I'm Outta There!!

Logan thinks he won the Ukrainian lottery and got the heck out of Dodge. He is enfoying life, and we are getting such a kick out of watching it happen. He has been dancing, playing with bubbles, going for walks, practicing walking, and getting hugged and kissed almost continually. He has some issues with food, not suprisingly. He wigs out if he sees someone else eating and it takes him about a half hour to accept a meal being over. Thankfully though he is a good eater and has aleady gained 2 pounds. He had a doctors appt. and goes back to see the cardiologist tomorrow. He has an extremely loud murmur and we will find out just what is going on and can be done about it then. We are all anxious about it and I am thinking a lot about all the families that have faced and are facing surgery for their children. We can't bear the thought of anything happening to him now that he is finally home and hate that we will have to put him through the ordeal of several surgeries, even though we know it is for his good. One day at a time.

NOW... the long-awaited videos!

He'll soon be running circles around us! Then who knows what he'll be up to!

May I present...Pictures!

Hi, this is Lin's daughter, Anne, again. I am beating my mom to the punch and putting up my videos and pics first! Just wait til you see the video of Logan walking! Oh Boy!

Pictures to follow shortly, I promise.

Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue!!!

It is good to be back. Now if I can just get rid of this Ukrainian accent. Well it seems like I was there long enough to develop one anyway. I am sorry to take so long to update, it has been hectic and now I have a very bad cold on top of jet lag. The boys did well for the flight and the craziness leading up to it.
Cody and I spent a couple of weeks getting to know each other, just the two of us. I am so glad for that time, because Logan took a lot of attention once he was with us. They are very different from each other, but both wonderful. We are totally in love with them.
Cody loves to play and rough house and give hugs, he is very observant and imitates what you do. He can be a stinker especially when he is upset or bored. He does some pinching, biting, and hair pulling, something we will continue to work on. All suggestions appreciated. He also shows compassion by giving Logan his bottle if he is crying (and trying to make him eat it if he doesn't stop crying after a while). When Irina came over and said I should change my ticket to the next week which meant I missed my daughter's prom, I was so upset I started crying and Cody crawled up on my lap and was hugging me. He wants to be on the go all the time and into everything, but when I had both boys he would help push the stroller and patiently sit and wait while I carried Logan and the stroller down stairways then come and get him. Ukraine is not stroller friendly, at least not in Kiev. Sara my daughter with DS, calls him Codeman. She is not real happy with him right now since he dumped out her little Debbie snack cakes and bopped her on the head with the box. The first day back he had a great time playing with my son Ben doing all sorts of acrobatics. I think he is a future gymnast. The next day he seemed very upset and has continued to be. He may not be feeling well, as well as being overwhelmed by the changes. I have been sick with a cold and sore throat since we got home. We have an appointment Monday with a doctor that is a specialist in international adoption and children with special needs, at the hospital my daughter Stacy works at. I also think he needs a very set schedule to feel secure, as this is what he was used to and is the type of personality he appears to have.

Now Logan is a something of a free spirit, a baby clown. He has us in stitches all the time. He has developed all sorts of unusual activities to stimulate and amuse himself and is realizing he has a much larger and very appreciative audience. He is mischievious and can be a real teaser. He loves to bug Cody and thinks no one should wear socks and is more than happy to correct our mistake by removing them. He is always half dressed, a real Houdini at getting out of any clothing. They usually were naked at the orphanage he is from. He is a real character and as Sara put it ,"kid you are 100% cute." When I first had him in Ukraine he wouldn't leave his mattress I had on the floor for him. Day by day he got more adventurous and yesterday he started taking steps. I think he will be walking within a month or two. He is just amazing.
Our whole family is so happy to have these precious boys to care for, they are perfect for us. Sara asked how I picked the right ones. They were chosen for us.

FINALLY!!!

They're coming home! Yeah yeah yeah! We contacted every elected official in Iowa (I was on the phone for at least six hours yesterday!) and I don't know if that was the trick but here we are!

Tonight my mother and two lil brothers will fly out of Ukraine to Minneapolis and arrive at 12:45. I figure home by dinnertime. Mom has already dictated what dinner must include:

-Burger and fries
-Milkshake
-Sancho
-Mashed potatoes and gravy
-etc. etc.

I'm sure she forgot to include that she wants hugs between each bite! :)

I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET MY BROTHERS!

