Ay Bebe!!!

Leeza Grace was in a sunny mood this Sunday, the last Sunday in August. She was dressed rather warmly, in a fleece top, tights, then a fleece onesie with feets! It was warm out today...I wore my denim shorts and green tank top with bling. I took a couple pictures, and then changed her into her new outfit I found at the baby store. She LOOKED precious indeed, and I think she liked it!! She even kept the cute lil headband on. It must be all the forced "chepchick" (Russian word for the cute bonnets they all have on )wearing that the caregivers so lovingly enforce. She had fun playing, and dancing. We tried our best to get video of her chatting and dancing, but we were often not quick enough with the camera. I love how they "cease and desist" doing something incredibly adorable right when you grab the camera! She remembered how to clap (what rentention!) AND she even said...TURN THE MUSIC UP..I can't hear it Mommmy! Seriously, she did....I got it on video..
She had fun with the stacking cups and just playing and dancing. She is so fun! She didn't even fall asleep on our walk today, but she yawned a lot. She really did look precious in her new outfit. I have to say....girl clothes are really fun!! She was really sweet and thanked me for her new outfit. She asked if they had cute clothes in Florida and I was telling her ALL about Target, and Children's place and how much fun SALES are! She HAS all kinds of questions about Florida. I told her it was warm pretty much all the time, except sometimes in winter it's in the 40's, and we have to wear long sleeves when we run. I assured he she has cute tights to wear,but MOSTLY, she can go barefoot because her feet are so cute. She likes her feet, and she is flexible. She asked if we can find a Mommy and me yoga class. Once again, 3 hours flies by way faster than it should, and it was time for cookies, milk, and nap. I changed Leeza back in her tight fleece blue top and her tights and socks, but left off the fleece onesie. I have given the baby house all her other clothes, but I wanted to keep this one for when we get to leave the baby house. She was soooooooooooooo happy to be in just her diaper. I was letting her laugh and giggle but Sean was a NERVOUS WRECK. He kept saying 'MOM GET HER DRESSED! THE CAREGIVERS ARE GOING TO COME IN AND SAY CUSHAT AND SPOT (eat and sleep) AND THEY WILL SEE HER IN JUST HER DIAPER AND WE WILL GET IN BIG TROUBLE!" It was really funny! Of course, THAT just made me take my time even more. She was grabbing her tummy and her toes like OH, WHAT A FEELING! IT'S BELIEVING..I CAN HAVE IT ALL..I'M DANCING FOR MY LIFE! I said, WOW LEEZA you are just like Jennifer Beels in FlashDance. I wanted a bite, but Leeza won't share.

It was Tatiana's day off today,so Eugene dropped us of at the baby house and picked us up at 2:45. We went to lunch at the Car Wash, with my favorite chicken in a pita with cabbage and tomatoes and what tastes like ranch dressing, with a vanilla milkshake to drink. YUM!

After Eugene dropped us of, Sean and ventured to the market. It is literally a 3 minute walk (if that) from our apartment. The market is like the hugest flea market you've ever seen....with groceries to clothes to furniture..everything you need and don't need. In fact, they even SELL HAMSTERS! Sean tried his best to get me to buy him a Kostanai hamster, but it didn't work. I don't like rodents, in Kazakhstan or in Florida. He even created a scenario that the hamster was abused and taken away from his parents and needed a home...THEN would I get him one that needed a family? NO!
We got some fun stuff at the market. Sean got a cool silver chain and cross, and we picked out a couple gifts for friends too. I found Leeza some adorable pajames for only 700 tenge (less than 6 bucks) and a pink fleece outfit for 1000 tenge (8 bucks)
I saw some ADORABLE shoes for 1000 tenge, and she kept dropping the price, but they looked big for Leeza. I need to measure her foot to see what size she wears. We had fun and got such great deals.
I love spending Tenge..it feels like Monopoly money..speaking of which...HONEY-PLEASE BRING MORE CASH!!!





I will close with a blurry video of Leeza dancing to her favorite song choice of today...HEY BEBE! I read that sweet Angela and Scott play classical music for their sweet Aila...and, um, we play LO and AY Bebe. Poor Leeza...

Yay Leeza! LEEZA LEARNED TO CLAP TODAY!

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Hurray for Leeza!!!! Leeza CLAPPED by herself today FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME! It was SO CUTE! She looked at her hands, like.."whoa, are those MY hands? Did I REALLY just do that?!" It was really really adorable. I am so happy we got to witness one of her "firsts" with her during visitation. We are so proud of her!!! GO LEEZA!!!
We have a few more milestones that we are hoping to witness: crawling up on our knees rather than "army style" with our arms only, and of course walking! I can tell she is getting strong every day. She also seems to be getting heavier too! We had a really fun day today with her. I brought the speakers and the ipod and we rocked out to a variety of tunes. I spent HOURS downloading music for this trip, and I was glad I did. I have tons of kid music, which is fun, but Leeza also liked the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, music from the Mama Mia soundtrack, and music from the Sound of Music soundtrack. She danced with Mommy to "Lo" by Flo rida...she dug it. Sean was dancing with her, but she is getting heavy, SO, I put the ergo on him and put her in that. It was very cute watching them dance in the ergo.
Mom had to dance with her too...and we rocked out to "Lo" by Flo rida...APPLE BOTTOM JEANS, BOOTS WITH THE FUR...SHE HAD THE WHOLE CLUB LOOKIN AT HER.... We took our daily walk around the baby house and she fell SOUND asleep. She WAS OUT! I had a hard time waking her up too...I only let her sleep about 15 minutes because they nap from 2:30 to 4:30 after her warm milk and cookies (doesn't that sound HEAVENLY?) I could go for warm milk and cookies and a 2 hour nap everyday... I am always impressed how happy she wakes up, even if she only sleeps for 15 minutes and is so tired, she wakes up smiling. In fact, today, when she woke up, is when she performed her MOST AMAZING FEAT..CLAPPING! That's our sweet girl !


We had such a wonderful visit...it was sad saying goodbye......BUT, everyday we say goodbye to her, is one day closer that we no longer have to leave her and she comes home with us!


We had a tasty lunch at the coffee shop. I had this "Cesar salad" but it wasn't like any Cesar salad I ever had. It was beef, broccoli, red peppers,and olive oil, and it was kinda spicy! It was so good! I had some chicken for my meal...very good! Sean and I shared delicious piece of cake for dessert too. I LOVE the desserts (not nearly as sweet as at home) and the milkshakes too! They taste more like smoothies and are much smaller. I wish our portions were more like their portions...I think we'd have a lot less overweight people around! The food here is SOOOOOOOO good. I like their pizza better than the kind we get at home!
It is Constitution day, but it's kinda like "Labor day" for us...a lot of people out and about, but I didn't see much else going on. We went shopping and I got some gifts for Leeza specific to Kazakhstan and Kostanai,and a traditional Kazakh vest and hat in blue and white for when she is older. I think it will look gorgeous with her eyes!! I got her a couple outfits for October when we spring her. They were SO CUTE! They were VERY reasonable, about $13. Sean got a cool Kazakhstan t-shirt with the map and a cool hat with the flag on it. I know that the women that work in that Kazakh souvenir store get psyched when they see us coming..THE AMERICANS WHO SPEND MONEY!
Kostanai has this REALLY cool "crest" that is on everything here...the banners, the billboards, etc, but they don't sell anything with it on it. I need to open up a shop here....it's a cool crest that would look great on shirts, hats, bags, whatever! Sean really wants a Kostanai team soccer jersey but we can't find that sold anywhere either!