I posted this on facebook earlier this week and I think it does a PERFECT job of summing up Tatiana’s year home.
It’s the SAME dress she wore last year on the day she left the Artem baby home (courtesy of Jeanette and Sophie – thanks!). It was quite big on her last year – and since she’s still very small around the middle, I figured it would still fit. And it did!
Just a little different!!
Another post? Sheesh, what is this world coming to? I must be making up for lost time!
I have sent this email to some and also posted on facebook, but would love to share my Gotcha week project with my dear blogger friends. Next Saturday will be Tatiana’s 1 year “Gotcha Day” anniversary. I don’t love the term “Gotcha Day” for some reason – but it sums up the occasion nicely – so it will do for now.
To celebrate we have a big day planned. There is an Enchanted Princess Ball nearby that day, followed by naps (probably more for mama than T) and then dinner out with Gramma Darlin at Red Lobster. (Sigh) Both Gramma and Tati LOVE fish, mama: not so much. And Red Lobster is the closest we’ve got near by to a seafood restaurant – so Red Lobster it is!
Tatiana will be getting a couple small presents – 1 Russian themed (mama has yet to pick from the secret stash) and a Tag Jr. reading system (which I have to say I just took out of the box tonight, downloaded/set up everything and it’s VERY cool). And lastly, I am making the final present… which is where YOU come in!
My friend Charlotte made a video /slide show of pictures to celebrate a birthday – and it sparked an idea. I thought it was a wonderfully personal way to say Happy Gotcha Day to T. I am hoping you’ll join in our celebration, take a picture of you/your family/kids/pets/whateveryousodesireratedG and email it to me before 3/18. I’ll compile them all and make her a special slideshow! Here’s two examples from some fellow Vladivostok graduates!
Thanks in advance – I can’t wait to see all the pictures! Email address is danivann@aol.com.
March is a month of anniversaries for Tatiana and I. I can’t believe that it was a year ago this week that I was back in Vladivostok, reunited with the little Russian Princess and sitting in a Russian court room to be named the new mother of this wonderful little girl.
This week my normally VERY healthy little tot has had a yucky tummy. I hesitate to say this out loud for fear of jinxing our string of good luck – but honestly since Tatiana has been home, she’s literally not had any major sickness beyond a stuffy nose.
The stuffy nose is back – likely mama suspect the culprit of seasonal allergies (weather change! bring on spring!). I was giving her a chewable immune booster for kids over two and it seems that Wednesday the immune booster decided to make a re-appearance – ALL NIGHT. The poor thing got going and couldn’t keep a thing down Wednesday night.
I can hear you all now… “Amy, this is thrilling and all, but I honestly have better things to do than read about puke”. So why am I telling you this? We also had a major learning for Miss T this week, that only took her a year!
When she wasn’t feeling well, I moved her bedtime up a little bit that night. After she was in bed, she decided she wanted some water to drink (a nightly routine for her) – but since she had literally not kept a THING down, mama was nervous to give her the water. I asked her if she wanted to come out and sit with mama and rock/snuggle. She agreed.
Rocking and snuggling are not new for T – she’ll do it and has been doing it for a bit now. However, the big learning came after the rocking/snuggling when I put her back to bed. 5 minutes later I was being summoned to the bedroom with calls for “mama!”. When asked what was wrong – Tati says “I want to rock…”
1 year to the date of court and the girl is asking for rocking and snuggling. I am not only pleased that she now is openly asking for this – but I am also pleased that she has learned how to potentially draw out her bedtime! I know that sounds backwards, but, it’s a milestone for her!
It’s amazing to think of the changes in her over the last year. Some of the more visible are apparent in the picture below – taken the day after court last year (3/11/09).
