Week 7 Photos

Finally! Three weeks home, and I finally had a moment to finish uploading Week 7, arrange and caption it. It includes Parque Jaime Duque, Parque 93, Parque El Chico, photos around the Halifax, and Sentencia - see them all here.

At some point soon, I hope to finish a few notes about our last week and get a few more photos from my mom so I can load the photos from our last few days and trip home.

Several people have asked me to continue to post to the blog so they can continue to follow our adjustment at home. All I can say is that I will try my best :)

Everybody is home safe and sound

Sabeth, Esteban, Isabella and Grandma Dawn all arrived safe and sound in Boston on Monday night (11/22) around 9:30pm. Isabella and Esteban were both asleep so Julien didn't get to officially greet them until Tuesday morning. Everybody was tired and poor Grandma Dawn had to turn around and leave early Tuesday afternoon to get back to Grandpa Kerry and Seattle. !Grandma Dawn was an amazing help and Sabeth couldn't have done it without her!

Isabella had her first U.S. doctor's appointment on Tuesday morning and is healthy as can be. She is adjusting to life in Mass. though she woke up Tuesday morning quite freaked out by her new surroundings. Esteban continues to be a great big brother and insists on being the first to great her in the mornings. Sabeth is finally getting some much needed sleep as Julien is able to get up for the 6am wake up call though she is still handling the 2am wake ups.

We are all still figuring out a rhythm and trying to manage the chaos. We were able to get to Abuela Ana's and Grandpa Julien's for Thanksgiving though we discovered how much Isabella hates being in a car seat. She screamed until she made her self through up. It was an interesting sight to see us changing her on the side of Rt 93 (128 for you Bostoners) with it being 35 degrees out. Sabeth had to squeeze herself in between the two car seats in the back and ride the rest of the hour and a half trip to Julien's parents in order to sooth Isabella.

We thank everyone for your well wishes, support, and prayers. It all certainly helped us get through the process and grow our family!

More pictures to come in a later post.

Ready to head home

It's 11:00pm - and the bags are packed, the kids (and Grandma) are sleeping, and I am ready to head home. I know there are a few blog posts to catch up on - maybe on the plane tomorrow. Who am I kidding? With 4 of us in 3 seats, I'll be lucky to page through a magazine that's all pictures.

It has been a wonderful 7 weeks and 2 days in Colombia. We have been blessed with decent weather - perhaps the best day of our stay was today! I have spent so much time with Esteban and my mom, not to mention Isabella. We have met wonderful people here in the Halifax - the community of adoptive families extends around the world - and I feel fortunate to have been part of that community again. People here have showered us with hospitality and care - from the hotel staff to friends of friends who invited us into their homes and lives. Colombia is a wonderful place to visit, especially with children. If you've considered coming here and been put off by the media portrayals of Colombia, think again. Bogota is a big city - like New York or LA - so you exercise caution as you would there. There are plenty of wonderful hotels, good restaurants, amazing history and museums, beautiful countryside and lovely people. Bogota weather reminds me of the Bay Area of California - never freezes, never gets too hot.

Our ride picks us up at 7:00am tomorrow, and we will have about a 15 hour travel day. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers for safe travel and no delays!

Isabella's Visa and Tickets Home!

It was nice to sleep in a little on Friday, and to wash and hang the last two loads of laundry we will wash here (hopefully!). Reynel picked me up at 10:15am, as promised, to take me to the US Embassy to pick up Isabella's visa. Esteban had a little screaming fit as I was leaving, though I know Grandma Dawn handled it like a pro. Reynel took me to the Embassy and walked me to the gate. On Fridays, the Embassy has administrative days, so there were only about 20 people outside the gate - such a marked difference from Thursday! I couldn't take any photos of the Embassy because they don't allow it - no cameras inside. I went to the gate, told them I had an appointment, and they opened the door for me. I walked right in, to the window to which I was directed, and waited about 2 minutes for someone to come see me. They brought me Isabella's visa, I checked it to be sure it was all correct, and they handed me the big envelope of documents for US Immigration when we re-enter the US - and wished me congratulations. I walked back out and was back at the hotel about an hour after I left. We celebrated with a walk to the park before lunch!

After lunch, we walked to the Delta office (about 16 blocks) to change our tickets. In true Bogota fashion, our walk encompassed at least three different kinds of weather - sun, sprinkles, and downpour. Luckily, we got to the Delta office just in time for the downpour, and it was finished before we headed home. We got all of our tickets changed (Isabella's actually doesn't have a date, so it didn't have to be changed) to fly together from Bogota to Atlanta to Boston on Monday 11/22. My mom will fly on to Seattle on Tuesday afternoon. I am so thankful that my mom can fly with me and the kids to Boston - I cannot imagine managing both kids, all their stuff and mine, and customs and immigration by myself!

