Amidst all the fun we’ve been having, I forgot to write about where we are in the process! We arrived in Nikopol on Tuesday 19th and decided by the end of that afternoon that we would pursue the adoption. On Wednesday Olga and Sasha finished all the necessary paperwork and got a court date for the 10th of June. It was a lot farther than we had hoped, 3 weeks to be exact. The judge was going to be on vacation but she was nice to offer to set the hearing at the first opportunity, which was at lunch time on the 10th.
So it seems like the overall stay will take a bit longer than anticipated, probably more like 8 or 9 weeks. Because of this, Lori is going back home after court, the 13th or 14th of June, while I wait for the 10 day wait period and finish up the process to get birth certificates, passports and visas. This way she can start getting the kid’s rooms ready and have some furniture delivered. This will also save 3 to 4 weeks of FMLA that she can use to spend home with the kids instead.
We’ve discussed how I would handle Isaac, especially in airports, and thought it might be best to get a stroller and strap him down. However I’m quite reluctant to do so because I think they restrain him way too much at the orphanage. Just today we got there a bit late and I went in to get him. He was tied to some railings in a play room with other toddlers running around. No wonder he acts like a bat out of hell when he’s outside!! This might also be yet another reason for his potty issues if he’s avoiding going back in when he needs to. I’ve been taking him in myself and try not to hold his hands at all. He seems to enjoy independence and I think he’s trusting us a lot more.
Just like yesterday, today he didn’t try running away either. I think we also saw a first sign of good bonding. At one point he peed a bit in his pants and I showed him how angry I was and said “Peeset, nyet, bye bye, I’m leaving…packa packa” (my Russian is just wonderful). I headed towards the exit and at first he didn’t take me seriously but then realized I wasn’t kidding and started yelling “Nye Nye!” and tried running towards me. That’s a good sign, as we might be able to trust him with staying in close proximity to us. In the first few days, he could care less but the tide seems to be turning.
So anyway, since he’s also loving being carried on my shoulders, that might be a way for us to get around the airport. Isabella is very obedient so we’re not worried about her and with some airport help, we might not need a stroller after all. We’ll run some “tests” during the 10 day waiting period if they let us take him out of the orphanage for a while, and decide then.
When we take the kids out of the orphanage, they come with NOTHING…I really mean it! So we’ve been going around in open markets and kids stores, and buy all sorts of stuff. We stocked up on some really cute outfits for both of them but are still missing shoes and under-garments. We also bought some daily essentials such as shampoo, soap, a brush, tooth-brushes and some soft toys. We’re making sure all the shopping is done before Lori leaves.
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When we were in Kiev on the way home we stopped in at mother care and they had a child leash that attaches to their wrist. That might be a good investment for the trip home. At least you would always have them at arms length. It was a great help to us.
Tammy
Reasoning for the stroller would be if he can't keep up with you or tires easily. You have to also think about handling the kids and luggage. Isaac doesn't have to be in the stroller all the time. If you're in a waiting time, like at the airport, etc., he could be out and moving. I've heard strollers are very expensive at the Kiev mall.
Looks like you've found quite an assortment of things. You can easily find shoes when you have them with you.
Court's gettng closer!:)
June
Hi Tammy. We saw something very similar in Kiev in the mall with the sloped glass across from the Independence monument. We'll surely get one like that or some kind of harness with a leash.
June, in our case the reason for a stroller is control lol! Isaac is an escape artist and he runs away fast. So I have no idea how he would act in such a large space. We're hoping that lack of familiarity will actually make him cling to me instead, but you never know. We found a great compact stroller here in Nikopol for about $60. Isaac could also just sit on my shoulders and we could get around quite fast. We'll only have one piece of hand luggage on wheels and the other one will be checked. Once in a large airport one can easily find internal transportation.
Yes, there are soooo many cute clothes out here for very little money! We've been checking out their shoe sizes and have a good idea what to get them. Court can't get here soon enough although I have to say we're really enjoying our time here.
Definitely without a doubt go to the local market and get the stroller!!! I bought mine at the outdoor market for about 35$.
It is a necessity with tired children and airports, especially once you arrive late in the states and everyone is cranky and you have to wait for thirty minutes in customs. With two kids and no good way to communicate it is a must! You can check it at the gate and retrieve it as you leave the plane.
Just a note- the clothes in Ukraine are all imported from other countries like China and Turkey.
I'm all for some form of restraint, at least for the airports! I've already added backpack/harnesses to our packing list!
Thanks for stopping by our blog, too. Thankfully, Josh can read/sound out Cyrillic already, and we're brushing up on our Russian!
I don't know if I mentioned it before, but Isabel is one of the names we have picked out (see my post on January 30th, 2009). Also, our close friends have a little boy that I often babysit, and his name is Isaac. So good picks on the kids' names!
Maybe you already noticed, but with a June 10th court date, you'll spring your kids from the orphanage just in time to celebrate Father's Day together! How special!
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