Squiggle Butt Roars Again

Isabelle can sit up on her own now. We put her in the chair in the dining room and she sat there on her own. The only difficult part was having her look at the camera. In this picture, you can see her new earings (which were put in yesterday by Dr. Juarez).

Especially when I change her diaper, but other times as well, Isabelle does this hip squiggle that is just so cute. And today she started roaring like a monster again. It just cracks me up. She'll probably continue to do it for ages because it gets such a reaction from me.

This evening, she held her bottle all by herself for the first time. Teri and I had gone to El Arco Restaurant for dinner and we were waiting outside for our Tuk Tuk. Isabelle was in the backpack carrier Lara had given me, leaning back a little, and she started holding the bottle so I took my hands away and she was still holding it. Amazing!



This is Teri holding Isabelle and Tommy. They've started talking to each other. When Isabelle feels like Tommy is ignoring her, she will start jumping up and down in her walker and squealing. She is such a social little thing.

My Little Chick and Girl's Marching Band

My baby is a little chick in these clothes. Here in Guatemala, chicks say "Pio, pio, pio", not "Peep, peep, peep".

Isabelle took 2 long naps today (yeah!). She took one around 10 am, when Alba was teaching me Spanish, and another around 2 pm. We both slept during the later nap (which helped me because she woke up twice during the night, and only ate a little before going back to sleep - what was that about?).

She is doing more dancing now in the walker and the bouncy chair, and she smiles and giggles when she does it. I've noticed Alba is teaching her to dance when she watches her for me, and it's so cute. I would not have thought of doing that. Isabelle loves it, though.

Tonight she was hungry when I was making her dinner (puree of carrots and potatoes) so I gave her little tastes of the strawberries I'd just bought and washed. She loved them!!

I Love Antigua

It's funny how sometimes feelings just sneak up on you. Tonight when Isabelle and I went to town for cookies from "Cookies, etc" (amazingly wonderful big cookies (peanut butter, chocolate, white chocolate macadamia nut, ginger, plus 15 other kinds) for 2 Q each (about 25 cents). It's awesome) and on the way home I thought "I love this place".

I love that everyone's my size and at least as dark as I am and so attractive. I love the bustle and the laughter and eating corn with lemon and salt and walking through the market with everything imaginable for sale.

I bought 3 pinapples out of the back of a truck for 10 Q. The guys were giving out tastes, standing in the back of the truck among the fruit. I gave 2 pinapples to the guys at the front gate and cut one up to eat.

New Stoves in a Small Town

Here is Alba with Isabelle. Alba, like everyone here, believes in keeping babies well bundled up. She is incredibly good with Isabelle and is talks and sings to her in Spanish while she's playing with her.

My baby has learned how to dance. Alba, my Spanish teacher, and Camila, her daughter, have been teaching her.

I went with Carol, my neighbor, to a small village at the foot of Volcano Fuego (Fire). Carol and her husband, Forrest, are Lutheran missionaries who are putting cement stoves and water purifiers into houses in villages. With the stoves, the women go from cooking over an open fire in an enclosed kitchen, to having a beautiful stove.

Wendy and Jenny, the two young women in the pictures, do beautiful weaving. I can't download the video of them weaving for some reason, but here is a picture from their yard (where they do their weaving. Location, location, location.

Chocotenango - the Diet Breaker

Chocotenango is the handmade chocolates store inside Delicioso. Ishmael makes the chocolates and sells them. They are incredibly good - some of the best I've ever tasted. There are all types, from basic types like banana caramel and double chocolate truffle, to more exotic tastes like rosemary and chile. All are totally yummy.

We went for our well-baby check-up and vaccinations. Isabelle was amazingly good natured about the whole thing. She cried when she got the shot, but stopped soon after when I held her. That's a pretty cool feeling.

I found out I know just enough Spanish to be dangerous. I called Edgar, Virginia's (our housekeeper) father who drives a Tuk Tuk and thought I got across that I was at home and needed to go to Hospital Los Angelos. Obviously I did not. He ended up at the hospital thinking I was there, I took another tuk tuk because I couldn't wait too long, he got back to the neighborhood gate soon after I left, and then came to find me at Dr. Juarez's office. Sigh. He did drive me back.

A Big Emotional Day - Ambulance and PGN

OH MY GOSH.

Today was the big emotional roller coaster day. First we got to ride in an ambulance, then we got the big news.