I got my hair cut - finally - yesterday before dinner. When I left to get my haircut Esteban told me that he wasn't going to cry and that he would miss me. So sweet! We had found a spa a few blocks away that looked nice and I went there. It was a little more expensive (51,000 pesos / about $28) than some places around here - but well worth it. I got a nice wash, a great cut (the short style I wanted before I left Massachusetts - rather than the chop job I got), and a nice styling - all by a sweet young man. Esteban told me I looked very stylish when I got back to the hotel. Grandma managed the kids while I was gone, though Isabella was really overtired by the time I got back. She doesn't like to take her bottle from Grandma and was not happy having a bath with Grandma because it's not her usual routine.

Speaking of Isabella, she now has 2 teeth (the bottom center) and seems to be working on some more. She also is really enjoying this walker, the likes of which have all been recalled in the US. It took her about 4 days to figure out how to walk herself around and now she can go from room to room (on the main floor, of course) all by herself.

The day after Sentencia: Passport, Doctor, Embassy, CRAN, Party!

Thursday was a LONG day!

Helena picked us (Isabella, Esteban, Grandma Dawn and I) at 7:30am! We were off to the Passport Office early, early, early. To be ready meant that we had to all get up when Isabella woke at 5:30! Dressed, fed, diaper bag ready for 2 kids, and important papers all collected. And we managed to be ready exactly at 7:30am. At the Passport Office, we first got Isabella's passport photos for the Colombian Passport and for the US visa taken at a little shop conveniently located just outside the door to the Passport Office. She took a great photo!

Then we headed into the Passport Office, bypassing the line of about 40 people, as happens when accompanied by Helena. In true Helena style, she handed me the papers I needed and told me which window to go to while she paid the passport fee. My mom and Esteban waited very patiently for us. After I spoke to the woman at the window and verified that she had all our information correct, I joined my mom and Esteban and Helena. We waited about 30 minutes for the passport to be ready. All told, we spent about an hour at the passport office.


After the Passport Office, we headed to the US Embassy doctor. Before the Embassy would grant a visa, they need a clean bill of health from their doctor. So we went to see Dr. Fajardo, who is the same doctor we saw with Esteban. He put Isabella's immunization record into the official form for the Embassy and gave her a quick examination. Isabella weighs 8730 grams (19lbs 4oz) and is 27" long. I think our girl has grown! The doctor pronounced all well and gave us a sealed envelope to give to the Embassy.

All this happened before 10:30am! We headed for the US Embassy, knowing that we were one document short for our visa application and hoping that they would accept it anyway. We were missing the Conformity document, which comes from CRAN and is then issued by ICBF, and it states that our adoption was conducted in accordance with the Hague Convention on International Adoption. Our Conformity document was due to be ready early Friday morning. If the Embassy would accept our incomplete (for now) visa application, then maybe we could drop off the Conformity document on Friday morning and still pick up the visa on Friday afternoon. We arrived at the Embassy at about 11:00am. There were about 1,000 people lined up outside the Embassy (not kidding) and still Helena went right to the front of the line. As she pointed out, they were all there applying for tourist and work visas, and we were there for an adoption visa. We walked right in and Helena went to submit the papers at the appropriate window. The Embassy waiting areas are all outside and you do your business at windows where you use a phone to talk to the personnel on the other side. You never actually enter an embassy building. Helena returned and said we should wait about 15 minutes and then go to wait near a specific window. Isabella's name was called and we went to the specified window. The first person I spoke with checked that all my documents were there - and wanted to know about the Conformity document. She said that if we could get it to the Embassy that afternoon, we could pick up the visa on Friday. If they didn't get the Conformity document until Friday, then the visa would not be ready until Monday. The next person I talked to took my money (those visas aren't free!). Then I waited about 10 minutes and they called me to another window, where a vice consul asked me a few questions and looked at Isabella to make sure her photo matched her face. Then we were free to go. We got in a cab at 12:15pm - only a little over an hour at the Embassy!

Helena took us directly to ICBF to ask, in person, for the Conformity document. Esteban and I went with her and waited in the hall. I am sure she asked, in her very nicest way, for that document to be done NOW! When the right staff person returned from lunch, it took about 10 minutes to get the paperwork in order - and we left with the Conformity document in hand!

