Monday, October 23, 2006

Well, another Monday. It hasn’t been too bad actually. Dancu was definitely a mix of good and bad. Dada was working today, so that was good, because she’s nice and plays well with the kids and feeds us. Unfortunately, she thought that Mihai and Iulia were sick (even though we think it was really Petrica and Iulia), which means they weren’t allowed on the floor. That was bad, because Mihai was totally fine and really wanted to crawl and was being really motivated before we knew he was “sick” and then we just had to waste it all and put him on the couch. There were a lot of really good times though. Like, for example, Petrica was soooo sweet the whole day. All he wanted to do was cuddle and it continues to make me happy when he shows that he has affection for me. Also, he was being really good at standing today and would try to do it whenever I put him in a position to. Also, I found something that fascinated Iuliana. I brought a bowl from Scala and poured just a little bit of water in it, sat her on my lap and dipped her hand in it. When I dipped it in, she was really surprised and had a really quick intake of breath. I did it again and she did it again. Then I just held it in front of her and she started playing with it and moving her fingers all around in it and getting her face as close to it as she could and just exploring. I was really pleased with it and want to try to get her to experience new things like that more often. The only bad thing is that if you find something she likes that’s new to her she never wants to stop doing it, so it always causes a fit. Today we had to put her back in the blanket and swing her again so she wouldn’t throw a fit when we took the bowl away, then we had to very carefully ease her from doing the blanket thing to another toy before she was tantrum free. Iuliana was really tired most of the day, and unfortunately finally got animated toward the end causing her to throw a big fit when we left. And Mihai was unusually jealous and demanding. Shannon had kind of a bumbling day at Dancu too. First she pulled Iuliana’s hair on accident and she started crying. Then she dropped Mihai’s cube box on him and he bit his lip, which started bleeding and he started crying too. All of this made Shannon want to cry and she was like “I hate myself! I made them cry!” Nevertheless, still a pretty good day, just with ups and downs. At the hospital, I first went up to the 6th floor, but there were only 2 babies and Bri and Abbi had them. I checked the other wing and Mihai was gone! It’s always such a mixture of feelings when a child leaves. I mean, you’re happy that they aren’t at the hospital anymore, but that doesn’t make the fact that they were wrenched from you without warning any easier. Anyway, I came back to Bri and Abbi to see if they knew where the kids were, but Bri just switched with me instead, so it was Abbi with Marta and Me with Baker Baby (Carlos). We call him Baker Baby because he came from Donald Duck at the Orphanage and the first day we saw him he was wearing a big baker hat. Well, after a little while Melissa came in to tell us about all her mishaps today and while she was talking Baker Baby fell asleep. Then Melissa took over for Abbi and I went and showed Abbi where Iulia is on the 3rd floor. After that I headed down to see Ionut on the 1st floor. Jenna was already in there with Ionut, but Andreia, the new hydrocephaly baby didn’t have anyone with her, so I stayed with her. She wasn’t as big as Ionut and was pretty good, but she made so distressed sounding noises a few times and I just had no idea how to help her. After a little while, Bri came in and I switched with her and went in where Mihaela and Adrian are. Jess and Megan were in there, but Jess was ready to leave, so Megan stayed with Adrian who has a big plastic box covering his head while I played with Mihaela. Mihaela comes from Donald Duck too. She’s a really really petit 2 year old, who we think has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and who we KNOW has really bad Attachment Disorder. When I first went in they warned me that she’d been bad and that she’d probably throws fits and would especially throw one when I left, but she didn’t! To begin with she wanted by backpack, but I wouldn’t let her have it and gave her some of my water instead. That occupied her for a while because she’d drink some, then try and screw the cap on, then repeat. She halfheartedly tried to take the bottle away from me to hold herself but didn’t throw a fit when I wouldn’t let her. Then I brought out this rubber ball thing that’s supposed to be blown up, but that just loses air after being blown up because I can’t find the stopper. This distracted her from the water. I wasn’t sure if she’d like it, cuz, well, it loses air, but she loved it! I’d blow it up for her, then she’d squeeze all the air out then give it back. Once she tried blowing it up herself, so when I went to blow it up myself again I had to put yucky hand sanitizer on the hole first so I wouldn’t get sick! Nasty! The things I do for these kids! Anyway, she was actually really sweet with me and would randomly kiss my arm and give me hugs and stuff (which is the attachment disorder really) and didn’t even get upset when I left! Shannon, however, didn’t have a good experience at the hospital, so she was kind of upset when I met her to leave. She explained this, I accepted it and left her to her ipod and we continued to feel much affection for each other. Our relationship is beginning to be fabulous J. After we got home I got straight on the computer and stayed on it til 5:45 when I had to shower because you just take the internet time when you can get it around here! After showering we all went to FHE. We played the “I have never” game, which was entertaining as. Melissa and I were the first to leave and we’ve been hoarding the computers til the rest get home ever since!