Week in Review

We are quickly approaching the one-year mark when we received the call to go to Russia and become a family. Seems like yesterday -- yet seems like Kristina has always been with us. Where has the time gone?

Everyday, this sweet little girl amazes me. We literally see her growing up daily in front of our eyes as clothes are getting tighter, her bed is getting smaller, and my back is starting to feel the affects of carrying a 31 lb. sweetie to her bed when she falls asleep on my lap.

School is going great. She counts to 20 but somewhere between 10 and 18 we lose some numbers. Kristina successfully comes home with her Dora the Explorer or Blue Clues "big girl panties" 100% DRY. One day we just started sending her in panties and she's never wet them at school. Aw, geez -- I shouldn't have said anything... Nighttime is a different issue usually but that's ok.

On the way home from school last week, Kristina sang to me the entire "ABC's" song without cutting out letters. I happened to have my camera so, of course, I asked her to sing it again so I could capture the moment. She's a tad soft-spoken on this video but thought I'd share anyways...

Video of Kristina singing her ABC's

When I was at Toys 'R Us, I bought a "tire swing" since Kristina is quite the daredevil. Papa wasted no time hanging it from our tree...now all the neighborhood kids are starting to ask "Hey, can we swing on your swing?" Finally meeting some new neighbors...and there wasn't even an earthquake to prompt it!

Thanks, Papa ~ I LOVE my new swing!

Kristina and her friend, Kira, trying out the swing for the first time!

The shrills of little girls having fun draws out other neighbors we never knew existed! (WARNING: No hurt feelings if you choose to "mute" your volume at this time.)

Kristina is still a nightowl. Now that it's daylight savings time, we're using it to our advantage to wear our little one out (and give us a workout in the meantime!). When we come home from work, we take a ride around the block on her Radio Flyer tricycle, take a walk on the neighbor's low brick wall (a gymnast in our future?), and finish the evening on the swing. A refreshing bath with Elmo Bubbles, a nightcap of warm milk and snuggles are soon to be had! Life is grand.

Kristina is always ready to make a break of it and go for a ride.

When she's not screaming with excitement or quietly snoring, Kristina is a motormouth. Some of Kristina's favorite sayings are (and how I wish I had these on video because the facial expressions and hand gestures are priceless):

"Mama, stay here. Tina go get it. Stop, wait here."
"Bye, bye baby" (waving to her doll in the morning when going to school) "Oh, you want me to hode you again? Ok, baby (as she kisses her baby on the forehead)."
"Oh, my godsh." ~ said with lots of drama...
"Tina wants apple juice - no water." (She knows my trick of diluting the a.j. with water!)

These are just a small sample of the ongoing full conversations we have....my mind is just too fried to recall others at the moment. Stay tuned!

So now we are starting to prepare for Easter. She has several beautiful dresses to wear so now I have the daunting task of deciding which one. This is such a wonderful dilemma to have this year!!

One Year Post-Placement Report

OK, your Honor -- we're fully complying with the requirements we swore to uphold when we stood before you last year!

After so many months of paperchasing and waiting to become Kristina's parents ~ which seemed to be an eternity ~ I'm here to document the fact that today we had a meeting with our Social Worker, Theresa, to comply with our 1-Year Post-Placement Report (PPR). We still have to have a 2-year and a 3-year follow-up as well, so we're not done yet! One year, already? Well, it will be one year next month but we had to have the meeting a month earlier so our report could be completed, notarized, sent to Russia, translated and provided to the Russian officials in time. I'm so glad we have an Adoption Agency which is on top of everything and ensures all this happens in a timely manner. It's not a good thing when PPRs don't make it on time...or not at all.

During our 6-month PPR meeting back in October, Kristina was a tad rambunctious probably because we were talking with Theresa and not focusing 100% of our attention to her. Today, she talked with Theresa for alittle while and then played independently (too independently?) on our front porch in her house (we left the front door open but locked the gate leading to the front yard).

After a few minutes, we heard things moving around on the porch -- especially her table and chairs. I thought she was just rearranging things since I did it earlier in the day. We talked with Theresa about our attachment, school, developmental milestones, her language skills --- when all of a sudden, I hear the gate open. I dart out and sure enough, Kristina had climbed up onto the table, unlocked the gate and was going to make a getaway.

Great --- in the presence of our Social Worker, our child tries to runaway! Actually, she wanted to go next door to say hi to our neighbors, Marc and Rose, when she saw them on their driveway. I quickly had a discussion with her and brought her into the house praying for smooth sailing for the remainder of the visit.

