Wednesday, August 12, 2009

(Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions on toys and how to make Alina feel better about not seeing me for a few days. The three day absence will not happen again since we have a visitation plan figured out.)
Today’s visit was much better than Monday. Alina ran to me with open arms and a smile on her face. She was glad to see me and I was glad to see her. Monday’s shenanigans were gone and the cute little stubborn imp I know was back to her old self. Juice and snacks were consumed, toys taken out of the toy bag and not played with, and many sandcastles (or something that resembled them) were built. We even rode the tricycle several times. Monday’s tricycle rides almost killed Mama’s back because I had to bend over and push the tricycle for her since she does not quite understand how to peddle. So, Mama got smart Tuesday night and crocheted herself a rope from yarn (stop laughing!). I made three long chains from yarn, tied them together at one end, braided them, and tied the other ends together so they wouldn‘t unravel. My thought was I could wrap this around the handle bars of the tricycle and I could pull Alina along instead of bending over and pushing her. Worked like a charm! She protested the rope at first but I told her to stop it and she did. After she figured out that the rope was the only way she was able to ride the tricycle (ie Mama was going to pull it instead of push it), she was ok with the idea (miss stubborn pants!!!). We had great fun and made many trips around the orphanage. She also wanted to ride the red motorcycle with the dead battery but it was broken and not drivable. She settled for another tricycle ride.
Umit Baby House is undergoing some construction at the moment. The heating system is being replaced and I think some plumbing is being done as well. Alina’s room is in total shambles and the bathroom is too. I found this out when she had to use the potty today. I took her upstairs to her room as usual. I walked in and to my surprise, the room was a mess. Old pipes everywhere, smelly sewage pipes laying on the floor, and the small kitchen area (and I do mean small…think closet size) was cleared of its sink, hot plate, bowls, and silverware and the water pipes in this room had been removed as well. I took her to the bathroom and it was also in disarray. Talk about a smelly mess! Ugh! I had no idea where they had moved her room so the only toilet I knew of was a downstairs. It is a standard bathroom with a regular size toilet (no toilet paper) and sink (hand blow dryer that is not hooked up). It’s a nice bathroom and I think one of the adoption agencies paid for it to be refurbished. It’s a large, well lit (surprise there since the lights are never on in this building) room with tile and nice wall paper on the walls. It also has a tile floor. I take Alina in to use the bathroom. I know this is going to be an issue because the first time I took her to the bathroom, I took her in here and she would not use the big toilet. She acts as if she is afraid of it. Well, nothing has changed since then. She’s still afraid of it. I pulled her pants down and sat her on the toilet all the while trying to dodge the five year old flying fists. She’s screaming and crying. I tried to keep her on the toilet but I was afraid that the staff of the orphanage would think I was abusing her or something because of all the fuss she was making. She gets off the toilet and pulls her pants up. She looks at me and tells me she has to pee (in Kazakh of course). I point to the big toilet and tell her she has to use this. She shakes her head back and forth. We do this scenario several times. I finally give up, open the door and we head back to the gazebo. I have no idea what to do now. She plays on the little merry-go-round for a few more minutes and then says she has to go pee again. I thought this time I would ask someone in the orphanage were a bathroom she could use would be located. I did and I was led back to the big bathroom that we just had come out of. My poor baby had to go and I didn’t know where to take her. I should have had Shirin come with me and explain our situation but I didn’t think about it at the time. It was time to take her back to her group by this time. We, Shirin and I, had to ask the cooks where Alina’s group had been moved to so we could take to her new room. They told us and we headed upstairs on the other end of the orphanage. Alina has still not been able use the bathroom. I drop her off at the doorway and help her strip down to her undies so she could have lunch. I told a caretaker that she needed to go to the bathroom (Shirin translated for me). We said our goodbyes and off she went to have her soup, bread, and milk. I’m sure my poor baby went to the bathroom as soon as she finished her meal (nothing comes between Alina and her food!!). Now I know where to take her the next time she has to go to the bathroom. I felt so bad about not being able to find a place for her to go but I didn’t know what to do. Anyone have any suggestions on how I can make her not afraid of the big toilet? There is nothing like a child’s toilet seat here that you can place on the big toilet to make it less intimidating so I’m at a loss. My thinking is that I just have to place her on it and keep her there until she uses the bathroom. That’s going to be hard for her and me when we are by ourselves in the hotel room. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!!!!
That’s all folks! Until Friday…

Cheers,
Kim and Alina Jean

PS. Please keep my Aunt Patty and Uncle Terry in your thoughts and prayers. Aunt Patty lost her Mother, Rose last Sunday. Mine and Alina’s prayers and thoughts are with you Aunt Patty.