Big week for us. Aleksa has made some pretty major strides in her fine motor skills. For months she was not interested in coloring or drawing and it was really stressing me out to find ways to trick her into practicing holding a pencil or crayon.
We were given two Leap Frog thingies, one of which is "Aleksa's" (It's the one for younger kids). She loves it! There are lots of "follow this line" games on it, and she has just taken off! The other day I plopped her on my lap and said, "Leksa, you need to draw me a nice picture. Can you draw me a happy face like this?" So, she said, "Ok, Mama, and promptly drew me a happy face! And then a man with stick legs and arms, (and a big bump on his head, she said). Can't tell you how relieved I am to see her drawing and telling me what the things are. It used to be she'd only draw little circles on her paper or color book, and then toddle off uninterested. Another big thing is that she has been marching right into elevators and isn't screaming her head off or even slightly anxious. She's really doing great!
The next thing this week was that Adam had his first "behind closed doors" talk with John about the birds and bees. He has been getting pimples, and I can't hardly believe it, but he also has peach fuzz on his upper lip. I've been very naturally and casually telling him other things to expect, but he definitely needed a nice long chat with John about things Mama has no bees wax talking about with the girls around. It's so weird though. One minute, he's playing cars and "pretend" games with his sisters, and the next he's talking about how he's becoming a man. It's weird to parent a child with such an extreme developmental spectrum. Emotionally, I'd say he's about an 8-yr-old. Physically, his body thinks he's 12. Plus, we're still teaching him basic vocab (he finally learned the word for his private parts yesterday, and boy was he proud to use it. "Papa, boys have p---!" ("What!?" John said.) That was one of the first things he announced to John when he came home from work yesterday. (After a few more declarations, John decided to usher him into Papa's Room for some more private chit-chatting). Don't know what John told him, but they were both giggling like crazy several minutes into their Talk, and Liana was dying to know just what on earth was going on in there without her. When he came out, Adam was all ready to play tickle and horsie and other "little kid" games as usual. In a way, it's rather refreshing to be talking to a child with his background about all this. There wasn't a speck of embarrassment or any unwillingness to want to talk to us about what's happening with his body, etc. Very child-like matter-of-factness. Such a relief to just mirror that right back at him. Makes for much easier communication for all of us.
John and I had our first date away from the kids on the 18th. Out to a restaurant and Uncle Jared babysat. Adam cried for about 30 minutes after we left. He couldn't understand that we would want to leave them and go eat by ourselves. When we have left them previously, it was because I had to take my dad to the doctor, or that John had a meeting to go to, etc. This time, I think it felt more like a rejection. He (and the others) were extra clingy when we got home, and realllllly didn't like it that we left. Our anniversary is coming up in a few weeks, so I'm afraid that's going to be another tough night for him.
We had our first company over for supper the other night too. We hadn't quite been brave enough to try that as of yet, but the kids did rather well, except for Liana standing up in her chair trying to reach for some more food on the other side of the table. And begging for more and more and more. (I made verenyky... which they'll all beg for until they know for certain that it is allll gone.) The other two did pretty well, and Aleksa didn't even once try to climb on and snuggle with the company. Liana lassoed the Mrs. into reading books for her though, but she didn't climb on her lap or anything.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Six Months Home
Six months home. I can hardly believe it! Seems like they've been home forever, and yet it seems like just yesterday they all came home.
I think of all the months we've been home, this month has been the month that we've all really "settled." Everyone is more relaxed (including me!) Everyone knows what to expect, and everyone is comfortable. This month I've really worked on making our routine more engrained - especially for myself. I've reallllly needed to work on that, and it has helped my overall mental health a lot. Nice feeling to go to bed knowing I don't have to play catch-up in the morning. I think the hardest thing about going from a family of two to a family of five has been figuring out when to do what. So many things just blew my mind when the kids came home - how often I'd be sweeping and vacuuming and running the dishwasher, cooking, shopping, doing laundry, etc. I really had to learn allll over again how to manage the household. Happily, I've also learned how to delegate! Just this week I made some humdinger chore-charts complete with lamination and clip art. High-speed-low-drag, as my brother would say.
The other big challenge of going from just John and me to all five of us, is that with the new children come many, many challenges to become a better person. I have seen many, many areas in my life that I need to work on that I never saw before the kids came home. The kids know where all my "buttons" are, and let me tell ya, they push them quite often! I've had to take some long hard looks at myself and really had to get into gear and CHANGE.