To contact me (plus a lil sad news)

Hi everyone!

This is the current blogmaster :) Anne.
Some have asked how to contact me (I'm talking to you "william" :) )
so if you would like to contact me by email it is:

anne-fessler@uiowa.edu

I must also update the blog and tell everyone that my mom and brothers did not arrive on today :(
My mom was informed on Thursday that they would be unable to fly out. We tentatively hope for Wednesday now but the outlook is dim. After Wed. little is available in the way of flights so if they are unable to fly Wed. morning it may not be until May when they arrive.
I will keep you updated!

Thanks!

Baby clothes!

My mom informed me yesterday that Logan is much smaller than she had first thought. She thinks he'll probably wear 18 month size. The clothes she bought ahead of time were 3T. I was pushing her to buy 2T (I provide respite care for a girl with DS who is 6 and wears 2T-3T). So we are unprepared for this small lil guy! Of course, I hear this news and think...

"BABY CLOTHES SHOPPING!"

My favorite kind of shopping! I went straight to the stores after class today! Being a poor grad student I stuck to the 80% off rack but managed to find a cute lil pair of denims, a couple polar fleece pull-overs and zip-ups, and an adorable jean jacket with embroidered dinosaurs on it. I'm pleased :) I'm going home tomorrow to put the final touches on the boys' room (my wonderful big sister, Stacy... with the help of my 1 yr old niece, Evelyn, I'm sure... organized and set up the room last weekend AFTER a 30 hour shift so let's hear it for her, huh?!). I will also buy the final necessities for the boys' arrival on Saturday. The family is SO excited!

MOMMY'S

LITTLE

HELPER!

Long long lllooooooooonnnnngggg trip

So the trip to Ladyzchin to get Logan was riddled with oops's and slip ups but finally they were at the Kiev apt... And poor Logan cried until 11 pm. Poor Logan AND Cody... AND Mom! They were all run ragged :(

They also learned yesterday that Logan's passport will have to be processed in Ladyzchin! So today my Mom will pack up the boys once again to travel the 4 hours, I believe, to fill out paperwork and get the passport. I am determined that they will return WITH A PASSPORT! I just wish I was there for all three of them to watch the boys in Kiev and Mom could travel freely and the boys didn't have to suffer another round trip :(

JUST THREE MORE DAYS! We're barely holding on and these last days have been torture! Every day feels like another week!

Homeward bound!

My mom and my two little brothers are booked for their flight home! They will be arriving in Minneapolis airport at 12:45pm on Saturday! Just in time too! I know my mom's heart was set on being home for my little sister's senior prom which will be this Saturday!

She will be packing up Cody this Tuesday morning at 5 am and drive to pick up Logan! This itself will be a challenge. Cody is apparently the only little five year old I know that doesn't wake up until 9 AM! Anyway, they hope to pick Logan up and drive right back to Kiev area immediately and do some paperwork. I hope that everything goes smoothly but I feel this IS the end and there are only calm waters ahead! :)

Together at last!

Yesterday at noon my Mom picked up Cody! He left the orphanage dressed in a special outfit Mom had got for him in the US; a red Elmo shirt, jeans, and light-up Sesame Street sneakers (Logan's outfit is identical except for his shirt is blue and Cookie Monster :) )! Mom said he loved the sneakers and riding in the stroller to go to the bank. She had set up a play area for him at the apartment and he ran around playing with the toys. He cuddled up to a stuffed puppy for awhile and watched "Signing Time" videos on the computer. He also talked to me on the phone! He played with the buttons, tried talking... and then hung up on me! :)

He got a little nervous during bathtime and when it became dark out but he still wasn't going back to the orphanage. He didn't cry but only holds the back of his hand up to his mouth when he's scared Mom says.

It was late and he wasn't going to sleep so Mom pretended she was asleep on the sofa and, after a little while, he came over and poked her with a book twice. When she didn't respond he pinched her. She still didn't respond so he went over to the bed and flopped down. He finally fell asleep between 10-11 pm.

Mom is really excited to reunite the two boys next Tuesday! Cody's passport is ready but being held until Logan's is ready also. Hopefully we'll see them home on the 19th (Just in time for the former baby of family's senior prom!).

Beginning of the end...

