Today was another Woman’s Summer Day and Allison and I went outside during our morning visit to enjoy the nice weather.  We encountered lots of people while outside.  We met a couple from Germany who were adopting a 2 year-old boy and there were two groups of children outside walking with their caregivers.  Allison has only been around the children in her own baby group who are all about her age; therefore, she is fascinated by these older children and thinks they are quite a novelty.

One of her permanent caregivers came down to visit during our afternoon visit and gave me a picture of Allison and Alesha taken in May.    The two caregivers working today, Gayla and Luba, gave me a pair of the booties the babies wear that are hand crocheted by one of the caregivers.  As I’ve indicated previously, the caregivers are very nice and genuinely care about the children.

In the picture taken in May, Allison and Alesha are about the same size whereas now Alesha is much bigger than Allison.  I’m sure some of it has to do with him being a boy and genes, but I also wonder if the extra attention he receives from the caregivers has also contributed to his growth.  As I mentioned before, Alesha is a favorite of the caregivers and he is constantly being held and given one-on-one attention.  He is a very happy and engaging little boy and it is easy to see why he is a favorite.  He also is more vocal and demands more attention than Allison and the other babies.   I hope his Mother is able to come and get him soon and she does not leave him in the orphanage much longer. 

I discovered yesterday how to get a guaranteed giggle from Allison!   She loves to have her belly nuzzled and will smile and giggle every time I nuzzled it.   She also likes it when she is lying on her back and I lean over her and give her kisses and we rub noses.  I think it is a good sign that she is responsive to this type of Mommy play and it will eventually help her build an attachment to me.

Allison seemed more tired than usual at the end of both our visits today and I put her down for her naps earlier than usual.  When she is tired and ready for her nap, she starts rubbing her eyes and her hair.  She also doesn’t want to play or be held.  She pretty much just wants to lay down in her crib and go to sleep.   I’m sure when I am home that I will appreciate this trait, but right now I want to spend every available minute with her.   I’ve uploaded a picture of her lying in her crib with her new blankets.

We went to the supermarket Friday afternoon to buy the 2100 diapers and 15 cans of formula, but all they had in stock on the shelves were two jumbo packages of diapers in the correct size and 2 cans of Allison’s formula.  We talked to the store clerk and explained I needed 23 more jumbo packages of diapers and 13 more cans of formula.  They are going to check with their supplier (warehouse?) and call Ahz when they have the items.  If we don’t hear anything by Monday afternoon, we will go back to the store and try talking to the manager.   While I would like to purchase and deliver the diapers and formula to the Baby House before I leave, Ahz has agreed that I can leave money with him and he will take care of it after I’ve left.   It doesn’t appear that Ust has the equivalent of a Wal-Mart or Target or even our grocery stores where the shelves are fully stocked.  The quest for diapers and formula continues!

Ust-Kamenogorsk Wedding Tradition

Fridays and Saturdays are the big wedding days in Ust and it is common to see cars decorated in ribbons, streamers and flowers passing by honking their horns.   It seems the tradition is that after the wedding service, the wedding party visits all the monuments around Ust and leaves flowers at each monument before proceeding to the wedding reception.  Ahz wasn’t clear why the couples leave flowers at each monument, but thinks it has something to do with honoring past heroes and ancestors.  Whatever the intent, it is a nice custom and entertaining to watch the colorfully decorated cars filled with flowers dash about the city.

In the U.S., we say we are having an Indian Summer day when the weather is very sunny and warm in late Fall.  In Kazakhstan, they call such a day a Woman’s Summer day.  According to Ahz, a nice sunny fall day is called a Woman’s Summer day because in the past women usually were not able to enjoy and relax on nice summer days because they were too busy gardening and preserving food, but when there was a really nice Fall day, they were able relax and enjoy the day because they had finished all their chores for ensuring there was food for the upcoming winter.   We had a Woman’s Summer Day in Ust today.  

The weather was so nice that Allison I spent most of our morning visit outside.  We walked around the orphanage a couple of times and played in the little playground next to the orphanage.  There is a slide, swing and two benches under some trees where the children can play.  Allison and I slid down the slide a couple of times and then spent the rest of the morning swinging.  She was fascinated watching the wind ripple through the trees and the birds fly through the sky.   She also liked watching a group of older children (about 2 to 3 years old) who were on a walk with their caregiver.   The other family’s son Jackson entertained her as well.

