Pictures I hope
5/31/2007 01:51:00 AM Edit This 6 Comments »
Still No Internet at the Apartment
5/31/2007 01:16:00 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
Well day 7 in Aktau and still no Internet at the apartment. Myself, Rosa (the single mom from Spain) and Zina the interpreter all had problems getting on the Internet so we went on Tue to the Nursat office where they said they could get us signed on and working. This was a tiny office with no AC or windows with a desk and one woman to help us out. After about 30-40 minutes (it felt like a couple of hours with us all in there sweating) she got us all set up we thought. We had to rush back to the Baby House for our second visit which was great. When we got to the apt that night I tried to get it to work without any luck. So I waited until morning to call Zina to see if she could help. Well she and Rosa both had no problems getting on but she could not tell me anything on the phone so she'd come by after the visits to see if she could get it working. Of course we had no luck either. So anyway, she will be here in about 15 minutes to take me back to the Nursat office where we will try again. Sorry. I'd like to respond to comments and emails but I simply am not allowed the time until I get it running at the apartment.
But let's talk about Lexie. I hope these pictures get downloaded since all the instructions (and spell check too) are in Russian I just guess until I push the right one. Once I deleted everything but I won't forget that button anytime soon. She has gotten more adorable every day. She's alert and very active. She never wants to sit still since there are so many new things for her to see. They are never taken out of there rooms which consist of a sleeping room with 12 cribs and a changing table in it and a play room with two large cribs and some shelves with toys on it. Every time I've gone to get her and all the babies are either in their cribs or in walkers rolling around on the floor. Two of the babies are severely handicapped so they just lay in the cribs all day. It just breaks your heart but I'm not sure what else they could do for them. About 3 or 4 have what look to be minor things wrong and the other 5 are small and maybe a little bit behind but seem healthy otherwise. Her group is between 10 months and about 15 months I think. Every other day they carry down a couple of the kids put them in a stroller and let them sit under a tree but that is it. They believe that they will catch cold if they are outside without at least two layers on them. That's why Lexie looked so big in those first pictures. She had that long sleeve top and footie bottoms on plus a ones and socks on under it. And of course they must have a hat on when they go outside. Now it's been between 85 and 96 degrees every day so far so I'm not really thinking she'll catch a cold. So far they have been good about letting me take her outside without the layers and only the hat for protection so I've very grateful. I would feel terrible bundling her up for that kind of heat. She has a number of sores on her back and tummy but the doc says it's more or less an allergy to the soap they use. They have allowed me to bring her new clothes every day and take the worn ones home to clean myself. So she is looking better. Overall they have been very accommodating and seem to have the children's best interest at heart. They have a new director that just started a few weeks ago so I think that is why we aren't supervised as much as the other families that were here before us were. Whatever the reason it's great since I basically have her to myself for 4 hours a day. I'm sure she'll be walking on her own before we leave. Today is day 7 of the bonding so we should be done next Thursday June 7. Then they have to get us a court date that could take a week or two. I'm definitely hoping for a week. Then we have another 15 day waiting period until it's final with the court. I can take her to the apartment after that but I've just learned yesterday that we may be here a week or more after that so the new birth certificate and passport can be issued. I can't think that far ahead right now. I'm just going to count down until the bonding period is over.
We still don't have hot water at the apartment which makes 8 days of cold showers. It's actually so hot here that after the initial shock it feels pretty good. Of course we can't drink the water so we buy a lot and boil some for washing dishes etc. It certainly fills your days up just doing the chores. If I can just get the Internet working I'd be satisfied. Which reminds me I have to go so I have time to down load as many pictures as I can. Everyone take care and thanks for everything.
But let's talk about Lexie. I hope these pictures get downloaded since all the instructions (and spell check too) are in Russian I just guess until I push the right one. Once I deleted everything but I won't forget that button anytime soon. She has gotten more adorable every day. She's alert and very active. She never wants to sit still since there are so many new things for her to see. They are never taken out of there rooms which consist of a sleeping room with 12 cribs and a changing table in it and a play room with two large cribs and some shelves with toys on it. Every time I've gone to get her and all the babies are either in their cribs or in walkers rolling around on the floor. Two of the babies are severely handicapped so they just lay in the cribs all day. It just breaks your heart but I'm not sure what else they could do for them. About 3 or 4 have what look to be minor things wrong and the other 5 are small and maybe a little bit behind but seem healthy otherwise. Her group is between 10 months and about 15 months I think. Every other day they carry down a couple of the kids put them in a stroller and let them sit under a tree but that is it. They believe that they will catch cold if they are outside without at least two layers on them. That's why Lexie looked so big in those first pictures. She had that long sleeve top and footie bottoms on plus a ones and socks on under it. And of course they must have a hat on when they go outside. Now it's been between 85 and 96 degrees every day so far so I'm not really thinking she'll catch a cold. So far they have been good about letting me take her outside without the layers and only the hat for protection so I've very grateful. I would feel terrible bundling her up for that kind of heat. She has a number of sores on her back and tummy but the doc says it's more or less an allergy to the soap they use. They have allowed me to bring her new clothes every day and take the worn ones home to clean myself. So she is looking better. Overall they have been very accommodating and seem to have the children's best interest at heart. They have a new director that just started a few weeks ago so I think that is why we aren't supervised as much as the other families that were here before us were. Whatever the reason it's great since I basically have her to myself for 4 hours a day. I'm sure she'll be walking on her own before we leave. Today is day 7 of the bonding so we should be done next Thursday June 7. Then they have to get us a court date that could take a week or two. I'm definitely hoping for a week. Then we have another 15 day waiting period until it's final with the court. I can take her to the apartment after that but I've just learned yesterday that we may be here a week or more after that so the new birth certificate and passport can be issued. I can't think that far ahead right now. I'm just going to count down until the bonding period is over.
We still don't have hot water at the apartment which makes 8 days of cold showers. It's actually so hot here that after the initial shock it feels pretty good. Of course we can't drink the water so we buy a lot and boil some for washing dishes etc. It certainly fills your days up just doing the chores. If I can just get the Internet working I'd be satisfied. Which reminds me I have to go so I have time to down load as many pictures as I can. Everyone take care and thanks for everything.
