Our blog is ONE!!!

Today our blog "turns one", one year ago I started this blog to write letters to you Vahny boy.........has it really been a year? Wow time flies by fast.....2011 was one of the best years of my life, I met and held you for the first ever time....I met many new friends...and so many other good things happened. Here is what I said on my first letter to you  

"Hi baby boy!
I can't wait until you are home and I can play with you, read to you, and sing to you! Baby boy you are so wonderful and amazing I can't wait until the day that mommy and daddy come home with you and I get to see you for the first time I can't wait until we can go outside and play on the swings and on the trampoline together I can't wait until the day that you get to play T-ball and I get to sit and watch you run and throw the ball! I can't wait until you are finally home! Baby boy I have been waiting for you for so long! You have taught me so much and you are not even home yet! Thank you for being you Vahnya! I know you will be the best baby brother that anyone could ever dream of or ask for!"

Guess what Vahny playing on the trampoline was one of our favorite things to do during the summer... we had so much fun outside together....


2 days after I started this blog we found out that mommy and daddy needed to travel back to Russia to have court so you could be apart of our family forever.....they needed to be back in Russia by February 24th and court was March 1st....we were so happy! It had been almost 3 months since mommy and daddy met you, I was so excited that you would officially be my baby brother...you had been my baby brother in my heart from day one but you would finally legally be my baby brother..there would be no more "what ifs" about you becoming my brother, you would forever be Vahnya Josiah Nine, a son, brother, nephew, grandson, cousin, and friend...loved and adored by SO many....Vahny, I know I say this alot in my letters to you but you TRULY have made my life brighter with your smile, you are such a little blessing from Jesus....I can't imagine my life without YOU Vahn you have blessed my life in so many ways that I can't even explain, with your laugh, your smile, your hugs, your kisses, your voice, your happiness, everything about you is amazing!
 
Vahnya you are truly one of the best things that has ever "happened" to me. I cannot put into words how much I love you....The way I hold you and we look at ourselves in the mirror and you just smile melts my heart, the way you LOVE chocolate milk (anything chocolate really) and you get so excited if we give it to you to drink makes me smile.....your laugh is amazing and contagious......

Vahnya, sunshine, baby boy, Vahny boy, Vahn ..........I love you to the moon and back 1,000 times x10
Don't ever forget how amazing and incredible you are, don't forget how much Jesus and your whole family (and friends) love you.....Vahnya you are loved, treasured, and adored my so so so many people....you are a blessing, a gift..NOT  a "burden" you have truly truly truly made my life amazing


I love you
Love sissy <3

Firts Christmas HOME

Yesterday was your FIRST Christmas home, you had lots of fun but I think you got a little bored when you would open a present and it would be a car (you got lots of cars) but you LOVED the little Star Wars guys that you got and you also loved the Zhu Zhu Pet I got you! You love making your Star Wars guys "fight"...its so cute....I will post pictures soon. I got a camera so I will be taking lots more pics of you. <3 Last year, Christmas didn't feel right without you here now you are here and I'm SO happy.....Buddy I love you more than words can describe you are such a little blessing <3


Next month it will be a year since I started writing letters to you. And I will write you nice long letter.

Last year you were still in your baby home, this year you are home with us. This picture was take in December (2010) and we were so lucky that we recieved these pictures of you. I love you so much Vahny boy love sissy Madison

 

 

OHSU

On Friday you spent all afternoon at OHSU at the down syndrome clinic with mommy and daddy where you saw a bunch of different doctors, you went from one doctor to the next, (you saw 6 doctors) mommy said they were all so in awe over you saying how smart and cute you were and that they couldn't believe that you have only been home since March.

You have grown a lot too you are now 38inches and 31lbs you are almost off the down syndrome chart for growth and just under average on the "regular" charts

 

 

They said your hearing was excellent, you played a game where they would have a bucket of toy birds and when you would hear the sound you had to put a bird into the other bucket. You caught on the first time she showed you how to do this. And the lady was shocked

You said thank you to the Dr when she gave you some crackers and she was shocked.

