Bonding Period Day 2

Today started as many other have here in Kazakhstan. A couple of trips up and down the river walk at 8 AM. Then picked up by our translator and coordinator in the white Mercedes (a lot of nice cars here in Astana) and on to the Baby House (Departure time: 9:45 AM; Arrival time: 9:55 AM). Regardless of the day’s activities, our driver has been on time every day that we’ve been here (this is contrary to what we’ve read the experience of others has been, and we are grateful for the wonderful service provided to us).

First, we unshoe ourselves (a custom when entering any house/home including this one), then hand over our coats (which our interpreter calls “undressing”) to a very friendly Kazakhstani woman who serves as the receptionist and cloak room attendant. After that, we sign a log book evidencing our presence for the day and head up to the play room where we wait for one of the gracious caregivers to bring our boy to us. On our way to the play room, we poked our head into the Music Room where the 3 year olds were assembled. We quickly (although inadvertently) caught their attention. They began saying “Mama, Papa”. We kept moving, but we left a piece of each of our hearts there in the doorway.

Today, Wyatt was incredible. He spent the first few minutes waking up for the day, and then he took off. He was jumping (on all fours; of course) across the floor for his toys (he loves any teething toy; anything that’s not a teething toy, soon becomes one). He stands (with assistance, but bears 100% of his own wait). He loves to bounce himself from a stand to squat and repeat. With about 30 minutes left in the visit, Michelle discovered how to make him laugh. She’d tickle his stomach (which he learned to anticipate) and he’d belly laugh. It was incredible.

After visiting Wyatt, we went to the Notary Public to complete some paperwork, then to a new grocery (new to us, not newly constructed) and then back home (Russian for home: Duh Moy which sounds similar to Des Moines).

We took the coveted frozen chicken (which has been very difficult to find regularly) up to the freezer and then left for lunch.

We walked (just the 2 of us) to the Russian Restaurant. Michelle got an appetizer of pickled things (pickled tomatoes, pickles, and sauerkraut), and goulash. Jason got goulash as an appetizer and Russian pancakes (which are more like crepes) stuffed with ground beef and mushrooms. We each had a glass of water, requested the bill in Russian (which somehow was understood) then walked to the café in the mall for dessert and cappuccinos.

Since then we’ve come home (no running water in ½ of the apartment; unfortunately it was the more important ½, but it came back on a few hours later) and watched a couple of episodes of “All in the Family” (per Jason’s request) and “Sex and the City” (Michelle).


Today’s Russian lesson:
Duh Moy; Home
Spa See Bah; Thank You