Yep, the Monkey's started pre-school summer session, and when asked if she likes it, excitedly responds, "I WUV it!!". That's awesome. Especially awesome since it's a long day, most of the kids in her class are boys, and most seem much bigger (some have turned 4). And she looks so darned cute boarding the little yellow school bus under her seemingly enormous ladybug backpack.
Now, does she come home exhausted? Yes. Really exhausted? Yes. So exhausted that she gets really obnoxious, throws things, and screams a lot? Yes. Will she nap? No.
Oy!
July 07, 2009
July 01, 2009
Okay, I"ll Start...
I've been thinking, since pretty much all parents discover their own tricks and tips along the way, why not get crazy and share some of them? Hell, pretty much anyone can occasionally use some help dealing with a munchkin.
Sooo...a few of my fave, if slightly lesser known, products and tips:
1. The coolest discovery, especially since I double as a gadget geek. Featured in the Duracell commercial...the Brickhouse Security Child Locator. If the munchkin in question is "a runner", is on the spectrum, or hell, pretty much any kid can disappear in a second at the beach, in a museum, amusement park, street fair, etc. Between its wander alert and its locate function, not to mention that the wristbands make the tags virtually waterproof, this thing rocks.
2. Bibsters! Pampers makes these cute little disposable bibs, great for restaurants, dinner w/friends, ice cream in the stroller...Bibsters. I'm tellin' ya.
3. Ahh, the crib tent. It certainly wasn't a surprise when the Monkey started hopping out of her crib - it was the moment I'd dreaded for months. I blogged about it, and tried following the advice of calmly, without eye contact, returning her to her crib until she gets bored and stops. It took about a day to realize that the only thing returning her to her crib accomplished was giving her more practice hopping out. No exaggeration, it got to where I'd put her in, turn around, and she'd literally follow me right out the room with a big ol' grin. Then there are those intermittent nuclear tantrums, the crazy ones where she'll trash the place if I just let her rage. Did I mention, the crib tent!
4. Empty yogurt and applesauce containers, or any containers in a variety of shapes and sizes. No added purchase required! Kid getting ansty? Cranky? Need a rainy day activity? Fill - or half fill - a couple of containers with water. Fill others with whatever ya got lying around...dry rice, shaving cream, dry beans, whatever. Put them in a big tray, even a high chair tray, and ...voila! A sensory activity table. (2's and 3's LOVE pouring water!)
5. Hand puppets, minus the puppets. Yep, your very own mitts. They can be all sorts of characters, they can talk to your kid, to each other, they can kiss, yell, run away...and they're always, um, handy. Seriously, think your kid's too smart to go for it? Try!
Most of my other faves are specific to sensory junkies like the Monkey, and I'd be happy to talk to anyone about ideas there. Now....I need more tips, too!!!! So how 'bout, if you've read this, consider yourself tagged! If you have a blog, you can certainly post your tips there, and/or, post 'em right here as a comment. We're waiting!
Sooo...a few of my fave, if slightly lesser known, products and tips:
1. The coolest discovery, especially since I double as a gadget geek. Featured in the Duracell commercial...the Brickhouse Security Child Locator. If the munchkin in question is "a runner", is on the spectrum, or hell, pretty much any kid can disappear in a second at the beach, in a museum, amusement park, street fair, etc. Between its wander alert and its locate function, not to mention that the wristbands make the tags virtually waterproof, this thing rocks.
2. Bibsters! Pampers makes these cute little disposable bibs, great for restaurants, dinner w/friends, ice cream in the stroller...Bibsters. I'm tellin' ya.
3. Ahh, the crib tent. It certainly wasn't a surprise when the Monkey started hopping out of her crib - it was the moment I'd dreaded for months. I blogged about it, and tried following the advice of calmly, without eye contact, returning her to her crib until she gets bored and stops. It took about a day to realize that the only thing returning her to her crib accomplished was giving her more practice hopping out. No exaggeration, it got to where I'd put her in, turn around, and she'd literally follow me right out the room with a big ol' grin. Then there are those intermittent nuclear tantrums, the crazy ones where she'll trash the place if I just let her rage. Did I mention, the crib tent!
4. Empty yogurt and applesauce containers, or any containers in a variety of shapes and sizes. No added purchase required! Kid getting ansty? Cranky? Need a rainy day activity? Fill - or half fill - a couple of containers with water. Fill others with whatever ya got lying around...dry rice, shaving cream, dry beans, whatever. Put them in a big tray, even a high chair tray, and ...voila! A sensory activity table. (2's and 3's LOVE pouring water!)
5. Hand puppets, minus the puppets. Yep, your very own mitts. They can be all sorts of characters, they can talk to your kid, to each other, they can kiss, yell, run away...and they're always, um, handy. Seriously, think your kid's too smart to go for it? Try!
Most of my other faves are specific to sensory junkies like the Monkey, and I'd be happy to talk to anyone about ideas there. Now....I need more tips, too!!!! So how 'bout, if you've read this, consider yourself tagged! If you have a blog, you can certainly post your tips there, and/or, post 'em right here as a comment. We're waiting!
June 20, 2009
Call me crazy...
I get a kick out of the fact that my Russian-American daughter - speech-delayed, no less - loves to thank me in Chinese. It's all about Kai-Lan these days!
June 17, 2009
Pre-School's a Go!
Yep, got approval just in time for the Monkey to start pre-school with the summer session, right after July 4th Weekend. Yay! Of course we'll have to see how the reality matches up with my current impression, but it seems like a great place for her. They boast an active program, she'll get her speech therapy there, she was happy as a clam ricocheting around the place during our tour, and they adored her. They're also located right near the park, and I'm told they do lots of little trips there during the summer. So last nite I went on Amazon.com, Monkey on my lap, and picked out a backpack and lunch bag.
If you must know, Monkey opted for the ladybug motiff.
If you must know, Monkey opted for the ladybug motiff.
June 09, 2009
"I Woke Last Nite to the Sound of Thunder..."
It was kind of a big deal in the tri-state area overnite. Insanely loud, crashing, hi-rise rattling thunderstorms that hinted none too subtly at the apocolypse. And yet, I find out that the Monkey was not the only child to have, well, slept like a baby. Amazing.
And after my spending half the night wide awake, periodically blinded by flashes of lightning and clinging to the ceiling fixture (kind of a fun visual, since I had my ceiling fan on), the Monkey woke me up entirely too early and ready to rock. Zzzzzz....
Anyway, pre-school plans are now taking center stage here. Wish us luck, the principal of the school I most wanted for Alana has a meeting with our school district administrator next Tuesday, to try and get approval for Alana to start this July, in their summer session. It's considered special ed, due to her speech delay, so paperwork is currently being gathered and copied, and fingers are crossed. It would probably mean an end to our E.I. services, which is a big shame to say goodbye to, but the pluses are too big to ignore. Mon -Fri, 8:30am - 2pm, in the neighborhood, with door-to-door bussing. This means a whole new opp for Mommy here to focus on her own thing, her coaching career, and to actually have time slots available to new clients. Oh, and there's a really nifty rooftop playground.
Otherwise, things are always nutty and interesting but nothing distinctly blog-worthy. "Monkey Island!", "puddle-jumping", and "aww. SOME!" are commonly heard around here.
Last but not least, hugest congratulations to my friend who has seriously put her heart and soul into an amazingly long and arduous adoption journey (an over-used phrase, but it truly applies here!), and is at this very moment canoodling on the other side of the world with her - officially signed-and-stamped - beautiful, delicious daughter. In what appears to be a coincidence, Alana is now absolutely obsessed with Noggin's "Ni Hao Kai-Lan", so when this new little munchkin arrives in the States, there'll be a three-year-old Chinese-speaking Russia-American Monkey waiting to greet her.
And after my spending half the night wide awake, periodically blinded by flashes of lightning and clinging to the ceiling fixture (kind of a fun visual, since I had my ceiling fan on), the Monkey woke me up entirely too early and ready to rock. Zzzzzz....
