Tima teaching Ella to read
The day he read his first 'real' book (thanks to Sonlight) Tima spontaneously decided to teach Ella to read.
Frozen Beauty
I never finished this, and now it's hard to believe how beautiful and frozen it was a month ago.
Ice skating on the 'canals'. The woods are criss-crossed with small canals. And except in the winter, when the ground is frozen, most of the ground is a swamp.
I let them go on the very edge of the frozen lake. Others were braver, but we'll wait until later in the winter to try that!
One of my favorite parts of life in St Pete is the number of athletes. Perhaps it's a local effect from the big forest-park across the streeet. Even in rain, snow or darkness, there are many runners and cyclists. And in the winter, of course a lot of cross-country skiiers. It makes me smile every time! 
Our building, from the forest. The near corner is entrance No 1. Our entrance, number 8, is at the far end, near the corner with the red brick building. We live on the 13th of 15 floors, with windows visible from here (facing the south).
Ice skating on the 'canals'. The woods are criss-crossed with small canals. And except in the winter, when the ground is frozen, most of the ground is a swamp.
I let them go on the very edge of the frozen lake. Others were braver, but we'll wait until later in the winter to try that!
One of my favorite parts of life in St Pete is the number of athletes. Perhaps it's a local effect from the big forest-park across the streeet. Even in rain, snow or darkness, there are many runners and cyclists. And in the winter, of course a lot of cross-country skiiers. It makes me smile every time!Our building, from the forest. The near corner is entrance No 1. Our entrance, number 8, is at the far end, near the corner with the red brick building. We live on the 13th of 15 floors, with windows visible from here (facing the south).
A Good Saturday
Sun too bright!
After weeks where we rarely saw the sun, we had five straight days. Ella complained. Seriously. This photo was staged, but it was based on an actual experience.
Could a Saturday morning be better? The boys decided to make their original lego kits, which involved a lot of sorting. (I like sorting legos.) Ella emptied the closet, tried on all her summer and fall clothes, shoes and eventually starting playing with legos, too.So, could a Saturday morning be better? Only if Eric were here to share it with!
I went back to find Tima's waterproof mitten. It took awhile. The kids waited paitently.... and pretended to be asleep.
(Note the incredibly nice elevator. We are truly blessed!)
This is on the way outside to play in the snow and ice skate. I'll put more photos in the next post! Check back soon!
Affection and drama, again
We took the side rail off of Ella's bed. She has only fallen out once. But when I lay down with her, she pretends that she is afraid to fall.
"Oh, no, I gonna fall!" she cries. Then she rolls toward me, throws her arms around my neck and presses her cheek into my face. "I 'cared! Help me! Aaah!"
Then, a moment later, she rolls away, and repeats. I think she would do it 100 times if I didn't get tired of the game! Tima took this picture from the top bunk. Of course.
Weather
When we looked at the weather in Colorado (during a blizzard) the UV index was 1.
Here in St. Petersburg, the UV index is 0.
Here in St. Petersburg, the UV index is 0.
Tima's World
After we watched Danya's class performance in the Fall Holiday, Tima decided that the living room was 'his school'. So now, he imagines that the hall is outside, and he walks through it to school. His teacher is named miss Na-na-na. (Yesterday it was Miss Deborah.)
What do you do at school?
"Mostly I do writing, sometimes do gym."
What kind of writing?
"Letters and numbers." (He writes rows of various letters and numbers, which I guess is how he imitates Danya's Russian homework.)
"Everytime I get a new teacher, you have to come over to my school. So you can meet my teacher."
Today he drew a picture of a girl, and said that his teacher wanted him to draw his sister.
Another part of Tima's world right now is the guessing game.
"Momma, do you think I'm going to jump over or sideways around this puddle?"
"Do you think this apple piece has a crack in it or not?"
