too many wonderful, poignant moments to relate here filled our days with memories to last a lifetime. On July 9, the second of our court dates, the judge read her decision naming us parents to Molly Claire and Aidan Patrick. On July 25, after a mandatory 15-day waiting period, we officially became mother and father to our daughter and son. Finally, on August 8, we took Molly and Aidan from the baby home at 10 AM, flew to Almaty on a 4 PM flight and began life as a family.

Let me tell you: Ninety minutes of lunch and playing and maybe a little snack before afternoon nap did not come close to preparing us for parenthood, particularly when it began in a hotel with two kids who had never been on a plane or in a car at night, slept in air conditioning, seen a swimming pool or walked around in a large and bustling city. We ordered hot water from room service for bottles and ate our own room service meals in the bathroom so as not to disturb the kids after we’d finally gotten them to go down for the night. Many hours were spent walking around the hotel hallways and grounds at all hours of the night with children who could not have been less interested in sleeping. We soldiered on with the unfailing assistance of Bob and Beth, took Molly and Aidan for medical examinations, met with officials at the US Embassy to secure the children’s’ visas, and endured a two-day delay before leaving for home (the result of the British Airways strikes). On the morning of get-away day, yours truly spent nine hours throwing up in the hotel, the airport, the customs line and the airplane. Alli, Bob and Beth cared for the kids – all of who decided the close confines of the airplane were the perfect place for relentless diarrhea - while I struggled to take care of myself.

We reached Heathrow - a five-hour layover on the way home – where I slept throughout and awoke with at least minimal ability to participate in the final leg of the journey. Arriving in Newark (we left on Sunday and arrived on Sunday!), we were processed through customs and immigration and were met by my mom and dad. Exhaustion and emotions got the better of us all and tears flowed freely among the weary travelers and our families. We arrived home at 1 AM – 11 AM where we had just been for nine weeks – and I felt well enough to drink a beer with my dad to celebrate the moment.

We had an appointment with the pediatrician Monday morning at 11 AM. I was up walking the kids around the neighborhood at 5:30 AM – the kids went to bed around 2 AM but were up in just a few hours – and it seems as if we’ve been running at full speed ever since. I stayed home from work for three weeks after we were home , while Alli retired from Rodale and became a full-time mom. The children adjusted quickly even though in a very real sense day was night and night was day for the first several days. Mom and Dad slept very little, however, as Aidan developed a routine of waking every two hours throughout the night and crying until someone went into his room, picked him up, found his pacifier (on which he was typically standing) and plopped him back down. After a month of that nonsense – Alli is such a softy – we initiated bedtime boot camp and haven’t looked back.

Molly and Aidan were baptized in September, began walking shortly before they turned one in October, enjoyed a family Thanksgiving Donohoe/Dwyer style in November and their first college basketball game (La Salle women) in December. Molly loves stuffed animals (much hugging and kissing!), dancing and books, often “reading” aloud to herself. She says cheese, juice and eye (we think) and responds to simple questions and direction with the correct answers and actions. She is extremely observant and hasn’t missed a decorating trick in our Christmas season preparations. Aidan remains inquisitive and must touch everything and know how it works. He is very adept at observing something done once and figuring out how to do it for himself. He says cracker, cake and Pop-Pop (we think) and sings quietly to himself. They enjoy being outside, don’t particularly like grass and don’t know quite what to make of snow. They are napping well (once per day) and sleeping through the night. They enjoy playing together (essentially throwing their toys into each other’s cribs) prior to naps and upon waking in the morning and love to chase each other around the house. Regularly scheduled check-ups have all been very good: They are happy and healthy and developing on schedule. They fill our lives with oh so much work – Alli’s in particular, and she’s been great! - but reward us with many, many moments of joy, laughter and love.

We are reminded each and every day that we are truly blessed. We wish you the special blessings of Christmas throughout the season and the New Year.

Merry Christmas with love,

Pat, Alli, Molly and Aidan

SPECIAL EDITION, August 6th

2005-08-06T18:02:00.000-04:00

Faithful Blog Readers:

I know we are behind on our postings, so please bear with me as I try to summarize the last few days and the days immediately ahead....

Thursday morning at 9:30, we learned in a phone call from Dana the children's visa applications MIGHT be signed Thursday or, if not, HOPEFULLY Friday, but nothing was yet certain. As you might imagine, the news was not well received and after a heated pow-wow among the four of us a return call was placed to Dana with a request for more clarity/information. At 11:00, Dana called back to say the visas were signed(!) and we would buy our plane tickets tomorrow for a Tuesday flight to Almaty (Olesya having made reservations for us earlier in the week).

Friday afternoon following our baby home visit, Dana took us to the travel agent to buy the tickets. For reasons we still do not understand, Bob and Beth's tickets were ready, but there were no seats available for us. Last night was pretty miserable, as it looked like someone had goofed and we would have to be inconvenienced or pay or both to make things right.

This morning around 11, Dana came to the hotel and took a call from Olesya while we were together in Bob & Beth's room. Still no seats for the flight on Tuesday: Best available would be seats for the same flight on Monday. (One of the issues involves our preference for a direct flight - easier with kids and fewer questions we will be unable to answer with no translator accompanying us). We went to the travel agent immediately and bought the tickets for Monday.

Bottom line: Alli and I fly from Kostanai to Almaty on Monday, Bob and Beth do the same on Tuesday. Medical exams will be on Wednesday, US Embassy interviews on Thursday and we will all fly HOME together on Friday, August 12!!!! Accordingly, we will take the children from the baby home and become full-time parents on Monday morning!

I have tears in my eyes writing this: tears of joy and frustration and exhaustion. As always, many thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers every step of the way. As we rush through these next two days and our brief stay in Almaty, please continue to keep us and the kids in your thoughts and prayers: No doubt, we'll all need your strength at one point or another.

This might be our final posting until we return home. Thanks to all of you for sharing our experience with us: Your interest encouraged us to post even on the most mundane or difficult of days. We hope you enjoyed the Blog as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. At last count, we had more than 5400 hits, and I know they weren't all from Vegas (we love you, Gidge!).

I promise we will post through our return trip after we have a chance to get settled at home - or maybe in the middle of the first few nights while we and the kids work our way through jet lag. If there are any among you who are considering doing what we have done, please let us know and we will be happy to try to address your concerns and answer your questions. You can comment to the Blog or send a more personal message to allid@msn.com.

God is truly good! May he continue to bless us all. Our love,

Pat & Alli

August 3rd

2005-08-03T23:45:00.000-04:00

Happy 126th Birthday Kostanai!

We sleep in today: With the town's birthday celebration, many of the local businesses are closed or operating on different schedules. The gym does not open until 9. Bob, Alli and I leave the hotel at 9: Bob and I for the gym, Alli for the Internet Cafe, where she will check e-mail and copy photos from our camera to floppy disks so we can make prints for Dana (our birthday gift will be a photo album).

At the gym, it's busier than usual in the exercise area but quiet in the ping-pong room. We work out from 9:10 until 10, then play eleven games in just over an hour. Bob wins the first four, but I take six of the next seven to win the day 6-5. Bob leads overall 116-106.

The weather remains cloudy and comfortable for our walk to the baby home, perfect weather for taking the kids outside. Bob & Beth go first, then we take Molly and Aidan. We walk up and down the street outside the baby home. We're out for 30-40 minutes. Molly falls sound asleep and I hold her head against my chest so it won't roll from side to side while I walk. Aidan is quiet and watchful: He gives his Nuk a workout and holds tightly to Alli's fingers.

