Such good intentions to post daily but finding the time and energy prove tough. We are all doing very well all things considered, so much adjustment for us all: new country, new smells, new language / money / food / customs, new beds to sleep (or not sleep so well) in, new emotions and new schedules, just plain new just about everything.
Yesterday we had a great morning at the park. I must admit, I was expecting a bit more out of a city park, but the kids had a really nice time and the setting was amazing! The views of the mountains and condos was beautiful. The only tricky part was the walk to the park, the driving here is crazy and it is not a pedestrian friendly city, in fact, cars have the right of way so you need to really be on the look-out! 1/2 of the curbs have the wheelchair accessible ramp and the other 1/2 are about 6-18" tall curbs, making using a stroller a massive pain in the butt! Not quite sure what they were thinking!
Our days consist of waking up around 6:00 a.m. (yes, I have a room full of early risers), eating breakfast at 7:00, getting ready and heading out on the city for a walk / grocery shopping / get a latte / find a park / go walk the mall / etc. until about 12:30. 1:00 is lunch back at El Refugio, and they are doing a great job of making pretty yummy foods, and not many that are high fat / carbs either, thank goodness. In fact, tonight they made a pasta, but I had requested that I didn't eat much pasta or breads, so instead they made me a lettuce wrap! SO thoughtful! After lunch is nap time / rest time, always needed and then we usually head back on the town for a couple hours before our 7:00 supper (pretty late for kiddos especially given 7:00 has been Julieth's bedtime.) Then off to bed.
When we have down time in the room, the girls are doing a great job entertaining themselves with the toys that we brought from home. Art supplies, building cups, dinosaurs, writing pads, linking rings, books, etch a sketch, baby dolls, etc etc etc. We tried to stock up as much as we could given luggage restraints. :)
And this brings us to last night... What a tough start to the night it was. Learning the little one and what she needs for sleep. Take not knowing us at all, with a new environment, new bed, new smells, new language, etc. the girl has a lot going against her right now. :( SO brave! Luckily, we were ready for this and have patience for the curve. We are learning that she doesn't like to be set in her crib for night time, she needs very intimate snuggles, in fact, she is SO like Z this way, she wants to be nearly on top of you in order to sleep, the closer the better. :) But, until we figured this out, the night was rough. When Julieth woke up around 9:00 she cried and cried which made Zahria start to cry and cry, something she rarely does. She cannot handle hearing other kids cry. Love that heart of hers, so sensitive yet sometimes you would never know that if you didn't intimately know her. Both girls wanted Mommy, which was rough, rough for both me and Daddy. After many attemps, I curled up next to Z in her toddler bed with Julieth on top of me. Both crying. We were up until midnight trying to soothe them both. Daddy rocking Zahria and me rocking Julieth. In the end, the only way Julieth would give in and sleep was when I lied down next to Chris on the bed and held her next to me. I held off on doing this for so long because Chris, Zahria, Julieth and I cannot all fit on the full size hard bed. I felt so guilty for Zahria. She is adjusting so much too. She has been my only for 5 years and the center of much of Chris' attention for the past 2.5 years, so adjusting to attention and routines is tricky. That on top of the fact that she is SO stinkin' smart makes it all tricky. We had BIG talks about how much we love her, understand how tough this is for her, she will never be replaced, what a baby needs, that Z needed this too, how scary it is to be Julieth right now and how sad, yet happy, Zahria feels about having a sister. That egocentric part in all of us just wants to be the ONLY and the CENTER all to often, especially when that is what we have known.
Tonight was better. Daddy decided he would go into the shared Living Room while the girls snuggled on the full size bed. Again, made me feel so guilty, but this is what the girl's needed to feel loved and fall asleep. Julieth curled right up into my arm and fell asleep after about 20 songs. Z and I then snuggled for another 25 minutes and then went into her big girl 'toddler' bed. :) It is now 9:45 and they are both asleep although stirring. The little one talks a lot in her sleep, is restless and like Z, grinds her teeth. She is also a finger sucker, not her thumb, not two fingers, but she sucks her pointer finger. So silly! Dad is out in the Living Area enjoying the BBall game now. :) Learning as we go here.
We also had a birthday party for another little girl named Chloe tonight. Chloe is also from FANA and she turned 3 today. :) It was great fun! They brought in snacks, a cake, decorations, a young girl that did games, face painting and silly dancing. They made bunny sandwiches for the kids and gave special drinks. Really a fun time!
This is all so crazy to us! We are feeling so blessed! Julieth is such a wonderful fit for us, so full of life and personality already. FANA must have really truly done a wonderful job in caring for these kiddos as she has such life to her, she giggles, loves kisses and snuggles, loves her babies, combs her hair and tends to Zahria. She genuinely was cared for and it shows in her spirit - so thankful for that! I am sure this is partly orphanage related and partly culture, but we are so grateful that, at almost 3, with a special needs label, she is full of life and spirit and love!
