Yarek sick?

We don't know if he really is sick yet, but how long does it take to contract mono?  He's only been in school one week and they now require kids to get mono vaccinations before 7th grade.  If he's still tired tonight, we'll take him to the doctor tomorrow.

I think he's just mad at us for not letting him sit in front of the TV and watch Sponge Bob all night.

Natalie

TX

I don't want to go to school today!

TaxCredit

First things first, please call your congressman/woman and tell them not to let the Adoption Tax Credit expire in 2010.  I doubt we could've adopted Yarek without it.  

As soon as I picked Yarek up from school yesterday he said he was tired ("Ya oo-stahl.").  He didn't even want to walk the dogs over to the pond for a swim.  So, I saddled all the dogs up and just as I was ready to leave, he decided he really did want to walk over there with me.  It takes about 15 minutes round trip to/from the pond and we spent about another 15 minutes there throwing sticks for Goofy, keeping Nala from trying to follow him into the pond (due to the mud at the edge, she gets her bad back legs stuck there all the time), and keeping Miko and Squirty from trying to wander off.

As we were walking back home, Yarek was in front with Miko and Squirt.  Goofy, Nala and I kept catching up to him, so I told him to walk faster.  We needed to get back to the house so that we could take Y for a competitive soccer tryout.  Y again said he was tired.  So, he ate dinner, and said he was tired again.  I decided it wouldn't do anyone any good to make him go to tryouts when he was tired.  I told Y if he really was tired, then go to bed!  This seemed to be a novel concept to him.   Even though it was only 5pm, he said, "Okay," and went upstairs to bed.  About thirty minutes later N called to ask if he wanted to go the library with her and her mother.  I hated to tell her he was already asleep, she seemed so disappointed.

We kept checking on him throughout the night, but he slept from about 5pm until 6:30am the next morning.  He may have gotten up after 11pm when I went to bed, but he was sound asleep at 3am when I checked on him.  He was still in bed at 6:30am when I went to wake him up for school.

His response, "Ya nee ha-choo!" (I don't want)  My response, "Tee bo-len?" (Are you sick?).  He said no, but I checked his forehead anyways.   No fever there.  I told him we had to leave in fifteen minutes, so he got up and got dressed.  When I got downstairs he was sitting at the kitchen table with his head on the table, trying to sleep some more.  Again, he told me he didn't want to go to school.  I wonder if someone pulled an April Fool's Day joke on him yesterday?

But, he did get in the car and pouted the whole way there.  I didn't even get a kiss goodbye.  We'll see if he's too tired to go to gymnastics after school today. 

Natalie

TX

Getting Lost on the Way to a Friends House

Had a quick little scare here tonight.  Y's friend N (who lives about a mile away in our neighborhood) called and asked if he could come over to play.  N and her mother are Ukrainian by birth and both speak fluent Russian and English.  I told her he would come over by himself on his bike.  He's been to their house two times before and he and I have often ridden past it on our bike rides with the dogs.

Ten minutes after he left, N was knocking on our door.  She had ridden over on her scooter with her dog Spot.  No Y.  She said she was going to meet him along the way, but she didn't see him.  Oh no!  

I hopped on my bike and followed N back to her house.  Y was waiting in the driveway quite winded.  He forgot the shortcut and took the long way there.  The shortcut takes about 8 minutes of normal biking and the long way takes over 15 minutes at a quick speed.  I then called Bill to tell him Y was okay and then I told Yarek (and N) to call us when he was ready to come home so that we could pick him up.  If he gets lost in the daylight, I don't want him trying to get home alone in the dark.

Natalie

TX

Help; Bad Ending to a Good Day

What is it about my washing Y's clothes that he is so against?  Literally, he tried to rip his dirty socks out of my hands tonight when I took them for the laundry.  Does he think I'm not going to give it back after it's clean?  How does he think his clothes magically appear back in his bedroom, clean and folded, after each time I take them away to wash them?  Bill says he will show Yarek how to use the washing machine tomorrow.  I'm still not sure Bill knows what to do with a washing machine after 13 years together, and he's going to teach Y?  Good luck.

I wish he would teach him how to load the dishwasher, too.  Oh, wait a minute, Bill really doesn't know how to do that properly either.  We've had "agreements to disagree" for over a decade now over how to load the dishwasher for proper cleaning and maximum capacity.

At least Bill knows how to cook.

Personally, we've had a hard enough time teaching Y that it is his responsibility to check the dog's and cat's water bowls and food bowls each morning and fill them as necessary (4 dogs + 2 cats means this is necessary every morning), as well as teach him that walking the dogs every day is not an option, it's necessary.  The only time they don't get walked is in pouring rain.  For that we have a treadmill.  I'm not sure he could handle another "responsibility" at this point, and Bill isn't always the type to hover nearby and make sure things are done properly and even done at all.

