Day 19.... part deux

 So yesterday... Sunday... I think it was a really good day for Vladik.

It started like any other Sunday... breakfast, church, lunch, etc.

We came home, but Kyle down for a nap and sat down to watch one of the videos we got from the library; the 1st Chronicles of Narnia... the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Vladik had already seen it- of course; and so had Rick and I, but Joe hadn't-- and Vladik indicated he wanted to see it again.

So, Narnia it was. I was SUPPOSED to be paying bills and doing book work, but after getting the movie started, I got sucked in and sat down and watched the whole darn thing.  It IS a good movie after all!

About halfway through the movie, Rick left to go help his BIL... they're building a shed.

Kyle woke up, we finished the movie, and then the 4 of us went swimming at my SIL's--- which is one of Vladik's FAVORITE things to do. Of course, I forgot my camera.

While we were there, it was decided we would go to my other SIL's for supper (where Rick was working on the shed.)  Building projects are kind of a family thing around here

Joe and Kyle were excited to go because "the girls" (which is the collective name we call 1 portion of their female cousins) were going to be there. Why so excited? I'm not sure-- we'd just spent the last hour and a half swimming with them.

Anyway, after supper the kids started playing keep away.. which of course, Vladik was best at.
We then did various races-- running, running backwards, bunny hop, crab walk, heel toe, and duck waddle.... which, of course, Vladik was best at.
So we tried freeze tag.... the "best" was kind of a toss up with this one.

All the kids had a really good time... but Vladik did especially, I think.

So many smiles!

Plus, he was the best- the fastest, the strongest, and the quickest... which I'm sure was a nice little ego-boost; something he may not often get.

Vladik goes home in 2 weeks. I wonder what his favorite memory will be?                

Getting ready to race...

Skipping...

Crab-walk...

Kyle crawled becuse he thought it would be
"SO much faster." Vladik still beat him!

This is what happens when an
almost 9 year old tries to crawl
through the legs of a 4 year old
while playing freeze tag.

This is what happens when a 4 year old
and then a 13 year old both crawl
through the legs of a 7 year old
while playing freeze tag.

Day 19

One would think that on Sunday....a day of rest... that I would have had PLENTY of time to update my blog during the day.

Yeahhh...... NO.

So, as it's nearly time for bed, this will be yet another short entry.

Actually... I think I'll write it up tomorrow.  Goodnight all.

Day 18

I'm sitting my my favorite chair and watching one of my favorite movies (Pretty Woman). All 3 boys are in bed and Rick isn't home yet (which is why I get to watch Pretty Woman.)

We went to a birthday party tonight to celebrate a nephew's 2nd birthday. Vladik's favorite, of course, was the cake and ice cream. He didn't say much/anything about the party when we got home. I wonder if it seemed totally extravagant to him?
There were a lot of people there.. several whom he'd never met.
 It has to be difficult being surrounded by people chattering away in a language of which you know very little.
 I think it would make my head hurt.

On a funny note... I think Vladik has a crush on one of Rick's nieces. The REALLY funny part.... I don't think it's one sided. They were playing footsie over cake and ice cream tonight. It made me smile.

As for English... I think we need to change tactics. Vladik is doing pretty well with his vocabulary, but now we need to work on using it in conversation. For example, he knows the English words "boy" and "girl" and what they mean, but he can't use them in a sentence, or understand when *I* use them in a sentence, no matter how simple.  Vocabulary is great... and important, but it's equally important to be able to use what you know.

Day 17

I didn't get anything posted last night.

Vladik and I went to see Transformers 3 (in 3D) last night in Mansfield. It was close to 10 before we got in.... 

Joe wanted to come with us... which wasn't going to happen. After seeing the first two, I KNEW it wasn't appropriate for a 7 year old to watch. I know that other families don't have the same rules that we do about what kids should and should not be watching..... but I was still surprised to see 4 and 5 year old kids coming out of the theater with their parents.  

