New man in the house...

Talk about a rough weekend for my son. This weekend, he grew up. And didn't like it much at all.

Yesterday I took the kids on our Saturday Errands and gave John some peace and quiet at home (he wasn't feeling well). Went to the library, did a little shopping, got the car washed, and then went to Burger King. This time, instead of doing the Drive Thru, we went inside to eat. This particular BK has an enormous play area in it. Biggest the kids have ever seen, and Wow, were they excited that they actually got to play there this time.

Well, everyone except Adam. He is now as tall as I am, according to the measurement on the wall. John says I'm still a hair taller, but either way, Adam is a young man, and a young man that is too tall to be running around in the Play Place at BK with so many other little kids there. We both read the rules together, and while he was flattered that now he was a young man... it stung. After he ate his chicken salad, he walked around the outside of it looking in, and played with the Tic Tac Toe game on the outside wall of it since that's all he could. (If there hadn't been so many other families of little kids there, I would have let him in anyway. He was pretty pathetic.)

So, on the way home, I stopped at the gas station for some milk, and who should be outside with his real-live reindeer, but Santa. Now, actually at our house, we don't "do" Santa. The kids' gifts are from us, and always have been. We've just always been convinced that not only was it important to emphasize the Real reason for the season, remembering Christ's birth, but also that the kids know that their presents were from their parents. (Kinda like how we wanted their food to be from us at the beginning... It's a huge bonding thing).

Well anyway, as I was on the way inside, the kids asked if they could see the deer and wave to Santa. Sure, ok. Nothing wrong with that. Well, the girls wound up on Santa's lap before you could say "Ho-ho-ho!" Adam stayed with me acting totally disgusted that the girls were being so crazy. In reality, he was more than a little disappointed not to be on Santa's lap himself. Lots of heavy sighs, and reminding me how big he was. The girls, on the other hand, had a good ole time telling Santa what they wanted. Actually, Leksa clammed up, and Liana had to whisper in her ear telling her waht to say. Finally Liana just told him, "She likes what I like. We want crowns and earrings!"

So, on the way home, Liana said, "We didn't think he was real, but Mama, that man thought he was, so we had to tell him what we wanted when he asked us. He thinks he's going to bring us stuff on Christmas, so maybe he will this year!"

LOL!

John did a major eye-roll when they came home so excited. Then, he told the girls they had a Much better shot sitting on HIS lap asking him what they wanted, so they were glad to do that. (Even Adam.) ;O)

So, I felt bad for my Buddy all day yesterday. My little boy in his Young Man body. He's still so immature, and emotionally so young... It's just so hard that his body and his birthday don't coincide with what his heart and emotions are doing. :O(

Last night after we tucked the kids in, I heard Mom's teddy bear singing Adam a lullaby several times in a row. He needed that really, really badly, and I got more than a little teary...

It was the last straw this morning that we found Susie dead. Adam tried so hard to be brave, and my Mama heart busted wide open for him. I was in sobs. Not this weekend of all weekends! It's like her death marked the end of Adam's childhood or something. I don't know. It just felt like the Susie Era was the time when Adam could be a little boy, and now the world (and his body) thinks he's all grown up now. After we talked and hugged a while, Adam wanted me to tell Auntie Sharon, who was the one who gave it to him. He said, "Tell her I loved Susie and took good care of her, but that she died." *sobs* A very young man thing to say, I thought.

We buried our furry friend this afternoon in the woods on the hill next to our house.

Adam is finding out it is hard to be getting older, but I'm also finding out how heartbreaking it is to watch my little boy become a man.

End of an Era

A lot of broken hearts over here this morning...

Susie Cute, the Hamster passed away in her sleep last night...

Obit to follow later on...

Blog to pass along...

Gotta pass along a blog to watch. Lisa has been my "blog buddy" since we got our kiddos over two years ago, and has been in the process of her own adoption almost all that time. It has been a gruelling two years for her among all the mess of Ukie Politics. She had her appointment today in Kyiv and has her referral! I'll let her and her hubby make their big announcement:

http://www.mattandleeukraina.blogspot.com/

Gift from Grandma

Most of you who have followed along with this blog since the beginning remember that I lost my mom a few years ago. It's been four now, which is unreal to me... Seems like it happened just yesterday!

Before Mom died, she made crocheted teddy bears for all her kids and grandkids. Talk about a LOT of bears. They were/are adorable. John and I got one, and while we didn't have any children at the time, she went ahead and made one for "Future Fisher." I've always kept it with my Christmas decorations. Last year I actually put them on my Christmas tree away from little hands that I was afraid would be too rough with them.