This afternoon, we went to Astana Air to buy tickets to Almaty.  There was only one seat left on the only flight that leaves Ust for Almaty on Tuesday, October 3rd.and I bought it!   Today was my lucky day!!   This means I will be able to catch the Lufthansa flight that leaves Almaty at 3:20 a.m. on Wednesday and I will arrive at Dulles at 1 p.m. EST.  While I am going to miss Allison very much and wish I could bring her home now, I am very happy to be coming home. 

The internet has been down most of this evening and I haven’t been able to check emails or post anything.  I’m hoping it will be working again in the morning.  To keep busy, I’ve written my daily blog missive and the speech I will have to give before the judge during court on Monday.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Today was a fairly typical day in Ust.  I visited with Allison twice and during our afternoon visit she pulled herself up to stand while holding on to a bench!  She didn’t stop there because she then pulled/climbed on top of the bench!  She has amazing upper body strength for such a little girl.

I was also very touched today when one of the caregivers gave me a hand crocheted doily for Allison.  It is beautiful and I’m sure Allison will treasure this gift when she is older.

The orphanage doctor weighed Allison today and she has gained 650 grams and now weighs 6150 grams!  I am so thankful that she is gaining weight.  I’m sure her weight gain is the result of the formula I’ve been feeding her plus the extra attention I have been giving her.  She is still not on the U.S. growth charts for weight, but we are at least making some progress.

I think Allison is feeling better because she was perkier today than she had been for the last few days.  She also reached another milestone.  She walked about 10 feet while the caregivers held her hands!  This is a big accomplishment given she didn’t even want to stand on her feet when I first arrived.  I also capture this moment on video and will be happy to share it with everyone!

I also learned today that both her temporary and permanent caregivers have agreed to feed her formula instead of the Kefir beginning today and during the 5 weeks I will be gone.  Yes, I am doing a happy dance in my room!   Now I have to determine how much formula I will need to buy to ensure it will last 5 weeks.  I think to be on the safe side, I will buy 3 cans for each week I will be gone.  I also plan to buy enough pampers for the entire baby group to last while I’m gone.   There are 10 babies and I’m estimating each baby will be changed 6 times per day; therefore, I think I will need to buy about 2100 diapers!! 

I also learned today that I will not go to court until Monday.  It appears that the judge is on vacation until Monday.  I was very disappointed when I first heard this news because it means my return home will be delayed 3 days.  The bright side is that I will have 3 extra days to spend with Allison.  Galina also told the other family and me that we should not return to Kazakhstan until November 6^th.   This means the time between trips will be 5 weeks instead of the 3 weeks I had expected.  The additional wait time is due to the extra amount of time it is taking the Kazakhstan government to process passports for children being adopted.

I will miss Allison during the 5 weeks I will be gone and I’m sure I will worry about her.  I have asked Ahz if he would look in on her while I’m gone and send me and email on how she is doing once or twice a week.   I still hope to make arrangements with one or two of the caregivers to stop by during their off hours to play with Allison.

Today was the last day of the official bonding period and my adoption petition will be filed with the court tomorrow.  I’m hopeful that I will get a court date on or before this Friday and that I will not have to wait until Monday.  I should know in the next day or two when my court date will be.

I have also chosen a name for Alma.  Her name is Allison Faith Lockhart.  I have included Alma as a second middle name in case she wants to be called Alma when she is older.  I think Allison fits her personality better than any of the other names I was considering including Alma.  I know my Mom will be slightly disappointed that I didn’t keep her name as Alma because Mom had an aunt whose name was Alma with whom she was very close.  I appreciated the email Mom sent saying she was ok with any  name I chose.  Thanks Mom.

The orphanage still doesn’t have any heat.  This meant Allison and I had to meet in the baby room again today.   The main drawback on meeting in the baby room is that Allison is constantly distracted by what the other babies and caregivers are doing, which makes it difficult to impossible for her to focus one-on-one with me.  I’m resigned to not being able to meet with her by myself for the rest of my trip and that we will not make any progress on attachment until I return to pick her up.

The one good thing about spending so much time in the baby room is that I have had an opportunity to observe the care provided to the babies and it has been reassuring to see how responsive they usually are to a baby’s cries and that they do spend some time interacting with each baby one-on-one.  The caregivers do have a favorite baby and his name is Alesho.  His mom can’t take care of him right now and has placed him in the orphanage temporarily.  He is a very happy and outgoing baby. 

