I explained above how we pass time and get exercise on rainy days. Here is the footage:
Mourning the Changes
I went walking this evening, and it was beautiful. We’ve had two wonderful days of sunshine, and temperatures in the 50s (F) teens (C). And the leaves are starting to turn, which I can’t believe is only just happening. As I walk through the woods, I try not to dread the coming of winter. I liked the woods in February, but when the air burst into green this spring, I fell in love. And I’m expecting that this will be the last time I see this forest full of leaves. (We hope to move to Russia this winter.) For now, I'm soaking it in, feasting with my eyes on the patterns of leaves and soaring branches.
And I’m saying goodbye to the maple and oak leaves, to the lilacs that line the sidewalk and to the gardens in back of their buildings. In Irkutsk, I saw two or three places where people tried to nurture a shrub or flower pot outside their apartment building. They were usually quickly destroyed. Here, there are beautiful flower gardens in the front of most buildings (maintained by utilities fees) but around back, the ground is covered by people’s personal gardens, planted to be visible from their windows. Yes, I know everything grows easily in Ukraine's fertile soil, but there is also a level of societal restraint evidenced by the continued existence of these beautiful things. I could draw my simple diagram of beauty leading to hope which then leads to more beauty… you get the picture. But that’s a long aside on an aside.
(I actually just published a post from July... but it located itself according to the date I first wrote it--in July. You can find some photos of these gardens if you look in the previous posts. It's near the end of the many July entries! And if anyone wants to offer technical advice, I'm all ears!)
And I’m mourning the babyhood of my baby.
Today was the first day when I didn’t breastfeed Ella. And though I’m very ready for this transition, it also makes me sad. I’ve spent 4 of the last 6 ½ years breastfeeding, and enjoyed the bonding time with my kids. (Truthfully, I enjoyed the daytime feedings a lot more than during the night!) I will miss the unique little things that Ella does. She’s not as squirmy as she was last winter, but she still likes to put her foot straight up into my face, and hold it with her outstretched hand. (It’s cute as long as she’s not wearing shoes and kicking my chin!) But I won’t miss her teeth! Though she never bit, she mastered an uncomfortable latch that left teeth-dents….
She’s definitely not a baby anymore—and it seems she wants to skip the toddler phase and become a preschooler! So I’m mourning my last baby as she moves on. I’m really enjoying all our kids at the stages where they are, more so than I ever have. (In contrast to my sister, who wrote beautifully about her girls’ first year on her latest blog post, I have not always been good at reveling in the present!) She talks constantly, telling ‘stories’ with the boys’ names, pointing or patting things to show me what she’s talking about. Her animal sounds are progressing past the barking stage. Now she moos, meows, crows, clucks, oinks, and loves to baa. Soon, I’m sure she’ll start using human words! Perhaps I should be enjoying the quite while I can.
And I’m saying goodbye to the maple and oak leaves, to the lilacs that line the sidewalk and to the gardens in back of their buildings. In Irkutsk, I saw two or three places where people tried to nurture a shrub or flower pot outside their apartment building. They were usually quickly destroyed. Here, there are beautiful flower gardens in the front of most buildings (maintained by utilities fees) but around back, the ground is covered by people’s personal gardens, planted to be visible from their windows. Yes, I know everything grows easily in Ukraine's fertile soil, but there is also a level of societal restraint evidenced by the continued existence of these beautiful things. I could draw my simple diagram of beauty leading to hope which then leads to more beauty… you get the picture. But that’s a long aside on an aside.
(I actually just published a post from July... but it located itself according to the date I first wrote it--in July. You can find some photos of these gardens if you look in the previous posts. It's near the end of the many July entries! And if anyone wants to offer technical advice, I'm all ears!)
And I’m mourning the babyhood of my baby.
Today was the first day when I didn’t breastfeed Ella. And though I’m very ready for this transition, it also makes me sad. I’ve spent 4 of the last 6 ½ years breastfeeding, and enjoyed the bonding time with my kids. (Truthfully, I enjoyed the daytime feedings a lot more than during the night!) I will miss the unique little things that Ella does. She’s not as squirmy as she was last winter, but she still likes to put her foot straight up into my face, and hold it with her outstretched hand. (It’s cute as long as she’s not wearing shoes and kicking my chin!) But I won’t miss her teeth! Though she never bit, she mastered an uncomfortable latch that left teeth-dents….
