New Baby

We have had an interesting week with lots of things going on. I did not get to go up to the children's home on Monday because Alexi's wife went into labor Sunday night and I did not feel I could ask him to take off for the day on Monday just to drive us up there. He called at 7 pm Sunday night. He had taken her to the hospital and then taken his kids to his Mom's house and then called an hour later and she had already had the baby. Men are not invited into the hospital at all and if they want to see the baby they have to stand outside of the hospital during visiting hours and wait for their wives to hold the baby up to the window. The women mark their windows with a sign so the men know which window to look into. We tell them about the way we do it in the states and they just shake their heads and look confused. The baby was born on Women's day. It is like mother's day in the states. So that was a nice present for Elena.
They stopped by on their way home from the hospital on Thursday and their daughter is beautiful. She was all bundled up with a big ribbon around her. So cute! I offered to take dinner to them and I think they were really nervous. I don't think they understand the American tradition of bringing a meal in. I think they thought I wanted to come for dinner.