Back in the marble room, Molly sleeps soundly until it's time to clean up and take the kids back. It might not sound like much, particulalry since Molly fell asleep, but it's always a great visit when we get to take the kids outside.

We walk back to the hotel. My stomach is not right, and while we have made plans to meet Dana at 4 to wander around town and enjoy the birthday festivities, I spend most of the walk contemplating a nap instead. We get back to the hotel at 3:30, and after relaxing for 1/2 hour, I feel well enough to join the others. The city center and park are very crowded: lots of people and many more vendors than usual, especially those selling kabobs and beer. We stop to watch a few acts in a talent show for children, visit a display of Kazakh urts (their traditional tent-like dwellings), stroll through the park, watch some chess and visit a vendor for VERY cold beers! At 5:30 we adjourn to the Russian Pub for dinner. They have outdoor seating for the occasion and we order kabobs.

After dinner, we walk to Victory Park and the soccer stadium, where a concert is under way. We wander around the stadium listening to the music and people-watching. After a stroll through the park and a look at a particulalry interesting monument - Dana explains it is for Kazakh people exiled and forbidden to return by the Soviets - we set out to walk Dana home. Bob and I pull out early - he's tired and my stomach is not happy again - and the girls carry on without us.

I'm reading and dozing when Alli gets back. She crawls into bed with her book and reads briefly before drifting off. We turn in for good around midnight.

August 2nd

2005-08-03T00:30:00.000-04:00

Still cloudy and cool after last night's rain - a good day to stay in bed a little longer. It's 9:30 before Alli and I get everything moving in the same direction and walk to the pasty shop, where we find cake made from baked cottage cheese & apricots as well as raisin muffins.

On our walk to the baby home, our little friend Ibiek sees us coming and begins walking toward us. He's wearing what appears to be a man's (or at least a much older boy's) polo shirt, and he's eating a bag of seeds. He comes up close to me, motions for me to bend down and says something I can't begin to understand but which must have been, "I'm not wearing any underwear!," because the next thing we know, he lifts his shirt and reveals the truth! Grandmother comes running over - not to scold her grandson but to pose for a photo - and it's picture time again. Ibiek asks if he can take another photo, so the four of us pose for him. Considering he's three-foot nothing and has to aim pretty high for a guy his size, he takes a pretty good picture!

At the baby home, Alli and I go to the infirmary and we're told Aidan is in his regular room! He seems like a totally different boy from yesterday and responds warmly to Alli's hug. The three of us go to get Molly and then head downstairs. We have juice for both kids today - we had decided even if Aidan were still in the infirmary we'd chance the juice - and once Aidan realizes it's not whatever it was he refused to drink on Sunday, he slugs it down heartily. With Molly, I try a little now (loud protest) and a little later (a look like "About time!") with moderate success. The trick is to hide the bottle both before - unless I'm ready to give it to her - and after - the disappearing bottle trick carries more weight than my explanation that the juice is all gone, however sincere and convincing I might be in delivery. It's too cloudy and cool to take the kids out, so we stay in the marble room and play until it's time to take them back to their individual rooms.

We bus back to the hotel and Alli & I head for the Internet Cafe. I post Blog entries for Saturday and Sunday, July 30-31, while Alli reads and answers e-mail. We're meeting Dana, Bob & Beth for dinner @ 6 - we wrap up at the I.C. at about 5:50.

We go to the pizza place (against Dana's better judgment) where we wait about 10 minutes for a table. While we're eating, a large group takes the table next to ours. We think we hear English! They think so, too, as we are helping Dana with new words she's learned while reading her current book. After too much whispering and nobody making a move to say hello, I blurt out, "Try the ham and pineapple pizza," and the ice is broken. In a quick conversation with them at their table while we wait for our bill, they tell me they are missionaries from Florida here to work in the villages surrounding Kostanai. We, of course, are here on "secret business."

We settle the bill and leave only to have one of the women come running after us: She claims our payment is 500 Tenghe short. As we always do, Alli and I count and contribute, Bob and beth do the same, and Dana counts a third time to make sure there are sufficient funds. we have never been mistaken before - and are not likely mistaken now - but we pay the additional sum and cross another establishment off our list.

After dinner, we walk Dana ALL THE WAY HOME. Last night, we had asked her where she might like us to go for her birthday (two days from now on August 4). She said she'd like to have us to her home and prepare a meal for us. Tonight, I thought we should figure out where she lives in the likley event we will walk there on Thursday. When I suggest she allow us to accompany her further tonight, we are all surprised when she asks if we'd like to see her home tonight.

We accept and are soon seated on the floor of their living room/dining room on handmade satin floor mats placed around a table cloth on which is spread a variety of dishes -"winter salad" (tomatoes, cucumbers and spices mixed to the consistency of marinara and served cold), sliced cucumbers, bread, crackers, apple butter, Kazakh "donuts," candy made here in Kostanai and hot tea - most of which are home made from ingredients grown on the family farm.

The apartment has the living/dining room (Kazakh people traditionally eat while seated on the floor, so there is no "dining room" furniture) with access to a small balcony, a galley kitchen, three bedrooms and a bathroom. The furnishings are simple, and a large shelving unit is the dominant piece in the living/dining room. A sheet covers a portion of the piece, and we are told it is out of respect for Dana's recently deceased father (you might remember he died several weeks ago).

Dana's mother and sister join us for the visit, and we pass a delight-ful evening of conversation and family photos. The only awkward moments involve those few instances when Dana is out of the room and unable to translate for us (no one else in her family speaks English). Other- wise, we talk, ask each other questions and discuss topics ranging from the very light-hearted (American movies) to the more substantial (our true business in Kazakhstan). Before we know it, it's after 11 AM and we are being told it's too dangerous to walk home. Dana calls a taxi for us and we get back to the hotel just after midnight following as rewarding an evening as we've had in Kostanai. We're all looking forward to Thursday and our return trip.

August 1st

2005-08-01T23:30:00.000-04:00

"What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life - to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent, unspeakable memories at the moment of last parting."

I've been reading John Irving's A Widow for One Year, and the above passage from George Eliot's Adam Bede appears in it. In light of so much of what Alli and I have been through these last sixteen months, in consideration of the two little souls who have come into our lives in these past nine weeks, and while contemplating the journey ahead for the four of us, I wanted to save the words in the event I donate the book to "The Box" when we leave....

August 1st! It's hard to believe. Our time here has flown by truly: We've been made busy at times, kept ourselves busy at others, and we have enjoyed many, many more moments than we've despaired. We have not been bored, though in the last week or so it has been hard to muster much enthusiasm for dinner at the same handful of places. We have enjoyed our stay in Kostanai - we simply want to go home.

At the gym this morning, Bob wins the day 8-5 and widens his series lead to double figures again at 111-100. Alli and Beth's walk takes them to and around Victory Park and down to the river before a final stop at the pastry shop. The four of us meet on the street corner near the hotel @ 10:40. It's cloudy and cool and we decide to walk to and, we hope, home from the baby home. After breakfast and showers, we're off at 12:15.

Aidan is STILL in the infirmary. We thought he might be until a doctor had a chance to examine and release him. We're a little frustrated we have not been able to speak with anyone and get any kind of an update on his condition, and we're hopeful today will be the last time we find him there.