Hello this is Anne Fessler, Lin's daughter. Today my mom will be picking up my new baby brother, Cody, and so I have now officially assumed authority of the blogging for the time being. She will be picking up his birth certificate today at noon (Ukrainian time) and I'll be calling her this evening for more information on Cody. Maybe I'll even be able to tell him "Hello"!

How do they get their pillows to do that and why?

Today

I wasn't able to pick up Cody today, hopefully tomorrow or Wednesday. I did visit with him and we had a lot of fun. He played in the ball pit, he would throw the balls out(he has a very good arm) and I would throw them back in, which cracked him up. He also enjoyed running back and forth through the hanging ribbons , I was supposed to grab him on his way back and tickle or swing him around. When they came to get him his hand went right up to his mouth, which means he is upset. When he had to leave he didn't cry but really put on a show making very sad faces and whining dramatically, very cute. He is absolutely adorable!!

Afterwards we tried to get some paperwork started without much luck, we will try again tomorrow. We also went to the Metro, which is a Ukrainian Sam's Club. I picked up some kid food including baby food. They have some unusual flavors such as, apple zucchini. I also bought a jacket, a few toys, some gifts for people at the orphanage, and the mandatory tights for the boys. If I am still without a little boy in my custody tomorrow I will blog again.

Waiting for Cody and Hello to Mercy

Yesterday I kept busy doing some cooking and grocery shopping in anticipation of the usual after adoption feeding problems. Keeping the BRAT diet in mind, as suggested by my friends at Reece's Rainbow, I cooked up some rice, applesauce, noodles, mashed potatoes, and bought some bananas and yogurt. Logan has only been eating pureed food and most, if not all of that, from a bottle. The bottles they use are very different from what we use here so I think I will see if I can buy one from them, thanks Charissa for that idea.

I would like to say hello to all my friends and co-workers at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa! Katie T. you should have taught me to knit before I came, with all this time on my hands, if I could knit like you, all the US troops in Iraq would have their feet clothed in hand knit socks. Kevin and Deric would like Ukraine real well with all the beautiful women, and I hear the fishing is good too if you stay away from Chernobyl. DeeDee, I tried for Davis, but Brad wouldn't go for it. Hi to all our hard working PCAs!! Amy J. was that skills day mandatory? Hope all is going well for all the preggies. And a VERY special greeting to Karen C., our floor supervisor, a person of exceptional compassion, understanding, intelligence, and beauty, thank you for being so understanding about my extended leave of absence. I hope to be home around the 20th, see you all then.

This and That

I survived my first day alone in Ukraine just fine. I didn’t even get lost which will surprise Brad since he has led me around like a guide dog for almost 6 weeks. I must have been paying some attention to where we were going because I had no trouble finding the UYM (pronounced Soom). It is a big department store that is more reasonably priced than most of the shops downtown. I have been dying to shop the open markets, but have not had much chance. I am planning on going with Irina on Monday to get some things for the boys and do a little shopping before we pick up Cody. Yesterday I set up a roll away bed and cleaned up the enclosed balcony to use as a little play area.
Last night my daughter informed me that I need to proof read my blog posts before I publish them. Since that probably isn’t going to happen as my internet time is limited, I apologize for all past and future typos and mistakes. Soon the postings on my blog will be perfect in grammar, spelling, and content, since my critic and biggest supporter will take over my updating once I have Cody with me. Anne is my 23 year old daughter that is a student in the speech pathology masters program at University of Iowa. She also does respite care and helps with children with a variety of diagnosis including autism, Down syndrome, and CP. She loves the kids she works with and is VERY excited for our boys to come home.
I have given a lot of thought about whether or not to discuss our grievances with how our adoption was handled. It has been said and is very true that once we have the boys the “labor pains” will be forgotten. Before that happens I do think I should say a few things to the benefit of future adopters. First of all, AAC has been used to the satisfaction of many others, and if succeeding in adopting is the only importance so has it been for us. I do think that there should be more to it than that, considering these people are hired by us and are taking on something that each of us invest blood, sweat, and tears, prayers, and love into. I think we deserve to be served with efficiency, honesty, and consideration and that is where the ball was dropped for us. There was NO good reason for us not to be able locate so we could visit with Cody, as is usual, for at least part of the time. We were not always told the truth and the lack of trust this caused, caused some panic and angry moments. We were not provided consistent qualified help when it was needed and to be expected. We were not given the consideration of being kept informed. This being said, I think our case was the exception not the rule. I do think it would be wise for others to be very clear on the service you expect and to not front all your payment. I would suggest half on arrival and half after the court date.
While the orphanages we adopted from were not used to doing adoptions, they were accepting and helpful. They had no problem with visitation, Obviously, Ladyzhin is a terrible place and I am not sure how reform can happen there. It is certainly something I will be putting a lot of thought and future work into.
Enough said, now onto the really good part. It has been quite a year, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything I am a very blessed and thankful woman.