This year I put Mom's Bears on our mantle. Well, Adam has been asking us this year for a teddy bear. He doesn't have one, and never has. Which is ironic since he has *so* many stuffed animals (which he loves!) His Ukrainian name means "Little Bear," so it is rather strange that we've never bought him a bear. Well, anyway, while playing with the bears on the mantle, the one that Mom made for "Future Fisher" started playing MUSIC. I never knew it played music! You squish its head, and there is a music box (or something!) in it that plays a lullaby. It startled me to hear it. Adam loved it instantly. He's our anything-that-makes-noise lover around here.

Adam grinned ear-to-ear and danced around the livingroom with it when I explained to him how special it was, and gave it to him as a Christmas gift from the grandma he never knew...

Thanks, Mom... that meant a lot to me... I'm so tickled his first teddy bear got to be from you!

Tummy Ache

Everyone is feeling better today, though Aleksa woke up with another tummy ache. It freaked her out. She sooooooooo didn't want to be puking again. Poor girl cried and everything. It wound up though, (after sitting on a stool in front of the toilet forEver), that she was really just hungry. Had to explain that bellies hurt when they are hungry too, and not just ready to upchuck. She perked up nicely after a full bowl of Cheerios... Sure is wonderful that she can't remember what an empty stomach feels like!

Sick Kids

We had such a nice Thanksgiving! Headed up north for the holiday, and slept in Grandma Fisher's apartment, since it was still in the process of being cleaned out and was room for all of us. That was kinda hard, but we were able to help clean out her appliances and bathroom, etc. It was nice to be able to do something useful.

But actually, Thanksgiving isn't what I hopped on here to write about. We got home from our trip last evening, and everyone was sent to bed. At 3:00 a.m., however, Liana came running up the stairs screaming/crying. Scared me half to death. Her stomach hurt, she said. I was thinking it was her appendix until she quit crying and let us poke her tummy. We wound up giving her some M.O.M. and I snuggled down in bed with her. Well, at about 4:30, I hear Aleksa throwing up above us. (Liana has the bottom bunk now, so Leks was over us). Oh nice. That was the beginning of a very long day for us. Aleksa threw up at least ten to fifteen times today, and is finally right now (as in 7:00pm) feeling a little better and able to keep down some fluids. :O( Adam has been just fine though, so that's a blessing, and Liana felt much better by this afternoon. She was as sacked out on the couch as her sister.

I've been really lucky so far with these kids. Aside from our initial giardia medicine throwing up mess, the kids really haven't had much of any stomach flu. Aleksa never has had a tummy flu. She's had lots of respiratory viruses, but nothing ever like this. The poor girl didn't know how to throw up. John and I had to actually teach her. She started out just throwing up where she was (in bed, in the middle of the floor, on the couch, etc). Then, she would run to our room and tell us her tummy felt yucky. (Threw up on the floor outside our door.) Finally, we got her to go into the bathroom. That time she went into the bathroom, sat on the toilet, and promptly tossed her cookies on the floor. That one made me chuckle. She was so tired/sick, she couldn't think straight. Eventually she learned that the head goes IN the toilet when puking though. Uff.

So, there went the idea of putting the Christmas tree up. I had planned to leave the table full of appetizers and do the tree-trimming today, but instead I left the appetizers out (lots of raw fruits and veggies), and let the kids graze as they were up to it, and ditched the tree idea. Bummer. I was really looking forward to a fun day of Christmas doings.

Hoping tonight is a little less dramatic...

27 Months Home (Ok, 27 1/2...)

For the last few days I've been trying to mull over what I'd say for this month's update on the kids. Today, however, is the perfect "snippet" of what the kids are like this month. Mostly the same old stuff, but there are some new leaves turning over here and there.

Today was a huge baking day. I tend to have these, but you can imagine what it's like over here the week of Thanksgiving! ;O) It's a sugar-stuck-to-the-bottom-of-your-feet-as-you-walk-across-the-kitchen kind of a day today. It wouldn't sound like this would have anything to do with the kids, but actually, I think it is directly related to some of Adam's "turned leaves." The more he sees me in the kitchen, the more he "likes" me. Or so it seems. (Remember, food means the most to this guy.) At the last two fellowship meals at church, Adam has sat next to people and told them all about "how mama made that" and that they "really need to borrow some of Mama's recipes." Now, I'm *really* not the greatest cook, but it means a LOT to my Adam to see me in the kitchen. The ladies at church are about ready to hurl hearing Adam go on and on. But it just seems that the "food" topic is always right on the tip of his tongue. When he prays at night, he always starts, "Thank you that we have good food to eat..." It's just always *right* there. We went out to eat yesterday, though, and he didn't finish his bread bowl that his salad was in. (He loves salads! He'd rather have a salad than a burger any day! Ukies tend to really love veggies from what I've heard of other peoples' kids. Mine are sure that way at least!)

