A Day to Connect (Ethiopia Embassy Trip Day 4)

Today was our first day together.  We didn't have any plans – just hang out and get to know each other.  Our first night was quite a success!  She fell asleep on her own.  We put her in her crib and she slept until about 1AM.  There we a few times when she let out a single cry, but then would go right back to snoring. J  At 1AM, gave her a bottle and then she went right back to sleep.  We had to wake her up in the morning!!  We began our morning with breakfast.  We tried cereal, but new mom fail, I didn't make it right.  I used way to much formula, so it was runny, but not runny enough to go through the bottle.  I then tried using only some of the formula and putting more rice in it.  She wasn't interested.  So……we had a bottle instead, which was more to her liking.  After breakfast, we hung out in the living room playing on the rug with her toys.  Amid-morning, she had a snack and dozed off for about an hour in my arms on the couch.  It amazes me how she wakes up content ready to go.  I wish I could do that!

After lunch, we had lots of fun!  She was talking up a storm and making all kinds of noises!  She is quite the roller and would really like to crawl, but she doesn't quite have the moves down yet.  She would like to push off with her toes!  We also had some puffs as a snack.  When I put the first one in her mouth, she made quite a face, as if saying “Mom……ick!”  But, after the third one she was a happy clam!  She even fed herself a few times!  I would say her self-feeding accuracy is about 1 in 5, but that’s pretty awesome!!!  When it should have been time for her afternoon nap, we found ourselves with a grump!  She wanted to eat, no she didn’t.  She wanted to play with her toys, no she didn't.  Kevin got her to sleep for about half an hour, but then she woke up still upset.  We gave her a little more food and double-checked her diaper and then Kevin walked her to sleep again.  Thankfully after the second nap, she seemed to be back to her happy self.

We had dinner together with the other family staying at the guest house (who picked up their 18 month old son this afternoon!) which was lots of fun!  M is very content hanging out in the bumbo with her dollar (thank you Auntie Beth) and her baby (thank you Grandpa P and Nicolas)!  We played for a few minutes after dinner, then came up to get ready for bed.  We had our first bath, which I think went pretty well.  I was very grateful to have Kevin there, though, and I am convinced that bathing a baby in a baby tub inside a stand-up shower is a two-person job!  We did lotion and put on jammies and had a quick snack before bed.  Now, she is snoring next to us (insert AWWWWWW from the audience).  She seems to have some congestion (as do I), so please pray it will clear up soon!

Tomorrow morning we will be going to the U.S. Embassy to apply for her visa.  It is after this last appointment that I will be able to post pictures (insert WOO HOOOOOOO here)!!!!  We also have some pretty fantastic videos from this afternoon, but I might have to wait until we get home to upload them, depending on the internet.

I must also note that Kevin is quite the SuperDad!!  He is loving her so much and it is such a blessing to watch them together (as it is with he and Nicolas).  I always knew he would be a great dad, but WOW! J