Just $1100 more dollars to raise in reaching our goal to fund two grandmothers for the year 2012. We look forward to giving the children 2 wonderful supportive grandmas who will help encourage positive development, give hugs, interactive play and stimulate growth. Every dollar counts so please think about giving a coffee drink worth of money or if you have a special person you would like to honor this month we are still sending Give a Grandma Cards to those you would like to donate money in their name with a special message.
On a personal note: I have two boys, one from a Russian baby hospital and the other from a baby home and I would have given so much to know they had that extra interaction and love each day. When I met my first son, he would stare blankly into the sky and out of the window. I could see such much more happening in that little mind of his however with such little stimulation, he just sat there. He did not even know how to grasp a play car they had put in front of him. The simple pleasures like feeling grass between their toes, many may not experience until they are much older. I walked him around the hotel that first day and we touched leaves together and I saw his eyes widen with each experience.
The grandmas will be put into these homes following curriculum that has been created specially by our development team giving these orphans a chance to flourish a bit more than they would in an average day.
Please take a moment and help us reach our goal. We have come a long way and are almost there! Thank you to those who have helped us raise $3900 dollars.
Orphans at Play
Monday, December 26, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Transitioning Back Home with Lil Ewan
I have not been on here as much as I would like to update on how the transition is going. I have found it interesting to see such differences in the children with regard to what we need to concentrate on versus what we had to with Alexei.
Ewan's Transition Time:
- Sleeps well
- Whiny to the extreme
- Babbles a lot but does not like to speak very much, although he totally can say about 5 words just fine. If you ask him to say Mama he just smiles. Now he says the word Hi all of the time in a sing songy version I must get on video for people to believe me when I say he sounds like a guy picking a girl up in a bar. Eeks. lol.
- He had giardia. Recommend a full check on all children when brought home. He was a bit bloated and seriously thirsty, which were symptoms. We are currently having him checked now for H-pylori.
- We think he may be head butting his head. I have only caught him once but he seems to like to bruise the same spot on the middle of his forehead a lot.
- We are taking him to a cardiologist due to a heart murmur to confirm he is fine and address his heavy breathing when he drinks too much.
- He will drink to the point of throwing it up or basically his stomach will just not allow more fluids. Well, we have controlled his intake and we thought 2 sippy cups wouldn't be too bad.
- His balance is improving, his leg strength and running. We have him pick himself up all of the time and it has really helped with his legs and confidence.
- He does like to go head first any time he can so watching him around stairs and making sure the gate is closed is huge.
- He hated the car seat at first but with music he will settle in and snacks of course.
- He hates, absolutely hates being bundled up. I hate to say it Russia as I am very kind on most things but these children do not stand for being bundled up when we get them home. I have one child, Alexei who will run naked any chance he can and now Ewan undresses himself at night and every time we get into the car, the shoes and socks must come off including the hat. This is on very cold days too. Aargh. They rebel BIG time like the teenage years.
- He uses the "potty" only when you say "Mochitsya" Yup, who knows where he got that word but "Pisit" has not worked yet.
- Walks up to the world and will let them hold him. Must curb this now.
Ewan likes to pick up stuff and put it in his mouth all of the time. He is so different from Alexei it is just amazing but then he also came from a hospital that was so rigid in it's structure and Alexei was just not used to so much rigidity.
Alexei's transition time:
- Didn't sleep, still doesn't. He is my midnight hour boy. If it wasn't for melatonin the Dr. prescribed, I am not sure if he ever would lol. He was done with naps the moment he came home. I have been to all of the specialists and they say he is a Disneyland syndrome boy, high functioning and doesn't want to miss a thing. He is fine. Well tell that to his Mama who is up with him at 1:45am to this day at times.
- Hyper. He is very energetic. He is focused though.
- Talkative. Speech was pretty much easy and he picked up very fast. He knows both languages with small words and some French. The kid just picks up languages and asks about everything. You know the kid in "Bad Santa" that asks why every other moment. Yup, that's him. Dear lord, give me strength ha ha.
- So we took him to NY to visit our Vlad family and ever since then he says, "Huh?" drawn out with an accent. Sigh, even if he has heard it 4x, he will say it and I say, what did I just say and he will repeat it so I know he heard it and his hearing is very good.