She’s definitely not a baby anymore—and it seems she wants to skip the toddler phase and become a preschooler! So I’m mourning my last baby as she moves on. I’m really enjoying all our kids at the stages where they are, more so than I ever have. (In contrast to my sister, who wrote beautifully about her girls’ first year on her latest blog post, I have not always been good at reveling in the present!) She talks constantly, telling ‘stories’ with the boys’ names, pointing or patting things to show me what she’s talking about. Her animal sounds are progressing past the barking stage. Now she moos, meows, crows, clucks, oinks, and loves to baa. Soon, I’m sure she’ll start using human words! Perhaps I should be enjoying the quite while I can.
Heated by Biofuels
Why is our apartment so hot? Nobody knows. The temperature has been in the mid 40s for about two weeks. There is no heat—and it won’t be turned on until Oct 15. But our apartment is comfortable, unlike in the winter when the heat is way too hot! The bedrooms do get cool at night. (Ella is excited to finally get to wear her cute footy-pajamas!)
Everyone else has very cold apartments—the first thing most guests say is, “It’s very warm here!”
Why? Well insulated with our plastic windows? Maybe. Or perhaps the hot water pipes help keep the whole apartment warm.
But my favorite theory is that we have three little biofuel converters who ingest food and convert it to kinetic energy and heat. Perhaps it's not a coincident that the coolest hours are when they are asleep.
Everyone else has very cold apartments—the first thing most guests say is, “It’s very warm here!”
Why? Well insulated with our plastic windows? Maybe. Or perhaps the hot water pipes help keep the whole apartment warm.
But my favorite theory is that we have three little biofuel converters who ingest food and convert it to kinetic energy and heat. Perhaps it's not a coincident that the coolest hours are when they are asleep.
Ella the Affectionate
After two weeks of grandparent love, Ella has become even more affectionate than before. (How is that possible?) She loves to give kisses and hugs so much that she’ll even give them to guests that she is shy of. At a large gathering the other day, she went from one person to another, giving hugs and kisses to everyone! And when she’s crying, I can usually get her to stop by challenging her to go give Tima or Danya a kiss.
So, I think that the clinginess is finally turning to affection. Most days.
So, I think that the clinginess is finally turning to affection. Most days.
Jokes
Tima’s jokes
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Antelope.
Antelope who?
Antelope who chases after cheetahs.
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Ella.
Ella who?
Ella who likes to use her hands to eat.
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Daddy.
Daddy who?
Daddy who likes to go on trips.
Why does an elephant stand on a tree with only one foot on a leaf?
Because he would fall down on the hard floor.
[laughs] How could a tree be inside?
Danya’s jokes
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Spider-man.
Spider-man who?
Spider-man who likes to be himself.
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Danya and Daddy and Tima.
Danya and Daddy and Tima who?
Danya and Daddy and Tima who like to go to the circus.
Why did Danya and Daddy go to the circus?
So the animals would come out of the cages into the audience.
Wasn’t that a funny joke Mom?
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Antelope.
Antelope who?
Antelope who chases after cheetahs.
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Ella.
Ella who?
Ella who likes to use her hands to eat.
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Daddy.
Daddy who?
Daddy who likes to go on trips.
Why does an elephant stand on a tree with only one foot on a leaf?
Because he would fall down on the hard floor.
[laughs] How could a tree be inside?
Danya’s jokes
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Spider-man.
Spider-man who?
Spider-man who likes to be himself.
Knock-knock
Who’s there?
Danya and Daddy and Tima.
Danya and Daddy and Tima who?
Danya and Daddy and Tima who like to go to the circus.
Why did Danya and Daddy go to the circus?
So the animals would come out of the cages into the audience.
Wasn’t that a funny joke Mom?
Stompin!
Our brush with fame
So I try to connect these clips with the man who collects our rent, and I can't say that I would recognize him. But it's pretty weird to have a landlord that we see on tv. I was shocked at the many youtube clips I could have chosen. I should also warn you that this video has an offensive word in it near the beginning, so if you'll be shocked, don't watch!
Transitions
Grandma reading to EllaFamily to Emptiness
My parents were here for two weeks. And this is the only picture I took! (They took a lot more, but until they return from England, I don't have them!) We had a wonderful time together. I am more and more appreciative of their willingness to suffer physical discomfort and culture stress to visit us. The kids loved having their grandparents, and Tima was constantly saying things like, "And this is our woods," even after they'd been here many days. But they left on Tuesday. And to add insult to injury, Eric left on Wednesday for a nine-day trip to Russia. I thought I would wake up on Thursday morning and not want to get out of bed. But so far, I'm enjoying the time with the kids, and the relaxed pace of life. For the down side, see my post about getting Danya from soccer practice!
