At the zoo!
The steps are bigger than our little guy!
Roman lovin' the swing!
Okay, so he LOVES the sprinkler!
Isaac isn't sure he wants to get close~
Isaac standing back watching his big brother indulging! Should I try it?
The typical after dinner giggles and lovin'
The indoor shower (necessary this day for particular reasons) was a lot more fun. So today I took the boys to the park so that they could swing there. We have swings here, but I do like the walking part, it takes longer, and we all get more exercise that way (even though I pulled them in the wagon). So, today I am pushing them, and they are requesting that I push them higher. So as I start to push them higher (once again), Roman says to Isaac. "Hold on tight, Isaac. Hold on tight. Yes, mamma? Yes, mamma? -pause- Spaseba Isaac! " So Roman decided to give instruction to Isaac to hold on, then he made sure that Isaac knew and responded to his instruction, hence the Yes, mamma? (which is what I say that they have to respond to when they are being given an instruction), and then Roman added a thank you for Isaac~~how sweet! I just listened to him as I was alternating pushing them higher. Quite impressed that Roman was looking out for his little brother.
That reminds me~~we went to the park last night too, and I hadn't been planning on it, and didn't have as much time, so I took a shortcut which meant I was pulling them down a hill (actually trying to prevent the wagon from getting away from me on the way down) and then pulling them up another. It was obviously a bit of an effort both ways on this part of our walk to the park, and Roman noticed. Out of the blue, Roman says "Strong boy, Mamma! Strong boy!" I guess he was trying to compliment me? Very impressed that he noticed~~I could've done without the 'boy' part though. hehe
We took them to the DDS on Monday morning. Roman did fantastic with the hygeinist, and then with the DDS. I can't say the Isaac warmed up to them easily. We did what we could. The one thing that was great was that the DDS was able to check them both out, and their teeth look great! I have to say that we owe that one to the orphanage where they were fed really healthy food so their teeth are in great shape. AND, Diester is really good about making sure their teeth are brushed after every meal when we are home. So, between the two we are very blessed that they have good teeth. Now, we just have to keep them that way.
Praise God!
I will try to add some pictures on here in just a bit. Our neighbor says they have grown so much since we have gotten them home. I guess I haven't noticed, since it has happened right under my nose. He loves seeing these little guys out and about, and is impressed with their dexterity.
Oh today it was so funny! We were talking, and I said to Roman. Your name is Roman Andre Diesterhaft~you know, trying to teach them their names~and then I said to Isaac, you are Isaac Artem (sounds like Artchyom) Diesterhaft. Hannah then asks Isaac, "Do you remember being called Artem?" and Isaac responds saying "Arrrr-chyoo" as if saying it in a sneeze. And then he did it again, "Arrrr-chyoo! Oh my gosh! Talk about funny! I am thinking the new name we have given him is sticking, you think? He thinks of his old name as a sneeze!
The girls are falling in love with their little brothers. It is such a blessing to see them enjoy these little guys so much. We have been really careful about what we let the girls do. They don't feed them, bathe them, change their clothes, change the diapers, etc. It has been very important that Diester and I do all of the personal things, and the girls are allowed to play with them. It has worked very well. Now, we are having to kind of encourage the boys to greet and be nice to the girls. That is not fun~to think that they are getting so attached to us that they don't want to greet them. Other than that, they will interact with the girls okay. But these little guys are so cute and fun that it is hard not to fall in love with them.
I had a woman come the other day from First Steps (a program to help if a child is not developing very well) to talk with me about possibly having Isaac evaluated, and while she was here, she got to see me interacting with Isaac; and as she was leaving, she said, "It's seems like you have had him all of his life. I am reallly suprised he is doing so well for such a short time of having him." Well, my heart was touched. It is nice to see someone from the outside look in, and share what she sees from her experience in the field with children. What another blessing!
We do have our moments. We are not perfect, and we continually work on their character and behaviour, and learn how we should be doing things better. Roman does like to try and distract us when he has done something that he should not have done. It is not something that I fall for anymore. Roman does like to touch the computer and the CD player when no one is looking. He does not like to get caught. Isaac is a real poke when it comes to cleaning up, so we have to help speed him up. As you can see, they are adjusting well, with a few 'normal child' issues. I have always had to remind myself with the girls, and now with the boys that if they were perfect, they would not need me. We are needy people, aren't we? I know that I could never make it without help from our Father.
Okay, you want to hear a funny? We were looking for some 'Russian' songs online for the boys to listen to. Mallory finds one that we know that Roman knows. He has sung it before. So, she plays that, and then she is hunting for another one or two. Well, we found one that the boys liked a lot. So Mallory would play it over and over again. I thought I would ask the missionary (Iris :-) ) to translate it for us so that we know what the words are meaning, and then we could learn it with the boys. In the meantime, Mallory found a Google translator, and we got the translation for the song on our own. So here is what the gist of the song is: Life is merry in the city with vodka and marajuana, chunga chunga! OH MY GOSH! We are letting them listen to this??????? Seriously, there is a cute little cartoon with it and everything! ! ! Seriously! ! ! We have decided not to let them continue learning it or listen to it. :-) And, I don't think I will ask Iris to translate it for me.
On to other things~~The boys decided to jump on Roman's bed just a few minutes ago. I went back to check on them, and they were taking their shoes off. I asked them what they were doing, and Roman said "JUMP". I let them jump. Normally they are really pretty safe, and it is a way for them to get their energy out. So, I was not surprised they were going to jump. What surprised me was that they thought enough to take their shoes off before they jumped. What sweeties! So they both took their shoes off, and in just a few moments, Isaac jumped and hit his head and needed some loving, but then he was back at it.
They are really starting to play together, and I think they will certainly get into trouble together as time goes on. Roman has already convinced Isaac (by moving Isaac's arm closer) to touch the buttons on the CD player when they both knew they that it is a no-no. Life is fun with these two little guys! I am enjoying so much of their play, and just observing what happens when their minds start to imagine, or ponder, or plan, or scheme. We'll watch as life unfolds.
A moment with Dad holding Isaac (such a cuddly little guy!)
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