A Blessed Day!

It's been a wonderful week as we just returned home from our one-week cruise yesterday. But more of that to come in a later post after unpacking and laundry is done!

Today was a very special day for our family. Kristina was baptized in my parent's Catholic Church "Emmanuel" down here in Delray Beach, FL, by Deacon Santana. When we were in Russia, we asked if Kristina was baptized and were told "we'll have to find out." Shortly after our court decision was announced on April 29, 2009, the representative from Orphanage #6 presented us with a baptismal certificate and said that the "nuns" had Kristina baptized when she was in the hospital on January 18, 2007 -- a week after she was born. (Kristina was 9 weeks premature and in the hospital for two months before moving on to her first of two orphanages she would call home.)

Kristina checking out the altar flowers prior to the Baptism

The baptismal certificate is in Russian so we can't read it. Deacon Santana had someone who reads Russian take a look at it and it's unclear as to who the Celebrant was as well as "Godparents". So, as Deacon Santana stated, today's baptism is called a "Conditional Baptism" as we can only be baptized once in a lifetime. If the first one took -- so be it. If not, Kristina is covered and today she was officially baptized in the Catholic faith. God will be the determinator...but for sure, our angel is baptized now!

Initial blessing as our Angel sits quietly...for the moment!

Deacon Santana celebrated Kristina's Baptism...and Kristina can only think how much she loves her thumb!

Kristina's Godparents are my brother, Jim, and his wife, Erin. They have two boys, our nephews Jimmy and Andrew, and are now so proud to have a "Goddaughter". It was a very special service and we were fortunate to have Grammy and Poppy there, as well as Aunt Sadie and Uncle Bob, Auntie Mora from France, cousins Jimmy and Andrew (our novice photographers who did a great job!), and friends, Rose and Pat. Nana and Grandpa Deary were still in California so they couldn't be here but they did send a special baptismal candle that was used during the ceremony.

Kristina and her Godmama, Auntie Erin, and Godpapa, Uncle Jim

Afterwards, Kristina and I knelt at the feet of the Blessed Mother statue to say a quick prayer (no lengthy prayers with a 2 y.o.'s energy level!) and I did what I have always dreamt of doing....I took her right hand and guided her to make the sign of the cross at the end of our prayer. I almost cried. Prayers are answered...they sometimes take longer than expected and may not be fulfilled exactly as anticipated, but they are answered!

Bon Voyage, Mahn!!

Here we are, sailing out to sea, on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. This will probably be the last chance I have at internet access so I thought I'd try as we're pulling out of port.

We're headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, Labadee Haiti and St. Maarten for 7 days. There are 20 family members and friends who are here to celebrate mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary as well as get lots of R&R. Well, atleast those who aren't on board with a 2 year old will get some R&R!!!!

Kristina is doing well considering the number of people she has met in the last week. There have definitely been moments of meltdown due to overstimulation and we hope to make it a "calm" week with lots of sunscreen.

I've been wanting to update the blog on everything we've been doing for a week but simply put -- we've just been too busy. By the time we get Kristina down to bed, I crash. But I'll make up for it as I have LOTS of cute pictures of Kristina with all her cousins and family that just have to be posted.

We're now off to take our daughter up to the Promenade Deck and check out the swimming area. Have a good day, Mahn!!!

The Gang!

We're ready to board!

Come on, Papa. Put your shoes on and let's check out this boat!

First Month Anniversary!

A month ago on May 13th, our lives changed forever. We picked up our Kristina and she's been in our arms ever since! Good-bye sleeping in, going to the bathroom in private, or running out to the store without first packing up lots of wipes, juice, and a snack-trap full of Goldfish crackers.

So to commemorate our first-month anniversary, we travel to the Cassidy Ranch for Kristina's first time. Mom and dad live in South Florida but bought a home about an hour north of Orlando which has become the central meeting place for family and friend gatherings. We have so many fond memories of the Ranch and now look forward to including Kristina in those memories.

The Cassidy Ranch, Sorrento, FL

The Ranch at night

Grand-Godparents, Aunt Diana and Uncle Sal, left Kristina a "welcome" note!

Shortly after arriving home from the airport, we all took a 6-hour nap. I didn't sleep more than 5 minutes last night so the 6 hours were glorious. Afterwards, Papa went swimming and Kristina watched ~ from afar. She's never been swimming, we're sure, so she was wide-eyed at such a big "bath tub".

Kristina "cautiously" gives Papa a kiss, trying to stay away from the pool.