In one week, we went from 95 to 45 degrees F. And we've stayed there. While the neighbors promise a return to warmer temperatures and sunshine, there's no hope in the immediate forecast. Well, on Tuesday, it's supposed to be just cloudy--the first day in a week without rain. The strangest thing is that the trees have barely started turning. Most are still green.
What to do on rainy days? We usually go outside for an hour anyway, but today I decided to stay at home. We played the 'call the cell phone game'. Not exactly a famous game, but it has entertained everyone for at least half an hour both yesterday and today. Danya dials from our home phone (which has taught him my number) while Ella holds the cell phone. When it starts to ring, we all dance to the music--Glenn Miller's "In the Mood". Fun and exercise and lifting-of-spirits for everyone!
Naptime to no naptime
Ella is still napping twice a day. But not consistently. We've been trying to shorten her morning nap so that her afternoon one is longer and deeper sleep. But I think we need to drop it entirely. The only problem is that we usually do school during that hour and a half. I hope to replace is with playpen time, but she's never done that well. So, who knows how that will go! Just now, she was quiet for about 30 minutes, so I guess it was a short nap.
Naptime to no naptime, version 2.o
For the last 6 months, Tima has shown signs of dropping his nap, but last week we made it official. I've been worried about this transition, but so far, it's still working for me to rest. He spends half an hour in my bed reading while I stay in the living room and have a mental break. Then I let him get up and play quietly (with Danya when he's not at soccer) while I sleep. And bedtime is now much quicker!
Tima working on his computer during naptime.
The boys' creation while I was resting. It was quite the feast!
Breastmilk to Soymilk
Although she's dug in her heels to drop the previous feedings, Ella surprised us by forgetting about her dinner time feeding for the last three days. And I didn't remind her! So now, she's down to only a morning feeding. And in the past, when I slept in, she did fine to eat breakfast and drink from a cup. So the plan is that after Eric returns next week, I'll sleep in for a week (maybe two...:) and she'll drop the feeding with no fussing. This is made possible largely by the rice milk powder my parents brought from the States. At $1 a gallon, it's much more feasible to give her than the $16 a gallon soymilk we can buy here!
Ella happily drinking soy/rice milk.
Baby to Toddler
It's hard to remember all the ways Ella is developing. Yesterday, she started saying, "Wa-wa" for water, and "Ye-ne" which means our neighbor Lena. She's mimicking more and more words, especially as she points to facial features. Her words are very imprecise, but now recognizable.
It's hard to remember all the ways Ella is developing. Yesterday, she started saying, "Wa-wa" for water, and "Ye-ne" which means our neighbor Lena. She's mimicking more and more words, especially as she points to facial features. Her words are very imprecise, but now recognizable.
Ella's words
Ella has a few new words that come with full body expression. We've finally figured out that her "aah" and then crying at the highchair means "hot". It seems that the cry is part of the expression to her.
In a similar way, 'bump' comes with a hand motion to her head, and a cry. She likes to tell the story to many people after she falls. It doesn't seem like she's doing a delayed cry to get attention, but rather that the cry is part of the story. When she scraped her thumb and ended up with a scab, she would notice it periodically and start to cry and show it to me.
My favorite usage of the word, "No," is when I can smell she needs a diaper change. But if I ask her, she responds adamantly, "Neh, neh" with a violent head shake.
In a similar way, 'bump' comes with a hand motion to her head, and a cry. She likes to tell the story to many people after she falls. It doesn't seem like she's doing a delayed cry to get attention, but rather that the cry is part of the story. When she scraped her thumb and ended up with a scab, she would notice it periodically and start to cry and show it to me.
My favorite usage of the word, "No," is when I can smell she needs a diaper change. But if I ask her, she responds adamantly, "Neh, neh" with a violent head shake.
Rain rain go away
We just had the third rainy cold day in a row. Picking Danya up from soccer was an adventure, since traffic is really slowed up and the buses were so packed that people could not push their way on. I've never seen that happen! After the third full to bursting bus went by, we ended up walking and were 20 minutes late. Ella was at home with a neighbor, thankfully, but then I was stressed about getting back when I'd promised. And the rain was just punishing. Even the inside of my purse was wet, and all our long underwear wet under our pants.
The forecast is for more of the same all week.
