One more day closer to home!

First, the good stuff - Pictures!!!!

All dressed and ready to leave the orphanage.

Leaving for the last time.

The three of us by the flowers in her playground.

Our three coats hanging up together for the first time!

First time at a restaurant!

Practicing using her fork. Bring on the ground meat!

We woke up to another beautiful day here in Moscow! It is supposed to be sunny and 73 F today with only a slight chance of rain.

EasternStar is doing great! We are learning her cues for tired and hungry and "I like you guys, but I need some alone time". She had only cried a few times - the first night she got stuck in her crib and as soon as I picked her up she fell right back asleep and then she cried when she woke up this morning. After being picked up she was all smiles again!

We are also learning what she likes and what she doesn't like to eat. On the like list: strawberry yogurt, apple yogurt, mashed potatoes, ground beef, apples & cinnamon oatmeal, fish fingers (which appear to be like our fish sticks only made with salmon), brown bread.

On the revolting list: bananas, applesauce, tortillas, ham, Gerber apples and chicken dinner, something that we thought was cottage cheese called Kawa but turned out to be one big giant curd with raspberries in it.

On the still considering list: warm milk, cold milk, white grape juice, water, blueberry yogurt.

We are not used to having a child that falls alseep on their own! TinyDancer isn't what you would call a "sleeper" and she has always needed some assistance to fall asleep. So far, EasternStar prefers to be left alone to sleep - and then she sleeps for a long time! Last night she was out for 12.5 hours! We could get used to that!

She has started to become a little more active. She likes to roll around on the bed and to sit up on the bed and then throw herself backwards. That always gets a big laugh! She has also discovered the fun game "throw this on the floor and have mom or dad pick it up over and over and over". That also gets big laughs and smiles.

So far she is very happy 95% of the time. She'll be fine and then kind of look around and suck her thumb and rub her head and rock. After a few minutes she is fine again. That is all part of the process I'm sure.

We spoke to TinyDancer via Skype for about an hour yesterday. She loves to hear her voice. I can't wait for them to meet! If the schedule holds - and it should - we will be home on Saturday! Yay!!!