TB check and tubes next

Maddux has been doing well, he is fighting a cold now.
We tested him for TB, wanted to make sure he didn't have, and was not a carrier.
Went today and all looks good, we were glad.

Maddux has had ear infections since he has gotten home so Dr. recommended tubes. He gets them next week. They think it will help with picking up more words too. His hearing was tested and all is well. They said he probably hears muffled, it would be similar to us wearing earplugs at night.

We went ahead and Maddux circumcised the other day, it all went well. Day 1 was hard but after that he just cried when his diaper was changed. But that is nothing new, he hates his diaper being changed!!

Will post some recent pics!

Jenny

Baptism

Maddux was baptised on Sunday. It was a nice day and after the ceremony we had a lunch at our house.
We took pics with Mark and Andrea, his Godparents, the day before and they came out super cute. I can't wait to get them back.
Maddux looked very cute in his white suit!

In other news, had his 18 month appt the other day. He has grown some, now in 25% in height. His weight is still low, only in 5% but he has gained some. Dr. said he is just tall and skinny! He has another ear infection so think he will need tubes, we find that out 3-3.

Maddux has his surgery for his circumcision on Monday. Hope that goes well!

I go back to work soon, we found a daycare we really like. We think it will be good for Maddux to be around some younger kids again.

Posting some pics from the baptism...

Jenny

Snow Days!

We have had a lot of snow here in NE lately. I am wondering why we don't live somewhere warm! At this point I am dreaming of a beach vacation somewhere and waiting for spring!

Maddux has been doing good. He had to go in last week to get his hearing tested. He has had ear infections, in Russia, and then constant since we have gotten home. He hasn't learned that many words. He says, Momma, Dadda, sometimes Nana and that is about it. So our Dr. wanted to get his hearing tested just to make sure everything was ok. We went Friday and he passed his hearing tests so that is good. Turns out he may just be ignoring us when we call his name. Ha. He did have some fluid still in his ears so he goes back in a month and if it's not cleared up he will have to get tubes. I hear that is no big thing, my cousins had them, so if he needs them it will be ok.

Maddux's baptism is next weekend so preparing for that. We chose Mark and Andrea to be his Godparents so we are excited they are coming back and it should be a fun day.

I am still not working so Maddux and I get to spend a lot of time together during the day. We have looked at a few daycares and have one we like when I am ready to go back. I have started kind of looking, but taking it slow. We will see what happens. I have a few leads, just need one of them to pan out...

Posting a few pics of Maddux in the snow!! I'm sure we haven't seen the last of it yet.

Jenny

Goodbye Grandma Barbie

My Granny, as I always called her, passed away last week. She was 93, she lived a good, long life but it's always sad to say goodbye. I am very glad Maddux got to meet her a few times. We never did get a good picture of them, but have a few that came out ok which I will post.

I have so many good memories of my Grandma, I was very close to her growing up. I loved going to my GM and GP house when I was young. She would give me big bottles of Pepsi. I claim now that she started my Diet Pepsi addiction! :) She was the best cook too, no one can make cheese roll like she could (although Terri has almost mastered it). She had the best stew, gravy, and baked goods! I will always remember our family holidays and all of the food and all of the family gathered together.
I remember staying up late and watching tv when GP would go to bed. One night the movie "What's Up Doc" played and we laughed until we cried. I have a poster downstairs of that movie, it's a nice memory. And of course there were the yearly festivals! She lived right across the street from the church so we would stay all day and go back and forth. What fun times!
In later years we would go to KFC for lunch and I would stay over. GM was always there to talk too and would pray for me in my tough times. She would cry with me when I was sad or upset. She will be missed greatly but I still have all of my memories and know we will see each other again. I take comfort that she is now with my GP and George and my father. And I hope they are having a good time up there, laughing and doing things they couldn't at the end here on earth!

Goodbye for now Granny, until we meet again...

Jenny

Maddux update!