Throughout the movie, I had a hard time making my brain switch gears, remembering that Vladik ISN'T 7... he's 13. 

I don't know if he'd ever seen a movie in 3D before, and even though he couldn't understand all that was being said, I think he enjoyed it.

We made our weekly trip to WalMart yesterday. <sigh>

My kids behaved even worst than the last time. 

But I discovered something. Vladik instigates more than I had previously thought.

He does something to pick on Joe (and he's stealthy about it), Joe retaliates, Kyle gets in on it, and by the time I turn around, things are getting out of hand.

Obviously, the next time we go to WalMart, or any store that isn't going to be a quick in and out; I'm going to have to sit down with Vladik (and Joe) and explain to Vladik (and remind Joe) what kind of behavior is appropriate, and what it not.
They feed off each other. When one acts up, so goes the others. Suppose it works the other way around? If one of them is good, the other 2 will be as well??? One can always hope!

We stopped at CVS yesterday. I had quite a few extra bucks that expired that day so I needed to spend them. The boys all got sunglasses. At first we could only find the adult sunglasses- which worked for Vladik, but not for Joe... and at $20 a pair... well, I didn't have THAT MANY extra bucks (even with buy 1, get 1 at 50% off). So after a little more looking around we found the kids rack, and a Vladik quickly found a pair of Transformers sunglasses. (I think he may have slept in them last night). Joe was a little more particular about his choice, but after an eternity (and trying on everything but the Barbie pair), he finally settled on a pair of lime green X-games sunglasses. Not to be left out, Kyle found some as well, but they're a little awkward since they have to fit over his regular glasses.

Our 5 weeks of hosting Vladik is about half-way over. 

Does it feel like he's been here for 2 1/2 weeks?

Yes and no.

It's like when someone asks "Can you believe your youngest is (fill in the blank) years old?" or "Does it feel like you've been out of school.... or married.... or whatever for (fill in the blank) years?"

There are days when it feels like Vladik has always been here, and there are days when it feels like he just arrived.

Day 16

Another "lazy" day at the Shoup house.

We must have tired Vladik out yesterday with all that fresh air and sunshine... he slept until after 9 this morning!  Of course, Joe and Kyle were both up by 6:30, so as usual, the rest of us ate breakfast without him.

French Toast Sticks were on the menu this morning-- I had to open a 2nd bag in order to fill his hollow leg.

It was cool this morning... unseasonably cool... so while I was waiting for Vladik     to get up, I pulled some weeds in my flowerbeds, sprayed Round-Up on the ones I couldn't get, and finished spreading the last of the mulch. I'm glad that job is FINALLY done. I'm going to have a lot of daylilies, as well as some Orientals and Asiatics that need divided this fall so if anyone is interested in my splits... let me know.

     The small remaining pile of mulch, that I think my SIL is going to take, was turned into a makeshift bike ramp for the boys this morning. They rode over that thing for well over an hour-- and they went back out after supper to ride some more.The mulch pile has compacted about 6" from where it was. :-)

They helped bale for a while after lunch, and then came inside and we watched              "Apple Dumpling Gang."  There's enough slapstick kind of humor that it held Vladik's attention, even if he didn't understand what was being said.

Sidewalk chalk, bubbles, squirt guns and supper later... and they're all back outside riding bikes... on the swing... playing tag.

A friend of mine from church has offered to take professional photos of Vladik.    Thanks, Rachael!!!!  A good head shot, I'm told, is INVALUABLE as we begin to advocate for him. For families who are interested in adopting, a really good picture makes a strong first impression. If they like what they see, maybe they'll choose to read the short bio I wrote about Vladik and his time here so far. From there, maybe a visit. Who knows?!

Vladik and I continue to have our best bonding time at night--after Joe and Kyle are in bed, while we work on his English. And we get SO much more done without any interruptions. I don't know if I posted this before, but he told me that he didn't have an English teacher at school... that all the English he knew was self taught. The alphabet, sounds, numbers to 10, quite a few words, and a very few phrases. He REALLY wants to learn, and he's working diligently to become more fluent and more comfortable in what he already knows. I'm proud of his effort, and pleased that I'm able to help him.  

