Day Seventeen: Kamilla Goes Exploring

Today was a great day. I went to see a Kazakh Music concert in the evening with my interpreter. It was really amazing to see. She pointed out that we were the only "European" faces in the crowd. Which was true, Kazakh people tend to look more Asian, and although Semey seems to be about 1/2 Caucasian outside the concert -- at the concert it really attracted the people with a long Kazakh heritage.

I haven't been taking many pictures so I'm going through my archives. Since my time with Kamilla is the same time every day, in the same room every day, and they have her in the same outfits every day -- even though the picture may have been taken 3 days ago -- it "could have been" today! Honestly!

Kamilla wants to make sure she did not leave ANYTHING in my bag

Oops! It looks like she saw something else in there....

One of my most common views. I cannot get her to stay in the bonding room with me. She likes to bang around in the bathroom, since she knows I don't really like her in there. More hard surfaces to get hurt on, no toys, dirty rags, etc.

Here she is with the soap dish to pound on every surface. The louder....the better.

Oh! I dropped the soap dish in the tub, Mom. Can you get it for me?
I have more pounding to do with it! LOL

This is a little push toy that I bought for her. It is very cute and noisy.

Day Sixteen: My favorite day with Kamilla

For some reason, today, Kamilla and I just seemed like two peas in a pod and I spent most of our time together laughing out loud. And, she was too! I never have seen her laugh or smile so much.

Here are some more photos of my sweet girl!

First one sock comes off!

Then the other one! I actually took my sock off too and put my foot next to hers. LOL

Here's another smiley picture from the other day! She's a dream.

This is a Kamilla I see all the time! The ask Mommy to hold her and
then "point" to where she wants to go.

Two Smiley Girls!

Karen is "Star" in College English Class

Larissa, my translator, invited me to speak for one hour to her English students. It was one of the happiest times of my stay here. They are all young (18-22 years old I would say), and really think Americans are GREAT! I was a total celebrity. Each one wanted to talk to me, say "hello" or "good-bye", shake my hand -- they gave me a gift to remember the city by.

And, it was just so much fun talking with them. The hour flew by. I had been nervous about how to take up the time, but that was not a problem at all.

Day Fifteen: Final "Official Bonding" Day

My sweetheart!

In Kazakhstan you are required to bond with the baby or child you want to adopt for 15 days. And, then you file court papers.

So today is my day 15 -- so my coordinator here is filing the papers.

Here are some photos of the people I am working with. And, of course another picture of my cutie pie.

We are with one of the sweetest caregivers here. She really fusses over Kamilla.

This is Katja, a 23-year-old translator that loves spending time with Americans.

She made me feel a bit like a celebrity.

These are my two main contacts. Larissa (left) is the translator and Olga (right) is the regional coordinator. Both very sweet and glamorous ladies.

Day Fourteen: More Photos!

Mutual Admiration Society ;-)

Kamilla playing. Notice the Blue Sweater Tights they have on her! The kids are not cold here!

Another Kamilla and Mommy photo.

Kamilla hanging out on my legs for a horsey type ride. One shoe off!
Those are some warm corduroy and fleece shoes.

Day Fourteen: Kamilla Nicole Kuklinski

Well....here is Kamilla's official name. I had to fill out some paperwork for court today and made it official. Kamilla Nicole Kuklinski The "Nicole" is after my nephew Nathan. His middle name is "Cole" -- and I chose a girl's variation of that! He is so sweet and I know he will be able to teach Kamilla so many things. That is how he is....very special and kind and patient. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the past few days!!

Mommy is wearing Kamilla out! (photo 1)

Kamilla and Mommy hanging out on the floor It was one of

those do-it-yourself photos. She's a sweetie. (photo 2)

Kamilla likes to play-fight over the toys. She is so cute when she smiles! (photo 3)

Day Eight: Kamilla is Smart as a Whip!

Kamilla sees me with the camera and wants it of course! A future photographer? (photo 1)

Look at that "concentration" face -- she is always thinking and figuring things out. (photo 2)

Playing can be serious business. (photo 3)

Day Seven: Kamilla & Mommy's Purse

Kamilla and Mommy (with a bad hair day LOL) (photo 1)

Kamilla is going places with Mommy's Passport and Money (photo 2)

She knows she is not supposed to dig in my purse, but isn't she so cute! (photo 3)

The sweetest little dickens face! (photo 4)

Day Six Part Three: Kamilla Loves Music & Climbing

Here is Kamilla and the little music set that I bought for her. She loves music and starts to dance whenever she hears any. (Photo 1)

Kamilla chewing on some buckets. She actually is super smart and knows how the buckets go together, come apart....one of my favorite things is to put things in the bucket -- and she of course takes them right out! (Photo 2)

Kamilla chewing on Hawaii. This is a puzzle piece saying Hawaii! She is very good at getting the puzzle pieces out of the puzzle, pounding them to make noise, and of course chewing on them to make her teeth feel better. (Photo 3)

This is a little vanity that she should SIT at -- but of course she likes to crawl all the way up it and pull on the mirror and shout -- she reminds me a bit of King Kong on the Empire state building -- she is so, so happy and smiling when she is up there (with me holding her so she doesn't fall). (Photo 4)

Day Six Part Two: Kamilla & the German Guy's Butt!