We were scheduled to visit CRAN at 2:00pm for our tour and post-placement visit (to ask any further questions about Isabella) so we headed there. Helena arranged for her most trusted driver to meet us at CRAN and hand-deliver the Conformity document and Isabella's passport to the Embassy while we were visiting CRAN. Reynel is my hero!






Our visit to CRAN was nice. I had a chance to ask some more questions about Isabella's case, and they gave me a CD of photos from her foster home. We took a tour - which was good for both Esteban and my mom. CRAN has three main programs - the on-site program for children ages 2-8 whom they are trying to re-unite with their birth families (90 children), the program for pregnant women whose babies are then placed with foster families (about 70 children), and a pre-school program for children from the community (40 children).



There were also high school age kids there volunteering - a different colegio (private high school) sends students to volunteer every day of the week. Esteban asked why there were so many kids there and why they had beds there.









We finally headed back to the hotel, and arrived at 4:45pm - just in time to join the festivities! Five families were celebrating Sentencia! We had a pre-dinner gathering with beverages and snacks, and a wonderful cake for dessert. There are families from Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Denmark here right now - and most are heading home in the next week.


What a feeling of relief to have all that done in one day! The kids were great with all the time in the stroller and taxis - and Grandma Dawn survived pretty well, too.


I'll believe we're really going home when we have Isabella's visa in hand on Friday! Helena called Thursday evening to tell me that Reynel would pick me up at 10:15am Friday for an 11:00am appointment at the US Embassy to pick up the visa.

Sentencia - the details

After yesterday's news that we didn't get Sentencia, it was feeling like it would never happen. This morning we headed out to the park right after breakfast. It was raining when we got ther so we had coffee, and then Esteban decided he wanted to nap. So we were on our way to my hair appointment when the phone rang - it was Helena telling me that we needed to go sign TODAY! And she would pick me up at the hotel in 20 minutes. We hurried back, got the kids settled, I dressed myself to be presentable at the courthouse, and we left about 11:30am (30 minutes after Helena called - not bad for all we had to do). My mom stayed with Esteban and Isabella.

We arrived at the family court building in downtown Bogota at about 12:10pm. It's a non-descript building with a bookstore and a couple of copy and coffee places on the street level. You go in and can take the elevator (which means waiting in line for the one elevator that takes 7 people per trip) or the stairs. We were going to the 4th floor, so we waited for the elevator. Turns out we had court 4, not court 14 as I had thought. Helena wanted to get us there in time to sign and get copies made and stamped before everyone went to lunch from 1:00-2:00pm.

We got to Court 4 and Helena went to the window and asked for our papers. Going to the court here is not what I had imagined - you go to a service window where the staff look up your case on the computer and bring your papers to the window for you to sign. You never actually see the judge who signed your papers. The Sentencia only takes one signature from the parent. My lawyer had been there earlier in the day and signed already. Once you sign, you take the original document back to one of the copy places on the street level (outside the building) and you get copies made. Then you go back into the court building and take the copies back to the court to have them stamped and signed as official copies. We got back to the window at about 12:50pm. The waiting area was already clearing out as people finished their business before the lunch hour. We sat down to wait for our copies to come back as official. That was when I noticed that the bulletin board of court notices for Family Court #4 had our Sentencia notice dated 12 November. That was last Friday! No way to know why we didn't find out until today that it had been signed - but it's Colombia, so it doesn't help to get upset now. The copies finally came out at 1:10pm - someone worked into their lunch hour to get them done for us! Sentencia in hand - Isabella is officially ours! It's a done deal!

Back down the stairs and outside to wait for our driver to come with the car. Then we headed to the Notary office where Isabella's birth was originally registered. Colombia doesn't have a centralized system for recording civil events, so to get a new birth certificate (one that shows Julien and I as Isabella's parents) we had to go to where the original is filed and officially change it there. Also, in Colombia you can register births at a Notary or at a Registry office. The Registry is a government office, and often works as slowly as one, and the Notary is a private enterprise and usually is faster. So we were lucky to be heading to a Notary, and one not that far from the court building. On the way to the Notary, it started to pour. It's been quite rainy the past week, with incredible flooding all over Colombia reported on the news this morning - and this was really heavy rain that included some hail.

When we arrived at the Notary, the door was closed and people were waiting to get in - the office was closed for lunch. So we went and had lunch, too. By 2:30pm we were at the window of the Notary explaining what we needed. By 3:00pm, he had the document ready for my signature - actually 4 signatures - and we were on our way by 3:30pm. I was back at the hotel by 4:00pm.

What a relief! There are more things that have to happen, but we are definitely on the home stretch.

