Approaching Normal - Spring '10

As dull as it sounds, some of the highlights of my spring this year have been moments of just, well, normalcy. Last year had so much going on - with Kazakhstan travels, Russ' chemo, and Lera's adjustment to literally everything new: new home, routine, family, foods, language. By the time spring rolled around this year, Lera had been with us almost 9 months, and it became almost hard to remember life before she was here.

Aidan turned 9 in March, and we went to Florida with Russ' sister Gail (aka Petie) for spring break:




Aidan's birthday - dinner at Don Pablo's, then cake at home - Pam was his special guest for the evening!






Our spring trip was great. We really enjoyed our stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and had a low-key trip. Lots of pool time and one park - Universal Studios.
Pirate's Dinner Theatre our first night.... (I'm not sure if the rest of the family wouuld agree, but I wouldn't recommend it. An odd mix of cheesy and violent.)

Outside our room at Animal Kingdom Lodge...animal spotting over happy hour on the balcony was fun





Lera developed a new-found love of salad (finally, we have a kid who will eat salad!)

"Fisherman's Wharf" at Universal

"Hollywood" at Universal

At one of the Disney resorts

Our bathing beauties


Aidan has mastered scrambled eggs, so made breakfast for us

We drove this trip, and stopped at Ormond Beach FL and Savannah GA on the way home (we didn't exactly take a direct route!!) This was Lera's first time on the beach - Kazakhstan is waaaaayyy on the other side of that big ocean



Down by the river in Savannah



Another Easter morning at a hotel... the Easter bunny found us again! (Aidan and Kristin must think this is the norm!)

Going fast on an Ohio state road... almost home!!

Winter & Lera Turns 3!!

We had a fun first winter at home with Lera. It's clear she's from the Kazakh steppe and of Russian heritage, judging from the way she took to the snow!



Sledding in the neighbor's yard



Swinging and snow - two of Lera's great loves. Even when Aidan & Kristin didn't want to go out, she'd venture out on her own.



On January 14, Lera turned 3!

Our traditional 'stand by the post' birthday shot - with Kristin, who turned 7 on Valentine's Day

Low-key celebration on her actual birthday... the cupcake is lame, I admit....


...but she had another celebration in Akron with the Hickey gang.

I couldn't help but be moved by the fact that this just might have been Lera's first birthday cake of her very own. Her 2nd birthday, at the baby house, included a group cake for all of the kids with winter birthdays (and the kids didn't even get to eat it; the caregivers did).

Other family events this winter -


Russ turned 42
Sporting his I-just-wanna-be-hairy-after-chemo look

Kristin turned 7

Aidan took 2nd in his Pinewood Derby
Watching the races with Lera (he wasn't so serene for his own race...)

Victory!