Russia + Canada - you knew this was coming

In the last one he is protesting LOUDLY that, "I skating Mama. NO PICTURES!!! I WANT SKATING NOW!!!"  We were at the rink for 2 hours in total (including making new friends, resting by the fire, snack, and lots and lots of skating) and by the end he was ready to take a few steps on his own towards me just like learning to walk.  He proclaimed with excitement over and over, "It's Slipp-ew-eee Mama, dee ice is slipp-ew-eeee!!!" He didn't complain once about the helmet, falling down or his skates hurting his feet.  The only complaint came when I said we had to go.  He wanted to go swimming next... and when that failed, he headed back towards the arena.  Tomorrow he gets to come to my hockey game and be on the bench with the team... I think his head might explode with delight.  So much fun!

4 Months already

Today marks 4 months almost exactly to the minute that he walked through the front door of our home, had his first bath, demolished a wonderful car cake, opened some presents and passed out from exhaustion in his bed for the first time.  Four months ago I worked hard to bridge the language gap with "Russian For Adoptive Parents" learned from a CD and augmented by 5 weeks with Anna in Russia and chose to lay beside him sleeplessly at night rethinking this whole "co-sleeping" business and if it was for us.  We muddled through our days and Corbin bravely ran headlong into his new life.  Gone is the Russian, gone is the quiet little boy who took everything in, gone are the pants that fell down, gone are 2 pairs of shoes, gone is the "liver yuck", gone are most of the eating battles, gone is the tricycle, and gone are any questions of how he would manage leaving the life he knew behind.  We've said hello to so many family, friends, experiences, so much laughter, so many cute sayings, so many skills (like riding his 2 wheeler like a mad man after just one kick at the cat - ok yes it has training wheels but it only took about 200 meters to figure out how pedaling back made the brakes go or that he had to watch, steer AND pedal all at the same time - now it's look out world.)  So many people have chuckled and commented that he is SO much like me in the way he tackles life - the jumping in and swimming, the bike riding, the running, the walking without a stroller for 3 1/2 hours at the zoo (and by walking I mean running amok where he can and being reigned in where he can't), the quick smile and sense of ha ha, the I'll try anything once - maybe twice after a hug and probably most strongly as of late... the way karma comes around to laugh HAHA HA!!! as this child of mine talks NON STOP!!!  My friend Kari said something that touched me today when she said, "If you and Scott were to have had a child, it would have been him..." (we had been talking about the stuff he "just does" and the fact that I needed a quiet, padded room from the incessant talk - and I do mean INCESSANT!!! The questions, the color commentary, the requests and ongoing noise from him is incredible).  So that's four... come and gone just like that.  So many memories, so much fun.  I'm exhausted. I'm happy.
This week my little guy will be filled with your first time on skates, watching your first hockey game (which will "star" Mama playing, singing Mama happy birthday, Halloween and more non stop commentary of it all.  Just like the last one, it's gonna be a great week :)

The Very Most Thankful Of All

It's not that I'm in Bermuda that I'm most thankful for - although spending a day on a boat in my swimsuit wakeboarding certainly makes the radar as it's just as likely that I find myself in snowboots at home in October.  It's not that I spent the day with friends old and new that prove that geography and circumstance know no bounds of the ties that bind that make me most thankful.  It's not enjoying an amazing meal, bottle of wine, warm breeze, outstanding Italian service and fresh pasta followed up by INCREDIBLE chocolate lava cake tonight that makes me most thankful.  It's not being reverent for the fact that I am in a place, space and time in life that 95% of the population on earth will never enjoy with health, ability, and opportunity that makes me most thankful.  It is quite plainly and obviously watching my son experience life with fresh, happy, thirsty for experience eyes that makes me the very most thankful of all.  I find myself speechless so often in the wonder that is him as he mundanely goes about his days astonishing me without batting so much as an eye.  Today, I saw my son happily swim away from me on his own... life jacket snapped on for safety, "pool noodle" stabilizing his way as he swam his way towards the beach where he and Michelle had scoped out a small swing set up for a boy just his size.  He must have swam back and forth 6 times grinning ear to ear announcing that he is fast like the boats.  Steph taught him to blow bubbles, he learned more new words like "wake boarding" and jumped from the back of the boat into my arms in the water like he's been on a boat from day one.  We all say it... and we all believe with our whole hearts that it's true... My son, it becomes more obvious to me every day that you are MEANT to be in my life... meant to be my son... meant to teach me lessons about adoration and love and celebration and love, meant to wow me with your laissez faire approach to OMG!!! I can't believe that you do the things you do and neither can the people who are meeting you.  I can't wait for forever and I'm beyond thankful on this Thanksgiving that you have blessed my life with your zest, enthusiasm, spirit, humor, love, and I can do anything attitude. And, you are right - you can do anything - please just wait until I have my camera ready.  So thankful... so amazing... so you. 
Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends and to the American ones we're cooking for tomorrow! 
Did I say it clearly enough... Wow... you amaze me... over and over.