But I am very grateful for our babysitter who took Danya to the busstop, and Madeline who drove Danya to soccer, and for Zhanna, who offered to walk Danya home to Madeline's from now on. So that means that I can take Tima and Ella at 4. And it was a great chance to bond with my next-door neighbor who stayed with Ella. Tima was jealous and asked, "When is Aunt Lena going to babysit me?" They have a year-old boy, but the baby toys are very popular with my boys. We share a common locked hallway, so for an hour after I got home, the kids ran back and forth and played all together in our apartment and theirs. I'm very hopeful about the relationship, both personally and practically! They moved here at the beginning of the summer, and I think she's lonely. One weird thing is that we have the same landlord, so our apartments are remodeled in very similar styles, and with similar furniture. Weird!
The forecast is for more of the same all week.
But I am very grateful for our babysitter who took Danya to the busstop, and Madeline who drove Danya to soccer, and for Zhanna, who offered to walk Danya home to Madeline's from now on. So that means that I can take Tima and Ella at 4. And it was a great chance to bond with my next-door neighbor who stayed with Ella. Tima was jealous and asked, "When is Aunt Lena going to babysit me?" They have a year-old boy, but the baby toys are very popular with my boys. We share a common locked hallway, so for an hour after I got home, the kids ran back and forth and played all together in our apartment and theirs. I'm very hopeful about the relationship, both personally and practically! They moved here at the beginning of the summer, and I think she's lonely. One weird thing is that we have the same landlord, so our apartments are remodeled in very similar styles, and with similar furniture. Weird!
Kid's Correspondance
Dear Sunday School class,
We have learned a little Russian – Mrs. Klava is our babysitter, and she speaks to us in Russian and some Ukrainian. We do have a TV – and we watch videos mostly. We watch Thomas, Blues Clues, Barney. We also the Wiggles, and we watched the Olympics, but don’t watch it anymore. We watch podcasts on the computer – my favorite is a Sesame Street podcast about insects. I also like They Might Be Giants – they have little puppets. It’s kind of like a puppet show, but not exactly. My favorite of those ones is Nonagon. My grandma and grandpa are here right now – I llike to spend time with them. Today is their last day being here.
For school, we read, do math, and do handwriting. We read the Bible and we read out loud. I go to home school – I do not go to a real school because I do not know enough Ukrainian. I enjoy home school.
I go to a place where I play soccer – it is lots of fun. I like soccer because it’s a very fun sport. You can use any part of your body except your hands. And I also like my uniform. My brother, Tima, also has a uniform.
Right now the weather is fall-like, and soon it will be winter, and snow is going to come. I am looking forward to winter, but I’m kind of sad that summer is ending.
What’s the weather like there in Colorado? Have you been having fun at Sunday School? Have you been learning very much things in Sunday School? Have you met any new friends?
I love you and I miss you. Bye.
Danya sends this letter.
Dear Sunday School Class,
I don’t have a soccer shirt, because my shirt is broken, and I will get a Seven on it. It will be in eight days.
My name is Tima.
(Note – Tima wanted to write his own letter. Background story – the numbers on Tima’s soccer uniform came off, so we are getting them reprinted. So he will get the shirt back eight days from now. And he is VERY excited.)
We have learned a little Russian – Mrs. Klava is our babysitter, and she speaks to us in Russian and some Ukrainian. We do have a TV – and we watch videos mostly. We watch Thomas, Blues Clues, Barney. We also the Wiggles, and we watched the Olympics, but don’t watch it anymore. We watch podcasts on the computer – my favorite is a Sesame Street podcast about insects. I also like They Might Be Giants – they have little puppets. It’s kind of like a puppet show, but not exactly. My favorite of those ones is Nonagon. My grandma and grandpa are here right now – I llike to spend time with them. Today is their last day being here.
For school, we read, do math, and do handwriting. We read the Bible and we read out loud. I go to home school – I do not go to a real school because I do not know enough Ukrainian. I enjoy home school.
I go to a place where I play soccer – it is lots of fun. I like soccer because it’s a very fun sport. You can use any part of your body except your hands. And I also like my uniform. My brother, Tima, also has a uniform.
Right now the weather is fall-like, and soon it will be winter, and snow is going to come. I am looking forward to winter, but I’m kind of sad that summer is ending.
What’s the weather like there in Colorado? Have you been having fun at Sunday School? Have you been learning very much things in Sunday School? Have you met any new friends?
I love you and I miss you. Bye.
Danya sends this letter.
Dear Sunday School Class,
I don’t have a soccer shirt, because my shirt is broken, and I will get a Seven on it. It will be in eight days.
My name is Tima.
(Note – Tima wanted to write his own letter. Background story – the numbers on Tima’s soccer uniform came off, so we are getting them reprinted. So he will get the shirt back eight days from now. And he is VERY excited.)
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