Day 18

So I will kinda recap our last 24 hours together since we picked up Dasha from the orphanage.  It feels so nice to say her name!

So we headed to the orphanage at 2 p.m.  We were taken to a new room and told to get Dasha dressed.  Out she comes in her underwear, undershirt and socks.  She looks like they just woke her up and brought her to us.  Dasha takes quite a while to warm up after she wakes up, so the whole getting ready was pretty somber for her, she didn't quite know what to do.  We were then told to get her snow suit on, and we were like wait!  Our gifts.  So we rushed, rushed to the doctors office, gave her her gift, and the orphanage their gift, tons of diaper and wipes, I gave Lena her gift, and Olga's since Olga wasn't there that day.  Then the care takers, and off back to the room to get her snow suit on.  I rebelled a little and never bought her snow boots, so we snuck her out with no one looking to the van, got a quick picture, and off we went to the hotel to get our luggage.  We had about 30 minutes where Dasha finally started perking up and playing.  Then to the train we went.  We took the 5 pm train out because we needed to be in Moscow at 6 am for the children's medical appts.

So Randy and I didn't get any sleep at all, we made Dasha a bed on the floor, Camden and Randy slept on the lower bunks, and I slept up top.  Dasha was all over the place rolling while she was sleeping.  Randy and I were constantly pulling her out from under the seats etc.  Plus there were some very loud "spirited" guys next door to us.  So we got up at 5 to feed the kids, and we got off the train.  One thing we did learn is that Dasha sucks her thumb, but only when she goes to sleep. 

We had to do some paperwork and then off to the medical center.  We saw the lovely Dr. Boris.  He gave the same lines: "Do you have any weapons, No? Better get one to fend off the boys."
"She must of been a favorite, she is chunky."
"Don't spoil her."

She weighed 22 lbs, and 31 inches long.  She is a big girl!

We had to go get her picture taken for her US Visa, she did much better this time, and we went to the Embassy so that Tonya, our translator, could drop off our paperwork.  Dasha fell asleep in the van during this time and probably slept about 30 minutes in my arms, when we got dropped off at the apartment she was drenched from head to toe, because she was in her full arctic gear!  Dasha already needed a bath, because of the orphanage "funk" but now she really needed the bath.  The bath went as expected.  I put a little water in the bottom of the tub, put both her and Camden in, the minute her toes hit the water she started crying.  Now she never freaked, but let it be known she was not happy with me.  It was a very quick bath, and as soon as I pulled her out, she gave me the biggest grin!

She definitely smelled much better after this!  Then it was lunch time and nap time.  She can put away food, it is amazing, and how fast.  She doesn't chew, she just swallows.  I am so glad I brought the baby food, we have to work on chewing though!  Then both kids went down for naps at 1 and we had to wake them up at 4:30!  They were so tired.  Then dinner again for Dasha, and then we hit the town and went to Chili's.  We had to take two trains to get there and Dasha did amazing!  Not a peep and even swinging her legs in the stroller and singing.  We had a wonderful dinner and got back late not realizing it, it was 9.  Got the kids changes and into bed, and now it is our turn.  We both have been awake for about 36 hours so we are exhausted.  Thanks for all the wonderful comments on the previous post, we leave Saturday and tomorrow is our embassy visit.  We are really on the home stretch now.