Sunday, April 27, 2008
Week #1 Back At Work And We All Survived
A bit of potluck to share from last week...
Z came over on Sunday night. It's interesting to have her over now since she really doesn't need to translate anything for us or Rita. I did want her to come over to review what's going on with Rita's eye surgery and Thani and school. Plus I wanted to ask some more detailed questions about her feelings about leaving the Children's Home and coming to America. (Figuring that it's good to begin these types of conversations now ... so it's easier later when we are able to fully share with each other.)
We asked Rita what she thought about living in America and having a mama & papa compared to the Detsky Dom (Children's Home). She gave America (and us) a big thumbs up and a big grin; and then she gave the Children's Home many many thumbs downs and talked about how it smelled like poo. (Hmmm, interesting. I don't know where that came from because we thought the place was spotless. I don't know if it's her upbringing or her personality but Rita is always very positive and doesn't really have deep thoughts about anything. Things are pretty much black and white and she doesn't really dwell on anything too long. I'm wondering if not having thoughts and feelings about things is a product of her orphanage life?)
She also said that she was one of four or five girls being adopted. One of the families asked her if she would like to go with them and she said no because she already had a mama & papa (Us! Isn't that sweet?). This came up when we were asking her if she remembered meeting us for the first time; and what she was thinking during the wait between trips.
Rita also mentioned that she had a birthday party last year with her foster family. There was a dog there... We brought this up because we are having a small party with some of the neighborhood families next Sunday and wanted to tell her what we were planning for her party.
On Tuesday, Rita came home with her other front tooth in an envelope. We aren't exactly sure what happened, but according to Rita ... "Mrs. Terry ... 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... (then Rita makes a motion of the teacher yanking the tooth from her mouth)". The tooth mouse came once again leaving another dollar for the tooth. Anyone know if our mouse is paying the going rate, or are we getting a bad deal?
This is Rita's first experience handling her own money (she also has to learn U.S. bills and coins). So we have also decided to help the learning along using the "eye patch project". She now earns money for wearing her patch. I think we are paying $0.25 per 30 minutes (surely until she realizes how much that really is and negotiates up).
In other school news, Rita is now in 1:1 reading sessions every Tuesday and Thursday for 30 minutes. The teacher was impressed that she knew all of her colors (in english). We were also surprised when she told us this... so we started quizzing her and she really knows the colors! (We are wondering how many other things she knows but doesn't admit to it to her parents.)
On Saturday, we went to the Encinitas Street Fair. Rita LOVED the rides - we are definitely making at least one trip to the County Fair this year. We also learned that she is a master of the hoola hoop. Get your autographed photos now because this girl knows how to shake it!
Z came over on Sunday night. It's interesting to have her over now since she really doesn't need to translate anything for us or Rita. I did want her to come over to review what's going on with Rita's eye surgery and Thani and school. Plus I wanted to ask some more detailed questions about her feelings about leaving the Children's Home and coming to America. (Figuring that it's good to begin these types of conversations now ... so it's easier later when we are able to fully share with each other.)
We asked Rita what she thought about living in America and having a mama & papa compared to the Detsky Dom (Children's Home). She gave America (and us) a big thumbs up and a big grin; and then she gave the Children's Home many many thumbs downs and talked about how it smelled like poo. (Hmmm, interesting. I don't know where that came from because we thought the place was spotless. I don't know if it's her upbringing or her personality but Rita is always very positive and doesn't really have deep thoughts about anything. Things are pretty much black and white and she doesn't really dwell on anything too long. I'm wondering if not having thoughts and feelings about things is a product of her orphanage life?)
She also said that she was one of four or five girls being adopted. One of the families asked her if she would like to go with them and she said no because she already had a mama & papa (Us! Isn't that sweet?). This came up when we were asking her if she remembered meeting us for the first time; and what she was thinking during the wait between trips.
Rita also mentioned that she had a birthday party last year with her foster family. There was a dog there... We brought this up because we are having a small party with some of the neighborhood families next Sunday and wanted to tell her what we were planning for her party.