During our visit, Aidan is whiny and more clingy than usual, prefering Mom to everyone and everything. Molly gets her apple juice and is generally pleasant. At one point, I take Aidan for a walk around the halls - we don't want to take him outside until he is back in his regular room - and we bump into Alli and Molly along the way. Mom and Dad trade babies and continue on our separate ways (unlike walking outside, the hallways are too narrow and too dark to make strolling as a family feasible). Though I'm barefoot and Molly's underdressed by baby home standards - that is to say no coat or hat - we sneak outside for a few minutes to escape the warm conditions in the halls.

After our visit, we walk back to the hotel. The potential delay is the topic of conversation; the consensus is we want to know something firm sooner than later.

Back at the hotel, Alli crashes while I do laundry. Dana arrives @ 5:30 and we go to "The Rice Place" for plov & bread (with the dipping sauce we discovered on our last visit). It's delicious as always! While we're eating, the storm we thought might blow up at any time during the day materializes with thunder, lightning and steady rain. The five of us board a bus heading back to town: Bob & Beth and Alli & I depart at our stop and Dana stays on for the ride home.

Back at the hotel, it's movie night again: "Serendipity" with John Cusack & Kate Beckinsdale. It's more corny and less funny than I remember. We turn in around 11:45.

July 31st

2005-07-31T23:55:00.000-04:00

While we were at dinner last night, Olesya called Dana to say Andre, our regular driver, would not be available to drive us to church this morning and to ask Dana to meet us and the replacement driver at our hotel on her way to the Mosque. At 9:45, Dana and her brother are approaching the hotel when, to everyone's surprise, Andre pulls up! We are glad to meet Dana's brother and happy that Dana was not too put out by the apparent miscommunication.

There is a baptism at church today. It takes place just after the homily. The little girl appears to be about 2, her parents in their mid-twenties. We watch and daydream about our kids' christenings: Bob and Beth are hoping to have Nicholas's very soon after they arrive home and before the priest they hope will perform the service leaves for his new assignment in Chicago. Alli and I are planning to have Molly and Aidan baptized on the last Sunday in September.

After church, we eat the usual quick Sunday morning breakfast, change, pack and head out for the baby home. Aidan is still in the infirmary. The nurse indicates he must be dressed and fed. After she dresses him, she brings him and his bottle out to the tiny lobby area where we are waiting. Alli takes Aidan and the bottle while the nurse goes off and returns with a stroller in the fully reclined position (?). Alli begins to feed Aidan while I go for Molly. She's in the playpen, dressed and ready to go. She wriggles excitedly when she sees me, but still doesn't get the whole "Help Papa lift you" idea and stays as she lays until I reach over and hoist her up. We return to the lobby to find Mommy and Aidan: He finished 1/2 of his bottle then refused to open his mouth. We decide we'll try again later...

In the marble room, Aidan refuses any more bottle from either of us. Molly sees his bottle and wonders aloud when hers will arrive! (We did not bring one today and, though we haven't told her yet, don't intend to bring one everyday.) Aidan is generally out of sorts today, not very active and more clingy than usual. Molly's OK to start, but the heat and the absent bottle take a toll. She and I go for a walk around 1:50. Less than one time around the building and she's out cold. We go back to the marble room and she naps soundly until 2:20. When she wakes, I give her to Bob so I can clean up the toys, cameras, etc. She sits on Bob's lap with a look on her face like "Who are you and what are you talking about?" All of you back home, get ready: It's her best look and you will see it....

Alli takes Aidan back to the infirmary. I take Molly back to her room just in time for her afternoon snack: a cookie soaked in "soured" milk. After bussing home, Alli and I go to the Internet Cafe to post Blog entries for Thursday and Friday, July 28 and 29. We meet Bob & Beth at the hotel at 5 and walk to The Dom for dinner prior to Dana's arrival for the soccer match. We order without a hitch and enjoy a light meal of salads and sides (called garnishes here).

On our walk to the stadium, the skies darken and the wind picks up, dropping the temperatures measurably and swirling dust and dirt. It doesn't appear the impending rain can miss us, and once again we are thankful our seats are under cover (same section as the first two matches and one row higher). We arrive at 6:30 for a 7 PM kick-off and the winds persist throughout warmups. We see lightning in the distance as game time nears.

Three things of note in the first half: (1)It never rains, but the cloud cover and breeze remain to keep things cool, making Alli thankful I suggested she bring along her light-weight sweat top. (2) Tobol does not score. You might recall the first two matches we saw were 3-0 and 5-0 respectively at the half, but tonight's opponent, Taraz, is playing a defensive style with a single striker and five midfielders. Tobol has a handful of chances but can't finish. (3) Tobol's sweeper leaves the game with an injury at about the 30 minute mark. He and his central defense mate are very good and anchor a back line we've yet to see concede a goal. In a tight match, it will be interesting to see if his loss is pivotal.

After the intermission, Tobol is attacking at the end in front of our seats (as they had been in the previous matches). Unlike our earlier experience, when we did not see much attacking passion due to the size of the half-time advantages, we expect to see all-out attacking soccer tonight, as a tie will do Tobol no good in their effort to overtake the top team. It's all Tobol as we had hoped with plenty of action in the attacking third and a number of scoring chances. Despite the pressure, and with the help of some questionable passing & indecisive playmaking by Tobol, it appears Taraz will take a point on the road and send us home disappointed for the first time in three matches. However, at the 85 minute mark, Taraz's keeper can't control a hard shot/cross from just outside the area to his left, instead parrying it into the path of Tobol's #11 crashing the net from the weak side. Quick as you please, the ball's in the back of the net, it's 1-0 for the home side & bedlam erupts around the stadium, particularly in section 2. Tobol rides out the remaining few minutes of regulation time and two minutes of added time to send the faithful home with another win. "Ole, ole, ole, ole,
Tobol, Champions!"

We walk back to the hotel - potty breaks for everyone - then walk with Dana. Just before our normal turnaround point, a black cat crosses in front of us. Kazakh people are very superstitious, and Dana is no exception. She stops us in our tracks, directs us to turn back from that point and crosses the street before continuing on her way.

Back at the hotel, Dana calls to make sure we got home OK and to report Olesya went into the hospital today (a day earlier than scheduled). Alli & I have pudding while reading, watching soccer and dozing. I wake her at midnight to get ready for bed: Lights out at 12:15.

July 30th

2005-07-30T23:55:00.000-04:00

Today starts with a knock on the door at 8 AM: It's room cleaning day. The day also begins with an emotional hangover from yesterday's news and the hours of speculation that followed. We can only hope the next news is better, and that we get it sooner than later.

Alli and I write in our journals while the room is being cleaned. (If I haven't mentioned it previously, we must stay in the room while they clean, and it's awkward at times....) Anyway, I'm finished sooner than Alli, so while she finishes up, I go for a walk in the city center and park areas enjoying the relatively cool early-morning temperatures and the warm but not yet scorching sunshine. I return to the hotel after about an hour. We have breakfast, get cleaned up and the pack the back-pack for today's visit.

