Sugar

3/30/09 Pm

Our afternoon visit today was joined by another well-intentioned Baboshka visiting her grandson (we think). She proceeded to offer Nina multiple large cookies (about 7-8) and a banana before we could communicate that she had probably had enough. Needless to say, this made any reading type of interaction hopeless. She completely focused on eating not responding to anything else, then she was "sugared up" followed by the inevitable "sugar down." We still had some fun but were frustrated by the interuption of "our" time with Nina. We are reminded that she is not our daughter...yet. However, as protective future parents, we understand that weight could quickly become a problem with her mobility issues. The best we can tell food is not a problem currently at this orphanage. They, including Nina, seem to be well fed and sweets are offered frequently. Valentina, who is one of the caretakers that we see often and with whom Nina seems to have a connection, escorted Nina and us across the building, up the stairs to her office and placed some candy in a basket for Nina to take back to her "grouper." This, including up and down the stairs twice before being asked to be carried, is good exercise for this determined little girl who had 7-8 cookies and needs to maintain strength in her leg muscles considering her mobility issues. More to come...