Second Day Home (Second Full Day)
Babushka (Kevin's mom) gave Julian a haircut and cleaned up the girls' bangs.
One of our family favorites is taco night. This was the kids first taco night (Saturday), so Pop demonstrated how to assemble and eat a taco. The tacos went over really well. Kevin makes the best taco shells. We have had another taco night since this one and the kids were like old pros!
Sunday morning we went out to breakfast with Kevin's parents. This was the kids first restaurant experience in America. We went to a local diner. They loved it, of course. Check them all out in their carseats/boosters!
They love playing in the water. During the first week that we were home we went to the pool for the first time on Sunday afternoon. We waited as long as we could to take them but it is hard to hold off since all pool is right behind our house. They can see all the fun happening there. Luckily we went with reinforcements (Kevin's parents). We met some of our neighborhood friends there. Three of their five kids are siblings adopted from Ukraine two years ago. Our kids all get along really well and even though they no longer speak their native language (which was Ukrainian anyway, not Russian like our 4) I think it is fun for them to share the bond of being born in Ukraine and living in America now. We went to ice cream with them later that night and have seen them a couple times since. It is fun to play with another "big" family. Karen has so many fantastic organizational ideas and tips for making it work.
They love the Slip and Slide as well. They have probably played on the Slip and Slide three days a week since we got home.
Tate decided he wanted his hair cut too, like all the big kids. He didn't really need a cut, so Babushka gave him a trim and he was happy with that.
More bonding between Keaton and Sophia. I think she loves him as much as I do. One of her first American expresions came out when I called her over one day to look at the cute way Keaton was sleeping on his bed. She gasped and said in her thick accent, "Oh, my goodness!"
Oh, has Keaton been a trooper. One day he was a babutchka (butterfly) and the next day he wore Spiderman pajamos (as the kids call them). I spend at least 5 minutes a day trying to convince Sophie that Keaton is a boy, not a girl. She hasn't bought it yet.
The neighbor kids all love to get together to play soccer. The other day I think our whole cul-du-sac was out there! Lily Grace prefers the sidelines with her mama though.
This was the girls first time in our bathtub. I let them take a bath in our bathroom tub on Sundays for a treat. All week long they ask, "Cybota, bolshoi koopatza?" (Sunday, big bath?) I guess that means tomorrow night is big bath night again!
They play lots of games and do lots of puzzles every day. I try to keep their television time limited to movies, although they have watched a few shows. They have also been very into the Olympics lately, mostly gymnastics and a little bit of swimming and diving. We let them watch things in the evenings after baths to wind down, but usually they end up doing a puzzle or playing a game anyway.
They also do lots of art. I am keeping stocked up on all kinds of art supplies since I figured out they enjoy this so much. One day Sophia decided to try one of the suggested art projects in her Russian "Enchanted" magazine. She was busy making tiaras, so the boys made crowns. Here is your royal nuttiness in his. He is one goofy little guy!
Okay, I had more pictures to post but it take so long and I need to get some sleep. We are headed to the zoo tomorrow! We have to cram in a bunch of fun before school starts on the 25th!
5 comments:
What a fun week! They have changed so much in just one week and it is so obvious that they were meant to be in your home all along :-)
I love the updates! I have to ask--what kind of car do you have? ;)
The pictures are priceless. They all look like they have been in America their whole lives! It sounds like you're letting them experience so many new things. Such fun!
I have a Dodge Durango. It fits them perfectly. I am probably due for a new car in the not too distant future and my options shrank considerably when we adopted four kids! ;) Good thing my current car had the third row. Used to be folded down for the most part!
We are letting them experience lots of new things and they are handling it all very well. We try not to do too much in one day and we make sure we have plenty of time as a family as well though. I was really cautious about not overwhelming them with outtings at first, but they seem fine with everything within reason. I think that is how all kids are though.
I stumbled across your blog and have been enjoying reading about your adventure. We adopted two children from Ukraine and have been home almost 4 months. These children are amazing! Can I send you an email? My email address is coonss@comcast.net. Thanks!
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