It's still cool enough for a walk today, and along the way I stop to exchange currency at one of the three exchanges within a block of the hotel. One place is offering exchange at 133.5 Tenghe to the dollar, the other two are advertising 136. I choose the one offering 136 on the side of the street on which we walk. While I'm in the booth, the gentleman goes outside - with Alli, Beth and Bob watching - and changes the rate to 133.4! The net difference is around 600 Tenghe (a little more than $5), but I'm more annoyed at what appears to be little more than bait & switch. Between the language barrier and the aforementioned hangover, I don't think quickly enough to return the Tenghe, retrieve my US dollars and take my business elsewhere (assuming the woman on the other side of the bulletproof glass would have agreed with me).

The kids are inside today: It's warm & we've concluded they are usually inside on the weekends, whether because of staffing or other reasons. Alli and I knock at the infirmary for Aidan: The nurse indicates he has not yet had his medicine or bottle. We go to get Molly and find her in the walking chair. Alli picks her up and gets a ripe whiff, so they go off to the changing table for a clean diaper and onesie. We're getting ready to leave Molly's room when Bob walks in with Aidan: The nurse from the infirmary brought Aidan up to the boys' room looking for us and left Aidan with Bob & Beth. Aidan is wearing a onesie in the same shade of blue as Molly's and a bad hat: in shape, a cross between a planter and a stove-pipe hat, made of paper and secured under his chin with an elastic band. Poor kid: It's not bad enough he hasn't been feeling well, but he looks silly too. He endures his shame in silence long enough for Mom and Dad to videotape his humiliation....

Aidan has another good day, not quite as active as yesterday but still busy. He's happy to crawl around and play with the toys, spends some time under the coffee table and, of course, climbs on Mom and Dad for a little up close and personal time with Alli's necklace and my glasses.
Molly is happy to get a juice bottle again. I tell her about my mis- fortune at the money exchange: She's more interested in the juice. She continues her trend toward increased mobility and spends some time under the coffee table, too. She enjoys a game with Alli: Alli sits Molly in her lap facing her, then rolls Molly backward with Molly's head between Alli's knees so Molly does a flip. The look on Molly's face is open-mouthed surprise with a little bit of a toothy grin and enough of a gleam in her eye that we can almost almost hear, "Again!"

After the visit, Alli and I go to the Internet Cafe to check mail, then Alli, Beth and Dana go shopping at "The Small Mall." Everybody recon- venes at the hotel at 5:30, and we go to the Russian Pub for dinner, mostlly because they have air conditioning (assuming they have power). After walking Dana 1/2-way home, we go to the Gros for beer and snacks before "The Mummy Returns" in Bob & Beth's room (longer than the first, more elaborate special effects and not as funny - I fall asleep).After the movie, Alli and I return to our room and read for awhile before going to bed around midnight.

July 29th

2005-07-29T23:45:00.000-04:00

Up @ 7:30 for the gym. Alli's not feeling well enough to walk with Beth today so I head next door to break the news. Beth says she'll check on Alli around 10 to see if she wants to go for pastries or if she just wants Beth to pick them up for her. Alli's asleep as I leave @ 8.

Another good, tiring and quiet workout. I have never liked the idea of morning workouts - I am much more of a late night person than a morning person - but the 8 AM time frame has been good for both Bob and me, as it gives us something to look forward to three mornings each week, does not interfere with our baby home schedule and allows us to keep up with e-mail and the Blog in the afternoons.

The great ping-pong comeback is momentarily derailed as Bob wins the day 8-5 and extends his series lead to 103-95.

Back in the room, Alli reports she slept until 10, which is good because she had trouble falling asleep last night. She did not go with Beth, but good to her word, Beth brought pastries back for us! Alli and I have breakfast and do a little reading. I check next door on walking or taking the bus: Beth will join Alli and me on the bus, but Bob prefers to walk. The bussers meet at 12:30 and we're off....

We arrive @ 12:55 to find Bob waiting. Alli and I go to the infirmary, while Bob & Beth head to the boys' outside room. At the infirmary, Alli pokes her head in and asks for Aidan: He's on the changing table just inside the door, and the nurse asks us to wait in the hall until he's ready. After four or five minutes, the door opens and the nurse carries him out. Alli takes him and hugs him: She feels much better and he seems glad to see us. His color is good, he's alert and active. It's good to see him!

I go outside for Molly. She's in a walking chair in the shade just outside the outdoor room. Bob & Beth are keeping her company. Apparently, she'd been crying, but she seems happy to see her Daddy. Mama Bibigoul and I discuss Molly's wardrobe again - she's wearing striped bloomers over her diaper and a floppy beach hat with the strings looped under her chin (and tied atop her head because the strings are so long) - and agree we'd like to put a top on her today (it's not as warm as it has been, and the rug in the Marble Room gets a lot of traffic for her to be crawling around on it half naked for too many days). There are no adequate shirts outside, so we go to the inside room for a shirt before joining the others.

Fashion Alert: Aidan has a white onesie and a knit cap. He also has little girls' flowered under- pants with no diaper - curious given his present condition - and frilly white "Mary Jane" socks. Apparently, wardrobe selections are more limited in the infirmary than in the regular rooms. Molly is a vision in the aforementioned striped bloomers and a pair of striped socks - they don't match, of course - and the top selected looks like a button-up cabana shirt with a multi-hued print against a solid blue background. The floppy hat completes the look, and we snap a quick photo of our little sea cruiser. Alli wisely puts a diaper on Aidan - I'll spare the details, but suffice to say it came in handy later - and Molly loses the shirt and hat for play time.

Molly gets her juice bottle from Daddy today while Mommy administers liberal doses of TLC to her little boy. He seems to be himself, crawling around with the other kids, investigating and exploring, and Molly is quite content with her cool drink and the return of a pleasant breeze.

Olesya arrives and the air goes out of the room when she delivers two pieces of news. First, her doctor has ordered her to hospital on Monday: The doctor is not satisfied with the results from the battery of tests Olesya had earlier today. Olesya is not certain whether she will be admitted for more testing or for the duration of her pregnancy.

The next news is worse: The president of Kazakhstan is scheduled to visit Kostanai next week (Wed. through Fri.), and there is a chance his visit could prevent the "Visa Man" - apparently a high-ranking government/police official with obligations related to the visit - from signing the childrens' visas on Thursday as scheduled. If he cannot sign the papers as scheduled, we might have to wait another week for his signature, pushing our homecoming date to 8/19. Olesya is clearly upset - by her news and ours - and the four of us are dumbstruck. On the one hand, this poor woman looks like she could explode at any minute and, despite her pleasant personality and stoic Russian persona, she is undoubtedly more uncomfortable every day. At the same time, she is the lynchpin to all the tasks standing between us and our return home, and none of us is happy with the prospect of staying another week.

Bob and I asks several carefully-worded questions in an effort to get additional information/ more fully understand the situation (specifically the correlation between a state visit and the inability to sign four documents) and possibly divine some conceivable workaround(s), and Olesya assures us she will do everything she can to stay on schedule and prevent the delay. We are fearful, however, that in a country where the system is paramount (and, apparently in most cases, incontrovertible), and people like Olesya might push for an exception or deviation every now and then (but not often and not too hard), we don't know that she'll be inclined or able to do enough - or anything at all - from a hospital bed. We are not hopeful - but neither are we hopeless....

