HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!  It was a quiet Christmas Eve with the exception of the fireworks set off in Independence Square at 9:45pm.  At 930, we went off for our standard travel to the orphanage.  Today was our first experience with Katya WITHOUT a translator.  At first, everything went well.  It was clear what she wanted to do- and more importantly, she understood when we DIDN'T want her doing something.  Towards the end of our time, Katya began searching (and we knew she was looking for the candy).  We brought out some hard sweets, and as before, gave her two.  She shared with both Paul and Pam, but when Pam took the bag away, she threw a HUGE temper tantrum, throwing books and her candy across the room.  She began grabbing for the jacket where Pam put the candy, and when Pam took it from her with a firm "nyet"- Katya began SCREAMING 'DAH DAH DAH'.  When Pam said "Nyet" again and walked away with the coat- Katya ran to the other side of the room and began to pour crocodile tears.  We decided to call her bluff, put our shoes on and called to her "Goodbye" in Ukrainain.  The change was immediate and clear.  The tears changed to real, and she grabbed Pam's shoes and began pulling them off- shouting "Don't go- No- Don't go".  She climbed into Pam's lap and curled up until we really had to leave.  She began to cry again as we had to leave, but walked back to her 'groupa' with us- giving us hugs and kisses as we left (while still complaining to her carer that we had not given her enough candy to share with her friends!!!)

We had our Christmas lunch at our local Italian- where we feasted on Pizza, Fettucini and Foccacia....