Getting Adjusted

What a trip (not the actual one, the mental one). You plan and imagine, but the reality is so different from the dream. It is good and odd at the same time. Right now Anya is sleeping as I type, after crashing under a blanket on the floor next to the dog (the jet lag is still with us). I find myself slipping into the older habits of a younger Monica-remembering to stay here with her, move quietly and check on her every so often, instead of a mom of the fourth 17 year old, "Oh, did you stay at your friend's last night?"

She finally slept until 5:15 this morning instead of the jet lagged 2 or 3am wake ups she has been doing since we got home. Boy was I relieved that she is getting some sleep. Yesterday I heard her stirring at 3am and walked into the hall to see her all dressed and with the dog leash in her hand! We have an online speaking translator and I "told" her through it that it was still night and we had 3-4 hours left until morning. Her body was awake and she sat in front of Chico's kennel for one and a half hours tapping different things and looking around or watching Chico sleep, just waiting. The morning before she fell asleep after that initial 90 minutes of waking up, but not last night. I played a Russian cartoon on the computer because she wasn't going to be going back to sleep anytime soon. Finally the sky lightened, which I couldn't hide from her, and she motioned for Chico to be let out. She played with him for awhile and I managed to let Dave sleep until 7 and they were on their walk by 7:30. 

Early this morning she was a bit bent out of shape that I wouldn't let her wake up Scott for a few hours (our 20 year old son). She thinks he is the greatest thing and follows him all around the house. The first day he went to work she asked me after a couple of hours when he was getting back. Today she stood at the front window with the blind pulled back a bit to watch him drive away to classes and work. She met our oldest son and really enjoyed joking around with him and you can see a kindred trickster spirit between the two of them already!

Anya enjoys talking to our Russian friends (local ones) on the phone and we give her that opportunity more than once a day if we can. She goes on and on and it is so funny to watch. It is like there is a 40 year old woman trapped in her young body when you watch her tell a story on the phone. She told one of our friends, "You should see their car! I love the car!" And she does. She asks a couple of times a day to go in the "machina". Our car ride today was to the Social Security office (after visiting yesterday and deciding a two+ hour wait wasn't going to be a good idea, especially at lunch time). What a fun time. We eventually did get her a number and I guess the "discussion" we had with the lady who didn't want to give her one was okay.

 Using the playdoh and letter/number stamps to work on the numbers she knows and introduce spelling of her name, etc.

 She discovered today that Chico likes to play tug-o-war. She is wearing her grandpa's old green belt after she saw Scott put his belt on.

 Results of jet lag...(for her, not the lazy Pug)

Chatting it up on the phone!

As I have mentioned before, most of her words in English are related to dog commands (Sit, Stay, Come Here, Down, Shake and Chico), but she has added Bye Bye, Yes and Okay today.

Well, I just discovered that the lock control on my phone is useless for those who can follow the "picture" directions for unlocking.....

Anya also just asked to peel two potatoes for dinner. Can't imagine she'd ever done it before as they feed about 80 kids in a LARGE kitchen and I know they did not let the kids in to help! She did a great job and then ran off to tell Dave about it. Gotta feed the kiddo now. "Bye Bye".

~Monica