In which the Amerikanyetc remember Kazakhstan.
We are exactly one week from the anniversary of our departure to meet Owen. A year ago we were packing bags and making lists and buying stacks of thermal under britches. Last weekend we marked the occasion with a celebration of Russian Christmas.
As I mentioned in the last journal, Russians celebrate New Year's versus Christmas-- a holdover from Communist times. They also base the dates on the Julian calendar, so New Year's falls on January 7.
In a fit of nostalgia, Robin and I had our parents and friends, the Schroeders, over for borsch, meat pies a la Kokshetau, Russian salad, and pirogues. We washed it all down with Russian wine and vodka.
Despite the mass consumption of boiled root vegetables and, literally, a vat of sour cream, everyone walked away surprisingly satisfied and unpoisoned. We will not, however, be signing up for any more vodka shots.
As you can see from the photos, we broke out the Kazakh hats and the Russian and Kazakh music. In honesty, we hadn't really played the music since our return from Kokshetau. As a result, it was a little jarring to hear Air Supply's "I'm All Out of Love" lilting from the stereo in Russian.
It's a little shameful to admit that I recognize that song despite the words being in a foreign tongue.
The occasion also afforded us the opportunity to exchange gifts with the Schroeders. We'd tried to get together earlier in the season, but Holly's and Owen's assorted plagues kept us apart. Owen scored a most excellent Spiderman control headquarters which his daddy got to stay up 'til the wee hours assembling.
Much to Daddy's chagrin, Owen chucked Spiderman into a corner and used the super cool control headquarters as a garage for his beloved cars. The Spidey escape slide makes an excellent off-ramp for the min-Corvettes.
Cars have definitely become the central focus of Owen's life. When he wakes in the morning, "mah cahs" are the first things he asks about. It's the last game before bath-time, as well.
Beyond "cahs," Owen's building quite a repertoire of words. They include (but are by no means limited to):
Beep-beep: "I'm backing up" or "You're in the way."
Night-night: "I want to go to sleep. NOW."
Mama/Daah-ee: Generally accurate referrals to us, albeit somewhat interchangeable.
Hi! or 'Bye!: A greeting usually directed at the person in the grocery store least interested in Owen. "Hi!" can also mean "give me the phone so I can awkwardly hang up on whomever you're speaking to."
(Owen will shriek "hi!" at an unused phone endlessly. If, however, a parent or grandparent calls, he's magically struck mute until he manages to hang up on the caller. As soon as that's done, "HI! HI! HI!")
Bus: Any yellow car or truck.
Cat: To us it means "Tonces." To Toonces it means "run for your life."
Two: More than one; usually more than one cookie.
Cheeeeeeeese: And, yes, it is pronouced with all of those E's.
Toast: I think just means breakfast since he never actually eats the toast, despite requesting it by name.
Go: Means "I don't care that you just ordered a second glass of wine, we're leaving the restaurant right now!"
Ribbit: Means "frog."
Eyes: Means "I'm about to stick my fingers in your eyes."
Toes: Means "I'm taking my shoes and socks off now."
And, my new personal favorite:
Holp! Means "help," I think. I'm usually laughing at him when he says it so I can't be sure. The picture at left is a good Holp! scenario.