On the road - Part III

Well here we are in sunshiney Bermuda!  Finally some well deserved vitamin D after a summer that certainly didn't provide much of it at home.  I as the Mama can tell you this: Vacations will never be the same. Long gone are the laissez faire, by the seat of my pants vacation where I toured about on a scooter where it momentarily and very rarely slipped my mind that they drive on the "wrong side" of the road. Now, I'm weighed down with car seats and strollers (one of which Air Canada broke and the other of which they forgot to put on the plane but did arrive the following day thankfully!) and sunscreen and beach toys and life jackets but I wouldn't trade back for the world.  The weather has been amazing (SPF 60 worthy for sure) and as we boarded Wil & Michelle's boat I wondered if the rough waters and loud engine would scare Corbin.  We headed out and he proved my fears wrong as he beamed from ear to ear as we bounced over the ocean waves and his quest to drive the boat was answered.  It seems this kid was born for the water.  When we arrived I told him we would get to swim in the Ocean, play in the sand and ride on some boats.  Well, BOAT! was all he heard - and all I have heard since then lol.  He woke up the first night eyes heavy with jet lagged sleep and retorted loudly, "BOAT! BOAT! BOAT!" and then promptly went back to sleep.  The ranting list of what we've done reads like this: Ferry boats, Buses, Beaches, Swimming, Bermuda Shorts, Michelle's Birthday, Wil's Boat, Fish & Chips, Sand Castles, Sunscreen, Shade, Rum Swizzles for Mama, Corbin's first Coke, ice cream, new words like light house, ocean, scooter, "mo-to bike" (he has said that for a long time but it's funny because his accent comes out), palm tree, ferry boat, pung-baw(b) (which is of course sponge bob lol),  cruise ship, tree frog,  and one of my favorites "no hank-you" which means he's learning to be a polite little boy :) 
I think every adoptive parent wonders how "the first" anything will be.  Well, our first trip has gone without a hitch thus far.  The flight - he was a champ.  The red eye is no treat for anyone never mind a 3 year old but he managed it like a pro.  Napping, chatting with seat mates and being a generally good little traveler.  He is an airport pro even on no sleep and a great little cuddler while he naps :)  Surprisingly, eating - it is going great. No issues here.  He might be hitting a growing spurt or something given the amount he's eating and sleeping - I guess time will tell.  It's been a blast and will be for another week as Mama's friend Steph arrives on Saturday for a visit.  We have big plans... including the infamous Rum Swizzle and more beaches, sand and boats.  Don't worry Steph, I've got the sunscreen.  Monday is our first Thanks Giving as a family and while it won't be at home with our family, we'll be here with my family of friends.  There will be ham instead of Turkey (who wants to be inside for the day roasting a turkey when there are beaches to bathe on?) and there might not be some of the things you'll become accustomed to for holiday celebrations but there will be love... and no mater where we are, I'll be thankful for that. 
Oh yeah, one more funny thing from the road? We were grocery shopping with Michelle for birthday party BBQ supplies when we walked through the liquor section of the store.  Corbin announced while pointing to the wine, "MOMMY JUICE!!!" and I quietly laughed and said yes... it's Mama Juice... To which he retorted while pointing to the Corona, "MORE MAMA JUICE!!! Dis One Same (as home) with CAMELS!" To which I respond, "Yes Corbin, Mama has the same at home"... this goes on and on in an isle that suddenly felt like it was a football field long.  Oh well, everyone there got a good chuckle out of it and I'm sure they'd all be surprised at how infrequently I actually indulge in the Mama Juice.