These were just some things that I jotted down for posterity while we were in the midst of moving and adjusting.
Calvin's emotions have covered a broad and pretty normal range throughout our transition. Lucky for me, he is quite articulate in expressing them. There's very little question what he is feeling. Despair - "How many times do you have to make me cry?!" he wailed one day when I asked him to do something very simple that he didn't feel up to at the moment. Then frustration - "It's juuuuust toooooooo complicaaaaated!" he moaned another time when I was telling him where to put something away. And then other times he was on top of the world - "Mom! I just said my first word here!!" he exclaimed in absolute pride after saying "Thank you" in Russian to the man who brought in Charlie's crib the day we arrived.
Henry hasn't had an emotional roller coaster, really. His has been a pretty level ride. Starting with the tirade through the airport terminal to our gate before boarding. We didn't have time to sit at Wendy's to eat our lunch so we were carrying the food to the gate so we didn't miss the boarding call. This set him off and he proceeded to yell (he has only one volume setting in general) for about 200 yards:
"Why do we have to get on the stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid plane, anyway?!?!"
On the fortieth or fiftieth "stupid" most people stopped being appalled and a few started chuckling. One guy stopped and said to Henry, "I'm with you, buddy." It makes me laugh. Now. Except that it really did set the tone for how Henry is dealing with the move.
When Henry isn't being outrageously and loudly angry vocal, he uses Duckie for expressing his quieter emotions: 
Then there's Charlie. His emotions remain consistently in the sunshine range. If there was ever a balm for the heart, it's this little guy. Even his brothers can't resist his giggle and charm.
And me? When I'm not wailing, "It's juuust tooooooo complicaaaaaaated!" I'm in the drawer with Duckie.
(Except when I'm on my way to Egypt. Wooooohoooooo!)
2.22.2009
Kyiv First 100 Days: Emotions
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5 comments:
Aww, they're all so dang cute in their expressive, ever-so expressive ways.
My favorite expression of Cal's was the one on his birthday. :)
I noticed that there was the glaring omission of parental emotions. Or should we not go there?
Isn't it nice you have a wide spectrum? Especially that youngest one of yours. How darling. Have a great time in Egypt. Enjoy the weather, I hear its warm.
Charlie is such a cutie! And the older boys too, but I love Charlie's cheeks!
Those really are adorable boys... I just read the past three posts and think you might be the most bravest person ever in the whole wide world...
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