Pictures, Names, and McDonalds

Today John and I made some prints of our "First Fisher Family Photo" (on the front page of our website), and the kids loved seeing our picture put in a spot of honor in the livingroom. I've been dying to do that for a while, but I just haven't had a chance.

When I showed the kids the prints while we were in the car on the way home they asked if that was taken at the orphanage. I told them it was, and then Liana asked, "are we going to the orphanage right now?" I assured her we would NEVER be going back to the orphanage. They were all relieved, and they all started listing off things that they didn't have at the orphanage that they do here. Most of the things were food. I asked what they ate there, and they said soup that was yucky. Not sure if they used that word, but they pantomimed throwing up when they told me how it tasted. They all agreed that the orphanage was not a good place and that they were glad to have a family now. Kinda heartbreaking.

The kids are still confused about the "Say" thing, but they are also confused about some other things too. This morning I was passing out the kids' clothes, and Aleksa realized that her socks were missing. She said, "Mama, die menya (give me) 'put-your-socks-on'" I thought that was funny until I asked Liana what her sock was and she said it was a "put-your-socks-on" too. I had a good laugh about that. (I think they have it straight now! We'll see!)

John and I took the kids to McDonalds Playland for the first time today. John went inside and played with them (good thing too, or Aleksa would have never gone in). We had the whole thing to ourselves, and they LOVED it! At one point I had three little kids peaking down at me at once all screaming, "Mama! Mama!" I got all teary-eyed at that too, and I wish I could have bottled up those few minutes to be re-run whenever I wanted in years to come. "Cherish the moment" is my motto these days!

The kids have lots of pet names for each other as well as their given names. The more syllables/letters added to the end, the more affectionate the name. I wrote them down, and I think I have them all collected now. Here they are:

Adam, Adamichka, Mikhail, Misha, Mishka, Mishunka, Misichka (prefers Adam or Misha/Mishka)

Liana, Lianichka (first "a" stressed), Lianka, Valentina, Valya, Valka (doesn't like this one; they only use that on her when they're mad at her), Valuchka, Valenka, Valushka (Loves to be called "Liana Valentina" but also "Lianichka" or "Liana Valushka")

Aleksandra, Aleksa, Alekska, Sasha, Sashka, Sashinka, Sashichka, Zinaida, Zina, Zinka, Zinichka (loves to be called this, but will tell you that it is "Aleksa Zinichka")

None of them are/were ever called by their given birth names. Adam can't even pronounce "Zinaida." The only one comfortable with their birth name is our "Valentina." Btw, one of the reasons we gave "Valentina" the name "Liana" instead of to Zina is because of the name meaning. "Liana" means "My God has answered me." So, her name means something like, "God has answered me with a Valentine." I love it! Aleksandra means "Defender of Mankind" and her middle name has something to do with a dove. Not quite as meaningful, but if she ever complains, we'll just tell her we could have let her be a Warrior Princess all her life... Oh well. Adam means "Man" and Mikhail means "Who is like God?"

I'm running late this morning, so I'd better run!