There’s No Place Like Home!

We have been home for just over a week and today is the first moment I have to update all of you. It has been such a jam pack week I am not even sure on the details but I will do my best and hope to make this post speak through all the photos I have posted.

We arrived into JFK on 12/19 to a big snow storm. Our plane got in early ironically. Dagny did well on the flight over, considering it all. She slept a total of an hour and a half and the rest of the time we were able to occupy her. I am not sure how, but we did it. We did decide no more flight with a baby thou. It’s not that she was bad, because honestly I can’t remember her crying. It just was the stress that she might that took a toll on us. Anyway, we survived and she was a champ. My brother, Emeric, and sister-in-law, Edit, were waiting for us. Edit’s mother was flying in from Hungary and was scheduled to get in an hour after our plane landed. So, the plan was to wait around. But, since our plane got in early and her plane was delayed three hours we decided the best thing for all of us was to take us to their house and they would turn back to pick her up. The trip on a good day would take around 30 – 40 minutes, that day it took about two hours. That’s how bad the weather and traffic was. Poor little Dagny was so exhausted, she was not to happy in her car seat. Edit was awesome she brought some food and juice for her and we feed her in the car, that seemed to help a little, but she was still not a happy baby. When we finally got to their house, my Mother, Erika and Emerson were waiting to meet her but Dagny at this point had been up for close to 19 hours and she wasn’t having any of it. I quickly gave her a bath, put her in her PJ’s and put her to bed. She was out like a log until the middle of the night. Craig and I went shortly too. Dagny didn’t sleep well that night she kept getting up. At 6:00 am I gave up and went downstairs, where Eva neni, Edit mother, was up too (jet lag people hang out together). Not much later everyone else got up and couldn’t wait to hang out with Dagny. She was in such a great mood. I think she knew this was her family because she took to them right away.

Aunt Edit and Uncle Emeric

Playing with Aunt Edit

Cousin Erika

Cousin Emerson

Dagny loves Emerson’s hair too

I just love this photo!

Around 10:30 am we headed out on the long ride to Rochester. We knew that Dagny might not like the long ride in her new car seat and we were right. The first couple of hours were good because she fell asleep but when she got up she was not so happy. My mom and I both sat in the back and tried our best to occupy her, that only worked so much. We stopped a couple of times on the Thurway to change her diaper and to get her out of the car. She loved that. We made it though and we had Craig’s parents and brother, Tim waiting for us. Tim flew up from Texas what a great uncle. It was so nice to see our house, Lily and Maxie.

Uncle Tim and Grandpa Johnson

Enjoying Uncle Tim

Craig and I took Dagny to see Santa.

Ummm… Who are you?

Then on Christmas Eve my family came up to spend Christmas with us. Both of our families were here enjoying Dagny and the holidays.

Dagny opening up some gifts with Lily watching to see if anything is hers

Dagny playing with the Globe from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson

Dagny with the piggy bank from Uncle Tim

Cool rocking chair from Uncle Emeric and Aunt Edit

My two girls

Lily, the greatest doggy in the world!

Our beautiful daughter

All dressed up for the party

Since we were not able to be with Dagny on her first birthday we decided to have her blow out her candle while the entire family was here and celebrate that as well.

Blowing out her birthday candle

Yummy

We had a wonderful time with our families and are so grateful to have Dagny in our lives. She is our joy. She is such a wonderful little girl. We are so excited for 2009! We wish you all a wonderful New Year!

The Johnson’s

I couldn’t resist

Thank you and Farewell Moscow

Today we went to the US Embassy for our interview and to get Dagny’s Visa. Dagny has her US Visa and all the official paperwork we need when we enter the US. We can now come home!

We come home tomorrow and end this part of our journey and are about to embark on a new part. We have had such a wonderful experience throughout the entire stay here in Moscow. This is a wonderful country not only because they have united us with our daughter but also for the wonderful people we had the pleasure of working with. We are so very grateful to our Team (V, M, M and O) that have taken care of us from day one. We never had to worry about anything. Our job was to just to sit around and wait to go home.

We also want to say thank you to our agency, About a Child, back home if it wasn’t for Victoria we would not be here. Thank you so much for leading us to our little girl. You are a wonderful person with a big heart. We will always be eternity grateful to you.

Both Craig and I are so ready to get home with our daughter. We can’t wait to be in our home with Dagny and introduce her to her doggy, Lily, and her kitty, Maxie and to start our lives.

Farewell and Thank you for our little girl.

Our little bunny

How cute

Thank you,

Barbara & Craig

The Famous Photo

Today the family of three went down to Red Square to take “the photo” in front of Saint Basil Cathedral. I have been following many blogs and this is a tradition. Once you have your child you go and take a photo in front of Saint Basil’s Cathedral. I remember always wondering how “our” photo would turn out. Well, today we took the famous photos and I think they came out great.

“The Photo”

Craig and Dagny

Barbara and Dagny

They erected an ice skating rink in the center of Red Square. It was so cool. It reminded me of Rockefeller Center. Just think how different Red Square was twenty years ago. It was a beautiful site.

Ice Skating Rink

Here is the GUM which is the very elite mall. Many of the stores feature high-fashion brand names.

GUM

Inside

And of course a night shot of Saint Basil’s Cathedral.

Saint Basil

Dagny did great on our outing. Towards the end she wanted out of her stroller so Craig and I took turns carrying her. She loved that. She was laughing and making funny faces. It was so cute that we didn’t even mind carrying her, OK maybe a little. 🙂

Our First Night Out

Tonight we went out for the first time as a family to celebrate. We decided to go to the Hard Rock Cafe.

Dagny with her balloon

We weren’t to sure how Little Miss D was going react to the new surroundings but of course she did just fine. Once again she was soaking in the music, videos, and the objects on the wall. Everything is so new to her and she in not afraid of exploring new things which makes us so happy. She is such a sweet little girl. Our waitress couldn’t get enough of her. It was so cute to see how she interacts with other people. She’s open to new people, but still has her guard up. It’s nice to see that she sees us differently from other people. She lets us touch her but not strangers. I like that, that means she understands there is a difference.

Mommy and Dagny

Daddy and Dagny

We were also a little concerned with how well she was going to do in a highchair. She did great! I don’t think she even saw it as anything special. It’s probably because we’ve been using her stroller as her highchair, transportation and soother.

Dagny working hard

I would have to say that this was the best day since we’ve been in Moscow. It was such a special day and it was neat that all three of us went out as a family for the first time.

Bonus Dagny photos:

Our Daughter