The Market

Today was lots of fun! We actually found out that there is a wonderful market behind the hotel we stayed at a few days ago. Dinia and Ron came by our apartment with thier driver Vadim in a Chevy Tahoe at about 11 AM. It was wonderful to be in a vehicle that we were really comfortable in with air conditioning, satelite radio playing Foreigner and Heart and a bunch of other 80's music. For a short while, we felt like we were back home!

The Market has hundreds of little venders selling authentic Russian and Eastern European goods for much less than what you can buy in the Arbat area (which is basically a very nice, charming tourist trap that everyone goes to and enjoys). We purshased a wonderful hand made by the artist embroidered linen table cloth depicting the the four seasons of a Russian womans life. I had something like this in mind to bring out on special occasions when we celebrate Zachary's heritage at different times of the year. When the lady told the story she embroidered in the four scenes, it stole my heart and I had to have it. One of the scenes is of a young woman bringing her baby home for the first time all bundled up. Thats what did it!

We also purchased a very cute wooden pull toy for Zach- its an inch worm that bobs up and down. He loves it and played with it for quite a while this evening before our supper. We also bought a book for him with russian fairy tales with photos of artwork that are done in the famous laquer painting you see so much of in Russia. Its beautiful! We bought a few christmas ornaments, a HAWKEYES stacking Doll, and something for Granny and Papa Troll.

While at the market, we ate some awesome pork kabobs with a wonderful crusty bread, a kind of bbq salsa for dipping the meat, cucumber, tomato, onion and dill salad and had our picture taken with the chef. I believe Ron and Dinia said that the food was either Georgian or Uzbekian- I can't remember which- but it was good! Zachary enjoyed the bread.

Tonight we all three sat down to a nice supper together in our apartment, just like a real family. It was so nice- even though feeding a toddler is never easy while he's squirming on your lap and wanting to feed himself but making a really big mess! Later we played the song/game I learned from my grandma Buna- "This is the way the gentleman rides...the cowboy rides etc" Zachary loved it and wanted me to keep doing it- so cute. So now, Jason and I sit here at 8 PM and for the first night our child is actually sleeping according to his schedule from the baby home. We don't know what to think of this sweet time- so Im blogging and Jason is figuring something after he cleaned the apartment- I can't tell what- he just has that look... maybe its a grocery list?

Either way, we're hoping the baby will finally have a restful sleep. This child has the most fitful sleeping pattern I've ever seen. He sleeps and sometimes stands straight up in his crib crying the most dreadful tears- but he's fully asleep. So hard to know whether to take him out of the crib and wake him all the way up, or just reach in a hand and rub his back. The night terrors don't last long right now, but we are hoping as he gets used to us and more settled, his sleeping will become more restful.

Jason and I think Zachary is starting to feel more comfortable with us, and that he's been very good on all our outings. With so much to see and do in this short time in Moscow, we don't want to overstimulate him (easy to do right now!), but we don't want to miss the opportunity to glean as much as we can about his birth country so we can share it with him later when we are at home. Having people like Ron and Dinia to show us the ropes, being patient with us and helping us in the market to purchase a few souveniers was more than we could have ever hoped for. They are angels sent from heaven above and we are most humbly grateful!