Day 11

Our Apartment from Bayterek (closest building) and our grocery store (round building)

Curved wall between living room and kitchen.

Shower

I cannot believe we only have three more days of official bonding. The time goes so fast! Nikolai was very cute again today. We sort of have a routine going now where we play on the blanket for about 20 minutes and he practices crawling and sitting. At some point he gets fussy and from then on all playing, etc. must be done while being held. A new game we played today was “pass the baby” where we pass him back and forth between us. Each time he greets the new person with a big smile. It has been too cold to go outside for walks, but near the end of the visit he only wants to be carried around with occasional trips in the ball pit.

I have become fairly adjusted to life here, although I do not do any of the paying or talking. I think I would be more brave if I had to, but why use gestures when you are with someone who can actually speak Russian? I have learned to pick my feet up when I go between rooms and no longer stub my toes on the raised ledge between each room. I also generally remember that all light switches are on the outside of the rooms. Neither of us has tripped over the curved wall between the living room and kitchen and I now step over it without thinking. I am very amused at the dichotomy of having the most high-tech shower I have ever seen where water can come from the normal shower head, the ceiling, or the sides and yet living in a location where people regularly lose hot water or water completely. We have not had hot water for three days now. I could not face another cold shower today and heated some water on the stove and took a camping-style shower. We learned today that one of our neighbors has a key to the stairs, so if the power goes out we are to contact them. I think our landlady may also be trying to get a copy made. It was sunny today!