An Adoptive Mother in Moscow

A dear friend of mine has been corresponding with me while we've been here and asked me a lot of questions. After sending her an email letting her know how our day went, I thought that most of the content might be interesting for everyone here too.

She asked... What are you doing with your time in Moscow? Do you have lots of appointments or it it just a lot of waiting? It's weird that the weather changed so drastically. How is she sleeping? Is she interacting with you quite a bit in the hotel? Does she like Kevin?

Hi! It's good to have someone to correspond with because as you can tell I have a little more time on my hands here than when I'm at home (doing laundry). M is asleep right now... we just finished dinner and Kevin just got back from a run to the grocery store. Everything here at the hotel is so expensive that it makes sense to go out to the store for simple things like bottled water, milk, and yogurt.

Our time here in Moscow... well, today we didn't have any appointments so we woke up somewhere between 6:30 and 7am (because M woke up then... the usual time for her); we had room service for breakfast (because we couldn't get everyone dressed and out for breakfast downstairs); M napped; we all dressed and went out for an excursion to Red Square; lunch near Red Square; back to the hotel and M fell asleep on the way; back in the room she woke up; we had 2-3 hours of fussing because I'm not feeding her like the orphanage does; major poop; more fussing; a half-hour nap while dinner arrives in the room; M woke up and fussed more until I feed her my mashed potatoes; more fussing and then I cuddled with her on the bed. Now she's asleep again. I hope she stays down.

So, to answer your question, she was sleeping great until we decided to mess her up today with our trip out and about. She was a trooper while we were out but then she made us pay for it later. I think she was hungry and backed-up. I also think that all the milk I've been giving her may be upsetting her digestive system a bit. I'm not really sure. I don't think she was getting much milk at the orphanage. I would like to give her formula but I brought mostly soy and she didn't like it yesterday. I'm saving the milk formula for the plane. I have just enough to get us home. She slept through the night all last night though, which was a blessing, because we both woke up feeling better. My cold has been better today.

Tomorrow we have one appointment at the US Embassy in the afternoon to get M's immigration paperwork. Our translator submitted the application today and everything went fine, so I expect tomorrow will be a few questions and then we'll be on our way. I want to maybe go to Old Arbat Street, which is another major tourist destination, but not sure if M will fuss about it.

She loves human interaction and she really loves how fun Kevin is. When I'm trying to settle her I have to tell him to go away so that she doesn't get stimulated by him. He's the fun guy! She likes me too though... I cuddle her, feed her almost exclusively, dress her and change her diapers. She screamed like a banshee today (first time I've heard her do that) and Kevin had to help me hold her down while I changed her first poopy diaper... I think she's so fat that her folds are kind of raw and it hurt being wiped. She wasn't too fond of me. But wha' dya gonna do? The second time was a piece of cake and she was great (after she had the first coat of Desitin).

Sidenote: M is very chubby, although she is still small for her age. She was born one month premature so that needs to be accounted for as well. I suspect though that her chubbiness is from being fed large quantities of food at the orphanage, but not necessarily high quality nutritious food. I started her on vitamin supplements today and intend to have her on formula for the next few months to compensate. But of course I will follow my pediatrician's recommendations.

Kevin is liking Moscow. He likes that we are not standing out here like we were in Stavropol (as adopting Americans), even though it's hecka-expensvie here. I like it too... wish I could see more of it but I am a little busy right now. Yes, I wish the weather was warmer, but maybe it's good that it's cold because I am less tempted to take M out everywhere. You know how we like to go go go. I'm also quite a bit underdressed for this hotel. I brought all my grubby casual clothes and then we end up at one of the swankiest hotels in the city. I feel like a total frau in my frayed capris and sweatshirt. But I have lots of mascara on to make up for it.

I hope all is going well with you. Have the kids started school yet? C and K started Wednesday. We decided to call them up (note: Skype, only 2 cents per minute!) and wish them a happy first day of school so we called them at 7am. (They have to leave at 8). Kevin's parents hadn't gotten them up yet and told us to call back in 10 minutes. So we called back and wished them a good day (and heard C being urged to hurry up and get dressed! Sounds just like home. =) I can't wait to get home. In Red Square today I was so homesick for them that I started to cry. I want to go home and never be away from them again. It's been a hard summer that way.

Thank you for all your prayers, again! Please keep M's health in your prayers. If she can wait until we get home to catch this cold then all will be well. I don't know what we would do if she caught croup on the plane.

Kevin and I just agreed to give each other turns using the pool tomorrow. I'm going to sneak off to the steam room!!!