Sunday - July 2nd - the rash gets worse :(

We visited with Sasha this morning while Mom or Baba, as grandmothers are affectionately known here, tried to see the Cosmonautic Museum. After the normal initial separation cries (whenever he leaves his favorite caregiver, he fusses), we headed out to a bright, sunny Kaluga morning. He had fun with his musical bug and found a car that was great fun. He could sit on it or push it across the shelter.

He is fascinated with plants which certainly shows that he'll fit very well into our master gardener family.

He is really suffering from his infected rash. He is still in the medical ward and isn't sleeping well. He has occasional meltdowns which between his lack of sleep and his horrible, itchy skin is probably understandable. We took him today to get his passport photos taken. We have been told that we're allowed to do this early (usually you'd do this after the court hearing and once you've been told you can take the child) due to the fabulous letter our pediatrician wrote asking that Sasha be allowed to return as soon as possible to the U.S. to get treatments for his various ailments. We hope this same letter will encourage the judge to waive the 10 day period. We must admit that we're ready to get this little boy home.

This afternoon we visited a couple of very old monasteries. I looked oh, so fabulous with my 'skirt' and headdress.