Our Family Staycation

With a honey-do list reaching here to Timbukto, we decided to spend our week "off" at home instead of going away on a vacation.  After all, we could save money and get some neverending projects done.  Well, that was the plan, atleast...

Then some friends of ours disguised as angels made us an offer we couldn't pass up.  Beth and Enrico have a place in Carlsbad at La Costa Resort and Spa and it was available for a few days.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  We headed down Sunday afternoon and briefly met up with Beth and Enrico along with  their two little girls, Francesca and Natasha.  (Natasha is from the same region in Russia as Kristina).  We arrived at LaCosta Sunday early evening after hitting 4 hours of traffic due to the rain.  Kristina was so excited as she ran through the double-room unit in awe with the big bathtubs, the big beds and the 4 pools that could be seen from the balconies.

Natasha (3), Francesca (6) and Kristina (4) had lots of fun playing around, even if only for a few minutes.  (Very difficult getting all 3 girls to look in the same direction at the same time and not move!)

Two Ekaterinburg-born girls!

Even rain couldn't keep our little girl and her daddy from taking a late evening swim!

On Monday, there was a chance of rain so we stayed close to "home."  Kristina and daddy went swimming in each of the 4 pools and I got a chance to catch up with our dear friend, Andrea, who lives 15 minutes away and just had twins 4 months ago.  Kristina did good with the babies and after the visit, started asking me to feed her her sippy cup just like I fed the babies...  I obliged --- because in my heart of hearts I wish I could have been the one feeding Kristina her bottles when she was an infant.  (But soon enough, she was back to her "big girl" ways.)

View of the pool areas outside the units we stayed in at LaCosta.  Beautiful!

Our little fishy LOVES the water!

We stayed on the top floor in the unit where the white (closed) umbrella is and the unit to the left.

Kristina hanging out with buddies Bryce (L) and Riley (R) - 42 mos. age difference to the day!
(Note to Andrea:  Enjoy every moment...they grow up sooooo fast!)

This will have to be our traditional picture to show growth...if we can get the kids to sit still long enough!

We LOVED playing with the kids but whew...it can be a handful!

Andrea and me with our dreams come true.

We rarely venture out into restaurants as Kristina is too fidgety, however, this was Andrea's first time out in a restaurant with her kiddos ~ and they did GREAT!

 

You may have to turn up your volume here but in the above video, Jon introduces Kristina as she models her "newest swimsuit edition."  This girl can shake her booty! 

Kristina LOVES swimming with (and all over) her daddy!

We spent Tuesday at Sea World and had a great time.  Due to the rain Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, I think every guest in So. California was there on Tuesday with us.  We saw the shows and some exhibits but have lots more to see next time.  Kristina had a great time.  And mommy and daddy slept very well that night!

Greeted at Sea World by O.P. the Otter!

In the park 5 minutes and already on our first ride:  Elmo!!

The highlight of the dolphin show.

Kristina got a kick out of the seal show...and this little guy is dancing!

Checking out the fish Kristina's going to feed to the seals...

...and the lucky (patient) seal Kristina gets to feed!

"Come on....you gonna give me that little fishy today, little girl?"

And he caught the fish she flung over the rail!

"Are you positive, little girl, that you have no more fish in your pockets?"

We didn't get to touch the dolphin but we did get close!

Not sure who invited this bird to our lunch table but he made himself comfortable on our backpack and waited for any of us to drop a french fry or a piece of meat.  Yep -- this bird ate chicken!

Look who we ran into!!!  I was corrected that it was Grover and not the Cookie Monster.  (Need to brush up on my Sesame Street characters, apparently...)

Couldn't leave Sea World without seeing Shamu!

Incredible creatures...

A final good-bye pose!

Don't attempt to adjust your computer screen color...yes, we got a tad "red" at Sea World.  It was sunny and chilly and I never thought about sunscreen.  D'oh!!  (Won't happen again...)

Doing the Sea World "Happy Dance"!

We headed home on Wednesday which started out as a beautiful day but ended in torrential rain.  The usual 2 1/2 hour drive took 5 hours but we made it home safe and sound with wonderful memories.

Eating cereal - breakfast of champions - before a final swim!

Waiting out on the balcony while mommy and daddy do the last minute "check".

Our very own personal "valet service".  She demands good tips...

We stopped at Claim Jumper for lunch on the way home so Kristina could have her favorite food:  plain chicken legs!
Two things I wish for:  1)  That we always see eye-to-eye on the important things...

and 2) that you *never* feel too old to kiss your mommy.

The next few days were great family days spent shopping, chasing Kristina on her bicycle, going for walks and sleeping in.

And that honey-do list?  Well -- thanks to several more days of rain, there were projects we couldn't tackle (cleaning out the garage, getting the shed up on the side of the house, etc.) and new ones added to the list (fixing more areas of the roof as evidenced by new leaks in the livingroom and bedroom).  sigh....

2-year Post-Placement Report DONE!

We first met Theresa back on June 2, 2008.  I remember being nervous knowing she would be the social worker interviewing us, touring our home and eventually writing up our HomeStudy report -- the report that would go to Russia telling officials and judges more data about us than our family and friends know.