Anyway, pre-school plans are now taking center stage here. Wish us luck, the principal of the school I most wanted for Alana has a meeting with our school district administrator next Tuesday, to try and get approval for Alana to start this July, in their summer session. It's considered special ed, due to her speech delay, so paperwork is currently being gathered and copied, and fingers are crossed. It would probably mean an end to our E.I. services, which is a big shame to say goodbye to, but the pluses are too big to ignore. Mon -Fri, 8:30am - 2pm, in the neighborhood, with door-to-door bussing. This means a whole new opp for Mommy here to focus on her own thing, her coaching career, and to actually have time slots available to new clients. Oh, and there's a really nifty rooftop playground.
Otherwise, things are always nutty and interesting but nothing distinctly blog-worthy. "Monkey Island!", "puddle-jumping", and "aww. SOME!" are commonly heard around here.
Last but not least, hugest congratulations to my friend who has seriously put her heart and soul into an amazingly long and arduous adoption journey (an over-used phrase, but it truly applies here!), and is at this very moment canoodling on the other side of the world with her - officially signed-and-stamped - beautiful, delicious daughter. In what appears to be a coincidence, Alana is now absolutely obsessed with Noggin's "Ni Hao Kai-Lan", so when this new little munchkin arrives in the States, there'll be a three-year-old Chinese-speaking Russia-American Monkey waiting to greet her.
May 24, 2009
For Kate....
May 17, 2009
Not for the Squeamish
I'm just happy to note the dramatic improvement in the Monkey's hand from last Saturday - 2 full days after the elevator incident - to this Saturday. She seems to have full use - coloring, climbing, using a spoon, tossing toys indescriminately, etc. She's also been a bit clingier, and mentions the accident every time we wait for the elevator, which may be a good thing. It's just hard to see the poor, tough little thing actually tramautized. Again, though, can't say I blame her...I sure was!
May 11, 2009
Fingers and Elevator Doors Don't Mix Well
So, this past Thursday I was about to meet up with Alana's BFF Ashley's mom, to head off to a taping of The View. I left my apt and was waiting for the elevator with the li'l Monkey, when she happened to put her hand on the elevator door...just as it started to slide open, behind the stationary door. There's not much of a gap between the two - much less than an inch - but apparently just enough for a little hand to get wedged in and sucked in further as the door slides open. Turns out, not enough to get out quite as easily. I had to pull my poor, screaming little one's hand out as it was getting wedged in, and in additon to some scraped-up knuckles, the skin of her palm was pretty much ripped clear off. (Well, not fully off...it was still hanging on by one side!). It took a minute to figure out exactly what the injury was and wasn't, and ugggh, it looked every bit as nasty as it sounds (and yes...I was freaking until it occured to me that my looking terrified probably wasn't helping her very much, and that maybe calm and reassuring was a better way to go!). The pain had to be absolutely excruciating. Alana's got a freakishly high pain threshold, and the poor thing was screaming for about an hour...back into our apt, while I tended to the injury (ran under cold water, iced, Neosporin-ed, wrapped in gauze...and called the doctor!), on the way to the doctor, and in the waiting room. Screaming. A lot. Sure as heck couldn't blame her.
Anyway, the good news is it seems to be healing, and once she'd had her first dose of Motrin, followed by a BIG cup of chocolate ice cream from Shake Shak, the pain and screaming let up dramatically. I skipped The View that day, but we kept our intended playdate with Ashley, and the Monkey's been quite the sport. Of course, while she has yet to put together a full sentence about the event, the usually uber-bubbly Alana will still hold up her bandaged hand and, with a forlorn look, say "doors"... "hurt"... "I scared"... "I sorry". I've spoken with my building's managment company, and supposedly they're looking into putting safety guards on the doors to protect the oodles of other little kiddies in the building from this sort of thing.
On another note, we had a terrific time on a beautiful Mother's Day out at Mickel's family's place, where the Monkey was up to her usual gymnastics, gardening, and flirtin' with the boys. A belated very Happy Mother's Day to all, and I'll post more pics here soon!!!
Anyway, the good news is it seems to be healing, and once she'd had her first dose of Motrin, followed by a BIG cup of chocolate ice cream from Shake Shak, the pain and screaming let up dramatically. I skipped The View that day, but we kept our intended playdate with Ashley, and the Monkey's been quite the sport. Of course, while she has yet to put together a full sentence about the event, the usually uber-bubbly Alana will still hold up her bandaged hand and, with a forlorn look, say "doors"... "hurt"... "I scared"... "I sorry". I've spoken with my building's managment company, and supposedly they're looking into putting safety guards on the doors to protect the oodles of other little kiddies in the building from this sort of thing.
On another note, we had a terrific time on a beautiful Mother's Day out at Mickel's family's place, where the Monkey was up to her usual gymnastics, gardening, and flirtin' with the boys. A belated very Happy Mother's Day to all, and I'll post more pics here soon!!!
May 03, 2009
"..and MORE!"
During tuck-in, I've always told the Monkey I love her, and then launch into a whole deal starting with a teeny hand gesture, "Do I love you this much? Nooo...", then move my hands further apart, "This much? Noo..."... and we continue til my arms are wide open and I answer my own question with "yes...and more!". Lately, she's happily taken to answering the questions herself, which is great. Tonite, after we finished, she added, "mommy, mommy, mommy... I love YOU!". Awww! (She may or may not have said it before, but it was never clear enough to be sure!). I started the gesture game, tweaking the questions appropriately, finishing with, "Do you love me thiiiiiiiiiis much?", and the little Monkey excitedly answering, "Yes...and MORE!!!"
So I forgave a ton of crap from during the day. :-)
Speaking of during the day, we dropped by at a block party where the Monkey totally rocked one of those jumbo, inflated obstacle course thingies...a HUGE one, that included an at-least-8-foot-high climbing wall...yikes!!!
May 01, 2009
Congratulations!
Just a shout-out to someone who got some very, very good news after a very, very long time!!! :-D
April 30, 2009
Nite, Nite Moon
As I think I've mentioned, the Monkey's speech has really been rolling along recently - yep, floodgates time! - after a very long stretch with only minimal progress. So while it's still behind age level, now we're not just labelling a few objects, but starting to express more ideas. Such as....
The other nite, after we got in from walking Cassie, the Monkey headed straight to her backpack. Why? To get a ladder, silly. Why did she want a ladder? To get the moon down from the sky, so she could give it a hug!
This was a convo that started mid-dogwalk when she noticed the moon, got very excited, and decided she wanted to take it down. Resourceful little Monkey that she is, the strategy was immediately clear - climb up on a ladder, that she can get from her backpack. And the ladder idea comes from no lack of spatial sense....on her fave show, Wow Wow Wubbzy, there's an episode where someone takes a tiny ladder, waters it, and it shoots way up to become oodles more functional. Anyhoo, our very lively and somewhat repetitive conversation entertained lots of outdoor diners en route, and when we came in, though I feared things could turn pretty darned ugly if I refused to let her go back outside onto the busy streets with our utility ladder, she was actually intrigued with the moon photos I instantly accessed online.
Can't wait to see what happens tonite.
The other nite, after we got in from walking Cassie, the Monkey headed straight to her backpack. Why? To get a ladder, silly. Why did she want a ladder? To get the moon down from the sky, so she could give it a hug!
This was a convo that started mid-dogwalk when she noticed the moon, got very excited, and decided she wanted to take it down. Resourceful little Monkey that she is, the strategy was immediately clear - climb up on a ladder, that she can get from her backpack. And the ladder idea comes from no lack of spatial sense....on her fave show, Wow Wow Wubbzy, there's an episode where someone takes a tiny ladder, waters it, and it shoots way up to become oodles more functional. Anyhoo, our very lively and somewhat repetitive conversation entertained lots of outdoor diners en route, and when we came in, though I feared things could turn pretty darned ugly if I refused to let her go back outside onto the busy streets with our utility ladder, she was actually intrigued with the moon photos I instantly accessed online.
Can't wait to see what happens tonite.
April 24, 2009
Ah, Share the Moment With Me
So there I was, watching the Monkey and her BFF Ashley for a few hours tonite.