Yesterday we had a great morning at the park. I must admit, I was expecting a bit more out of a city park, but the kids had a really nice time and the setting was amazing! The views of the mountains and condos was beautiful. The only tricky part was the walk to the park, the driving here is crazy and it is not a pedestrian friendly city, in fact, cars have the right of way so you need to really be on the look-out! 1/2 of the curbs have the wheelchair accessible ramp and the other 1/2 are about 6-18" tall curbs, making using a stroller a massive pain in the butt! Not quite sure what they were thinking!
Our days consist of waking up around 6:00 a.m. (yes, I have a room full of early risers), eating breakfast at 7:00, getting ready and heading out on the city for a walk / grocery shopping / get a latte / find a park / go walk the mall / etc. until about 12:30. 1:00 is lunch back at El Refugio, and they are doing a great job of making pretty yummy foods, and not many that are high fat / carbs either, thank goodness. In fact, tonight they made a pasta, but I had requested that I didn't eat much pasta or breads, so instead they made me a lettuce wrap! SO thoughtful! After lunch is nap time / rest time, always needed and then we usually head back on the town for a couple hours before our 7:00 supper (pretty late for kiddos especially given 7:00 has been Julieth's bedtime.) Then off to bed.
When we have down time in the room, the girls are doing a great job entertaining themselves with the toys that we brought from home. Art supplies, building cups, dinosaurs, writing pads, linking rings, books, etch a sketch, baby dolls, etc etc etc. We tried to stock up as much as we could given luggage restraints. :)
And this brings us to last night... What a tough start to the night it was. Learning the little one and what she needs for sleep. Take not knowing us at all, with a new environment, new bed, new smells, new language, etc. the girl has a lot going against her right now. :( SO brave! Luckily, we were ready for this and have patience for the curve. We are learning that she doesn't like to be set in her crib for night time, she needs very intimate snuggles, in fact, she is SO like Z this way, she wants to be nearly on top of you in order to sleep, the closer the better. :) But, until we figured this out, the night was rough. When Julieth woke up around 9:00 she cried and cried which made Zahria start to cry and cry, something she rarely does. She cannot handle hearing other kids cry. Love that heart of hers, so sensitive yet sometimes you would never know that if you didn't intimately know her. Both girls wanted Mommy, which was rough, rough for both me and Daddy. After many attemps, I curled up next to Z in her toddler bed with Julieth on top of me. Both crying. We were up until midnight trying to soothe them both. Daddy rocking Zahria and me rocking Julieth. In the end, the only way Julieth would give in and sleep was when I lied down next to Chris on the bed and held her next to me. I held off on doing this for so long because Chris, Zahria, Julieth and I cannot all fit on the full size hard bed. I felt so guilty for Zahria. She is adjusting so much too. She has been my only for 5 years and the center of much of Chris' attention for the past 2.5 years, so adjusting to attention and routines is tricky. That on top of the fact that she is SO stinkin' smart makes it all tricky. We had BIG talks about how much we love her, understand how tough this is for her, she will never be replaced, what a baby needs, that Z needed this too, how scary it is to be Julieth right now and how sad, yet happy, Zahria feels about having a sister. That egocentric part in all of us just wants to be the ONLY and the CENTER all to often, especially when that is what we have known.
Tonight was better. Daddy decided he would go into the shared Living Room while the girls snuggled on the full size bed. Again, made me feel so guilty, but this is what the girl's needed to feel loved and fall asleep. Julieth curled right up into my arm and fell asleep after about 20 songs. Z and I then snuggled for another 25 minutes and then went into her big girl 'toddler' bed. :) It is now 9:45 and they are both asleep although stirring. The little one talks a lot in her sleep, is restless and like Z, grinds her teeth. She is also a finger sucker, not her thumb, not two fingers, but she sucks her pointer finger. So silly! Dad is out in the Living Area enjoying the BBall game now. :) Learning as we go here.
We also had a birthday party for another little girl named Chloe tonight. Chloe is also from FANA and she turned 3 today. :) It was great fun! They brought in snacks, a cake, decorations, a young girl that did games, face painting and silly dancing. They made bunny sandwiches for the kids and gave special drinks. Really a fun time! 
This is all so crazy to us! We are feeling so blessed! Julieth is such a wonderful fit for us, so full of life and personality already. FANA must have really truly done a wonderful job in caring for these kiddos as she has such life to her, she giggles, loves kisses and snuggles, loves her babies, combs her hair and tends to Zahria. She genuinely was cared for and it shows in her spirit - so thankful for that! I am sure this is partly orphanage related and partly culture, but we are so grateful that, at almost 3, with a special needs label, she is full of life and spirit and love!
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