New Experiences

My Horoscope for Today

“Your time is going to free up a bit over the next few days, but that doesn't mean you will be bored or idle. You need to fill up some of those hours with images and ideas that feed your mind new concepts and ideas. This is the perfect time to get cultured! Act like a tourist and hit all the museums in town. Go see a foreign film. Eat out at a restaurant that specializes in the cuisine of a country you've never been to. Feeding your body and your mind new experiences will only be a good thing.”

This is so appropriate! Just last night I was thinking that I haven’t really had a chance to see or experience Aqtobe, other than the drive to and from the orphanage. Given I leave on Friday, I will probably have to do most of my sightseeing on my next trip.

So what happens now? My 15-day bonding period is over on Thursday. I’ll head home and wait to find out my court date, which is expected to be about 6 weeks out. I’ll come back for court, which is followed by a mandatory 15-day appeal period. This is the “last chance” for anyone in Kairat’s family to reappear and claim him. It very rarely happens, but is still frightening. At the end of the appeal period, I am required to be here to sign his new birth certificate and some other documents. At that point, we can have Gotcha Day, which is when I can spring him from the babyhouse. Only problem is, there is still a bunch of paperwork that has to be done in order to leave Kazakhstan and get him into the US. That paperwork is averaging about 3 weeks. My dilemma is whether to try to stay the full 6 weeks on trip two, or leave after the appeal period and return a couple of weeks later for just a few days to bring him home. There are good and not so good things about each option. I don’t have to decide yet, thank heavens!

Baby Times

Kairat was a much happier baby today! I think he was just tired and not feeling well yesterday. Today he was his usual happy self, in fact, one of the best days we have had. He was all smiles and giggles and babbles. Couple whimpers thrown in here and there, but mostly from frustration or hunger, which was quickly resolved.

Have I told you he is crawling? He was a little hesitant last week and would go a few feet and stop, but today he was hauling cute little diapered butt from one end of the carpet to the other! He is lovin’ being on the move! I planned to post a video here, but am having technical difficulties compounded by user idiocy. So instead, here’s a close up of the cute little bottom which quite accurately sums up the day: Good and Happy! (BTW, if you click on any photo, it should enlarge for better viewing.)

Since I’ve been here he has also become quite proficient at pulling himself up to a stand and then bouncing while holding my hands. His doctor saw him crawl up to me a couple of days ago, reach for my hands, then stand up. She commented that that was something new since I’ve been here. Boy did she know exactly what I wanted to hear! So this afternoon he crawled under the chair, which he has done several times, but today he was using it to try to stand up by himself. He was definitely on a mission, but of course he couldn’t stand, cuz his little head was bumping up against the seat. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong and got pretty frustrated and the whimpering began. Mommy came to his rescue, but he didn’t want to let go of the chair! It was very cute and also really fun to watch him try something new. This is the little stuff I have dreamed about!

Just Too Cute Not to Post!

Here are a few photos from prior days in the bonding room.

This is my absolute favorite so far! We were going to go on our first stroll around the building. The nanny brought him a hat – they are not allowed outside without their little noggins covered.

Here is the lovely Regina and her son, Milo. I love the way the two little guys are sizing each other up!

The stuffed animals in the bonding room are downright scary. They’d give me nightmares if I was a little tyke and had them staring at me. One in particular isn’t so scary, but kind of sad. I named him Roadkill. The picture kinda speaks for itself.

Kairat, on the other hand, thinks that having a dog would be a wonderful thing. Merlin and Callie would so NOT agree.