I have known about this for awhile now but sadly havn't had much time to investigate it much. I took some time the other night to start going through some websites and I read about this in futher detail. It is amazing and I am very proud to see such a great improvement.
Olga, the director of the Mykolayiv (Nikolaiev) baby house is a saint. She strives so hard to improve the life of these children and I am delighted to see how and where donations are spent. Last year a seminar organized by the new Ukrainian ministry for youth and sports, the Mykolayiv Baby House received the mandate to carry out a pilot project of a Montesorri class.
The Montessori classes are based on the teaching method elaborate by Maria Montessori .
In short, the philosophy of this pedagogy is to let the child learn by itself at his rate/rhythm in a suitable environment and with specific toys. This represents a drastic change (in other words a 180° turn) of the educational methods within Ukrainian orphanages.
After successfully finishing the first Montessori indoor class room last November (2006), Director Olga Ivanovna at the MBH decided to extend Montessori project and build an outdoor Montessori playground for the children. That playground includes a pool and many different pedagogical outdoor toys and sensotherapy areas. This project costs a total of 12,900 US$ In order to complete Montessori certification in spring 2008 Nikolaiev Baby House needs a kit of special Montessori educational toys. Cost to buy those Montessori toys (called “standard” kit) is US$ 1,000 Before final Montessori certification NBH staff needs to attend a final training course in Kiev which costs for travel and subsistence US$ 300
donations can be made at the link above.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Out door pool, finished this past summer.
To the rightof this path is where they built the pool. It is right outside the window of Olena's room.
This is Alex, the desky dom (sha-bach-ka) His home is directly under their window. The new outdoor Montassori play area is now right behind his dog house.
Corner of the building, upper windows is where Olena was housed. Those windows are looking out from the sleeping room. The addition, that you can somewhat see sticking out (behind the tree) was a "veranda" where we would take Olena to play sometimes when we would visit.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Idea corner
Just thought I would share this...when we went the Ukrainian Angels reunion back in September and another family had brought something that I found very cool. Dad, made a book out of their blog! He had to reformat the blog onto a word document, but he did it very nicely with all of the pictures, and at the end of each entry (chapter) he even included all of the comments. It was so well done, and was really fascinating. All you have to do, is put it together how you want it, then take it to the Kinko's, or local printing shop and have them bind it for you. I think this is something I will do for the "first year home". Seems like a nice way to cherish these precious memories.
Another cheesy idea....I took a picture that Olena painted and framed it, then hung it in my kitchen. I got so many compliments, and many where surprised to find out that it was a painting done by her. Since everyone was so fond of her amazing artistic abilities :) I scanned a few of her best - and made a collage with the various painting, and then I printed them on high quality glossy paper, put them in a nice frame, and WA LA....instant gift for the grandparents. Hey the Holidays are right around the corner.
Another cheesy idea....I took a picture that Olena painted and framed it, then hung it in my kitchen. I got so many compliments, and many where surprised to find out that it was a painting done by her. Since everyone was so fond of her amazing artistic abilities :) I scanned a few of her best - and made a collage with the various painting, and then I printed them on high quality glossy paper, put them in a nice frame, and WA LA....instant gift for the grandparents. Hey the Holidays are right around the corner.
Fall in Michigan
We discovered a beautiful walking trail a few miles from our home. It was such a perfect fall day this past Sunday, we decided to spend the morning walking through the woods. It was gorgeous and very relaxing. It was about 3 miles and she walked the entire way without too much complaining. Towards the very end, mommy did get stuck carrying her on my shoulders.
She was fasinated by these Christmas statues, but she kept her distance. She made sure that there was a safety space between her and all non living creatures :) 
Trying to get just one "good" posed picture of her is impossible. I try to get her sitting in the garden and I get a picture that looks like she is pooping on a rock.
Mommy and Olena
Aunt Rickie (aka Toot-ta) and Olena
Olena after a tough day of play!A day of fun.
This guy was just trying to scratch his butt on the shelf that was hanging on the wall, then here comes Miss Olena.
Her and the cockatoo seemed to understand each other just find. Don't ask me what they were saying but they carried on a full blown conversation -
She was trying to talk some sense into this goat. She kept telling him..."goat. stay. Lana ride....o.k.?? just stay.
