Photos With Stories

The Plastic Bag Shapka (hat).

Elena likes to wear hats.  For most of the year, Russian kids wear hats when they are outside.  She decided that the plastic bag from the airplane blanket made a very good head covering. I rolled it up to make it cute (and safe),but had to take it off regularly when her hair got super sweaty.  Later when walking Elena around the plane to keep from getting bonker stir crazy, the stewardess recognized her, (when sans the bag for a little while),as "the baby who had on the funny hat".

 

Brushing Teeth at Dulles Airport in Washington DC.

You know things are at a very low point when brushing your teeth is the most amusing and fun thing you can do.  The next on the list of enjoyable things was going to the bathroom.  This was during the extra 3 hours of plane delay that was added onto our 16 hour trip.  Oh it was awful.

At Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.

The trip to Saint Basils Cathedral was about a 3 mile round trip from our hotel.  Not a bad distance to walk on a beautiful day.  I thought that someday Elena would like a picture of herself in front of one the worlds most beautiful and iconic buildings, so we ventured out.  We figured if it was not going to work out we could go back anytime--no big deal. It was also practice for walking through the airports later, when getting places in a timely manner as planned IS a big deal.  I had to carry Elena the whole way.  She only weighs about as much as 3 gallons of whole milk, (25 pounds) but milk does not throw your glasses on the ground, stuff a hat in your face, squirm, scream NYET! NYET! NYET! when ready for a raisin snack break, or want to get down to pick up pieces of paper (bumaga!!!!).  After lots of rest breaks and raisin breaks for Elena we made it!!