I find it difficult to adequately describe the feelings in the room as the news sinks in and the visit with the kids continues. Five adults who have come to know and like and care for one another must maintain some precarious balance between focusing on our own concerns and remaining compassionate regarding the needs and wishes of others. Olesya has a child to bring into the world and every effort must be made, every precaution taken to assure healthy delivery for mother and son. She is the consumate professional and has continued to work diligently on our behalf despite her condition and increasing discomfort over the past few weeks. For our part, we have children to bring back to and new lives to begin in our worlds, the culmination of a process years in the planning and trying and hoping long before the decision to adopt and the past sixteen months of paperwork, travel and everything we've experienced here. How disappointed can we be, how pushy in our questioning, how insistent that we remain on schedule - as if our mere insistence would be sufficient - before we appear so selfish as to be without compassion? Yet, why submit meekly to capriciousness when everything in our varied experiences - the adoption process notwithstanding - suggests there must be something that can be done? And all the while, the children are crawling among us, oblivious to our adult concerns and more in need of a song or a toy or a clean diaper or a wiped nose. We will put our faith in Olesya and know something more definite by the middle of next week....

Dana arrives @ 5:30 with soccer tickets for Sunday - we gave her the money last night and she stopped by the stadium on her way to work this morning - and we go to The Dom for dinner. After walking Dana 1/2-way home, we hit the Gros for snacks and beer and go to Bob & Beth's for movie night: We watch "The Mummy" on the portable DVD player's 4" x 6" screen. Back in our room, I fall asleep watching soccer and Alli does the same while reading. I wake and read a bit - John Irving's "A Widow for a Year" - before waking Alli to get ready for bed. We turn the lights out at 12:30 and it takes us both a little longer than usual to fall asleep. It's been a long, tough couple of days....

July 28th

2005-07-28T22:30:00.000-04:00

We set the alarm for 8:30am. Pat gets up to do some laundry and I write in my journal. We go to the Internet cafe at 10:00am and both post an entry to the Blog. On the way back to the hotel we discuss the heat and me not feeling well. Pat suggests we take the bus to the baby home and I agree. Pat consults with Bob and Beth when we get back and they also vote for taking the bus. Pat returns from their room with an electric tea pot and makes me a cup of tea. We're out of milk so he runs to the Gros for more. He stops at the hotel floor desk and gets a few cubes of sugar. Do I have a great husband or what? We shower and get ready to go to the baby home.

We arrive at the baby home and Pat goes for Molly. Bob, Beth and I go for the boys. It's very hot out and the children are inside. Nicholas is being fed. I look around and see no sign of Aidan. The caregiver indicates that he is not in the room. We will go to find him when she is finished feeding Nicholas. She hands Nicholas to Bob when she's done and motions for me to follow. We end up in the area of the infirmary. The caregiver gets the head nurse and they have a conversation. I hear Olesya's name. The caregiver leaves to find Olesya. She does not return after several minutes. I start to worry and go to the marble room to find Pat. I explain what's going on. My heart is pounding and my mind is racing. This is a situation where the language barrier is more than an inconvenience. I go back to the infirmary. Olesya has been found. She tells me that Aidan and three other boys from his room have diarrhea and are in the infirmary to receive treatment. This includes medication and fluids. We will not see him today. I am relieved by the diagnosis but disappointed that we won't be able to see him. He is in capable hands. I make my way back to the marble room and share the news with Pat, Bob and Beth. Everyone is relieved. Molly, on the other hand, is ecstatic. She will be playing the part of an only child today. Molly is dressed in yellow terry cloth shorts and socks and that's it. She is going topless. This is apparently the uniform of the day as all of the other children in her room were dressed similarly. Her eyes look much better today. Molly is in good spirits. She creeps around when the mood strikes her and plays happily with her toys. We brought a bottle with watered down apple juice for her. I give her the bottle and she is happy until the juice is gone. She wails when I take the bottle away. Olesya joins us. She has requested a change in Aidan's treatment schedule so we will be able to see him tomorrow. We will pick him up from the infirmary for our visit. I fly molly around the room and everyone tickles her belly. Her laughter fills the room. We pack up at 2:30pm and take the kids back to their rooms. Mama Bibigoul has us put Molly in the group playpen. It is snack time for the children - sour milk and a cookie. Molly begins to cry and Mama Bibigoul immediately scoops her up. The princess is happy again. Now everyone, please remember that Molly was spoiled BEFORE we even came on the scene. Therefore, we cannot be held fully accountable. We meet the others out front. Andre is waiting to drive Olesya home. We take the bus back to the hotel. Pat and I go to the Internet cafe for the second time. We read and reply to email.

Dana arrives at 5:30pm. We head to the mall to find a new cable for Bob's DVD player. Bob finds what he needs and the price is right to boot. After the mall, we walk to the pancake place for dinner. We're giving it another go. The first time we were there it was very good. The second time it was lousy. Well, it's 3 strikes and you're out. The food is OK but the service is bad. Another restaruant off the list- this makes the third one. Luckily there are so many good ones to choose from. We walk Dana 3/4 of the way home. My stomach is not feeling that great again.

We get back to the hotel and try to watch a movie. No go. The cable fits but something is still wrong. Pat and I go back to our room and read. We turn in at 12:30pm.

July 27th

2005-07-27T23:30:00.000-04:00

At 8 AM, Bob and I leave the rooms for the gym. At the front door, the overnight security guard (usually one of three boys, all in their twenties) is asleep on the small couch just inside the locked door. We found him in the same condition on Monday morning. Then as now, the phone is ringing away unheeded. On Monday, I woke him to answer the phone. While doing so, he had me toss him his keys, and he indicated which one I needed to unlock the door. Today, we just help ourselves to the keys and leave him - and the phone - to his internal alarm clock.

At the gym, it's a very quiet morning. Bob and I are among perhaps eight guys working out, and it's nice to be able to go about our routines without interruption or delay because someone else is using a particular piece of equipment. We go at the weights and exercises for about an hour and get to the ping-pong around 9:05. We split the first ten games, and at 5-5 Bob suggests we play first one to seven. I take the next two games and the day 7-5. The summer series now stands at 95-90 in Bob's favor.

It's already very warm when we leave the gym at 10:30. Back in the room, Alli is waiting with apple pastries. She and Beth took a new route today past landmarks with which they were familiar (the Russian Orthodox Church we visited last Tuesday) and had not yet seen (the candy factory). Alli had moments of doubt as to whether they would find their way back to the hotel and if not whether we would have a clue where to look for them. But it's all good and there's pastry, too! I make a quick trip to the Gros for diapers - Aidan's size 3's - then return for breakfast. We eat and get ready for our visit.

The walk today is HOT! I know you folks back home have been enduring a heat wave pretty much since we left, but this is new for us. We've had lots of sunshine but there is almost always a breeze of some kind to mitigate the heat. In all, we've had only one or two uncomfortably hot days, and today, with no breeze, is shaping up to be the worst. On the way to the baby home, we are giving consideration to taking the bus home whether Olesya is with us or not.

The kids are inside where, if it's cooler than their outside rooms, it's only marginally so. Aidan's in the playpen dressed in a onesie and socks and ready to go. Molly's in the walking chair in long pants and no top. Alli checks her diaper - clean and dry - and changes her into a onesie. There are no socks inside, so she and Molly stop in the outside room on their way to meet the rest of us.

