We are still here!

 Heath's bed was the one on the right, 4th one from the far wall.  I honestly don't know how he slept in it because he rolls and turns.  And pink is a unisex color in Russia!

 His chair was the one on the far side of the table.  This is part of the little kitchen they would eat in.

So it's been a while!  I have good excuses, though.  I ended up with a bacterial infection that I brought home from Russia the week after we got home.  I passed out in the driveway with bloodpressure of 80/50.  Jason took me to the ER and Casey took over the house. It took me a few days to get my strength back.  I appreciated Jason more than ever in those few days. 

Heath's adjustment has been great!  He has had some night terrors but thankfully they seem to be going away.  He hasn't had one in the past 3 nights.  He seems to be understanding a lot.  My favorite thing is to ask him for a kiss!  He has started walking since he has been home and now covers around 10 steps easily before hitting his knees and crawling like a wild man.  He crawls so fast!  He has been telling everyone "Hi" and he says Mama, Dada, Bite (sounds more like by).  He loves to sing and dance which makes him fit rather perfectly :)  He seems to really like Toby Mac!  That's my boy!  Or should I say, that's my boi!

I'll try to post more now that I am more into the swing of things!  I do want to give a shout out to the group of women in our church who kept us fed for over a week.  It was such a huge help! 

Adjusting

So far everything is going great.  Heath is transitioning really well.  He loves his brother and sister and they are crazy about him.  Hollynn thinks she is his mother.  The other night she finished her supper and got up beside him and tried to feed him.  If he didn't eat it fast enough she would take the bite and then get him another one.  SO FUNNY!

 Hudson enjoys trying to make him laugh.  And it works!  He is very comfortable at home, babbling and crawling all over the place.  When others come in he gets a little more reserved and will stay close to me.  Which I think is a good thing.  

 Two of my favorite women ever...  Granny's 18th great grandchild and Meemaw's 3rd!

 Yes, this is the night she was feeding him a bite then herself a bite!

 I wish I had this on video, they were having a blast jumping up and down and looking out the window!

He had his first 4 wheeler ride on Monday and he loved it.  We also introduced him to all kinds of animals.  He wasn't crazy about them but didn't cry over it.  Today he was much more comfortable and seemed to actually enjoy rubbing the horses.  

First picture together

So we had a very eventful trip home, but this is their first picture together at 2 a.m. early Sunday morning.  Hudson was very sleepy and Hollynn sat up in bed (they were at my dad's house so we went over to pick them up), she saw me and was so excited.  Then when she saw Heath, she was even more excited!  "I hold him!"  She said over and over! 

Heath did fantastic on our trip home, what a little trooper.  Everything was great until we landed in NY and a storm was going to be coming through but we were still cleared to take off but there were lots of planes in front of us so we taxi'd for almost an hr.  Then went back to get more fuel, we were still going to take off but had to take a different route to get around the storms.  Then they said the flight crew would be over their max. 15 hrs. that day if they took the flight so the flight was cancelled.  Did I mention we were all sweating like crazy b/c it was so hot!  So we were very upset, went back in, and jumped on a plane heading to ATL.  Jason and Will picked us up in ATL and we made the 4 hr. drive home.  No airport homecoming like I was hoping for but we made it home. 

Heath is doing great and seems to love his brother and sister.  They are crazy about him.  Hollynn is so funny, she acts like his little mother.  She thought Hudson took a toy from him (which he did not), but when she thought he did, she went after Hudson.  She also has not wanted anyone holding him and she thinks she can hold him.  We'll just keep letting her think that, but he'll squish her before too long! 
He crawled all over the house and loved playing with the kids, babbling away.  But when people stopped by, he stayed close to me and got quiet.  He wouldn't let me get too far, which I think is a good thing. 

The trip home was so exhausting and he didn't get much sleep so when we got in bed early Sun. a.m. he slept until 9:30 and then took one 3 hr. nap yesterday and then I woke him up.  Went to bed at 11 last night and is still asleep as of 7:45 this morning.  I am hoping it stays this way, I enjoyed my nights rest last night :)

"This is very important" post again...

 Very quickly, today we went to the Embassy and everyone went great.  We ate lunch and then have stayed in the hotel room all day.  Casey is sick, I'm hoping when we wake up she is feeling much better.  Pray with us!  Also for airport goers...Delta flight 3459, 5:30 p.m. Sat. afternoon, I am so excited.  Now on to something you need to read if you are going to be around us anytime soon...

It's time to address attachment!  I think I said it well in Dec. 2008 right before we brought Hudson home.  You can revisit it here
http://carneyadoption.blogspot.com/2008/12/very-important.html 

I know there are many new people following our blog and we are also at a new church so I want to be sure there are no gray areas here.  I know so many of you have watched and prayed for us constantly and are so excited to see Heath.  You will never know how much that means to us!  It just tenders my heart thinking about you!  So I don't want to hurt your feelings when we get home and you want to hold our son and I have to tell you no.

