Stasik doing well

Good morning to our American friends. This morning finds everyone well in Kiev. Stasik is doing very well this morning. He is such a great sleeper and a happy baby. He has really good fine motor skills. He has had lots of fun playing with the baby mirror and book Debbie brought him. He's learning the concept of touching an iPad and something happens on the screen. He takes a mini-nap each morning after being up a few hours but it is a short one.

We weighed him yesterday and he weighs 14.5 lbs. This is about 4 more pounds than we expected so we were happy about that. We are trying to keep a diary of his food intake and his outputs so Debbie can give doctor a full picture of his behaviors. Unfortunately, Debbie was not given any information when leaving the orphanage about what he was being fed, when he was fed each day, when he napped, when he went to bed and got up each day, or what medicines he has taken or might be allergic to. It really is like bringing a newborn home. There is no manual on what to do. A mother's instinct and basic knowledge of health and nutrition are our guides. We know this is enough but it would have been nice to have other information.

Today is supposed to be a beautiful day in Kiev. It is currently sunny and 12 degrees; high of 21 today. We are going to bundle Stasik up and head for a museum. The sun is good for him and getting out helps us, too. On the way to the metro station, I am hoping to find a knitting store. I need yarn! Who would have ever thought I would finish an entire project in three days? I did and now I need something to do.

We found out yesterday that the US Embassy is closed on Monday for President's Day. That is pushing our stay here out a little longer. As it stands right now, we won't be able to leave Kiev until Thursday. Tthe wait is long. Thank God for the Internet and Skype. We miss our families terribly and those things make the distance a little less far. So, for now, we continue to be ... Waiting in Kiev.