First time for EVERYTHING!

First time for...


- Leaving Umit for good. Pakka Umit!


- Entering a hotel, and trudging up 4 flights of stairs. Oy!



- Napping (well, trying to anyway) anywhere but Umit.
- Eating a samsa, and walking the streets of the city where they've lived for 3 years.
- Eating dinner around the top of a mini-fridge and praying before that meal.



- Taking a hot bath with a brother/sister.
- Wearing zipper-jammies to bed.
- Sleeping in a totally unfamiliar crib, when they're used to sleeping in toddler beds.
- Crying themselves to sleep.
- Waking up in totally foreign territory.
- Hopping in bed with Mama and Papa when we wake up!

Whew. What a day. What a night!

We did the ceremonial (allowed) gift giving to the Director of Umit, and told her that we really appreciated the training and care that the kids got in their first 3 years. We got a few pictures of her with the kids, and then we video'd the whole ride "home" in Mit's van. They took the stairs at Gazovic like champs, but would not sleep one minute during their regular naptime. Too much new to see! We made it quiet time just the same.



Then we got them dressed and went out for their first walk around their hometown. We got samsas and Cokes and copped a squat in the shade and had lunch. They LOVE samsas! Once back to the hotel, we had some good playtime and then Angel prepared dinner. Dinner for them was raman noodles with veggies added in. We were never able tofind out exactly what they eat, so we didn't know they wouldn't like little chunks of veggies in their soup. They looked at it like it was pinecones and rocks in their bowls! So, we got rid of most of the veggies, gave them each a big chunk of bread, and they went to town on all the broth. They also enjoyed the instant "smashed potatoes" (as Vera calls them). Being in a hotel room with nothing but an electric kettle makes cooking dinner a little complicated.

Then it was bathtime! We got the whole thing on video. Both gave the same reaction to being plopped down in the warm water: OOOOOOOOOOHHHH!! They loved the bubbles and fun cups and, of course, Rubber Ducky! They were not real fond of the handheld sprayer, but they got used to it. I think they will like this little tradition of bathing every day, although we probably kept them in too long, since they both ran to us after drying off holding their hands palms up because they didn't recognize the prune like texture of their fingers and palms! Oooops.


Get me outta here!


Daddy, I'm gonna toss this ball out the window, ok?

Then came bed time. Zipper jammies were fun, but after about 10 minutes both kids were sweating up a storm. Shorts and t-shirts it is. They HATED their cribs, and it took 2 hours of rocking and comforting to get them to sleep. Dub was discombobulated, but not upset; but Lena cried at the top of her lungs until Mama figured out that her crib is loosely constructed and has a great rocking action. After 30 minutes or so of that, she fell fast asleep. Then about 1030pm, Daddy made a nice boo boo and got Dub screaming. Mama took over and rocked him to sleep in about 25 minutes. They slept all the way through the night until 7am, which is more than we can say for ourselves. Mommy-ears were on both of us.


You'd have thought the vodka would have helped him sleep. (KIDDING! It's a souvenir from our celebration night with Vera, Mit, and the Morins.) For those of you who have seen the picture of Kevin with his arms around a Heineken bottle, this should look familiar. See below for picture of Kevin circa 1968.



This morning, it was "hello...garshok" from both of them, but they both awoke with smiles. Garshok, nose-blowing, a Flintstones, and some apple juice, and we're about ready to go to breakfast.

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments on the blog. It means the world to know that our friends and family are out their praying and caring for us.

Hang on Dino! We're comin' home!!

Blessings,
The new family of four!