Adam has really taken off with his schooling. He is reading now, and is quickly gaining ground. Math is still a struggle for him when it comes to memorizing math-facts. But if we can work on that while we aren't "officially" doing school, it seems to sink in better. Just yesterday we were skip-counting as we marched and waltzed around the kitchen and livingroom. Then he sat on my lap on the couch and practiced some more. He has expressed some of the reasons for his math-fear lately. Apparently there were some really awful "teachers" at the orphanage that would bang his head against the wall or table for not understanding things. Oy. No wonder he was so freaked out about it when he first came home. He didn't know us and didn't know whether we were going to do the same thing as his old teachers.
Adam is still not speaking in complete sentences, but he has come a really long way, and his comprehension is as good if not better than his sisters'. He struggles for words more than the girls, but he has a deeper understanding of a lot of things we read.
To my surprise, Adam has been remembering more Russian than I expected that he'd retain. This is especially true if he hasn't learned the English word for something. It's like once he has learned the English word, the Russian one is forgotten, but if the English word hasn't been learned, then the Russian word is retained.
Just yesterday I learned a phrase that the kids have said *constantly* ever since they came home. It sounds something like "Duh Vie." I have tried and tried to figure out what it means because they'll say something in perfect English, and then say "Duh vie" in it. I've asked many, many times what that meant, and the kids haven't known how to translate it. Anyway, yesterday I finally figured it out. I said, "You guys, does it mean, 'let's pretend?'" and all three shrieked, "Yes, Mama! Yay! You figured it out! You know what 'Duh vie' means!" We were all ecstatic. It only took me six months to figure it out! Now that they know the English equivalent, it will be interesting to see how much longer they say that phrase. Otherwise, the kids very seldom use any Russian at all. The "ya" ("I") word is all gone now, and that word hung around for ages.
Liana is practically fluent. Her vocabulary is astonishing sometimes. She has fabulous grammar "May I --?" instead of "Can I --?" She has the best expressive ability of the three. She still has a pretty thick accent, as they all do, but she's quickly losing even that. The most tell-tale sign of her accent is her "w's." "Ven are ve going to the store, Mama?" She is also more deliberate with her words than a native English-speaker, but it is obvious that she has a really great handle on the language.
Aleksa is also practically fluent. She's growing like crazy, and is physically the most changed (I think, anyway), of the three. She has had the biggest maturity changes too. Of the three, she's the one I'm worried most about though. It is becoming more and more obvious that there are going to be some learning challenges with her, though John is lots more optimistic than I am. We'll see.
I've babbled on long enough. Time for bed!
I think of all the months we've been home, this month has been the month that we've all really "settled." Everyone is more relaxed (including me!) Everyone knows what to expect, and everyone is comfortable. This month I've really worked on making our routine more engrained - especially for myself. I've reallllly needed to work on that, and it has helped my overall mental health a lot. Nice feeling to go to bed knowing I don't have to play catch-up in the morning. I think the hardest thing about going from a family of two to a family of five has been figuring out when to do what. So many things just blew my mind when the kids came home - how often I'd be sweeping and vacuuming and running the dishwasher, cooking, shopping, doing laundry, etc. I really had to learn allll over again how to manage the household. Happily, I've also learned how to delegate! Just this week I made some humdinger chore-charts complete with lamination and clip art. High-speed-low-drag, as my brother would say.
The other big challenge of going from just John and me to all five of us, is that with the new children come many, many challenges to become a better person. I have seen many, many areas in my life that I need to work on that I never saw before the kids came home. The kids know where all my "buttons" are, and let me tell ya, they push them quite often! I've had to take some long hard looks at myself and really had to get into gear and CHANGE.
Adam has really taken off with his schooling. He is reading now, and is quickly gaining ground. Math is still a struggle for him when it comes to memorizing math-facts. But if we can work on that while we aren't "officially" doing school, it seems to sink in better. Just yesterday we were skip-counting as we marched and waltzed around the kitchen and livingroom. Then he sat on my lap on the couch and practiced some more. He has expressed some of the reasons for his math-fear lately. Apparently there were some really awful "teachers" at the orphanage that would bang his head against the wall or table for not understanding things. Oy. No wonder he was so freaked out about it when he first came home. He didn't know us and didn't know whether we were going to do the same thing as his old teachers.
Adam is still not speaking in complete sentences, but he has come a really long way, and his comprehension is as good if not better than his sisters'. He struggles for words more than the girls, but he has a deeper understanding of a lot of things we read.
