Fall "Firsts"

As the temps dipped into the mid-30's last week, it occurred to me that BRRRRR, winter is fast approaching.  But where did Fall go?  Like the rest of the year, the last few months have just flown by.   As we start to prepare for the Holidays, I figured I'd include a quick review of some "Kristina Firsts" that took place over the last 2 months.

In October, we were down in the San Diego area attending our adoption agency's picnic and stopped in to see some friends in the area.  Andrea was about 28 weeks pregnant with twins and this was the first time Kristina had the opportunity to get "up close and personal" with a pregnant belly.  (You mean babies are not delivered by storks like they are in the movie "DUMBO"???)  Kristina was in awe with Andrea's belly and then turned to me and asked, "Mommy, you got babies in your belly?"  *sigh*  I love the innocence in children!  (BTW:  Congrats Jim and Andrea on the arrival of Bryce and Riley!!)

Kristina "hugging" Andrea's babies.

Our little angel has got to be one of the world's pickiest eaters.  Some faves include chicken legs, mac 'n cheese, hot dogs, scrambled and hard boiled eggs, toast with peanut butter or cinnamon sugar, turkey meat, yogurt and cereal.  Occasionally, we can get a banana or some grapes into the repetoire when we're lucky.  No matter how hard we try, though, veggies won't go down.  Unless we coat them in chocolate, we don't see light at the end of this tunnel yet.  But Kristina did try her first hamburger last month -- and we took a picture to document such a moment!  (OK, I do recall Jon saying something like "Don't you want to try this chicken burger?.....)

One of our rare visits to McDonald's (or as Kristina calls it "Old MacDonald's Farm") and Kristina eats her first hamburger!

I'm still asked if Kristina speaks any Russian and the answer is "nyet" -- no.  Not a word anymore.  Kinda sad in a way, but expected.  If I ask her what "koshka" means, she'll say "cat - meow." If I ask her what "sebaka" means, she'll say "dog - ruff, ruff."  Otherwise, that's about it.  We talk about Russia.  Not daily but it comes up frequently with various pictures around the house and some Russian toys that Kristina has.  But Kristina has never "initiated" a reference about Russia until one morning recently when getting ready for school.  It was cool outside and she ran to her room and said "I'll get my Russian hat!"  Yes, it's the one we bought the morning we went to pick Kristina up from the Orphanage.  It's her favorite!

It was still dark one morning on our way to school when Kristina made a reference to her hat being "Russian" for the first time.

Then last weekend, I had a conversation with Kristina which about floored me.  We were sitting on the bed playing with some Russian matryoshka (nesting) dolls.  Every once in a while I'll ask her about Russia, but I usually get a puzzled look as she moves onto something else, completely disregarding my comment.  But not last weekend.  I just feel compelled to document it here because it was our first dialogue regarding Russia, even tho' it was so brief:

Me:  Kristina, did you know these dolls are from Russia?

Kristina:  Russia?

Me:  Yeah, do you remember Russia?

Kristina:  I was sad.

Me:  Sad in Russia?  Why?

Kristina:  I couldn't find mommy and daddy.  I cry.

Me:  Oh, but we found you!

Kristina:  Mommy, you like Russia?
Me:  Honey, I love Russia because that is where we became a family.
Kristina:  Oh....

Last month, we voted.  It was Kristina's first time going to the voting polls and she enjoyed watching us cast our votes as well as making friends with the poll volunteers.

Only 15 more years, honey, and then you can vote, too!

We voted at our Catholic Church, St. John Eudes.  We took Kristina into the sacristy to say some prayers...and knelt in the same spot I knelt and prayed for years to have a child.
Ahhhh, the power of prayer!

This is just short of a miracle at our house but we managed to get our Christmas lights up BEFORE December 1st!  Definitely a first here in the Deary house.  Kristina noticed the neighbor's lights up on Thanksgiving and asked Daddy to put colorful lights up on our house.  Geez, wish I had that sweet talkin' power over Jon!

Organizing the strands of lights and getting ready to put them up on the house.

Cool nightshot of our little Deary with the deers!

Each night Kristina goes out to the deers and rearranges them -- always placing the baby deer next to the mommy deer.

We look forward to many more firsts...and hoping the next one is sitting on Santa's lap telling what she'd like for Christmas!  Last year, we couldn't get even close to the man in the big, red suit -- but this year, things are looking a tad positive.  Keep your fingers crossed for us!