First, the ambulance. It started out like any other afternoon. I took Isabelle to the main square to watch the people and the fountains, then we went to the tourist police office to climb to the cross on the hill. We were walking through the streets with a small group going to the cross, when I tripped on those darn cobble stones. I took a header and because Isabelle was in the hip carrier, she went down with me. I know she came out of the carrier and hit her head, but I didn't know how hard. Scared the bejeesus out of me. The whole group stopped and gathered around us, and the police called the bomberos (fire/ambulance). I was a little shy about it because of the problems with adoption here, but then I knew I had to do it because I really didn't know how hard she'd hit her head. I saw some abrasions on the top of her head.

So, the ambulance came, the guys took a look, and said she should go to a doctor now. So, they took us to Dr. Juarez. She had stopped crying before we got in the ambulance, and now in the waiting rom she started to coo at the other kids. I was still worried, but feeling much better. When we got in, Dr. Juarez examined her and said she looked fine. He prescribed children's asprin and an anticeptic and sent us on our way.

While we were in the Dr.'s office, I got two calls on my cell phone which I hung up because I wanted to hear what the Dr. was saying. After we were done, I called the number back and it was Susanna (who works in our Guatemalan lawyer's office). She said that we just made it out of PGN. Woo Hoo!! That is huge news because that means the adoption is recognised by the Guatemalan government. Now we just need to spend 1 - 2 months convincing our government to let us take her home. But, that process is straight-forward and just takes time. It is not the endless hole that PGN can be. I am psyched, and had a celebratory beer this evening!

The Guatamala and Baby Diet and Exercise Program

Lifting and carrying a baby all day, walking the city for entertainment, and not feeling like eating about 1 day in 3 are proving effective for weight loss.

Growl Like a Monster, Pant Like a Dog

Each week brings new sounds. Last week Isabelle would growl like a monster all the time. I called her my demon child. It was hillarious when I was walking down the street with her in her sling, and she would hold her arms outstretched (for balance) and growl at everyone passing by. It was like Daughter of Frankenstein.

This week she pants like a dog. "Pant, pant, pant, pant, pant." I suppose she's getting ready to meet her dog, Isbre.

This week is also tongue week, as she figures out how much fun it is to stick out her tongue. She's taking after her dad there.

Casa Quivira - the Aftermath

On August 12th, an orphanage here in Antigua (very close to where I'm staying) was raided and taken over by police. One news story on it. Another news story.The name of the orphanage is "Casa Quivira" and the situation has everyone here fostering feeling uptight. The orphanage is run by an American and many of the children were adopted to American families. They are reputed to be a very good orphanage.

The legal papers the orphanage has for the children are the same as the ones we have. It's letters from the lawyers, and signed by the birth mother, saying that the holding party is allowed to foster the child. Some foster mothers here in Antigua are not taking their children outside the house because, if the police could take the children from the orphanage there is nothing to stop them from taking them from any of us. Perhaps the fact that we are American citizens will help (no-one wants an international incident) but it might not.

I don't think I will be able to stay in for very long. I don't have someone here to watch Isabelle when I go out, and I have things I need to get.

My Little Travel Pal

This is the look Isabelle wakes up with in the morning. It's enough to almost make me happy to get up. It's a look that says she's ready to get up and have fun. She even giggles.

This week she has been sleeping until 8am, which makes her mother very happy. Then she plays on her toy mat for another 20 minutes while I doze. After that, it's coffee for me (lovely Guatemalan coffee) and a bottle for her.

In the afternoon we travel around Antigua, sometimes going up to the cross. She uses those big eyes to look at everything when we walk. She's an excellent travelling companion, which is good because she goes with me everywhere. 90% of the time, I use the hip carrier for her because it makes us really mobile (I don't have to figure out how to maneuver the stroller around).

Squash Soup in a Package

Yesterday at the Marcado I was intrigued by a guy wrapping squash and other veggies in plastic and sealing them. There was carrots, lots of different types of squash, and a little corn. One was 3Q (40 cents) so I bought one and brought it home.

Today my tummy was feeling iffy, so I decided to make soup. After washing the veggies in the package in vegetable and fruit cleaner, I put them in water, added chicken broth and some spices, and cooked it for an hour. It was fabulous and I had 3 bowls.

When I lay Isabelle down at the Mercado to try on belts (she was on her carrier), a Mayan woman asked if she could pick her up (probably considered it bad to lay her down) and held her until I was done with my purchase, showing her to several people around the market. Isabelle definitely gets plenty of attention.