2 mins after her folks leave, Ashley (naturally) announces "poopie!". So we head to my room, and as we're all walking - Alana's a rabid spectator of diaper-changing events - Alana, who tends to conceal her own accomplishments, announces "poop", too. I check, there's our favorite trio of zip, zilch, nada, so we all partake in changing Ash. Mission now accomplished, Alana's persistent with her "poop" claim, so what the heck, I begin changing her, too. Mid-Alana-change, I hear Ashley saying "ouchie, ouchie!", and look over to see she's getting her hair sucked into the propeller of a battery-op airplane. Yikes...I did that plenty as a kid, and ya gotta act fast! I turn it off, and try to twist out as much of the poor strand as possible, but realize we're gonna have to surgically remove the plane. Of course, her mom's gonna LOVE the hair snip. (Oopsie 'bout that, Shell!). Anyhoo, I walk Ashley out of the room, holding onto both her and the airplane that's still attached by a strand of long, shiny dark hair, and we find a scissor to do the dirty deed. Whew...it's done. "Poop!" I hear the Monkey say - and I largely ignore - till I see a big ol' chunk o' poopie on the floor, right in front of my foot! I look to the dog, but then notice from a glance towards the bottom of her T-shirt that Alana's running around bare-a$$ed, and there's the Pull-Up still laying on the bed, looking clean and freshly removed....Ugggggggggh!!! Now...(tune out here if you're squeamish, kids!), I've gotta block the dog with my leg, because she's headed straight towards what she'd consider a tasty little morsel...I'm still holding the airplane...trying to avoid stepping in kiddie poop, and also trying to get a look at Alana's butt to see if anything's still, umm, 'going on'! Oh, and I'm trying to hold BFF Ashley back, because clearly there's a hullabaloo, and who'd wanna miss out?? Anyhoo, I twisted, juggled, and did what I had to do...and as is typical of the insane, virtually laughed my a$$ off.
Seriously, though...isn't it written somewhere that Thursday nites are for canoodling with inappropriate boys, and 2-for-1 Stoli-O's?
2 mins after her folks leave, Ashley (naturally) announces "poopie!". So we head to my room, and as we're all walking - Alana's a rabid spectator of diaper-changing events - Alana, who tends to conceal her own accomplishments, announces "poop", too. I check, there's our favorite trio of zip, zilch, nada, so we all partake in changing Ash. Mission now accomplished, Alana's persistent with her "poop" claim, so what the heck, I begin changing her, too. Mid-Alana-change, I hear Ashley saying "ouchie, ouchie!", and look over to see she's getting her hair sucked into the propeller of a battery-op airplane. Yikes...I did that plenty as a kid, and ya gotta act fast! I turn it off, and try to twist out as much of the poor strand as possible, but realize we're gonna have to surgically remove the plane. Of course, her mom's gonna LOVE the hair snip. (Oopsie 'bout that, Shell!). Anyhoo, I walk Ashley out of the room, holding onto both her and the airplane that's still attached by a strand of long, shiny dark hair, and we find a scissor to do the dirty deed. Whew...it's done. "Poop!" I hear the Monkey say - and I largely ignore - till I see a big ol' chunk o' poopie on the floor, right in front of my foot! I look to the dog, but then notice from a glance towards the bottom of her T-shirt that Alana's running around bare-a$$ed, and there's the Pull-Up still laying on the bed, looking clean and freshly removed....Ugggggggggh!!! Now...(tune out here if you're squeamish, kids!), I've gotta block the dog with my leg, because she's headed straight towards what she'd consider a tasty little morsel...I'm still holding the airplane...trying to avoid stepping in kiddie poop, and also trying to get a look at Alana's butt to see if anything's still, umm, 'going on'! Oh, and I'm trying to hold BFF Ashley back, because clearly there's a hullabaloo, and who'd wanna miss out?? Anyhoo, I twisted, juggled, and did what I had to do...and as is typical of the insane, virtually laughed my a$$ off.
Seriously, though...isn't it written somewhere that Thursday nites are for canoodling with inappropriate boys, and 2-for-1 Stoli-O's?
April 22, 2009
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to Pre-Schools We Go
The li'l Monkey's speech has really been picking up these past 2-3 days, but nonetheless we're off to audit pre-school classes for September thru the CPSE program so she can best play speech/ languague catch-up. So, we're off to one school today, then a couple more in the next few weeks. Should be interesting!
April 04, 2009
Riddle me this
So, about the Madonna thing...
We know by now that the judge denied her adoption petition due to residency laws, and fear of "opening doors to child trafficking" if they're violated. But my question is, residency laws aside, does anyone know why this little girl is even eligible for adoption? I haven't seen any article yet which makes this clear. Apparently the girl's mom had died after giving birth, and the girl is currently living in the orphanage. But protesters, who early on included the girl's uncle, say the girl will be better off raised by her own family. So if this is an option, and she's in the orphanage temporarily because her family can't provide for her at the moment, why on Earth would she be available for adoption in the first place? I don't want to rush to judgement here, because I admittedly don't know what the deal is, but if that's it, then isn't that kind of like taking someone's wallet because they put it down for a second?? And haven't we already seen this same country allow Madonna to skip out, carrying a small child as his father screams, "Hey, I didn't mean she could KEEP him!" ?? I'm not familiar with the adoption laws of that many countries, but anyone who's dealt with Russia or China knows that there's no internat'l adoption situation in the first place unless the birth family's rights have been legally terminated or they've signed off every step of the way, as in the case of Russia; or they've completely and usually anonymously abandoned the child, in the case of China. So I'm wondering what the story is on that end, since - color me silly! - but taking kids from families who want them kinda seems way more relevant than residency laws.
We know by now that the judge denied her adoption petition due to residency laws, and fear of "opening doors to child trafficking" if they're violated. But my question is, residency laws aside, does anyone know why this little girl is even eligible for adoption? I haven't seen any article yet which makes this clear. Apparently the girl's mom had died after giving birth, and the girl is currently living in the orphanage. But protesters, who early on included the girl's uncle, say the girl will be better off raised by her own family. So if this is an option, and she's in the orphanage temporarily because her family can't provide for her at the moment, why on Earth would she be available for adoption in the first place? I don't want to rush to judgement here, because I admittedly don't know what the deal is, but if that's it, then isn't that kind of like taking someone's wallet because they put it down for a second?? And haven't we already seen this same country allow Madonna to skip out, carrying a small child as his father screams, "Hey, I didn't mean she could KEEP him!" ?? I'm not familiar with the adoption laws of that many countries, but anyone who's dealt with Russia or China knows that there's no internat'l adoption situation in the first place unless the birth family's rights have been legally terminated or they've signed off every step of the way, as in the case of Russia; or they've completely and usually anonymously abandoned the child, in the case of China. So I'm wondering what the story is on that end, since - color me silly! - but taking kids from families who want them kinda seems way more relevant than residency laws.
March 29, 2009
Moving right along...
Okay, okay....I've been a lame blogger!
I've been sidelined the past couple of days with a nasty strep throat, so head's still a little fuzzy and throat's still a bit scratchy. Thank goodness the Monkey, who threw a few more seriously disturbing tantrums after my last post about it, went tantrum-free and made these days far easier than she might have. Of course, I can't say she didn't test and milk mom's inability to yell, but what kid wouldn't?
In a total non-sequiter (hey, it's my blog), two things that just leave me dumbfounded these days: Men, and Madonna. Men, because in my limited current experiences one would hope that I'd be dodging the creepy and bizarre, but nooooo; and Madonna because this crazy woman is somehow essentially kidnapping kids from Mulawi, and calling it adoption. And they're letting her do it because she's a big contributor. Sooo....blackmail? Wtf??? C'mon, you know you're thinkng it, too.
Anyway, right now it's 10:15pm and the little one's still awake in her crib, after cleverly creating multiple crises that only mommy could resolve, but in the morning it'll be her first day back at school after a 2 week vacay, and I'm quite delighted. It's only two hours, but it's time I have for me, and besides, that's my time to clean. Trust me, the 2 week vacay has taken its toll on this poor place.
Here's a pic of the Monkey this weekend. Sure, I know lots of kids love trying on Mommy's high heels, but actually being comfy in them struck me as distinctly Russian.
I've been sidelined the past couple of days with a nasty strep throat, so head's still a little fuzzy and throat's still a bit scratchy. Thank goodness the Monkey, who threw a few more seriously disturbing tantrums after my last post about it, went tantrum-free and made these days far easier than she might have. Of course, I can't say she didn't test and milk mom's inability to yell, but what kid wouldn't?