Allison still has a slightly runny nose, but it doesn’t seem to be getting any worse nor have any of the other babies become sicker.   While she is not worse, I think she is still fighting a cold because she isn’t as perky as she was the first 10 days I was here.  She continues to make progress with sitting up and pulling herself into a standing position, but she still doesn’t “talk” much.  I’m hoping that will improve once she comes home with me. 

I started distributing the gifts I brought with me to the care givers since I may not see the ones who worked today again before I leave.  I walked to the mall during lunch to buy wrapping paper, scissors, and tape.  I was able to buy the paper and scissors without any assistance, but I was having problems locating tape when a very nice man came to my rescue.  He was able to interpret for me and helped me locate a kiosk that sold tape.  As I’ve said previously, everyone I’ve met in Kazakhstan has been nice and helpful.

The hotel I’m staying at provides breakfast each morning and I checked it out for the second time this morning.  A clerk at the front desk who speaks some English was able to order boiled eggs for me.  They were great!  I also met a couple from New Jersey who arrived over the weekend.  They are hoping to adopt two older siblings and will be visiting one or two different orphanages depending upon the age of the children.  Children are placed in different orphanages in Kazakhstan based upon age.  Allison’s Baby House doesn’t keep any children who are older than 4 or 5.

I also spoke with Lana, my U.S. coordinator, for the first time today since I’ve been in Ust.  She was on vacation in Russia the first two weeks I was here.   She is going to contact Galina about talking to the orphanage doctors regarding Allison’s diet and hiring one or two caregivers to spend some extra time with Allison after I leave.  Allison continues to spit-up during every visit.  I know babies spit-up, but I don’t think babies spit-up as much as Allison does.  This afternoon’s spit-up was pretty gross.  I have no idea what they fed her that caused her spit-up to be grey and black, but that is what it looked like.  Sorry to be so graphic, but I guess Moms sort of fixate on these type of things!

I uploaded a picture of Allison and me taken on Saturday.  I wasn’t able to take any good pictures today.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

As promised, Ahz took us sight seeing in the mountains surrounding Ust.   The roads outside of the city remind me somewhat of the country roads in West Virginia that are unmarked and where you have to hug the side of the road when you pass another car.   While the mountains are barren, they are still beautiful.  The road we were on followed a river and the scenery was very picturesque.

Our final destination was a pedestrian swing bridge that crossed the river.  On our way there, we drove through three little villages.  Most of the houses in the villages were built before Kazakhstan became part of the Soviet Union and most of the residents are elderly.  The older houses are modest and usually have shutters and ornate wood work above the windows.  I also noticed that almost every house we passed had beautiful vegetable and flower gardens.  I’ve uploaded a picture of a typical house.

While driving, we also saw several cows walking along side of the road.  It doesn’t look like they fence cows in like they do in the U.S.  We also saw a lady herding 3 very pretty goats along side of the road as well. 

After returning to Ust, I walked to the restaurant that serves pizza and has an English menu.  I was longing for something that reminded me of home so I ordered French fries and chicken cutlets.  In Kazakhstan, French fries are served with both mayonnaise and ketchup.  The chicken cutlets were very tasty and consisted of ground chicken mixed with herbs and rice.

The weather was nice and I was able to sit outside and people watch.  One observation I made is that most Kazak’s dress-up when they go out.  The big fashion items here appear to be fitted jeans with embellishments worn with high heels or boots for women along with a very nice jacket or coat.  The men also wear fitted jeans (without the embellishments) with pointed leather shoes and a nice leather jacket or coat.  The baggy casual style you see a lot in the U.S. is not popular here.  A lot of men also carry a man’s purse that is small and has a handle.  Ahz has one and after learning he carries 3 cell phones (one for his wife, one for business and one for Galina), I can understand why a man would need a purse.  I guess they may call them something more manly than a purse, but they function as a purse. 

Today was pretty much like every other day for the past two weeks.  I visited with Alma this morning and afternoon in the baby room with the other babies and caregivers.  She had just woken up when I arrived this morning and they allowed me to feed her.  I noticed they put chopped boiled egg into her porridge.  I need to have Ahz ask why they give the other babies what looks like cream of wheat and Alma is given a porridge that looks like rice.  Whatever it is, she likes it.   She and the rest of the babies still had runny noses, but none of them had any coughs.  We played as usual, but I could tell she wasn’t feeling good and by the end of each visit she was ready for a nap.  I gave the caregivers the two blankets I purchased and they put them in her crib.  One as a sheet and the other as a cover.  They brighten her crib and will hopefully keep her warm tonight.  Her fingers were ice cold when I arrived this morning.