I told Bill that if I hadn't had 15 loads of laundry waiting for me (literally, 15 loads) when I got back after my 6.5 week "vacation," that I wouldn't be feeling so overwhelmed with housework right now.  Luckily, I still have the job of cleaning the cat litter boxes out.  Seems I can't farm that job out to anyone.  

Also, how do/did y'all handle the fifty questions, as I call it?  You know, the fifty million times he's asked the same question in Russian and pidgin English - Can I have a video game?  Can you buy it now?  etc?  Each time, both Bill and I have answered, "No."  Only once did I say, "When you can ask for it in English," because I was tired of saying "No," all day every day.  He figured that one out really quick, and now he asks, "Mama, please game," or "Mama, please video!"  Every day.  At least ten times a day; and each time it's, "No."  I told him he needs to ask in a complete sentence, i.e. - "Mama, may I please have a video game?"  He doesn't understand that not only can we not afford to buy a game system right now, we don't think it would be good for him to play video games when he should be doing homework or walking the dogs or some other activity that requires physical movement, preferably outside.

If/when we do decide to get him a game system, do y'all recommend one system over another?  Are there games that could maybe help him with his English or learning something and not just destroying things and being violent?  I'm sure that whenever we get him a game system the games we purchase will be "not okay" very quickly.  He seems to think he's getting Grand Theft Auto or some such thing.  Not in my house.  At least not until he can buy it with his own money.

The worst part is that answering the same question the same way several times in a row just irks the crap out of me.  If I told you "No," the last ten times, what makes you think I'll change my mind ten minutes later?  I know he's just testing me but when he asks just one too many times I bark "No!  Now quit asking me!" and he just shuts down.  I hate being the bad guy, but even my dogs stop begging after five minutes of not getting what they want.  Too bad kids can't be the same.  Y thought he was being slick yesterday.  Bill and I were both in the same room.  He started the fifty questions with me, got fifty "No," answers, so he turned to Bill and asked him.  Even though Y asked in Russian, Bill caught on that it was the same question, so he, too, answered, "No."  The third time Y asked Bill, he got a barked, "No," from both of us, hence the immediate shut down.  At least his shut downs are not lasting as long, or maybe I'm just ignoring them sooner.

Please feel free to leave comments or email me at adoptyaroslav@yahoo.com

Natalie

TX

NHRA Race Day Star!

We woke up early today and took Y to his first ever NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Drag Racing at Raceway Park in Baytown, TX.  We only spent about 6 hours because everyone was so tired.  It started out quite chilly (t-shirt, sweatshirt, jacket & you're still cold chilly) but quickly warmed up to over 75 degrees once the sun decided to show up.  We got to the race track right about 8 am, we even got a front row parking spot for a quick exit later.  Bill and I have never gotten there that early before.  We always arrive just before the first group of top fuel dragsters start racing.

Today was different.  First thing, we had to buy three tickets ; ), and we were early enough to watch NHRA Race Day being taped live for a 10 am CDT airing.  They hand out a few signs to people in the audience to write their messages on, and Bill got one for Y.  I wrote on it, 

"Y's 1st NHRA Race."  Bill went up and spoke to one of the hosts of the show (they're awesome, by the way, even nicer than they seem on TV) and told him Y had only been here for about a week and it was his first race, could we get autographs after the program.  They said sure.  Apparently they even pointed us out to the guy running the overhead crowd camera.  We called all the Babushkas and Dyedushkas before taping began to tell them to tune in to ESPN2 at 10 am or 11 am as appropriate.  Good thing we already had our DVR set to tape the program.  Now, I just have to figure out how to copy it from our DVR onto the computer so that I can upload it to the blog.

My mom called while we were still at drag racing to tell us she had just watched the program (my mother does not tune in to any ESPN program unless the Penguins or Steelers are playing).  About ten minutes in, our smiling mugs filled the whole screen with Y holding up his sign, Bill on one side and me on the other.  The announcer even said that Y came from Ukraine and had only been in the USA for about a week, and that this was his first race.  Cool, huh!?!

Unfortunately we did not get too see very much racing due to numerous oil leaks and one explosion.  Y was getting both tired and bored, so we decided to go home a little before 2pm.  Bill was tired, too and pulled over about 30 minutes from home and switched seats so that I could drive.  I can count on two fingers the number of times Bill's done that before.

That's okay, we'll just watch it on TV later this evening.  Our puppies were quite happy that we got home early.  Goofy was so happy, that ten minutes after we put him in the back yard, he was pawing at the front door asking to be let inside.   That dog is so "goofy" that even when he escapes from the yard, he doesn't run away, he just comes around the house to the front porch and "knocks" on the front door.  Squirt doesn't leave the back yard at all - even if the gate is wide open.  Miko and Nala Bear are two different stories, though.  Nala just can't go that far, but if given enough time, she will find her way across the street to visit with the neighbors two min-pins and their horse.  Miko, well, he's just a dweebie.  He goes and visits everyone.  It usually takes him ten to fifteen minutes to get home after being called.  He has to sniff every blade of grass on the way home, too.

All in all, a pleasant day and Y got a good dose of vitamin D to boot.