In a total non-sequiter (hey, it's my blog), two things that just leave me dumbfounded these days: Men, and Madonna. Men, because in my limited current experiences one would hope that I'd be dodging the creepy and bizarre, but nooooo; and Madonna because this crazy woman is somehow essentially kidnapping kids from Mulawi, and calling it adoption. And they're letting her do it because she's a big contributor. Sooo....blackmail? Wtf??? C'mon, you know you're thinkng it, too.
Anyway, right now it's 10:15pm and the little one's still awake in her crib, after cleverly creating multiple crises that only mommy could resolve, but in the morning it'll be her first day back at school after a 2 week vacay, and I'm quite delighted. It's only two hours, but it's time I have for me, and besides, that's my time to clean. Trust me, the 2 week vacay has taken its toll on this poor place.
Here's a pic of the Monkey this weekend. Sure, I know lots of kids love trying on Mommy's high heels, but actually being comfy in them struck me as distinctly Russian.
March 13, 2009
Trifecta of Justice
Bernie Madoff (finally!) sent straight to the slammer.
Howard Stern (Anna Nicole's creep) (finally!) arrested. Ok, he's out on bail, but still...
Casey Anthony's wild post-Caylee-disappearance party pics released...and they're pretty damning. Redundant, with the already overwhelming evidence, but damning.
Lots more could be said about each, but at the very least...yes...yes...yes!
Howard Stern (Anna Nicole's creep) (finally!) arrested. Ok, he's out on bail, but still...
Casey Anthony's wild post-Caylee-disappearance party pics released...and they're pretty damning. Redundant, with the already overwhelming evidence, but damning.
Lots more could be said about each, but at the very least...yes...yes...yes!
March 10, 2009
Tantrums, Tantrums
Holy cow, I've been a delinquent little blogger. No real reason, just a lot of nuttiness going on, and yet nothing really to blog about.
About myself, I'm once again making an effort to get my A-S-S out and into grown-up social scenes, such as they may be. The guy scene is, ooh, let's say less-than-inspiring out there, but I went out with the girls to see a friend's band play on Saturday nite, and that's always a fun nite out. Gotta do more!
Now, back to...oh yes, tantrums. Lots. L-L-L-loud. Long. Looney-freakin'-tunes. Sunday alone had this mama teetering on the edge, guzzling 2 Mike's Hard ones back-to-back just for a smidge of sanity. (Why DO I let myself run out of wine? Note to self: buy some). Sure....just ignore 'em. Easier said than done, though, when they're a) in public and she'll run into the street in a rage if I let her, and/or b) involve her new little head-banging trick, not to mention hurling hard objects at the dog.
Flip side, of course, her speech/language is coming along at a nice clip, and she's had a growth spurt...all her old pants are suddenly flood-length. She also switches out of tantrum mode in a nano-second, right back into funny, silly, huggy-kissy cute little Monkey mode - and she's positively awesome when she's there. I'm trying - TRYING - to do a better job of anticipating tantrum triggers and launching preemptive strikes. Some of these strikes involve chocolate pudding.
I've picked up both Raising Your Spirited Child, and Raising the Sensory Smart Child, and I highly recommend both. The Spirited Child totally validated my theory about what's going on with the Monkey. In its section on "developmental surges", it says to expect trouble around kiddies' birthdays and half-birthdays, when their old way of thinking and processing essentially breaks down and rebuilds in a more complex way... and that during this process all sorts of behavioral havoc is wreaked. I think that's nail on the head here.
Anyhoo, between rages we had an awesome time at a big blowout kiddie birthday party on Sunday, and so far (did I mention, "so far") we've been having an entertaining, tantrum-free day and a half. Whew!~.
About myself, I'm once again making an effort to get my A-S-S out and into grown-up social scenes, such as they may be. The guy scene is, ooh, let's say less-than-inspiring out there, but I went out with the girls to see a friend's band play on Saturday nite, and that's always a fun nite out. Gotta do more!
Now, back to...oh yes, tantrums. Lots. L-L-L-loud. Long. Looney-freakin'-tunes. Sunday alone had this mama teetering on the edge, guzzling 2 Mike's Hard ones back-to-back just for a smidge of sanity. (Why DO I let myself run out of wine? Note to self: buy some). Sure....just ignore 'em. Easier said than done, though, when they're a) in public and she'll run into the street in a rage if I let her, and/or b) involve her new little head-banging trick, not to mention hurling hard objects at the dog.
Flip side, of course, her speech/language is coming along at a nice clip, and she's had a growth spurt...all her old pants are suddenly flood-length. She also switches out of tantrum mode in a nano-second, right back into funny, silly, huggy-kissy cute little Monkey mode - and she's positively awesome when she's there. I'm trying - TRYING - to do a better job of anticipating tantrum triggers and launching preemptive strikes. Some of these strikes involve chocolate pudding.
I've picked up both Raising Your Spirited Child, and Raising the Sensory Smart Child, and I highly recommend both. The Spirited Child totally validated my theory about what's going on with the Monkey. In its section on "developmental surges", it says to expect trouble around kiddies' birthdays and half-birthdays, when their old way of thinking and processing essentially breaks down and rebuilds in a more complex way... and that during this process all sorts of behavioral havoc is wreaked. I think that's nail on the head here.
Anyhoo, between rages we had an awesome time at a big blowout kiddie birthday party on Sunday, and so far (did I mention, "so far") we've been having an entertaining, tantrum-free day and a half. Whew!~.
February 16, 2009
'Funnest' BDay Celebration Ever?
Meanwhile, she's suddenly talking in short sentences, I'm more 'mommy' instead of 'mama', and thank goodness, at least for now, her 3-day head-spinning manic streak of last week is gone. Yep... at least for now....
February 11, 2009
Guess Who's Turning 3!
Happy Birthday, little Monkey!!! (Okay, it's really tomorrow, the 12th, but whatever)
It's so bizarre that the 'baby' I've had for less than 14 months can be turning 3, but so it goes. I've been telling her the past few days that this is her last chance to act like a 2-year-old with impunity (how do you tell a 2-year-old to stop acting like one, right?), so to go for it! And she has. Oy. Mostly it's the stunts. The manic tears she goes on, all cranked up and creating crazy safety hazards where none exist to your average nutty kid.
That's just with me, though. People who've watched her without me around have all been reporting a mellower, better-behaved, more focused Alana, so go figure. In any case, my beautiful, lovable, mushy-gushy little munchkin is turning 3, and that already makes me feel like she's growing up too fast.
Btw, bonus points to readers who can remember 2 little trivia tidbits about her birthdate, both mentioned previously in this blog. Tick...tock....tick....tock....
Okay then! 1. It was her birthdate (2/12) and birth weight (2lbs, 12 oz.) both read as "212", which convinced me she was destined to be a New York City girl during some of the adoption process glitches, and 2. she shares a birthday with her often-alleged look-alike, Christina Ricci. In any case, you can all relax. I ain't gonna sing.
It's so bizarre that the 'baby' I've had for less than 14 months can be turning 3, but so it goes. I've been telling her the past few days that this is her last chance to act like a 2-year-old with impunity (how do you tell a 2-year-old to stop acting like one, right?), so to go for it! And she has. Oy. Mostly it's the stunts. The manic tears she goes on, all cranked up and creating crazy safety hazards where none exist to your average nutty kid.
That's just with me, though. People who've watched her without me around have all been reporting a mellower, better-behaved, more focused Alana, so go figure. In any case, my beautiful, lovable, mushy-gushy little munchkin is turning 3, and that already makes me feel like she's growing up too fast.
Btw, bonus points to readers who can remember 2 little trivia tidbits about her birthdate, both mentioned previously in this blog. Tick...tock....tick....tock....
Okay then! 1. It was her birthdate (2/12) and birth weight (2lbs, 12 oz.) both read as "212", which convinced me she was destined to be a New York City girl during some of the adoption process glitches, and 2. she shares a birthday with her often-alleged look-alike, Christina Ricci. In any case, you can all relax. I ain't gonna sing.