Once upon a time, Adam was the one of my kids who would "tell it like it was" when he spoke of Ukraine. Liana was the one to embellish her memories and make Ukraine into the Fairy Land, and her birth mother the nicest woman on Earth. Adam used to remind her how things *really* were. But now Liana doesn't talk so much about Ukraine, and now Adam has found that he can tell us any manner of story and if he says "In Ukraine" before it, that we can't tell him he's lying. After a ham dinner, he told the lady next to him that he was a pig farmer in Ukraine. Today, while the girls were having a tea party, he told me he worked in a tea factory in Ukraine. A few weeks ago we finished up reading the book "Old Yeller" after which he announced that in Ukraine HE had a yellow dog that got hydrophobia too. After Grandma Fisher passed away, he said that in Ukraine, he had 25 grandmas... I could seriously go on and on with his "In Ukraine, I..." stories.

What are we gonna say, right? He was there and we weren't! He *loves* telling stories, so now after SOOOO many "In Ukraine" stories, I have absolutely no idea which things are true, and which ones are a big ole fish tale. Frankly, Papa is getting a bit tired of these stories and has been reminding him of the definition of the word "Lie" quite often.

Liana is sure turning into a young lady. That's her *deepest* desire anyway. She tries to use as big of words as her mouth can hold, and though they sometimes aren't used "exactly" right, today she sounded like a regular Princess.

She was hoping for a tea party today, what with so many cookies around here. So, she said, "Aleksa, perhaps we could have a tea party!" And then, "Mama, would you prepare some tea for us, please?" (How could I refuse such a properly-phrased question?!) Another thing she said was, "What a proposition!" after I carefully handed her the full teapot and told her if she dropped it her life would be drastically shortened. (I didn't say that, did I?) *tee-hee*

She's still speaking her mind as always though. Tonight at the Thanksgiving pie social at church, an older gentleman told us that Liana had smitten his conscience the other day when she informed him that he needed a shave, so he went home and shaved off his two-week beard. Groan! I confessed to him that of the three, Liana usually causes us the most mortification. He laughed and *completly* understood! lol!

Seriously though, she and I have had the most "grown up" talks this month ever. She and I have talked frankly and seriously about her life in Ukraine, and she spoke so eloquently and with such maturity that it really blew me away. While Mama Zhana hasn't fallen off her high pedestal at all, she spoke a lot more fairly than she ever has before, and extremely matter-of-factly about Papa Misha. The way she has been carrying herself in serious conversation has been like a peek into what kind of a young woman she will some day be. And I must say, I'm impressed. While I battle that strong will of hers every day, I'm beginning to see that her fearlessness will (if carefully lassoed), bring her much success in life.

I took her shopping with me the other night, and all through the store, I kept thinking how much she had changed since we brought her home... she went from being a little, little girl who I had to watch *every* minute, to someone who I actually consulted for an opinion on purchases, tastes, etc. (And well, you can imagine how she eats that up!) Didn't have to worry about her *at* all. It seems like she has aged about 5 years in the 2 short years she's been home. Don't get me wrong, she still has definite rambunctious tendencies, especially when teamed with her siblings and maybe a rowdy friend, but, well, they're NORMAL rambunctious tendencies. Know what I mean? (Though I did have to remind her to get off the floor a few times in the store, come to think of it.)

Aleksa's behavior today was pretty typical of the month in general as well. Still trying awful hard to fly under the radar while sneaking in some bossiness with her brother, and also trying to shirk as many responsibilities as possible without detection. Like today she was supposed to read a story in her reader, and because she'd already HEARD the story, she decided that she knew it well enough so that if I quizzed her on it (which I always do), she'd be able to parrot enough of it back at me that I'd be convinced of her comprehension, etc. Well, I had peeked at the story before handing it to her, and I also counted the pages. Then I went off and did something or other and when I came back into the room, she was doing something else. There was no way she had time to read it. So, sure enough, when I quizzed her on it, she got the story "right." Until I pressed her on it, and she finally confessed that she lied about having read it, and that she was trying to trick me into thinking she'd done it. That lazy bug in her sure causes her to get into some kind of hot water!

