The First Month

A little over a month ago, Zoe landed onto American soil and into our family's daily routine. While we're required to submit reports to the Russian authorities after six months on her activities, I'm more than happy to present this informal interim report as a warmup of sorts. Plus, I've been getting a lot of public pressure for less soapboxing, less shtick, and more Zoe (with pictures). So, away we go...

After looking to Papa for breakfast, Zoe begins each weekday morning walking Jesse to the school bus. But it's not only Jesse getting ready for school, Zoe's ready, as well. "All dressed up, with nowhere to go," Zoe insists on carrying her own empty backpack to the bus stop before spending the day with Mommy (formerly Mama). Soon enough, preschool will start when Mommy returns to work in January. She's already getting a headstart by occasionally "auditing" her future full-day class while we pick up Jesse from his afterschool program.

Zoe's day consists of a mix of music and gymnastics classes, routine post-adoption medical appointments, and running assorted errands with Mommy including occasional lunches with friends. The separation issues we encountered several weeks ago with each new friend and family member she meets are largely over; they are no longer instructed to "sit on their hands" when they meet Zoe and are free to hug and hold her if she so allows. Her afternoon nap usually begins on the drive home from lunch and lasts until it's time to pick Jesse up from his afterschool program.

To celebrate their first month together, Zoe joined Mommy for their first joint manicures yesterday. Her hair still needs to grow out from the orphanage coif before anything really creative can be done there.

Both Jesse and Papa are asked about frequently in absentia. Jesse gets hugs and kisses with each afternoon reunion; Papa gets smiles, giggles and offers to join her to play with her newest toys. She follows me around the house constantly and allows me to entertain her for what seems like hours at a time, but still allows little physical contact and needs to check in with Sari every so often to make sure she's available.

If Sari is within reach, I can tickle Zoe into submission and can even pick her up and carry her short distances. But there are still certain times that my sole presence still brings out screams and Sari's presence is required, such as when she needs to be removed from her carseat or is just waking up from a nap.

I'm still a long way from soloing, but that's our goal for January, when a business trip possibly awaits Sari upon her return to work.

Some of her favorite playthings: the electric piano, miniature stroller and Pack'n'Play for her doll. The toy kitchen was a hit for her first real playdate this weekend.

And, slowly but surely, the English is coming in a word at a time. In no particular order, here's just some of the vocabulary so far (some of which replaces the equivalent Russian):

• apple
• banana
• cheese
• delicious
• please
• thank you
• give me
• excuse me
• wow!
• shopping
• oatmeal
• paper
• phone
• baby
• doll
• again!
• book
• shower
• Can name most colors
• Can sing the "A-B-C"s, although it gets sort of lost with the accent.

Weekends seem to bring special events which mandate dressing up a little, especially while Zoe continues to make her debut in venues across North America. This Thanksgiving holiday weekend will certainly be no exception.

And as much as I'm trying to resist the obvious cliché, we'll truly have a lot to be thankful for sitting around the holiday table this year. Here's wishing you and yours a happy, safe weekend and we'll catch up next week.

  ¶ 10:58 AM