On Tuesday, Rita came home with her other front tooth in an envelope. We aren't exactly sure what happened, but according to Rita ... "Mrs. Terry ... 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... (then Rita makes a motion of the teacher yanking the tooth from her mouth)". The tooth mouse came once again leaving another dollar for the tooth. Anyone know if our mouse is paying the going rate, or are we getting a bad deal?
This is Rita's first experience handling her own money (she also has to learn U.S. bills and coins). So we have also decided to help the learning along using the "eye patch project". She now earns money for wearing her patch. I think we are paying $0.25 per 30 minutes (surely until she realizes how much that really is and negotiates up).
In other school news, Rita is now in 1:1 reading sessions every Tuesday and Thursday for 30 minutes. The teacher was impressed that she knew all of her colors (in english). We were also surprised when she told us this... so we started quizzing her and she really knows the colors! (We are wondering how many other things she knows but doesn't admit to it to her parents.)
On Saturday, we went to the Encinitas Street Fair. Rita LOVED the rides - we are definitely making at least one trip to the County Fair this year. We also learned that she is a master of the hoola hoop. Get your autographed photos now because this girl knows how to shake it!Today we had an birthday party at a neighbor's house. It was a pool party - which as GREAT because it's been a super warm weekend (like in the 80s). And yes, the Great White shark attack that happened late last week was like a mile from the beach we like to go. Scary stuff but this will not stop us going to the beach this summer.
And finally, I went back to work and it was nice to sit in my cube and have my three email and IM accounts open. It was nice to shower and get dressed nicely each day, have adult conversations, and eat my lunch reading my favorite blogs (in peace). And I think all of our dinners were relatively healthy last week, and we got all of Rita's homework done on time. (We have about one hour per night including 20 minutes of reading.) The laundry got done somehow too. I even had time to watch the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy (at 7AM this morning).
That said - it took until Friday to make we reconsider this whole working mom thing but we'll try another week and see how things go. It's funny because I'm sitting in these meetings and everyone is so intense about "X" subject. My brain is also going a mile a minute ... but I'm thinking about home ... "Did I put Rita's ice pack in the lunchbox? Will she bring it home or throw it away? Will she think it's ice cream and try to eat it?" (Really ... that's what she called it when I first showed it to her.)
11 Comments:
Adopt A Child.orgAdopting from Russia
Eastern European Adoption Coalition, Inc
Embassy of the Russian Federation
Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption
Karen's Adoption Links
Older Child Adoption
Russia Adoption Blog
Russian Adoption Medical Services
Russian Family Search
Russian Toys
Vernissage Press
I see so many similarities between Vladimir and Rita. Vova was very black and white about things, too. During his first few weeks here he LOVED his dietsky dom. By the end of his time here, he had nothing good to say about his dietsky dom. He gave it thumbs down, put his arms in a big X shape and said "nyet dietsky dom", and would hold his nose in a stinky expression. He couldn't make it clearer that he didn't want to go back there.
"I don't know if it's her upbringing or her personality but Rita is always very positive and doesn't really have deep thoughts about anything. Things are pretty much black and white and she doesn't really dwell on anything too long. I'm wondering if not having thoughts and feelings about things is a product of her orphanage life?" <--- This totally describes Alena. She's still this way, quite passive and agreeable, although she's growing a backbone and is now finally learning to speak up for herself. Now, her sister has NEVER been this way. She's been opinionated from day one. Both have reached a "happy medium" by giving a bit in each direction, which makes for interesting, happy kids.
We do $1.00 per tooth, too. Alena was very happy with that. Katrina hasn't lost any yet, but I'm pretty sure she'll negotiate for a higher rate. ;)
~Patti
We are looking forward to meeting Rita soon. Sorry the spring break did not work out. Hopefully this summer we can hook up!
Good you're talking with her about stuff early - i grew up in and out of foster and group homes and sharing my thoughts and knowing what i feel and how to explain it was not natural, but rather difficult. That may be some of the issue with her. I still struggle with very black and white thinking, but was much older before I got help!
Our tooth fairy started out giving beanie babies. That was a HORRIBLE idea that I don't recommend. Ever try to find a beanie baby at the last minute? Money is much better.
I'm not a mom yet so anything I say is totally speculation -- I wonder how many girls her age express "deep" feelings? I bet she's more normal than not in that aspect?