I’ve also discovered she is a wiggle worm!  Trying to change her clothes and diaper is a challenge.  The caregivers keep various items on the changing table that Alma finds fascinating and she will not be distracted from trying to grab each and every item!  As I watched the caregivers change the other babies, it became evident that Alma is the Queen of wiggling! 

Tomorrow is Sunday and the orphanage will not allow us to visit.  Ahz has agreed to take us sight seeing outside of the city tomorrow. 

I’ve uploaded a couple more pictures of Alma.  I have to decide what her name will be by Monday so they can complete my adoption petition that will be filed on Tuesday.  She doesn’t recognize her name yet and I’ve been told that an official at the hospital gave her the name Alma and not her birthmother.  I’ve already discarded the name Serena because after getting to know her better, that name doesn’t fit.    I never knew choosing a name could be so difficult. 

That’s all for today.

When I arrived at Alma’s Baby Group rooms this morning, the babies seemed to be much happier and were not crying.  Alma’s runny nose was a little worse, but the orphanage doctor said her lungs were clear.  It also looked like most of the other babies and runny noses as well.  I didn’t hear anyone coughing though, which is hopefully a good sign.

Alma and I stayed in the baby room with the other babies and caregivers because there was no heat in the little room where we usually meet.  The two caregivers on duty today, Svetlana and Elena, were very kind and the babies seemed to like them.  I observed that when a baby cried, they would go over to the baby and see what was wrong.  This was encouraging to see that a baby’s cries were answered, which if this is done consistently, will reduce the affects being in an orphanage will have on these children.

The caregivers work two 12 hour shifts and then they are off for 3 days.  Their first shift is from 7am to 7pm and then they work the next day from 7pm to 7am.  The two caregivers on duty are very busy and work hard.  They are responsible for preparing the babies’ meals, feeding the babies, washing their clothes, changing their diapers and then spending some time with them.  That is a lot for two people to do for 10 babies.

During our morning visit, the music teacher came to visit the babies.  She made a point to visit and sing with each baby and play the tambourine or another instrument.  The caregivers use umbrella strollers as seats for the babies and they pushed the older babies into a circle around the music teacher who sang with to the babies and gave them rattles to play with.  All the babies except Alesho, seemed to like the attention she gave them.  Alma was fascinated as we sat and listened. 

After our afternoon visit, Ahz took us to a supermarket that was bigger than the grocery across the street, but smaller than a typical U.S. grocery store.  There were several shops above the grocery store including a baby store.  I was able to buy two warm blankets for Alma’s crib at this store and some socks.  I still haven’t been able to find a jacket with a hood for her.  They did have some snow suits, but they were either too big or too small. 

The pollution was very bad today.  Visibility was cut sharply due to the smog that was hanging over the city.   Ahz says the government is trying to get the factories to limit emissions, but who knows when that will happen.  Ahz says on days like today, it is common for folks to get headaches and be tired.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

When I arrived at Alma’s Baby Group rooms this morning, I found almost all the babies were crying.  Alma was sitting at the feeding table and she smiled when she saw me.  While changing her diaper and clothes, I had to run interference a couple of times for the babies in the play pin next to the changing table.  One of the larger baby boys was rolling on top of the smaller babies and kicking them.   Since he didn’t appear ready to stop any time soon, the caregivers put him in a crib on the other side of the room by himself.  He then proceeded to howl.  Although he wasn’t playing nice, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

While Alma and I were sitting in the other room playing, I noticed the caregivers kept taking one bundled baby at a time some where and then bringing them back a few minutes later.   Alla then came and took Alma.  The best I could tell from Alla’s sign gestures was that she was taking Alma to get her eyes examined.  I later found out all the children in the orphanage had their eyes examined with the older children given eye drops to dilate their pupils.   Needless to say, there were unhappy babies and children throughout the orphanage.

I tried to video Alma, but the crying in the background was so loud that I gave up.