To my surprise, Adam has been remembering more Russian than I expected that he'd retain. This is especially true if he hasn't learned the English word for something. It's like once he has learned the English word, the Russian one is forgotten, but if the English word hasn't been learned, then the Russian word is retained.
Just yesterday I learned a phrase that the kids have said *constantly* ever since they came home. It sounds something like "Duh Vie." I have tried and tried to figure out what it means because they'll say something in perfect English, and then say "Duh vie" in it. I've asked many, many times what that meant, and the kids haven't known how to translate it. Anyway, yesterday I finally figured it out. I said, "You guys, does it mean, 'let's pretend?'" and all three shrieked, "Yes, Mama! Yay! You figured it out! You know what 'Duh vie' means!" We were all ecstatic. It only took me six months to figure it out! Now that they know the English equivalent, it will be interesting to see how much longer they say that phrase. Otherwise, the kids very seldom use any Russian at all. The "ya" ("I") word is all gone now, and that word hung around for ages.
Liana is practically fluent. Her vocabulary is astonishing sometimes. She has fabulous grammar "May I --?" instead of "Can I --?" She has the best expressive ability of the three. She still has a pretty thick accent, as they all do, but she's quickly losing even that. The most tell-tale sign of her accent is her "w's." "Ven are ve going to the store, Mama?" She is also more deliberate with her words than a native English-speaker, but it is obvious that she has a really great handle on the language.
Aleksa is also practically fluent. She's growing like crazy, and is physically the most changed (I think, anyway), of the three. She has had the biggest maturity changes too. Of the three, she's the one I'm worried most about though. It is becoming more and more obvious that there are going to be some learning challenges with her, though John is lots more optimistic than I am. We'll see.
I've babbled on long enough. Time for bed!
Saturday, February 12, 2005
NADIA FOUND A HOME!!!!!
This morning I checked in on the two other adoption websites I've been talking about. I almost fell off my chair (and then promptly burst into tears) when I saw pictures of the three children being adopted from "our" orphanage. Remember Nadia? My Nadia? SHE IS ONE OF THE THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy right now!!! I mean *really* happy! I mean *really, really* happy! What an incredibly small, small world. Crying tears of joy right now. http://iaina.squarespace.com/adoption/
Our kids told me yesterday that they knew "Nadia and Katya," the two sisters, but it wasn't on my radar screen to even remotely consider that "OUR" Nadia was one of these girls. They told me they didn't know their brother, but when I just showed them their picture, Liana told me, "That's Misha!" (Which was right; but they are going to rename him Michael, the English equivalent.)
Can't think of anything to write. Too excited to think. I have to comb through my posts and find the "Nadia" posts and pics to give this family a link to.
Thanking God over and over today...
Our kids told me yesterday that they knew "Nadia and Katya," the two sisters, but it wasn't on my radar screen to even remotely consider that "OUR" Nadia was one of these girls. They told me they didn't know their brother, but when I just showed them their picture, Liana told me, "That's Misha!" (Which was right; but they are going to rename him Michael, the English equivalent.)
Can't think of anything to write. Too excited to think. I have to comb through my posts and find the "Nadia" posts and pics to give this family a link to.
Thanking God over and over today...
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Homesick
I was just reading the website of the family adopting three children. They are on their way to Bilgorod-Dnistrovsky! That's OUR orphanage! I'm so homesick for Ukraine! I wanna go back! I want to see my Katya! I want to see our little Nadia! I want to see if little Sasha is still as adorable as ever. I want banana juice! I want roosters crowing outside our window!
*sigh*
Ok, my pity party has ended. It's just a good thing we don't have another bajillion dollars laying around though. It would be awfully tempting not to go back. But alas, those strawberry pie backaches are still a little fresh in my mind. I'll have to just dream on.
I would like to take the kids back to Ukraine some day though. I'd love for them to see the sunflower fields, and the golden domed churches, and the fortress in B-D. I'd love for them to go track down some of their bio family and maybe close a few chapters of their lives (or open them! Who knows!) I'm not sure what a good age to do any of the above might be, but I would very much love to see them go back and learn more about their birth countries and birth families. Ukraine is so full of interesting people and places. I would be on the next plane out if I had my chance. I happen to know a wonderful cab driver who would take me wherever I needed to go...
In the meantime, I'll be satisfied knowing that we took three pieces of Ukraine home with us. Very satisfied indeed.
