Happy First Adoption Day MG!

Can't believe it's been a year since the judge said Grace Viktoria was ours. What a year it has been for our little girl. She has gained 10 pounds and grew 7 inches. She loves her food and I'm not talking PB and J, she wants a real meal. A tough chore when Mommy isn't the best cook. Her favorite right now is Mena's cinnamon rolls. Seriously, she inhales them!

She is a such sweet little girl with a wild, silly side that makes you laugh out loud when she gets going. She still loves her shoes and trying on new clothes that mommy brings home. (oh the shopping for girls :)

We are so lucky to have found each other. While the journey was long and just gruelling at times it was so worth the wait! No question this has been the best year ever. Really I could go on and on ... but tonight we will celebrate with family and tomorrow we are off to Disney World and we need to get ready! Doesn't get much better!

Grace - beauty, sunrises, singing birds, blossoming flowers. All those things that remind us why life is worth living. Heaven on earth. A star to light your life.
~Urban Dictionary

One year ago right after court going to get her passport picture taken.

One year ago tomorrow...leaving the baby home forever.

National Lampoon's Photo Session

What do you get when trying to photograph an 8-year-old, a 5-year-old, THREE 2-year-olds and a 3-week-old baby ... COMPLETE CRAZINESS. (but lots of laughs)
In theory it sounded great...we'll get together and grab a few pics of the kids for the grandparents for Christmas and then have a little dinner. It was October ... it was nice out ... we had a bag full of bribes, including cupcakes with tons of frosting ... no problem. 350 shots later there were only a handful of keepers. Although all of the pictures in a photo storybook will tell a great story someday.
Luckily we were going for some casual fun shots because that is what we got. MG was still getting to know her silly cousins so most shots of her look like she is saying ... "What the heck is wrong with these kids?" Now, four months later she is just as silly as they are!

Groundhog Day. Gymnastics. Granite.

Last year on Groundhog Day we got the call to go back to Russia for court and bring MG home. It was a Monday and we needed to leave on Saturday! It has been a whirlwind ever since.

This year on Groundhog Day, MG went to her first gymnastics class. She did sooo good and loved it! We only saw tears (and some screaming) once...when they flipped her around on the uneven bars ... but who can blame her. She tried everything, waited for her turn and went at every activity with pure excitement. At the end of the class she got a stamp on her hand and piece of paper....she was so proud and marched out the door like she owned the place. It was priceless!

And last but surely not least ... 5 years ago on Groundhog Day Granite was born! Happy Birthday G!

Safe Travels.

Safe travels to Kristyn and Eddie as they leave for Russia to meet their daughter. I'm so excited for you and can't wait to follow your journey from this side.

Friday Fun.

Today MG and I had a "Friday Fun Day." We went to Power of Play at Kidnastics. I think the picture below tells you exactly how she felt about it. She had so much fun and was so confident ... she even went in the bounce house thingy ... and we signed her up for gymnastics. Stay tuned.

The Moon...

Just a quick post so that I don't forget about this. Tonight MG looked out our big windows and said, "Moon"... and she was right there was a big-shiny full moon. She does this every time she sees a moon in a book, but this was a first for the real thing! :) Oh and she pooped in the potty ... BIG NIGHT here on the lake.
Only two more weeks until "Adoption Day." Can't believe it's been almost a year since the judge said "da."

MG on Ice....

11 Months Home....Perfect

Wow ... I can't believe it's been almost a year. I've heard from other AP's that it took about a year for their child to be fully adjusted to their new life. To learn who mom and dad are, to learn what a mom and dad are, to learn who their family is, to adjust to daily activities... now that we are almost there...I can see it. MG made progress everyday the last year but now she is at home. She is running, jumping, climbing, laughing, talking, watching Elmo, eating goldfish....like any 2 year old. She feels safe to try new things and comfortable to run around screaming and giggling anywhere.

Today she got a "perfect" at daycare not a "good" or a "great" but a "PERFECT." Of course we think she is perfect but this was a perfect for a well-adjusted kid who had a fun day laughing and playing, even tried climbing the changing table. And yes I do realize that we may never see a "Perfect" again but that's OK ...because she is adjusted and knows where home is.

