Hey Arnold in Russian...

(Here's How I Entertained Myself in Almaty! ha ha kidding)

Our Apt in Almaty (June 7th & 8th)

I know we are going back in time a bit here but I have been meaning to upload this for awhile now - our son was just much cuter! This is where we stayed in Almaty for a couple of days!

July 5: Monkey Boy

Here is a video of Matt climbing up the 'old bar thing' that sits in front of one of the many verandas. He is so impressive...even goes over the top, but only because mama grabs him with her free hand - a very safe activity (ha ha)....we assure you!

July 4th 2009 - No fireworks but lots of fun!

Check out how mama taught Matt to wear his bag like a back pack. Isn't he the cutest and coolest kid in Kaz!!!! (we think so anyway) PS-this prompted us to go out and buy him a backpack - it is more 'christmas story'ish (followers of the movie will know what I mean) as it is a gray furry mouse. Matt wants absolutely nothing to do with it...ha ha-smart boy!

Maternity Hospital #2 where one Matthew Russell Post, Jr. was born, under a different alias of course!!

Just laughing at papa!!!!

Mr. Precious making a creation of his own!

Matt cleaning up, every single piece - there are 208!!! We are unsure it he has a touch of OCD or if this is really FUN for him?!?!

Hmm, will this fit ma?

Matt in the corner of the veranda where he runs and waits for us to come and find him. It is all giggles when we get to him!

July 2, 2009: A Wordy Post!

Hi everyone...I've just realized that I post way more pictures and videos than I do notes about how our trip is going and how our little man is attaching, so I figured I better write a quick update. Uralsk is great. We are loving our time here. Our days fly by. Some days are hot (108+) and dry and other days are cool (60-) and breezy. Yesterday was so cold that we had to play inside because Rusty was only wearing a t-shirt and claimed to be 'freezing'...ha ha. Yes, I know all of you who traveled in the winter are jealous...don't worry we are soaking up some of the good weather for you too!

Matt is doing great. We have gone from him shunning us (first day) to giggling and laughing and playing with us (first few days) to him re-shunning us full on when we arrived to pick him up and dress him (day 3-day 7ish), which would be followed by his pulling away from us and NYET'ing the caregivers at their request for him to go with us outside, which would end with him again giggling and playing with us outside.

A few days into our visits, he ran hot and cold - sometimes he would go with us more happilly then others and for about 3 straight visits Matt would get very clingy and close to tears about half way through our seemingly fine visit and all we could do was hold him.

But this too passed and by a little over a week into visits, he was all ours. There was a transformation one day when we showed up - actually it was on Father's Day. He started his usually whining and I thought, oh no, not today...but this time our boy was whining for us!!! He climbed over the gate divider and ran straight to his papa. Now when we show up he is always waiting at that gate. He always smiles when he sees us and we have to run to him to keep him from falling over the gate in his excitement. It is entirely too cute. He is very particular about just about everything - perhaps he has a touch of mama's OCD...ha ha. He has us sit on the floor and dress him, he usually picks out which shoes he wants and he always demands to wear his socks with his sandals (except for the day that Olga successfully talked him out of it, as mama had n0ne!)

These past few days, he has accepted a non-paying position as our little 'doorman'. He opens and closes all doors behind me, Rusty and Olga as we enter or leave the babyhouse. However, as of yesterday, Matt has added a mischievious twist to his role - he now likes to close us out or in and giggle from the other side - he is a little rascal.

Our visits begin with us changing him, then taking him down the stairs to outside, then we usually follow Matt into one of the many verandas....where he drinks (demands) his juice, then we move on to the playground - he usually runs right at the swings. There is a lot to do and a lot to show our little man and we are enjoying every minute of it.

It's funny because through his earlier pictures and video I always pegged him for a 'laid back sweetie pie who was most likely a follower'....hmm, it would appear that my diagnosis was a bit off. Matt is anything but any of that, well besides the sweet part, but we couldn't be happier him!!!! (Below is a short clip of us playing in the veranda...Matt likes it when we chase him and he will keep walking toward us until we do!)

June 30, 2009: Matt & Friend Swinging

June 30 - Afternoon Visit:
Fun on the Playground with Mama

This was so cute....Matt and I got bombarded by this group of kids as it was there time on the playground at the end of my visit (oh papa was sick today). They all wanted the swings we were playing by. So I scooted Matt's little butt over and helped another one on. Matt was all for it, surprising mama, as usually the kids can be a bit territorial once they are on a beloved swing! And so I did not stop at my own son....and moved on to Kirill's swing...he he. He is small but don't let his size full you. Kirill knows what he wants and speaks in full sentences. He is like a little man trapped in a little boy's body. I was even more surprised when he allowed me to scoot him over to make room for another on the swing that he had claimed!

Here are the other two, Kirill is on the right.

Throwing sand at mama from the sandbox. When I said he is 'all boy', I meant 'ALL BOY'!
But he is a little sweetie and has finally learned (well almost) not to throw it on us or in our faces. We have been using the word NYET (NO) a lot but he is getting it. Now his little buddy Aldy, is another story - that boy threw so much sand all over me and Matt yesterday that I could just eat him up (he is a pudgey little dude that the caregivers call Balsac for bread!!)

Eating Puffs...

Aggressively!!!!