I guess I prayed too hard. Within 10 minutes, Kristina fell asleep in my arms and Theresa never heard another peep out of her.

Our meeting lasted 2 hours and now all I have left to do is submit 6 photos to go along with the PPR. Next dilemma -- narrowing down several thousand pictures to 6!

What a hostess...snoozing!

Our Little Leprechaun

As Wikipedia defines "Leprechaun": "A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief."
Well there it is --- all the proof that we needed that points all fingers in the direction that Kristina is, indeed, part Irish.

Don't let our continual reference to our little girl as an "angel" fool you. She's got another side that makes me really feel on some days that Aliens from another planet have come down and switched her out with a clone. But then I remind myself, she is three years old -- testing her boundaries & testing our patience, the main occupation of a three year old. I'm sure one of these days when I have more time (???) I'll dedicate an entire blog entry to the devious dealings of Kristina DeAnn, but for now, I'll just share some pics from this years' St. Patty's Day.

Kristina's waiting on the front stoop for Papa to come home so we could go to Nana & Grampa's for some Corned Beef & Cabbage...& Irish Coffee. (Except for the shirt, Kristina dressed herself from head to toe, hat to UGG boots!)

Video of Kristina with mommy interpreting...

Nana really knows how to cook up a fantastic Irish meal ~ including cookies & cupcakes!

Don't let this innocent smile fool you....Kristina is hiding a box of chocolates under the red pillow and pretending that they're really not there...

Our 'lil Graduate

Back in November, Kristina's school said that they were starting to transition her from the 2-year-old Potty Training Class to the 3-year-old class by having her spend mornings there and some nap times. It was during this time that I noticed night times becoming more difficult and she started rocking again when falling asleep (whipping her head left and right repeatedly as she lay on her back -- a common form of self-soothing for children in orphanages).

I talked to the school Director as well as Kristina's teachers and asked to hold her back (can you believe it ~ holding our daughter back in daycare/school already????) and wait several months. She had just started school full-time in September and I wanted some consistency in her life which she never had before. Besides, her best friend Gaby was in her class and I wanted them together for awhile longer. The school obliged saying they completely understood.

Now, 4 months later, our little girl was ready to move to the 3 y.o. class and appeared to be handling the few-hours-a-day transition fine. I noticed again that she started rocking herself to sleep a few weeks ago. It hurts me to watch her do this (reminds me of a time that she didn't have someone to cuddle/love her) so I usually try to hold her or touch her to let her know I'm here. Otherwise, I have to agree --- I think she is ready. (Now Kristina awaits Gaby to join her hopefully in the next month or so.)

So today --- our little girl officially graduated and is now full time in the 3-year-old class. When I went to pick her up today, I practically had to pry her away from the table where she was affixing stickers with 3 other little girls. What happened to our angel who used to run to me and couldn't wait to say "bye school"? She's growing up, I guess....

Papa took this picture as we were getting ready to leave for school today.

Kristina's new classroom

"Aw, Mommy -- I'm gonna suck my thumb no matter what class I'm in!"

Deeply engrossed in a sticker activity that she didn't even want to go home. And another first: wearing pigtails when I pick her up! They usually only last 10 minutes in the morning.

Then and Now....

Kristina hanging out with the deers at school when she started full-time in Sept. 2009.

Our little Deary now hanging out with the deers 6 months later. She's getting so big!

And the Oscar goes to.....

Living in the land where the "Golden Boys" are handed out, it's only fitting that our blonde beauty has been practicing for her moment in the lime light.

It's not unusual for Kristina to be whiney these days...(what happened to our "angel"?). The lightest bump on the head or fall to the ground will promote an outcry fitting for some catastrophic event. However, the smallest diversion (do you want a cookie?) will turn the waterworks off as quickly as they began. (And no -- we don't use food as a reward usually. Kristina is quite content with hugs and kisses!)

And so...without further ado, our Academy Award winner of LA's Most Dramatic Child--drumroll, please: Kristina DeAnn!

Each owie commands another dramatic performance, rewarded with lots of hugs and kisses.

Ready for the Red Carpet!

"And I'd like to give a shout out to all my little friends who made me who I am today!"

Kristina is already scoping out a place in our cabinet to place her Golden Boy.

P.S. Our biggest accomplishment today: wearing big girl panties all day and no problems! *knock on wood*