** tap, tap** is this thing on?

I just looked and it has been since April 3rd since my last post!? Yikes! We got a few emails from friends in the adoption community asking if everything was ok, and it is. Life has just gotten busy and now that the weather has finally shapen up, we find ourselves doing more stuff outdoors and going places with Nick.

Case and point... this weekend, we are currently in Chicago. I came up for the Fancy Food Show and we did some fun stuff as a family too. On Saturday we strolled around Lincoln Park. Nick was soooo visibly happy, doing a lot of "talking" and waving at everyone. We must have looked like locals because we were asked for directions.

In the afternoon we met my friends Shannon and Susan and we took the kids to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Had a blast there with Shannon's kids and Susan's niece. Nick is finally taking more to riding the carousel and did great. It has been hit or miss at the one in Indy (inside the Children's Museum). I can't rave enough about the Lincoln Park Zoo.. and free?!?! We will go back when we come up in May for another long weekend we already have planned.

On Sunday, while I was at the show, Nick and daddy headed out to the Shedd Aquarium and the Nature Museum... thanks Shannon! Bill insists we go back to the Shedd next year when is a little older. He had a great time and we are thinking in about a year will enjoy it even more. I guess you can see the animals really up close. Can't wait to go, I have never been.

Speaking of weekends in Chicago, I gotta put a plug here for the hotel we are staying at. It is right across from the Lincoln Park Zoo, two blocks from the heart of the Lincoln Park buzz, two miles north of downtown Chicago, free high speed internet, and the rooms are huge! It used to be all apartments, and now they have 1/2 the bldg as apartments and the other 1/2 is a hotel. Our room is just like a one bedroom apartment. Oh, yeah, what is it called? The Belden-Stratford Hotel. There's also a continental breakfast included, but we are skipping it for this...

So back to every day life... really nothing out of the ordinary. We took Nick for a follow up appt to check on his development and he is now caught up and on target for fine motor, gross motor, and cognitive skills. We had a feeling that was the case, but wanted a professional telling us. He is just saying three words, but they also assured us that it was normal considering that all he heard for 18 months was Russian, we have only had him with us for a little under three months, and we are teaching him two languages. What words is he saying? Bye-bye (which the doctor pointed he says with a Russian accent, too cute), agua (spanish for water), da (russian for yes). He is almost 26 lbs now and grew another 1/2 inch.

I now leave you with pictures.... and I will try and come back and fill in the gaps of the past three weeks. Seems Nick does something funny or has one new trick every week, he sure is a lot of fun.

The three of us strolling around Lincoln Park Zoo, along with Shannon's D & L.

We may have to take L with us. Nick really took to her and held on

to her hand/finger most of the time. D was a really sweetie sharing

his Spiderman doll too!

Yes, he is being trained early.

At the Conservatory, across from our hotel


Road trip!

We had a robin rent out some window ledge space this spring,
and Nick is fixated with the nest and the eggs.