Kids and Kittens

As you can see, we have a couple little companions for our family!

We had been toying with the idea of getting a kitten for the boys, because if we were to get any pet, a cat would be the easiest to care for. You don't have to find it a babysitter if you leave for a day or two, you don't have to hide its food away for fear of it eating the whole bag, you don't have to take it outside multiple times a day, and it handles apartment-living well. Plus, you still get the fun of cuddling and playing with it, and it doesn't have to live in a cage like a gerbil. (Because, as everyone knows, a pet that has to spend all of its unsupervised time inside of a cage isn't quite the same.)

And so, when a girl from the neighborhood came running up to us with two tiny fuzzy black kittens saying that her mom told her to find new owners for them that very evening, we were very tempted. So tempted, in fact, that we took them both. A little bit crazy? Perhaps. But how much harder can two be than one? And Josh, a huge cat-lover since childhood, claims that two are more fun because you can watch them pounce and wrestle together.

One night I found them both curled up with blankets and kittens.

Building buddies.

The boys are in heaven. Misha knows how to gently hold his kitty (the sweet, skinny runt of the litter), stroking him until he purrs. Sebby likes to carry his fat, fluffy kitty a bit too much, so we are trying to teach him that cats need their personal space sometimes. Sebby is starting to get a little better at just sitting next to his cat without suffocating him. At only two months old, they barely realize that they have the option of running away and hiding, though once in awhile they disappear behind the couch. Misha named his cat Teegr (Russian for - you guessed it - tiger); we're still thinking of a name for Sebby's.

Making friends.

A game of tag.

Hiding spot.

The kittens love to chase string.

As Josh predicted, they playfully chase each other around the house all day with a flurry of little pitter-pats, pouncing on each other like Simba and Nala. But most of the time, they sleep curled up in tiny balls for hours. Whether active or passed out, they are adorable. 

"I'm snuggling with my cat," Sebby told me.

*   *   *   *   *

More photos to preserve the good memories of summer:

Out for a picnic and coloring session.

Train watching on the way home.

Acrobatics before bed.

Dr. Sebastian now taking patients.

Out for pasta!

Daddy and boys at the Italian restaurant.

Outside the restaurant.

The looong walk home.

Walking downtown.

Soccer with Vladik.

Misha taught Erika, our kitten donor, how to play our homemade Sorry game. 

Tree-climbing lessons from big brother.

Making some important notes while on his perfect perch.

He can scale trees like a monkey!

Climbing with Dassia.

This photo reminds me so much of Calvin and Hobbes. However, Sebby really does enjoy baths - he is just worried that the water is hot!

My little boys running back to our apartment.

A family walk.

Helping. 

A park stroll with Naiil.

Out for pizza!

Painting our homemade baked dough creations. And rocks.

Concentration.

Sebby loves to paint. Afterward, he always needs a bath.

Creating pictures with beans, lentils, and other kitchen finds.

Beat the Heat ... with fountains!

Cooling off in downtown Bishkek

Monday was a holiday (the end of Ramadan), so the kids were home. We were uninspired to play outside because of the heat, and Josh was suffering from terrible allergies, but by evening, I was determined to get out of the house. I popped Sebby in his stroller so Misha and I could power walk all the way down Erkindik boulevard to get to the ploshad (square) in downtown Bishkek. The square is filled with beautiful fountains, so in anticipation, I had told the boys to wear swim trunks instead of shorts.

 A feast of color: Bright red flowers bloom in Erkindik boulevard.

Ice cream stop: Stracciatella for Misha, and chocolate for Sebby

It worked out perfectly. Right before arriving at the ploshad, we stopped for some Italian-style ice cream and finished eating it by the fountains. The plaza was filled with people milling around leisurely or resting on benches, children perched on the ledges of the fountains, and vendors selling everything from candy and toys to rides in battery-operated kid cars. The sun, on its way down, glinted off the buildings to create a cozy glow as the wind-blown sprinkles from the fountains cooled the warm air. The deafening Kyrgyz pop music drowning out the buzz of conversation inspired Misha and Sebby to start dancing and marching among the fountains. Groups of people watched them from afar, smiling at their antics.

The great thing about Bishkek is that no one gives you dirty looks if your children actually go into the fountains. What could be better? They are shallow enough for children, equipped with their own sprinklers, and completely free! The boys dipped their feet, waded, and slid their way along the slippery sidewalks between the fountains. Other children joined them, hiking up dresses or stripping down to boxer shorts. They had a blast. 

Sebby struts along the slick cement as the sun strikes the building.

Another dance move

Misha goes all in

Summer joy!

Other kids join in

Sundown

The Kyrgyz flag waves over the ploshad

The statue of Manas, the Kyrgyz national hero, also watches over the square.

Home again, home again. Jiggity jog.

Finally, as dusk neared, I cajoled them out of the water and we made our way back home, their suits drying in the night air. Sebby shrieked as Misha pushed his stroller as fast as he could. By the time we got home, it was dark and time for bed. It was one of those evenings where everything turned out perfectly - the kids were content with simple pleasures, and so was their mother.

A Mountain Picnic

This week has been so hot and muggy that it seems to sap all of our energy to do anything. Even nightfall brings no relief from the heat. So on Sunday, we escaped the heat bubble of Bishkek and headed to the nearby mountains, Ala Aarcha National Park. It's nice to have friends with cars! And with Pasha, all you have to is casually mention you were thinking about going on a picnic, and before you say another word, he has bought enough food to feed an army and has gathered up everyone to leave in a matter of minutes. :)

In contrast to the stuffy atmosphere of the city, the mountain air is pleasant, cool, and fresh. We snacked on canned fish, a rotisserie chicken, chips, and watermelon, and the kids played in the puddles, hopped from stone to stone over the river, and ran through the grass.

On to the photos!

Soccer and Snacks

Boys and Puddles

Rock-hopping

Sebby gets a little help from Daddy

Tam on the rocks

Sebby perches on his rock

Misha the adventurer

More help from Daddy

Daddy and two boys

Daddy and ... four boys!

... plus Marina!

Life is good.

Laughing: Pasha and Josh

Here are a few of those rare shots of Josh and me together. Enjoy!

On our way back to Bishkek, Pasha talked Josh into stopping for a ride in this glider. At $35 for a 10-minute ride, it seemed a better deal than one would get in most countries, so Josh decided to go for it. He enjoyed it, though the mountains still towered above him the whole time.

Ready for lift-off

Sebby and Yarik watch Josh zoom down the runway. Sebby was envious.

In a rather ET like moment, Josh takes to the sky.

The view from Josh's camera

Mountains and valleys: birds' eye view

Returning

Sunset in the mountains ... Time to go home.