     

Day 15

Another new experience today for Vladik.

He, Rick and the boys baled straw for about 3 hours after lunch.  They were in the field behind the house and I kept going out, making sure he was ok and checking to see if he was ready to come in, and each time I got a very firm shake of the head. It's not nearly as hot today-- which is a good thing. Baling is MOST unpleasant when it's 90+ degrees outside with 80% humidity and no breeze. UGH!

Vladik will probably be sore tomorrow. He was helping Joe pull bales- and they weigh about 45 lbs. a piece.. and they loaded several wagons.

Some time later, one of Rick's brothers-in-law came to help bale and brought 2 of his kids, girls.
Vladik met them swimming a couple of weeks ago.

After everyone piled back on the wagon... all 7 of them; it was a little too crowded, so all the kids climbed up on top of the bales and rode while Rick and John pulled and stacked the bales.

When all the kids were tired of baling, they played hide and seek for an hour- or more- until supper was ready. I loved hearing their squeals of laughter... giggling while they were hiding... and screaming with surprise when they were found.

Joe's dentist appointment was this morning, and I think it helped Vladik to see what an "American" dental cleaning was like. Host kids are often terrified of going to the dentist here in The States because of previous experience with dentistry in Ukraine. I'm told novacaine is not commonly used.  Anyway, I think it helped him to see that Joe wasn't scared or in any pain, and he was very interested in the "treasure" Joe got to pick out of the drawer when the appointment was over. Vladik's appointment is the 19th.

Dr. Garrison saw our big article in yesterday's paper and has offered his services for Vladik at no charge. YAY! And THANK YOU DR. GARRISON!!!

Kind of blurry, but this was yesterday,  right before
they shoved  the pillows up their shirts and
started chest-bumping each other.

Vladik pulling bales. I'm not entirely sure why
Joe is wearing his bicycle helmet.

  

... looks like a farm kid :-)

Day 14... all you need is love

After our big day yesterday, we decided to take it easy today.

Vladik slept until 9 this morning... so much for not being tired. :-)

After everyone had breakfast, I put Joe and Vladik to work in the yard and flower beds, picking up sticks, pulling weeds etc. They didn't last very long. Vladik probably would have stayed out longer if Joe hadn't whined so much about it. "It's hoooooooot.... I'm thirrrrrrsty..... My back hurrrrrrts.... My eyelashes hurrrrrt."
Well, not that last one, but you get the idea.

It *was* hot and humid this morning, so after about 30 minutes, I let them go inside.

The boys had a great time playing and goofing off this afternoon. They each stuck sofa pillows up their shirts and commenced playing "chest bumping sumo wrestlers."  It was pretty funny to watch and even funnier to listen to. They laughed so hard, they all ended up with belly aches.

Joe gave Vladik a sticker today....the single hand sign language for "I love you." Whether he meant it or whether is was "just" a sticker, I don't know. But Vladik wore it proudly for the rest of the day. It was cute listening to Joe explain how the position of the fingers represented each word.. I... love... you.

After putting Joe and Kyle to bed tonight, I talked with Vladik about stealing. The look on his face made me think he was going to try to deny it, but he never did. Of course, he never admitted to it either; but considering where I found the items.. there really wasn't a point in trying to deny it.
He understands our position on the issue of stealing now, and hopefully that will be the end of it.
But I'm still going to be checking.

I tuck Vladik into bed every night. Hugs, kisses, the whole nine yards. (He says prayers with the rest of us when we put Joe and Kyle to bed.)
Tonight, for the first time, he said "I love you, Mom" as I was tucking him in. AND... he said it in English!

I can't help but wonder if it has anything to do with the way I dealt with the stealing incident. No yelling, no anger... just a simple discussion of why it was wrong and how we felt about it.