Trip 2, Day 6

We got to visit our little boy today! He's is still on antibiotics, and he still feels yucky, but at least we got to see him. 90% of our time today was spent with him crying (again). He loved everybody in the room except us! As soon as our coordinator or translator would speak Russian, he'd whirl around and look for them. Before we left, however, we played "airplane" with him, and we Americans finally got him to laugh. He has such a beautiful face when he laughs. He is very sullen looking when he isn't smiling. I'm starting to be amused by it. The director assured us again today that he is usually a very happy and smiling baby! Our coordinator is calling the head orphanage lady in charge this afternoon to see if we can visit tomorrow since it is his birthday. We don't have anything planned, but we will make up for it some time after we get home! :)

The weather is extremely warm today-- a big 37 degrees so far this afternoon. You'd never know it from looking at everyone though. Everybody still has his coat buttoned or zipped all the way up (unlike me), everybody still has on a hat (unlike me), and everybody is still wearing gloves (unlike me). Doug is really into the Russian culture as he looks just like them bundled up except today he put the "ears" of his Elmer Fudd hat up instead of letting them drop down like a Beagle puppy. On a personal note, I hate his hat...We step into our apartment and start sweating. Actually, we walk around here half dressed because it's so hot in here. We bought some chocolate. It melts in our apartment. There is this black sooty stuff everywhere you walk. It gets on the bottom of your shoes and makes such a mess all over the floors. They constantly have people with their mops cleaning it up. Doug thinks it's from the coal chimney scrubbers they have around here. No EPA around here that's for sure! At any rate, today with temps above freezing, it is quite nasty walking around. I can't imagine what it is like in the spring when serious thawing occurs.

We bought the girls some super cute shirts today--lots of bling--Kennedi's kind of style. I hope they fit. Their sizes are nothing like in the US. All the sales ladies ask us how high they are and then show us the growth chart. I still can't figure it out and I've been to three stores now. I think we'll go back later next week and get them some knit hats that were absolutely cute--don't wanna do too much shopping in one day...

Every time we talk to the girls, Annsley asks why I'm not speaking Russian. I mean, I'm in Russia after all! I have some great pictures to share, but Blogger, our internet, and me are still going round and round. Maybe later!