Maks 1st Year Slideshow

Happy Adoption Day Maks-Joseph!

One year ago in chilly Murmansk Russia, the judge officially announced that we were now the proud parents of Maks-Joseph Kirill!
Our family was complete, even though we had several more days in Russia before we would be together as a family of four.
After so many years of struggle, we finally had the family we had dreamed of.
It is hard to believe it has only been a year, it truly feels like Maks has been with us forever. It is wonderful to see how much he has grown and changed.
He went from being this pale, sickly little guy to a little man filled with life and color! He was so afraid of everything, sudden movements, people, new environments. It is amazing how resilient he is, if you think about what he went thru. He was taken away from everything familiar and safe to him, and now was with people (who although smiled a lot and showered him with hugs and kisses), didn't speak his language and didn't understand him. He traveled in cars and airplanes, spent several nights in hotels. Ate new food, started on formula, had his first bath in a tub, and then was brought to this whole new country, and a new home filled with two dogs and a boy waiting to be his brother. Maks was truly amazing, how he handled all of that!
I remember when we were finally in our house, and it was just the four of us. Alek was showing Maks all the toys and the playroom and we just sat there smiling, thinking, "we did it". What an amazing feeling that was!
Maks had a rough adjustment between being sick and in the hospital, to not being able to sleep and being afraid of pretty much everything, except food!
Fast forward one year,
the little boy who only wanted daddy, now runs to his mommy,
the boy who was petrified of bath tubs and water, now does belly flops into the pool and floats with his face in the water,
The little boy who was afraid of swings and sudden movements, won't get off the swings in the yard and loves to be tossed in the air.
And the little boy who didn't smile often, now has a face full of life and light.
Maks and Alek are truly brothers and buddies, you can see how much they love each other, especially when they hug and kiss good night. We love watching the boys play together, laugh together and of course even fight, because that is what being brothers is all about.
So we celebrate Maks 1st adoption day and his first Thanksgiving here! Last year we spent Thanksgiving in the restaurant at the Marriott Tverskaya in Moscow. This year both families will gather at our house for the feast!
We look forward to watching Maks grow and change in the coming year and we feel so blessed to be his parents.
We are truly thankful for all we have been given and especially for our two amazing and beautiful boys.
Happy Adoption Day Maks-Joseph, we love you!!!

Created a slide show above of Maks' 1st year home-Enjoy!

Going batty

Well it has been a crazy and interesting week here. Kevin was away last weekend and the boys and I had a nice time together, that is until Sunday morning. The boys were sitting nicely in my bed watching a movie, so I jumped into the shower. As I finished, I threw back the shower curtain and all of a sudden there were wings and something near my head and Kaiser was leaping in the air, I hit the floor and looked in the hallway and saw what I thought was a bird (but should have known) flying down the hall. I ran into my bedroom and closed the door. The boys seemed oblivious, thank God. I peaked out the door and the thing can flying at me. So I stood there in my birthday suit trying to decide what to do. I gathered myself, got dressed and called Brett, who was came over to help me find the bat and remove it. I peaked into the hall and no sign, so I crawled down the hall and down the steps to open the door for Brett. In my mind I figured it would not come down that low to attack me!
We finally found it hanging upside on the blinds in the kitchen, brett took it outside. Good riddance.
Monday evening, Kevin calls me frantically while I am at a dinner, there are more bats flying around the house-two he thinks. So he packs up the kids and the dogs and we stay at my mom's. Then I head to Kohl's to buy us all clothes for the morning. Of course in his rush, Kevin forgets to bring Maks' inhaler and of course, Maks who hasn't had any wheezing in a year, starts to. So I have to get another Rx called to the CVS near my mom's. Complete insanity.
Mind you, all this is going on as the contractors have been working in our bathroom, so our house it already upside down.
The bat people came out on Tuesday., said our attic is clear and still sealed from several years ago, but one of our chimneys is not capped, so they think that is how the bats got in.

So Tuesday night, we moved back in, sort of, we all slept in the basement. Thankfully we have the basement we do with a full bath, so it was easy to move in. The kids think it is fun, like one giant sleep over. A week later we are still in the basement! Wednesday we decided to have a fire in our other fireplace (the one that is capped), we heard alot of noises during it, so we think we may have done one of them in.

Last Thursday morning, just as I was feeling good about no bat sightings, I flicked on the foyer light in the morning and out came a bat flying right into the living room, I didn't stick around to see where he went.