Just some pictures...

С Рождеством!

Merry Christmas to our friends in Russia. We did give MG a gift today and will continue to celebrate in a small way every year.

MG's 1st Four Christmases.

Finally some pictures from Christmas. Her 1st Christmas was everything we hoped it would be for her ... lots of love, family and friends!
For the record she got the hang of the present part really fast...tear off paper...pull out gift...play with or try on gift....throw gift...get a new gift...repeat. Santa found out that she loved shoes and brought her 5 pair...we spent a lot of time trying out shoes Christmas morning. All the shoes had to be tested out as soon as she opened them with a spin around the house, a few jumps and a split. ;) What a character!

Christmas Eve with Mommy.

She loved Musical Santa and would dance and jump with him. It was very entertaining for all of us!

Her special gift in the nesting doll wrapping paper... Disney World in Feb. for her first "Adoption Day."

Playing with her new toys!

Playing on the drum!

I love Christmas!

Waiting for Mom and Dad!
(look at that attitude ... she is so mine;)Christmas Eve after one Christmas celebration!

The Christmas Grace Faces.

Trying to decide what pictures to post from Christmas time. These were three of my favorite so I made a little collage. Lots more to come ... she had four 1st Christmases.

Is it really January....

I can't believe it's Jan. 3rd and I haven't even posted about Christmas. Tomorrow I promise a big a post with lots of pictures.

Christmas Fun in November.

Remember when it was like 60 degrees in November. Well I hauled out some x-mas decorations and tortured poor MG. I managed to get a picture for our x-mas card but at one point she was using one of the ornaments has a soccer ball. I'm pretty sure she was swearing at me in Russian even though she looks like a little angel.

Sugarplum Ball

Finally the Sugarplum Ball and Dan got to take his little girl. She was so excited at home! Things started out a little rough at the Ball ... she walked in, threw herself on the ground face first and started crying! (she is a 2 year old) She pulled herself together and after 2 hours of dancing and 6 chocolate chip cookies they were back home ... both exhausted! She had so much fun.

Glamour's Women of the Year.

I was getting my haircut last week and flipping through Glamour and there she was ... Jane Aronson the International Doctor who reviewed MG's medical report. The doctor who said, "get on a plane and go and meet her." She's 1 of Glamour's 7 Women of the year. Pretty cool! Check it out:
http://www.glamour.com/women-of-the-year/2009/jane-aronson?mbid=synd_yshine_glam

It's been so busy! I've got a ton of pictures to post and lots of MG stories to tell when I get a little more time.

Happy Thanksgiving.

We had a great Thanksgiving...lots of food, family and fun! We were so happy to have Grace home this year. Last year we were watching the videos from our first trip. Much better this year.

We put the Christmas tree up today and MG helped decorate it tonight. She is so stinkin cute and so funny lately. She's talking(babbling) all time and trying to repeat everything we say. Yikes!

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

One Year Ago.

It was one year ago that we met MG for the first time. http://voyagetorussia.blogspot.com/2008/11/she-is-doll.html

This is right after they brought her out to us.

Saying hello to Dad for the first time.
Our little Piglet. A year later getting ready for her FIRST x-mas picture.

More Shoes Please....

MG loves her shoes, my shoes, daddy's shoes... crocs, boots, sneakers, flats, heels ... any shoe that gets left out or she can pull out of a closet she tries on. She puts it on, walks around for a bit, and then kicks it off and puts another one on. If she is wearing her shoe she just slips mine on over it. :) There are shoes everywhere in our house. I swear I pick up more shoes than toys. But really...who can blame her...who doesn't love shoes.

In her favorite furry boots from Auntie Michele ... and her shirt that says, "More Shoes Please." (seriously I found it at the Gap)

First Halloween.

I'm finally getting a chance to post some pictures from Halloween. MG had a ball ... she loved climbing the stairs and then getting to pick out a piece of candy. Lots of fun!

Trick-or-Treat

On a mission with her cousins!Checking out the goods.Mmmmm.Just one more?MG and her Pumpkin.Ladybug on the loose at the Lake.