Like her sister, Aleksa's vocabulary has brought an amused smirk to my face more than once. One of the last times was when my brother was asking her why she needed Mama to help her with the zipper to her coat, and she explained that this was "an unusual" coat and that the zipper gets stuck quite easily, etc.

I've been noticing her mimic people's body language quite a bit lately. She'll be watching someone talk, and she'll do their hand motions herself, or she'll mimic their facial expressions. She's gonna be a humdinger of an actress some day. I'm thinking she'd absolutely love it if I found her an American Sign Language video series for kids. She'd just soak it up.

Leksa and I were talking the other day about moms and babies, and she mentioned "when she was in (my) tummy." Well, I had to remind her that I found her at the dyetski dom and that she didn't grow in my tummy. She's been drawing pictures of me with her in my tummy for the past year now at least. It almost startled her that I told her she didn't ever grow in my tummy. Kinda rocked her world momentarily. Of course I reminded her that some children find their mommies when they come and get them from an orphanage, and she kind of shook herself awake with an "oh yeah, I knew that" kind of an expression. Though she wasn't an infant when we adopted her, she has very little memory of the orphanage/life without us. She "remembers" the orphanage when she sees pictures of it, but John and I get the feeling that her memories are kind of second hand... that she remembers what we've TOLD her about the pictures. I suppose being so young at the time of her adoption is a blessing and a curse. A blessing that she was spared so much more. A curse that she'll deal with more baggage of not really KNOWING what she was pulled out of, and having to really sort out a lot more as an adult. Could be wrong though. Who knows.

She's grown like a weed, and she too seems to have aged five years in these two short years. Makes. Me. Sick. She's promised to always be my la-la (baby) though, so I'm ok for now... But John and I just tonight were talking about which country/ies we might consider adopting from the next time around...

(Great) Grandma Fisher

Well, before I launch into an update about the kids, I need to talk about Grandma Fisher first...

John's grandma died on the 15th, and the funeral was Saturday. It was so nice to hear so many stand up and say a few words about her. John and I learned a lot about her that we never would have heard otherwise. Like how she was one lady's Sunday School teacher and she had given her a Christmas cactus as a gift one time, and that this lady still had it after all these years. (Grandma was so shy I was amazed to hear that she taught *anything* ever! But Grandma always had oodles of Christmas cacti, so I could totally "see" her giving one away.) Another distant cousin read a letter that Grandma had written to her sister the summer she met Grandpa. Grandma was telling her in the letter how she had met a "nice boy" and he'd sent her some flowers, and that she was thinking he was probably really interested in her, etc. It was so sweet. That nice boy was Grandpa, and they were married only a few months after that letter was written. Such a treasure.

And speaking of her marriage to Grandpa... When the family was looking through Grandma's things, they found the receipt for Grandma's wedding dress kept in Grandma's coin purse. Evidently she'd kept it there all these years. (We're talking like 59 years!) If that isn't the sweetest thing I've ever heard! She was definitely a sweetheart. She paid $28 for it way back in 1947.

One of my favorite memories of Grandma happened just a few years ago. We were trying to raise $$ for our adoption, and I had a $250 order for some angel pins. After Thanksgiving that year, John and I stuffed Grandma in the back of our car and took her home with us for a few days. She helped us finish up those 500 pins, and did we ever have a wonderful time! Grandma was a woman of very few words. She'd hardly EVER talk without someone talking to her first. Consequently, in a crowd, she tended to sit quietly and just watch and listen. One on one, however, people would take more time to talk to her. While I had her all to myself, I asked her lots of things about Grandpa (who has been gone since '99), and I asked her about her parents, her boys, the baby girl she lost, her life, etc. Things I never would have known otherwise, because she never would have talked about them if no one had bothered asking. It was truly a wonderful few days.

When John's dad came to pick her up to take her home she walked down our sidewalk, and at the midpoint, she turned around, smiled at me and said, "I need one more hug." I sprang down the steps and gave her a big hug and told her I loved her and would miss her. That really meant a lot to me. I'll always keep that mental "snapshot" memory of her. It was one of the few things I've ever heard her say without someone talking to her first.

She will be very missed, but I know she is so much happier where she is, I could never wish her back... I'll definitely be looking for her one day in heaven though.