We had promised Esteban that on Sentencia Day he could break open his Colombian piggy bank (which he got for his birthday here and has been filling with Colombian coins) and take the proceeds to buy a toy. So when I got back to the hotel, we borrowed a hammer and took his piggy bank outside. Without a second glance, he smashed it open in two blows! My mom and I both forgot to bring our cameras - and completely regret it! He picked up all his money and we headed out to the toy store. He got a small truck that makes noise and flashes its lights - he's delighted!

Other news of the day is that Isabella cut her first tooth - the front lower left - with the front lower right to follow soon. And she's getting over her cold - so she's breathing better.

At dinner tonight we found out that 4 other families here at the hotel also got their Sentencia today! So tomorrow night there will probably be a big party here - hopefully some live music and plenty of adult beverages! It's amazing how the news of Sentencia can lighten the mood of the whole place. When you feel like you've been here forever, like maybe you should start looking for a job and a place to live while you wait for Sentencia and your kids grow up, it's a GREAT feeling to know that going home is about a week away.

Tomorrow Helena will pick us up at 7:30am to go to get Isabella's Colombian passport. That should go quickly. The photo place is just outside the front door of the passport office, and we are getting a short-term passport so it should be ready in less than an hour. Then we have a 9:00am appointment with the US Embassy doctor - Isabella has to have an official examination before we can apply for her US visa. Once we have the doctor's certificate in hand, we can go the the US Embassy to apply for the visa. We will be missing the conformity document from CRAN (our adoption house) that says our process was all according to the Hague Convention on International Adoption, so they could tell us they won't accept our application until we have that (which won't be ready until Friday am). OR they could accept our paperwork and tell us to bring the conformity document on Friday am - and hopefully our visa would be available Friday afternoon. If they won't accept our visa application without the conformity document, we won't be able to apply for it until Monday - because the US embassy doesn't accept visa applications on Fridays.

Nothing new to this string of IF-THEN statements - it's how this whole process goes. Each step is dependent on the last.

So thank you all who sent up prayers and good thoughts for our Sentencia. It worked!

Sentencia!

Leaving now to sign (with 20 minutes' notice) - will post later with all the details :) Hurray!!!

Photos - Week 6

Isabella's latest developments, Esteban as a big brother, park photos, apartment surrounds, Gold and Botero Museums, Esteban's and Grandma's haircuts - check it out here.

Process Update: No Sentencia today

I know many people have been keeping us in their thoughts and prayers for Sentencia today. Our liaison Helena called about 2:00pm to say that the judge has not signed the papers as of this morning. She’s signing lots of papers, and just hasn’t gotten to ours yet. Our lawyer will go to the court again in the morning and see if they were signed this afternoon.

In an effort to comfort myself, I made an appointment at a local spa to get my hair cut tomorrow (for 18,000 pesos - about $10). If it’s not a great cut, at least my hair will be shorter and it will be much less than I pay at home!

Isabella has had a cold and is feeling better. She ate a huge lunch, including 3 strips of maduros (fried sweet plantains) - she loved them. Esteban met some American kids at the park this am and had a great time playing with the 5 yo little girl. My mom is getting Isabella’s cold, so she’s not feeling great.

I’m taking things in stride – no vomit on me (yet) today, both kids napping at the same time, and decent Internet access – so things are relatively good. Food is good here at the hotel (we moved back to the Halifax on Sunday), beds are comfy and warm, and all are in better shape, I think. Upon our return to the hotel, I am reminded that there are really wonderful families here from all over the world, and it's good to have the support of people in similar situations (long court waits, getting to know babies/children new to your family) and a wonderfully helpful staff (who didn't flinch at all when Isabella vomited all over a chair in the playroom yesterday, for example).

I'm working on Week 6 photos, so those should post soon. Will keep you posted on the Sentencia saga.

Isabella is 8 months old!

Isabella is 8 months old today (11/15), and she is full of new accomplishments all the time. Last week she mastered clapping and waving - and she even kind of says "bye-bye" when she waves. She loves to "dance" to music by somewhat spastically moving her arms and upper body when she hears music she likes - which is anything with a good beat. She is nearly crawling: just a few days ago she managed to get up on hands and knees and start to rock back and forth. She started sleeping on her stomach. She "talks" when she's happy and when she's not - and she is quite clear about when she's not happy. Grandma Dawn says she's seldom seen a child who loves the bath as much as Isabella, laughing and splashing and getting water everywhere and not at all concerned about getting it in her face - and she is really happy after her bath, too. She is starting to get really worried when Mama leaves the room, and this last week she started to be coy and turn her head away and smile when people talk to her. She still loves to be the center of attention, though. We've noticed that she really likes watching all the people here at the hotel. And she still loves to feed herself, though her focus has changed from getting food into her mouth to just chewing on things and feeling the texture of different foods between her fingers. She is also working on cutting her first two teeth (bottom center). I wish I could add how much she weighs, because my back tells me she has gained weight, but we don't have a scale here.