When I came back this afternoon, the babies were still crying.  It seems the doctor’s visit had gotten the caregivers off schedule and they were late feeding most of the babies, who were not happy about it!  I also discovered that Alma had a slight runny nose and sounded a little congested.  Because there was no heat in the orphanage, we could not sit on the floor on blankets and play like we usually do.  I ended up holding her during our entire visit.  I was pleasantly surprised how good she was and content to be held and investigate what was in her diaper bag.

At the end of our visit I took her to the room where all the babies’ cribs are located.  My heart broke to see how bare their cribs are.  They have a thin sheet over a thin mattress and a dingy coverlet hanging over the side of the cribs.  There are no toys in the cribs, but the caregivers do give every baby a pacifier when they put them down for their naps. I was concerned about how cool their room was at 4pm and how much colder it would get during the night.  I wish I had brought some blanket style pajamas for Alma to sleep in.  

I asked Ahz why there wasn’t any heat and he said the utility that supplies heat to that region was doing maintenance and the orphanage would not have heat until Friday night.  The caregivers were trying to take some of the chill off by using two or three electric space heaters.  They also had the babies bundled up.  Everyone in Ust receives heat via pipes through which hot water and steam are piped from a central plant.  I’m sure Jim VanCoevering and Dan Waddle could explain the ins and outs of this type of system and it is very common in this part of Asia.  I had noticed before these huge pipes running above ground along side the road and it turns out these are the pipes through which the water and steam are delivered.  Once the central plant starts pumping hot water through the pipes, the orphanage will have plenty of heat.  Rooms are usually very warm with this type of heat.  I just don’t understand why this particular plant waited until now to do this maintenance when they know it starts getting cold mid-September and people will need heat.

After my afternoon visit with Alma, I went to the little Mall close to the hotel with Travis, Pam and Jackson.  While in the Mall, I came across a camping gear kiosk and found an air mattress and electric pump!  It cost about 8,000 Kazak Tenge or about $65.  It is worth every Tenge!  Ahz has agreed to store if for me between trips.

Every time I visit with Alma, I give her lots of raspberry kisses on her cheeks and neck.  She surprised me today by blowing raspberry kisses during both our visits!   After only 9 days, she is able mimic an action and sound she has seen and heard.  She looks adorable blowing raspberry kisses.  I am also learning my daughter can be very determined.  When she sees something that catches her interest, she concentrates until she reaches the item and thoroughly checks it out.  This usually means putting it in her mouth and tasting it!  Her favorite items are the tags on her blanket and toys and any item that is placed upon the bench that is next to where we play in the floor.   It looks like her new goal is to learn how to pull herself up to stand by holding on to the bench.  She likes trying that better than playing with her toys!  See the new picute I uploaded where she is checking out my camera case.

Alma demonstrates every day that she is a very strong baby with a lot of courage and spirit.  She is not a victim, but a survivor.  She may not have entered the world with lots of advantages, but she has survived everything that has come her way and will be stronger because of it.

Weather

The rainy season is beginning in Ust and it has rained the last two days and turned cooler.  The first week I was here the weather was in the mid 70s and bright and sunny.  There are lots of trees in Ust and their leaves are turning bright yellow and falling.  The flower gardens around the baby house are still in bloom and are very pretty.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Alma turned nine months old today!  To celebrate, she had a bottle during both her morning and afternoon visits with me.  She also marked this day with another milestone.  She sat up by herself at least 4 times!  While lying on her stomach, she pushes and maneuvers herself until she is sitting up. Yeahhhhhhhh!   She has gone from being barely able to sit upright without some assistance to being able to sit-up by her self in one week.  She is an amazing baby. 

Today’s Visit With Alma

When I arrived for our morning visit, Alma hadn’t been fed yet so I was able to feed her again.  She had the same porridge as she had Saturday morning followed by a cup of Kefir.  Like Saturday, she did not finish the Kefir and later spit some of it up.  At lunch time, I bought an electric tea kittle so I could boil water to sterilize her bottles as well as boil the bottled water that I will use to mix her formula.

When I went to visit Alma this afternoon, I took a bottle of formula with me.  She is fed just before our afternoon visit; therefore, I waited until our visit was almost over before trying to give her the bottle.  The good news is she drank 160 ml or about 5.5 ounces of the formula!  

