Friday.

we're just getting into a pretty easy rhythm. eating, napping, playing, walking, and starting all over again.



friday night is happy hour at the sky cafe with fostering families in antigua. babies in bars- sweet! this cafe had an outdoor patio with views of the city from the rooftop. there are 3 volcanos surrounding the city and the vistas are beautiful. i'll try to post a shot another day.

we met several new families tonight. it is heartbreaking to hear stories of folks here for months and months whose cases are stalled for one reason or another. one woman has been here since november with no end in sight. the baby is one. this process is so remarkably unpredictable. each day i feel luckier that we have made it through the process with julian so young.



this was one side of the table for the happy hour line up.

Lazy day.

We had a hard time making off of the grounds today. I actually made it to yoga this morning- left before Julian was up and by the time I got home he was already down for a nap. Class was good but next time I'll plan it around naptime for sure.

A couple of new shots today. Not much to report. Oh, except that I taught Julian how to high five today. Sweet.


enough said


family time


julian and christopher sharing


sweeter than sweet


besos

We're in for it.

This is Julian with Talia (Lori's daughter.)
And no, we did not set these photos up.


he plays hard to get


she plays hard to get


ah, the courtship begins...

Doctor's visit...check.

This afternoon we were picked up by our lawyer's assistant and driven in a van from Antigua to Guatemala City. There were 2 other families who had been sight seeing for the day in Antigua that shared our ride. A couple from Maryland with twin girls, the parents of the mom, and a couple from Kentucky with a seriously adorable 10 month old. Bummed I didn't get a snap.



The route is very curvy, and the drivers here, fearless. And to top it off, no car seats. There were children playing on the side of the highway, buses seriously on 2 wheels teeming around the corners, and diesel exhaust in plumes coming out of pick up trucks that outdate me by a decade. When we finally got to the city I felt like I had just gotten off of a rollercoaster. And for the record, I hate rollercoasters.



After we dropped the other passengers at the Marriot, we stopped for Julian's visa photos at a little photo shop. It is just a block from the embassy so they do mostly visa photos.



Then off to the doctor's office. We met Juilan's foster mother at Burger King and went upstairs (doctor's office was on 3rd floor of a mall.) It must have been so hard for her to see him again, she was in tears. I can't imagine doing her job...Julian is the 19th baby she is raising for an adoptive famiy. The other little boy she has been caring for with Julian is also going home this week. She already has a baby girl named Camilla to care for. I'm not sure this makes it any easier to say goodbye.

We were seen by the nurse for stats. The doctor was quick, and kind. Julian laughed and smiled his way through the entire appointment.



In short, the appointment went swimmingly, we got our stamp of approval and headed home.
Julian missed his afternoon nap, so we're in, I'm sure, for a very special evening. ;)

Afternoon Delight

I just wanted to post a few photos before we leave for the afternoon.
We went out for breakfast then bath time and nap time.
Hey, uncle Jeff, sound familiar?!

Also a few shots of the courtyard and the back of our apartment.
Off to the final dr appt in Guatemala City in 45 minutes.


Julian loves the bath. He bawls when we take him out.






Jon went out for a bit to walk the baby to sleep & didn't come home...found him here in the outdoor living room out back. This area is open only during business hours because it connects to the storage/work area for the apartments.


boyz napping


adjascent to the outdoor living room


view from behind our apartment to the communal courtyard.


View of our apartment from the communal courtyard. The little balcony is the baby's bedroom. the big glass window in the shape of a "T" is the other bedroom, built over the walkway to the street.

Labor Day

It's Labor Day in Guatemala. Antigua was a madhouse. I wish I had taken my camera into town on my walk. Young people making out on every corner, cars everywhere, food stalls set up on the square- a veritable party.

We had lunch today with a group of people Jon calls my "imaginary friends" (coined by my new imaginary friend Lori) that are part of the internet discussion board I frequent regarding Guatemalan adoptions. It is a great resource but I admit I can get a little obsessive about it. Anyway, we met at a very good restaurant called Posada Don Rodrigo.



We met a little boy named Malcolm who is here with his mom picking up little sister. I made the (fun) error of asking him if he put ketchup on his Cheerios this morning and we ended up with an hour long discussion of all the things you wouldn't want to put on your Cheerios. I'll spare you the gory details but will tell you that just about every imaginable body fluid, animal part, and rotten food was on the list. Mmmmmmm.



Julian did great until the last 10 minutes and when we got home he crashed for a 3 hour nap.

The extended nap allowed me to finally get out and get oriented. Our apartment is about 4 blocks from the Parque Centrale, close to many restaurants and even a few "gourmet" stores. These stores are small, and have an assortment of American and European foods as well as baked goods, meat, and pre-prepared meals. One sells a bunch of stuff from Trader Joes marked to about 3 times American retail. I couldn't pass on the pelligrino.

Overall though, another mellow and fun day.


blogging together


reading together


and walkin' together
(thanks for the cool canadian hip carrier D, we love it!)

Jon says I've got to clean the kitchen, so I'm off...

Monday Monday

Today was pretty mellow. We had to vacate the apartment so they could clean and we took a long walk in the hot sun. Typically, the Guatemalans cover the babies up with blankets so nothing is showing when they are outdoors, and although we were a little worried the mini one would bake, he actually did great and had a lovely long nap. I'll take a few shots of the outdoor 'living room' and grassy area tomorrow where we spent most of this afternoon, it is a lovely place to hang out with the other families staying at the apartments.



papa guardrail


feliz


mmmm, chilly on the gums

-s&j