The videos I'm posting include the long-awaited avocado-eating video and one of her clapping and waving (this one was rougher video to begin with).

Process Update: Judge out of hospital

Hurray! We found out yesterday that our judge is out of the hospital. Helena, our liaison, has been using all her information channels to find out the status of our paperwork. She found out that the judge made it into the office on Friday to sign some papers. However, the papers cannot be dated on a day she is on sick leave, so they will probably be dated Tuesday (since Monday is a holiday here). So, I'm on notice to be ready to go sign our Sentencia on Tuesday. Keep your fingers and toes crossed!

Process Update: Judge still out

As of yesterday afternoon, our judge was still in the hospital. Our liaison (Helena) says that when judges are sick for more than a few days, they either have papers brought to them to sign (if they are able) or they appoint someone else to sign for them.

As of this afternoon, Helena says, "I think our prayers are being answered," meaning that she thinks some resolution is coming. AND I just found out that Monday is (another!) holiday here, so the courts will be closed Monday.

Esteban's past-times

Even though this blog is primarily about Isabella, it's also about our family and our experience here in Colombia. I've been meaning to write this post for a couple of weeks. It has been great to be here in Colombia with Esteban - to spend more time with his curiosity and personality, and to watch him try new things. Really wonderful! The following pictures show some of his many past-times while we've been here, including: exploring museums (the big hand is at the Botero Museum), reading with Mommy, riding carnival rides, playing at the playground, making brownies, playing with sticks, the art of hanging out in cafes, puzzles, masks, play-doh, admiring the flowers, playing solitaire with Grandma on the computer, climbing trees, and reading to his sister. That's only the beginning. It's great!

Catching up from last week

When last I posted, I was recovering from a record diaper day. Thankfully, we have not had a repeat!



Since I just posted our pics from last week, I though I'd catch you up on the rest of the week. On Thursday, we headed out to Monserrate. Located atop a mountain just east of downtown Bogota, Monserrate is an icon of Bogota's religous culture. It's a pilgrimage site and shrine - the original church was built in the 17th century. I posted a few photos we took of the church in our Week 5 album. It was too cloudy to get any good pictures of the city. The website actually has great photos on it. If you don't want to walk the pilgrimage route from the base of the mountain, you can take a funicular (train) and teleferico (cable railway) to get up and down the 500 meters elevation change. We thought Esteban would enjoy the transportation options and the view. Unfortunately, the teleferico was closed for repairs on Thursday. Esteban had a great theological observation as we were looking at some of the Stations of the Cross. He said, repeating some of what we'd just told him, "There's Jesus on the cross, so he wouldn't fall down again." From a 3 year old. If you're going, note that it's not at all stroller-friendly. Also, it was already fully decorated for Christmas - on the 5th of November (no Thanksgiving holiday to wait for here)!



On Friday we headed out to Parque Simon Bolivar, which is located in central Bogota and is about the size of Central Park in NYC. It has a lake (which has watersports and a beach, in warmer times of year) with walking paths and MANY playgrounds around it. That's the part we explored: the playgrounds and the walking path around the lake (~2.5 km). It also has an event arena (hosting a military rally for ~2000 that day), and is home to the Children's Museum and an Olympic quality aquatic center, among other things.








To finish our outing, we headed across the street to see the Virgilio Barco Public Library. The library is relatively new and a beautiful public building. The kids were sleeping in the stroller, so we were limited in where we could go in the building.






Saturday we hung out around the apartment. It was nice enough to set out for a walk in the morning but by the time we got to our favorite bakery (about 4 blocks away) it was starting to rain. We had a leisurely time in the bakery and then headed back home. Good naps for the kids on rainy afternoons!


















