Bon Appetit

I wasn’t able to post yesterday. Actually, I was able to but I had nothing to write! We didn’t leave the apartment because my heel is hurting. I woke up with pain so we played inside. Today, it is still hurting but need to see some sunshine, even if it means hobbling to the grocery store.

I am choosing to stay in Almaty 1 extra day. Yes, this is crazy, right. I had prebooked flights with frequent flier miles to return on Friday. I have great connections, leave at 9:40 am instead of the middle of the night, and have bulkhead seating. I also have 2 extra seats beside me since my Mom and Davis left early. I contacted the travel agent to check an alternative flight for Thursday and it was a flight that left at 2am, went to Astana first which would mean 2 extra hrs on a plane, and I wasn’t guaranteed bulkhead or empty seats beside me! Plus, I would have to pay about $1,700 more. So being the frugal consumer that I am, I decided to not leave Thursday but leave on Friday. But believe, me my heart is telling me otherwise!

I am having sleeping problems with Leah now. She woke at 3:30 this morning. I should have not rushed in to get her but I did. She wanted a bottle and went back to bed. Tonight, I am going to try letting her whine for a few minutes to see if she will go back herself. She then got up at 5:30 stayed up for an hour, went back to bed and got up at 8. Then took another nap at 10. I think she would rather cat nap all day. This might be from the babyhouse schedule. She gets so whinny it is impossible to leave her up! At home, there will be more entertainment to keep her busy and awake. I am just trying to make it through these last 5 days and will worry about her schedule when I get home. She will be so confused anyway with the time change.

Marina came over so I could fill out some Embassy paperwork. Our interview is on Wednesday at 3:00. Supposedly, I just need to sign some documents and they hand me her Kazakhstan passport, Visa and other official adoption paperwork. Then we are free at last!

Marina had mentioned going to the mountains on Tuesday with the other family that is arriving tomorrow. That would be a lot of fun! It’s a single lady who is bringing her 3 yr old she adopted from Kaz and adopting a baby. Now is the time I wish Davis was still here! He would love to have a playmate!

We didn’t do very much today. We went to the grocery store (hopefully the last run) this morning. We then came back for lunch and naps. Later, we walked on the pedestrian walkway to find the Green Market. Supposedly, everything is very cheap and I am looking for a couple new toys for the airplane. I never found it as we got sidetracked at a new mall on the way! By that time, Leah was about done in the stroller.

We came back for dinner. Leah is such a good chewer that I decided I would try pasta and corn for dinner. I am so tired of the smell of that Beef Stew she likes! It smells like dog food! Here are pictures from our experiment. Let’s just say it was very messy and a bath followed immediately! From experience I removed all of her clothes and cleaned the floor beforehand!

Here is where we started with just corn. Not so bad, right!

Then added the Spaghetti!

Then came the bath!

This is Leah's famous "hands in the mouth." She does this everytime she is tired and when she goes to sleep! Here she is trying to taste the bath water!