Sophie seems to have it in for dada. she likes him there, but there is no way he is allowed to hold her and she will not offer him affection. she did before. in fact she was SO enchanted with him when they first met. Not sure what happened but now she just plays with him from my lap and will not sit in his lap. Some of the things she says are baloochka (no idea) posta lukie (again no idea) and na! na! which I think is Here! as in give it here! she doesnt ask, she commands. she wanted Daddy to open the lip gloss for her but would not say please so he wouldnt open it. then she did say please and he opened it but I took it away after a minute because when I tried to help her she had a fit about it, it was tipping in her hands, thats the only way she can hold things and I didnt want it all over my leg. THEN the tears came. and the screams. I just held her and rocked her and talked to her, even if she couldnt understand me. I said I understand you are angry, but you cant always have your way. and the very words I am famous for, I am sorry to hear you feel that way. she was nearly asleep in my arms when she heard a machina and popped up and all was forgotten(except her grudge against daddy) and we looked at a book of photos. She was still stand offish with Eric when we returned her to her groupa. Poor Eric is feeling rejected.

Ben is very quick to say please or mama or whatever it is you ask when he wants something. they did let us take him out this afternoon and we walked and walked with him hauling a machina behind him. he was happy to hold hands with us while he walked. When we went to get him he was playing in the water. they had a big bowl of water on the table and the kids were just playing in it. he was soaking wet and having a great time. he was less than pleased with us for removing him but since we were unable to break the language barrier to tell the nanny we would come back after awhile he was removed and redressed and off we went. we played in the sand box for awhile and then it was time to take him back. The other children all come running when they see us. One little boy we saw today has downs syndrome and is older, about 8 I would say. very cute. and was asking if we were mama and papa and I told him we were Bens mama and papa and he nodded and smiled.

We just got back from dinner out. there is a place on the main road that is the only restraunt we have really been able to find. The place was deserted. we were the only people there. the foood was good but it was a more upscale restraunt and a bit more expensive than any place else we have found. we went to the place in the market yesterday and ate cheap. But overall we are just not having a lot of luck in finding places to dine. we dine at home more often than not. So tonight it was fun to eat out. I had chicken with mushrooms and rice. very good. Eric had salmon which he loved. Chrysta had the chicken too. It was strange to us being from the land of plenty that the plate was not "full". yet when we were finished WE were full. In fact I was unable to even finish it all, I dont think Chrysta ate all hers either. We are so used to large oversized portions we just dont even know what a normal sized portion is! the waiter was very kind to us and tried his best to communicate with us. brought us an English menu, he had only one cold water so he split it into glasses with the warm so no one had warm water, he told us how he speaks italian but not so good english. when we left I said Ciao! Anyways it was a good meal.

oh have I mentioned that Chrysta shaved her eyebrow off? yeah I asked myself the same thing, how does THAT happen? she was using the electric razor under her arm and somehow just shaved off her eyebrow! she tried putting some makeup on it and that looked worse, it looks better the way it is, half there and half gone lol. She will be mad that I told.

We hear some strange music here. one song was about it used to be a fun house, but now its filled with Evil clowns! now Im gonna burn it down!
very strange song.

I cant seem to access my yahoo from my room at hotel Ptown. of course thats where my mail is. Lydia I have the starcard will that work at the post? will I have better luck there?