Sight Seeing in Ust – Kamenogorsk

Ahz picked us up in front of our hotel Sunday morning at 9:45 am to go sight seeing.  He gave us a tour of the significant monuments located in Ust.  The first monument we visited was a memorial to the Kazak men and women who fought in the Afghanistan war while part of the Soviet Union from 1979 to 1989.  The monument was very regal and sits on the bank of the Irtysh River. Just like the Vietnam Memorial in D.C., this monument is made out of black marble and has the names of the service men and women from the Ust area who died in that war are engraved on it.  I’ve uploaded a picture of Ahz and the other American family who is here standing in front of the memorial.

While traveling to the World War II monument that was a few miles down the same street, we passed a very lovely children’s park that had all kinds of swings, slides, and other attractions that children would love.  Ahz told us this park was built by the President of Kazakhstan’s wife as a gift to the children of Ust.  We didn’t stop to get a closer look, but it looked like a place children and parents would enjoy.

The World War II memorial is located on the bank of the Irtysh River where the Irtysh meets another river.  The memorial is surrounded by a beautiful park that includes sidewalks running parallel to the river.  Along the walks include plaques every so many feet honoring Kazakhstan’s World War II heroes.  There are numerous rose gardens within the park and they were in full bloom the day we visited. 

The next monument we visited is also located along the bank of the Irtysh River and is not as grand as the previous two.  This monument was built many years ago when Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union and was built to honor and memorialize the Russian revolution of 1917.   

The last place we visited is called the Central Square Park and is located across from the Kazakhstan government building in Ust.  This is a beautiful park with numerous flower beds and a grand fountain in the center.  In the background are a masque and its spiral towers and the mountains.  There were lots of roses in bloom in the gardens and you could smell them as you walked along the paths.  I’ve uploaded a picture of this park as well.

There is another very nice park in walking distance from our hotel that has flower gardens, paved paths, fountains, statues of fairy tail characters and lots of trees and benches.  This park seems to be a favorite of the local residents as there are always lots of people in the park.

Impressions of Ust – Kamenogorsk

Ust is an industrial city and the main form of industry and employment are metal factories.  It is surrounded by un-forested hills and sits sort of in a bowl.  The locals claim the air is very polluted.  On Saturday, Ahz pointed out a hazy cloud hanging over the city.  He said the pollution was worse that day because the factories were not using any filters.  He thought it had something to do with the factories cleaning or changing the filters.  When Pamela asked whether the path that follows the Irtysh River would be a good place to run, both Ahz and Galina said no because the air in Ust is too polluted.  I have to admit that I can’t tell that the air is any more polluted than what you would find in a similar city in the U.S.  However, I have to admit I have not seen anyone walking or running for exercise since I have been here.  I think the main reason I haven’t seen anyone walking and running is because that form of exercise is not popular here.

Like most large cities, Ust has paved streets and sidewalks.  The main streets and avenues are in good shape while the side streets are full of pot holes.  You have to drive very slow and the ride is always bumpy.

Most people live in large high rise apartment buildings that are located all over the city.   Most of the buildings are older and have stucco or tile finishes on the outside. I think most of them appear a little drab and dreary because of the building materials that are used and everything is looks sort of gray and brown.  Only wealthy people can afford single family homes.  Although there are a few small houses on the outskirts of town as you come into the city from the airport.  There also seems to be lots of mounds of dirt everywhere.  I haven’t been able to figure out if there are lots of little construction projects or if they just don’t landscape after they finish a building. 

Ahz says the majority of families own at least one automobile.  While you see some Toyotas and Hondas, you mainly see small cars manufactured in Russia.  I have also observed that Kazak drivers like to play chicken and no one likes to yield the right of way to someone else.  Fortunately, someone usually does chicken out before an accident occurs.  I’ve shut my eyes several times as we came within inches of being hit or hitting someone else!

Drivers also do not yield to pedestrians!  You take your life into your own hands if you try crossing the street against the light.  While I haven’t seen any pedestrians hit, I’ve seen some close calls!

As I’ve mentioned previously, all the Kazaks I’ve met or encountered so far have been very polite and nice. 

It seems like I have been here longer than 1 week.  My sleep schedule is all out of whack and I can’t sleep longer than 3 consecutive hours. The bed in my hotel room is so hard it feels like I’m sleeping on the floor! My translator as well as my coordinator has asked the hotel twice to switch out the mattress, but instead they just added about  2 inches of padding down the middle of the bed, which helps only a little.  I am resigned to sleeping on it for the next two weeks.  I’m reminded of the saying that the “devil you know is sometimes better than the one you don’t”.   Since I can tolerate the mattress I have, I think I’ll stop trying to get another one, which could be worse than this one.   Who knows, I may even get use to a hard mattress! 

