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, in
cluding 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.
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 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! 
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