Back from Vlad

30 hours and counting, yes still awake in order to get back on west coast time.

Alexei had his big "3" birthday today. Very exciting as we flew in just in time to celebrate with a little cake and Chinese food with his grandma and grandpa from Toronto.

We brought him home a special Chuberashka (sp) matroshkya doll. So AWESOME. I could not believe when Michael found this at the Vladivostok Airport. It has all of the characters from Gena to the old lady inside. Such a collectors item.

My 3 year old watched videos of his new sister and then collapsed in his bed wearing his adorable Woody pajamas.

Our Vladivostok Trip:
It was a very difficult trip for us this time from not knowing that we were traveling until 6:30pm a day prior to leaving to finally thinking we our referral was official to arriving and losing our referral. Emotions ran high but as with any adoption, we know there are risks.

The first night we wrestled with the idea of leaving without a new referral or to look at a new referral. A few minutes later the first night, we decided fate must have wanted it this way and decided to go ahead with a new referral. Our hearts weighed heavily as we looked over her photo, rushed to get the medicals reviewed by UW, which by the way had a response from them within 9 hours, EFFICIENT.

The next day we had to go to the MOE and receive permission to see the new referral. When I say no one has changed in the last 2 years, I mean they are all still the same people we remember being interviewed by from our last adoption. Brings back plenty of memories.

We were given permission, had a nice lunch in Vladivostok (Really good Borscht) and headed up to the baby home. It was a long drive, more so now because Vladivostok is getting a complete make over by the airport and down past the Vlad Inn. They have torn up all of the roads to pave new one's as well as making them wider with some bridges over top. There is also a very large structural bridge being built across the ocean off of the Vladivostok port. Should look very cool when done but in the mean time prepare for a very bumpy, sometimes muddy adventure.

When we arrived at the baby home, we met with Dr. T and showed her a video of Alexei. Within a few moments she was ready and was brought to us. She was very calm, studied us a bit looking at me, then at Michael. She would frown and then give a look of surprise a few times before she began to reach out and touch Michael's hand.

She is 13 months old and is probably one of the happiest babies I have ever seen. Smiles, laughs, babbles and communicates very well letting us know what she wants: i.e. up, down, rocked and walked.

With help, she can walk all around, however independently she will use chairs to pull herself up and start to walk on her own. She is one strong little lady though as she giggles and throws the rattle into my face lol.

She has very little to no hair, normal around that age in a baby home. Hazel green/blue eyes with a hint of brown. Maybe light brown hair to very dark blonde. A chubby cheeked sturdy ball of sweetness. You can see in her eyes the warm heart she carries and the kindness she possesses. Of course she was dressed in 3 layers of clothes, yup all 3 and the outer one was a sweater outfit. Poor sweetie, as if you put your hands near her neck, she was perspiring, dripping wet.

6 teeth are in and boy can she chew up a storm from clothes to fingers. She tried it all, even pulling hard on my earrings, didn't wear them again.

I can see already she is a jewelry and shoes lady. She LOVED her shoes, played with them for a lot of the time.

Her development is incredibly strong from imitating Michael tapping a chair 2x to her tapping a chair 2x. She was able to clap after we did and responded to whatever we were hoping to have her do.

The 2nd day came around and we had to go back up to the home. The driver if you can believe it drove about 50 - 70 kilometers the whole way. YUP, a trip that takes a normal 1.5 hours with our coordinator took a little over 2 with him. It was a long day. This time when they brought her out, she teared up a bit, maybe for a minute and then studied us once again.

We were so exhausted from getting everything done in a matter of a few days that we would head back to the hotel, take a walk, think about the times with Alexei there, maybe have some soup and fries or potato skins, take our baths and collapse.

I was having a difficult time sleeping though I admit because I really needed to work through everything in a very short time and study the medicals, think about our bonding time with the new referral and make decisions.

The last day's visit was a tough one. Emotionally exhausted and physically spent, we headed out early for another visit. This time when she was brought out to us, she smiled widely and knew who we were. She was so sweet, very ambitious about wanting to try more walking and had the most wonderfully kind head butts with me just looking into my eyes as she pressed her little forehead against mine.

So, I should be finalized on my decision right? Or so I hoped. We met with the SW and my husband was sure as anything, he loved our little girl from the moment he met her not to say that I didn't but I think it was all very overwhelming for me. The SW looked into my eyes as if she read everything I was thinking and in short said, "You have doubt, take your time and try harder". Well, that was it. I felt like I was read inside out and felt extremely emotional following the next couple of hours. We ended up having to call it a day and asked to go back to the hotel as we were just that tired and drained. We felt like we just needed an hour to recoup and talk over our decision as we were to sign final papers the next day.

Michael and I returned to the Vlad Inn where we got room service and talked for a bit. The thing that still continues to enter my head was the word, "Ohana", no one gets left behind and all is family including those adopted. I knew the moment we met her we would be signing the papers for her, I just wasn't sure how I felt about everything that had happened in a short amount of time.

The next day we signed the papers and left to the Vladivostok Airport. Then through Korea and straight on to Seattle. Very, very long day so far as I am now writing this at almost midnight the same day.

Tonight after celebrating our Alexei's birthday, we sat and watched the videos we had taken. With certainty I can say, she is the perfect choice for our family. She has the sweetest disposition and is very strong willed. I could not ask for more and I cannot wait to see what is in store for us in the next few months.