First Thanksgiving

1. "Yeah, we're just hanging out over here at Philip A's house"
2. Ana in outfit given by Baba
3. Ron and Margie's grandkids on Thanksgiving Day
4. Leaf pile!
5. Somersaulting with Spott

[Robin]
Ana had a terrific Thanksgiving. Not because she particularly liked turkey (she didn't) nor did the green bean casserole or cranberry relish tempt her. Instead, she had a great time playing at my parents' house with her cousins. In addition, she got to show off her new dress, courtesy of Baba. She pranced around in it like a little queen bee.

We felt a small measure of success when she mimicked her cousin Karsten by eating Cheerios. She wouldn't try them for us, but once she saw him eating them, she tried them and liked them. This and her acceptance of orange juice makes us sure that other items of regular "American" cuisine are just a matter of time. She will be bowed by the inevitability of peer pressure.

She also had a great time at the Williams' and showed off her ability to flip upside down-- over and over. She, Lee, and Isabel happily played outside on their "Indy 500" deck and inside with blocks.

She is adjusting to her preschool, little by little. She still cries when Phil drops her off in the morning (much to his dismay). But they tell us that it eventually stops and that she is actively engaging in their routine and games. She actually tried milk (maybe because it went along with cupcakes) at school. She came home from school today just talking, talking, talking about something (Phil could only understand a few words). We are now displaying the art work that she makes at school on our refrigerator. They really should just fashion holders to the front of these appliances--everyone seems to use this space the same way.

My Russian vocabulary continues to increase in odd ways-- I can now say "wet car" and "ear." Ana on the other hand, isn't really speaking much English, but she can understand "Do you want to feed Lola?" and "It's in your room" and "Papa is sleeping."

Ana got to have her first dim-sum at Alyson's birthday party. She didn't eat much of anything, but really liked the Lazy Susan and the baby doll that Carmen brought for her. She also had her first encounter with a cat that wasn't interested in being her friend (Philip A's cat Oscar). She seemed rather undaunted by the cat hissing and swiping at her. Maybe our "cats are nice" proclamations went a little too far.

Barney and Justin Timberlake?!

1. Ana playing her keyboard (a present from Kate, our next door neighbor).
2. Ana meets Bella the Beagle. Instant love.
3. Ana at a tea party at Kidzu, the Chapel Hill children's museum.
4. Papa with Ana and baby Catherine. Ana turned 4 around the same time that Catherine turned 1.
5. Riding the tricycle on Bill and Lia's deck. By the way, those giant running shoes are hand-me-downs from cousin Madigan. Ana wants to wear them every day.
6. It's hard to believe that Ana was scared to death of cats in Ukraine.

[Robin]
I had to laugh this weekend. Phil discovered that we have a channel called "Pre-school on demand." I flipped through various options with Ana, watching: Pingu, Thomas the Train, etc. Guess which one she got excited about---yes, that purple dinosaur strikes again. She jumped up and down and clapped her hands at Barney.

Our house is now filled with lots of repetitive music, as Ana's favorite activities involve two different "piano" keyboards, a leap frog alphabet learning program with sounds/music for each letter, and an electronic sing-a-long book of Disney characters. She does some hilarious dancing/kicking when the music plays. Phil says it looks like modern dance. I say it looks like some sort of Irish jig.

[Phil]
By the way, several people have asked how pre-school is going. The answer is: surprisingly well, all things considered. She usually cries when we drop her off there, but she seems to have bonded well with the teachers. They're great, incidentally. Today they asked for me to write down a few expressions in Russian (phonetically) that would be helpful in dealing with Ana. I wrote down 4 or 5 like "Bathroom?", etc., and then when I picked her up today they had a whole page of expressions they wanted to know. That's dedication.

[Robin]
Ana got to see her fairy room at her Baba's house this weekend. She thought it was really cool and spent a lot of time going back and forth to the room to "collect" new toys--fairy lantern, kaleidescope, etc. She also bonded with Helen's little dog, Bella. She played "mishka" (bear) with her granddaddy Baxter and would scream with delight when he would chase her.

The tea party at Kidzu was somewhat of a success for Ana. She got the opportunity to decorate her own wand and a picture frame. This interested her for about 5 minutes. She then jumped up from the activity table and ran out to get back to her obsession with this matching game that lights up and then "pops" out a dragon if you do the game in the correct order. She also helped Carmen take books off the bookshelves and then restock them. She didn't want to go back and engage in the other tea party games with the other kids until the food came out. Chocolate and pink lemonade were just the enticement her to get back to the group.