Kamilla liked to chew on the Versace label of the German Guy's Jeans. Needless to say, he was a bit surprised to find her there several times! The arrow is pointing to her little drool mark. (Photo 1)

Kamilla is NOT shy. If something is happening, she is right in there. (Photo 2)

This is one of the toys, belonging to the German family, that Kamilla most likes to destroy. I pulled her away from it at least 50 times. She is very determined & beautiful. (Photo 3)

Day Six: My Special Birthday

Well today (Monday, 10/19) was my b-day and two of my favorite things of the day in Kazakhstan were 1) seeing Kamilla (of course) and 2) the driver stopping at a florist and buying me flowers ;-)

I will post more later. I used to go to the Baby House at 10am and now it is at 9am so my schedule is a bit off kilter today. I have much more to say....later. Big hug!!

Day Five: Kamilla Is the Dickens

Kamilla eating a Crayon(photo 1)

Kamilla & Mommy (photo 2)

Kamilla eating a cookie on Mommy's lap (photo 3)

Kamilla discovered Mommy's stash of toilet paper in her bag (photo 4)

Kamilla chewing on TP bag, and most likely coming to get my camera :-) (photo 5)

Kamilla is so amazing. She likes to climb on top of tall things that she is not supposed to. Go into my purse and pull out everything. If I try to hide something from her, like plastic wrapping from a toy, she makes a note of where it is and goes and gets it the minute I'm not looking. She knows she is not to go in the bathroom so stops by the door and looks at me as she walks in there anyway. There was a boy of about 8 years old in the bonding room that came over to the toy Kamilla was playing with and started to peel her fingers off the keys -- well she stood there and peeled his fingers off the keys right back! LOL. The other family was a friendly German family so they kept saying it was fine for Kamilla to play with their model airplane, or the crayons, or the Dad's expensive camera --- but each time they were sorry and couldn't get the things out of her hands as she smashed them and put them in her mouth. She is so, so cute and strong and has the best personality. When I was feeding her there was music on in the other room and she was dancing and dancing in the high chair. She always reaches for me and wants me when she sees me now. It is so hard for her care providers to change her diaper and dress her when I'm nearby because she is tossing and turning and trying to come by me -- so they gave me her clothes yesterday to help dress her. Well that is about all for today! It is 8:45am here and I will see Kamilla in an hour. Yippeee!

Day Four: Kamilla Belly Laughs

Looking in the Mirror (Photo laying on belly looking in mirror)

Feeding Kamilla - I thought we were putting our faces together for the camera, but she was looking at the food. LOL (Photo of Kamilla in high chair)

Kamilla likes looking at the pictures of her cousins Kyle and Nathan (photo of Kamilla sitting looking in picture book)

Took picture myself, of us snuggling and talking (photo of Mom & Kamilla)

Well today Kamilla was so happy to see me. And, I'm learning all the ways to make her smile. In the morning she seemed pretty tired, and only came running towards me smiling a couple times (her signal that I'm to throw her in the air, twirl her, and dance with her). In the afternoon I finally got to hear her belly laugh. And, once she started she seemed to laugh about everything. What makes her happy? To be the dickens. She likes to offer me a toy and then take it away before I can get it. Oh she thinks that is so funny. Or she will snatch a toy from me -- and I "get" her by tickling her and telling her "Kamilla give that back to me" -- all happy. She laughs and laughs. We are in the bonding room alone, just the two of us. Well my time with Kamilla ends at 4pm, and another couple and an older boy of about 6 come in to play. It is the first time I saw how Kamilla would react to new people -- and she went running right over to play with the new toys they had brought. I know she is used to playing with other kids, so it shouldn't have surprised me that she is so social -- especially someone bringing a new bag of toys. The toys in the bonding room are meant for younger children -- so I think the couple brought more grown up (wooden building sets) for the son they are adopting since he is older. I fed her two times today. The morning is like a porridge with a spoonful of pureed fruit and what looks like a spoonful of bran. The afternoon is a potato, gravy, and meat mixture. Kamilla can EAT! The bowls are huge and heavy with food -- and she has eaten everything, every time except once she left a little. They also get a cup of tea. A regular china cup of tea -- that you hold to their lips for them to drink. She loves it and gulps it right down. I can't wait to see my dickens baby again today. Right now it is 6:45am and I'll be leaving in about 3 hours to see her. All the best. xoxo

Day Three: Kamilla and Mommy Photos

Hi everyone -- here we are! You can see how "hot" and "red-faced" I am! They don't let the children get cold, that's for sure. I was told that central heating in Kazakhstan was turned on October 15th. She is so precious.

I'm working on getting the video ready to be posted. I guess my new video camera was set to High Definition, so I have to figure out how to get the file size smaller. Always an adventure with technology. It is 8:20am here now -- and they are picking me up at 9:45am to go see Kamilla again. :-)