Getting ready for Halloween
I decided to let her practice cleaning a pumpkin on a small one we got at the fair. She loved it, and dived right in! she even loves the seeds that we baked. 
This is her scarey face....she is scaring for candy!Birth Family Search!
FYI: Gene, our translator, has some spare time over the next few months so if you are interested in completing a birth family search - he is available. He will travel anywhere in Ukraine, and his costs are very reasonable. He completed one for us back in the Spring and we were extremly happy with the results.
Email me if you are interested in his services and I will share his contact information with you.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
I know that this is long over due, sorry. I honestly just don't feel like I have anything exciting to write about so I don't bother. I just don't want to bore anyone. But, it seems that Mrs. Tonya Kissack has an issue with the fact that I have not updated so I figured it was time :) (wink wink)
BTW, have any of you logged onto the Kissack and/or White's blog? OMG these girls are so beautiful. I am not being bias but I really think that "our" orphanage has some of the best babies in Ukraine. I was reading Tonya's post about Lyra not having any memory of her days there, and the same is true for Olena. We have played the video recording several times and I show her pictures and it doesn't even phase her. It is as if it never happened. I wasn't really worried, but I did find it strange that she wouldn't show some sign of remembering. Thanks Tonya for sharing, now at least I have an understanding of why!
Olena too shows absolutely no sign of institutionalized behavior. She is a perfect typical 2 year old girl. I had to laugh about Lyra's screaming issue because we too have this problem and I am honestly thankful that we are not the only ones suffering :) It is so awful. Loud, piercing and for some reason it always catches me off guard. She is so quick about it!! This morning I got it twice, once when I told her it was time to brush her teeth and again when I put her in the corner for doing it the first time - just great huh?!
She is smart as a whip. We were doing some Halloween crafts last night and I made a ghost and wrote the word BOO next to it. She picked up the picture, pointed to it and said "look mommy....BOO!" now yes, it was a very simple word, but I was so excited!! she will not even attempt to sing her ABCs, in fact the best I have ever gotten out of her, is literally ABC and that's it. Yet she can identity several letters of the alphabet. I stenciled nursery rhymes on her wall - back when I had nothing to do but wait for her to come home - and she will go up to the wall, point to a letter and say it! she manages to amaze me more and more every day.
She has no attachement problems. She is fully attached to Jason and I as well as my parents and her "toota" (her Aunt Rickie) and she is cautious of strangers. Besides the virus that all three of us had upon coming home, she hasn't been sick since. She got impetio back in the spring but I think that came from the daycare that I had her for a couple of weeks.
She has "school" for about 2 hours a day. We are currently working on 'pencil control' as I call it - I have her tracing letters and shapes. I bought her a dry erase book that has all of the letters and shapes are done in dotted lines so she can trace over them. She knows all shapes and all of her colors. She knows all of the numbers 1-10, but just like her ABCs she won't actually count! She now can sing "where is thumbkin", "hokey pokey", "I love you (Barney song)", and of course Patty Cake....oh and Baby it's Cold Outside by Dean Martin, which is one of her favorites - thanks to Dadu (gpa)
I have been thinking a lot about our trip lately, maybe because our 1 year "anniversary" is coming but I really miss Ukraine. I miss the kids from the groupa, the caregivers, the ladies selling sunflower seeds, the walk we took to the orphanage every day....it is just all so close to my heart. I can't imagine "having" children any other way :) I wish more than anything we could do it again, but I don't know if that is something that will repeat itself. I am very fond of Ukraine and our trip was perfect, but I don't have that feeling "pulling" me back there again. This adoption was something that was destined for me my whole life, I was born into this world to be this little girls mother, I just know it. I remember being 9 years old, playing with my Barbies, and having them adopt from "Russia" (and it was always a little girl. No boys for me!!) I know that part of me has been fulfilled, now I am just waiting for my next call of duty. We talk about it quite a bit and I definitely want at least 4 kids but right now is not the time. I have a few health issues that I must overcome and some personal goals that I need to achieve, so I know that we will wait for at least another year. The time will come. I am still clueless as to whether it be having home grown or adoption again but I know I will get the answer I need.