Soon afterwards, the winds picked up, tree branches started flying and the thunder/lightning set in. The rain poured and Kristina cried. What happened to the sunny skies like in California? Welcome to Florida, dear Kristina!!

A True "Red-Eye" flight....

When we traveled home from Moscow, I feared the 14-hour flight with a 2 y.o. -- moreso than Court or parenthood, in general. We were so pleasantly surprised when Kristina did wonderfully -- playing and sleeping. Did I really think we would have a re-play of the same scenario on last night's flight? Oh, how naive I was!!!!

Our flight left LAX at 10:22pm and was to arrive in Orlando at 6:15am (3:15am PST). I assumed since this was "sleep time" she'd sleep. I couldn't have been any more wrong. She cried for about the first 90 minutes and then jumped/played/babbled at full-throttle for another hour. Then she began to yell out the dreaded "Ka-Kahhhh, Ka-Kahhhhh" over and over again. Off to the shoebox the airlines call a "Lavatory" where our little princess faked me out. Not once, but twice.

The flight attendant was so sweet and played peek-a-boo. Another sweet lady who was sitting directly across from us picked Kristina up in one quick swoop to carry on the babbling conversation that Kristina spear-headed. I mean -- I don't even think Kristina even came up for air --- she just talked and talked and talked this lady's ears off! Of course, my attachment radar went haywire ("don't pick up my child...we're trying to bond!") but I don't even think Kristina noticed that she wasn't on Mama's lap since she was talking non-stop and I have to admit, I was exhausted from wresting a wiggle-worm for 90 minutes. The lady did comment "you have so much patience with her." Should I have yelled at Kristina? I mean -- she's 2 years old, over-tired and restricted to seat with a belt! I, too, wanted to cry, kick and scream but feared embarrassing JD...

The attached photo is out of focus but it represents a moment in our life in which nothing was clear about it. Kristina was miserable, crying with her hand in her mouth and I am looking to JD as if to say "what do I do? how do I make her happy?"

It's Official!

On Friday, June 12, 2009, as we prepared for our first family vacation, a large manilla envelope arrived in the mail for Kristina. Yeah ~ it's the proof from Homeland Security that we awaited...Kristina's Certificate of Citizenship!

There has been a lot of concern about Kristina being able to get on the Caribbean cruise next week and not having "proof" of US Citizenship. This concern was even brought to the attention of the ship's Captain who has already reviewed her adoption p/w and Russian Passport with the IR-3 Immigration VISA. Now....no problem, mahn, we're off to the islands, mahn!!!

Packing it up....

Our life has been a whirlwind for the last 4 weeks. Everyday, we're engaged in activities, projects, quiet time, etc. and then I think "oh, I can't wait to write this in the blog!" ~ but the time to write can't be found. I guess I could give up sleep...

Tonight (Thursday) we have been packing up to leave for Florida Friday evening. We have a red-eye flight into Orlando where JD, Kristina and I will stay at my parent's Ranch for a few days. We figured it would be good quiet time together in a new timezone before gathering together in So. Florida with the Cassidy Clan and friends before our cruise next week on June 20th to the Caribbean. We'll be gone for two weeks.

Kristina continues to just flourish and her personality is incredible. She speaks to us with hand gestures and facial expressions that leave us busting at the seams. I've tried capturing a few of these conversations on video and will try to upload one when we get to Florida.

Falling asleep at night is still an issue...unless she doesn't get an afternoon nap. In that case, she's sound asleep within 20 minutes. She has awakened between 5am and 6:30am all week....but I found that if I take her back to bed with me, she cuddles in just like a cat (yes, up against my face many times) and will fall asleep for another 3 hours! I love waking up and seeing her staring into my eyes and then puckering up to give Mama a big smooch. Where did she learn this? I swear....sometimes I begin to think that this little girl has walked this earth before.

Last weekend was a busy one seeing friends from CT (Miss you, Ken, Cindy and Kiera!), going to our adoption agency's picnic where we got to see other little kids and friends, and then a Welcome Baby Shower for Kristina on Sunday thrown by Laura (LYL TOL!). Overall, I think Kristina did really, really well. So many people commented on how friendly, outgoing, and comfortable she is with everyone. Of course, my eyes were out to see if she was "mommy shopping" but still haven't seen that yet. Even if there's a crowd, she'll still run through it with arms wide open looking for her Mama's love. Yep - my heart just melts.

