Fingerprints!

YAY! Yesterday we received notice of our fingerprinting ("biometrics" for those in the know) appointment with the Department of Homeland Security! The appointment is scheduled for November 10, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. Sweet! We are hoping that it only takes 2-3 weeks after that to receive our immigration pre-approval. That will be our last piece of paper to obtain before finalizing the dossier to send to Poland!

We also sent off a couple documents to be apostilled already (the homestudy, birth certificates and marriage certificate). Dare we hope to have our dossier to Poland by the end of the year?! We are so happy to have progress.

I hope everyone is enjoying fall. I just LOVE this time of year. The crisp air is wonderful! Klaudia is doing great. She loves swimming lessons and she had a great visit with Grandma & Grandpa California and Uncle Night Night (Kevin) recently. She is talking a lot and has the biggest smile.

Status?

During our first adoption, I think I posted at least weekly as to updates, non-updates, etc. On this go around, I apparently am going to be less active. Perhaps that has something to do with having a 2 year old in the house?! Also, since we have pretty recently been-there-and-done-that, I haven't felt as anxious about each step, and we know more about what is in store for us in the whole process.

I am excited to report that we have made PROGRESS! Yesterday we received our completed, finalized, and notarized HOMESTUDY!!! YAY!!! It took several months, but, hey, what doesn't? Needless to say we immediately completed our I-800A (immigration advanced processing) and Fedexed it today!

Now we get to wait for our Homeland Security fingerprint appointment (aka "biometrics"). How long has everyone's wait been for those? I'm thinking it could be 1-2 months? Once we complete that we hope for the government's stamp of approval that will be our last item for our Dossier.

At this rate, we could potentially have our DtP (Dossier to Poland...lol...I just made that up), by the end of the year!!! That would be awesome!! Ideally we would complete our next adoption in 2011. The adoption tax credit is extended through 2011, but I understand its future is uncertain beyond that.

I will report back at the next stage of progress (likely the fingerprint appointment).

Hope everyone is enjoying a nice start to fall!!

Here are a few recent photos of our favorite little girl!

Happy girl at the Wildlife Safari Park

She wanted to wear her bathing suit over her PJs

A standard breakfast at the Andrews house - face in peanut butter.

5150 Miles to a Sister or Brother!

I haven't posted in forever...so I thought I would make up for it with some VERY exciting news. We are going back to Poland to add to our family! Klaudia is going to have a brother or sister!!

We are doing everything essentially the same as last time: same country, same agency, same homestudy agency. We are close to finishing our homestudy and are off and running on the paper chase. It feels a bit easier the second time around. The paperwork is basically the same (although we were I-600 before and are I-800 now), but we know what to expect now. We wont have everything to Poland for a few months at least (need to finalize the homestudy, get immigration approval, finish dossier, etc.) Oh, and we are not specifying boy/girl - leaving that one up to the powers that be!

Meanwhile...we are enjoying our time as a family of three. You'll see some photos of Klaudia below. She is just blossoming! She is talking so much, she is walking and running great, and she sings too (she gets the "Hairbrush Song" stuck in hear head and will occasionally burst out with "oh where, oh where oh where...brush!"). Klaudia is doing well with school and they teach her so much every day.

She is also very much a two year old, is discovering her independence, and is learning how to express herself (read she is learning to say "NO" a lot, is testing us, tells me I am "naughty" and to "sit down", etc.). She goes through spurts of clinginess, but overall she is much more confident that we aren't going anywhere. I can now do some things around the house or kitchen without her screaming for me to hold her.

Klaudia's been loving the warmer weather (with the exception of the week or two our A/C was out). We got a water table that she loves, Grandpa A put a swing up in the backyard, and we head out on walks and local adventures in the evenings and weekends. That girl can go-go-go and will push herself to the limit!

On the wing of Marikay's aiplane in Santa Paula, CA (note the pink and purple stripes - she is so cool!)

In Grandpa California's lab

With Dad and Mickey (she is over her fear of soft things!)

With cousins on Easter

I will try to blog more and keep everyone up to date on Klaudia and the next addition. I haven't even thought yet about a new timeline, countdowns, etc. One day maybe I'll spruce up this Blog a bit.

Settling In

I know, I know. How long has it been? Too long. Well, let me just start by saying Klaudia is doing GREAT!! She has grown in so many ways - she is taking steps, talking LOTS, loves going to school and giving hugs. She is a happy girl and just a joy.

This is just a very brief update. But I wanted to post a few photos and give at least a bit of an update since we came home 4 months ago.