Later that night she got to play with Lia and Bill's kids. She had an absolute blast. She has now mastered the tricycle and spent most of her time cruising back and forth on their deck area. She really interacted well with Isabel, much to our delight. Nothing makes Mama happier than a play date with wine in one hand and being able to hang out and just watch her have fun with other kids.

[Phil]
Speaking of Ana's dancing, I forgot to mention that the first American song she ever sang along to in the car was "Damn, Girl" by Justin Timberlake. I was hoping it would be something cool like Superchunk or The Lucksmiths, but alas it was JTimms. Actually, I don't blame her -- it's a great song. Still, this proves that Ana is indeed her mother's daughter.

Also, I would like to pass on the good news that our friend Colleen is spending her last night in Kramatorsk as I write this. Tomorrow she picks up Lily and heads to Kiev to get Vika, her other daughter. Hopefully they'll be in the US by this weekend. Keep them in your thoughts.

First Day of Preschool

1. Ana with ID photo in front of her preschool
2. Ana wearing one of the aprons that we bought from an old woman at the Kramatorsk market
3. Ana reading to Lola in the closet
4. Ana in her dress that Grandmommy and Grandpa brought back from Mexico
5. [Late Addition] One of Colleen's photos of Kramatorsk in the snow. That's the plaza/park that we used to walk through every day to visit the orphanage

[Phil]
So today was Ana's first day of preschool, although it wasn't a full day. They like for the children to come in for a few hours the first 2 days before starting full-time on Day 3. I waited in the lobby while working on a translation, worried that the teachers might come and tell me that Ana was throwing a fit, but she reportedly did just fine. To me, it was a little eerie how much preschool is like the orphanage: the kids have their own closets; they have musical exercises in a multipurpose room; they have snacks; they have an afternoon rest period; they have very specific procedures every day; etc. I'm sure it was very familiar to her.

After preschool, Robin's parents (Grandmommy and Grandpa) took Ana for the afternoon so that I could get some work done. They've been a huge help since they got back here. I don't know what we would do without all of our family helpers.

[Robin]
She's such a little (jumping) bean. Besides her grandparents, she has also captivated our neighbors, who are now letting her use their playhouse and swing set. She has Carmen dancing with her in our kitchen. She had Aunt Helen helping her to pick a vegetable patch at Kidzu. She had Aunt Suzi and Cousin Julia gathering acorns so she could feed the baby goats. She has done remarkably well getting to know our family and friends.

She has begun to know (or at least mimic) English words. Today she said "Bye, Bye" and "Help" and "Teeth". We think she is brilliant.

She loves music and yesterday played the flute with Grandpa. Tonight she spent the evening playing her player piano, dancing and singing around our living room.

Right now our only challenge is getting her to eat. Oh, I should say--getting her to eat a proper diet. If a proper diet consisted of chips, hot dogs, bananas and apple juice, we would be set for life. She did end up liking hard boiled eggs (Colleen--yes! This worked after the failed attempts at omelets, scrambled eggs and fried eggs) much to my delight this morning. She still refuses to drink any dairy products. Phil tried to get her to drink milk by pouring her chocolate milk (yes, this was our pediatrician's advice)--and saying it was chocolate. She took one look at the glass and told him 'This isn't chocolate." She also refuses to try ice cream (this actually might be a good plan for life--no freshman "10"!).

She made it through her doctor's appointment on Friday with flying colors. She managed to get a thumbs up in the heart health department. She's really tiny on the growth chart, but we hope this will come around in time. She had to get two shots and I had to hold her....not great, but I came prepared with chocolate in the pocket to hand her as soon as it was over. This actually worked like a charm and stopped her crying almost immediately.

We talked to Colleen this weekend, and for those of you following our blog....you will know how happy it made us to hear that she had been awarded both girls. She is now weathering the 10 days post the court date. She is a champ and deserved a medal for her resolve! It snowed in Kramatorsk just recently. To think that she has now almost experienced all the seasons in Ukraine. The pictures of the town being snow-covered were really pretty.

Konstantin, our facilitator is now looking for American families to host children this winter. If anyone is interested, let us know so we can relay the information to him!

