Ava is kind of like me. She would rather sit on the side of the pool and watch everyone else enjoying the water than actually be in the water ! I'd venture to guess that the orphans at Orphanage #13 in Ukraine didn't get out to the swimming pool much, judging by the look of panic she gets on her face every time I get her near water. I will say, that I have been taking her in a little more and a little longer each time, and the panicky expression on her face seems to get less and less apparent every time we go. Today she even splashed around a little and I think I even saw a little bit of a smile on her face. I'm curious to know, from those who have adopted from orphanages....Does it seem that your kids have a fear of the water? Ava is just as terrified in nice warm bathwater as she is in the swimming pool. Is it possible she never had a bath before coming to us?! I don't remember seeing anything that resembled a bathtub in the orphanage, and how would they bathe 100 orphans on a regular basis anyway? Just something I've been thinking about lately.
Monday, July 07, 2008
What we've been doing this summer
Posted by liesel at 4:19 PM
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Curious to see what others say. Mine wasn't adopted and at 1 year of age doesn't care for the bath. Never has. We did sign her up for "swimming" lessons and she tolerated it today. Of course she gets to hold onto her Papa.
Oh, my gosh ... those pics of Ava kicking her feet up and resting her chin on her hands are priceless!! Gosh, I love her!!
This post interests me b/c just yesterday as i layed out by our pool...no kids would join me. It made me think of you and your season passes and wondered if this year you still got the pass and took Ava. Today the question was answered...I love this blog thing! And it's so cool to see her laying out by the pool like any normal Urban kid! love and hugs
Ava looks so much like John! She really was meant to be part of your family :-)
I love the pic of Ava with her head tilted resting on her little hand - Oh my gosh she is precious! That has to be framed! The kids look like they are having a great summer :o) They are all just so cute!
Also, similar to what Mary said before me, but I think Ava looks like Charissa! I agree...she was meant to be your child :o)
She is so cute Charissa! Kallie doesn't really have a fear of water but she is sensitive if it's too hot for sure!
Hi!
I stumbled upon your blog while I was researching Ukraine adoption and I must say that your whole story of getting Ava really inspires me!
It's great to see how much she is loved and how she has grown so much from just being in a family.
Love the pictures of her at the pool, she's adorable.
Our son (from Donetsk region, home since Dec 07, now 6 years old) was beyond terrified of water. He told us they only took showers at the orphanage (and said they were either very hot or very cold). He claimed he knew how to swim... until he actually saw a pool. Then he clung to my husband and cried - and this kid never cries! That was Memorial Day. This past weekend was his fourth time at a pool, and by Saturday he was jumping in and attempting to swim under water. Swim lessons, here we come!
I agree, Michelle - in addition to looking like John, she does look a lot like Charissa!
Both my girls are afraid of the water. They will get into it, but you can't go near them or try to help them. Neither can swim. YET, most kids I know with DS are great swimmers. My daughters just have very high anxiety.
Love those pictures!
Luka actually wasn't at the orphanage the last year he was in Georgia, he was in foster care. But, when I put him in a tub of water that had about an inch of water in it, he completely freaked out. The next night, we used a bucket (like a baby bath-tub), he wasn't any better. We continued to do the bathtub and let him watch Ethan swim too, now he loves the bath, the pool and getting squirted and splashed with water. He really has adjusted fast. So, I bet she will do watching the others swim.
Ava is so precious laying on her little towel. She looks like my 20 y/o daughter who would prefer to lay by the pool and get a tan. :-)
My son was 23 months when we brought him home. They do not give the children baths, they shower them off in assembly line fashion...most likely in uncomfortable water temperature and guarenteed crying from the majority children. It is not mean spirited by the caretakers, they typically will have 12-18 children in one groupa to get bathed, dried, nails clipped etc. I put a tiny amount of water in the tub (3 inches) and put very interesting things in the tub to captivate his attention. I would stand him outside the tub and scoop the water in a cup and gently pour it out. The I put him in. After a couple of times, he loved it. Swimming in Ukraine for small children does not happen. Ukrainians are so paranoid about the children getting cold (equals catching a cold?. Our son never saw a pool until 2 years old and now at 4 (in May) he swims under water, jumps in and can swim with a snorkel and mask and flippers all around the shallow end. You're doing the right thing. Just continue to expose her to the pool gently.
Hi Charissa, I am Nancy Gonzalez.
I arrived Ukraine abouot the same time that you guys were leaving. We adopted two little girls from Russia in 2004. I can guarantee that they had never been bathed before. I would fill the bathtub with bubbles and toys and they would scream that it sounded like we were actually killing them. Now they just love the ocean and the pool. We are going back on 7-14 for court date. We have had a rough time with our adoption in Ukraine because one of the girls had her birth certificate done incorrectly. We now have court date 7-24 and come back home and then go to pick them up on Sept. because on August all Ukraine is practically on vacation. I really think that you guys have done a wonderful job with Ava. She is gorgeous and I have seen tremendous improvement. It has been great for her to have the help and support of all her siblings. wish you guys always the best. Nancy
I have 2 water bugs....though I am fairly certain neither of them had been in a bath tub until the first time I put them in one. Xander would rather be in the water than anywhere else. In fact, if he hears running water, he will start making noise and scooting toward the sound(if it's in another room). He loves the pool, the ocean and heck, even a puddle of water on the ground. He does not, however, like a shower. It must have to do with the pressure or the feeling when it hits him. He'll play with water coming out of the faucet, but not the shower head. Grifyn was more hesitant about water(wasn't sure what to do), but he likes it now(not as much as Xander though) and even learned how to splash his siblings over 4th of July weekend!
My first thought when I saw those photos of Ava was that she is such a girly girl! Maybe she just knows that she's the cutest little thing laying on that towel????
Charissa,
it was therapeutic for me to just look at these pictures. I imagined being there soaking up the sun and having nice clean water to swim in. Here in the mountains of Mexico during rainy season we are all wearing sweatshirts and jeans and carrying umbrellas. But dry season is coming...in just 5 more months! :(
Lisa
Charissa, my 3 youngest, from Russia, all hated baths. Oh the screams in Kemerovo and Moscow. Wow. Now they love their baths. Remember Max has only been home since March. Niky has been home 2 yrs and it took many months for him to feel safe I think. Alexi loves the pool, moreso the ocean. Mention beach and he's scootin as fast as the older boys are running. Niky likes the sand and tolerates the edge of the surf, Max stays back..... way back. Niky only like the pool if I'm tightly holding him and Max is still unsure. The boys came from the Kemerovo region and I know they did not EVER have baths, mostly just washed/wiped up, and the kids that could stand are "sprayed", I'm assuming somewhat like a shower.
Ava is such a beautiful little butterfly. deanie, jesse-ray, andy, alexi, max, niky
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