Nerves quickly dissipated that day when she walked into our house and headed right to the terrarium (where our Jon's 3-foot ball python snake lives) and asked "Oh, you have a snake, too?"   I'm sure our parents thought the adoption may be "off" if Russia knew we had a snake, but apparently, it was not an issue with our super-cool Social Worker (who conveniently left the snake info out of our report..!).

This past Monday on March 14th, Theresa made her 4th trek out to our part of the world to fulfill our 2-year post-placement report requirement.  About 15 minutes prior to her arrival, Kristina's rambunctious side kicked in.  Dear God -- she can't be on a chocolate high now!   Jon brought her outside to play on the tire swing and that seemed to do the trick.

She loves to spinnnnnnnnn!!!  Take note of the drunken sailor wobble afterwards...

Happiness is...our little girl.

When Theresa arrived, Kristina hid behind my leg pretending to be shy which lasted 20 seconds.  It didn't take long before she started telling Theresa about her butterfly chair and drawing pictures for Theresa to take home.  The meeting lasted about 75 minutes and it went really well.  We're blessed.  We don't have many issues but we did discuss Kristina's friendly hellos and conversations with complete strangers.  (It's not uncommon for Kristina to yell across the street, "Hey, what's your name?").

Kristina then got to show off her new big girl bed before Theresa left.  As we went back into the house after waving good-bye, Kristina was bummed.  Theresa forgot to take the masterpieces that Kristina drew for her.  Oh, well---maybe I'll save them for next year's 3-year post-placement report...which will be our LAST!

Theresa and Kristina.  I only regret not having taken pictures of them together at the 6-month and 1-year PPR meetings to show just how much Kristina has changed.  (Yes, one wardrobe change did occur during the meeting!)

We celebrated by going to our favorite restaurant "The Bear Pit."
Kristina's favorite meal these days:  chicken legs!

Pinkeye Family ~ Party of Three!

Our weekday evenings are usually quite routine with dinner, homework, bath, books and nighttime.  But this past Tuesday night was an exception to the rule.

Let's just say, we've never been greeted as "Oh, so you're the pinkeye family!" like we were last night by the doctor on-call at the local Urgent Care.  We all sat there looking at Kristina as the culprit but knowing full well that no matter how hard we tried to keep the pinkeye to herself, she was generous enough to share it with mommy and daddy.  Daddy started getting it Monday night and I woke up Tuesday morning with it.  I stayed home from work Tuesday and called our primary doctors after taking Kristina to school (she's been cleared since last week and was just finishing up her meds).

Neither Jon's doctor nor my doctor could see us until Wednesday afternoon (arghhhh) and I just couldn't wait to start the meds, thus putting off going to back to work until Friday.  So going to Urgent Care was our date night.



I picked Kristina up a little early from school as I promised her a scooter/tricycle ride around the neighborhood before we went to Urgent Care.  When Jon came home, our evening on the town began.   Some pics to share ~ but I didn't even think of taking a picture of the three of us together.  *sigh*

Kristina loves her Razor scooter and is actually pretty good at it!

...it's keeping up with her that is the problem! (Yes, wardrobe change #1.)

Still loves her tricycle even tho' her legs are getting a tad long for it! (Wardrobe change #2)



Kristina loves to pet this stray kitty...who she has affectionately named "Kristina".  Very creative, eh?  Note the sunglasses at the neckline of her top.                            

 

"Wait, I'm 4 years old - I get bigger!" claims our little angel.
(Wardrobe change #3...final one before pj's.  Typical day!)

And the verdict:  37 lbs. and 39 inches tall.  That's 10 lbs. heavier and 8 inches taller than when she came home almost 2 years ago!

While at the pharmacy, Kristina checks out the glasses...

...and she looks good in 'em, too.  Hmmm, maybe a therapist in the making??!!

  

Pretty in Pink....not so much!

This morning was like every other morning...I woke up early for work at 5:30am, got ready and then woke up Kristina for school.  But whoa....our bright-eyed little girl was not so bright-eyed.  Instead, she looked like she had a fun-filled evening of partying!

Her encrusted eyes were so bloodshot that it was apparent...she has pink-eye!  I made a few phone calls and text messages to my work and supervisors letting them know I couldn't come in only to find Kristina already back asleep in her bed moments later.

Back to bed for 3+ more hours...

I finally woke her up at 10am (still has the Cassidy-Deary genes in her no matter what genetics tell us...) and we had a wonderful morning filled with breakfast chatter and SpongeBob entertainment.  I called the pediatrician's office who prescribed eye drops.

Soon after, we met daddy for a quick lunch break and then headed to Costco to get the medicine.  In Kristina's mind, Costco and churros are synonymous.  She was such a good girl all day and in the store that I couldn't resist.

Ready for "girls day out"...meet daddy for lunch and get some medicine.

We always stop to smell the flowers...and watch the birds play on the lawn.  Life is too short not to.

"Yeah, hi Daddy.  You working?  We're going to Costco.  And you?"  Her conversations on her (deactivated) cell phone are hysterical...so grown up!

The Costco churros are almost as big as Kristina...but then again, it *is* COSTCO!

"Hey, this 'pink-eye' gig ain't so bad!"

Since the first 24 hours after starting the meds are the most contagious, we're staying home together tomorrow as well.  Now I'm just hoping that my itchy, tired eyes are simply sympathy pains....  *sigh*