April 23rd/Day 37

Little did you know that following my blog would involve so many tears and so much drama did you? Nor did I.

So, we just got off of our 2nd overnight train ride and at Jeff & Amy’s (hence my computer access) waiting to drive to Dniproprotrosk for picture #2.
I don’t know if I’m just an:
#1 avid train sleeper
#2 or that I was totally exhausted from riding the train the night prior
#3 or it had something to do with in my emotional crying fest yesterday upon hearing I’m here for another five days
#4 and/or the Ambien I took the minute I laid down
but whatever it was I slept like baby on the train from 11-3:30-which is saying something as the night before I think I might have slept for 45 minutes at a time.
We shared a four person compartment with two ladies-and I didn’t notice any terrible odors wafting from their bunks. Alex and I had the top bunks and fortunately neither of us had to get down and step on our bunk mates in the night visiting the tin can bathroom. (Yes, I took pictures-will post when I get home.)
But it was an uneventful train ride and Oleg picked us up at 6:15 am and now we’re just killing time at the Rasts apartment. I’m on the computer and Alex is watching cartoons.
Last night on our drive to the train station we saw a big white limo and Alex had to tell Irinia (our driver and Kiev facilitator) about how his “babooska” rode in a limo for her birthday. I don’t know how he knows this or remembers it, but he is very focused on cars so it’s probably etched in his mind after looking at our photo albums?
The other thing he LOVES is cell phones. Like an obsession. He has an older cell phone with free incoming minutes and he has lots of music and pictures (thank fully the ½ naked women pictures have been delete) and he is of the opinion that his phone will work in the U.S. and keeps wanting accessories for it and I keep telling him it won’t work in America but he’s very stubborn that it will. We’ll see-as we don’t have a adaptor to keep it charged. (And I really don’t like the music he has on it so I don’t see myself trying to find one!)
We went to McDonalds last night (and it’s just as yucky here as it is at home) and he ordered a salad and took two bites and then said yuck and pushed it away. Yes, I am a mean mother and I made him eat it. (Well, all the tomatoes cucumbers and five bites of lettuce.) He does this quite often, asks for and/or order s things and then turns up his nose and wants to throw it away. It’s something I thought I’d work on with him later but no time like the present! And since time is all we have we’re starting now!
We are also working on table manners. He likes to stab his meat and eat it off his fork without cutting it up. I told him that in America we cut up our food and eat small bites and chew with our mouths closed AND swallow our food before putting more in. He eats like he’s in a race and starving. He then informed me okay in America but right now? He’s in Ukraine. (Good grief!)
One of our favorite words is “patience” and I’ll stroke his check, he really just needs to slow down and relax. Which is funny as the favorite song he listens to on my I-pod is Mika's “Relax….take it easy.” Which needs to be his motto!
Last night while walking home from the Internet café he would pat my arm and say “my mama” and then circle his arm around indicating all the other women around us and say “not my mama” and then pat my arm and say “my mama”.

Alex entertained himself (and in turn me) yesterday by excitingly yelling "Mom, mom!" every five minutes and insisting I follow him into various rooms to show me all the things in our new apartment. Like the can opener, the piggy bank on top of the shelf, the tea pot etc...
His English improves everyday and whenever he says three words or more he’ll ask “Me English good?” and I of course tell him it is. (Hey, it’s a heck of a lot better than my Russian!)
Well, I better get my boy ready for picture #2-hope it works-apparently this problem has only happened once before but since this passport system is only a few months old I don’t think the odds are very encouraging!