Friday, December 18, 2009

Tired Mama

I am a tired mama. Nina is still not sleeping well and therefore neither am I. So if I am tired she has to be tired too. I know life is so different for her, sometimes it sounds like she was crying in her sleep, it really is hard because I wish I could talk to her and understand what she says. Maybe help her work through her feelings. All I can do is pray and ask God to meet her and to calm her heart and all her fears.

Thanks to our friends I was able to learn a few words in Russian and last night after a screaming child that did not want to go to bed I finally said, "Go to bed, do you understand!" All in my broken Russian. She said no, I said yes, and that was that. At least she stayed in bed, still screaming, but she stayed in bed.

Today we discovered a food she likes...cheerios! Oh where will I find cheerios here? I need to go hunting for them.

She is a sweet little girl, and again thanks to our missionary friends we have learned some things about her. She likes dogs but not cats. She thinks she has a nice mama. She likes to play. We also know that she says, "Give me!" a lot, and "I can't" Life will surely change once she has sisters to compete with an a mama that will not allow her to use her disability as a crutch.

She is a lot like a baby or toddler. All about maikng noise, and shaking things like rattles. Everything goes in her mouth. In most ways Nichole is ahead of her, the difference is that Nina can talk, and well, Nichole can sign! But, I do think as Nina is home with us she will start to develop and eventually be close to her peers, we will see, we are just happy that we finally get to call her our own.

So even though the days have been trying with her, it is wonderful to have this connection, that we can get to know one another. Then when we get home at least our relationship will be a little more established, especially when we get to the wonderful craziness of extended family.

On a different note, Nina is cross eyed, and she will definitely need glasses or even surgery if it is bad enough, not sure. Glad we know a great Opp-tometrist!

Still no new on the tax code. I guess their phones are not working and our facilitator is on his way to the town where it needs to be picked up. If he does get it, they will call me and get a taxi for me so we can apply for the passport. We are praying it does work out!

And here are some pictures of Nina :)
These are pictures I took for her passport. She was not supposed to smile, I took lots of them until we found one that will work.

With her binky, I do think she finds comfort in it, and I am okay with her having it, when she is 4, and she understands English, we will wok on being done with it, for now, she needs it! And this is a new one I bought, the one we got from the orphanage was in rough shape, it was about to break into pieces.



8 comments:

  1. She is so cute.

    I agree about the binky. If she needs it now she should have it, there are already so many changes for her.

    She looks really happy and is so bright eyed.

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  2. I love that first picture of her. They are all cute, but I love the silly face in that one.

    We are praying that things will fall into place and that God will bless you with the gift of being home for Christmas. Don't loose hope that it can happen =).

    How long is normal for a passport there? Even if we mail to Kiev (done the new way) we will still get it back after four business days...does that sound like what your time-line for that is? Or is it different there? So hard knowing when it is so different there than it is here...

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  3. ben STILL wakes at 4-430 every morning. gosh its tiring! Have you tried sleeping with her? That helped Sophie a lot.

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  4. What a beautiful child she is!!! Congratulations! Hopefully she will adjust quickly to her new life with you. What a blessing to have her in your family this Christmas!

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  5. Anonymous10:02 AM

    She sure is a cutie pie. Hope you get a little more rest. You need to keep healthy so you can come home and enjoy life with three kids :)

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  6. I'm so glad she is smiling, Ellen. That makes all the difference in the world. I don't know if this would work or not, but with the bedtime difficulties, if you have any books that are about bedtime for her, read them to her and show her the pictures! That way, you are exposing her to English and showing her what you expect! Also, I do know that "spaht" is "sleep" in Russian!

    Let me know if you need anything!

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  7. I love that all of the pictures of Nina remind of the personality of your other two girls. She seems to be a ham and likes to be silly. She has some spunk and a little mischievious look in her eye. I just love it! Lee

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  8. Its Leah, I know when we were there that they had cheerios at the food market. They are made by nestle. Hope you fund them. Thanks,Leah

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