Meanwhile, in Moscow...

The internet has been out so I am posting all days I was MIA all at once, while I sip a coffee in the Dunkin' Donuts across the street and scam on their wifi!

Sunday.

She slept 9 hours! I know I keep mistakenly thinking in newborn terms for things, like she should be up several times a night, but she's new to me so you can see where I blur the lines. It was a quick morning of walking practice before she crawled into the bedroom, threw Boublik into the crib, and pointed at me to be lifted up. Just like that, nap for three hours! Not only do I believe she never slept enough, but I KNOW she never ate enough. We are discovering with her that she does feel full really quickly because of air intake with her food, so we will be giving her smaller meals at quicker intervals instead of packing as much in before she starts to cry a la the orphanage. She will get fussy if it is packing into her nasal passages and refuse to eat more. This will also cause her to sneeze more and then it is like the play d'oh factory... yikes!

After lunch, we walked the old Arbat pedestrian area with D and S and G. I think they liked seeing each other again! Both girls looked happy. Dania was in the carrier with Mike and was doing really well until she just got too hot and sweaty being against him. We all sat down and had a drink or two and then went home for naps.


After nap and dinner she was more than excited to have her bath as she kept crawling into the bathroom every chance she got! She always goes to bed easy, I think she is used to being put in the crib and left. She will warm up to the cuddles, I hope! I was sitting and listening to her talk to herself for an hour and a half before going to sleep. She just loves it. I'm willing to bet it is a first for her as she has never slept alone like this before! All of a sudden she can imagine whatever and as squeelingly happily as she wants without disturbing anyone or being disturbed!!!

Monday.
207 days to the Olympics as per the big countdown in the city center!

It cooled down with the rain and thunder last night so we decided to go for along trek right after breakfast. Mike wanted to don the carrier again and we bundled her up a bit more so she was toasty but not sweaty. We took her to some of the famous spots, the Kremlin wall, the Red Square, St. Basil's, the Bolshoi Theatre, so she can know she visited her homeland's capital's hot spots. She fell asleep right after the cathedral and just slept against Mike until we stopped to eat. What a cutie. After lunch we went to Alexander's Garden, the place with all the water fountains and pretty flowers from our first trip here. I figured she'd like the fountains since she loves the tub. Did she ever! Loved them so much we had to leave because we wouldn't let her go in them or drink from them!

After lunch and naps, all around, we did a lot of walking practice. She is getting sooooo much sturdier. We are both very impressed. She was also a bit more independent today with the food...just a bit though, she fed herself some pieces of grilled cheese, Mike did more though. Later on she fed herself all of the banana and apple we cut up; she was getting delightfully frustrated with the slimey banana. Then at dinner she did a few bits of chicken and wanted the rest fed to her. She did pick up the empty spoon and put it in her mouth a few times though. I don't think she's ever had to hold a spoon! We are also really trying to encourage her independent drinking. It is at the point now where she will pick the water up off the table and hand it to us if she wants some. When playing, she has actually done it a few times on her own. Lots and lots of changes and she is adapting well.

After another fun bath we had her into bed and cooing to herself without problem. Music to my ears. She just sounds so happy playing with her reflection and the Boublik stuffy. We've actually heard it talk a few times without us squeezing it but we don't think she has figured a consistent way to activate it on her own, just luck. She loves him though! Mmmm, I'm going to sleep with the smell Johnson & Johnson in my nose and her coos ringing in my ears! I love it!

Tuesday.
This whole no internet thing really sucks, especially when waiting to hear if you have to change your flights and find accommodations! We won't have to, by the way. Fantastic relief. The visas should have been finished today and O will take them to the consulate tomorrow.

I am sick. I don't know if I caught it from Dani's cold or if I just had a lucky draw. I woke up in the night feeling like I was swallowing glass. Blah. I tried to shake it off with a walk while she was napping but no luck. I was useless today.

We have been working hard on the walking and I am proud (but nowhere near as proud as Dani) to say she IS walking! She isn't just back and forth between me and Mike, now she can get up and go on her own, steady herself, and kind of steer. We just need to work on turning on the spot. Four days was all it took for her to get that she can do it on her own.

She is also getting more comfortable with eating herself. She still prefers to be fed but we try to only do that with soup, yogurt, porridge. Loves bananas and banana yogurt.

She even likes getting her teeth brushed! The only thing she hates is us wiping her nose or mouth. She also loves making the 'h' sound. She will do it while she walks now. Kind of sounds like a dog panting...

Wednesday
She slept ten hours and I'm fairly certain she was sore from all the walking and getting up from a squat position. We decided to take her to the Moscow zoo. She slept. We enjoyed the nice day and Mike revelled in the fact that Dania slept on him for an hour. She did get a chance to mimic then parrots who were louder than a dump truck in a nitro glycerin plant (reference anyone?).

When we got home and ate she immediately began being upset and we could tell it was the belly. Pore girl. It didn't get better until after dinner and her relief was akin to a state of elated drunkeness. She couldn't walk straight and was extra goofy until the fingers went to the mouth. She settled happily in bed, thank goodness, since she had no real naps today.

She is just the best!