Yalta Delayed, A Banana Fiend Emerges, Four More Days

Apparently it was raining at the coast today, so we have delayed our Yalta day trip until Saturday. There are now four more days until the waiting period of done!

Alex and I had a wonderful morning together. It was nice enough outside to go out, but the play room was open and thought I would try to get a little one on one quality time with him. He seemed to like being inside today. When he is outside he runs away constantly with me chasing after him yelling "Alex! Alex!, Ne nada! Ne nada!" The Italians love watching this spectacle. There is just too many distractions to get in some serious bonding time. Splitting the day may be a better idea in order for him to get socialization and for us to get one on one time.

Alex has become the banana fiend. I bring one every day in the morning and he now goes in search of them when we settle into a spot for our visits. "Banana, Banana" he says as he rifles through the bag. He likes to peel them himself, hold it and then devour it. Just starts cramming it in. This morning he also ate the entire box of Animal Crackers, cheese and an apple juice. Glad I brought some food.

Alex and I have been working on his ball throwing technique. I don't think that this is a skill they teach the kids (probably for good reason). When we play with the ball, he tosses it strait up in the air in an under hand fashion. Not effective. No distance. No accuracy. We have been working on throwing overhand and he has caught on quickly. He can now throw a ball across the room, fairly accurately, and he is very excited about his new found talent. I have also started taking the all important slippers Lara bought me in Kyiv when I go to visit. You can not go back into the main groupa area with your street shoes or socks. It is customary in the Ukraine to put on slippers when entering anyone's home. It is bad form to wear your socks or your shoes. This is not all that dissimilar to Minnesota, where we take off our shoes when entering someone's home no matter how dressy the event. By taking my slippers, I can walk back into the groupa area and see Alex on his turf. The care takers seem surprised, but not unwelcoming. They always want an update on when we are headed back to "America". They pull out the calendar and make me explain. (Now that I think of it, it might be because they are anxious to see me leave.)

It is good to be able to take Alex back there to get a toy or take him to use the potty (a small bucket on the floor). We usually have to ask someone to help us. Back in the potty room, I must take a photo of those kids back there using their buckets. It rates a ten for cute factor. At specific times during the day, they put the kids on these little plastic buckets (think beach bucket) in a semi-circle to pee and poo (pecit and kacat). When you go back there, they all look up at you smiling and giggling. It's a hoot. They have to sit there with their legs closed (so everything goes down) with their hands on their thighs. Amazing that they stay in this position for a long period of time. They are not allowed to get up until told to by the care givers. When they stand up, they touch their toes, get a wipe, up goes the pants and their done. I have never seen a more orderly group of two year old children in my life. Lara went back there to look in one time. One of the kids saw her and wanted to go to her. Instead of getting up, the little boy had the presence to scoot that bucket across the floor towards her, butt in position, legs closed, and hand on the thighs. He never broke that position. Now that's skill!

Two more Italian couples have shown up to look at kids. One has been there for two days so I am not sure if it means that they like the child or not. They happen to be visiting one of the younger boys in Alex's groupa. Another couple visited him and decided not to adopt him. I hope this one works out for him this time. He is very cute. It has to be hard on both sides of the equation to visit and not have a good match. Not certain about what happened to the second Italian couple. They were not there today. Keeping my fingers crossed that they were working on the never ending stream of paperwork and approvals this morning.

Norman and Maxine are headed back to Florida on Sunday. They were in Minnesota for a Month! I know they are ready to get back to sunshine and warm weather. We only wish we could have returned with their new grandson earlier and they would have had a chance to meet him before heading out. Thank you Mom and Dad for taking care of the home front! We love you!

If anyone reading this has some news from back home at Lake Sarah or work, please email or comment. Would love to hear from you.