*sigh*
Ok, my pity party has ended. It's just a good thing we don't have another bajillion dollars laying around though. It would be awfully tempting not to go back. But alas, those strawberry pie backaches are still a little fresh in my mind. I'll have to just dream on.
I would like to take the kids back to Ukraine some day though. I'd love for them to see the sunflower fields, and the golden domed churches, and the fortress in B-D. I'd love for them to go track down some of their bio family and maybe close a few chapters of their lives (or open them! Who knows!) I'm not sure what a good age to do any of the above might be, but I would very much love to see them go back and learn more about their birth countries and birth families. Ukraine is so full of interesting people and places. I would be on the next plane out if I had my chance. I happen to know a wonderful cab driver who would take me wherever I needed to go...
In the meantime, I'll be satisfied knowing that we took three pieces of Ukraine home with us. Very satisfied indeed.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Recent Ukraine adoptions
I haven't had a lot of time lately to follow recent online adoption journals, but two have recently caught my eye. One family just received a referral for THREE kids! I'm so excited for this family I could spit. (Ok, not quite that excited, but you get my drift.) Their link is: http://iaina.squarespace.com/adoption/ And the other family's website has had me on the edge of my seat and checking for new content every 16 minutes since they left. Their adoption story has to be the most drama-packed rollercoaster ride I've ever seen. Check it out! http://www.wadeandjuliaweston.com/ (I'll let Laurel share her own bit of news when she returns home, but she has me doing happy-dances too!)
Monday, February 07, 2005
You Say Lee-Anna; I Say Lee-Ahna...
Tonight at bedtime, John's ritual of carrying them to bed like a different kind of animal made him become an ostrich (picture Swiss Family Robinson). Aleksa held onto John's neck while John flapped his wings and ran around crazy-like. Night-time is a riot at the Fisher house.
Speaking of night time, John and I were tucking in Liana and John called her "Lee-Anna" (as usual... that's what he calls her... *sigh*). Well, ocassionally when he says her name, I'll break into song. "You say, 'Lee-Anna;' I say, 'Lee-Ahna." (Because we say her name different from each other.) Well, when I started the song, I got to the second line and Liana actually chimed in and finished it. It cracked me up. I didn't realize that I had sung it often enough for her to know what I was singing. Funny. Poor girl. She's never going to know what her name is. I often will call her "Alek-Liana." Or, "A-Liana." She just shrugs and says, "Too many A's and L's, right Mama?" (Because that's what I always say when I mess up the girls' names.) They don't start with the same letter, but they really are similar when you're trying to spit their names out in a hurry.
A few months ago we got a wedding invitation to "John, Shelly, Adam, LEONA, and Alexis." I don't mind Alexis. At least I know where that came from, and at least it's a pretty name. But LEONA? Oy, oy, oy. Poor kid. Nobody can say it, and nobody can spell it. SOORRRRRRY Sweetie! (I still think it's a gorgeous name though... as long as you say it "my" way!) ;o)
And poor Aleksa has that Alaska thing going for her. People call her that all the time. Or Alesska. We should have just given her the Greek spelling with the "X" instead of the Russian spelling with the K. It would have saved her a lifetime of correcting people too. Oh well. I still think Aleksandra is prettier with the k. Aleksandra. Alexandra. Yup, the K makes it more Russian Princess-like.
And Adam's name will never be confused a day in his life. He might find himself one of ninety million other "Adam Fishers" but at least people will be able to spell it and say it. *sigh*
What parents stick their kids with. Oh well.
Speaking of night time, John and I were tucking in Liana and John called her "Lee-Anna" (as usual... that's what he calls her... *sigh*). Well, ocassionally when he says her name, I'll break into song. "You say, 'Lee-Anna;' I say, 'Lee-Ahna." (Because we say her name different from each other.) Well, when I started the song, I got to the second line and Liana actually chimed in and finished it. It cracked me up. I didn't realize that I had sung it often enough for her to know what I was singing. Funny. Poor girl. She's never going to know what her name is. I often will call her "Alek-Liana." Or, "A-Liana." She just shrugs and says, "Too many A's and L's, right Mama?" (Because that's what I always say when I mess up the girls' names.) They don't start with the same letter, but they really are similar when you're trying to spit their names out in a hurry.
