Happy Western Christian Easter & Katerina's First Sleepover

Although we don't celebrate Western Christian Easter, we certainly mark the day and wish all of our friends and family who do celebrate today a glorious Easter. We celebrate Orthodox Easter which is on April 27th this year so our forty days leading up to Easter is just beginning. Because we don't celebrate today, we were able to help out a friend whose mother is very very ill and expected to die any hour/day. Phyllis asked us to keep Julianne with us so she could spend the day and night in the hospital with her mother. Katerina and Julianne had a blast. Julianne is so sweet but was missing her Mom as we got ready for bed. I held her close as she whimpered a little until she fell asleep).

A little Easter Egg hunt

Cooking.....what else? Macaroni and cheese!

So angelic

Bunny straw fight! And yes, that is a trapeze between the kitchen and dining area. Doesn't everyone have one there?

Bathtime fun

Thanks to Aunt Susie's gift of crayons especially made for windows (easily removable), we now have artwork on our kitchen sliders all the time. Who needs refrigerator art when you can have window/door art?

One last swing before night night

Although the precipitating factor for the sleepover was not fun as it was due to illness, the sleepover itself was a huge success. Several times during the day/evening, Constantin and I independently thought how nice it would've been if we had a sister for Katerina and shared our thoughts later that evening. However, that ship has definitely sailed. We are just lucky that the ship we caught turned back to port at the last minute!! So we will just have more playdates and sleepovers and possibly get a puppy. Who said that?? Sssshhhh. We're working on it.

Happy Birthday Aunt Susie - March 22nd

In addition to the Royal Ball in the afternoon, we also celebrated Aunt Susie's birthday.

Yes, folks. Time to break out the silly birthday hats.

Aunt Susie and Uncle Bobby brought Easter basket goodies!
Katerina picked up the (not sharp) cake knife; great shot for a demon child movie of the week.

This was the face we got after we said "that's enough chocolate for now"

Uncle Bobby brings out the kid in Katerina.....or is it the other way around?

The Royal Ball

Princess Ariana invited Princess Katerina to a royal ball and of course, royal attire was required.
Princess Ariana with the Queen Mum.

Princess Fiona with Princess Katerina

And with Sir Jack

It was a fun "at home" party with the typical party games; pin the crown on the princess, musical thrones, and hot sceptor.

Gotcha Day/Adoption Day/Forever Family Day - March 13th

It's hard to believe that it's been two years already since Katerina came home. And yet, it's also hard to imagine our life before her. What an amazing journey it's been, or as Jerry Garcia would say "What a long strange trip it's been". Either way, you get the drift. This journey is not one I expected to have and if I had never had it, I wouldn't have known what I was missing. I am so thankful that we snuck in under the wire and did not miss out; it's pure magic.

Two years ago today they placed Katerina into Constantin's arms and the poor thing couldn't have been more miserable. She was being taken away from everything and everyone that was familiar to her. And I was at home anxiously awaiting all tidbits of news and dying to see pictures. Constantin was not technologically equipped nor emotionally equipped to handle sending pictures.

And here was my meeting with her at the airport on March 22nd. She looked at me with such trepidation, and I probably looked at her with the same. OK kid, this is forever!

Yes, it's one of my biggest disappointments that I did not go to China and I wasn't there for the first few days. I have to live with that, but I don't think I could have handled it any differently and kept my sanity.

And look how she has grown. Same dress - two years apart.

Easter Egg Hunt

It was a cold, damp and windy day for an Easter egg hunt, but we weren't going to let that stop us.

Are we having fun yet?

Now that wasn't so bad and we did get the goodies

Me and My Pals - and the Big Girl Bed

We converted Katerina's crib into a daybed and put some sheer curtains above it and proclaimed it a Princess bed. We invited all her pals to share in the fun.

Well, this is fun. Let's invite some more pals up on the bed!

Hi there!
Silly Katerina

Silly Daddy

Fun with YaYa

Katerina has been enjoying her visit with Constantin's parents since November. They arrived the day after Thanksgiving from Greece and will probably go home sometime in the next 2 or three weeks; prior to Orthodox Easter.

This has been a very special treat for them with their only grandchild and for Katerina who loves playing with them. They speak to her only in Greek since they know very little English and she has learned a lot over the past few months. She does not speak Greek but seems to understand a lot. They will ask her a question in Greek and she will respond appropriately in English.

YaYa and Papous play with her constantly, running around the house, sitting on the floor. For folks over 80 years old they are in incredibly good shape. They go for long walks and when it's too cold they use the treadmill.

Katerina also loves to cook with YaYa when she makes bread, spanikopita, tiropita and cookies.

Julianne's Birthday - 3 Years Old

On Saturday, March 1 we celebrated Julianne's birthday at Playscape in Brewster.

HAVING A BALL

Julianne is a special friend of Katerina's. There are some kids she immediately connects with and Julianne is one of them. The other is Grace who lives in Florida and is from the same orphanage.

TAKING CARE OF THE BABIES

La di da! Another beautiful day in the neighborhood.

On Monday, the 3rd, we met Julianne, her Mom, and sister at the diner in Ossining where they have character appearances the first Monday of every month. Tonight it was ALLLVINNNN!