Picking up our son Steven

After running around and getting the boys birth certificates changed, naming us as their parents and changing their names the to the names we gave them, we headed to the store to purchase some gifts for Steven’s caretakers, the orphanage director, doctors and lawyers at the orphanage. We only had time to pick Steven up today from the orphanage, therefore, either Wednesday or Thursday we will pick Evan up. We’ll see what Evan’s orphanage director says since he was sick with bronchitis last week and might still be on medication for it.

Once we got to the orphanage, we thanked the orphanage director and Steven’s teachers and caretakers and took a few pictures before we had to head off to the passport department before they closed for the day to get Steven’s and Evan’s picture taken so we could apply for their passports. We are under a time constraint since we are pushing to get home on or before Christmas, therefore we are making the most of every minute.

Once we got to the passport department, Nicolai went to the Evan’s orphanage to pick him and a caretaker of his up to bring them to the passport department as well. I was very curious to see if the boys remembered each other as they haven’t seen each other in about a year and a half. Once Evan arrived, I video taped the reunion of the boys. To my surprise, neither of them remembered each other. I guess they were too young to remember each other.

Grandfather Frost

Steven in Sleigh

Oh Christmas Tree

After getting their passport pictures taken and the passports applications completed and turned in we headed off to take Steven and Andrew to the huge Christmas tree in the center of town. Steven was so thrilled with seeing the Christmas tree and all of the other lights and decorations. The way he expressed his excitement as he was speaking Ukrainian was just so precious. We didn’t understand a word he said verbally but certainly understood his excitement of seeing the Christmas lights for the first time. Steven also jumped up and down as he saw the lighted Grandfather Frost (like our Santa Claus). He ran right over to it and said, “Look, it’s Grandfather Frost,” in Ukrainian of course. We took some pictures and then made our way to a restaurant to get something to eat. Robert and I were both amazed at how much Stephen ate. He ate enough for 2 adults. Robert told Alla to tell him if he’s full that he can stop eating. Alla said that in the orphanage they are taught to clear their plates. She asked him if he wanted to stop eating and he said that he wasn’t full and he wanted to continue eating. Since we always have issues with Andrew eating his meals, I made a point to praise Steven for eating his food. As soon as I did, Andrew started eating again and made a point to get my attention by saying, “Look Mama, I’m eating too.” So I then made a point to praise Andrew as well for eating his food. It seems to me that Steven will be a good influence on Andrew since Andrew has been mimicking him with everything. He wants to do everything Steven does or doesn’t do.



We then made our way home and got settled in for the night. To my surprise, we didn’t have any issues with bedtime or during the night. It was a long day for all of us and by the time we got home it was time for bed.