Mama's Home

1. Whee!
2. Going in the playhouse. "See you later!"
3. Two starlets, B and Ana, outside Crook's Corner
4. Ana with the rake Baxter bought for her
5. Ana and Lola wait for Papa to get dressed

[Robin]

It's been a while since I have been able to sit down at the computer. Last week was extremely busy. I went to D.C. for a meeting on Tuesday and to Orlando for a meeting all weekend/Monday. At the moment Phil and Ana are playing with Lola, so I have a second or two...

Our homecoming was wonderful and Ukraine already feels like a distant memory. Ana has really been adjusting well and we haven't seen any signs of her missing her orphanage and playmates. We, on the other hand, are having some difficulty adjusting to her early waking times (5:45, 6:10, 6:45, etc. This morning she woke me up at 7:45 a.m. and I felt like I hit the jackpot) and her boundless energy. We are so happy that she is so interested in everything...but this also means that we have to be "on" all the time to keep up with what she is looking at, poking or hiding. She and Lola are now getting along like a house on fire...they were caught licking each other's tongues the other day. She also "helps" by putting Lola's dog food in her bowl. She has also adjusted to the idea of sitting in a car seat and this has made riding in the car a pleasant activity.

She met my parents today (they just returned from the Yucatan) and we had a good time at their house. She played on the Fearrington swing set and playground equipment. She showed off her coordination by being able to climb up a rope ladder after having been shown how to do it once. We also went to visit the belted goats--a mix of kids and bigger ones with horns. We fed them acorns by gathering the ones on the ground and pitching them toward them. She thought this was terrific fun. She watched Mom cook in the kitchen while Dad and I caught up on the details of their trip and looked at all their pictures. Then we had lunch together and it felt like we had always being doing this... it seems so natural to be around her.

Every day she is trying something new. Today we got her to watch the Russian Winnie the Pooh and she actually sat and watched the whole show. She also went for a walk in the woods for the first time. She loved watching Lola chase after sticks that we had thrown, and squealed with delight when Lola came racing back up the trail towards her.

It was really nice to have the day off. It was a beautiful Fall day--62 degrees and sunny. I managed to do a little cleaning around the house and this also made me feel better. Our living room and dining room are still covered with unopened mail, toys, empty boxes from presents, etc. But I did organize the kitchen and we now have a clear path from the door to the stove. Tonight, if I get really lucky and have some energy, I might unpack my suitcase. Hope runs eternal.

Phil has been a complete CHAMP in the Dad department. He has become Ana's best playmate and they just giggle and tease each other. They have a telephone (fake) answering ritual and they hand the phone back and forth after talking on it. He has really been able to talk to her in Russian and reason with her about things that are dangerous or when she has to go to bed and this has proved to be invaluable. He has also introduced her to many new things--piggy banks (she loves to put coins in and then shake it), computer programs, and saying "Hi."

My office threw the nicest party(ies) for me last Wednesday. My staff brought in lunch --burritos!-- and then asked questions about my trip. They had decorated my office with a string of hand-decorated little dresses and pants --each had a message on the back. Mary Alice had bought out a neighbor's hand-me-down kid's stuff and Ana really scored with lots of needed stuff--table & chairs, bags, easel, crayon/drawing sets, leapfrog, baby in a stroller, etc. Then the whole office got together and had a welcome home event for me and gave me a gift certificate. It was super sweet. Phil and Carol brought Ana to the office and everyone got a "viewing", though she was fairly shy and didn't really want to be handed around. She warmed up once she was in Mary Alice's office with her "loot".

[Phil]
Okay, so I have about 2 minutes to write while Robin watches Ana. Tonight we're going to take her to Tyler's restaurant in Carrboro, another old favorite that we hope she'll warm up to.

I just wanted to quickly mention that our friend (and former apartment-mate) Colleen got some great news today: She was granted custody of both of the girls she was trying to adopt, one in Kramatorsk and one in Kyiv. However, the judge refused to waive the 10-day waiting period, even though the girl from Kyiv has CP and needs medical attention ASAP. Still, we have all learned to be thankful for small victories, and this was actually a huge one. I'm sure Colleen would agree that this good outcome would not have been possible without the efforts of her (and our) In-Country Facilitator, Konstantin Yakubenko. If anyone wants to adopt from Ukraine, this is the man to see. I remember being totally depressed after some unfortunate circumstances in Kramatorsk and Konstantin phoned me and said, "Phil, you've trusted me this far. Please trust me the rest of the way." And he was totally right. We'll always be grateful to him.
-Phil

When Saturday Comes...