Attachment is a big deal with children who are a little older when adopted (and in domestic adoption).  You should google it!  With children who come from orphanages, they will go to anyone who will give them attention.  They have never had one on one care and will take provision from whoever will provide it.  This is why it is so important for Heath to be firmly attached to us before we allow others to start holding him and trying to meet his needs.  He has to learn that we are his parents.  That we provide him comfort, care, love, food, discipline, and just basically meet his needs in all the ways a parent does. 

Hudson had a great attachment and we were very strict with this.  I am so thankful we were.  The damages that can be done are not something I never want to experience.  Heath's attachment will be a little different since I have two other little ones at home who also need my attention.  Where with Hudson I just poured everything into him every waking second, now there are three that my attention will be divided between therefore I will be even more adamant about Heath's attachment.

However, at the airport on Saturday, we will fly in at 5:30 p.m.  Just like with Hudson, this will be our time with family and friends to get their hugs and kisses in.  We will share him with you then and after this we will ask that  you...  

Please do not ask to hold him or reach your arms out for him to come to you.  If you would like to give him something, give it to either Jason or myself and we will give it to him.  I will enjoy visits from people and will look forward to them.  However, please limit them to short visits and remember the adjustments being made for our family are many.  Heath is adjusting to a new language, people, time, and well just about everything.  My other two will be adjusting to sharing their mom some more and having a new sibling.  Jason and I will be adjusting to making these adjustments smooth for our family :)  and probably on not much sleep!  

And if something does occur and we have to tell you to back off, please know I am not doing this ever to hurt your feelings.  While I care about your feelings, I care more for what is best for our family at this time.  

Thank you for understanding or at least trying to understand how important this is.  It is a hard subject because I know only those who have walked this journey understand it.  They are all reading this shaking their heads up and down while others of you might be looking at the screen and thinking we are extreme.  And that's okay, just know we are extremely in love with our new son!

We love you all and ask that you continue to pray for us and for Heath to have a beautiful and healthy attachment!

Thursday

Thursday I went to pick up Heath's passport and then to the Embassy to drop off paperwork and get our appointment for tomorrow (well, actually it's today now).  Once we go to the Embassy this morning at 11:30, we will have everything we need to go home.  We are going to come back and nap and then head out this afternoon for supper with Julia, who is the lady who has translated all of Hudson's post placement reports.  We met her last trip and just loved her!

We had a full day yesterday with lots of sight seeing.  There was a big festival going on in Red Square and they had two people doing dressage, it was so cool.  I will have to post pics of that sometime.  

Heath is still doing great!  We think he's already gaining weight.  He is filling out 12 months clothes.  We have his sleep schedule so screwed us, but he is just easy going and doesn't seem to mind or be cranky.  We've all been up since 3 a.m. here and are going to head back to bed here soon.  

I can't wait to see everyone Saturday!  Our plane lands at 5:30 rather than the original 5:45.  I might have mentioned this already, but I am a little worried our layover at JFK won't give us enough time to make our connection.  So once again, I ask you pray that we can make it on time.  Otherwise we won't get home until close to 11 that night.

 

Wednesday

Well, I had my days mixed up so today we went to the Dr.  It is something the US Embassy requires, very short and easy.  It was the same Dr. we saw with Hudson.  Then we went to the Uzbeki restaurant.  We were going to go to Red Square but decided to just wait until tomorrow and we would have more time.  So we all napped then went out for supper and to the grocery store to get some of these amazing creme puffs and to get some candy and juices for some folks back home.

 Sunrise from hotel this morning.

This boy babbled non stop today.  I think he's going to give Hollynn a run for her money since she also talks NON STOP!  Only a few more days and we are coming back home, I am so ready to land in Nashville!!

Tuesday

So today we didn't do too much.  In the afternoon we walked around quite a bit and ate some seriously good food!  Casey slept at least 22 hours, okay, maybe not that much but I'm pretty sure her and Jason could sleep anywhere, anytime.  I go back and forth between being jealous and angry about it! Ha!Ha! 

While I was laying in bed this a.m. (while everyone else was sleeping ;) I just asked the Lord to let Heath feel so much more comfortable today, to babble and explore and relax in our love.  And you know what, he babbled non-stop, checked everything out, didn't get upset if I took his cup to try and help him.  He was glad for my help and realized that if I took his cup or food, it was only to help him so he actually started handing it to me.  Tonight when he got tired and without my prompting he turned around, crawled in my lap and laid on my chest.  And yes, my heart melted right there.  

I am full of overflowing joy and yesterday there was just a moment where I could not push the lump in my throat back down.  We did face time with Jason where we could see them and they us.  It was the sweetest thing ever when Hudson was on and saw Heath.  In the softest voice he said, "Hi Heath, I'm your big brother.  I can't wait for you to come home."  And he just talked to him so sweetly.  I'm crying again just replaying it in my head.  Then Hollynn got on and just squealed (and I mean squeal, y'all know she can call the whales) "Hi Heath" "Goodmoauning" (in her country voice).  I hope it will be on video in my head forever!

