June 2 visit

Hello everyone!  Susan here this time.

We visited Alex today and were greeted by a nanny we had met the first day at the "first meeting."  She quickly ushered us into one of the therapy rooms, pointing outside and saying "too cold" (it was 59, but it had also been raining and threatened to do some more, so we were OK with an inside day).  She quickly got Alex, who came to us with tear stains on his cheeks but a big smile.  She explained he was crying and asking for Mama and Papa.  We were surprised and of course delighted, although we're pretty sure he sees us primarily as the ticket to the swing outside.  We gave him a big hug and when he pointed outside (of course), we said no (nyet) and whipped out the balloons again.  All is well.

Having been in this room before, we knew that they placed the children on a particular section of the floor covered in a blanket, so we bravely plopped down there (sitting on the floor is usually not allowed!) and played with the balloon for a long time.  We are trying to teach him catch.  I was saying this kid may have CP but he has the heart of a football player--really likes to throw, seems like he is trying to catch.  His upper motor skills aren't perfect, but they aren't too bad either.  And he wasn't in a sweater today (the inside of this place is pretty warm)--we could tell how strong he is.  He is definitely working his arm muscles a LOT.  He has a very wiry build.

After playing in the ball pit a bit, and showing us how he can stand and wants to walk (his legs really scissor, which is typical of CP...at least as far as we understand), we were interrupted for "second breakfast"--today, the kasha in a bottle and a small roll.  He fed himself.  Then we brought out the magnadoodle.  Things got interesting--he really began talking then, in phrases if not sentences, and we so wished we knew what he was saying.  But he was more calm and focused than what we have seen.  He was interested in the "writing" but more interested in how the stylus was connected to the plastic (we had cut the cord and attached it with a longer ribbon, thinking this would make it easier for him to manipulate).  We took out a book--where he really seemed like he was figuring out how does this thing work anyway?--and were interrupted by some older teenagers who were visiting from Kiev.  They had been introduced to us they belonged to a Baptist Church there and visit this institution to play and work with the kids every 2-3 months.  One spoke decent English (more compliments, more blushing) and was pointing out we were the first couple of adopt from there in a very very long time.  Word gets around, I guess.  Anyway, they were very kind, and they invited us to the music they were about to perform for everyone, so we arranged to get picked up a little later than anticipated and watched the "show" with Alex.

How was it?  Think Baptist bible camp songs in Russian.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it, Alex, eh, a little bit but not so much (we think he was still hoping for the swings), and at the end the children and young adults sang back to them with great gusto (I told Jerry I think the accordion man's songs were coming out there!).  It was very cheerful.  Then we had to go, and said goodbye to Alex, paka--paka (bye bye).  Jerry communicated to Alex (and the nanny, the assistant director actually) that we would come again tomorrow.

It was a good visit.  Alex seems to increasingly like us (not just the fun things we do), we saw him talk, be calm and concentrate, we got more of those 5 star giggles, and I liked seeing the performance and interaction.
Here is a video showing how Alex can stand, and even walk with a scissors walk -- clearly he should improve in this department once his legs are strengthened.