ALL ALONE!

Today I am ALONE with the girls.

Mike left this morning for an afternoon flight home. I headed to the orphanage by myself. For my first and only visit with them alone (my parents come tomorrow). Wow, it was exhausting and certainly gave me a taste of what life is going to be like.

Masha only wants to be held and held in a certain way or she fusses and cries. Dasha does not want to stop moving for a second. So, by the end of the visit I was soaking with sweat. Sweat running down my back, my hair was an absolute mess; my tee shirt was wet with sweat, snot and drool. It was a mess. But a fun mess and I did it!

Running after D and trying to contain her and pick her up while holding M is going to have to become an art form that I will master. Thankfully every time a worker or caregiver came through the room it looked like I had somewhat of control over the situation. Most of the times I was holding both and either standing and bouncing with them or sitting and rocking them. Sometimes I was holding M with one arm walking D around the room. I was so happy that the moments where D was putting the disgusting metal doorstop in her mouth or rolling on the ground, or the time M was screaming her head off because I put her down for a second to make sure D did not tip over an entire table full of potted plants were not seen by the staff. Of course once I brought the girls back to their group and everyone saw my frazzled expression and soaked clothing I am sure they knew how the visit went. It was a blast.

I came back and ate lunch at the hotel. Then I went walking searching for the baby store that I remember passing in the car around the other hotel. It wasn’t difficult to find them. There are 4 baby stores 2 blocks away from Hotel Volga. I bought pacifiers for the girls in hopes that M will use one instead of chewing on her tongue and cheeks as she does now. I am looking for cute Russian kids clothes. Something with Russian writing or words on it. Something special that I cannot find in the states but I haven’t been able to find anything. Everything is in English, like it is so cool her in Russia to have English on your clothes!

Back in the hotel I was pooped. I watched 2 DVD’s on my computer ate bread and peanut butter with fruit for dinner in my room and relaxed. It was really nice to be on my own for a little while and I was happy to have the time to recoup before my parents get here tomorrow. I cannot wait to show them around.