Running To Meet

Sasha was up at 7 AM today to be the first at the inspector’s office to deliver the papers he received from the orphanage late on Friday. I got up sometime before that to take down the laundry, then went back to bed. Slept well last night, but we didn’t go to bed until 11:00.

Sasha was indeed first at the office, and saw another American couple here to adopt. Andre’s van broke down, but John had already worked out the Metro route to the orphanage, so we met Sasha at Metro station #23 and finished the ten-minute walk together. Dennis’ group was already outside. Nick was having some classes and would be out in thirty minutes or so. It is hot today: 90+ degrees predicted. The “uniform” of the morning was hat (always when outside), T-shirt and underpants. Dennis was even barefoot. We circled the buildings until we came to Dennis’ group. His caretaker accepted my passport and sent Dennis off with us (and had to keep the other children from coming, too). We asked what words he uses. The caretaker indicated he uses a couple of words, “mama”, “paka” (good-bye) and “dai-dai-dai” (give me ) most of all. He repeats several other words. I handed him the half-cracker per usual, but this time he held it away from his mouth and readily took a finger to go for a walk. So we had a half-hour alone with Dennis first. No heavy breathing at all this time. The cracker was quickly forgotten and dropped on the ground. He sat on “Papa’s” lap first playing with the stacking rings, and then transferred to me when Papa’s legs went numb. He likes to hold everything at once – or would if he could. I was putting the larger rings on his feet – he would immediately push them off. He was pretty good at getting the rings and then the bear’s head on and off the post. He looked up for the bubbles, gave a half-smile, but the real joy seems to be when Nick enjoys them (loudly). Dennis has enjoyed the stacking cups, too, but we are gradually losing the toys – the base to the stacking rings and three of five cups. One of the parenting skills we need to work on is looking around at the end of play time to make sure we have picked up all of the toys and put them back in the backpack!

After a half-hour John went off to find Nick. He went off in one direction and shortly a group about Nick’s age came from the other way. I looked closely and sure enough, a dark-haired fellow in a honey bee cap was running ahead to me. What a happy look on his face, and an exuberant smile. Before long John came full circle back to us, and was greeted as warmly. He caught up to Nick’s group that had gone by (we had planted ourselves on a curb in the shade with Dennis) and offered his passport, but the caretaker waved him off. I guess they haven’t always required a passport for Nick. Perhaps they figure we always have to give one for Dennis, perhaps they trust us (at least a little). Nick pulled out the coloring book, but quickly exchanged it for the pad of blank paper. He sat on John’s lap and they drew pictures together with crayons. They also played with bubbles, looked at bugs and went off to try to find the base for the stacking rings (not successful, yet).

Dennis also played with crayons and paper – so we now have the first ‘Papa and Nick’ artwork, and the first ‘Mama and Dennis’ artwork. Dennis kept putting the green crayon in his mouth, so I offered him another half-cracker and put his bib on. He didn’t take long at all to finish this time. When we put the crayons away Dennis was happy with the stacking rings again – this time he put them on his feet. (But John and Nick were gone with the camera at the time.)

Sasha helped us ask Nick a few questions regarding favorite color, favorite toy, friends, what he had done in school. His favorite color is red. And he nodded “yes” to “Did you dance in school?”

A while later a woman passed on the other side of the property fence. She tried to say something to us. When we clearly didn’t understand, she paused to think, and then said quite clearly in English, “You and the children go over and sit on a bench, please.” We were so impressed; we readily packed up and complied. Nick found more ants there. He pulled a cup out of the pack and began to serve us pretend foods – scooping up dirt from various spots around the bench. We all enjoyed the game. Dennis was standing up trying to hold everything: the bag of cookies, the bag with the bottle of bubbles, the stacking rings, and a book.

Of course, noon came too quickly, and we had to take them back to their groups. John and Nick went ahead. On the way it was clear Nick did not want to go back. He tried to suggest they go other places. John thought he looked close to tears. He dutifully stopped at his locker and placed his hat inside and exchanged his outdoor shoes for indoor shoes.

Sasha and I went straight to Dennis’ room (near the director’s office). We have observed the caretakers allowing/encouraging the children Dennis’ age to go up the stairs by themselves, holding a low rail at just their level. Friday when I set him down half-way up he just froze, looking confused/distressed. Today: no problem! He went right up, although paused when the caretaker appeared at the top, just outside of his room. She encouraged him and he quickly finished. Muh-lah-DYEHTS! Good job! The caretaker asked that we bring some diapers for Dennis (and others?), Sasha asked what size, so she went back in to find out: 10 kg. Sasha also asked for me if he uses bottles any more. Oh no! He doesn’t even use sippy cups: a regular cup for him now. I expect we’ll still use the sippy cups we brought, at least for traveling, to minimize messes. 