Back!

I'm IN! Finally! I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure my way into posting here, and it took John about three seconds to figure out how to remedy the situation. Figures!

So anyway, I tried to sneak a smoke signal to y'all on the last entry's comments section, but not everyone reads the comments. I haven't been able to post lately. My "cookies" got poofed and had to come up with my username and password again. It wasn't what I thought it was, so it wouldn't let me in no matter how many times I tried to shout into the scream, "I'M ME! LET ME POST!"

This has been a doozie of a month. John's dad had a heart attack on Saturday the 3rd, and then this past Wednesday, his grandma (his dad's mom) passed away. Yesterday was the funeral. I'll post more later on everything in between, but there has been a lot of running hither and thither, and in fact, I don't think there has been a weekend yet this month where we haven't gone somewhere.

Anyway, now that I'm back, I need to sign off. (Figures, I know.) I'll write up a lengthy make-up post tomorrow with the nitty-gritty...

Bang-less Blondie

Our Aleksa is a smartie, but oh, is she a blondie sometimes.

A blondie with no bangs.

The other day she was talking to a friend, and told her friend that when she was little, she cut her bangs (remember that!?), and that's why she doesn't have any. (!!??)

I didn't have the heart to correct her in front of her friend. But later, when we finally did try to set her straight, she said, "Then where'd they go?"

(Um. Leks? They grew out. It took months and years. 'Member?)

Mama talks to her mirror...

The kids and I love to tease and joke and play tricks on each other. There's constantly a mischievous glimmer in someone's eye around here.

Liana has been on a kick lately where she'll notice I'm on the way to our bathroom and she'll RUN ahead of me and slam the bathroom door and lock it and then take her sweet time in there if you know what I mean. I wind up having to go down to the kids' bathroom if she does beat me, but otherwise we wind up with a tackle, some squealing, some screaming, lots of laughing, and some MAJOR tickling to get her Out of my way. She thinks this is just the most hilarious joke... The other day there was almost an accident in the hallway because of this little stunt. She laughed so hard she almost had one herself! ;O)

The other night amid our usual volley of teases, I started doing my wicked witch impersonation for the kids. (That usually freaks Leksa out. I have a *really* good Witch of the West impression... You know the whole "I'll get you, My Pretty!" routine.)

Adam got me good though... He announced, "Mama talks to her mirror!" Evidently he likened me to Snow White's stepmother... lol! I thought it was pretty clever; kind of along the same line as "Your mama dresses you funny!" It took several minutes for my stomach to quit hurting from laughing so hard...

26 Months Home

Between my laziness and my flaky internet connection, I completely blew our "month-a-versary" post this month. I'm like five days late or something, and I've cringed every night going to bed not having updated, though I did go one entire day last week without any internet connection at all... Satellite connections are rather frustrating sometimes!

Ok, lemme get to the update before I rabbit trail and forget why I'm here. ;O)

I'll start with Aleksa since she's the one hot on the brain right now. She's been a little Stinker this month! She has been trying to boss around her older brother every chance she can get. She finds things about him that he's doing wrong and pounces. Frankly, it's driving me crazy. I keep telling her that Adam already has a Mama, and she isn't her. Not only does she nag him, but she'll yell at him, kick him, etc. Not sure where this kicking business is coming from. Evidently Little Zina is making a comeback! She's had to draw more pictures and "I'm sorry" notes to her brother this month than all the other months we've had her combined. Actually, it isn't just pictures, it is doing "something nice" for her brother to show him she loves him. All these months of flying under the radar and she's finally onscreen. That's good, I guess, because if we don't realize an attitude is there, we can't do anything to help fix it.

Aleksa has been really flying with her reading. She's not afraid to tackle reading signs, papers laying around, other stories besides her readers for school, etc. It took Adam and Liana a long, long time before they got to that point, and actually, in a lot of ways, they aren't even quite there yet. There still seems to be a hesitation to believe they CAN read signs, newspapers, other "nonschool" books, etc. Perhaps it's just laziness? Not sure, but Leksa thinks she can, is optimistic about it, so she does. She's also at a point in her readers that she won't put them down if she's interested in the story. She'll finish a weeks' worth of reading in one sitting. Liana is only finally at that point right now.

