I should explain the name of the blog “Little Temujin”.
Our little one is not the typical blue eyed and blond Russian kid. Actually, he has big brown eyes, long lashes and brown (seems curly) hair. He is definitely mixed but we are not sure what races. So, in absence of a true family tree, we decided that he is a distant relative to the legendary Genghis Khan whose original name was Temujin.

"Adoption is when a child grew in its mommy's heart instead of her tummy."
Author: Unknown

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Back From Vacation

It's been a while ... but it's also been two busy months between going to Bulgaria and Greece on vacation, my parents visiting, us moving into a new house and the never ending never being able to catch up with work.
Just a few pictures ... i know, the hair is getting out of control... it's already cut short and i will post updates soon.







Thursday, April 21, 2011

Best Friends


Silly Things





***
Me: "Vanie, what is this (pointing to a picture of a cow)?
Vanie: "A cow!"
Me: "What does the cow give us, Vanie?"
Vanie: "Miiiilk!"
Me: "Yes, and where exactly does the milk come from?"
Vanie (very proud of himself): "The dupe" pointing at his own little hiney
- in English: the=the; dupe= buttocks in Bulgarian

...stunned and at the same time amused by the answer of my almost 2 1/2 yr old one, i decided that i am not ready to expain ...

***
With Easter coming up, Vanie now knows about the Easter bunny... except he calls it Bunny Easter.

***
We are flying to Bulgaria next month to see the grandparents so we have been trying to get Vanue used to the idea of getting on an airplane. So we usually say "in just a few weeks, mommy, daddy and Vanie will get on an airplane and will go see grandma and grandpa".
Vanie's version of that phrase "Grandma, Grandpa get on airplane". Well, he is really fascinated with airplanes and helicopter so as of a weeks or so ago the phrase has been changed to "Grandma, grandpa get on helicopter!"

Monday, March 21, 2011

All the "fine" things we learn at daycare

Don't get me wrong, Vanie has learned tons of new words, songs and what not at daycare... you can even understand the words in some of the songs he sings. And yes, the ABC's song actually has more than 3 letters now, even if most of them are still k's and s's and x's. :-) - we are getting there. I can only imagine what his teacher go through every day. I know i would not be able to do it with so many kids, day in and day out.

In addition of all the nice things, Vanie has also picked up a few funny and bad ones as well as some bad behavior.
His favorite phrases right now are:
"Oh, my gosh" - clearly something from daycare as we don't say it at home
"Get away" - with attitude when he is not happy and doesn't want me to touch him or show him how to do things.
"C'mooooon, mommy" or "C'mooon, daddy" is something you hear quite often in our house as Vanie is in this new phase where he wants us to play with him. Trust me there is no "c'mon" when it comes to doing things such as brushing teeth, or washing hands or eating - everything has to be done by HIM ALONE.
Some other favorite phrases:
"Look at that!"
"Look, mommy, i did it"
" I want" and "I no want"
"No, mommy, Vanie's turn" or "No, daddy, mommy's turn" - he is big on "turns" right now expecially when it's about his turn. :-)

On the bad behavior, just a few months ago he was being pushed around by other kids and apparently now he has started doing that to other kids himself. Some other not so nice but favorite activities - throwing his shoes. We are not sure what to do as he doesn't act up when at home or with friends' kids. From what i hear, this is just a stage that he will pass but knowing that we don't know much about his genes or the 9 months before he was born makes us think about anything he does twice and 3 times. I am sure this is just a phase - afterall, he is well behaved at home -to the extent a 2 yr old one can behave well :-).

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Vanie's new girlfriend





Our dear friends, Eva and Daniel, visted today with their kids from Boston (we've been friends with Eva since the late 90's when we move to the US). Their girl, Elena, is 4 1/2 yrs old and what can i say, Vanie just fell in love. He didn't even take a nap today (needless to say he was really cranky by 5pm) and spent the entire day playing and running around after her and with her. On top of that we saw at least 2 or 3 helicopers flying really low over Laguna Beach which made Vanie's day even more perfect (this kid is obsessed with all flying objects and firetrucks).

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Fun at another birthday party


Alissa, the birthday girl



Vanie - horrified from the fact that the kids are beating up and braking the horsie (the pinata)


The bottom curls are gone

Vanie is starting to look much more like a boy than a baby with the new hair style. Here is my sweetheart!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Look at him now...

Daddy's little Stoychkov... for those of you who don't know who he is...