A few months ago we got a wedding invitation to "John, Shelly, Adam, LEONA, and Alexis." I don't mind Alexis. At least I know where that came from, and at least it's a pretty name. But LEONA? Oy, oy, oy. Poor kid. Nobody can say it, and nobody can spell it. SOORRRRRRY Sweetie! (I still think it's a gorgeous name though... as long as you say it "my" way!) ;o)
And poor Aleksa has that Alaska thing going for her. People call her that all the time. Or Alesska. We should have just given her the Greek spelling with the "X" instead of the Russian spelling with the K. It would have saved her a lifetime of correcting people too. Oh well. I still think Aleksandra is prettier with the k. Aleksandra. Alexandra. Yup, the K makes it more Russian Princess-like.
And Adam's name will never be confused a day in his life. He might find himself one of ninety million other "Adam Fishers" but at least people will be able to spell it and say it. *sigh*
What parents stick their kids with. Oh well.
Saturday, February 05, 2005
Alligators and Elevators
Today we took the kids to the Childrens' Museum and the library again. At the museum, we took the kids on the elevator... Aleksa call it the "Alligator." No wonder she screamed the first few times she went on one. Poor kid.
For school stuff, I've been having Adam and Liana do "narrations." Technically, I'm supposed to write out whatever they say and then file it away. Instead, I've found it more effective to get out the camera and film them. They enjoy being the center of attention and it is fabulous for getting them to speak well and in a thought-out way. Adam tends to wander off-topic and make things up as he goes, but as long as he's talking I don't much care. He has a long way to go to be labeled as "fluent," and I hope this exercise as well as all the reading we're doing, helps the process.
Speaking of, we finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today. Just started it on Saturday. No wonder I'm hoarse! ;O) They loved the book - partly because of the fun story, but also because I let them each have a snack-sized chocolate bar to eat while we read it each day. Reading that book just makes you NEED chocolate! I had hoped to find the video at the library today, but it was checked out. Glad I didn't tell them it was coming... I'd have heard many, many complaints on the way home.
I picked up Because of Winn Dixie today on audio tape. I thought it would be a nice change of pace to hear someone else's voice reading. (Though I do love our reading time all curled up on the couch. That has been a blessing not only to their education and language-learning, but also to our bonding.) I figure I can use all the extra minutes this week getting stuff done around the house... Mama being sick makes for a LOT of extra housework when she's better, if you can get my drift! ;O) (I'm not complaining though, it just makes me know I'm needed around here!) :O) It's looking a lot like John and maybe Liana might be "down" tomorrow. John went to bed by 7:00p.m. Unheard of for my night-owl husband.
For school stuff, I've been having Adam and Liana do "narrations." Technically, I'm supposed to write out whatever they say and then file it away. Instead, I've found it more effective to get out the camera and film them. They enjoy being the center of attention and it is fabulous for getting them to speak well and in a thought-out way. Adam tends to wander off-topic and make things up as he goes, but as long as he's talking I don't much care. He has a long way to go to be labeled as "fluent," and I hope this exercise as well as all the reading we're doing, helps the process.
Speaking of, we finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today. Just started it on Saturday. No wonder I'm hoarse! ;O) They loved the book - partly because of the fun story, but also because I let them each have a snack-sized chocolate bar to eat while we read it each day. Reading that book just makes you NEED chocolate! I had hoped to find the video at the library today, but it was checked out. Glad I didn't tell them it was coming... I'd have heard many, many complaints on the way home.
I picked up Because of Winn Dixie today on audio tape. I thought it would be a nice change of pace to hear someone else's voice reading. (Though I do love our reading time all curled up on the couch. That has been a blessing not only to their education and language-learning, but also to our bonding.) I figure I can use all the extra minutes this week getting stuff done around the house... Mama being sick makes for a LOT of extra housework when she's better, if you can get my drift! ;O) (I'm not complaining though, it just makes me know I'm needed around here!) :O) It's looking a lot like John and maybe Liana might be "down" tomorrow. John went to bed by 7:00p.m. Unheard of for my night-owl husband.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Sick!
What a rough couple days at the Fisher house. I've had a nasty fever, chills, and upset stomach since Tuesday night. My fever is only just this evening coming down - though it is still 99F. Not sure what's up, but I hope I can manage to get some sleep tonight. I must have looked rough, because John stayed home from work today to take care of me and the kids. He can rig up his computer somehow to work from home, so that's what he did for most of the day. Mom Fisher offered to take the kids for a few hours so I could get some rest, so that helped too. This was the longest I've been without them. I think they left at 11, and John picked them up at 3ish. That's a record. They'd never been to Grandma's without one of us either, so that was also a first. Hopefully, I'll be all better tomorrow.
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