- My right hand. He has always been Mini Mama, my right hand, helps me with everything, even the dishes and right now he is finally asleep at midnight holding onto my arm on the couch.
- His strength in his legs was pretty amazing at 15 months old. Very strong child but then the babies I have seen from his baby home are pretty darn strong with bad sleeping habits lol.
- He tries every food first and then will tell me if he does not like it. In fact, he finished off a pomegranate with me tonight.
Due to his lack of sleeping and high energy, his transition left Mama crying at times but now I have the strength and patience to know how to work it just right and communicate with him on a level that works. I can't blame him as he came from a baby home to us and said, "Look world, I am ready now!" And has never stopped being ready.
Ewan's Transition Time:
- Sleeps well
- Whiny to the extreme
- Babbles a lot but does not like to speak very much, although he totally can say about 5 words just fine. If you ask him to say Mama he just smiles. Now he says the word Hi all of the time in a sing songy version I must get on video for people to believe me when I say he sounds like a guy picking a girl up in a bar. Eeks. lol.
- He had giardia. Recommend a full check on all children when brought home. He was a bit bloated and seriously thirsty, which were symptoms. We are currently having him checked now for H-pylori.
- We think he may be head butting his head. I have only caught him once but he seems to like to bruise the same spot on the middle of his forehead a lot.
- We are taking him to a cardiologist due to a heart murmur to confirm he is fine and address his heavy breathing when he drinks too much.
- He will drink to the point of throwing it up or basically his stomach will just not allow more fluids. Well, we have controlled his intake and we thought 2 sippy cups wouldn't be too bad.
- His balance is improving, his leg strength and running. We have him pick himself up all of the time and it has really helped with his legs and confidence.
- He does like to go head first any time he can so watching him around stairs and making sure the gate is closed is huge.
- He hated the car seat at first but with music he will settle in and snacks of course.
- He hates, absolutely hates being bundled up. I hate to say it Russia as I am very kind on most things but these children do not stand for being bundled up when we get them home. I have one child, Alexei who will run naked any chance he can and now Ewan undresses himself at night and every time we get into the car, the shoes and socks must come off including the hat. This is on very cold days too. Aargh. They rebel BIG time like the teenage years.
- He uses the "potty" only when you say "Mochitsya" Yup, who knows where he got that word but "Pisit" has not worked yet.
- Walks up to the world and will let them hold him. Must curb this now.
Ewan likes to pick up stuff and put it in his mouth all of the time. He is so different from Alexei it is just amazing but then he also came from a hospital that was so rigid in it's structure and Alexei was just not used to so much rigidity.
Alexei's transition time:
- Didn't sleep, still doesn't. He is my midnight hour boy. If it wasn't for melatonin the Dr. prescribed, I am not sure if he ever would lol. He was done with naps the moment he came home. I have been to all of the specialists and they say he is a Disneyland syndrome boy, high functioning and doesn't want to miss a thing. He is fine. Well tell that to his Mama who is up with him at 1:45am to this day at times.
- Hyper. He is very energetic. He is focused though.
- Talkative. Speech was pretty much easy and he picked up very fast. He knows both languages with small words and some French. The kid just picks up languages and asks about everything. You know the kid in "Bad Santa" that asks why every other moment. Yup, that's him. Dear lord, give me strength ha ha.
- So we took him to NY to visit our Vlad family and ever since then he says, "Huh?" drawn out with an accent. Sigh, even if he has heard it 4x, he will say it and I say, what did I just say and he will repeat it so I know he heard it and his hearing is very good.
- My right hand. He has always been Mini Mama, my right hand, helps me with everything, even the dishes and right now he is finally asleep at midnight holding onto my arm on the couch.
- His strength in his legs was pretty amazing at 15 months old. Very strong child but then the babies I have seen from his baby home are pretty darn strong with bad sleeping habits lol.
- He tries every food first and then will tell me if he does not like it. In fact, he finished off a pomegranate with me tonight.
Due to his lack of sleeping and high energy, his transition left Mama crying at times but now I have the strength and patience to know how to work it just right and communicate with him on a level that works. I can't blame him as he came from a baby home to us and said, "Look world, I am ready now!" And has never stopped being ready.
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