February 05, 2009
Monkey bits (updated!)
I know, I know...I've been a lazy-ass blogger. No reason, just nothing much to post.
So... with her 3rd birthday around the corner, I'm thinking I should write down some of Alana's charming little quirks, and again...if I write 'em on paper, I'll never find it, so why not here? I'll just keep on adding 'em...
Recent stuff:
1. 1001 ways to say "no": matter-of-fact "no"; slow "noooo"; low growly "nuuuuu"; my personal faves, in a tie, "no WAY!" and "I NOT!"
2. Kissing goodnite thru her mesh crib tent
3. Kissing goodnite thru her mesh crib tent, working our way thru each slat in the crib
4. Cassie is the "Woo", because beagles say "ah-woooo!". Every nite the Monkey leans out of her crib and says "Nite nite, Woo!". And she always tells me when "mama, mama...Woo need help!"
5. She hugs and kisses me after time-outs...and pushes her time-out chair back to the table
6. She's surprisingly good about sharing toys with other kids, and giving things back.
7. She's surprisingly bad about taking MY things, and grinning, "no, no, no!" when I try to get them back.
8. The daredevil stunts. Oh, the hair-raising monkey-on-crack daredevil stunts....
9. Bouncy piggyback rides.
10. She loves running up to people she likes and planting a smooch on their leg. Umm...she's getting too tall to still do this.
11. She thinks it's funny to lick my face. She's like a little puppy.
12. She likes her friends, but she likes their daddies more.
13. Monsters, Inc. was running in our DVD player 24/7 for the past 10 days. She LOVES this movie. Any time it was off, or we did anything else, I'd hear "moo-ie, moo-ie!". She's been doing monster roars and shouting "boo!" a LOT.
14. Tonite I finally replaced it with Horton Hears a Who. Now a tiny, noisy elephant is running around the apartment.
*15. Kissy-crosses. Very continental, and then some. I have no idea where she got this from:
So... with her 3rd birthday around the corner, I'm thinking I should write down some of Alana's charming little quirks, and again...if I write 'em on paper, I'll never find it, so why not here? I'll just keep on adding 'em...
Recent stuff:
1. 1001 ways to say "no": matter-of-fact "no"; slow "noooo"; low growly "nuuuuu"; my personal faves, in a tie, "no WAY!" and "I NOT!"
2. Kissing goodnite thru her mesh crib tent
3. Kissing goodnite thru her mesh crib tent, working our way thru each slat in the crib
4. Cassie is the "Woo", because beagles say "ah-woooo!". Every nite the Monkey leans out of her crib and says "Nite nite, Woo!". And she always tells me when "mama, mama...Woo need help!"
5. She hugs and kisses me after time-outs...and pushes her time-out chair back to the table
6. She's surprisingly good about sharing toys with other kids, and giving things back.
7. She's surprisingly bad about taking MY things, and grinning, "no, no, no!" when I try to get them back.
8. The daredevil stunts. Oh, the hair-raising monkey-on-crack daredevil stunts....
9. Bouncy piggyback rides.
10. She loves running up to people she likes and planting a smooch on their leg. Umm...she's getting too tall to still do this.
11. She thinks it's funny to lick my face. She's like a little puppy.
12. She likes her friends, but she likes their daddies more.
13. Monsters, Inc. was running in our DVD player 24/7 for the past 10 days. She LOVES this movie. Any time it was off, or we did anything else, I'd hear "moo-ie, moo-ie!". She's been doing monster roars and shouting "boo!" a LOT.
14. Tonite I finally replaced it with Horton Hears a Who. Now a tiny, noisy elephant is running around the apartment.
*15. Kissy-crosses. Very continental, and then some. I have no idea where she got this from:
16. She likes when I sing her to sleep with Mockingbird, even though I'm tone deaf to the 'nth' degree. (I make up the last few verses, and start over again...and again)
17. If it kisses or eats, it's hilarious.
17. If it kisses or eats, it's hilarious.
January 25, 2009
January 19, 2009
A clock by any other name...
One day last week, I came in from walking the furry kid while Alana was in the apt with her EI therapist, Nicole. Nicole was trying to get Alana to show me which little picture she'd been working on matching on a little board they use. Apparently, the Monkey'd become fixated on the pic and excitedly repeating her new word, "Clock". Except, Alana can't really say her "L's" yet. (take a second...). Nicole had been busting a gut waiting for me to come back and hear this!
Anyway, that's the same day we ended up in the emergency room. Suffice it to say there was a clock on the waiting room wall.
Yikes. :-)~
Meanwhile, with all the snow we've been getting, sledding is our new fave activity. Sometimes just us, or, like yesterday, with boyfriend Dylan and BFF Ashley all in the same sled. Cool by me...I luvvvv sledding!
Anyway, that's the same day we ended up in the emergency room. Suffice it to say there was a clock on the waiting room wall.
Yikes. :-)~
Meanwhile, with all the snow we've been getting, sledding is our new fave activity. Sometimes just us, or, like yesterday, with boyfriend Dylan and BFF Ashley all in the same sled. Cool by me...I luvvvv sledding!
January 15, 2009
Deja vu, all over again!
So one night last year, right around this time, the Monkey and I found ourselves headed to the emergency room shortly after dinner because of an eye injury. (Yes the great spork incident of '08). Tonite....guess what! Yep. New York Presbyterian again (they have a cool kiddie waiting room), with cuts around her left eye, somehow sustained in a scuffle when she slipped and fell on the dog. There wasn't much bleeding, but enough screaming, some swelling, and eye proximity to make me bundle us both up and head out. The good news is the cuts seem largely superficial, and also that the consensus is it doesn't look like a bite...much more likely paw-inflicted. Anyway, there was an awful lot of screaming and thrashing when they had to clean out the cuts, a brief debate over 'to stitch or not to stitch' (we didn't), and they loaded her up w/antibiotics.
The first hour we were there I was all proud of both of us, me being better prepared with some cool occupy toys, and her handling the waiting room situation much better. Then....the rest was a replay of last year with her running off, every which way (okay, mostly to the fish tank, but once to the main exit, and several times into other patients cubes!) at every opportunity...which was virtually constant. Ugggggh! Pretty much everyone, including me, was pretty sure she'd need to be treated for more than just the one injury before we were done. The nurses thought she was adorable, some were convinced she's really a boy, and they all felt sorry for me by the end of nite, underneath their giggles. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna check for messages on the cell that I dropped in the cab on the way over and which was somehow - wonderfully! - returned to me by my friend Lil, the story of which I'll find out in the a.m. For now, my nerves are shot. Zzzzz.....
ADDENDUM: Did I mention that the rails on the sides of hospital beds can, in fact, be used as gymnastic equipment, as can the bars connecting the row of chairs in the waiting room? Or that blood pressure monitors are excellent tinker toys, especially if one has to fly down the hall and jump onto a swivel chair to get to it? The security guy was freaking that she was gonna lose a finger in the automatic doors, and the doc herself was "getting chest pains watching her!". I should rent her out to find the weak links in Monkey-proofing. I could make BIG $$$.
The first hour we were there I was all proud of both of us, me being better prepared with some cool occupy toys, and her handling the waiting room situation much better. Then....the rest was a replay of last year with her running off, every which way (okay, mostly to the fish tank, but once to the main exit, and several times into other patients cubes!) at every opportunity...which was virtually constant. Ugggggh! Pretty much everyone, including me, was pretty sure she'd need to be treated for more than just the one injury before we were done. The nurses thought she was adorable, some were convinced she's really a boy, and they all felt sorry for me by the end of nite, underneath their giggles. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna check for messages on the cell that I dropped in the cab on the way over and which was somehow - wonderfully! - returned to me by my friend Lil, the story of which I'll find out in the a.m. For now, my nerves are shot. Zzzzz.....
ADDENDUM: Did I mention that the rails on the sides of hospital beds can, in fact, be used as gymnastic equipment, as can the bars connecting the row of chairs in the waiting room? Or that blood pressure monitors are excellent tinker toys, especially if one has to fly down the hall and jump onto a swivel chair to get to it? The security guy was freaking that she was gonna lose a finger in the automatic doors, and the doc herself was "getting chest pains watching her!". I should rent her out to find the weak links in Monkey-proofing. I could make BIG $$$.