In the marble room, the kids are game but slowly wilt in the heat. With the room's one window and door open, we usually get enough cross ventilation to keep the room relatively cool, but there is no air moving today. We bring a bottle of ice water (a one litre bottle frozen the night before) with us everyday for our walk back and forth. Today, we use some of it to try to cool the kids by pouring some over their heads and giving them capfuls to drink. Aidan lets most of it dribble down his chin; Molly's a little more adept, but we're hesitant to give her too much. The looks on both their faces suggest they aren't familiar with anything that cold, and we have not been told it's OK to give them anything (you might recall we were expressly told not to supplement their baby home diet in any way when our visits began).

Aidan gets grumpy first. He's content only if Alli carries him around the room or allows him to climb on her and play with her necklace. When these activities tire her, I take him for a walk around the halls, where the dark corridors and the draft provided by several open doors provide some relief for both Aidan and me. When we get back to the marble room, I hand the boy over to his Mommy and take Molly for a short walk before it's time to return both of them to their inside rooms.

Medical update: Olesya has been told Molly's "black eye/red welt" is conjunctivitis. She is being treated with an ointment. Interestingly, I have noticed several children in her room with their hands covered in mitten-like coverings secured by elsatic. Don't know whether there is anything to make of the two other than coincidence....

We bus back with Olesya. Bob, Beth and I go to the Internet cafe, while Alli stays in the room to nap. I check and answer e-mail, then return to the hotel. Alli's awake and not feeling well. She is achy and, despite the warm temperatures - we have the air conditioner off and the windows open - she's chilly. She decides not to join us for dinner.

At 6, Bob & Beth, Dana and I go to the Russian Pub. We find they have no power when we arrive and we - like their other patrons - eat our dinners by candlelight. As usual, they don't have several items including stuffed cabbage (not unusual) and french fries (a first). Despite the power issue, the salads are cool and crisp, the meals are well cooked and the beer is cold. The girls even have ice cream!

After dinner, Bob & Beth and Dana go to the Gros and the mall while I go back to the hotel to check on the patient. Alli's awake and feeling better: She has yogurt and a banana for dinner and has a craving for potato chips. I settle down to journal for a while, and at 10 PM go the the Gros for Pringles, Coke, yogurt and ice cream bars (and tissues). We snack on Pringles while I finish my journal and then have ice cream bars. I wake Alli at midnight to get ready for bed, and it's lights out at 12:15. Nothing on the schedule for tomorrow morning, so we set the alarm for 8:30 and plan to sleep in....

July 26th

2005-07-26T22:30:00.000-04:00

It's a lazy morning and we stay in bed until 9:15am. I write in my journal and Pat goes for a walk. He takes the camera with him. The plants in the park are in full bloom and we'd like to get a few pictures. Pat gets back to the room at 11:00am. We eat breakfast, shower and get ready to go.

Our 15 day waiting period is complete. The adoption is final and the children are legally ours! We will keep them in the baby home until we leave Kostanai on August 9th. As much as we want them with us we feel that this is in their best interest. They are familiar with their enviroment and are acustom to their routine. This is what they have know all their lives. The transition will be difficult for them. Everything will be new - what they see, the sounds they hear, what they wear, what they eat and the faces around them. It will be difficult for us to wait but we will have them full-time in two weeks.

It's another hot walk to the baby home. We see the little boy, Ibiek, along the way. He shakes hands with Pat and Bob. Three young girls (sisters?) come over to where we are standing. One is holding a baby of about 9 months (another sister?). We take a group photo. It is very good. We tell them we'll bring copies tomorrow. We continue on to the baby home. We're not sure if the kids are in or out so Beth and I check inside and the guys outside. They're outside. Bob has Nicholas in his arms when Beth and I arrive. Aidan is standing in the playpen and looking at me like "Where have you been?" He grins when I pick him up. Off to the marble room. Pat and Molly arrive a few minutes later. Pat has his hand over Molly's face. Don't look he says to me. He removes his hand. Our beautiful daughter has a shiner. From what Pat could gather from Mama Bibigoul there was some sort of tussle in the group playpen. I think to myself, I'd hate to see the othere guy. Molly can hold her own! It's not too bad and she's in fine spirits. It's another typical day. Molly gabs and plays with her toys. She creeps a bit and finds herself 1/2 way under the coffee table. Look out Aidan and Nicholas! This had been their secret hideout. Aidan buzzes around the room and climbs on us and the furniture. Nicholas is out of sorts today and is content to spend most of the visit on Bob's lap. We take Molly and Aidan for a walk in their Snuglis. Today we pass through the baby home gate and walk up and down the street. The kids are content and watch people and cars pass by. Both do a little chatting. It's very warm out and there is not much shade so we make our way back to the baby home. Despite being dressed in onsies both kids are drenched when we take them out of their Snuglis. We didn't know babies sweat so much. Cate and Daniel are in the marble room when we get back. Cate had her final court hearing this morning and it was very difficult. She had a different judge and procecutor. They asked a lot of questions and were dissatisfied with one document and the date on another. The judge did not make a decision and will not do so until tomorrow. Cate will not be staying in Kostanai during the waiting period. She has a three year old son at home and is self-employed and must get home to work. She will return to Almaty after the waiting period to pick up Daniel. He will fly to Almaty with the head nurse from the baby home. It's 2:30pm and time to take the kids back. The other children have been brought in so we bring the kids to their inside rooms. We meet out front and take a different route back to the hotel.

We drop our stuff off and as we get ready to go we hear a light knock on the door. It is Olesya. We fill out some additional information on the forms we will take to the US Embassy. The information is from the children's birth and adoption certificates. Olesya is only there a few minutes and heads home when we are done. She had a busy day and is tired. We go to the Internet cafe and each post an entry. We check email but it is so slow we run out of time.

We meet everyone back at the hotel. Cate is joining us for dinner. Our destination tonight is a restaurant called Bavaria. We were there once shortly after we arrived in Kostanai but have not been back since because Bob was sick the day after we went. He is up for trying Bavaria again. The food is excellent. Pat, Cate and I drink a microbrew that is made at the restaurant.

We walk Dana home and she takes us a new way. We pass by the train station and decide to go in and have a look around. We're bearly inside when a policeman approaches us. He asks Dana if we are foreigners and when she says yes he asks to see our passports. We all have them with us except Cate. She slips out the door and waits for us outside. The policeman chats pleasantly with Dana as he reviews our papers. He smiles as he does this. Our papers are in order. We look around the station briefly before going. After we leave we find out that the policeman asked Dana if she came there often. Looks like he used us as an excuse to flirt with our pretty translator! We have a good laugh.

Back at the hotel Pat watches soccer and I work on a crossword puzzle. We both eat an ice cream bar. Lights out at 12:30am.

July 25th

2005-07-25T22:30:00.000-04:00

Groundhog Day! The alarm goes off at 7:30am. Pat and Bob head to the gym. Beth and I go for a walk. A young man approaches us as we near the university. "Do you speak English?" he asks. "Yes." we say. Soon we have a crowd around us of 15 or so students. They are interested in practicing their English. Some of them are studying to be translators. We find out that they are waiting for a bus to take them to the woods to work. They ask us where we are from, why are we here, do we like the beer here, what is our favorite american movie and the trickiest question of all...what do we think of George Bush Jr. We chat for about 20 minutes or so. One girl in particular speaks very well. She was an exchange student her senior year and attended school in St. Cloud Florida. The bus arrives and the students say goodbye. Beth and I walk to Victory Park, then to the river and finally to the pastry shop. This has become our standard route. Pat and Bob meet us on our way back from the pastry shop. Pat got the better of Bob today in ping-pong taking the day 9-4. This brings the tourny standings to 90-83 with Bob in the lead. We get back to the hotel, eat our pastries and get ready to go to the baby home.

