So another week has passed, and we are back to another no visit Sunday - number 17 I think! Okay maybe it just feels like week 17.

We began this last week with court and are now less than 10 days away from taking Aitugan out of the Baby House forever. It is incredible. We will actually go for a short journey into town with Aitugan sometime this week to have photos taken of her for her Kazak Passport.

It will be fun to see her reactions to cars, traffic, noises, everything. Being the adventurous girl that we think she is, I anticipate that she will be captivated and very engaged, though it will undoubtedly lead to tiredness and its twin - fussiness.

Back at the Baby House, this last week brought Chicken Pox. At present there is only one group of children that is in 'quarantine', though it is difficult to imagine how you control and prevent a Baby House wide outbreak.

For those families visiting children in the Quarantined group, they must remain in that groups play area, and so the larger playroom where we all typically meet has been much more quiet. The big Saturday play session had only four families in the playroom and two in quarantine.

With Stefan, Heidi, Miki, and their new daughter Anna Lina set to go home early this week, and Brad, Corrine, and Almaz meeting in the quarantine room, KJ, Aitugan and I will be all alone in the playroom for most of the remainder of our time here.

So the Pox. As it seems unlikely that Aitugan will avoid it, it would seem the best thing that she get it soon. Flying with a contagious child is not a kind thing to do, especially at such a time as Christmas - sort of goes against the spirit of the season.

Those children that have it now are covered in nickel sized green dots as this is the medicine that they use to relieve the itching. We are told that it works, but it is sure a semi-comical look.



Guess who is ticklish under her chin?





Aitugan has gotten so much stronger and more coordinated in the month that we have been here. She now sits up unassisted in a variety of positions including this one. The other stable ones for her include both legs out in front, and kneeling.

The position in the photo was the precursor to her ability to raise to a stand as it was this positioning that allowed her to get one foot out and planted while the other leg remained in a kneel.



Must Taste Camera !



This is Aitugan's friend Karina. They sleep next to each other, and everyday when we put Aitugan down in her crib at the end of the our visit, Karina and Aitugan meet at the 'fence' to talk about it.

Karina Is a week older than Aitugan, and they are the oldest two in their group of ten. For several weeks, they were the only two kids in their crib room(there are three for their group), though there is another child with them now.