The care givers at the orphanage are more casual on Saturdays because the head doctor isn’t there.  The care giver who brought Alma to the Orphanage Director’s office on Monday was working today.  Her name is Alla and she is of Russian heritage.  Come to think about it, all of the care givers I have seen so far are of Russian heritage and not Kazak.   I’m not sure why that is the case.  Anyway,  Alla seems to be able to get Alma to laugh more than the others.  She makes some type of sound that is like a trigger for Alma start giggling and laughing. 

Alla also let me feed Alma twice today.  I have to say the experience was both nice and a little upsetting.  Her meal this morning was some type of porridge which she liked and she ate all of it.  When I tried feeding her the formula they give her called Kefir from a cup, she screamed.  Alla  then held her head and tried forcing the stuff down her.  She later spit some of it back up and did not finish all of it.  Her afternoon meal looked like a mix of mashed potatoes and some type of ground meat.  While the stuff didn’t look to appealing to me, she seemed to like it and ate all of it!  When I tried getting her to drink the Kefir this time, she did a better job, but she didn’t drink all of it and she spit some of it up again.  She also screamed again when Alla held her head to try and get her to drink more.  I know Alla’s intent was good and her main concern was getting the Kefir into Alma, but all the same, it was upsetting to watch.

Alla told the interpreter that Alma is not given any fruit other than green apples because the doctors think fruit or sweet things cause her to get a rash on her cheeks.   The Kefir is sour and I really don’t think Alma likes it, nor do I think her stomach tolerates it very well.  If what I observed today is how Alma normally eats, then I’m sure she is not eating and keeping enough of the Kefir down as she needs to grow and thrive. 

During the time I fed her, Alla fed two or three other babies.  They have this table that has three baby seats built into it.  The seats pull out and the babies are placed in the seat which then slides into the table.  They push the seats as close to the table as possible.  The care givers sometimes wrap a towel around the baby’s arms and tuck it in between the table and the baby so the baby can not move his/her arms while he/she is being fed.  They usually feed the babies while standing behind the baby, holding the baby’s head so it can’t move and then shoveling the food into the baby’s mouth as quickly as they can.  While this method works fine on the heartier babies and those that tolerate the Kefir better, it doesn’t seem to work well on Alma and one or two other little babies who spit up their food as well.  As I mentioned previously, everything is done in an assembly line fashion to ensure that every baby is fed.  While the process looks a little barbaric to me, the reality is they don’t have the staff to spend 15 minutes feeding each baby slowly while interacting with the baby. 

Alma’s baby group is supposed to move back to their original rooms in the next day or two.  Her group has been in temporary quarters with temporary care givers while their rooms are being renovated by their permanent care givers.  Once the babies move back to their permanent quarters, Galina is going to approach the person in charge of her permanent care givers about feeding Alma formula.  You may be wondering why it is such a big deal or so difficult to get them to start feeding Alma formula that I will provide, but this is an institution with a system and they really think the Kefir is adequate for all babies.   I think the orphanage diet may also be dictated and controlled by a government ministry.   While I can appreciate they don’t have the resources to provide a customized diet for every child, it will not stop me from trying to find a way to get them to make an exception for Alma.

Once Alma is back with her permanent care givers, I will also have an opportunity to see if she has formed an attachment with one of them.  If she has, it will be easier for her to eventually form one with me.

I also think I’ve been stressing myself (and maybe Alma) a little by thinking every minute I spend with her I must do something that either stimulates her mind and muscles or helps her build an attachment to me.  I decided after I left her this afternoon that going forward I’m going to just enjoy being with her and we don’t have to accomplish anything right now.  I’ll just play with her some and let her play with some of the toys I brought.  I’ll try and get her to sit up on her own for a few minutes as well as let her try standing, but not a lot of time.  She is much more comfortable lying on her stomach than any other position.  As to the attachment, I think she is beginning to recognize me, but I’m really not spending enough time with her for her to form a strong attachment now.  I need to remember she will build an attachment to me once we get home and keep everything in perspective.   I also don’t think I can expect too much from her physically (sitting, standing, crawling) because I just don’t think she has lots of extra energy.

I am also going to continue giving her a jar of fruit each time I visit until she starts receiving formula.  She really likes the fruit and is eating more each time I visit.