January 10, 2009
Thoughts of the Day
First and foremost, it's five years (five years today, according to the Hebrew calendar) that my mom's been gone, so she's been very much in my thoughts this week. I know a lot of people commented last year that they, too, always felt a connection between their kids (either by birth or adoption) and parents they'd lost. Funny, all week anytime the Monkey's done something funny, silly, or downright infuriating, I imagine my mom here, enjoying it and reacting to it all. I tell the Monkey all the time how her grandma Alice, who she's named for, would've eaten her up with a spoon and left none for me! And it's absolutely true -my mother would've been soooo entertained, a wee bit horrified, and totally smitten. Needless to say it's an awful shame that she's gone, and not really here to enjoy it, but at least in a way it's kind of nice realizing that her memory is still that much alive. I miss you, Mom!
Secondly, (and goodness knows WHAT my mom would've made of this one!) is I've found myself in an indirect but bizarre email exchange with my very ex-husband's wife. (For those uninitiated, my ex is sort of a Madoff wannabee). I won't detail here, but just...yikes.
Otherwise, it's same ol' song and dance. I got out to celebrate a couple of friends' birthdays this past week, so that was fun and refreshing. The Monkey's getting to be something of an item with her younger man, rockstar Dylan, although she's absolutely shameless with the over-40 guys. (How'd she get to be MY competition??). And, her BFF Ashley is due back in 3 days, and we can't wait. (Hi Ashley!!!) :-)
Now just as soon as she's up from her nap, we's got some snow that needs playin' in!
Secondly, (and goodness knows WHAT my mom would've made of this one!) is I've found myself in an indirect but bizarre email exchange with my very ex-husband's wife. (For those uninitiated, my ex is sort of a Madoff wannabee). I won't detail here, but just...yikes.
Otherwise, it's same ol' song and dance. I got out to celebrate a couple of friends' birthdays this past week, so that was fun and refreshing. The Monkey's getting to be something of an item with her younger man, rockstar Dylan, although she's absolutely shameless with the over-40 guys. (How'd she get to be MY competition??). And, her BFF Ashley is due back in 3 days, and we can't wait. (Hi Ashley!!!) :-)
Now just as soon as she's up from her nap, we's got some snow that needs playin' in!
January 01, 2009
3..2...1...
Yep, the Monkey and her monkey-ish boyfriend Dylan rang in the New Year like rockstars. (Hey, at least ONE of us had a cute date!)
December 31, 2008
Happy New Year to All....
...and to all, a good nite!
Best wishes for all the best stuff (health, happiness....and who knows, maybe some good surprises??) in 2009!
Be safe tonite. Please drink responsibly.
Best wishes for all the best stuff (health, happiness....and who knows, maybe some good surprises??) in 2009!
Be safe tonite. Please drink responsibly.
December 30, 2008
blah, blah Blog? (w. PS)
So, about this blog...
Not that it was ever 'officially' an adoption blog, but that's mostly what it's been, save for the initial entries from my solo extravaganza to Italy that kicked this thing off. And now, with 'baby' home for over a year, I'm hitting that point that all the official adoption bloggers hit - that point when the adoption itself is....done. It's a wrap. So now, moving forward, it's really about a (big) girl and her dog and her kid and her career and her (mostly imaginary) social life. Oh, and her thoughts. Those pesky, frisky, ironic, bizarre little things that live, breed, and jump around in her head. (After all, the title's always been Slink's Thinks, and Slink still thinks!) Not to imply that the Monkey Girl won't continue in her leading role - why the heck else would anyone stop by?? - it'll just be in a fresher context.
But WAIT......
Before we get crazy and wrap up the Adoption segment, I do have some thoughts to share about the big A. Mostly because I've been very disturbed to hear about Russia slowing down their program, and their increased reluctance to adopt out to Americans. They claim to have a variety of reasons for this, but of course the victims are obviously the kids. You can't imagine how often I look at the happy, beautiful little wackadoodle running around my apartment, and imagine how with no internat'l adoption, she'd be growing up in northern Russia, still living in the orphanage, with nothing to call her own, probably adored by her caretakers but really loved by no one. I think of how she'd never get the attention, the opportunities, and the love that she so obviously deserves - or the chance to see how she makes her mama light up! There are thousands of kids living there that way right now, just as she was 'til a year ago. All kids who know that they are, quite literally, unwanted, with no clue how special they are inside. (You see, before any Russian orphan babies or kids are eligible to be adopted out internationally, they need to be listed on the domestic registry for at least 8 months, and these days they need to be seen - and refused - by at least 3 Russian families in that time). There are so many yummy rock stars of the adoption blog world who I, and a lot of you, have gotten to know and love, whether thru blogs or in real life: Czar Alexander, Cupcake, Tiger & Prince, Vika & Eamon (who hail from the same charming if nippy town as Alana!), just to name a few. But there are so many more left behind, and I think any of us who've been to an orphanage think about them a lot.
What's my point, again? Oh, yeah. You and I have pretty much no control over what Russia decides to do with their program. They're encouraging more domestic adoptions, foster care, etc, each of which comes with its pros and cons. But for anyone who's reading this, and may be considering whether to adopt or not, there are oodles of countries, including Russia - and the U.S.! - which are open. True, they nearly all make it just soooo damned difficult, but adoption rocks. And for you and one (maybe two!) very lucky kid(s), it may absolutely be the way to go.
PS> Oh my goodness, how could I forget to include Alek & Maks?? Especially since Maks, like Eamon, lived in the very same baby home as the Monkey!
Not that it was ever 'officially' an adoption blog, but that's mostly what it's been, save for the initial entries from my solo extravaganza to Italy that kicked this thing off. And now, with 'baby' home for over a year, I'm hitting that point that all the official adoption bloggers hit - that point when the adoption itself is....done. It's a wrap. So now, moving forward, it's really about a (big) girl and her dog and her kid and her career and her (mostly imaginary) social life. Oh, and her thoughts. Those pesky, frisky, ironic, bizarre little things that live, breed, and jump around in her head. (After all, the title's always been Slink's Thinks, and Slink still thinks!) Not to imply that the Monkey Girl won't continue in her leading role - why the heck else would anyone stop by?? - it'll just be in a fresher context.
But WAIT......
Before we get crazy and wrap up the Adoption segment, I do have some thoughts to share about the big A. Mostly because I've been very disturbed to hear about Russia slowing down their program, and their increased reluctance to adopt out to Americans. They claim to have a variety of reasons for this, but of course the victims are obviously the kids. You can't imagine how often I look at the happy, beautiful little wackadoodle running around my apartment, and imagine how with no internat'l adoption, she'd be growing up in northern Russia, still living in the orphanage, with nothing to call her own, probably adored by her caretakers but really loved by no one. I think of how she'd never get the attention, the opportunities, and the love that she so obviously deserves - or the chance to see how she makes her mama light up! There are thousands of kids living there that way right now, just as she was 'til a year ago. All kids who know that they are, quite literally, unwanted, with no clue how special they are inside. (You see, before any Russian orphan babies or kids are eligible to be adopted out internationally, they need to be listed on the domestic registry for at least 8 months, and these days they need to be seen - and refused - by at least 3 Russian families in that time). There are so many yummy rock stars of the adoption blog world who I, and a lot of you, have gotten to know and love, whether thru blogs or in real life: Czar Alexander, Cupcake, Tiger & Prince, Vika & Eamon (who hail from the same charming if nippy town as Alana!), just to name a few. But there are so many more left behind, and I think any of us who've been to an orphanage think about them a lot.
What's my point, again? Oh, yeah. You and I have pretty much no control over what Russia decides to do with their program. They're encouraging more domestic adoptions, foster care, etc, each of which comes with its pros and cons. But for anyone who's reading this, and may be considering whether to adopt or not, there are oodles of countries, including Russia - and the U.S.! - which are open. True, they nearly all make it just soooo damned difficult, but adoption rocks. And for you and one (maybe two!) very lucky kid(s), it may absolutely be the way to go.
PS> Oh my goodness, how could I forget to include Alek & Maks?? Especially since Maks, like Eamon, lived in the very same baby home as the Monkey!
