Happy Sunday

It's hard to write during the week! This week when I went to blog the internet wasn't working, so I will catch you up on what has been happening!

Ion's hair is starting to grow back, he had his hair cut last week due to lice. He also hasn't been feeling well and has been getting medicine from an IV.

The older toddlers, Andreea, Petre, Celine and Ion were allowed to take their fleeces off before having their diapers changed the other day. They danced around in their diapers and onsies. They loved it! I guess I haven't met a toddler that didn't like to be naked. They would have taken all their clothes off if they had enough time to figure it out.

When they want to sit on the window sill they will point to the window and say "Sus, mama?" Sus means up. The ones that can talk call all of the aides and nurses mama with their name after it. When they try to say my name, it comes out like Heada. Each day in the afternoon, they wave to Coca and Nicoletta. They knock on the window and say "pa!". This means goodbye.

I have been giving lots of "airplane" rides. (I lay on my back with my feet in the air. I put my feet on their tummy and hold their hands.) They all wait patiently, surprising I know, for their turn. I've learned I need to take my glasses off or they will be ripped off my face. They listen intently when I sing wheels on the bus, telling me by the actions what verse they want next.

Alina is getting funnier every day. She loves to mimic sounds. After I click my tongue or clap my hands, I whistle. She tries to do it, but ends up humming the notes back to be that I whistled. Sometimes she just comes and lays in front of me. She wants me to tickle her. She is light as a feather, it's like she weighs the same as a dumbell you might use at the gym.

When I was with the younger toddlers the other day, Daria crawled over Ionutz and he started laughing. He loved it. It startled Daria, but I just kept putting her on his tummy. He was laughing and laughing. It was a good day for him. Sometimes I can't tell if he is stressed or if he likes being with a lot of the other kids. One thing I do know, he likes to eat, especially yogurt!

Steve and Kellie left early yesterday morning. Yoko and I took the microbus into Barlad. We did some shopping and looked around the open market. We found some high school students who were happy to show us around and practice their English. It was cold and windy yesterday, like Fargo, if that means anything to any of you.

Today I visited some of the local "bars". This is what they call small stores. I think this may mean that they do have beer/alcohol for sale. They also sell other things, some prepackaged items, but also eggs, meat and cheese. This afternoon I built a snowman in front of the hotel. I used rocks for eyes, a carrot for a nose and a stick for a corn pipe. He is wearing my scarf and even one of the waiters, Alex, brought out a red bucket for his hat!

On my to do list for this week, milk a cow and take a horse and cart ride, along with going to the clinic of course. :)

A Volunteer Blog

Hi everyone, I just wanted to direct you to my blog site, if you're interested in some more photos and stories from Tutova!! It's yokomayot.blogspot.com/

I have been blogging on both the Global Volunteers and my personal blog in recent weeks, and if you are interested, I invite you to check out my personal blogsite.

Thank you so much!

Yoko

Week 2 Day 2

Ok, so lots has happened since the last time I posted.

Bonnie left us, however last I heard she was "trapped" in Paris because MSP airport was closed.

Steve and I are battling colds. I have chai te rouge down pat. This means tea please.

Enough about us, you want to hear about the clinic.

Ion came back from Barlad Children's Hospital late last week and yesterday had a new hair cut, a buzz cut. He had lice. The aides have been checking all the other kids, but nothing has turned up so far. When I think about it, my head starts to itch. :)

Daria is getting better and better at walking. She can walk for quite a ways, but still needs help getting up or needs to crawl to something to pull herself up.

I have been chewing gum the past few days and the toddlers love to watch me try and blow bubbles, especially Roxanna, Andreea and Alina. You know how Gaby likes to feel different textures on her bottom lip? When she sees I have gum, she tries to touch that too with her bottom lip.

I met Cristi briefly last week, but he has been in his room battling a cold.

Alex continues to be a finicky eater, while the twins can't seem to get enough yogurt! They get mad at you when they have eaten it all. Daria tries to eat it, but can't quite seem to get the hang of it. I'm not sure if this is because of her cleft palate or if she just needs more practice.

Celine continues to be a language sponge. You can hear her practicing Romanian words with the aides and English with the volunteers.

I've been learning a few things about the aides too, how many kids they have and how old they are...etc...

That's all for now, I'm late to get back to clinic after naps.

Heather

buna!!

Hi again, had such a great day at the clinic! I'm completely exhausted but I feel like I'm getting to know the few babies that I've been working with more and more each day. It was sad to hear Maria Cleopatra cry so hard as the lights were turned off and it was really difficult leaving all of them at night. With that said, I had another nice dinner with the team and now I'm ready for a hot shower and bed. Just wanted to post some more cute pics up so you can all see how the kids have all grown:)