Liana... she's growing up, what can I say? *waaah* Yesterday we went to visit some friends who have also adopted from Ukraine, though a few years before us. It was nice to finally have met these folks in real life after having exchanged many emails, etc. Anyway, their daughter is Adam's age, and is rather a tomboy. Likes basketball, etc. Most of Liana's neighborhood friends are a year younger than she is, or a little less, so getting to play with a "big girl" was a treat for her. They were out shooting hoops, gathering sticks in the back yard to make a pretend bonfire, etc. Liana was in 7th Heaven. When we got home she told me we needed a basketball hoop so she could start doing "big girl things." Aleksa wasn't so interested in the "big girl" things when there were baby dolls to play with. She was walking around with a doll on her shoulder all afternoon.

Well, anyway, Liana is getting to the point where she's not a little girl, but she's not a big girl yet either, and it's making her feel rather out of place. Christmas is going to be tough for me this year. I have absolutely no ideas for her - other than the basketball hoop! lol! Whaddaya get girls that age?

Funny language story to tell on Liana. This is a hoot. Tonight Adam's stomach wasn't feeling the greatest, and so instead of dealing with Adam's very graphic descriptions of what was going on, we suggested that he just said, "I have diarrhea." Liana piped up and said that she thought diarrhea meant that two people were going to get married. ... Um, no. That would be "engaged." Who knows where that came from! lol!

Since Adam's funny language story is on this same vein, I'll add his here too... We also suggested that Adam announce that "Nature was calling" instead of telling us *exactly* what he needed to do. (What is it about 11yo boys loving to describe this stuff!?) Well, the next time nature called, he said, "Nature is Coming!"

The other day we heard him referring to our computer as the "Liptop" computer. John sure laughed at that visual.

I really need to post another video of Adam really talking. (Not just answering questions, but actually talking.) He's getting to the point in his language that people are starting to say that they like his accent. The second person has told me that in just the last few weeks. No one has ever said that before concerning him. He's the "hard-to-understand" one, and for the first year, he was tough to understand, let alone thing he had a "nice accent." It's been sorta shocking to me to hear people say they like his accent... I guess it's a nice spot to finally be in... he has struggled so hard to get here. We were all watching videos the other day of some that I took at just 5-7 months home. Uff, they were excruciating to listen to him talk, though I remember at the time being so proud that he'd come so far. Even Adam was surprised to hear himself stutter, stammer and struggle for words, etc. He didn't want to finish listening to himself; he asked us to shut it off. He's doing so much better now. Long way to go yet, but so much better, and it is so comforting to look back and see such progress.

He's been doing really well with his reading time too. Neither he nor Liana can read silently yet, which I think is rather odd, but they get lost in their thoughts if they don't read out loud. They just can't do it. Aleksa can read "in a whisper" but still not silently either. Adam has made good progress with his reading, but I know it isn't coming as quickly as with Liana because of Liana's grasp of the language. Adam will sound things out in a nonsense way, and assume it is a word. We have to really listen to him as he reads so he doesn't skip over those and to remind him that he's reading real live words that he probably knows, so to try again. Liana's mind can fill in the blanks with context, guessing word order, etc because of knowing how to SPEAK it so well. She'll often get away with only "really" having to read the first letter of the word to know that it must say since she's already familiar with an expression, phrase, etc. Adam still is learning all that, really, and so when he reads, he doesn't have the luxury of having the fluency to help him. Not sure if that makes sense. Still, his overall comprehension of a story is usually right on, so I'm not terribly worried yet. I ask him questions about everything he reads to make sure he "gets it." He might blow certain words here and there, but overall, he's got the picture. Still, Liana has blown past him in reading levels a while ago. Liana has read up through at least Week 32 (of 36 weeks) of her readers already here in little Week 8. We bought the next level of readers for her to work on when she's done. She loves books and good stories, and MUST know what happens next. She's got the reading bug, in other words. Yay!

Can't imagine life without our three. They've not been home very long, but they are just plain part of us. Some days are harder than others, but I sure wouldn't trade 'em for anything! I love hanging out with my kiddos and my hubby. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world than exactly where and what I'm doing right now! Life is good!

True American Boy

Adam is officially an American boy.

Today, he asked us for a GameBoy.

Groan.

The word "Gameboy" has *never* passed our lips since he came home from UA, but he found one in a catalog. He sat and stared at that dumb "Gameboy" for the longest time, and at bedtime tonight, he asked for it again.

Ya know, I don't think I'd know a Gameboy if it was sitting right in front of me. I have absolutely no idea what they are. I know they are all the rage with boys his age, but I really have no clue. I barely know what a Nintendo is. We have one, so I *should* know what it is, but I have no idea how to turn it on, let alone play it. John's department, bigtime. I had an Atari 2600 as a girl... That's more my speed...

