nuts and bolts

We were playing with the other toy car and we noticed that there was a small bolt and nut where the steering wheel should have been. I started to back the nut off and Sultan pushed my hands away so he could do it. He got the nut off and we took the machine screw out and he happily worked with that for a while. He's very serious and focused when he's working and he gives these little gasps and ahs that are adorable. He worked with the nut for quite a while the we showed him how to put it back through the shaft where the steering wheel should have been. The next day we had the car upside down and took off the front end, played with it for a while and then back on, off, on. It's so interesting watching him learn and figure stuff out. His curiosity is amazing and a joy to encourage and enable.
He's good about limits for which we are grateful and hope will last. When we say nyet he lets it go and move on happily. He gives us these looks, asking for permission or to get something for him. He saw me throw some water from a cup into the sandbox and when he has a tiny bit left he'll look at Susan and gesture with the cup. So he is communicating effectively already. He talks to us in Kazakh and we think he's starting to say a few words in English like "good boy", "cool!" (we think) and "no no". Sally, he speaks Kazakh, though there are some basic Russian words he has been exposed to.
We've cut way back on the fluids and haven't had any moisture events, fingers crossed. We're learning. Today we'll bring s few cookies for him along with the apple and juice. When we get there he goes right to his little pack and pulls out the water or juice and his cup.

The weather has been really warm and sunny and his group has been outside when we get there, so we wander over and he sees us and asks one of his caregivers if he can leave the group and then comes running over. Yesterday one of the ladies was playing accordion and the kids were rapt. We find a spot away from the group and settle in. There are little roofed shelters in each corner of the lot with sandboxes and stuff to climb on.
We had lots of fun with a dumptruck full of legos. Thanks Mary and Thomas for the legos back home!! He mostly liked putting them in the truck and dumping them out rather forcefully. He zoomed around the room pushing the truck and steering around the furniture. I brought a balloon and blew it up and let it go and he was scared and got as far away as possible so we won't be doing that again. Otherwise he's pretty brave.

Susan and I are feeling grateful and so in love with him and each other. He is bringing so much joy to our lives and you all are going to adore him too.
OK, last thing. Susan brought him into the baby house when we left yesterday to start working on the potty issue and he went into a bathroom and pulled down his pants and peed into a red plastic pan he held in front of himself and put it on the floor when he finished. So now we know how he does it. Up come the pants. His caregiver signaled that he had to rejoin his group and he started crying, big fat hot tears. Susan rejoiced and felt sad that he felt so sad.

We had another interesting walk back to the Hotel. Stopped at a beautiful church, went in and took some pics. Met a wedding party and Viktor, handsome blond student with some English. Wandered down the main drag, into various shops and had lunch at the Cafe 24, mystery meat sandwiches, diet Pepsi and a pastry, while catching a good chase scene from the Bourne Identity on the cafe's TV. I always did like Matt Damon. There were some guys who were having what looked like potatoes, cabbage and meat and I might try that. We also discovered the Ararat Restaurant and that looked good, but again your choices are limited to what you can see on someone else's plate. Also a Chinese place, so our horizons are expanding. Went into a video casino/billiard hall, very swank, gorgeous tables 5'x10', white balls and a dark red cue??? There is a bowling alley in the Atrium and we are definitely going there en mass.
Off to breakfast and another beautiful day, day 9 of 14!!!!
peace
love