The orphanage does not allow visitors on Sundays and Ahz has agreed to pick the other family and me up tomorrow morning and take us sight seeing for a couple of hours.  It will be nice to see some different areas of Ust.

I can already see some improvements after four days.  Alma is sitting up better and she can now pull herself into a sitting position while holding my hands and then into a standing position.  Her legs are very weak, but she is starting to pull herself up next to a table and stand on her legs a little.  I don’t think she has ever gotten to touch her naked toes before, so I take her feet out of her sleeper and massage them and tickle her head with them. Since she smiles and giggles when I do that, I assume she likes it.  She also likes it when I give her raspberry kisses!

Alma is also making more noises and sounds.  When I’m with her, I try to talk just about the entire time because the care givers do not talk one-on-one with the babies very much. I also try to touch and hug her a lot while she plays with her toys.

The other single mom, Marianne,  was visiting with her son Dillon while I was visiting with Alma yesterday afternoon.  Alma crawled and rolled her way to his blanket to play with some of his toys.  Both Alma and Dillon were very excited when they saw each other and seem to interact well with each other.  They both made noises and moved towards each other.  I think this is probably because the babies spend lots of time together in play pens.  There are two large play pens in the baby room. Between feedings, naps and the small amount of time they spend individually with care takers and in walkers, the babies are in the play pens together.  There are usually about 3 to 4 babies in a play pen at a time.

While watching the babies in the play pens, you can observe some of the actions common to babies living in an orphanage.  Most of the babies lie on their stomachs and will get on their hands and knees and rock.  Those that are able to sit up by their selves will also rock back and forth.  They all seem to watch intently when someone comes into the room. I’m not sure if it is because there is very little other stimulation they are receiving or because they are hoping someone will pick them up or touch them.  I try to make a point of talking to and touching each baby when I pick Alma up for our visit as well as when I return her.

I don’t mean to give the impression that the care givers are negligent or uncaring, because they are not.  The problem is there are about 3 caregivers per shift for about 12 babies and that really limits the amount of time and attention they can give each baby.  It also looks like they do things sort of assembly line and on a fixed schedule.  One care giver will feed the babies while another is bathing them and another is doing something else (they wash the babies’ clothes and prepare their food, etc).

This seems to leave them with little time to pickup the babies and play with them.  It also seems the more demanding or favorite babies get more attention.  There is one little boy whose mother has placed him in the orphanage temporarily because she can not support him.  He is a beautiful and happy baby and the care givers seem to pick him up and hold him more than the other babies.

There are many beautiful babies here and hopefully all of them will be adopted soon. 

Other Adopting Families

Marianne obtains custody of Dillon and Misty and Matt obtain custody of Suzy tomorrow. They are all flying to Almaty where they will finish waiting for all their paperwork to be completed.  They don’t expect to be able to leave until the first of October at which time they will have been in Kazakhstan 2 months.   They went to court today to obtain their children’s birth certificates.  I hope the remainder of their stay in Kazakhstan goes better than their last few weeks in Ust.

A new family from Martha’s Vineyard arrived today.  Their names are Pamela and Travis and their 4 year-old son Jackson is with them.  They are adopting an 18 month old little boy whose name is Maxim who was given up for adoption by his mother less than a year ago.   I took them to lunch at the little pizza place that Marianne, Misty and Matt and taken me a couple of nights ago and showed them where the shopping mall (not quite like the Mall’s in the U.S. but ok) and park are located.  I also passed on some of the information that Marianne, Misty and Matt had shared with me.

I went to the grocery store with Marianne this evening to help her buy formula and food for her trip tomorrow.  While in the store, we met some very nice people.  All of the labels on the baby products are in Russian and none of the store clerks speak English.  Two very nice ladies who speak English came to our rescue and translated for us.  We were able to find some very good formula made by Nestle.  It turns out one of the ladies works for AES (a U.S. based electric company IPD has worked with in the past) in Ust.  On the way out of the store, two young women who were giving away promotional information for Nestle wouldn’t let us leave the store until they gave us a small promotional gift.  They searched until they found another lady who spoke English who could interpret.  It turns out her husband is American who came to Ust to work on a U.S. government project, fell in love and stayed.  It is encouraging to find so many people who are friendly and kind to Americans.

That’s it for today.  I’ll post another update in a couple of days.