Beautiful blue skies in Kaz...Hat Shopping...Week 1 Bonding Complete!!!

Wednesday 8th November 2006 - Bonding - Day 7

Twice-Daily Unpacking of Bonding Toys plus 1 nappy - Diane - remember this from Taraz!!!!!


Another beautiful day greeted us this morning – blue sky and sunshine. Who would have thought that we could be out in T-Shirts in the first week of November!
We made sure to make it up to the room early this morning so that we could get to bring Alex out – he is so happy to see us in the morning and smiles when he is brought in to the room and we are there waiting for him.
We stopped in to see Aine, Alex and baby David Andrew on our way outside. They are all settling down so nicely now.

Alfiya caught up with us outside and had us sign some more papers plus an attendance to say we had been visiting every day for the last week. One week over – We are halfway through the bonding but not really because when we finish bonding next Wednesday we are going to have to wait for court which we think is going to be on the following Monday 20th. Alex’s first Birthday.!!!!

We chatted with Nancy and Darren outside. They have left their 5 yr old Zack at home in New Mexico and are so ready to go home. They will have court on Friday morning and leave for Almaty on Saturday morning. We took some photos, all the time trying to get some sneaky pictures of the little toddlers who are so cute in their little hats and jackets. What cuties! Could not tell if they were: mal-cheek (boys) or
Dia-Votch-ka? (girls)

Spent another useless lunchtime in the internet café and nobody was able to get online as the network was down or something….. what a waste and what a bummer. Nothing to do but have lunch and Sue & I did a bit of bonding!!! Declan, Aine & Alex tried the library and had a bit more success and then went for a walk down by the river. Declan wasn’t feeling good today and yesterday Alex was not feeling great – big Alex that is!

It was chillier because it was windy when we came out so we decided that there would be no out in the afternoon visit. Funny, Sasha and Tucker played alongside each other this afternoon and the visit went really fast.

Alfiya had promised to bring us to a baby shop afterwards so we could buy some clothes.. Could not wait! It is funny here. Because there is a lot of shoplifting here – probably due to poverty you always have to hand in your bag at the door and they will keep it there until you are leaving. They also follow you around the shop, don’t know if it is to help us or because we look suspicious!! What did we buy? Not much – but more hats!!!! Later we got off at some more baby shops and went to look at snowsuits. I bought a little red jacket and saw a snowsuit that I may go back for tomorrow as I did not see anything I liked better in any of the other shops.

The best news we got today was from Cathy & Brent who told me where we could get Nursat cards… Now we will be able to call home from the hotel room.. It works but…. nobody was there!! Dad sent us a text to say the show at Glor was great and Darrelle was brilliant!! She was to sing on her own!! Well done Darrelle! Wish we could have been there!!

Stayed in again tonight – chilled out and ate in Sue’s room as Declan was too sick to look at food! All ready for Week 2…. We have got a nice routine going here and are quite happy – Hotel is adequate, central, big supermarket across the road, and walking distance of everywhere – well, everywhere we want to go to anyway. We would like to do a bit of sightseeing before we leave. Wonder if Alfiya will be agreeable!

Oh yes! When we went to the Baby Store it was right beside the hospital, and Alfiya told us it was the Maternity Hospital.. Alex was not born there but was brought there after birth and stayed there until he went to the Baby Home. We took photos.
Oiche Mhaith! Codladh Samh!
Nothing like a bit of spring-cleaning on a gorgeous winter's morning!!!!!!!!