 You built with blocks, strung beads, put little stones into a little bottle, you swung from a rope swing, climbed up a rock wall, made baskets in the basketball hoop,kicked a ball,threw a ball, rolled a ball,went down the slide all by yourself , pretended to make mommy and daddy lunch and serve them.and so much more!

You were a rock star and you rocked that place :D

I love you so much little Vahny  Love sissy <3

SANTA

Wow I havn't written in over a month I'm sorry buddy. You sure do love Santa we were at JJ JUMP for the local Down Syndrome winter social a few weeks ago and SANTA was there, you were jumping around in a bounce house that we could not get you out of (you were having lots of fun) then you saw santa and as fast as you could you got out of that bounce house and ran to him we thought that you might be "scared" of him but we were wrong

You LOVED him

This might just be the best picture with Santa that has ever been taken :D

We also went to the Bowling alley last week for daddys Christmas party for work and "santa" was there too

 

I can't wait to see you on Christmas morning opening all of your presents

 

 

A year?

Has it already been a year since mommy and daddy held you for the first time? Has it really? I can't believe it has been a year since mommy and daddy emailed us telling us that they met you I can't believe it has been a YEAR since I saw THIS picture

and this picture

In so many ways it seems like that day was SO long ago but then in other ways it feels like that day was just yesterday! "We had such a great day emotional but wonderful! Vahnya is better then we ever dreamed he is so cute so so smart and giggles alot! You guys are going to fall in love with him! everyone that meets him is. God is so good, they read us his medical file and as of Oct 2010 he has no more heart problem it is gone! and the other three things that were wrong in his insides are also gone. God healed his insides just how I prayed he would.The shorts he had on were size 18 months, his hair is the same color as mine and his eyes are dark brown." (email from mommy and daddy right after they met you)

I remember sitting here at the computer and looking at the pictures of you and wishing I was there with mommy and daddy and you, I remember how it didn't even feel like mommy and daddy were all of the way in Russia it was kinda hard to think about and believe, were mommy and daddy really meeting you for the first time??? I remember on Saturday (they left early Staurday morning(the 13th)) it felt like mommy and daddy were just out doing adoption paperwork stuff and shopping it didn't feel like they were gonna get on a plane I remember thinking "when are mom and dad gonna get home they have been out all day" but then rememberd they wern't coming home for a few days since they would be meeting YOU!!! And now one year later you are home where you belong, running around with Jordan and Mae mae chasing eachother, you are learning things during circle time with mommy, you are growing so much

You seriously brighten my day, I love coming home from school to see your smiling face when I get you up from your nap! I love hearing you giggle when you think you are being cute or funny (which is pretty much all of the time) I love watching you dance and make the cutest faces and I love hearing your sweet voice!

Vahny you are adorable, sweet, precious, handsome, silly and funny I love you so much! Look at how much you have changed in a year

BIRTHDAY PARTY

Today was your first ever birthday party with us it was SO much fun we ate cake and pizza, opend presents and played with friends! Here are pictures form your special day

Your yummy cake

Birthday Boy

You were so happy and excited

Opening presents

More posts and pictures to come later I love you Vahn HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Love sissy

Happy 4th Birthday

Vahny today is your 4th birthday, 4 years ago today the world was blessed with one of the most amazing little boys! I am so blessed to call you my baby brother! Today we celebrate you, we celebrate your life and your freedom! We have missed 3 of your birthdays and it makes me so sad that I wasn't with you for your 1st, 2nd or 3rd birthday but I will be with you for this birthday and many many more to come! You have blessed my life in so many ways, with your perfect smile and contagious laugh I'm so glad I get to hold and love you everyday of the rest of your life and my life. You are the sunshine to my day and I could not ask for a better more perfect baby brother! I'm so happy that God blessed our family with you, even if we didn't know you were gonna be in our family when you were born 4 years ago God knew, he knew you were to be in our family, he knew that you were gonna bless SO many people! Buddy you are such a little sweetheart you make us all laugh and smile with the faces you make and the dances you do! You have taught me so much! Thank you for being YOU buddy my little blessing, my baby brother, Vahn I LOVE YOU! Happy Birthday sweetie pie <3

Love sissy Madison