Pictures etc.

I have posted some pictures from our trip to Ladyzhin, there are some duplicates and they are not in the order I intended, but I can't figure out how to change it. I did include at least one of the disturbing ones, the boys tied to their beds are in the same room as Logan. There are others I thought better to not post. The one of Brad and a resident is a girl that has been sitting outside both times we have gone she is a sweetie and really likes Brad. He had to stop and get her chocolate on the way down yesterday and she was thrilled. She is the only resident we have seen out and about. The picture of the two women is of the social worker or inspector as they call her and the older one is the doctor. She is the women who was so negative on our first trip. I was a little apprehensive when I saw she was the one to destify for us at court. She really suprised us by saying how bad the life of the residents was and that he would progress very well in our home and how there are so many more advantages for him. She said that there was only one caretaker for over 16 children where Logan is now. They do not leave their beds and are taught nothing. She seems very interested in seeing the progress he will make in the future.

Brad left this morning, it is sure quiet in that apartment now. I have been keeping busy. The facilitator I will be working with for the final paperwork is Irina. I like her very well. She wants me to wait to pick up Cody until after I pick up Logan in Ladyzhin and finish getting his passport etc. That would mean I would pretty much pick up Cody right before we leave. Considering I have had very few visits up until now I really don't think I will be able to go along with this. I want to have time with him one on one before having Logan, heading home, and having to go back to work ( and share them). I am so excited to think of finally getting to know my new sons, I just can't wait, even though I know it will be hectic while I am here. Well also when I get home for that matter.

Ladyzhin

Court!!!

We left at 9:30 this morning for Ladyzhin and our court appointment for Logan at 3:00. We arrived in Ladyzhin at about 1:00. Before court we went to the orphanage to see Logan. The staff there did not know we were coming but were welcoming to us and brought us first to an office where we left off some donations. Here a staff member, I think a doctor, was very enthusiastic about showing us albums off pictures of three children that were adopted from there in the past. One is a girl named Marina, and there is a internet site that tells the story of her adoption and visit to Ladyzhin afterwards. I will look it up and let you know later. There were also two boys adopted together by an American couple who came to adopt one boy and ended up also adopting his friend. Next we went to see Logan, he was very active today and sporting a new buzz cut. Brad was especially uplifted by seeing that his legs were much stronger than he thought from our last visit. He does not walk, but stands and I don't think it will take long once he comes home before he does. I asked to see Sergy and to take a picture of him. The doctor said she would need to have permission from the director first and that she thought we could when we come back. I did get some pictures, but they are uploading so slowly I will try to post them tomorrow. It has been a long day. Court here was much more formal and lasted about an hour and a half. The drive back was a little scary, very fast in the rain and fog and by fast I mean 90s or better. Once back in Kiev we needed to still have papers notarized before Brad leaves tomorrow. That meant that with a lot of wheeling and dealing on Irina's part, a notary stayed on past closing time for us. Anyway we are in our little coffee shop right now and very tired and very happy. Logan is ours, Brad is going home in the morning, which will make me feel so much better about things there. Thank you all for being so supportive.

Better News

As of today we still have our court date for tomorrow at 3:00. We are praying it doesn't change. So far Brad has lost his job and I need to get back to work part time to keep ahead of things and make sure we keep our insurance. I absolutely do know, as hard as this is, it is worth it. We can't wait to get the boys(Cody on Monday) and to see them together. We really know little about Logan besides that we are crazy about him. Thank you for all your understanding and support. Hope to start having better news real soon.

New court date??

Our court date was changed again to Thursday, after changing Brad's ticket. We called Alex this morning to make sure we were still on for Thursday and he sounded iffy.
On a brighter note, last night after dinner, I suddenly became very sick, it must have been what I ate sometime that day. Today I feel weak and a little nauseous, but better.
Still in Kiev and still no visits.