Joys and Challenges

To say the past few weeks have been busy would be a major understatement... I don't know where the time has gone and I can't believe I only have 2 weeks before I go back to work and Sam starts daycare.

We have had several medical appointments for Sam... 1 year checkup, vaccinations, lab work, audiology screening and next week we will be meeting with a doctor who specializes in evaluating internationally adopted children. This doctor used to work at the International Adoption Clinic at the University of Minnesota and she will be able to give us advice based on the medical information we were given as well as what is typical of children adopted from a Colombian orphanage. We also will be meeting with our social worker to complete our post placement report required by the state. Then we meet with a lawyer to get our adoption re-finalized. It's really just a formality since everything is already finalized and recognized by the US. The main benefit to re-adopting is that we will get a new birth certificate issued by the state and another adoption decree (in English). It will make life easier in the long run once Sam needs to get registered for school or when he gets a passport... or driver's license (scary thought!).

Last Sunday, Sam developed a nasty cough and by Monday morning he was wheezing so we brought him into the doctor (again). Right away the doctor heard the wheezing so she decided to order a chest x-ray... which was a horrible. They strapped him into this contraption with his arms above his head and his face against the wall and then made me leave the room while they took the picture. I felt so bad for him but it took him all of 5 minutes to forget all about it. After looking at the x-rays, the doctor said he has walking pneumonia as well as reactive airways disease (asthma) so she prescribed an antibiotic as well as a nebulizer treatment. She said alot of kids actually outgrow the asthma as they get older so hopefully that will be the case with Sam. We knew that he had been treated for reactive airways at the orphanage so the asthma diagnosis didn't come as a big surprise but it still wasn't easy to hear. The first couple of days he fought us on the nebulizer but then once he got used to it, he did fine. It only takes about 10 minutes to do the treatment but to get a 1 year old to sit still for 10 seconds, much less 10 minutes is no easy task.

Since he started the Albuterol, his sleeping habits have changed drastically. We used to be able to rock him for a few minutes then put him in his crib and he'd go to sleep and not wake up until the next morning. Now we need to stay in his room until he's asleep or he will scream like he's being tortured. He is also waking up in the middle of the night... usually only once but when he wakes up, he's wide awake and it sometimes takes over an hour to get him back to sleep. Because of the timing, we initially contributed this to the Albuterol since that's a common side effect but then I was reading an article on bonding and attachment and it made me think it might not be the medicine. The article said that once children have formed a strong bond with their parent(s), they will often show the exact signs that Sam is showing us now. So while it's hard to deal with the sleeping issue, if it means he is forming a stronger bond with us then I guess it's all worth it. He took his last dose of medicine today so it will be interesting to see what happens this week.

I've been horrible at taking pictures since we've been home and that's mostly because it's next to impossible to get Sam to sit still, look at the camera (or general location) and smile. I also have had a hard time getting Joey and Sam in a picture together. I know, I know... I probably need to develop some realistic expectations. Anyways... here are a few of the pics I did manage to take over the past few weeks.

Sam's first "real" haircut with Lindsay.

This picture makes me laugh... Joey kept insisting he was not tired and minutes later, this is what I find in the living room...

Grandpa E. was Sam's first out-of-town visitor

Sam loves crawling through the tunnel... especially when Joey is chasing him.

Our little ham... with bananas all over his face

We had lots of family and friends in town to watch Josh run his first marathon. We met him a couple different places to cheer him on and Joey was so excited to see his daddy!

We all anxiously waited for Josh at the finish line and Sam patiently sat with grandma.

Way to go Josh and Sarah!!

After the marathon, we had a small belated birthday party for Sam. As you can see from the picture, he really enjoyed his cake... especially the frosting!

Like most 1 year olds, he was more interested in the paper than the actual gifts but he had fun.

Home Sweet Home!!

After a long and very stressful trip, we made it home Thursday night around 10:30 pm. We have been so busy the last few days that I have barely had a chance to check my email much less update the blog but now Sam is happily playing with his Cheerios in his highchair so hopefully I can finish this post before he gets bored and starts throwing them on the floor.

