The Cluttered Pantry

They told us the girls would gain weight quickly and make up for lost time. I had no doubt, but never expected the first week to result in so much of a weight gain for each girl! Elena has gained a few ounces more than a pound and Zhanna has gained a pound and a half!  Geez, that is close to 5% of their total body weight.

The increase finally tossed both girls onto those growth charts we’ve been fretting over since we got the medical information that came with the referrals for the girls. They are just barely on the charts now, but at this stage every positive move is such a huge relief that we’ll happily celebrate it.

We survived the blood draws and TB test yesterday (the girls we’re wiped out after all that stress and took five hour naps, and  to be certain both Mark and I  could have used a stiff drink after having held down frightened screaming little girls while it was all hapening, but it is over…) we’ll get test results next week, but the great news is that the girls are putting on weight quickly and continue to eat sweet potatoes and peas and other veggies like they might be discontinued at any moment.

Both girls are doing great. We’re settling into a comfortable routine that even includes some real sleep for the mommy and daddy:

Zhanna loves music. She figured out the harmonica today and sings little songs in Russian to us all the time. Unlike her mommy she seems to have the ability to keep a beat and loves to dance to any music we play for her.

Early this evening she and Mark spent some really nice time together, Zhanna learning to strum the guitar and then Mark playing songs for her to dance to.

Elena and I have found a new game that involves emptying and refilling a bag of cotton balls. Who knew that $1.25 of beauty supplies would be our favorite thing! Both girls like to pretend that every day things are happening, they make a big show of playing bath time sitting in the bin we have in their playroom to hold balls, and they spend a lot of time playing cooking and eating.  Oddly enough this play includes talking on cell phones…we can only guess that the care givers at the baby home were “keeping in touch” with the outside world on a pretty regular basis.

Time to go figure out what to make for dinner. Surely they are getting tired of the sweet potatoes- I know, I know, stop calling you Shirley…

Here’s some new pics to keep you smiling. 

Popularity: -0%