"Is Annakin going to use his lightsaber or his laser gun to fight General Grievous?"
and so on, more times a day. I've tried many times to say, "I don't know, Tima," especially when I'm in a hurry or busy writing a blog post. But I've learned the fastest way out of the situation is to make a guess, any guess. And if I want to influence the behavior, than reverse psychology usually works. He's much more likely to do what I don't choose. Then he can claim with a smug look, "I tricked ya'!"
"I tricked ya'" is another favorited phrase... usually when he got himself dressed, or made his bed, or something that he usually claims he can't do!
What do you do at school?
"Mostly I do writing, sometimes do gym."
What kind of writing?
"Letters and numbers." (He writes rows of various letters and numbers, which I guess is how he imitates Danya's Russian homework.)
"Everytime I get a new teacher, you have to come over to my school. So you can meet my teacher."
Today he drew a picture of a girl, and said that his teacher wanted him to draw his sister.
Another part of Tima's world right now is the guessing game.
"Momma, do you think I'm going to jump over or sideways around this puddle?"
"Do you think this apple piece has a crack in it or not?"
"Is Annakin going to use his lightsaber or his laser gun to fight General Grievous?"
and so on, more times a day. I've tried many times to say, "I don't know, Tima," especially when I'm in a hurry or busy writing a blog post. But I've learned the fastest way out of the situation is to make a guess, any guess. And if I want to influence the behavior, than reverse psychology usually works. He's much more likely to do what I don't choose. Then he can claim with a smug look, "I tricked ya'!"
"I tricked ya'" is another favorited phrase... usually when he got himself dressed, or made his bed, or something that he usually claims he can't do!
Waves of Irritating Sickness
We are finishing our eigth week of somebody being sick. Nothing serious, no flu of any kind, thankfully. But runny noses, coughs, sore throats, sinus infections, fevers... usually one kid at a time. As of today, Tima is well, Ella still has a runny nose but didn't wake up coughing last night at all, and Danya is 24 hours into a fever with headache and sore throat... Eric and I are determined not to get the latest infection.
I found a beautiful depiction of viral infection on NPR. See the video:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114075029
In my head, there are about five great blogposts... and someday maybe I'll have the time and energy to write them down :)
I found a beautiful depiction of viral infection on NPR. See the video:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114075029
In my head, there are about five great blogposts... and someday maybe I'll have the time and energy to write them down :)
Running Commentary from the Drama Queen
"You typing on yo-wa pew-ter?" [Are you typing on your computer?] In roomtime, she likes to type on her 'pewter' --an old keyboard.
"Mama!! Pink my fav-wit color!" (Said whenever she sees anything pink... and then she lists about six colors as her 'favorites')
"Ach-ly... I do want do it. [Actually] She likes to change her mind many times a day. About anything and everything.
"Look, Mommy, something funny!"
"Hmmm, let me see..." (She says this while putting one finger to her lips, as she 'thinks' about it.)
"I way mad to Tima" ('way' means 'very')
"I not can say that." (Said whenever she is challenged to repeat anything in Russian.)
"Pa-cee-ba" (Russian, for thank you)
"Pa-ka" (Russian, for 'goodbye')
Overall, Ella is talking almost always in full sentences, and has a lot to say. Her thoughts are expressed as they come, with no censorship (except by interrupting herself!) She continues to be very dramatic. One day I watched her in front of a mirror, placing her arms on a stool. She said with great exaggeration, "My arm... so... tired." At bedtime, she loves to say with great emphasis, in a voice that sounds truly tragic, "Good-bye Daddy."
And my favorite is that she loves to pretend to be asleep, or dead. At indoor playgrounds, she lies flat on her back, arms spread wide, and closes her eyes. I don't mind, as long as the other moms don't get worried and start checking on her!
Recycling in Russia
Can you believe it!!! It's not technically our trash dumpster, but it's actually closer than ours. And next to the dumpster is a yellow bin for mixed containers, and a blue bin for paper products. Of course, half of the contents seem to be trash. I pity the people who have to sort it. But I like it all the same!
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