Sunday we got all dressed up and went to church! We went to the Episcopal Cathedral of Saint Paul for their usual 11:00am service. When I was here in 2008, we attended there twice, and the service was much as I remembered. They have a music group who leads the music, and Bishop Francisco Jose Duque-Gomez officiated, assisted by the Dean of the Cathedral. The Episcopal Diocese of Colombia is part of The Episcopal Church (which includes the US, the Virgin Islands, Taiwan, parts of Latin America and churches in Europe). Both kids were reasonably well behaved through church, and they both got blessings from the bishop. We visited briefly with the bishop before we headed out to walk some on the Cyclovia. We hadn't really planned to walk, but the kids needed to nap. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we ended up walking 40 blocks to Park 93. At the park we all had lunch and then Esteban played some before we hailed a cab home. My mom and I had a fabulous lunch (while the kids slept) at a restaurant called Gato Negro - we agreed that it would be a great place for live music in the evening (maybe the next time we're in Bogota with no kids - hah!) and the mixed drinks are sufficient for one to satisfy! Forgot to take a photo of us all in our Sunday best - bummer.


Monday - that was just yesterday - was another day close to home: park, bakery, walk, naps, etc. We got the news about our court (see my earlier post) in the late afternoon. And today is following closely on yesterday's pattern: I got up not feeling great and Isabella has been cranky for some reason (teething?) so we've spent the day around home.

Thanks for all the well-wishes

I just had a chance to look at all the comments people have left, and I was really touched by the support and well-wishes. There are definitely moments here when I feel isolated - and it helps to read your notes. Thank you!!

Process Update - Judge in Hospital

We found out yesterday that our papers (the final adoption decree) are on the judge's desk. However, she was out on Friday and in the hospital yesterday. Reportedly, it's nothing serious, so we hope she'll be returning to work sooner rather than later this week. Pray for her speedy recovery!

Photos - Week 5

Halloween, extreme strollering, park fun, Monserrate, Simon Bolivar Park, Virgilio Barco library, rainy morning in a cafe - click here.

Personal Best: 7 Poopy Diapers

Yes, folks, it's true. I changed SEVEN poopy diapers today - starting at 6:30am this morning and finishing about 6:30pm tonight. Sounds crazy, but it's true. Not a personal best I'd like to challenge anytime soon!

Why so many?, you might ask. I think both kids have a touch of a stomach bug that's running things through them. Hopefully, this was a one-day deal, and all will be back to a usual 3-4 (total, not each) tomorrow.

What else was memorable about today? Not much! We're in the unexciting stretch here. Waiting for sentencia, tired of the "adventure," wishing we could go home now. Esteban told me this morning that he wanted to go home to Massachusetts. All I could say was, "Me too!" We managed to fill the day with a trip to the bakery for morning treats, a short visit to the park to play and run, and then a walking outing to a shopping mall/grocery store that included a lunch stop and a grocery store stop before walking home with a stop at the park.

We did have a good time at the park. We teeter-tottered with Isabella and I on one side and Esteban and Grandma on the other - we ALL had a great time! And Esteban is getting to be quite a climber.

We keep waiting for a really sunny, clear day to take Esteban up to Monserrate (a shrine atop a mountain that overlooks Bogota) because we think he'd like the train and tram rides up and down, respectively.

Okay, one sort of memorable thing today: this particular sidewalk (see below) was worse than most in Bogota (and that's saying something!). From what I can tell, sidewalks are the responsibility of the property-0wner, so they vary widely in height, quality, material and width from one property to the next. Curb-cuts--those slopes at corners for wheelchairs (and handy for strollers) are also optional and mostly non-existent here. Strollering with a single was challenging, with a double it's a full-body workout!

Week 4 Photos

Mostly hanging out at home and the park - see them all here.

Halloween

Sunday was Halloween, and we were lucky to be invited to join friends of a friend of my uncle (it's a long story :)) at their Tennis Club for the day. But first - the first thing of the morning - brownies...

We started the day by making brownies. I thought it would be something fun to do, and they could bake while we got ready to go. Hah! Esteban had a great time mixing them up. When we turned on the oven to heat, we blew out the main breaker for the apartment. I had to go downstairs and tell the doorman (in Spanish, of course) that we didn't have any power. He was kind enough - and insightful enough - to go throw the main breaker for us. Needless to say, the oven didn't get hot! So, Grandma to the rescue! Grandma cooked the brownies in a frying pan like little pancakes, sort of. They actually turned out really yummy!

The friends who invited us to their club are actually cousins of a friend of my uncle in Australia. Esteban and I went to their club when I was here with him in 2008. They picked us up at 10am and we drove west for a little over an hour, to just outside the Bogota city limits. We went first to join extended family members who were already there, watching some of the children and adults of the family in a tennis tournament. They seem to be very accomplished tennis players - they almost all placed, and one young woman played for the women's championship of the tournament. The club was having a Halloween party for children, and so Esteban and I went off to find out how to join that. It turned out that the thing he was most excited about was the bouncy house - so he bounced. Esteban and Isabella both went in costume - Esteban as a Colombian soccer player and Isabella as a princesa de calabaza (pumpkin princess, as Esteban dubbed her). The day was lovely, with decent weather, wonderful hosts, and good food. I was delighted to find that my Spanish IS actually better than it was 2 years ago when I couldn't hold a conversation with these nice people to save my life! They invited us to think of them as our extended Colombian family. So nice!

