Day 7&8

We had the girls.  People ask, "So, how did it go"?  Looking back, I can say it went really well, considering we were first time parents of two infants, in a foreign country, with spotty electricity, no clean drinking water, hot water only some of the time, no cribs, up four floors in a hotel room.

After our "Gotcha" moment, we took the girls up to our hotel room...

and "oohed and aahed" over their sweetness.  They would get so serious for the camera.  The nannies had marked their names on them with bandaids for our benefits.

We rocked the girls to sleep and then just watched them...

We learned about the girls. When Jada laid down flat on her back, she would put her little arm straight up.  It was so cute!

 

Jon and I were blown away by the amount the girls wanted held.  If they weren't sleeping, they wanted to be stimulated by us right over their heads or vigorously bounced.  We also switched formula.  I look back now and am like "YIKES!" what was I thinking.  So, we didn't know it yet, but it was ripping up their stomachs.

Heidi and I sent the guys out for food in the early evening.  (This was before we realized that even if the restaurant is close, it takes about 30 minutes-1 hour before it is ready, plus walking back.  On top of that, we asked for pizza, so Brian, Scott, Jon and Pat went in search of pizza. Apparently a long ways away).  Heidi came over and we decided to do bathtime/feeding time.  It turned into a frenzy, three babies screaming at once. Oh my!  I am glad Heidi was the mother of twins, she was a huge encouragement. 

We kept laughing and asking, "do you think they are almost back?"  Mabel heard the cries, heard Jon and Scott were still searching the streets for pizza and came up as well, so we had three sets of arms for three sad babies. :)

Then, we move into our night...Poor little Adia couldn't stay asleep for very long. I knew her stomach was hurting and gave her gas drops, but she was awake 13 times...

We went down for breakfast in the morning and I cried to nurse Mabel.  We hated knowing Adia was in pain and not being able to help her...

We switched back to Ethiopian formula and the girls got in afternoon nap.  Jon and I fell into bed and slept.

We went to visit the Addis Care Center in the afternoon.  We wanted to talk to the nannies and hear what they did for our babies, because it appeared they had been spoiled! :)

We took more pictures of more beautiful kids, but again, I won't post pictures in case the kids haven't passed court.

This is where the girls had slept. Adia on the left, Jada on the right.

We were delighted to meet the caregivers and also to learn that their were 5 full-time nannies for 6 babies.  (After Jada, Adia and Jonas left, 3 babies)

We told them they had fussed at night.  They smiled and then told us a lot of interesting information, the question on my mind,  "What did you do when they fussed?" The nannies quickly assured me that they ALWAYS held them.  We also learned that Jada slept on a caretakers legs...interesting...

When the girls started to fuss, we asked the nannies to keep them and show us what they did.

Crack me up!  One nanny vigorously rocked Jada while another talked to her on her level!  We were so glad our girls were overheld as opposed to neglected!

We were able to thank the nannies and give them pictures of the girls and us.  (This nanny is holding Jonas).

Scott and Heidi were there the same time, thanking the nannies.

Jonas and a caretaker...

This beautiful girl met her father on that day (Mike is standing behind her in the picture).  Her forever family has adopted multiple children from multiple countries.  They adopted a  young sibling group of two girls from Ethiopia, (last year I think).  As the girls learned English, they talked about their sister.  Mike and his family did the research and learned that they did have an older sister.  She was possibly separated from her siblings because she is older and therefore "less adoptable".  It was beautiful to know that this family pursued her and then adopted this child.  What a testimony of our great God and His adoption of us!

Whew! I was going to stop here, but the girls are still sleeping!

We had our first real "family" bathtime.  The first one where Jon wasn't out scouting the streets for pizza.  :)

Double teaming their lotioning and getting them in their pajamas

Jonas got his first bath next.  Scott and Heidi didn't have a tub in their room and we were both on the fourth floor.  We had a wonderful time of "communal parenting".  What I forgot, Heidi had remembered.

To those on the Kaehr side of my family, does Jonas remind you of Travis T?

Okay, time to eat my second breakfast! I find when I get up this early, I eat breakfast, 2nd breakfast, snack and then lunch!  :)