Macadamia Nut Farm

Today Lara, Blake, Melaine, Isabelle and I went to a macadamia nut farm just outside Antigua. We all fit into a tuk-tuk.

It was lush and beautiful and had "the most beautiful bathroom in the world".

after the tour,

Me vs the Mosquitos

I am sleeping under a mosquito net and Isabelle's crib is surrounded by mosquito netting. And yet....still they bite me. During my nap today (sleep when the baby sleeps) my feet must have moved from under the blanket. When I woke up, I had 3 (yes 3) mosquito bites on my feet _through my socks_.

Now it's war.

Sharon, a housemate, has a racquet bug zapper that she uses, and I think that's next on my wish list.

Up to the cross again

Isabelle and I went up to the cross again today. It was easier this time, probably either because I'm becoming accustomed to the altitude here or because I know the route and can pace myself better.

On the way there, I saw a mother selling papers on the parkway of the corner and she had her young son and daughter with her. Her son was using a stick to make a channel between the water on the parkway and the street via a crack in the curb. It reminded me of stories about Robert when he was young, and made me feel that boys are boys all over the world.

Laundry and solid food

Yesterday was laundry day. Because we may have little beasties, I washed ALL our clothes and bed linens in hot water. Because the water in the house doesn't get that hot, especially after we've all had our showers, I had to boil 3 pots of water for each load. I felt like a washer woman, carrying water back and forth all day. Lara and I took a break in the middle of the day and went to a luncheon for AWARE, a charity here to spay and neuter the street dogs and cats. It was at Cafe Peru, and there was lots of fabulous food and interesting people.

Today I looked at the soap the doctor prescribed for us, and found it uses Lindane, a chemical hardly used at all in the US because it can cause cancer (woo hoo), although the bigest problem is if it's in a cream. I talked to Robert and he'll go to his doctor and get penthane, which is much safer and more effective in a cream, and bring it down to us.

I had to get 3 avacados from an older mayan woman selling on the street because she didn't have change for 10Q (about $3). Or so she told me :-)

I had half of one of the avacados for lunch and it's great. I'll really miss the food here when I come home.

Isabelle found her feet about 2 weeks ago, and this week she found her ears. She plays with them when she's distracted, like some teenagers play with their hair.

This is her second week eating solid food, and now she eats yogurt, carrots, and rice. I mixed them all together and it looks like a cream-cicle. Mmmmm. Actually, she loves it and ate about 1/4 cup. She has really taken to the solid foods, and I swear she's been wanting for them since she was 9 days old, when she would reach up to hold the bottle. Like me, she really likes her food. And, when she wants it she wants it now.

Cleaning Day

Yesterday was cleaning day. Total cleaning day. We washed everything, from bedding to clothes to toys. Since they needed to be washed in hot water and, especially after shower time here, there is no hot water, I spent the day boiling water on the stove in 3 huge pots and pouring it on the clothes.

pictures

I love this dress on Isabelle.

Trip to the Doctor

Isabelle needs her vaccinations and is having some stomach problems, so we're going to see Dr. Juarez here in Antigua. He speaks English, which is important so I can understand what he wants me to do for her.

This morning I spent my free time (after Spanish lessons) on the phone talking to Isabelle's doctor in Guatemala City (Dr. Ramirez), Dr. Juarez here, and our attorney's sister (who speaks English) here to be sure I could take her to a doctor here rather than Dr. Ramirez in GC. Turns out it's okay, I just need to be sure that Dr. Juarez signs the final health document for the adoption.

After going to one hospital and being told it was the wrong one, I went to Reya de Los Angelos hospital, and Dr. Juarez's office was next door. We waited our turn, and then the doctor looked her over and said she was growing well and looked basically healthy. She has a slight fever, 100 F, so he thinks she has a cold so she's on cold medicine every 6 hours (yawn, one more time to wake up in the night). She has a rash that comes and goes which he thinks is scabbies (yuck). I think it's heat rash from me carying in the hip sling in the hot, humid weather here, but he's sure it's not. So, we have soap for both of us (now we'll smell like a medicine cabenet) and a lotion to stop the itching (which she doesn't have). And, she has some type of a fungus infection (red areas in diaper area) so we have a cream for that.

Basically, we're now a small hospital and I'm the head nurse.

Better safe than sorry, I suppose.

Antigua tours always end at the jade factory

I went on a tour this morning with David and saw some of the major sights of Antigua (mostly churches). Then, as with all tours here, I think, we ended with a tour of a jade factory where I was allowed to buy as much as I wanted (which was none in my case).