Bonding days 12-14

So has it really been that long since I posted? It doesn't seem like it should be. We are on different days at different orphanages, though, so it sounds like more days than it really is. We finished day 14 today at Kachiry (which is kind of funny since we have seen Julia fewer times than Angelica) and we finished day 13 at the Pavlodar babyhouse. So yesterday was day 12/13. Yesterday they started out telling us we might not be able to go see Julia again. So we went in the morning to see Angelica. Then after we had seen Angelica for about 30 minutes, our translator got a phone call and when she got off she said that if we wanted to see Julia we had to go immediately to Kachiry. So we left at once for Kachiry and got to sit in the van with Julia again for about 20 minutes before they said she had to go in and take a nap. She also loves to draw and color and is very good at it. Yay for 2 artists for Mommy! Today we went to Kachiry in the morning and sat in the van again. Julia's caretaker came with us and she said the doctors expect Julia to be able to leave the hospital on Friday. She is getting antibiotic injections right now. She looked much better today. Still pretty congested in her chest, though. We had the lady from the office of guardianship and care with us today and she sat and watched us color. It was a really full van! Julia's caretaker was saying how unusually quiet and shy Julia was; she said she is one of the 2 leaders in her group and usually very talkative and energetic. We have definitely not seen that side of her yet. I'm sure she'll open up more as she gets to know us and feel safe and comfortable. Then we went to see Angelica this afternoon and she wore the sunglasses I brought her and looked hilarious! We had lots of fun and I feel like we see more and more of the real her every day. When we went to take her back to her group, the translator was telling her to tell Papa bye because Mama was going to take her back to her group now, and she was saying "Nyet, nyet!" (no, no) the whole way up the stairs. Tanya (the translator) said to her that she shouldn't be sad, because soon she will get to go with Mama and Papa and Nicholas and not go back to group any more. And she said she did not think that was true. I guess that just seems weird to her that we are always bringing her back and then one day we just won't and she's too little to understand any of the why's of this situation. It was kind of sad, though, because when I went to her group to get her, all of the other kids know I am Angelica's mama and they all ran up to me saying "Mama! Mama!" and lifting their hands to me and stuff. So I played with all of them while Angelica got dressed to come with me. They were all happy and smiling and playing, but it was sad anyway. And yes, we are outside in sweatshirts today because it's that cool outside. Hallelujah! And incidentally, as I feared, my straightener died yesterday morning. Rats! But I bought a new one here this afternoon and I feel very happy now that I didn't bring my CHI. Love you all! Angie