Still trying to get settled in

Two more days and I have to go back to work! ugh!!!!!!!!! I am still trying to get unpacked and laundry done and bills paid and baby fed and bathed and played with etc... I wonder what I did with all my free time before Berik? He is doing good and slept for the babysitter for 2 hours and didn't shed one tear? What's with that? Bedtime is good around here but nap times are awful!! You can't convience him that he is sleepy even though he can't even stand when assisted. He loves helping out around the house with sweeping and laundry!! and loves his highchair,

his bath time and his toys most of the time. They trade off for a good toy is daddy's shoes in which case we make a mad dash to get them before he starts teething on them. Anything he can get in his mouth he chews.

Berik turned 10 months on 1-27-07. Time really flies by and he is changing right before our eyes everyday. We are randomly finding more tickle spots as we initially didn't think he was ticklish at all. He has the greastest giggle ever!!! He is a joy and our whole life but we are tired as this is alot of work! We have had a lot of friends stop by and each seems to have a little something for Berik, which is great! but he is getting really spoiled already and our house is busting with "stuff" to constantly pick up off the floor... but hey at least I am getting exercise! The weather here has been rainy and cold but not as bad as Kaz so we aren't complaining. Pam, another CAI family is back in Kaz today to pick up Zach. Congratulations Pam on "Gotcha Day"!!

January 22,2006

We have been home now for 18 days and Berik is finally on somewhat of a sleeping schedule. Whew...we were begining to wonder if he was ever going to get his days and nights switched around. We broke down and let him sleep with us for a few nights which was great for him but for us?? He is now in his own bed and sleeping better but still wakes up at least 2 times per night. Thanks to Gerber.com I now have a feeding plan which seems to work out great!! I never could tell how much was too much and he won't let you know as he would eat until he blew up. He loves his new highchair and is experimenting with finger foods a bit.

Berik went to see his babysitter, Kathy, for a couple of hours for the last two days and seems to love it!! She has been babysitting for 30 years and has glowing recommendations, which makes me feel good. One of the other babies there has nicknamed him already and calls him "little man". I think she is confused? He weighed 24lbs on 1-7-07 and there is no telling how much he weighs now.
We went to Alabama to see Jaimies mom and daughter, Jessi. We had a really good visit and they loved all over Berik. We arrived on Sat. and left on Mon. so really short visit but good time for all of us. We hope to get Jessi to Texas during Spring Break as we sure missed her at Christmas.

My babyshower is on Feb. 17 and I can hardly wait!!

January 7, 2007 WE ARE HOME!!

As you can see Berik was ready to go as well as we were!

Well we made it home today, Berik did very well for his first flying time. From Almaty he did very well, and he seemed to like the bassonett that we had for him.

We had a 5 hour layover in Frankfurt, to which I found Micky D's and enjoyed a Big Mac and Fries, not fres. We left Frankfurt at 10:15 a.m.Germany time, which was somewhere around Beriks evening bed time, he did at this time decide to give our fellow passengers a taste of his well developed Kazakh lungs, but it didn't last very long, this is always the worst time to get him to sleep.

He never really fussed for any length of time, so we thought that he did very well for his first time flying, we thought we would have to experience what some of the other families have experienced in the past. We arrived in Houston, Texas at 2:50p.m., we were the last to dapart the plane, as we didn't want to fight with all the people to get everything ready. We went to customs and got in line and thought; hmmm, this doesn't look good, but just when we thought the worst, a customs lady (Russian) came and ask us if we were adopting and took from one line and put us in another. We thought alright!, until we went to secondary customs, we sat there until 4:30 while our family and friends were waiting patiently downstairs for us to arrive. It was a very joyful and tearful for a few minutes, then we loaded up and came home to Doma Lloyd, the house was decorated welcoming us home.

We visited and laughed,then it was bedtime for all of us, especially Gena and I, as Berik thought it was somewhere around noon back in Kaz. One of our friends (Elizabeth) volunteered to stay and watch him while we got a few hours sleep. This has been one of the best times of our lives, we love everyone that we met while on our adoption journey, Don, Kimberly and Lera, Mick, Debs and Eva; Jim and Ryan; Kurt, Chandra and Serik; Scott, Linda and Zhanna, Peter, Lynn, Moses, Kasiah, Zilya and Bonnie; Kevin, Pam and Zach (Moonruler), and Patty. It is so amazing how close you get to people, when you have a common goal. Thanks to everyone who has helped us at home and in Kazakhstan. More later........

January 2, 2007 Belated Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year to all, we leave for Almaty tonight, and should be there for 3-5 days, as such we may be home sooner than previously estimated, yeahhhhhhhhh! Hope everyone had a wonderful New Years, and that you were all responsible adults. We are not sure about the internet connections when we get to Almaty, so this may be the last post until we get home. Check from time to time to see though, as I am sure there is an internet cafe there somewhere. Tara got your IM on my cell phone, Happy New Year to you too, see ya soon! Gena is at the Baby House, so that the doctors can check Berik out and maybe prescribe some meds for his ear infection and his chest congestion. Our love to all, have a great day!