I started this post on Monday, our actual 2 year anniversary...and just haven't had the chance to finish it up until now.

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Two years ago, though it seems like it was only last week, we started our life as a family of three. Time always seemed to pass quickly...but once July 20, 2007 came, and we had this precious child in our arms, time began to fly. There are days that it's hard for me to remember our life without Iliya...and even harder for me to really wrap my mind around the fact that we actually traveled to - what felt like - the ends of the earth (twice!) to bring him home.

You've heard this story before, but oh, how I love to tell it!

On July 20, Nathan and I walked into the courtroom in Vladivostok, Russia...after a fairly intense court session, we walked out again as parents. It sounds so simple, but we had been on this path for 9 years. We couldn't believe that parenthood was finally a reality, and that we had only a 3 hour drive between us and our son!

So, after changing clothes, we jumped in the van with our translator and social workers and drove the longest 3 hours of our life...to the place that Iliya had lived his - until that point - entire life.

By the time we arrived, it was 9:00 p.m. and our precious 20-month old boy had already been put to sleep for the night. The nurse went to get him, and as we waited for him to be brought in to us, I nervously fingered the clothes I would put him into for the first time as his mama. As we sat there, I thought of the doctor that had been responsible for Iliya's care for the entire 20 months of his life, and was a little sad that it was too late in the day for us to see her when we picked Iliya up...fortunately, we had been able to get a photograph the day before, during our visit, to serve as a reminder of that special woman.

When Iliya was brought in to us, we were a little rushed during those first few moments, so all I have is a 30 second video clip of him being brought in to me, and him beginning to cry. I wish I had a few snapshots, but I do have a few memories of those moments... the pajamas he had been in - little red shorts, striped shirt & socks, sandals, and underwear... and the blue long-sleeved onesie and gray sweat pants I had brought along for him to wear on the trip home...I had to roll both the shirtsleeves and pants legs up several times. I'd also brought along a pair of green Cr0cs - the only shoes we'd actually brought from the U.S., because we didn't know what size shoes he would be wearing and hadn't decided to buy some in Russia. When I think about those memories, I recall that he has long since grown out of all of those items, and it reminds me just how quickly he is growing.

But I digress. In those first few moments, he cried and the social worker took him from me and whisked him outside - perhaps to get him to stop crying, and perhaps to say her final goodbyes. She had mentioned several times how she loved Iliya and hoped for the best for him.

When we got back in the van for our trip back, Iliya's former home was not far behind us when he snuggled into me and slept the remaining trip home.

Once we got back to the hotel, he didn't stir when we laid him down in his crib...and bless his little heart, he slept until fairly late the next morning. He was disoriented when he woke up and cried until we fed him some oatmeal. I guess he got the feeling that we were pretty safe, because he got down and explored a little bit after breakfast. We decided against giving him a bath, first thing, because we'd been told that he hated the bath and we didn't want to do anything - at the very first - that might cause a crack in our rather tenuous relationship.

So instead, we took him out in his traveling clothes and walked around for an hour or so. Such a serious boy!

After our walk, he took a good nap. With the exception of a few pre-growth spurts and other rare occasions, he has always been a good sleeper - or, at least, has needed his sleep. We tried to keep him in his routine as much as possible.

When he woke up, we played some more...then we ate lunch that first day - and then, it was bathtime. Something that we had been dreading, but he had sweated so much during the ride home and then that morning...we figured it was time to go ahead and get it out of the way. We laugh about this picture, now, because it looks like he is saying, "really? you want me to get in that?" But at the time, there was nothing funny about bathtime for about a week.

Although it's not so evident in this picture, he was very happy to be out of the bath...

After bath and a little more playing, it was time for another nap. And this is where Iliya really threw us for a loop and started playing with his cup while laughing and singing....actually interacting...with me. We got a good glimpse of his personality in these moments before naptime.

Over the next 10 days, we really got a chance to know each other...we learned how to make bathtime a bit easier, and that Iliya loved to eat...

But HATED to stop eating.

If you go back and read my blog posts from that time period, you'll find that I was conflicted about things - do we let him cry himself to sleep? or do we always pick him up? If he falls down, do I rush to his aid, or is it better to not be overly dramatic about things? I was a lot more nervous than I thought I would be...always second guessing the best thing to do. I used to think it was because I was an adoptive parent and just wasn't prepared...

...and then one day, several months later, I realized that it's just a parent thing. It's okay to not be sure of myself 100% of the time.

But 2 years later, I'm so much more confident as a mom. I know my child better than anyone else in the world, aside from Nathan. And I know that I have my flaws...but that I'm basically a decent (dare I say good?) mom. I no longer constantly wonder what to do...but finally, things seem more second-nature to me. Or...if I wonder, I know that it's okay to do just that! I used to like my work day, so I could have a little bit of imposed "me" time...a break, if you will, from all the wondering and worrying about doing the right thing. But now, I spend the work days missing my child. His sense of humor is still there - and he has the best personality. He asks questions all. the. time. But I love it. And I honestly, truly miss him when I'm not with him.

Maybe I realize how quickly he's growing up. And if 2 years has passed so quickly, what is to stop the next 15 years from passing equally as quickly, if not more so?

So 2 years later... this child STILL likes to eat.

He no longer cries as I'm preparing food, or when he is done eating, but he still loves to laugh.

And he does gross things with his food, like dip his mandarin oranges in ranch dressing...and then pour the juice from the oranges into the ranch dressing, to use as a dipping sauce for his french fries... or, as he's doing here, put sloppy joe meat into his fruit. And eat it.

It's hard to believe that this precious little boy...

...has already grown into this precious big boy!