Jaime picked us up at 4:00 am on Thursday morning to take us to the airport. Obviously there was no traffic so it only took about 20 or 30 minutes to get to there. He pulled up to the door and asked one of the airport employees to take us to the American Airlines desk while he parked the van. He told us to tip him 10,000 pesos (approx. $5 USD) and that was the best $5 we spent all day because there was a long line of people waiting to check in and he took us past them all to the front of the line. It took a good 30 minutes at the AA desk... they checked over some of our adoption documents and then had to change our seat assignments. After that Jaime took us to the security line where we said goodbye to him. We didn't have any issues getting through security so I was thankful for that. Then we stopped at the Immigration desk to give them a copy of Sam's birth certificate and our Sentencia. It took them about 15 minutes to look over everything then they stamped our passports and we were on our way. We still had about 2 hours so we got a couple bottles of water and some yogurt and sat down in the food court area. Then we decided to head to our gate and it was a good thing we did because I forgot they have an additional security check when you go to the gate area. The line was pretty long but they told us we could go to the front of the line since we had small children. Nice! They looked through our carry-on luggage and actually let me bring in a bottle of water once I explained it was for Sam's bottle. Otherwise, you are not able to bring any liquids into the gate area (even if they are purchased in the secure area). Our plane took off a few minutes late but otherwise we couldn't have asked for a better experience in the Bogota airport. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about Miami...

We arrived in Miami a few minutes late and quickly went to Immigration. We had been warned that it sometimes takes up to 2 hours to get through immigration so we made sure to schedule what we thought would be a long enough layover (a little over 3 hours). We went into a small room which was packed with people... no bathroom or water fountain... and there were TWO immigration officers working. Right away we knew we were in trouble but tried to remain hopeful that we would be out of there in 2 hours so we could make our connecting flight. 2 hours passed and are file still hadn't moved... both kids were hungry, thirsty, tired and not happy. But that didn't seem to matter to the immigration officers as they continued to work at a snails pace. Finally 3 hours later they called our name... we left the office at 3:55 pm which was the time our flight to Chicago took off. We went to collect our luggage and then to the AA desk to see when the next flight was. The guy told us we would not be able to get home until Friday so we would need to stay overnight in Chicago... we were so upset!! We took our checked bags to security, then through yet another security line. By then both kids were crying so we were trying to calm them down as we were taking our shoes off, getting our laptops out of our bag, folding up the stroller... do you think even 1 of the 20 TSA agents standing around offered to help? No such luck... they just watched me fold up the stroller and put it up on the conveyor belt while holding a crying baby. Then we got to our gate about 15 minutes before our flight took off so we grabbed whatever food and drinks we could and ate on the plane. We heard that Chicago was having some bad weather and that a lot of the flights were delayed so our only hope was that our original flight to Fargo was delayed and they would still have our seats available.

We got off our plane in Chicago at 8:00 pm and checked to see if the other plane was still there and luckily it was but it was scheduled to leave at 8:25 pm. So Josh ran to the gate and Joey, Sam and I walked as quickly as we could. Josh explained the situation to the gate agent and thankfully he had a heart and gave us the last 3 seats and held the plane for us. We were so incredibly relieved to finally be on our last leg of the trip and couldn't wait to land in Fargo. Once we began our decent into Fargo you can't imagine how happy I was... we were finally home with our son and it felt so good to be home.

Both of the boys slept the whole way from Chicago to Fargo so they were wide awake when we got home. Joey was anxious to show Sam all of his toys but Sam was more interested in our carpet. We put Sam to bed around midnight and he slept through the night until about 7:00 am. I think we were all just happy to be able to sleep in our own beds.

Sam is adjusting so much better than we expected... I think he knows he's home. He's been sleeping through the night and taking great naps. He's also been eating pretty good so we've been able to cut down on the formula a little. I don't think he's really that impressed with all the toys... he's much more interested in looking in all of our drawers, cabinets, under the couch... he's definitely a little explorer.

Joey is also doing so much better. He's really taking on the role of big brother and likes to help out. I think he's beginning to see some of the benefits of being the big kid... like getting to stay up later than his little brother.

Yesterday, my dad and grandpa brought Bruizer to Fargo. Sam was able to meet his Papa and Great Papa and we were so happy to see our little pup (we were happy to see my dad and grandpa too)!! I missed him so much while we were gone and Joey must have noticed because he said "Mommy look! It's your little Bruizer... do you want to give him a big hug and kiss?" Sam loves Bruizer... or maybe I should say he loves his tail. I'm not sure what Bruizer thinks of Sam yet but he seemed to be happy to see Joey. I think it will just take some time for Bruizer to get used to yet another little boy who wants to terrorize him.

