Hi everyone!

Well, since my last post I have officially had 2 meetings with Abby and the only word that comes close to describing it is pure heaven!!! She is all I have been imagining and even more - so beautiful, sweet, charming, and curious. Let me back up and give you some of the story. Igor and Olga were supposed to pick me up at 3:40 yesterday. Well they did not arrive until 4:00. I can't remember if I have described my apartment and its door to you but think Fort Knox and multiply by 7. My first few attempts at the locks have required about 10 minutes to lock the door and get out. And much patience to refrain from saying something I shouldn't - after all I don't want Abby's first words to be something that requires a phone call home from her teachers. Anyway, I finally made it outside (little update - I have gotten much faster with the doors - yes plural - I have 2 doors just for my apartment and that is not counting the doors to the building itself which are made of some kind of steel that would make Pittsburgh envious).

Soooo - we finally get to the baby house and I get to meet with the baby house director. She asks me many of the questions I have already answered and then tells me all about Abby's medical history - nothing new from her medical I received with my referral aside from her weight which is now 8k (about 17 pounds)! By this time it is about 4:40 and they take me into the music room where we will have our visits. The music room is very nice and there is a Christmas tree in it roughly the size of the Rockefeller tree. Puts my little Charlie Brown tree to shame! :-)

And all of a sudden, there is Abby! She is absolutely beautiful!!!!!!! The caregiver hands her to me and Abby did not cry at all. She just stared at me. It was priceless. Those of you who think I can stare? I've got nothing on this kid. She has the staring thing down to a science. Anyway, it was just the most amazing moment. I didn't cry either but I think that is because I was so incredibly happy. So we get on the floor and I got out a few toys for her (Goodnight Moon book and some very fun Fisher Price blocks). She LOVED the book and banged the heck out of those blocks. I just kept kissing her cheeks in between books and blocks. Everyone left the room except for Assia who laid down on the floor and went to sleep. After about 15 minutes I got the tiniest of smiles from Abby and then all of a sudden Assia sprang up as if from the dead and announced "That's it - time's up". I didn't think she was serious at first but she was. Turns out it doesn't matter what time you get there, ending time is the same because they have the kids on very strict schedules. So they took her from me and we said "paka paka" (bye bye). Best 20 minutes of my life!

While we were waiting on Olga, Abby's main caregiver told me through the interpreter that Abby is a very good natured baby and cries only when she is hungry or tired or doesn't feel well. She definitely seems very even tempered.

When we left, I went back to the apartment and attempted some unpacking. I can't remember if I mentioned here or not, but the blanket on my bed was some kind of fur thing that, well, I won't go into details. Fortunately, I was able to find a clean cotton one so I did a little rearranging with the fur one that I have decided to name Hugo. Last night I was able to get a really good night's sleep and this despite all the noises. The apartment is very loud but I am a city girl and so far it doesn't bother me. The heavy metal door is right close to my bedroom so every time anyone went in or out I definitely knew about it.

On to this morning. I hope I get much better with this shower than today because it was a battle of wills and I totally lost. The apartment has an apartment journal where families share stuff about the apartment and town. I had read in it that the shower works best if you turn on the cold all the way and then add the hot gradually. I did this but once I switched from bath to shower all bets were off. It had a way of going from scalding to freezing with no in between. Not to worry though, I am determined to find a way to make that thing work.

Olga and Igor were right on time this morning and we picked up Assia on the way to the Baby House. They had asked me to bring 5 diapers per day and an outft for Abby. Oh, and a blanket for her to play on. So I brought all these things. Assia took them the diapers and outfit. I gave them a slightly smaller one of the things I had brought to get an idea about size (6/9 month outfit). When they brought her in, she looked adorable and only slightly like the Michelin Man. I was thinking she was larger than I had imagined but then I realized that underneath this outfit they had a few layers of clothes. Plus I had given them a onesie to put under it so heaven knows how many clothes she was really wearing. She was very well padded. :-)

Our meeting this morning was so much fun. We played and played and she laughed (sweetest laugh in the whole world) whenever I kissed her cheeks today. I got scolded a little bit for letting her crawl off the blanket I brought. Well the blanket I brought is a regular baby size blanket. Not a lot of room for crawling! But Abby was good natured about me having to stop her from crawling. She is a busy baby. :-) I helped her stand by holding her fingers and while she is not ready to do this on her own she had fun. No crying at all today either.

Yesterday they told me that she has allergies to sweet juice and that is why her cheeks are so red. Well, if that is true I must have the same allergy because by the time we left, my cheeks were very red too. I don't argue anything though if I was a betting girl, I would say the red cheeks just might be a result of an incredibly warm baby house. Emphasis on incredibly.

The people at the baby house are so nice and I can tell they adore these children. I wish I could speak Russian to attempt to thank them for taking such great care of Abby.

It is snowing very hard today and is quite cold outside. Olga has already informed me I must wear my hat. I don't think they understand why I don't always wear it but sometimes we are outside long enough to run from the car to the door. I asked Igor to drop me off at the Chagala Hotel (where I am right now) because they have an internet computer here and an english menu. The hotel is very nice but from the outside looks like army barracks.

A few things to share with you as to some differences here.
1. Painted lines on the street are merely suggestions as drivers pretty much drive wherever they want.
2. Everyone wears hats and the men mostly wear the cool fur hats.
3. It is cold.
4. You do not wear shoes inside. Ever from what I can tell. I brought my slippers and wear them inside the apartment but at the baby house I must take off my shoes before they bring in Abby.
5. Did I mention it is cold?
6. The water has a very different smell. I'm not even sure what to compare it to.
7. They do not have peanut butter. :-( This was one thing I knew to bring but it got cut in packing round 3.

I am doing great and thank you all sooooo much for your emails. I have not been able to respond to them but read every one. I miss you all but am so happy here with Abby. I can not wait until 4:00 this afternoon when I get to go back. I also can't wait to bring her home!!! Please keep the emails coming - reading them is one of the highlights of my day!