Message from Alisher

Hi!  My name is Alisher, and I understand that I am going to be adopted today.  I don't know what 'adopted' means, but it seems like it might be a good thing. I would like to tell you a little about my life up until now, since I have a feeling my world is going to change very soon.

I was born on July 30, 2004 in the Maternity Hospital, where I lived for for 6 weeks.  I moved to the Baby House of Ust-Kamenogorsk on a warm day in September.  Boy, it is a nice place!  There are lots of nice ladies to take care of me.  I must be special, because all the ladies have to take turn changing my clothes, feed me and hold me.  They said that I was a little weak and sad when I came to stay, but they gave me some extra attention and I got stronger and happier every day.

I live a two room suite.  One room is for sleeping.  It is dark and warm...perfect for my 3 naps a day and my good night time sleep.  About 12 other babies are there with me too.  Sometimes they cry when they go to bed, but I'm pretty quiet in my crib.  I've learned to rock back and forth on my hands and knees to settle myself down.  The second room is sunny and bright, with lots of window and funny cartoon characters painted on the wall.  We get to play in two big playpens in the middle of the room.  The real tiny babies play in their own seperate little cribs.  In this room, they feed me and change my clothes and the doctor comes to check me out.

There are about 150 children in my building.  Sometimes, there is a lot of noise.  It is good to hear all the children playing and having fun, but sometimes they are sad and lonely.  The kids here are young...babies up to 5 years old.  When they get to be 5 years old, they move down the street to another Baby House and start going to school.

The last 2 weeks something different has been happening in my life.  It has been exciting!  I was put in the arms of a nice lady 2 weeks ago.  Boy, was she smiling at me.  I've never seen anyone smile so big.  I wasn't sure what to make of her...she smelled different and looked different.  She took me upstairs to the big kids playroom.  I had never been there before.  She got out some neat, new toys and she made me giggle.  Maybe she is OK.

She has come to visit me everyday, twice a day.  When she comes in my room and I see her, I smile and kick my feet.  I'm happy to see her.  For the few days I was sick and didn't feel good, she still came to visit me and play with me.  She took me outside for a few walk and showed me the birds and the trees.  I hope I learn more about outside.  She walks me throught the cool hallways of the Baby House, showing me all the pretty murals of birds and butterflies on the walls.  She has a bunch of nifty toys in that bag she brings every day.  I wonder what else is in there?  She even wipes my face when I drool and spit up. Oopps! Two times, I bonked my head on the floor and started to cry and she picked me up and held me.  That made me feel better and I stopped crying.  She makes my laugh and giggle every day with her funny smiles, toys and raspberries on my belly and neck.

I don't how what being 'adopted' means, but if it means more love and fun like I've been getting for the past few weeks, count me in!

Chat again soon after I figure this all out,

Alisher

Message from Sharon:  Adoption court hearing is in one hour, 11am, Thursday, June 16. We should get a decision around noon. This afternoon we'll have a little party at the Baby House with the familes, celebrating the adoption and one our baby's First Birthday.  Tomorrow we go back to court to ask for the next 2 week waiting period to be waived.  If all goes as planned, we'll fly back to Almaty on Saturday.  I'll try to post on Saturday.  If you don't hear from me until Sunday, know that everything went as planned, I'm a Mom and I'll be back in contact after I get back to Almaty.  :-)  I've gonna be a MOM in a few hours.  Wow!