We came home exhausted, but feeling very welcomed.

Process Update - Waiting for Sentencia

We found out today that our adoption petition was returned today from the Defender of Minors' office to the judge's office. The judge has 10 working days to sign our Sentencia. Once the judge signs the decree, then our lawyer will call me to come sign my name to it - and we're on the home stretch. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we wait (rather impatiently) for that judge!!

Week 3 photos

About 40 pics - lots of happy baby and her big brother. View them here.

Week 4 - Part 2

Isabella update
Not only can our girl put away a 6 oz bottle in about 2.5 minutes, we have discovered that she loves to feed herself. She loves anything she can pick up and shove into her mouth. It seems like she hadn’t had much chance to feed herself previously, and her dexterity has improved markedly in a week. In the past week she has fed herself: potatoes, yuca, bananas, avocado, watermelon, baby rice crackers, baby “puffs.” She really likes pandeyuca (bread made from tapioca flour and cheese) for her 11:00am snack. The girl definitely has the idea of social eating – if we’re eating, she thinks she should be putting something in her mouth too. As for regular baby foods (like pureed food in a jar), she’s tried carrots (made by Grandma Dawn), apples, pears, peaches, mango, guava, prunes, and rice cereal. All baby foods here in Colombia, including cereals, have added sugar, and the only vegetables I can find are imports from the US. I figure she should have the “exotic” flavors now since we won’t be able to get them the same at home. She does think the unsweetened rice cereal from the US is pretty boring.

I think I’ve said before that Isabella is a very active baby. She was already sitting independently when we got her, and she is just getting stronger every day. She was able to rotate herself on her tummy and while sitting, and to scoot backward from these positions as well. On Sunday 10/24, she figured out how to get herself from a sitting position to almost on her front, with one leg under her. By the end of the week, she has figured out how to get herself fully onto her front – with both legs out straight. The only problem is that she knows she wants to be moving around in a forward direction, she just can’t yet figure out how to make that happen. Watch out world – it’s just a matter of time before she’s crawling!

La Doctora
On Monday, la Doctora, the pediatrician who makes house/hotel calls (we met her with Esteban) came to see Isabella. Isabella needs some immunizations and we needed the doctor to see her first. The doctor walked into the apartment, looked at me, and said, “I know you.” She remembered me from when Esteban was a baby! She looked at Isabella’s health record, examined her, and pronounced her healthy and strong. Always things a parent likes to hear! She said she would have to check on how we get the immunizations done and would call later to let us know.

The Rest of the Week

On Tuesday, we went to lunch at the Halifax for empanadas – and they were great! We had a nice visit with the staff, and met some of the new families. Esteban enjoyed a little play time in the play room. We miss the Halifax community!

On Wednesday, we tried to go to Divercity at the SantaFe mall on the north side of Bogotá. Translated from their brochure: “Divercity is an amusement park where boys and girls between 3 and 13 years pretend to be adults in more than 45 attractions while learning the concepts of how a city. Divercity is a realistic replica of all that exists in a city.” Kids can pretend to be many different professions. On Wednesday, they were full up with school groups and told us to come back on Thursday. I think I was more disappointed than Esteban that we couldn’t get in. We went back on Thursday and he and I went in while Grandma Dawn and Isabella strolled in the mall. It was pretty great! It still had lots of kids inside, and all the attractions had lines. Esteban was pretty overwhelmed and overstimulated (I was too!) by the noise and everything to look at. Mostly we walked around and looked at the attractions, sat in the “park” and watched the fountain while eating popcorn, and played in the ball pit. I think it would be really great for 7 or 8 year olds – really a bit much for my just-3 year old. Esteban was so overstimulated that it took the rest of the day for him to calm down.

On Friday we went to get Isabella her immunization (it turned out to just be one shot) at a clinic in Usaquen, then headed to La Candelaria (the historic part of downtown Bogota) to meet another friend of a friend. The clinic was quite efficient - we only waited about 15 minutes and were seen in an immunization clinic. We met our new friend at his apartment in La Candelaria and he took us to see some of the historic places nearby and then to lunch and a few more sights. Esteban had a great time chasing pidgeons in the plaza, and we all got a workout from walking up the hills on the way back to his apartment.