Bye Bye Bogota

Our bags are packed and the kids are in bed so I thought I'd get in one more post from Colombia. Our time in Bogota has went by really fast. We've had various appointments each day so in between the appointments and naps, we haven't had a chance to do or see much here which is a little disappointing. Initially we were a hesitant about coming to Bogota but it's a lot different than I expected. It reminds me a lot of NYC or any other big city... there are some areas you should not visit and it's best not to go out alone after dark but if you use some common sense, you will be fine. Our hotel is in a very nice area and there are always people out walking, running, biking, etc. Yesterday we walked to the grocery store to get more formula and diapers and today we walked to an Artesan Market which was maybe a 15 minute walk from the hotel. Of course we bought way too much stuff at the market so now we have to figure out how to get it all home. We spent half of the night tonight rearranging our suitcases, weighing them and then shifting things around until all of our suitcases were under 50 lbs. Now... off to bed I go!

Visa Approved!

Last night Sam did not sleep well at all... he woke up every hour or two all night long. Luckily Joey managed to sleep through it all and surprisingly enough, they both woke up in a really good mood. Sylvia and Jaime picked us up at 8:00 as planned and we went straight to the ICBF office to pick up the Article 23 and complete a survey about our adoption experience. Josh and Sylvia went in while the rest of us waited in the van. As part of the survey, they asked for detailed information about how much we paid and who we paid the money to. I wasn't expecting them to ask us for that information so we went from memory and everything was fine but I don't like surprises so I wish I would've known that we were supposed to bring that information with.

After ICBF, we stopped at a photo place right outside the Embassy to get Sam's visa photo taken. It took them almost 15 minutes to get a photo of him because he kept smiling and this is one of those times where the photographer did not want him to smile. I think he was just in a really goofy mood and probably overtired because he just kept giggling, which made us all giggle which made him giggle even more. It was great! After that, we went to the Embassy and were able to bypass the long line of people waiting to get in (I think that was partly because we are Americans and also because we are adopting but I'm not quite sure). We waited about 15 minutes and then were called up to the window so the immigration officer could review all of our information. Then she asked us to go to the next window to pay for the visa which was $400. Then we waited another 15 minutes for them to call us up again to tell us that the visa has been approved and we can pick it up on Wednesday at 3:30. It was so easy and not stressful at all... and both Joey and Sam were on their best behavior which was a huge relief.

Once we were done at the Embassy, we stopped by an American Airlines office to change our reservations to Thursday. We knew there was going to be a $215 change fee per ticket so we were hoping to persuade them to waive the fees but they were only willing to waive one of the fees so we still ended up paying $430 to change our tickets but I guess that's better than paying $645. So we are leaving Thursday morning at 7:35 am and were told to be at the airport 3 hours early which means we will need to leave the hotel by 4:00 am! We are scheduled to arrive home at 9:50 pm so it will be a very long day but we can't wait to get home.

Bogota - Embassy Doctor

We left for Bogota at about 10:30 this morning. It was a quick 40 minute flight and Sam's first time on a plane. On a scale of 1-10, I would say he was about a 7. I thought he would sleep but no such luck. And if he's not sleeping, he really doesn't like to sit still so I think he just wanted to get down and check things out. It was good that we were able to test the waters with a short flight before the long flight on Thursday. We got off the plane, picked up our luggage and found Silvia and Jaime from Gladney waiting for us. They brought us to our hotel, we had some lunch and then took Sam to see the US Embassy doctor. He looked through all of the medical information from Casa de Maria, did a quick exam, filled out some paperwork and that was it. After making some small talk with him, we found out he briefly worked at the hospital in Minot about 30 years ago... talk about a small world.

The place we're staying at in Bogota is not as nice as the Intercontinental but has a very home-like atmosphere which is a nice change. Everyone has their own room with bathroom and a shared living space which includes two living/family rooms, a kitchen and dining room, play room, office and outside play area with a swing set and slide. The staff is all very friendly and the food so far has been wonderful. All of our drinks and meals are included with our room so it's nice to not have to worry about getting groceries or going out to eat every day. Not too long after we arrived, Joey wanted something to drink so I went to the kitchen to ask for a glass of juice (thinking they would open the fridge and pour him a glass). Instead they started shuffling around the kitchen and I soon realized they were making him fresh mango juice. Talk about great service... and he loved it!