Also at the top of the stairs, the waiting area for the director’s office, was the American couple Sasha had seen at the Inspector’s office: Bill and Sue from New Jersey with their interpreter. They had just arrived this morning and had a first meeting. They were back to ask the doctor more questions. They have also decided “to continue”, so we will likely be seeing them some more.

Tomorrow Sasha will go to the police department and begin to work on authentication of the boys’ residency. If the inspector finishes her documentation today, he will be able to send it back to Sasha in Kyiv by train in a sealed envelop. Pizza or something similar sounded good to us today, he indicated that the place he too us on Thursday was about the best in town, so we returned. In spite of the heat, shade and a good breeze made it comfortable to eat outdoors this time. (John: antipasta (sic) and American pizza; Sasha: pasta Bourgenais (?), Andre’: chicken breast on lettuce salad; me: Lasagna #4’ and we all shared a two baskets of flat bread. Poor Sasha can’t seem to get is beverages of choice (black tea or Sprite), but did seem to enjoy his two cups of Americano coffee. We had after-lunch cappuccinos for mid-day caffeine. Andre’ prefers juice.

Okay, time to shop for diapers. Andre’ took us back to the supermarket (third time here, now), we did some price comparisons and picked up a Megapack box of 129 #4 Pampers for Active Babies. We also picked up a couple of toys, and took advantage of the transportation to buy two 10-liter bottles of water.

We keep checking with Sasha the Russian words and phrases from the materials given us by the adoption agency and the Russian/Ukrainian CD/phrase book that John purchased before we left. Some are fine, some he chuckles or puzzles about.

Andre’ picked us up for the afternoon visit. We delivered the Pampers and the caretaker went in to get Denis dressed. John went off and found Nick. When Dennis was set down outside his room he got his upset look again. I think he would have gotten buy with the stacking cup I handed him, but we quickly pulled out a half-cookie at Sasha’s urging (he never actually ate it). Then it was off to find a place outside to play. Dennis had shoes this time, but otherwise it was still hat, shirt and underpants. We saw Bill and Sue outside the front door with a toddler. We were able to tell them there were many places to sit and play if they just walked around the buildings.

We may have taken one of the group’s usual spots, or perhaps they all rotate and have more than enough play areas with a bench and shade. A butterfly took fancy to John, and kept landing on his shirt – the sleeve, the back and even his head a couple of time. Nick spotted him first and was fascinated – at least until it landed on him, then he was really scared (gave John a chance to cuddle, comfort and protect him). We had the crayons, bubbles, stacking rings, beanie babies out per usual. We had picked up new stacking blocks that fit inside each other over the lunch bread. Nick enjoyed putting the cow inside to hide and having John search for him with mooing noises. When John and Nick went off in search of the base for the stacking rings again (unsuccessful attempt this morning), Dennis played more with the toys, not being distracted so much by Nick. He likes to put various things inside each other, and of course push things off back of the bench to the ground! After J&N returned with the completed stacking ring set (hurray!) Nick started in on another round of pretend eating and drinking with us. Dennis also took the two remaining stacking cups and pretended to drink, also offering them to me to drink. Another hurray! He also put a crayon and the chestnut blossoms Nick had given him into his mouth. I told him repeatedly “nee KHO-chai” (don’t eat) and eventually got a look at the mischievous face he had turned away from me. Definitely making progress. When it was time to leave we were able, thanks to Sasha’s coaching, to tell Nick that “we must go to your group” in Russian. We also understood his reply: “patuum” (later), and had to tell him “nee patuum, seeCHESS”(not later, now). It seemed to help, that and stopping at Dennis’ room first and then letting him lead us both back to his group/room. Sigh . . . at least we don’t have to wait two days before returning this time.

Dinner tonight was chicken stir-fry – new for Sasha. We already had the chicken (which pretty much passed the “sniff” test), an onion, cauliflower, fresh mushroom and garlic on hand. We went to our nearby ice cream shop and bought red and yellow peppers, too. John added some Frontier basil leaves. The three of us had a nice dinner at home.

John called the builder responsible for re-roofing our house in Iowa. It has been a bit of a problem because rotten wood was found around the dormer windows and it was left partially unprotected during the rains since the job started. Poor Becky had a bat in the house and has been stuffing rags into holes in the kitchen through which she can see the sky. John was quite firm with the business owner and the foreman in charge of this project. He authorized the repair of the rotted areas, and work should resume tomorrow and be finished promptly.