Q & A
'Nika' is all bundled up! How cold is it?
Right now it is 35 degrees outside. At home, my kids don't wear snow pants unless we got out to play in the snow. Here in Russia, they bundle their kids and so we did too just to fit in. Technically, since we are out walking outside, I'd probably bundle her like this even at home in 35 degree weather. However, they bundle their kids like this even when it is like 50 degrees ... much different than what we do in the U.S.
How are you "renaming" her. As in ... what approach are you taking to teach her her new name, etc. I am just really curious how that works.
Aren't you just dying to get all three of the kids together?!?!?!
Ummm, yes! LOL. We have been talking with the kids using Skype (a video and chatting service), so they have seen Addison. When Mason saw her for the first time on video, he said, "Aww ... she is so cute!" They have waved to each other on video too ... so cute. So yes, we are very anxious to get home so the kids can be together.
It will be interesting to see how she takes to American food!
She definitely loves food in general. The minute she sees it, she reaches out for us to feed her. She has the buddha belly of all buddha bellies, that is for sure! LOL. We brought some Gerber baby food that we have mixed with multi grain baby cereal and she has liked all of it. We also bought some bananas and yogurt, which she loves. We haven't really eaten in a restaurant setting with her yet, so we will see how that goes tonight. Her caregivers let us observe her eating before we took her for good ... they had vegetable/beef soup and then some sort of meat and potato meal. She ate the soup and ate the potatoes, but the meat she pretty much spit out as far as I could tell.
The kids in the baby home also drink out of tea cups, although she sort of just slops it all around and half of it ends up back in the cup. She has no clue what a sippy cup is ... we are using the sippy while we are on the road, but we give her an open cup sometimes too. She is doing good with the sippy though ... she drinks half the time and chews on the soft plastic half the time ...
How old is she again?
She just turned two years old less than a month ago ... we just missed being able to spend her birthday with her ...
When do you actually get to go home?
We leave Moscow on Wednesday and will be home the same day since we gain eight hours going back ...
I think you guys have a record for a speedy adoption. How long was it from start to finish?
Things have gone quick for us, thank God! We started the paperwork in May 2008 ... I think our process went quicker than normal because we adopted a child with Down syndrome ... there aren't many people on the list in Russia for wanting a child with Down syndrome. Pretty much I think there was no list. LOL. Anyone want to get on the list? ;)
Isn't the court translator just a hoot?
Yes, she was hysterical! And speaking of ... some of you wanted to see Kyle's hair, since she thought is was so nice ... cracks me up ... really, it is just a normal hair style, which is why is was so funny! Introducing ... Kyle's hair (sorry, I don't have a picture of just him and his hair) ...
So I thought of you guys and then I thought about how picky of an eater you are Bethany and wondered what is Addison used to eating?
Hahaha ... don't give away my secrets! Addison is used to eating mostly meat, fruits and vegetables. Times are gonna be changing at our house! LOL ... for her, anyway!
If I may ask . . . did you have to get a medical exam in Russia?
I'm not sure if you are referring to our medical exam or Addison's, so I'll answer for both. :)
We were able to do our medicals in the U.S. ... our judge did not require that it be done in Russia. For those of you unaware, every person that adopts has to have an eight-doctor medical exam done ... some judges require it to be done in Russia, others allow it to be done in the U.S. Thank God we were able to do it at home because it is much cheaper than having it done in Russia!
As for Addison, yes ... we had to have a medical exam done on her here in Moscow. It was easy and harmless.
Right now it is 35 degrees outside. At home, my kids don't wear snow pants unless we got out to play in the snow. Here in Russia, they bundle their kids and so we did too just to fit in. Technically, since we are out walking outside, I'd probably bundle her like this even at home in 35 degree weather. However, they bundle their kids like this even when it is like 50 degrees ... much different than what we do in the U.S.
How are you "renaming" her. As in ... what approach are you taking to teach her her new name, etc. I am just really curious how that works.
Her Russian name (minus her last name) is Shoshina Veronika, although we were told by our translator here in Moscow that Shoshina is actually her last name, so now we are really confused. LOL. We have been told all along that Shoshina was her first name, so we need to check on that. Anyway, we believe Veronika is her middle name, either way. So her new name is Addison Veronika. At the Baby Home, they called her Veronika, or Nika for short. So we are using Nika for her nickname and that is what we have been calling her since that is all she knows. At some point, we will introduce the name Addison, but I'm not sure yet when or how. Any suggestions from other adoptive parents that have been through this?
Are there other kids with ds at Addison's baby home? Sounds like a very caring place.
