Missed a day...sorry. Turns out the Internet Cafe is not open on Sundays so I couldn't get in, then the system appeared to be down earlier today so we're just getting online. The time here is 1:41 in the afternoon, just so you can see the time difference. Basically, here in Uralsk it's 10 hours later than at home (central time).

Update on Sasha. She's starting to warm up to us, already. She's actually doing better than I expected. By the second visit on day 1, she was at least tolerating us. Yesterday morning she waved "bye-bye" (or as they say here "paka paka") to me! Ah, the joys of motherhood! :)

Yesterday afternoon she figured out where the treats were and was helping herself to them. I brought cereal and fruit snacks but am trying to limit the fruit snacks. She'd eat everything I have, given the chance.

And, yesterday afternoon's visit involved a very wet let on my jeans :) She's marked me now, I have to take her, I guess. Not that I could ever leave her behind! :)

Unfortunately, it appears the watered down apple juice I gave her wasn't kind on her system so no more of that for a couple of days. We'll let her get used to it slowly.

I forgot to bring the pictures along today. But this little girl is absolutely beautiful (I'm not partial or anything)! Huge brown eyes, cute little face. She's not dating until she's 30.

She loves to take things apart and put them back together. She's also very good at it. Mommy's teaching her to say "M.I.T." :)

The babyhouse is asking for clothes for her to wear. I'm not sure why but I'm going with the flow. I bought a couple of things at a store that was really cheap but unfortunately, they're too big. Going to have to go for the size 18 months, I guess. She is wearing a little 12 month outfit but it's too short and a bit snug (cute, though.)

She's starting to figure out that Grandpa is a permanent fixture. She'll glance at him every once in a while and I think she's warming up. Today she crawled under the table and untied his shoes :)

Oh...and the biggest thing on the bonding front....she's now crying when she has to leave me! WooHoo! I think she likes her new mommy, at least a little :)

No complaints on the accommodations. The apartments are better than some hotels I've stayed in in the US. The locks are very interesting. Our travel companion, Robin, can't seem to get her door locked and I can't manage to unlock mine. Grandpa's figured out our door, though and Robin's figured out it helps to use the right key :)

My only complaint about Uralsk is that the time with Sasha is just too short. I wish I could spend all day with her. I'm always ready a long time before the driver comes to pick us up and I'm never ready to leave.

The president was here! The president of Kazakhstan was here yesterday and I guess the first lady is supposed to be here today. Big time security! They wouldn't let Vladimir park on the side of the road and wait for Aisia.

I gave Olga my best "Dobre Utre" (good morning) and Nik if you're reading this she said I had a great Russian teacher.

I must do okay because I managed to get Dad and I to the little market and buy two bottles of water, find the Nursat office, find out that the internet cafe sells Nursat cards (argh!) so I didn't have to wait and that the computers were down and we had lunch at the bakery. Okay, the only thing I really did was get the water but at least we're surviving without an interpreter being around all the time :)

As for the lunch, pigs in a blanket kind of things. They didn't whinny but we'll see what happens tomorrow :) Didn't have the consistency of pork or beef but it still could have been.

Hopefully more tomorrow....complete with pictures...if I remember :)
- posted by Jaime's Mommy @ 3:33 AM