3.02.2005
Day 16
Oh boy…today was a doozy. It felt like a crash course in parenting!
We had their schedules from the babyhouse, but we could have chucked them right out the window. Paige was sick as a dog, coughing and sneezing all day, and her chest sounded horrible. Never thought we’d use that little syringe thing, but it came in real handy to clean her runny nose. (Thanks Lee-Anne!) Paige was miserable all day, and if she fell asleep, it was only for ½ hour, then she’d be up again fussing and crying.
Justin held his own, walking around the apartment in his walker, getting his little hands on anything within reach. We tried a stern “no” with him a few times when he was getting into the television wires, and we were amazed that he seemed to get it. Didn’t stop him though…he did the classic, “look at me, I’m touching them again, are you going to yell?” We’re so, so pleased with his progress after only one day with us…he’s really blossoming, mimicking sounds we would make, talking to himself in the mirror.
Late in the day Rob went out with Emil to bring our disk to the photo store to make prints of our digital photos for the Judge, and to pick up a few things at the store. He took Justin with him…thought he would like a little adventure. After about an hour and a half, Chris could hear Justin crying out in the stairway. He was okay through most of their trip, seriously observing all that was going on around him, but he didn’t like the car ride. We’re guessing that he may have thought he was going back to the baby house, but we’re really not sure.
This was where it gets good…Justin couldn’t stop crying, and of course Paige was in the middle of her own crying jag. Chris hadn’t had a shower (because it’s still broken) and was still in her pajamas, looking like death warmed over. When she opened the apartment door to let Rob and Justin in, who’s with them but Emil! He always insists on helping carry groceries up the five floors! Chris dashed into the other room and Emil swears he didn’t see her! He was probably thinking, “boy, she doesn’t care at all about her appearance when she doesn’t go out.” Anyway, Rob decided to buy a chicken at the grocery store. When they got it home, it smelled rancid, so Emil and Rob had to go back for an exchange, leaving Chris standing there with two babies screaming at the top of their lungs. She almost lost it, but got creative and put Paige in the snugli and handed Justin a Pepperidge Farm goldfish and quickly prepared his dinner. Paige quieted right down as she watched Chris feed her brother his dinner.
When Rob got back he said that Emil told the manager of the supermarket that the chicken was bad, so the manager agreed to exchange it. But then Emil said, “no, this is an American and he’s not going to come back to a store that sells bad chicken,” to which the manager asked, “if I give you my personal guarantee that you will always have the freshest chicken, will you still shop here?” Of course this whole conversation was going on in Russian and Rob was standing there wondering what the heck was going on. Anyway, Rob came home with a plump, fresh chicken, roasted it up and he and Justin shared the bird.
Justin has been going down for bed with no trouble. Paige, on the other hand, was still squirming, and crying and could not relax or get comfortable. We broke out the baby Tylenol, and Chris sat in the bathroom and let the broken shower hose run hot water to get some steam going. At about 1:00 am, she finally settled down and fell asleep. She woke up several times throughout the night, but fortunately fell back asleep without incident.
It was a rough day, but we got through it! Unfortunately, no time to take pictures, except for just one, of Justin on the potty. He didn’t do anything, but didn’t fight it either. I guess they have them pretty well trained at the baby house. The worrisome part is that there wasn’t a free moment to practice our speeches, and court is only two days away!!
We had their schedules from the babyhouse, but we could have chucked them right out the window. Paige was sick as a dog, coughing and sneezing all day, and her chest sounded horrible. Never thought we’d use that little syringe thing, but it came in real handy to clean her runny nose. (Thanks Lee-Anne!) Paige was miserable all day, and if she fell asleep, it was only for ½ hour, then she’d be up again fussing and crying.
Justin held his own, walking around the apartment in his walker, getting his little hands on anything within reach. We tried a stern “no” with him a few times when he was getting into the television wires, and we were amazed that he seemed to get it. Didn’t stop him though…he did the classic, “look at me, I’m touching them again, are you going to yell?” We’re so, so pleased with his progress after only one day with us…he’s really blossoming, mimicking sounds we would make, talking to himself in the mirror.
Late in the day Rob went out with Emil to bring our disk to the photo store to make prints of our digital photos for the Judge, and to pick up a few things at the store. He took Justin with him…thought he would like a little adventure. After about an hour and a half, Chris could hear Justin crying out in the stairway. He was okay through most of their trip, seriously observing all that was going on around him, but he didn’t like the car ride. We’re guessing that he may have thought he was going back to the baby house, but we’re really not sure.
This was where it gets good…Justin couldn’t stop crying, and of course Paige was in the middle of her own crying jag. Chris hadn’t had a shower (because it’s still broken) and was still in her pajamas, looking like death warmed over. When she opened the apartment door to let Rob and Justin in, who’s with them but Emil! He always insists on helping carry groceries up the five floors! Chris dashed into the other room and Emil swears he didn’t see her! He was probably thinking, “boy, she doesn’t care at all about her appearance when she doesn’t go out.” Anyway, Rob decided to buy a chicken at the grocery store. When they got it home, it smelled rancid, so Emil and Rob had to go back for an exchange, leaving Chris standing there with two babies screaming at the top of their lungs. She almost lost it, but got creative and put Paige in the snugli and handed Justin a Pepperidge Farm goldfish and quickly prepared his dinner. Paige quieted right down as she watched Chris feed her brother his dinner.
When Rob got back he said that Emil told the manager of the supermarket that the chicken was bad, so the manager agreed to exchange it. But then Emil said, “no, this is an American and he’s not going to come back to a store that sells bad chicken,” to which the manager asked, “if I give you my personal guarantee that you will always have the freshest chicken, will you still shop here?” Of course this whole conversation was going on in Russian and Rob was standing there wondering what the heck was going on. Anyway, Rob came home with a plump, fresh chicken, roasted it up and he and Justin shared the bird.
Justin has been going down for bed with no trouble. Paige, on the other hand, was still squirming, and crying and could not relax or get comfortable. We broke out the baby Tylenol, and Chris sat in the bathroom and let the broken shower hose run hot water to get some steam going. At about 1:00 am, she finally settled down and fell asleep. She woke up several times throughout the night, but fortunately fell back asleep without incident.
It was a rough day, but we got through it! Unfortunately, no time to take pictures, except for just one, of Justin on the potty. He didn’t do anything, but didn’t fight it either. I guess they have them pretty well trained at the baby house. The worrisome part is that there wasn’t a free moment to practice our speeches, and court is only two days away!!
# posted by kaztree @ 3:05 PM 