Tomorrow Silvia will be picking us up at 8:00 am and we will stop by the ICBF office to pick up the Article 23 on our way to the US Embassy. Luckily both boys went to bed before 8:00 tonight so I am hoping they sleep okay since it will be an early morning for all of us and probably another long, busy day.

Mother's Day

Today was a very special Mother's Day because I was able to spend it with both of my children and my amazing husband. We started our day by going to the Catholic mass at the hotel. We got there early to make sure we were able to get a seat and it's a good thing we did because it was packed... over 1,000 people were there! After that, we went to a special Mother's Day dinner at the hotel. They had a live band, tons of food and amazing desserts. Everything moves at a slower pace here so we ended up going to lunch at 12:30, eating around 2:00 and leaving at about 3:30. Thankfully the kids behaved (for the most part) and they were able to get in a nap once we got back to the room.

Now our bags are packed and we have said our goodbyes to Gloria, Blanca, Hernan and most of the hotel staff as well as our new friends Kim and Paul... whom we are hoping to see again in Bogota. We are anxious to get home but at the same time are feeling a little sad to be leaving Medellin. Everyone here has been so great and we have felt very welcome in Colombia. I really hope we can come back to visit again someday.

The Mariachi Band

The weather has been amazing the last few days... warm, sunny and a slight breeze but today the views were the best I have seen since we arrived... I am really going to miss this place!!

Bogota... here we come!!

Day 19

It's day 19 and I think we are all ready to come home. The past week has been a little hard on Joey. I think he's slowly starting to realize that Sam is now a part of our family and he's having a hard time with the fact that Sam is getting so much attention from mom and dad. We are seeing a lot of pouting and acting out that we are not used to seeing with Joey but I'm hoping it's just a phase and things will eventually get better once we get home. I also think both Sam and Joey are getting a little bored at the hotel. I didn't bring that many toys so we are running out of ideas to keep the kids entertained when we are in our room. The place we are staying in Bogota is not a hotel but rather a bed and breakfast type place that caters to adoptive families. I've heard it's not as nice as the Intercontinental but it looks like they have toys and other things for kids so hopefully the boys will like it there.

Sam has been doing great the past couple of weeks. He really seems to be adjusting well to his new surroundings. He's been sleeping through the night and he loves to eat (in case you couldn't tell from the photos). I've been keeping a list of some of his favorite things:

• His favorite foods are papaya, bananas, waffles, graham crackers, cheese and of course his bottle of formula. The only baby foods they really sell in the stores here are fruit so Kim gave me some of the vegetables that they brought and he really likes the winter squash and peas with brown rice. He has 4 teeth on top and 4 on the bottom so we try to feed him as much normal food as we can and he does pretty well with chewing it up.
• His favorite comfort item is the stuffed puppy we sent him. He likes to snuggle up with it whenever he gets tired. It has a little tag on it which he likes to put up to his mouth and make this sucking noise... it's really funny and I don't think I've ever seen another baby do that before.
• His favorite toys are balls and trucks.
• He loves taking baths and splashing in the pool and he's not afraid to get his face wet.
• He likes it when we go sit outside the excercise room because they are always playing music and he loves to listen to music and watch the people walk by.
• He likes riding in the stroller but gets mad when we stop moving.
• He is an explorer and loves to see what he can get into... drawers, suitcases, whatever he can find. He also likes to hide things under the couch so if we are missing anything... a toy, socks, diapers... we can usually find what we are looking for under the couch.
• He loves Colombian women!! All of the women we've seen at the hotel and while we are out and about give him so much attention and he loves every minute of it. He's quite the little charmer... much like his big brother.

Last weekend, the hotel hosted a Latin Arabian belly dancing competition. There were lots of pretty girls with beautiful costumes. One morning they were practicing their dancing in the gym so we watched them for a little while. The boys loved it... they would both clap after each dance and I was hoping the girls didn't understand English because Joey kept telling me "Look mommy! Those girls are shaking their booties!"