Hope y'all enjoy your day.

Natalie

TX

First Day of School

Y was up immediately this morning at 6am when I awoke him for school.  He had no problems going to sleep last night, either (other than the standard - "Oh, just five more minutes, please!!").  I was the one up until 2am online reading the schools' dress code.  Way too restrictive, if you ask me.  Nothing to do with clothes, other than you need to cover your midriff at all times and you can't wear anything offensive.  However, boys hair may not touch their shirt collar and they may not wear anything in their hair at any time other than hair gel.  Ridiculous, if you ask me.  They don't restrict the girls from having short hair.  No blue or pink hair either, it has to be 'a natural hair color.'  I really don't care what color my kids' hair is. Also, no body piercing (still okay with me), but girls can have earrings - boys no.  Just from my quick reading they're very conservative and strict with the boys but nothing much mentioned about the girls.  Y's hair just barely passes the test, as long as he wears t-shirts and not dress shirts.  My theory is if a kid can express their personality with blue or purple hair, down to their waist and an earring or two, then maybe they won't need to rebel with any substances they shouldn't be ingesting or doing things they shouldn't be doing.  Pick your battles, and hair is not high on my list.

After getting up at that awfully early hour (yes, I could've already had a half hour or more of work under my belt if I wasn't on 'maternity' leave), Y showered, dressed and made himself some breakfast.  A bowl of cereal to be exact.  A little bass-akwards, though.  He filled the bowl with milk and then tried to put the cereal in.  So, a lesson in how to make a bowl of cereal at 6:30am.  That was about as much as I could handle at that point.  We decided to drive him to school for now.  He has to take one bus in the morning (that comes around 6am - school is 10 minutes away and begins at 7:25am) and another one home in the afternoon.  We just thought the two bus numbers would be a little too much adjustment right now.  Maybe next week we'll do the bus thingy.

We got him there and registered and everything.  We need to get his shot record translated asap even though the doctor started him on all the booster shots he needs at this age, anyways.  Most of the ESL kids were taking tests this morning, so they paired Y up with another boy named Eric who speaks only slightly more English than Y does, but he at least knows where to go for each class.  Every day Y will have math, keyboarding (typewriting for you old folks), two ESL classes, TX history, science and phys ed.  They wrote a note on his schedule that he needs to be escorted from class to class and that he has permission to carry his backpack around all day until he is assigned a locker.  After that, he will only be allowed to carry his backpack to and from school and he must store it in his locker during the school day, only carrying the required book to/from class.  

His work sheets are interesting.  They are in English/Spanish with the Spanish crossed out and handwritten Russian above it.  The teacher says they have an online service they use for translations, but that morning she wasn't sure that it did Russian.  I told her to try www.rustran.com since that's what we use in an emergency at home.

School was over too soon, if you ask me.  I had barely gotten back home and back into bed when it seemed I had to think about getting ready to pick Y up.  Boy did it feel good to get a three hour nap in while he was at school.  Of course, I accomplished nothing else today, other than a trip to Academy to pick up some gym clothes.  He needs extras for gym and for gymnastics each week.  I haven't even thought about soccer clothes yet.  Gotta go check on soccer registration right now.

Natalie

TX 

Mr Sulky

I can't wait till Y goes to school tomorrow.  He has been Mr Sulky every time he doesn't get what he wants.

Oh, you mean you're not going to buy me a Sony Playstation portable the second we hit US soil? - Sulk for four hours on plane.

Oh, you mean you're not going to buy me any video game until I can ask for it in English? - Sulk for three or four hours at home.

Oh, you mean we have to leave my friends' house four hours after we arrived for a visit (two days after international travel)? - Sulk for an hour on the ride home and then sulk for another hour or two at home.

Oh, you mean we only have one TV and I can't watch whatever I want whenever I want, all day long? - Sulk for at least two hours daily.

Oh, you mean I have to leave the house because you have to go somewhere and I can't stay here by myself? - Sulk for an hour in the car.

Oh, you mean I have to wait for the doctor to be ready to see me so I can get my immunizations up to date so that I can attend school tomorrow? - Sulk for two hours in the doctors' office.

Oh, you mean I have to eat my vegetables and can't just pick the meat and pasta out of the bowl? - Sulk until I decide to go back for seconds because the veggies were so good.

Oh, you mean I can't immediately start jumping on trampolines since you just signed me up for gymnastics because the gym owners said no? - Sulk for three hours at home.

Oh, you mean I can't call my friends in Ukraine because it's 3am there? - Sulk till I get up in the morning.

Oh, you mean I can't wash my favorite green sweater by hand because you actually have a washing machine and dryer that can do the same job better and quicker? - Sulk for at least two hours.

I could go on and on, but I am really tired and ready for this adjusting period to be over with.  I swear I've said, "No," and "Stop!" more times in the past week than I have in my entire life.  Well, okay, so maybe I said, "No," more often when I was two years old, but not since then.

Natalie

TX