It's partly cloudy with a cool breeze when we start out for the baby home. By the time we arrive the sun is out and it's a bit humid. We guess that the kids are inside but we find their rooms locked. They're outside. Molly has just finished eating. Mama Bibigoul hands her to me and I undress and diaper her. Pat and Aidan arrive to say hello. Mama Bibigoul finds a onsie for Molly - it has a picture of a little hippo on it and says 100% boy - and we're ready to go. Another great day with the kids. They are in good spirits. Both are chatty and pleasant. Aidan is all over the room. Molly does some creeping without any prompting from us. Pat sits with Aidan and Nicholas on his lap and reads to them. When they're done its Molly's turn. Aidan takes a tumble and whacks his head on the floor. I pick him up, comfort him and he's ready to go again. I have Molly try on her new pink and blue plaid baseball cap. Olesya wrinkles her nose and says "I don't like it. She looks like a boy." We think it's adorable. Aidan talks to Molly's socks while she whacks him on the head. He just chuckles. Those are some funny socks! Ah, 2:30pm already. The children are being transported to their inside rooms so we take the kids back inside too. We kiss them and say goodbye. We meet out front and take the bus back to the hotel. We make arrangements to meet Olesya in the hotel lobby at 4:45pm. She will take us to get the kid's new birth certificates and adoption certificates.

Pat and I head to the Internet cafe and have just enough time to post one entry each to the Blog before we have to meet Olesya back at the hotel. She takes us to the Office of Registry which is only a short walk from the hotel. We're done our business in less that a 1/2 hour. Olesya calls Andre for a ride home. She will go home and rest. Her back hurt and she is tired. We say a silent prayer that our luck will hold out and Olesya's baby stays in his happy home for a while longer.

We meet Dana at the pizza place at 6:00pm. Everyone gets their usual and dinner is good. Pat drinks Holsten and I opt for Derbes (a Kazakh brew). We walk Dana home and get back to the hotel around 8:00pm. We try to watch a movie but the cable to Bob's DVD player is on the fritz. Bob will see if he can replace it tomorrow. Pat writes in his journal and I read a magazine. Lights out at 12:30pm.

July 24th

2005-07-24T23:50:00.000-04:00

Up @ 8:30 to get ready for church. Andre arrives promptly @ 9:45, and once again we get to church just as exposition is ending. We have a full altar again - two priests, four altar servers and the young seminarian. I count pews today: seven on either side of the aisle (not counting the very front seats where the altar servers sit). Each pew appears to hold four or five adults, so I estimate seating capacity @ about 70. There are probably 45-50 people here today.

After church, back to the hotel to change (me, out of long pants and into shorts), eat breakfast and pack the backpack for the baby home. Our schedule today: walk to the baby home; visit with the kids; meet Dana at the open air market on the way back to the hotel and shop for a while; go to "The Rice Place" for plov; spend the evening in the park - it's the park's birthday today.

It's warm on our walk to the baby home, and we're hoping the kids are in good moods today, as it might be too warm to take them out in the Snugglis. I go for Molly: She's dressed and on the floor playing with Cate and Daniel. The care-giver tells her I'm coming before I enter the room, and when I turn the corner, she's on her belly in what we call the "Superman Pose" - on her belly with arms and legs in the air - and looking in the direction of the doorway. When she sees me, she starts flapping her arms, kicking her legs and banging her toy on the floor. A guy could get used to that greeting every day....

In the boys' room, Aidan and Nicholas are standing in the balls. Unlike the time I put Aidan in there by himself weeks ago, there's no unhappiness today, but Alli reports they're both just standing there unsure of what to do. Perhaps they know whatever arrangements are made between the time they finish lunch and we arrive are temporary prior to our arrival and their relocation to the marble room.

Today is one of our best visits in memory! Molly is in a wonderful mood: laughing, gabbing and saying "dada dada dada" after tickling or when she's particularly pleased with herself (as when she discovers she knows how to clap!). She continues to find creeping/crawling interesting and rewarding, and we're pleased to see more and more of it done on her own initiative. Aidan's hot streak of pleasant days continues. He plays and explores, stopping by to sit with me and watch video we've already shot or to watch me shoot video of Molly, or visiting with Alli to talk with her necklace or just rest his head on her chest. The two of them are just a joy to watch, and I'm sure Alli and I can be found with silly grins on our faces at just about any moment when we're with them.

Dana's waiting for us when we arrive at the open air market @ 3:10. Bob and I buy shirts: He gets a couple with CCCP on them (a red one with the hammer & sickle on the front & CCCP on the back and a blue one with large white CCCP on the front) while I get a navy blue Umbro and a deep blue/almost black adidas. The girls shop but don't buy.

We head for "The Rice Place" just before 5. On the way, our little buddy from next door to Mama and Papa runs up from behind, tugs on my shorts and says hello. With Dana's help, we find out his name is Ibiek and he's anxious to see the photo we took of him with Bob and me. He is so cute! Dana estimates he's no more than 5 or 6, yet he's out running around the market with his wee friends.

Our plov is just as good the second time around. This time, instead of ordering dumplings, we get two orders of bread and a dipping sauce. The bread is very similar to what we get at the shishkabob place and the sauce turns out to be mayonnaise-based and nicely spicey. We all walk back to the hotel after the meal, and while Alli and Dana hang out with Bob & Beth, I crash hard for fifteen minutes. We head over to the park around 7 and find it crowded but not unusually so for a Sunday night. Moreover, we don't hear any music other than the usual accompaniment to the amusement rides and the competing karaoke machines. Olesya had told us to expect a "discotheque" - for old people or young people or perhaps both - so we walk to the city center mall area in search of music and dancing. The stage is empty and there's no music playing anywhere, so we return to the park.

Bob and Dana ride a spinning, tilting ride while Beth, Alli and I watch. When the ride is over, we hear music coming from the band shell just beyond the amusement park. We follow the sound to find what appears to be the same band Alli and I saw at the political rally we happened upon several weeks ago. Dancing to the band are the old people Olesya mentioned: With a very few exceptions, everyone is in their 60's or 70's. We watch for 15-20 minutes and the dancers are having a ball!

Time for a cold drink and a seat in the shade. Dana patiently endures another in the ongoing series of attempts to help us make heads or tails of Russian. I like to tease her about things that make no sense - e.g. the word for hair is not in the word for haircut - and she laughs and tries to explain until she realizes I'm pulling her leg.

After we walk Dana 1/2-way home, we return to the park and find the band has been replaced by a DJ pumping rave music for a crowd 25 to 30 years younger than us on average! With no music for 40-somethings, we head for the hotel. I fall asleep watching soccer, Alli dozes over a magazine. Tomorrow starts at 8 AM with the gym for the boys and walking for the girls. We're off to bed at 12:30....

July 23rd

2005-07-23T23:30:00.000-04:00

The alarm goes off at 7:30 and the young lady arrives to clean our room and change the linens just before 8. She is interrupted once to serve breakfast for other guests but completes her tasks just after 9. Alli and I decide to take a walk to the river. It's a beautiful morning: not a cloud to mar a brilliant blue sky, warm sunshine and a cool, gentle breeze. At the river, we walk to the "resort area" on the other side of the water: It appears to have lodging, a restaurant and a private beach. We also see a number of folks fishing, including two in a small paddled craft: maybe a raft or a dingy. In addition, we see sheep grazing near the water and cattle nearby. Finally, we see a woman Alli & Beth had seen on Friday: The woman has a mature goat and two babies, all pure white, and she "walks" them along the river, not with a leash or any other apparent restraint but, apparently, just by talking to them - and they follow!

