Ilya is very cute with the girls. The girls were playing a rather trying game of running up the hall away from us today, to get us to chase them and pick them up. Ilya took it upon himself to bring them back a few times. Lena would respond to him going to get her and running back herself, but Ilya may have literally been trying to drag Olivia up the hall at one point. I think she was laughing, but someone intervened.
Ilya learned a new word today. "Please". He gets very demanding during our snacktime. "Caka, Caka, Sus, Sus, Caka". I was telling him "please" in Russian, trying to get him to say "Caka, please". Well, he wouldn't say it in Russian, so I thought I'd try English. And then he said it... "please!". All of the grownups just burst out laughing and he was sooo proud of himself. Huge smile. I think speech is a struggle for him, and he can be shy about it. After that, I asked Lena to say please when she wanted a cracker and the little copy cat said "crackers cheese!"
Lena sat on my lap for over a half hour eat crackers. Constantly. Ilya and Olivia got up and played. She watched but she was totally content to keep eating as long as I handed over another one when she said "crackers cheese!" I don't know how many crackers she ate, but it was a lot. I am not sure if it was out of hunger (certainly a possibility) or a security thing, wanting to know that there was food and she could have it. Eventually, she slowed down and I put them away. I think she may have kept on eating if I had let her, but I was able to put them away without much fussing.
I hate to sound whiny, but I am ready to go home. There are lots and lots of things which I am missing. Two and a half weeks is a long time to be gone and it'll be at least another two before we're home.
Wish our camera worked like yours in that room. You take great pictures! :) I think Olivia was frustrated with us today. :( She is also clearly more comfortable around you guys because she has seen you for a lot longer. She's definitely acting like a 3 year old. Lena was a hungry little girl today. At least she has a good appetite!
ReplyDelete(((Hugs)))) Sorry your feeling homesick! It must be so hard, particularly because you feel as though your parenting under someone elses rules.
ReplyDeleteI hear this echoed in a lot of adoptive parent's stories at the midway point-and I thought once I began feeling this way, at least on my non-visiting time, I would photograph, and journal as much as possible about the City, people watching, the stores, culture-to share with my child(ren) once they are asking the questions about where they came from. As simple as it is, they might really enjoy hearing about your favorite brand of Yougert or of the houses and buildings you passed when traveling from your apartment to the orphanage; your photo and retelling of a lady who was feeding birds, a photo of the store you bought the crackers they loved so much in your early days together...children LOVE asking questions as they grow and they really like specifics : )
Sending love from the cold Midwest!
Melissa
You'll be home before you know it! Maybe you could SKYPE with your family and it would help give you the extra push to stay and not miss home so much. I'm praying for your new family. I'm so happy to be able to celebrate each day with you and Aaron. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy a small snipit of what you're enjoying. :)
ReplyDeleteMolly your not being whinniny at all. When we were in Russia this summer for 5 weeks I was so ready to come home too. There were times I wanted to cry but held it together. What helped was I brought lots of books to read and we had movies we watched on our computer. Even when I would listen to my Ipod helped. You are getting there and before you know it you'll be on your way home. Oh I wanted to ask you how was the train ride from Kyiv to where you are now?
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand, snacks=love to these little ones in the early days. Huge for bonding :)
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