Was she overstimulated? Yeah -- I could tell by Sunday afternoon that we were nearing maximum capacity and made sure that each day since was quiet family time with only JD and me. Now she won't leave my side. Quiet home-time with Papa while Mama shops? Oh, no.....little Miss K cried for 2 hours straight "Mamaaaaaaa, Mamaaaaaaa" and then JD called me and said "Please, when are you coming home?" Broke my heart to hear her bawling in the background but oh.....to feel so needed and wanted! :)

Back to packing as it's going on 1:30am and the suitcases are still bare. More entries and tons of pictures to come....just appreciate the patience from everyone as this tired Mama is trying to just stay afloat!

Showered with Love

What an amazing day. I love showers. No --- not the kind I assist with as an Occupational Therapy practitioner...but baby showers, bridal showers...those type!

For years, I hosted showers or attended showers and always hoped that one day, I'd, too, experience the joy of welcoming a little one into the world. It's hard 'cuz I don't like being at the center of the attention -- I much prefer the "behind the scenes." But today -- it was all about Kristina.

My friend of 28+ years, Laura, was even contacting me in Russia -- "ok -- so when should we have Kristina's welcoming shower?" I was so torn with the whole bonding thing, hearing that she shouldn't be around crowds, Kristina should not held by anyone except by Jon and me, and I just wasn't sure how it would go. But, Jon and I talked and decided our 5 weeks in Russia and the 4 weeks home pretty much on our own were beneficial to that process. One day of loving attention from all my friends and co-workers who have been so supportive during all the years of infertility, limbo, and then the adoption chase could do nothing but give us special memories.

And it did. The day was beautiful. I wish I had more 1:1 time with everyone to catch up but we'll just have to make the time for that.

I thank Laura and my other friends who helped out, drove far, sent wishes from out of state, etc. I cry when I look at the pictures (Lori: your pictures are absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!) ~ it's real!!! We felt the love....from everyone.

Enjoy the montage...a sample of the happiness felt this day as our daughter was welcomed into the circle of love of friends and family.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Not so Nighty-Night

I knew that if I wrote about how Kristina was sooooo good and that the Super Nanny techniques worked, that I would be jinxing myself! Especially with bedtime. It's been a tough week ~ taking about 90 minutes 3 of the 4 last nights for Kristina to fall asleep.

She finds everything amusing (i.e. I put her to bed, she gets up, I put her back, she gets up....) and that cute giggle of hers comes out. "PT, PT, PT" -- yep, the old "I gotta go potty" routine. Then, when she lies there sucking her thumb and when I think she's almost asleep, she rolls over and puckers-up to give me kisses. Ugh -- she's got me trained...I can't resist those darned kisses!! I end up staying in the room facing away from her just so I can't see any additional offers for some love. She knows my weakness.

She also likes to hold my finger with her left hand while sucking her right thumb. I can tell when she's starting to fade as the death grip on my finger lightens up but then she'll say "Papa?", or "ohhhhhhhh" and the cycle begins all over.

One of the hardest things for me: to watch her rock herself to sleep. If she's on her back, she thrashes her head to the left and then to the right with shoulders lifting up off her mattress. If she's on her belly, she gets onto "all fours" with her forehead buried into the bed as she rocks her body back and forth. I know this is her self-soothing mechanism so we don't try to stop it. Afterall, she didn't have someone to rock her to sleep as a baby, or comfort her when she awoke from a nightmare or storm -- she has had to rely on herself for this her entire life. This is what is hard for me...just to know this fact.

But even after a marathon of getting up and going back to bed, crying and tossing off her blankets from the bed..., when she falls asleep, I can't help but just stare at her. She is beautiful. All kids are beautiful when they're sleeping! I get so much joy at passing her room 10 times during the night while cleaning up, etc. and checking in on her almost every time. A tender kiss on the forehead of my sleeping angel and my night is complete. Ninety minutes?? What ninety minutes? :)

Kristina won't sleep with blankets but Mama & Papa cover her up....eventually!

Thank-Yous Forthcoming...

Over the last month and a half, JD and I have been overwhelmed with the generousity of gifts and well wishes from friends, family, co-workers, and people we haven't even met in person! Everytime a card, an e-mail, or a package arrives -- we just look at each other in amazement.

My stack of Thank You cards sits here on the table and my list keeps growing and growing. I think about them everyday and I promise --- I vow to get them out soon. I wish we would've had room in our suitcase to take them to Russia with us so I could have done them there! Having Kristina has been the most joyous time of our lives, but leaves very little "down time."

Please know we haven't forgotten about one gesture of generousity and will be in touch with you all individually as soon as possible.

Love,

Laura, Jon and Kristina xoxo