Jenny and I have been meaning to get on here and update everyone, but with Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas season, it's been hard. I have a little time tonight before Maddux and I settle in to watch the Jayhawks play while Jenny is out with her family at a Tastefully something party. I guess it's like Pampered Chef? Either way it was good for her to get out of the house, and good for the boy and I to have some bonding time watching college basketball. He is, after all, going to play for the Jayhawks someday! :)

Maddux is doing better than we both expected. He's so much like us it's almost hard to believe. He loves to eat, he loves to sleep. When he gets bored he wants to get out and go shopping. He love his Little Tikes basketball hoop that his Uncle Dan and Aunt Stephanie got for him. His best friend is Solly, our cocker spaniel puppy. He can do ANYTHING to that dog and it doesn't bother Solly one bit. I have a feeling they will grow up together and become even more close. Physically he's doing well. He lost a little weight at first, like a pound, but seems to have gained it back. Might be all the McDonald's fries or donuts that he eats?! He knows I'm "da da", and we are trying to teach him "ma ma". No luck yet though. Rylee and Scarlett, his half sisters, adore him. The bonded the first day they were here with him. They were here with us over Thanksgiving and were a HUGE help. They played with him pretty much the whole time. The antibiotics worked for the ear infection. Now he has a cold that's been lingering for a few days. I expect that to be pretty normal though. I remember Scarlett having colds all the time. He has another dr appointment next week, just a check up with a few more immunizations. I'm sure he'll love that!

All in all, it's been great. I've loved him since the day we met him back in July, and can't believe that he's home with us now. It's like he's been here all along. Jenny and I got lucky...amazingly lucky. I look at this little bugger and wonder who the hell wouldn't want him!? He's perfect. He's the son I always wanted and never thought I would have. I said it before and I'll say it again. If you are in the process and frustrated, do not give up. I was there, it's hard, I know. But there is a reward at the end more special than you can possibly imagine. Stay strong!

We'll probably update again around Christmas. Santa pictures to come!

Rich

Home Sweet Home

We have been home for almost a month now, it's been so good to be home!

Maddux is doing well, adjusting great. He is a wonderful sleeper, got to love that!
He normally sleeps 12-13 hours a night and then takes at least a 2 hour nap during the day. He is a great eater also. His favorite foods are doughnuts, chicken nuggets and pizza. He LOVES fries, those are probably his favorite.

The only issue we really are having is he likes to bite. He must of picked that up at the orphanage. We have struggled with it some, we had kids over at Thanksgiving and he kept going to bite if they were playing with his toys and stuff.
We just put him in his crib for a few min and he hates it, hopefully that will solve the problem soon...

We were at the mall today and went to see Santa, it was unplanned but no lines. He didn't really know what to think of him. We will have to take him back when he is dressed up and hopefully get him to smile so we can get some pics!

Attaching some updated photos!

Jenny

Heading home!

Tomorrow will be 30 days in Russia, and our journey back home begins. At 8 am young Vladimir picks us up and takes us to the airport. From there we we fly to Washington DC, then to Chicago, then finally to Omaha. I think it's kinda of fitting that all the paperwork for Maddux was done here in Moscow, and then we fly into Washington DC. Although we are only there for an hour and a half...hopefully enough time to clear customs and such. We got all the paperwork today and packed most everything, we think. I'm sure there is something we are forgetting. I guess we'll find it in the morning?

Thank you to everyone that followed our little story. It felt good to write down my thoughts as the process went on. I hope that we helped future adoptive couples with our advice, insights, and direction. Russia is an amazing place, but it takes some getting use to. I'd like to come back some day, with Maddux. Show him where we were, walk the same streets we walked as we waited for him. Take him to the places that he's only seen in the pictures.

So if you are in the process of adopting, good luck and keep the faith. It might seem like it'll never end or the light at the end of the tunnel never gets closer. Trust me, as a former doubter, it will. The reward in the end is more special than anything in the world!

Rich