I told him he'll hafta wait til Papa's ship comes in. He had no clue what that meant. It's so funny hearing him try *so* hard to use Americanisms... they sorta flop on him. His favorite new phrase is "Howdy!" (Think "Woody" from "Toy Story,") The "Howdy!" is fine, but then he sometimes adds, "Howdy, Pardon!" Sorta gives himself away as being "not from these parts..."

Still, he wins the award as "True American Boy" today. Don't think they had "Gameboys" in Ukraine.

Aleksa's Map

We've been learning about the Vikings in school (as in Scandinavians, not football). We've been reading Viking stories, learning about how they went raiding, how they lived, what they ate, beliefs, etc.

The other day I had them each color a map of the Scandinavian countries, and even had Leksa do it. She loves maps. (After my own heart, I'm tellin' ya!) After she colored in the countries we were talking about, she asked if she could label some of the other countries she knew. Like I was going to discourage that! The results were too adorable not to share...



If you can't quite read it, click on the map to enlarge it, but the labels say: Frans, Jrmne (with a backwards J; oops!), Itle, Gres, Polind, Ukran, Iyrlnd. That's France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Poland, Ukraine and Ireland. Don't think I coulda done so well at the tender age of 6!

Had to share my proud Mama moment. :O)

Columbus Day/Insecurity

*edited 10/11 so if my blog/email addy is ever shared, there won't be a problem, kwim?*

I love Columbus Day. Well, I don't really get into the "Columbus" part, but I sure love makin' apple pies! We made a big ol' mess in the kitchen, so I guess it was a success! ;O) I had planned on grocery shopping tonight, but I'm zonked. T'morrow.

Had an Exhibit A example of insecurity today with Liana.

Adam had decided on his own to go through the house and empty the wastepaper baskets, and take the garbage out. When I noticed what he was doing, I made a BIG deal to him about how great it was to take initiative, etc., and that he was being a responsible young man, etc., etc., etc. Well, Liana bee-lined to the kitchen, grabbed a trash bag, and ran to the garage. In a matter of seconds she had pushed him out of the way of the garbage can, and KICKED him to keep him away from her so she could put the garbage bag in the can and not Adam.

See, I had praised Adam, and well, she wanted that praise. So, she was going to do anything it took for her to get it. We had a long talk about how I will always love her and blah, blah, blah. It took a LOT of questions to get her to come to the same conclusions I wanted her to go. I held her for a long time as we talked, and finally, she "got it." Well, she did for today anyway. She's been an angel, and completely giddy-happy since then. Can never reassure these kiddos enough that we love them and are proud of them, etc., etc.

How did this post go from pies to all that? I'm such a rambler!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, btw, to Marnie (er, Dancing Princess), to Kate and any other Canadian friends I might have out there!

Apples!

Yesterday we took a day trip "back home." (Hard to call it "home" up here quite yet. I was raised back there, plus our parents live there. Plus our old church, old friends, old familiar everythings...) Little homesick rabbit trail there. Sorry. *sniff*

Anyway, after "Cookin' Day" at my dad's house, we headed to a local orchard/apple stand and got some Fabulous apples for my yearly Columbus Day tradition of making apple pies. We also got some raw honey. I love these trips... Fall in southwest Wisconsin is stunning. We've got bluffs all around us, the Missisippi River, and gorgeous fall colors. Combine that with nice crisp air and sunshine, and it makes for the perfect kind of a day. And the apples! You just can't beat the crispness of an apple fresh-off-the-tree! I love a crunchy, tart apple.

On the way to the check-out, we thought it would be fun to get everyone a carameled apple. We let them each choose their own, and WOW, did their eyes bug out with excitement! As we were walking to the car, Liana said to me, "Mama! I think... I think there's an apple inside this!" LOL. "Yes, Liana, there is!" It's fun that there are still "new" things every now and then.

The kids loved them, except we sorta forgot that Leksa Lu doesn't have any front teeth except for two bottom front ones. But she doesn't have either tooth beside those two bottoms, and neither of her top fronts. She had an awful time. But, she enjoyed sucking the caramel off of it though! Fun day!