Since arriving home on Labor Day weekend, Klaudia has transitioned into school (it took a month or so of easing her in, but thankfully she LOVES it), she allowed us to put her in a Spidergirl costume for Halloween, she has begun to get to know her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, she celebrated Thanksgiving and an amazing Christmas, got used to a carseat, dealt with two blizzards, turned 2 years old, developed a love for Dora and the Imagination Movers, learned to tell mom to "shhhhh", went out to a steak dinner with parents, grandparents and uncle Kevin, took lots of steps, learned hand motions to "Twinkle, Twinkle" (and other songs), and made her parents smile A LOT.

Here are a few photos of the last couple of months:

Happy Girl at Dinner

Christmas Eve 2009

December 2009 - the Tree!

Out to Dinner

Pigtails!

Playing with Cousin Kaylee

Spidergirl 2009!

I will try to update more soon! Happy New Year all!!

HOME!

We made it home! It is wonderful settling in with Klaudia, and she is doing great! She has been her shy self with new people, but is starting to warm up. She has been tentative about her new environment, but has been exploring and figuring it all out. She has been eating pretty well, and sleeping pretty well, which is good!

Klaudia did surprisingly well on the plane. Perhaps my expectations were so low that it could have only been better. She took a 1.5 hour nap about an hour after take off, and then didn't sleep for the rest of the travels until 5 minutes before landing in Omaha. My recommendations are the same as anyone would give: dvds, many food options, a mirror, favorite books and non-noisy toys, changes of clothes, etc. It worked well to take the airplane books and toys out of her usual mix for the two days or so before the flight. Then there was a little re-discovery on the plane. The only tragedy on the plane was changing diapers on Lot (no changing tables). I don't know how people do it with infants, but Klaudia just stood and held on with all her might to a bar and cried until we were done.

Despite the fact that she was exhausted and cranky when landing, it worked out so well for acclimating to the time change. We had a great welcome at the airport by both of our families too - a warm welcome home.

Klaudia is still a mama's girl, but she is warming up more and more to dad and to other family. There are things to work on (speech, walking, a little trust that mama isn't leaving her forever when she leaves the room), but these will all happen in time. There is so much I could post - but, as naptimes go, I only have limited time! Here are some photos:

Happy girl on the plane - yay!!

Figuring out the seat belt

First night at home

Playing with cousin Keaton on the first full day home

Playing with friend BJ on the last full day in Warsaw - yes, that is the oven

All Done! Klaudia Is Coming to America!

The Embassy appointment went well today and Klaudia has her immigrant visa to travel to the United States. In other words, we are done and can travel and will make our flight on Saturday!! Here is Klaudia’s “all done” pose taken soon after we received her immigrant visa:



Klaudia will be a citizen upon entrance into the United States. That will be in Chicago on Saturday afternoon. After that, we fly home to Omaha and will be greeted by Ryan’s family and my parents – yay!! It will be so interesting to see how Klaudia reacts. She will be shy, no doubt. Who knows, she could be asleep and out of it. We’ll see! Either way, we are thrilled to go home to all of our comforts and begin settling in.

We now only have one more full day in Warsaw before our Saturday flight. I will say that, while I am thrilled to return home with my daughter, I can’t help but be sad that she won’t grow up Polish. We have taken her away from all she knows, including her country. Of course she will always be Polish and be a citizen. We will do our best to help her identify as Polish and embrace it as much as she wants. On the other hand, she will grow up in America. And there is certainly something to be said for that.

This is likely the last post from Poland. It is almost the end of the journey, and it is the beginning of our new one as parents. All the paperwork headaches, heartache, waiting and frustration are now starting to fade with every one of Klaudia’s smiles. We are blessed.

We’ll see you in America!

Polish Passport Received – Embassy Tomorrow – Home on Saturday!

We are on schedule to return home on Saturday! Today we picked up Klaudia’s passport (with the priceless mug shot). Tomorrow we have an appointment at the U.S. Embassy to obtain her immigrant visa. After we receive that (hopefully by Thursday afternoon), we are free to travel. Klaudia will be traveling as a Polish citizen and, upon arrival in the United States, will become a U.S. citizen. She will be a dual citizen – cool, huh?

The plane ride will be quite an adventure. Hopefully, for other passengers’ sake, the screaming will be at a minimum. It will be long and annoying for Klaudia, but home is on the other end. It will be interesting to see how she reacts to family upon arrival. Please no one take offense if she buries her face and gives mean looks! Magda, or facilitator and translator here, says that she gets mean looks from Klaudia all the time.

The last few days have been good. Klaudia has been a trooper on some long walks, a visit to the uprising museum, shopping adventures and cab rides. She seems to be doing well with us, and communication and trust are improving daily.

I will report back after the Embassy appointment to let you know that we are good to go!