A few weeks back, we went to the Michigan/Ukrainian Angels Reunion. We had a great time. It was nice to see everyone again and see how much the kids have grown. Olena was great and was very well behaved - but then again she was getting a lot of attention and there never seems to be a problem when everyone is paying attention to Miss Olena :)
BTW, have any of you logged onto the Kissack and/or White's blog? OMG these girls are so beautiful. I am not being bias but I really think that "our" orphanage has some of the best babies in Ukraine. I was reading Tonya's post about Lyra not having any memory of her days there, and the same is true for Olena. We have played the video recording several times and I show her pictures and it doesn't even phase her. It is as if it never happened. I wasn't really worried, but I did find it strange that she wouldn't show some sign of remembering. Thanks Tonya for sharing, now at least I have an understanding of why!
Olena too shows absolutely no sign of institutionalized behavior. She is a perfect typical 2 year old girl. I had to laugh about Lyra's screaming issue because we too have this problem and I am honestly thankful that we are not the only ones suffering :) It is so awful. Loud, piercing and for some reason it always catches me off guard. She is so quick about it!! This morning I got it twice, once when I told her it was time to brush her teeth and again when I put her in the corner for doing it the first time - just great huh?!
She is smart as a whip. We were doing some Halloween crafts last night and I made a ghost and wrote the word BOO next to it. She picked up the picture, pointed to it and said "look mommy....BOO!" now yes, it was a very simple word, but I was so excited!! she will not even attempt to sing her ABCs, in fact the best I have ever gotten out of her, is literally ABC and that's it. Yet she can identity several letters of the alphabet. I stenciled nursery rhymes on her wall - back when I had nothing to do but wait for her to come home - and she will go up to the wall, point to a letter and say it! she manages to amaze me more and more every day.
She has no attachement problems. She is fully attached to Jason and I as well as my parents and her "toota" (her Aunt Rickie) and she is cautious of strangers. Besides the virus that all three of us had upon coming home, she hasn't been sick since. She got impetio back in the spring but I think that came from the daycare that I had her for a couple of weeks.
She has "school" for about 2 hours a day. We are currently working on 'pencil control' as I call it - I have her tracing letters and shapes. I bought her a dry erase book that has all of the letters and shapes are done in dotted lines so she can trace over them. She knows all shapes and all of her colors. She knows all of the numbers 1-10, but just like her ABCs she won't actually count! She now can sing "where is thumbkin", "hokey pokey", "I love you (Barney song)", and of course Patty Cake....oh and Baby it's Cold Outside by Dean Martin, which is one of her favorites - thanks to Dadu (gpa)
I have been thinking a lot about our trip lately, maybe because our 1 year "anniversary" is coming but I really miss Ukraine. I miss the kids from the groupa, the caregivers, the ladies selling sunflower seeds, the walk we took to the orphanage every day....it is just all so close to my heart. I can't imagine "having" children any other way :) I wish more than anything we could do it again, but I don't know if that is something that will repeat itself. I am very fond of Ukraine and our trip was perfect, but I don't have that feeling "pulling" me back there again. This adoption was something that was destined for me my whole life, I was born into this world to be this little girls mother, I just know it. I remember being 9 years old, playing with my Barbies, and having them adopt from "Russia" (and it was always a little girl. No boys for me!!) I know that part of me has been fulfilled, now I am just waiting for my next call of duty. We talk about it quite a bit and I definitely want at least 4 kids but right now is not the time. I have a few health issues that I must overcome and some personal goals that I need to achieve, so I know that we will wait for at least another year. The time will come. I am still clueless as to whether it be having home grown or adoption again but I know I will get the answer I need.
A few weeks back, we went to the Michigan/Ukrainian Angels Reunion. We had a great time. It was nice to see everyone again and see how much the kids have grown. Olena was great and was very well behaved - but then again she was getting a lot of attention and there never seems to be a problem when everyone is paying attention to Miss Olena :)
For someone who didn't have much to say, this sure is a long post! We have a big Halloween Party at my parents house this weekend so I will be sure to take lots of pictures and post next week. You will die, when you see how tall she is. Still no weight but she is growing like a bean. As of last week she was 34 inches tall and 24lbs and size 6 shoe! When we got home she was 19lbs and 28inches tall.
Sorry for babbling! stay tuned next week for new pics.
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