Finally!

I've had trouble accessing Internet the last few days. Woke up at 5:30 am and finally able to get on. It is likely partly the wi fi and partly operator error with my devices. Doesn't help that carpal tunnel syndrome is reappearing in my right hand no doubt because I'm using it more given the cat on ly left hand! Anyway, enough complaining but that is why I'm slow posting and still challenged posting pictures.  

At least I can give you some news.  There are 5 on the team including me. Luisa from Maryland was on a team with me 3 years ago. She also speaks some Romanian which is a huge help especially since some of the children are now talking. She says her Romanian is at their level but I think it is much better than that. The other 3 volunteers are from MN. Cath is currently a nurse, Sarah is a former nurse and now dress shop owner and Sarah, our youngest team member at age 21, just graduated with a degree in child psych and works at a facility for children with autism.  Lots of great experience.  

Here is news on the children:  

Ionut is with us, the toddler with the heart problem not the Ionut with cp.  They still call him grasselo for fat boy.  He has a homing instinct for food and regularly trolls the halls where mothers there with their children dote on him and give him handouts. Yesterday he scored a biscuit, a piece of ham, oranges and a banana.  Speaking of banana, the children now get an afternoon snack of banana and Dan has taught them to chant, "ba-na-na." Ionut is walking and talking and seems like a typical toddler.  

Delia is still her charming self although she did this huge pouting, shy thing when we arrived. At first I worried that something was wrong with her.  She had amazing control of her little stump of a shoulder.

A former volunteer showed her how to hold a crayon in two of the three toes she has of a partial foot and she was scribbling in s coloring book. We also put some Cheerios on a small plate and she was carefully moving them around with her "arm." This is a child in serious need of a prosthesis. No idea what is going on with that. We have heard it talked about but it hasn't happened. 

Luca, with autism, is about the same but had already improved some in 2 days with Sarah. She is tea hing him to eat with a spoon and it is amazing to see him stick with it. She also has a technique of holding his head tightly to stop him from head banging.  Today we got somr shaving cream and put it on a tile wall and he actually touched it! I have a video I will post if I can get wi fi work long enough to download it. 

Luciana is talking a little bit and trying to walk. She has short tendons and her foot turns in do she can't walk properly by herself. She is willing to walk a little more each day holding one hand. She needs braces for her legs. 

Elena was with us on a team a few years ago. She had CP and has an amazing smile. She likes to roll on the floor. She does not like being put in her crib. 

Ionella is about 2 and I think has a heart problem. I have never met her before but have seen other volunteers post pictures of her. She has a haircut like mine.  She seems relatively normal developmentally although a bit delayed perhaps from being institutionalized. She likes to dance, and to eat. She managed to keep a bag of Cheerios away from Ionut for some time this afternoon. I love it when they can stand up for themselves! 

Larissa left for the hospital in Iasi today so we hardly got to know her. She is 4 years old and looks like she is 15 months. She seems to have dwarfism and severe neurological problems. She can imitate faces. I remembered my former favorite, Andreea, who had CP and I pull blow on her bangs. I tried this with Larissa and she seemed to like it as well.  

We hear we will get two more children.  

Will post more later. Time to get ready for another work day.