December 22, 2008
..and one year HOME
Yep, rounding out the trilogy of anniversaries, a year ago tonite, after 10 straight hours of Monkey %&*$#&%+# between Moscow and JFK, the newest little American and I arrived home together at my - our - apartment for the very first time.
Happy Home Day, and a Happy Chanukah to all!
December 19, 2008
Yowsa...a Year!
As far as I know, this was her first time ever being anywhere outside of the orphanage and the hospital. Next, we were bundled up again and off driving to the airport, where we'd have to hang for a while before our 2-hour flight to Moscow, along with the 2 German families. It was on this flight where I first saw how much this kid could eat! After the flight and rounding up our luggage we were met by van at Sheremetyevo Airport for the drive into Moscow, and each family dropped off at our respective hotels. In our case, it was the fancy-schmanciest of all the Marriotts, since the Courtyard was booked up for that first nite. The staff brought us up complimentary champagne and apple juice (anybody's guess which was for who), the Monkey girl explored the room and played excitedly in the palatial bathroom, tossed things around the room, and glimpsed TV for what I believe to be the first time. (It was a glitzy fashion runway show - and I remember Bowie was blasting!). She then quietly fell asleep in the little porta-crib, listening to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the wind-up stuffed monkey (total coincidence, folks!) that my neighbor, Sophie, had given me for her before I left for Russia. I've gotta say, I didn't fall asleep long after.
Anyway, rather than prattling on more and detailing the past year, I'll just say, Happy Together Day, little Monkey Girl! :-)
December 13, 2008
Judge Said Yes - a Year Ago Today!
Strangely, it's not really the day I consider our "family day". She was in the hospital at the time, and until she was released the next week, nothing really changed. I still was on a visiting schedule, my coordinator still had to do battle with the barely post-pubescent doctor to get her released, and my translator Tanya and I still were subject to some nurses' ridiculous restrictions during visits. And more to the point, nothing actually changed on that day for Alana.
But, of course, none of that would've ever happened if not for that a year ago today, in a courtroom in Murmansk, the judge stamped the papers and said...YES.
December 11, 2008
December 05, 2008
Russian Tidbits
1. Alexy II, Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, just passed away. Interesting, if controversial, character. And interestig to me because most of the little Russian kiddies, including Alana, were probably born into the Russian Orthodox religion.
2. One year ago today, my buddy Mickel and I hopped onto a plane at JFK to go bring a little Monkey back from Murmansk, Russia. :-)
2. One year ago today, my buddy Mickel and I hopped onto a plane at JFK to go bring a little Monkey back from Murmansk, Russia. :-)
December 04, 2008
Back to the blog....
I realized I've been kinda AWOL on the blog lately, with no particular reason.
So what's new? Let's see...
Speech/language: We seem to have turned some kind of corner a few weeks ago, where the Monkey is finally doing what monkeys do, verbally - mimicking! Within, literally, a two-day period, she suddenly started mimicking more sounds and words, and coming out with a few more spontaneous words. It's as if it suddenly occurred to her that the gibberish she'd been spouting wasn't actual speech, and that - hey! - I've gotta make real words! It's not quite floodgates, but there's now a steady trickle, and I'll definitely take it.
Pre-schools: Ah, right...this is what's been eating up some of my attention! Kicking around various options for next year. I've done one pre-school tour and application, am getting the Monkey evaluated for CPSE, which is basically a subsidized pre-school continuation of early-intervention, and am also considering simply moving her into the 3's & 4's program for another year at Kids Club. We'll see...
Me, I've been considering going Postal. Seriously....the USPS has screwed me up about 6 times over in the past month! And I don't even use them for much! Yes, a newfound empathy for those employees who truly lose it.
Anyhoo, the thoroughly exhausted little Monkey is now battling hard against sleep, after missing her nap in favor of a mid-day playdate with her BFF Ashley. (Ashley's parents were kind enough to host said playdate so I could go downtown and process our one-year Post-Placement Report. Yep, the one-year!). Speaking of Alana's BFF Ashley, she and her parents are going away in a few days for five looooong weeks! I don't know what these poor little monkeys are gonna do! I may have to post a few gratuitous videos for Ashley to watch from overseas. :-)
And now my sleep-resistant Monkey is yelling "Maaaaaa!" from her crib in this new way she has that makes me wonder, when the hell did my sweet, tiny little Russian princess turn into Will Farrell in Wedding Crashers?
So what's new? Let's see...
Speech/language: We seem to have turned some kind of corner a few weeks ago, where the Monkey is finally doing what monkeys do, verbally - mimicking! Within, literally, a two-day period, she suddenly started mimicking more sounds and words, and coming out with a few more spontaneous words. It's as if it suddenly occurred to her that the gibberish she'd been spouting wasn't actual speech, and that - hey! - I've gotta make real words! It's not quite floodgates, but there's now a steady trickle, and I'll definitely take it.
Pre-schools: Ah, right...this is what's been eating up some of my attention! Kicking around various options for next year. I've done one pre-school tour and application, am getting the Monkey evaluated for CPSE, which is basically a subsidized pre-school continuation of early-intervention, and am also considering simply moving her into the 3's & 4's program for another year at Kids Club. We'll see...
Me, I've been considering going Postal. Seriously....the USPS has screwed me up about 6 times over in the past month! And I don't even use them for much! Yes, a newfound empathy for those employees who truly lose it.
Anyhoo, the thoroughly exhausted little Monkey is now battling hard against sleep, after missing her nap in favor of a mid-day playdate with her BFF Ashley. (Ashley's parents were kind enough to host said playdate so I could go downtown and process our one-year Post-Placement Report. Yep, the one-year!). Speaking of Alana's BFF Ashley, she and her parents are going away in a few days for five looooong weeks! I don't know what these poor little monkeys are gonna do! I may have to post a few gratuitous videos for Ashley to watch from overseas. :-)
And now my sleep-resistant Monkey is yelling "Maaaaaa!" from her crib in this new way she has that makes me wonder, when the hell did my sweet, tiny little Russian princess turn into Will Farrell in Wedding Crashers?
November 26, 2008
November 24, 2008
Adoption Buzz
What a busy weekend this was in terms of internat'l adoption!
The doormen in my bldg were all agog to tell me that a friend in the building arrived home from China on Friday nite with her brand new 3-year-old bundle of joy (possibly a new addition to Alana and her BFF's playdates??), and Saturday afternoon a friend and her hubby took off to the Far East to meet their soon-to-be special little someone. They've already, thru the miracles of modern techie stuff, chatted with me across the many time zones via IM, and posted video of their first playdate with their daughter. They're completely smitten with the adorable little charmer, and seeing all this just thrills me and makes me squeeeeeeze the little Monkey that much harder.
Speaking of the Monkey, I emailed the Exec Director of the CMOM last Sunday nite, and had an email back by 8am Monday letting me know he was getting right on it. He's kept me more or less in the loop, both in his efforts to figure out exactly what happened, and how they can improve security in the future, so we'll see what happens from here. Me, I took a friend's suggestion and bought one of those baby-lojack-type thingies...a little bear receiver that attaches to her shoe or belt, and a transmitter for me. I press the button, and she beeps pretty loud. I'll let you know how it works!
The doormen in my bldg were all agog to tell me that a friend in the building arrived home from China on Friday nite with her brand new 3-year-old bundle of joy (possibly a new addition to Alana and her BFF's playdates??), and Saturday afternoon a friend and her hubby took off to the Far East to meet their soon-to-be special little someone. They've already, thru the miracles of modern techie stuff, chatted with me across the many time zones via IM, and posted video of their first playdate with their daughter. They're completely smitten with the adorable little charmer, and seeing all this just thrills me and makes me squeeeeeeze the little Monkey that much harder.
Speaking of the Monkey, I emailed the Exec Director of the CMOM last Sunday nite, and had an email back by 8am Monday letting me know he was getting right on it. He's kept me more or less in the loop, both in his efforts to figure out exactly what happened, and how they can improve security in the future, so we'll see what happens from here. Me, I took a friend's suggestion and bought one of those baby-lojack-type thingies...a little bear receiver that attaches to her shoe or belt, and a transmitter for me. I press the button, and she beeps pretty loud. I'll let you know how it works!
