We're Done!!!!

Well, our plans for last night didn’t really work out. We walked toward Red Square but due to the huge Victory Day celebration here on Saturday, it is closed to everyone. We could see things through the gates but were unable to walk through the Square. Another challenge was the stroller issue. We started out with him in the stroller crying and made it to the area around Red Square with some moments of silence mingled in with the crying. Then the screaming started. We already feel as if we are under scrutiny (it might just be paranoia but ever since the adoption freeze talk started, we feel as if everyone is really watching us with him) so we took him out of the stroller and carried him the rest of the walk. The concierge had recommended a café across from our hotel for dinner (we asked for a suggestion of a not expensive restaurant that would be “baby friendly”). Well, the café was neither inexpensive nor “baby friendly”. The menu was small and strange so we ended up feeding Baby O his dinner (jar of baby food in a china bowl the waiter brought), drinking cokes and John ordered a salad. Overall it was not a pleasant experience and we don’t know if the concierge thought it was funny or if he just wanted to be rid of us since he was on a phone call. We returned to the hotel and John walked to a nearby McDonalds to get us dinner (the first time we’ve had McDonalds in Russia this trip).

This morning we woke up and took the bottom-less pit downstairs for breakfast. We came back up to our room and played until nap time. Around 11:00 am (during Baby O’s nap) we started to hear a loud rumble that shook the hotel. Since our hotel is so close to the Kremlin/Red Square, we can see the military practicing all week for the 9th of May victory parade and celebration (our hotel even got a metal detector by the door this morning for heightened security). This year marks the 65th anniversary of the Soviets victory over the Nazis in WWII. As we looked out the hotel window, groups of military aircraft were flying by very low and in formation. After about 10 groups of aircraft (helicopter, fighter jets and bombers) the last group of fighter jets flew by with the colors of Russia streaming out of the back. Even with all the rumbles and shaking Baby O slept through all of this and did not wake up until our coordinator called the room to tell us, that because of these activities we would not be picked up at 12:45 but at 1:15.

Victor picked us up this afternoon and we were off to the Embassy. When we arrived, we went through security and up to the adoption interview window area. There were 2 other families that soon joined us in that area. One was a woman from Florida and her 9 year old daughter (her husband had already returned home) and the other was a couple from Minnesota and their 16 month old little boy. They have all also been in Russia for weeks and are just as anxious as us to get home. It was nice to talk to other people who are at the end of the journey and share this exciting step with them. The woman and her little girl are actually on the same flight as us to Washington DC on Saturday. The process today was very simple…we were called to the window and there was a lovely AMERICAN man who processed us. He commented on how Baby O is a Christmas baby and he said that his birthday is Christmas Eve. He encouraged us to please celebrate both things separately and anybody who combines a birthday and Christmas gift should be shunned :) We were told that there would be an interview but there were no questions asked (we did have to both raise our right hands and swear that all of the information we provided was true to the best of our knowledge). He reviewed some papers with us, explained to us about Baby O’s dual citizenship and went over our immigration process at the airport in DC. Then we had to review Baby O’s picture and information that would be on the visa and wait until the visa was created. We had more time to bond with the other families and share stories. Baby O played blocks with the other little boy (Graham - who we learned also wants nothing to do with sippy cups) and while Graham was walking on his own, Baby O was babbling and making a lot more noise. When they called our name we got back his passport with the American visa and a “top secret” sealed envelope to present to the immigration officials when we land in DC. That means….WE ARE DONE!!! All requirements have been met and the process is complete!!!

Once back at the car, Victor congratulated us and asked where we wanted to go. There is a sculpture in Moscow that Laurie was really hoping to see and when we asked Victor about it, he didn’t know anything about it or where it is located. John remembered reading that it is in a park near a convent so Victor drove us to such a location that he knew of – hoping it would be the right one. It was the correct location and we were able to walk through the park and see the sculpture. There are 2 such sculptures in the world – in Boston and Moscow. It is based on the beloved American children’s story “Make Way for Ducklings” by Robert McCloskey and this one was a gift to the children of the Soviet Union on behalf of the children of the United States given by Barbara Bush. Laurie saw the one in Boston last fall and was so pleased to see the other one today. Victor thanked us for showing him something in Moscow he didn’t know about.

We left the park and Victor suggested that he take us to the other side of Red Square so that we could take pictures of St. Basil’s cathedral. Baby O fell asleep in the car so Victor stayed with him while we walked over to Red Square. We were able to get much closer today (since we were on the other side) and it was cool to see the cathedral, the Kremlin and all of the decorations for their big celebration on Saturday. When we returned to the hotel there was a different concierge so we asked for her recommendations on where to eat dinner. She told us of a Russian restaurant very nearby and brought up their menu online. We decided to try it and she made us a reservation. When we arrived at the restaurant they sat us in a separate non-smoking section where only one table was occupied (by two men around our age who spoke English). Baby O was very loud the entire time and wanted to eat the entire time. At one point John commented that he wondered where the quiet & reserved baby was that we met in February because this is a whole different person!

Only 2 more nights and we will be sleeping in our own beds!