Tomorrow I have to go in the morning to the passport agency and then to drop papers off at the American Embassy.  Then we are going to come back and get Casey and Heath and then go to a fantastic Uzbekistan restaurant and off to Red Square.  We have things to do Wed.-Fri. so since we will be paying a driver those days we are going to take advantage of it and do all of our site seeing!  
 

Gotcha Day Details...

Scroll down if you haven't seen pictures from Gotcha Day on Monday.  This post is a little lengthy but just details our day...

We started our day out yesterday by first going to sign some paperwork for his passport and then we went to a supermarket to get a cake as a gift to the orphanage and then it was off to get him.

They do not let people up to where the babies stay, our translator says that never happens, but of course everyone always asks.  But yesterday was different!  Not sure why, but the director of the orphanage let us go and we got a little tour!  They even let me take pictures.  So I have pictures of 2 play rooms, the kitchen and the little seat where he sat, the bathroom, and his bedroom.  I couldn't believe they were already sleeping in toddler beds.  This is the part that breaks my heart the worst, their were beds lined up down both walls.  With Hudson, I think they became really comfortable with us since we visited every day for several weeks so when we asked to see more of his rooms, they let us but no camera.  So I have the pictures in my head.  I can still see the tiny room with cribs lined up around the wall and down the middle, his was the second from the door.

They also gave me the camera that I had left for them to take pics with and they had taken 60 pics so I am excited about that!

They changed his clothes and we said so long forever to baby home #13.  I did check on Alyssa while I was there and she does have a Russian family adopting her, they have already been to court!  That was great news to hear. 

Heath totally chilled out and took it all in.  He was laughing with me before we left the baby home so we just continued to while we were driving.  He HAD to be holding my hand and I of course, had no problems with that :)  We went to Arbat St. and ate at My My's (pronounced Moo Moo's).  He did great, continued to just take it all in.  He is a good eater!  Then we came back to the hotel and I gave him a shower and we played.  He fell asleep on me the exact same way Hudson always did.  And we discovered he is a thumb sucker!  I had never seen it until yesterday when he laid his head on my chest.

He got a little cranky yesterday and then I realized it had to have been b/c he was starving so we ran to a little cafe and grabbed something to eat and he was back to all smiles.  They are on such strict schedules and I am stuck on TN time so I didn't realize how late it was, whoops!  I let him stay up until 10 last night, which he normally goes to sleep around 7, but we were having fun!  Might as well get him used to being a night owl!  

He loosened up a little yesterday and started babbling.  He has yet to crawl around and explore.  I can't wait to see him come out of his little shell, I can remember watching Hudson go from quiet little boy to mr. personality.  I think over the next few days as Heath becomes more comfortable we will start to see the same transition.

Thank you for your prayers, they were definitely answered!  God is so good and deserves every ounce of the glory, I just praise Him!

One last thing, Casey's bag has still not arrived, and we really need it to.  Praying it gets here today!

  

Gotcha'!!

 Getting ready to leave!

 Back at the hotel.  He hasn't missed a beat, it has been absolutely great!  Thanks be to God, He has definitely answered our prayers!

 Such a sweet moment, when he just laid his little head on me.  All 3 of mine are cuddlers :)

 Of course had to give him a shower (no bath tub, but thankfully the shower head comes off), now he is smelling all good and fresh!

And now he is taking a nap, think I might take one too :)  I'll post more details later but had to get you some pics up!

We made it...

We arrived today with only one hiccup.  Casey's bag didn't make it, it is still in New York but should make it here tomorrow and be delivered to the hotel.  Thankfully we put some of her clothes in my bag.  Our hotel is very nice, but we haven't ventured out yet.  We have slept about 3 hours in the past 31 hrs. so I am hoping to go to sleep soon. 

We are getting picked up at 9:40 in the morning (12:40 p.m. central time), then we go to the passport agency and then off to pick up Heath!  The first thing I did when we got to the hotel was get his outfit out and pack his little bag for tomorrow.  Those of you who have done this know the swirl of emotions I am feeling...

I could cry at the drop of a hat.
I am soooo excited.
And hoping he has a smooth transition.
My stomach has butterflies fluttering.
It's just too many emotions to name!

That is my constant prayer right now, since he hasn't seen me very many times, that he not be anxious about this transition.  We spent so much time with Hudson before we picked him up that he never missed a beat, never cried a tear out of fear.  When the time was near for us to pick Hudson up, he was so used to us that he would cry when we would leave him every afternoon at the baby home. 

We are hoping to get out and about tomorrow as well, I don't want to stay all cooped up in a hotel room all week! 

I will try my best to have you all pictures posted by the time you wake up!