November 16, 2008
THANK YOU, kind couple...
Alrighty, kids, nutty/scary little story from yesterday.
Monkey and I were wrapping up a morning at the Children's Museum, and I was buying her a little toy in the gift shop. I'd had an eye on her, but after the minute or so it took to actually make the purchase, I looked around and she wasn't there. I figured she ran across the hall to climb in the Trojan Horse that she loves, but I checked and no Monkey. I quickly checked with the guard at the front entrance, and he said he'd only been on for about 10 mins, but nope, hadn't seen any girl fitting Alana's description leave in the last 2-3 minutes. So I went to the Activity Desk, where the nice gals there put out a radio alert within the museum. A couple of minutes later they said, "we've found her!", and a security guard presented her to me. She was fine, greeting me with a cheerful "mama!". I asked the guard where she'd been, and he pointed to front area, near stroller drop-off, and said "she was right over there". Ahhhh, no biggie, and all's fine. Until just then when a guy - a visitor, not staff - tapped me and said, "Excuse me, ma'am....your little girl was outside running towards Amsterdam Avenue!" What??? He said he and his family were coming up the street and saw Alana coming towards them, with no adult. They asked another woman on the street if Alana was hers, and when she said no, this guy and his family brought Alana back to the Children's Museum. I have no idea if they'd noticed the little sticker on her shirt, that only a regular CMOM visitor would recognize, or if it was a lucky guess...but THAT'S where she'd been!!!
Of course I told the girls at the Activity Desk what I'd just been told, and how I'd asked the guard about her and been told he hadn't seen her, and they just pointed out that it's a very busy place, and hard for the guard to notice each kid, especially if they seem to be with a family, yadda yadda. I'm sorry.....does this place not exist to entertain hundreds of active toddlers??? (For those not in the know, that's exactly what it exists for...it's 4 open floors of various open playspaces...and often there's one nanny or parent for 3 or 4 kids running around!). And they have no system in place to keep a little kid from just wandering out onto the city streets??? (Never mind a system to be sure a kid doesn't leave with the WRONG adult!). Needless to say I'm pretty freaked out by this. Scariest is simply the idea that I was in the building, with - thanks to the dumbass security system there, or lack thereof - no idea that she was outside. I don't even want to think about all that could've so easily happened. I DO want to think about how wonderful these people were for a) noticing Alana walking by herself and b) caring enough to actually DO something about it. I honestly can't imagine more than 1 in 100 people doing what they did. How lucky are we for that!!! Stunned as I was, I didn't even get their name, but I wish I had. And yes, a letter is going out to the Executive Director of the CMOM in the morning.
In much less wordy stories, we had our one year Post Placement visit on Thursday. Yep, can't believe it...almost a year already! And, thanks to everyone who trekked out in the rain for my belated but festive BDay dinner/bar-hop last nite. Especially since Alana got to have her own late-nite party with little Chloe and a babysitter, which means she's been in a cheery mood all day today. Ahhhhh.
Monkey and I were wrapping up a morning at the Children's Museum, and I was buying her a little toy in the gift shop. I'd had an eye on her, but after the minute or so it took to actually make the purchase, I looked around and she wasn't there. I figured she ran across the hall to climb in the Trojan Horse that she loves, but I checked and no Monkey. I quickly checked with the guard at the front entrance, and he said he'd only been on for about 10 mins, but nope, hadn't seen any girl fitting Alana's description leave in the last 2-3 minutes. So I went to the Activity Desk, where the nice gals there put out a radio alert within the museum. A couple of minutes later they said, "we've found her!", and a security guard presented her to me. She was fine, greeting me with a cheerful "mama!". I asked the guard where she'd been, and he pointed to front area, near stroller drop-off, and said "she was right over there". Ahhhh, no biggie, and all's fine. Until just then when a guy - a visitor, not staff - tapped me and said, "Excuse me, ma'am....your little girl was outside running towards Amsterdam Avenue!" What??? He said he and his family were coming up the street and saw Alana coming towards them, with no adult. They asked another woman on the street if Alana was hers, and when she said no, this guy and his family brought Alana back to the Children's Museum. I have no idea if they'd noticed the little sticker on her shirt, that only a regular CMOM visitor would recognize, or if it was a lucky guess...but THAT'S where she'd been!!!
Of course I told the girls at the Activity Desk what I'd just been told, and how I'd asked the guard about her and been told he hadn't seen her, and they just pointed out that it's a very busy place, and hard for the guard to notice each kid, especially if they seem to be with a family, yadda yadda. I'm sorry.....does this place not exist to entertain hundreds of active toddlers??? (For those not in the know, that's exactly what it exists for...it's 4 open floors of various open playspaces...and often there's one nanny or parent for 3 or 4 kids running around!). And they have no system in place to keep a little kid from just wandering out onto the city streets??? (Never mind a system to be sure a kid doesn't leave with the WRONG adult!). Needless to say I'm pretty freaked out by this. Scariest is simply the idea that I was in the building, with - thanks to the dumbass security system there, or lack thereof - no idea that she was outside. I don't even want to think about all that could've so easily happened. I DO want to think about how wonderful these people were for a) noticing Alana walking by herself and b) caring enough to actually DO something about it. I honestly can't imagine more than 1 in 100 people doing what they did. How lucky are we for that!!! Stunned as I was, I didn't even get their name, but I wish I had. And yes, a letter is going out to the Executive Director of the CMOM in the morning.
In much less wordy stories, we had our one year Post Placement visit on Thursday. Yep, can't believe it...almost a year already! And, thanks to everyone who trekked out in the rain for my belated but festive BDay dinner/bar-hop last nite. Especially since Alana got to have her own late-nite party with little Chloe and a babysitter, which means she's been in a cheery mood all day today. Ahhhhh.
November 05, 2008
Anything's Possible
Yep, he did it!!!! Or WE did it - whichever. But yes, what an amazing victory. And amazing speeches from both our Prez2B and a gracious Sen. McCain. Now let's do what both parties know needs to be done, and that is to unify and all work to pull ourselves together...together. How exciting to be part of, and witness to it all. And one day the little Monkey Girl will hear how she was right there in the voting both when mama pulled the lever for Obama.
Speaking of the Monkey (how I so rarely do!) - we live in a 16-story bldg with 8 apts per floor, wrapped around a courtyard. Don't ask how this happened, but yesterday morning, the little one tossed her sippy cup up and out our open kitchen window. (We have window guards on the windows, which had to make this tricky, but somehow she managed). In fact, the sippy managed to fly across the courtyard and take out someone's kitchen window! The kicker? It's her BFF Ashley's window! Whoopsie! They live on the other side of the bldg, several floors down. I really have no freakin' idea how she managed this nifty little "trick" ...but, as the theme for yesterday goes...apparently, anything's possible!!! (sorry again 'bout the window, guys!) :-)
Speaking of the Monkey (how I so rarely do!) - we live in a 16-story bldg with 8 apts per floor, wrapped around a courtyard. Don't ask how this happened, but yesterday morning, the little one tossed her sippy cup up and out our open kitchen window. (We have window guards on the windows, which had to make this tricky, but somehow she managed). In fact, the sippy managed to fly across the courtyard and take out someone's kitchen window! The kicker? It's her BFF Ashley's window! Whoopsie! They live on the other side of the bldg, several floors down. I really have no freakin' idea how she managed this nifty little "trick" ...but, as the theme for yesterday goes...apparently, anything's possible!!! (sorry again 'bout the window, guys!) :-)
November 01, 2008
October 27, 2008
Halloween Candy Warning
Especially for my Canadian readers, since according to snopes.com, that's where the candy's been sold:
There is a new warning put out by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency....
Sherwood brand Pirate's Gold Milk Chocolate coins are being recalled due to the fact that they contain Melamine, the ingredient in milk product that has caused many infant deaths in china. These candies are sold at Costco, as well as many bulk and dollar stores. please make sure to check your childrens halloween candy and DO NOT LET THEM EAT THE PIRATE COINS (you know the ones wrapped in the shiny gold foil) and please let other parents know ab out this!
October 26, 2008
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