2 month post...already?

I can hardly believe I am writing this post. Didn’t we just spend almost 24 hours flying home with 2 toddlers? Reese & Niko have been in the USA for 2 months now. Geez...time is flying by so quickly. Because I’m in my 40’s I really hate that time is passing by so quickly. Let’s slooow down a bit. There’s so much living to do!

As for an update, Reese and Niko are thriving! How can anyone be so happy all the time? They are making me appreciate all the small things in life we often take for granted. I love seeing their wide eyes and smiling faces when they discover/see something new. The first time we caught sight of this was actually in Moscow when we went to a playground and Reese saw an 8 year old boy for the first time. She actually stood there, not moving, for fifteen minutes just staring at this boy. This occurred many times while in Russia and for the first couple of weeks back in the States. She had been the oldest (3 1/2) at the baby orphanage, and had never seen a child older than her - only adults. Pretty amazing to think of it like that, huh? Just weird little insignificant stuff like watching a car window roll down and having their hair be blown around, or seeing a ceiling fan for the first time, first time in a bathtub (so funny!), taking their first ride at the fair, etc.

Reese is picking up more English and pronunciation of those words is slightly better. Niko has also picked up a few more words. Today, a woman we know from Russia (Ina) came over and spoke Russian to them. You could tell they thought it was familiar, but didn’t respond back to her at all in Russian. Actually they spoke mostly English or baby talk. It’s somewhat sad to see their native language going. It was cute to hear some words in Russian. They lose it so quickly, as I know too well with my Italian. If it’s not spoken or you’re not around it very often--it goes. Roger and I still have several command phrases that we say to them. They abide by them very well, so we figure why change those phrases. Ina is also translating a letter we wrote to send to the caregiver at their orphanage in Moscow. This woman obviously loved them very much and very much wanted us to write to her and let her know how they are both doing. We also sent her a lot of pictures so that she could see how much they have changed already.

We have decided not to do occupational therapy. We’ve seen great progress by bringing them to the bouncy Pump it Up place and going to swim lessons. Also, we’ve been showing them how to button and snap things and use scissors. No speech therapy, either. We’re going to wait and see on that. Just working with them more closely on a daily basis on their words and speech. We’re also just beginning to have them participate in “playdates” with other kids in the neighborhood. That will be very good for them to interact with other children. The next thing on my list will be to find a pre-school for Reese. Reese is mostly potty trained, except for naps and nighttime. I hear that could take a while to master those. Niko...not even interested yet. He is comfortable sitting on the potty, though, as we have him sit there a few times a day.

I think that’s it for an update. For my days being “not boring”, it seems I should be writing a novella. Each day brings a new experience and new way for Roger and me to see the world through their eyes. It’s quite a life altering time.

July 19, 2009

September 19, 2009

Swim lessons and more....

The summer might be coming to an end in many parts of the country, but here in AZ it’s still a scorcher. The kids can swim probably another month, so that is one of the reasons we have started swim lessons this week for Reese and Niko. They can’t go to the same class because of the age difference, and of course, that would just make it too easy on the chauffeur to only have to drive once a week to swim lesson as opposed to the two separate classes we’ll be attending. The classes are only 30 minutes, once a week with 3 other toddlers in their group. It goes on a monthly basis, but what I hear from so many moms is that it actually continues for years. I guess they keep graduating and learning different techniques and move up to different classes, and most of all, find it fun learning to be great swimmers. Reese’s class was today. She did really well. No crying leaving me to go in the pool, and while the instructor was with the other girl, Reese waited patiently on the side. Just very basics for now, but she did swim under water with no floaties for a few feet. Niko starts on Saturday.

In other news, R & N are still wonderful, happy kids. We’ve gotten lucky! We are not doing occupational therapy for their fine/gross motor skills and to work on their muscle development seeing as they didn’t evaluate too far from norm. The Pump it Up bouncy place near our home has done wonders for many of those areas. After only one visit, both R & N began to climb and jump more proficiently and pulled themselves up the bouncy, steep ladders with much greater ease. We’re also working at home with them on building blocks, buckles, zippers, buttons, etc... They have both proven to be quick learners. We hope that will still be the case with language. That is coming a bit slower, but it is coming. Reese knows many words now, just not sentences nor does she pronounce the words very well. She does understand much of what we are saying to her, though. Niko still has a very small vocabulary, but we still manage to communicate just fine. We are still going to do a speech therapy assessment, just still working on a place and how much of it insurance will cover.

We look forward to the many first experiences we have with them coming up. We both can’t wait to take them to the ocean and see what they think of all the sand and waves. It would also be great to go to the zoo again with them. While in Moscow we took them and they seemed to really enjoy that. Also, some of you have probably wondered how bedtime is going since the first two weeks for Reese were somewhat “stressful”. For the last 2 and a half weeks she has been allowed to watch a “learning” type cartoon from 7:30-8:00, and when it’s over the credits roll up and NOW she even asks to turn off the TV and then quietly without a peep goes to bed. We’re secretly thinking the bedtime meltdown stage is over, but a small part of us just can't believe it's happening so nicely every night, and somewhat nervous of a meltdown to rear it's ugly head... :-)

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