On the way back to the hotel, we decide to swing by the pastry shop. Along the way we run into Bob & Beth doing some videotaping in the park. From a distance, it appears he's doing a documentary on pretty women in short skirts - no shortage of either here, by the way -but he assures me he's interested in capturing native flora and fauna. Like I said, pretty women in short skirts.... We leave them to their "work" and find some nice apple cake to take back to the room. We return to the hotel @ 11, have breakfast, shower and dress and pack our backpack for the walk to the baby home.

It's much warmer on the walk, too warm for the kids to be outside. I find Aidan standing in the playpen; Alli
finds Molly finished eating but in need of changing. We convene in the marble room and everybody's in good moods today. Cate & Daniel join us briefly. Molly's pretty much back to herself, playing and gabbing, and she does a little more crawling, some prompted by us, some at her own direction. Aidan is active and playful and visits at different times with Bob, Nicholas, Beth, Daniel and Molly as well as us. We enjoy when both kids play without our involvement, whether that means by themselves, with others or with each other. The kids have learned to entertain themselves here and to play with or, at the very least, in the presence of other kids. We want to encourage the latter & believe it will be important for Molly and Aidan to bond with one another in the same way it has been important for them to bond with us.

We take a different route for our walk home: We leave the baby home entrance and turn right, going a "back way," if you will and winding up near the "Spinach Tea Place." (Along the way, Alli and Beth show us a short-cut Dana had shown them on their walk home last night: It cuts the corner from The Navigator to the Kazakh- French Cultural Center and saves about five minutes each way when walking Dana home from the area of our hotel!) When we reach the park, Alli goes back to the hotel for a nap and I continue to the Internet Cafe to read and respond to e-mail. Alli's sound asleep when I get back to the room. After she wakes, we have a few minutes to relax before Dana arrives for dinner.

We return to the Art Cafe and sit outside. It's warm, but we find some shade and enjoy what breeze there is. They offer a beer on tap of which we've never heard and a variety of bottled beers we've tried and like. I ask several times if the bottled beer is cold and am assured each time it is. It isn't: The beer is warm but it's served with a frosted mug. We go for - and enjoy - the draft selection for round two. It's cold AND served in a frosted mug! Otherwise, we enjoy a nice meal & some pretty good dance music while eating. In addition, there is a Kazakh wedding reception inside, and when our music is between songs, we can hear snippets of wedding songs and karaoke.

NOTE: Friday and Saturday are wedding days here. It is common to see several wedding parties in the park at the same time having pictures taken. Wedding parties are generally very small: the bride and groom and one attendant each. Today, we see a beautiful young bride on the arm of a man we assume must be her father. Dana corrects us and points out the older man is her new husband: We estimate he might be 20 or 25 years older than she, but Dana says such arrangements are common.

After walking Dana home, we stop in the Gros for a few bathroom supplies (soap and TP) and a bag of cookies for movie night. Tonight's feature: "Face Off" with John Travolta and Nicholas Cage. The movie ends after 11:30 and we hit the sack without further delay.

July 22nd

2005-07-22T22:30:00.000-04:00

The alarm sounds at 7:30am. It's a gym day for Pat and Bob. Beth and I also head out at 8:00am to go for a walk. The sun is shining and the weather is already warm (but not beastly hot like we hear it is at home). We're both wearing shorts. Victory Park is our destination. We run into Dana along the way. She is going to work. We stop and chat for a minute and then continue our walk. We do several laps around the park before heading back into town. When we get back to town we decide to keep on walking and go to the river. Our last stop is the pastry shop before going back to the hotel. We walked for 2 hours and 20 minutes. I rinse and wring a pair of pants I have soaking in the sink and write in my journal. I have one more day to do and then I'll be caught up. WHEW! Pat returns from the gym just of few minutes after me. His workout was good. Ping pong was fun but he ended up one down for the day at 7-6. The summer series now stands at 86-74 with Bob in the lead. I finish journaling, eat a bowl of cereal and shower. Pat gets our stuff together after his shower and we're ready to go. Bob and Beth knock at 12:15pm.

It's another warm walk to the baby home. Our friends are not in their usual spot today when we pass by. We get to the baby home and find the children outside. Molly is snoozing in her crib when I arrive. Mama Bibigoul wakes her. Molly is dressed in tiny underpants and a bonnet. Mama Bibigoul diapers her and hands her to me. Molly has not eaten and lunch has yet to arrive. I sing to her (Molly Had a Little Lamb) while we wait. She is not quite awake yet and looks at me like I have 3 heads. Lunch is served and I feed Molly. Today's menu includes applesauce, ground meat and carrots served with a shot of pear juice. Molly cleans her plate - no surprise there. I wash her face, dress her in a pink onsie, find a pair of sock and babushka and we're ready to go. Everyone is in the marble room including Cate and Daniel. Daniel is making great strides and is now comfortable joining the kids in play on the floor. Molly is out of sorts again today. She shows little interest in her toys at first. We take turns sitting her on our laps and she seems content to do this. I bounce her on my knee and get a little smile. Olesya arrives after her massage and we have Molly creep for her. Everyone claps. Aidan is equally disinterested in toys. He prefers to try and crawl into the hallway and is quite persistent with his attempts. Pat and Beth each foil his plans several times. He is then content to stand at the sofa and play with the ziplock bag filled with nuks and nipples. He then visits with my necklace for a few minutes. We rub foreheads and he head butts me to both of our sursprise. He rests his head on my chest. I look away for a minute and then look back to find his eyes closed. I hand Aidan to Pat and he puts him on his shoulder. A few minutes later I notice Pat's eyes beginning to close. He stretches out on the couch and falls asleep with Aidan on his chest. They both sleep peacefully for about 20 minutes. Aidan doesn't wake up until Pat puts him in his crib. I put Molly in her crib. She puts her head down while I rub her back. Her head pops up when I stop to leave. We meet out front and take the bus back to the hotel.

Pat and I stop at the Gros for Pringles and Coke on our way to the Internet Cafe. We need to get the Blog up to date and will post two entries each. Our progress is slow as connectivity is less than speedy. We get our entries posted and have time to quickly check email. Not a lot of time to respond. We head back to the hotel after 3 hours at the Internet Cafe.

We run into Dana in front of the hotel on the way back. We drop off our stuff while she knocks for Bob and Beth. We decide on dinner at the Dom. We find a table outside in the shade and enjoy another good meal. We pay the bill and go back to the hotel. Pat and Bob are going to watch Braveheart while the girls play cards. Dana teaches us a Russian card game called Fool. It is fun but somewhat complicated and it takes Beth and I several practice rounds to get the hang of it. The game is called Fool because if you loose you get a letter and when one player spells F-O-O-L the game is over. Despite feeling like I was doing well I end up being the Fool. I console myself with an ice cream bar. At 10:00pm we knock on Bob's door to let the guys know we will be walking Dana home. We arrive back at the hotel at 10:45pm. Pat watches soccer and I read. Lights out at 12:30pm.