Fun Morning

Had a good morning over here already. This morning was the first hard frost we've had for the season (at least that we've noticed anyway!) The kids were excited about the "Snow" and since that's what they thought it was, we had an early-morning impromptu science lesson, whereby we all went outside and investigated what it was. This turned into a full-fledged playtime when they decided to haul out their sleds from the garage and try out the hill in the yard. We have a nice-sized hill out front that the kids have been itching to sled down since we got here. Today was their chance, they decided.

So! While the rest of the neighbor kids filed onto the school bus, (boy were our kids glared at! lol!), our kids had a BLAST going up and down the hill...

And, since this was the first "snow day" of the year - (well, it wasn't snow, but you know what I mean), I made some of my stashed gourmet hot chocolate. (Anyone else an Ibarra chocolate lover?) Even got out my authentic Mexican molinillo frother and had a little cultural experience with the kids explaining how to froth up the chocolate, taught them a little Spanish song to sing while using the molinillo, gave a little "history of chocolate" lesson (hey, I was a Spanish minor, plus I am a woman. How could I not know the history of chocolate off the top of my head?!) We pretty much had a ball... all we were missing were the churros!

Don't know the joys of "real" hot chocolate? You can do homeschool with us today too! Do a Google search or check:

http://messycucina.blogspot.com/2006/02/el-molinillo.html http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/mexicanchocolate.htm

Have I mentioned how much I love homeschool? :O)

Pretty Word?

Tonight when I was tucking in Aleksa Lu, she confided in me that her "peeska" hurt and pointed to her Nether-Regions. It's super-rare for any Russian words to be used at all anymore, and I was surprised she didn't use the English. I told her what we call that in America, and she brightened up and oh-so-innocently said, "Oh, that's a pretty word!"

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

New Tastebuds, New Shoes

The kids are turning over new leaves. What they used to love, love, love, they are suddenly deciding they don't like, hate, or don't want.

For example, until recently, the kids LOVED pickles. Remember me telling about how they'd even drink the brine? Well, they have all three decided that they don't like them anymore. I can get them to eat bread-and-butter pickles occasionally, but for the most part, they're pretty much turning up their noses to them. I'm thinking it has to do with the neighbor girl... who was *completely* grossed out by pickles. Well, she's got a different "food culture" at her house, so she probably hadn't even ever seen them before, but after that incident, our kids have decided they're ugly green nasty things.

Also, Adam is becoming *slowly* more selective as far as what he likes and how much of it. (I might have blogged this before; if so, oops! I just happened to think of it after talking about the pickels.) He doesn't like spaghetti, though he will eat it up if he's hungry. But, unfortunatly that new leaf had to be discovered when we were invited to someone's house for dinner and the hostess announced the menu. Adam (our theatrical Adam), was rather expressive in telling her how disgusting spaghetti was and how he hated it and it made him sick, etc. *SIGH* (We had a loooooong talk about that on the way home, lol!) We're thrilled he's not eating *anything* anymore, but he's gotta figure out some manners in the process! lol! (Being a mom is often Mortifying!)

Liana is on a roll as far as a growth spurt. This summer her feet jumped from a size 3 girls, to a size 6 1/2 womens! We just bought new shoes again recently, and as I was looking for shoes to fit her in the kids' section, I kept wondering where the "bigger" shoes were. I almost passed out when I realized that there WERE NO bigger kids' shoes! I got all light-headed walking over to the womens' section! She's just *too* ready for high heels as it is! WAAAAAHHHH!

Speaking of shoes, Leks can tie hers now! I broke down and bought her tie shoes for the first time ever, and she and Papa have been having nightly lessons. John has a "new-fangled" way of tying shoes that I'd never seen before, but she's learned really quickly doing it this way. I call it "Samurai-shoe-tying." I'll see if I can find a link for it later. It's pretty slick!

Where's Adam?

Last night I went into Adam's already-dark room to tuck him in. I started chatting with him a bit, and then realized he was being awfully quiet. I started patting the bed, and realized he wasn't in it! He was in the bathroom. lol! Fine, so I go off to the girls' room to tuck them in, and as I did so, John asked me what I was laughing about. I told him about Adam's empty bed and my talking to Nobody, and he laughed.

I finished tucking the girls in, and then went back to Adam's room, which was still dark. But this time, I could see that he was in bed (there was a lump!), and said "Adam! You're finally in bed for me to tuck you in and I don't have to talk to the air this time... etc., etc." Finally, John couldn't stand it anymore, and started laughing hysterically. Adam was hiding, and JOHN was in Adam's bed trying to trick me.

Both my boys sure had a fun time giggling.... Bedtime is such a riot around here!