Yes, there are other kids with Down syndrome at her Baby Home. I got to interact with one little boy, who was in her grouppa, and he is also doing very well. He reminds me so much of a little boy that I know, Daniel (Lisa ... yes I'm talking about your Daniel).
Not all kids in the Baby Home are available for adoption ... if they have a family member that visits them and if the family has not released the child, they are not eligible to be adopted, even though they are living in the Baby Home and even though the family member (who may not even be the mother) only visits once a month.
If you anyone is interested in adopting a child with Down syndrome, email me privately and I will try to help you. You just never know until you contact an agency to see if they could help you try to find a child that is perfect for your family. There is an international photo listing on the web of children available for adoption in Russia, however I think it is intended to be a photo listing for Russians and I'm told it cannot be considered accurate for international adoption, although I did see our daughter on the photo listing, so take it for what it is worth.
Are there other kids with ds at Addison's baby home? Sounds like a very caring place.
Yes, there are other kids with Down syndrome at her Baby Home. I got to interact with one little boy, who was in her grouppa, and he is also doing very well. He reminds me so much of a little boy that I know, Daniel (Lisa ... yes I'm talking about your Daniel).
Not all kids in the Baby Home are available for adoption ... if they have a family member that visits them and if the family has not released the child, they are not eligible to be adopted, even though they are living in the Baby Home and even though the family member (who may not even be the mother) only visits once a month.
If you anyone is interested in adopting a child with Down syndrome, email me privately and I will try to help you. You just never know until you contact an agency to see if they could help you try to find a child that is perfect for your family. There is an international photo listing on the web of children available for adoption in Russia, however I think it is intended to be a photo listing for Russians and I'm told it cannot be considered accurate for international adoption, although I did see our daughter on the photo listing, so take it for what it is worth.
Aren't you just dying to get all three of the kids together?!?!?!
Ummm, yes! LOL. We have been talking with the kids using Skype (a video and chatting service), so they have seen Addison. When Mason saw her for the first time on video, he said, "Aww ... she is so cute!" They have waved to each other on video too ... so cute. So yes, we are very anxious to get home so the kids can be together.
It will be interesting to see how she takes to American food!
She definitely loves food in general. The minute she sees it, she reaches out for us to feed her. She has the buddha belly of all buddha bellies, that is for sure! LOL. We brought some Gerber baby food that we have mixed with multi grain baby cereal and she has liked all of it. We also bought some bananas and yogurt, which she loves. We haven't really eaten in a restaurant setting with her yet, so we will see how that goes tonight. Her caregivers let us observe her eating before we took her for good ... they had vegetable/beef soup and then some sort of meat and potato meal. She ate the soup and ate the potatoes, but the meat she pretty much spit out as far as I could tell.
The kids in the baby home also drink out of tea cups, although she sort of just slops it all around and half of it ends up back in the cup. She has no clue what a sippy cup is ... we are using the sippy while we are on the road, but we give her an open cup sometimes too. She is doing good with the sippy though ... she drinks half the time and chews on the soft plastic half the time ...
How old is she again?She just turned two years old less than a month ago ... we just missed being able to spend her birthday with her ...
When do you actually get to go home?
We leave Moscow on Wednesday and will be home the same day since we gain eight hours going back ...
I think you guys have a record for a speedy adoption. How long was it from start to finish?
Things have gone quick for us, thank God! We started the paperwork in May 2008 ... I think our process went quicker than normal because we adopted a child with Down syndrome ... there aren't many people on the list in Russia for wanting a child with Down syndrome. Pretty much I think there was no list. LOL. Anyone want to get on the list? ;)
Isn't the court translator just a hoot?
Yes, she was hysterical! And speaking of ... some of you wanted to see Kyle's hair, since she thought is was so nice ... cracks me up ... really, it is just a normal hair style, which is why is was so funny! Introducing ... Kyle's hair (sorry, I don't have a picture of just him and his hair) ...
So I thought of you guys and then I thought about how picky of an eater you are Bethany and wondered what is Addison used to eating?
Hahaha ... don't give away my secrets! Addison is used to eating mostly meat, fruits and vegetables. Times are gonna be changing at our house! LOL ... for her, anyway!
If I may ask . . . did you have to get a medical exam in Russia?
I'm not sure if you are referring to our medical exam or Addison's, so I'll answer for both. :)
We were able to do our medicals in the U.S. ... our judge did not require that it be done in Russia. For those of you unaware, every person that adopts has to have an eight-doctor medical exam done ... some judges require it to be done in Russia, others allow it to be done in the U.S. Thank God we were able to do it at home because it is much cheaper than having it done in Russia!
As for Addison, yes ... we had to have a medical exam done on her here in Moscow. It was easy and harmless.