1. Ana getting tattooed at The Shrunken Head.
2. Ana and Charlie the Cat.
3. Acting goofy at Spanky's.
4. Sleepy girl at Tar Heel Town.
5. Ana, Lola, and Madigan.

[Phil]
Ana experienced her first Football Saturday in Chapel Hill, minus the actual game. Mom and I took her up to Franklin Street to see all the blue-clad faithful, and then we stopped in The Shrunken Head Boutique to buy her one of those Carolina cheerleader outfits that I used to find so ridiculous. She also got a tarheel temporary tattoo on her cheek (see above). We then went to Spanky's and had lunch. They brought her juice with a straw, which she had never really been able to use before. Today, however, I held her nose and told her to suck through the straw as hard as she could. The first time it went down the wrong way and she started coughing. But after that she pretty much figured it out and didn't even hold her nose. Every day day this child does something that amazes me. Like at the Kidzu party last night, she totally took to Carmen's cat, Charlie, after being deathly afraid of them in Kramatorsk. She's a brave girl.

Mama is in Orlando for the American Heart Association conference, so Ana and I are going over to Bill and Lia's tonight for a play date (which will hopefully tire her out).

Go Heels,
-Phil

Party Time

1. Ana wrapped in duck towel (a gift from Aunt Julie and Uncle Dennis) after a typically stressful bathing.
2. Ana and Papa looking at Aunt Helen's Winnie-the-Pooh e-card. It was a hit.

[Phil]
Once again, it's just me. Robin, my mom, and Ana are over at Carmen's house getting things ready for a fundraising party for Kidzu, the Chapel Hill children's museum. I'll wander over there pretty soon.

We've had a fun 24 hours. Last night we took Ana to Pepper's Pizza, one of our local favorites, and had dinner with my friend Stacy. Ana took to him immediately, but not so much to the pizza. I ask you: who does not like pizza?! We'll take her there a few more times, and then I'm sure it will become her favorite.

Yesterday our neighbors invited to come use their swingset anytime. We live in a heavily wooded neighborhood, so I have actually never seen their backyard. This morning I took Ana and Lola over there, and we discovered the Holy Grail of backyard playgrounds. They had two long swings suspended from a timber between 2 pine trees, a slide down one of their hills, a tree house, and (Ana's favorite), a little playhouse. She loved the swings, but to my chagrin Lola wandered past during one of Ana's backswings and was sent tumbling with a yelp. She basically stood at the edge of the yard after that. After swinging, Ana decided to sweep off the front porch of the playhouse, which was very cute. We then came home and had another hot dog lunch, followed by some playing on the computer. The rest of the afternoon was mostly coloring and chasing one another around the house while my mom and Robin cooked Mexican rice for tonight's party (it's a Dia de los Muertos theme, so all the food will be Mexican or Central American)
. We hope to post some good party photos tomorrow.
-Phil

Ana's First Halloween

1. Ana with new sunglasses and toy cell phone.
2. Papa, Lola, and Ana preparing for nap time with a reading of "Vinni-Pukh"
3. Ana's first jack-o-lantern and Halloween costume.
4. Ana in hat given to her by Aunt Helen.
5. It appeared to be Dad-Daughter Day at the park this morning. Yesterday I was the only non-Mommy there.

[Phil]
A quick post today, as my mom is downstairs trying to distract Ana for a few minutes. She pretty much insists on following me or Robin around the house, so it's hard to get any free time. Still, she's adjusting better than I ever could have expected. She's happy, playful, mischievous, and goofy. She's been talking a lot, singing songs, playing with Lola, coloring, pretending to be a bear, etc.

Yesterday we took her for a visit to Robin's office. I'll let her describe it later, but we were really touched by everyone's kindness and interest in our adoption adventure.

Last night we decided to forgo trick-or-treating, because we thought it might scare her, but we did make a jack-o-lantern out of a pumpkin that my Aunt Beth had left for us. She seemed to really enjoy the process but wasn't too crazy about our roasted pumpkin seeds. Other things she has not liked: cheerios, peaches, cheese, yogurt, chicken, Chinese food, and cheeseburgers. Things she has liked: cherry tomatoes, pickles (somewhat), animal crackers, hot dogs, and bananas (her favorite).

Not much else news to tell. One request: if anyone knows the email address of the Gaiyok Orphanage in Kramatorsk, please leave it for me in the comments section. The address they gave me doesn't seem to work.

-Phil