Random thoughts
* I miss church! I haven’t been to a service since we left home, and I really miss it. The church bells ring here every day (3 masses on weekdays, 5 on Saturday, and 6 on Sunday) and remind me that I’m missing worship and quiet time. Maybe we'll make it to an All Saints service this weekend.
* I need a laminated prayer card for the shower – it’s the only time I have to be alone, quiet and reflect!
* Routine is good for everyone! the kids need predictable meals and naps, and so do I!
* I’m really feeling the isolation of being here for nearly a month! I feel done with the adventure and ready to go home – or at least to re-connect with friends.

Process update
I found out on Tuesday that our case has been approved by the court (meaning that the petition was correct and complete) and sent to the Defender of Minors for final approval of our papers from their perspective. I think the Defender of Minors makes sure all the papers relating to the legal custody and rights of the child are in order. As of Friday 10/29 there is no word about the current status, i.e., whether it’s still at the Defender of Minors or has been sent back to the court. Monday 11/1 is a holiday (All Saints Day), so Tuesday 11/2 will be the soonest we could hear any news. Of course, I’ll keep you posted!

Week 4 - Part 1

Q. What do you get when you combine a week of continual challenges of parenting 2 busy children with inconsistent Internet access?
A. A whole week of no blog posts!

So, here I sit at 3:00pm on Saturday, still not sure if the Internet will cooperate to post this, but taking advantage of good nap times to write a week’s worth of updates. The Internet has been sporadic this week. The TelMex tech came yesterday to fix it, and it’s mostly better. At least the phone to the US is working again! I’ll start with last weekend and make my way to the present.

Because both kids are well-rested, our best pics usually are first thing in the morning – before anyone is dressed!


Esteban is a great big brother
Esteban is growing into his role as a big brother! He loves Isabella and is (usually) very careful around her. He gives her random kisses, brings her toys to distract her and cheer her, reads his favorite books to her, entertains her when she’s getting her diaper changed. When he takes things away from her (like his toys and books), he says, “That’s not for you, Missy” in a very sweet voice. He has even been known to give her a little caress on the cheek – while passing her on the way to be mad at me.

He only calls the fire department (on a pretend phone) about once a week to take Isabella (or me, or Grandma Dawn) away.



Week 2 photos
After much wrangling with the Internet, photos from week 2 are finally posted here. There are about 85 because it was a very busy week with ICBF, Esteban’s birthday, grandparents and several day trips. Working on Week 3 now.


Last Weekend
Last weekend was really fun! On Saturday afternoon we went with a friend of a friend to her house “in the country.” She and her family live in Bogotá and have a house about 40km north of the city in Sopó. We went for lunch, Colombian style, which means that she picked us up a little after noon and we arrived at about 1:00pm. We sat outside and munched on empanadas (some of the best I’ve ever had!), enjoying the sun and visiting and watching Esteban play in the sandbox. About 2:00pm, after her kids (ages 9-15) had all arrived from their various lessons in the city that morning, we had ajiaco (delicious Colombian soup with potatoes and chicken) and obleas (think of very thin wafer cookies, about the size of a medium tortilla, with heavy caramel sauce spread in the middle – so yummy!).


There were more blocks than Esteban could fathom, and he built and destroyed several castles after lunch. Then we went outside, visited the horses and cows, and then rolled down the hill. By then the kids were about to melt down from lack of naps, so we headed home (around 4:15). It was a delightful way to spend an afternoon – gracious, interesting people, good food and a beautiful setting that was quiet and away from the city.

On Sunday, we walked for Ciclovia. We got a late start, and headed for Park 93 – about 40 long blocks. It was a healthy walk! We got to the park in time to play a little before it started to rain. We took refuge in the Juan Valdez coffee shop until the shower ended, and then played a little more at the (now empty) park. As we were heading toward a main street to get a taxi home, we ran into a delightful couple who are now staying at the Halifax who have 7 month old twin girls. So cute! It started to pour just as we hailed a taxi.

The Rainy Season
We’re finding that most days now start out not raining – not always sunny, though sometimes it is, but not raining – and then the rain starts by about 1:00pm and continues intermittently through the evening and sometimes overnight. We are trying to get out and about in the morning to take advantage of non-rainy times to go to the park, etc. As I understand it, October is the rainiest, and we should gradually see more sun and less rain as we get into November.


It has taken me all day to get this uploaded - between Internet issues with the attachments and expected child/life interruptions.