Christmas, Part 2

Nana and Papa came down for a few nights after Christmas to help us celebrate. As you can see by the pictures, Jackson received a goalie pads and helmet. He was on cloud 9! We went to see a hockey game as well, and our home team actually won!

Jackson's school was closed last week, so Nana and Papa did some free babysitting for us. By the time we got home, poor Nana and Papa looked like they were ready to crack open a bottle of wine. Jackson is what we call "active"!!

Today is the last day of 2011, I can't believe it. What a journey and life changing year this has been. We are very blessed and we look forward to all of the new adventures in 2012.

Christmas 2011

It is a truly blessed Christmas at the Curran's house. We have had a few days together as a family, and that makes us all very, very, happy.

Friday I took 1/2 of a day off of work, and Daddy and Jackson picked me up at work. We went to the mall and looked around (we realize this is crazy a couple days before Christmas), and got another glimpse of Santa. Jackson was the loudest voice in the mall when he screamed "Hi Santa"!! He smiled ear to ear. He loves that guy.

Saturday we baked lots and lots of cookies for Santa. Chocolate chip, snicker doodles, sugar and oatmeal cookies. We also put out carrots and reindeer food for the reindeer and opened a couple gifts during the day as well.

Christmas Sunday? Oh yeah! Santa showed up sometime in the night. Jackson guessed "probably 4' o clock". He ate the cookies and drank the milk. The reindeer ate their carrots and food, only leaving remnants. Jackson asked for a tractor, and that is what he got! He also received a bean bag, a firetruck, trashtruck, small tractor, books, board games, redskins clothing, a V-Reader, hockey guys, balls, clothes, slippers, and several other things. He made out!!! Mike the cat got a cat nip filled mouse, and Gracie and Copper both got bones!

Christmas Morning Video!

Santa time!

This is a blurry photo, but it is the 1st time that Jackson actually sat on Santa's lap! He told him that he wanted a tractor, and that he was going to leave him cookies on Christmas Eve.
After Jackson climbed down, he yelled "THAT WAS AWESOME!"!!!!!!

Christmas Show 12.16.2011

Yesterday was Jackson's school Christmas program. The last two programs he has had, he hasn't lasted long on stage. This time, we practiced a lot and it paid off. He stayed on stage for the duration (other than running down after song #1 to give Daddy a hug before returning to the stage), and no tears until the end when he thought he had to go back to class (Daddy had promised him pancakes!).

Breakfast of champions!
Daddy couldn't find my good shoes!

Making sure he know where his fans are in the crowd.

My fans are here, I am good!

Waving at my fans!

Fat lip because he thought he was going to have to stay at school and miss out on pancakes.

Video, I love it :)

I miss my boys!

I have been in Texas for a week, but hope to be home by next weekend! I have been missing my boys a lot. While I am gone, they are having a good time though. A hockey practice, a hockey game, a trip to see Santa, and lots of naps! The holidays are never a fun time to have to be away from home with work.

I will quit moping for awhile to tell you about the latest and greatest developments in our lives. We filed for VA re-adoption a couple months ago, and have been waiting for the court to generate a state case number to the home study agency so they can submit all the required documentation. They finally generated the number last week, so all the information has been sent in to the court. They have a month to respond, so hopefully they have everything they need. After this, we apply for a VA birth certificate and get a U.S. Passport. We will have 1 more post placement report due in October of 2012, and then it is smooth sailing!

Something I don't mention on this blog, is our contact with Jackson's birth family. We have had contact now, and I had a hardback book put together for him. He occasionally will look at it and says "Russian family", but that's it. It is totally up to him if he is even interested one of these days, but now the information is available if he does. There is a good chance I will reach out to them once or twice a year going forward.

What else? Jackson is still waiting for Santa to deliver his tractor. He wants him to "make it" not buy it. He told Daddy today that he had big eyebrows, he is getting to be a big talker. He always comes up with these comments and one line zingers that are great.

Nana and Papa are coming down the end of next week to see his Christmas program at school. I won't be home for it, so hopefully hubby will video it for me. Hopefully we can get some pictures loaded of his Christmas program afterwards (he is going to wear a tie!). I also hope he can stand up there for more than 2 minutes without panicking and having a meltdown. It is sensory overload in their small room with about 500 parents stuffed in there like sardines! Keep your fingers crossed!

Thanksgiving 2011

This year we went up to Nana and Papa's for Thanksgiving. Jackson had been looking forward to it for a long time. We drove up on Thursday morning and drove home Saturday afternoon. We were able to spend time with Nana, Papa, Aunt Carolyn, Uncle Jeff and Cousin Emily.

Skyping with Uncle Scott, Aunt Chris and cousins Megan, Katie and Amanda.
Making a ginger house tree with Nana, Papa and Cousin Emily.

Outside eating ice cream at a neat little grocery store in Delaware.

The grocery store had a playground out front.

Christmas Parade

Last night we went to a Christmas Parade just a few miles from our home. We weren't sure if we were going to make it, but glad we did.

I threw this first photo in because it was too cute to resist.

The boys watching football a few nights ago.
Start of the parade. Isn't that a cheesy smile?

Waiting for Santa, he was dancing here. Elmo and Sponge Bob had just shown up.

Petting the Golden Retriever rescue dogs. These dogs were awesome.

Waving at Santa!!

Yelling at Santa "bring me a tractor"!

We will probably try to go see Santa again so he can tell him in person that he would like a tractor (instead of screaming it at him in a parade). Last year he was excited until he got close to him!

"WHY"

Well, it's official. "WHY" is now a typical (and constant) question in our house.

Daddy -I am going to work tomorrow

Jackson - Why

Daddy - Because I have to work to get paid

Jackson - Why

Daddy -So I can buy you stuff and pay bills

Jackson - Why

Daddy -Because I love you

Jackson - Why

Daddy -Because I love you a lot

Jackson - Why

Daddy - Because I love you!

Jackson - OHHH

We are up to about 5 "why's" now!

We finally received Jackson's latest school photos that were taken in September. Handsome guy, don't you agree?!!!

Everyone have a happy Thanksgiving and safe travels.

Veteran's Day Parade

Jackson loves parades, and he loves the Veteran's Day Parade. This year it was so cold! He told me he liked the "drummers" and the "guys" in the parade. I asked what he liked the best, and he said the "candy".

Tonight, we were looking at John Deere Tractors online. Jackson immediately went and made a special call to Santa on his (play) cell phone. Bill and I overheard "Santa, me like tractor, please buy it". Looks like he must have Santa's personal phone #! Needless to say, Santa got online and bought it already.