Friday, Kevin notices the flaps for our whole house fan are separated and some black residue is there, so he thinks the remaining bat got up into the attic. He promptly sealed that all off and we haven't seen any since. Though I am not taking any chances as we are still sleeping in the basement. It is better since our bathroom is still being worked on and the upstairs is so dusty, I rather wait until they are done, then clean and move back in.

Of course, we are hosting Thanksgiving, so it makes it more interesting, hopefully Mr. Bat is in his winter slumber and does not make any holiday appearances...

Where did October go?

I can't believe we are staring down Thanksgiving's door, October just flew by! Life was pretty busy here this past month with lots of activities and excitement.

Maks' birthday party was alot of fun and a big success, thanks to all those who donated to Adoption Options, Inc and the Kyrgzystan van fund, it was greatly appreciated!!!

Alek still talks about our trip to Baltimore and the aquarium, he loves reading the books we bought there. Maks loves his new puzzle of fish.

We also had Maks' one year post placement report! I cannot believe it has been almost a year home. Seems so long ago, yet it wasn't.

Alek had his first school field trip to Freddy Hill Farms, and I went with him, it was so cute. It was fun watching him in action with his classmates and his friends. he loves his two little girlfriends "M" and "I". Apparently he has decided he is marrying them as well as Keeley. We asked him if he was planning on buying property in Utah as well!

MK and Mike came into town with the kids and we had a great visit. It was so wonderful to see them and we can't believe how big Erin and Kevin are getting! It was so fun to meet Kelly's fiance and see Mikey (can't help it, still call him that), though it made me feel really old.

The benefit/reunion party was a great time and a great success, hopefully this will help go to their furniture fund. I can't imagine the stress they have been going through after the flood and trying to re-build. Hopefully they will be back on their feet soon!

During their visit though, I think I gained 10 pounds, that cheesesteak and pizza diet just does not cut it!

We spent a morning at Merrymead Farms doing the hayrides and mazes and picking out pumpkins. It was a lot of fun. Then it was time to say good bye. We miss them already and secretly hope they move back this way soon!!

After they left, I headed back over to Merrymead with the boys and Cynthia and the girls. Tradition for our kids to get pics together at the pumpkin patch, not so easy anymore trying to herd 4 active children and get them to look at the camera. Needless to say, they were not the greatest pictures. But we had fun. The Bickersons were having fun together and no arguing, it was nice. Ryan was making the moves on Maks, I think she digs him!

This week, our house seemed empty, we miss the commotion and activity!! Kevin has been working hard getting the bathroom/vanity area ready for the contractors to come on Monday. I can't wait to have that done, 4 years in the making!!

Maks finally had his speech evaluation. As suspected he is doing great on his receptive skills (tests at 26 months) but his expressive skills are delayed (tests at 15months).

So we scheduled early intervention through the county, as our private insurance only pays for a limited amount of visits (gotta love that), so CHOP said to use them as a resource and for evaluations but to start the therapy with EI. Hopefully it won't take long to get him chattering up a storm!

Next up was Halloween. Maks was the Hamburgler and Alek was the police officer. He loved arresting Maks. They had their party at school in the morning and got to do some trick or treating there. They also bobbed for apples and apparently Maks was the only one in his group to put his face in and he got an apple! What that boy won't do for food. Alek got one too and decided to eat the whole thing, they stopped him half way thru the core!

So, then I had to pick Maks up for his 2 yr old well visit (and shots), yes I know, horrible to do that to him on Halloween. So mom of the year I am not. He did great though, He is now 29 pounds and 34.5 inches, so 50% all around. He got 3 shots, flu/pneumonia and catch up one. So he is officially caught up on his vaccinations. I am glad we decided to spread it all out over his first year home.

After the visit, it was back to school for the parade. That was so cute, the kids looked great. I loved seeing all the different costumes.

Then it was back home to get ready for trick or treating. We handed out candy for a little bit and then set out in the wagon. Once Maks learned the deal he was all business. He would waddle up to the door, get his candy and head right back to the wagon as if to say, come on people, on to the next house! Alek had to chat with everyone and tell them Maks steals food so he would arrest him. They had a great time. Though it was really hard keeping them out of the candy once home.

It was a great month. So on to November and more celebrating. We have Maks' first adoption day celebration coming up and we are also having Thanksgiving at our house. Last year, Thanksgiving was spent in the Marriott Tverskaya restaurant, so it will be wonderful to have our family all together this year!