It took the AC guy about 3 hours to fix the AC last night, and he finally left about 9:00 or so. Tami and I were sound asleep at 9:01. 4 solid hours of sleep until Will's 1:00 wakeup, then 4 more hours until 6 am. We woke up feeling pretty good...unfortunately not everyone got the memo.
At about 8:00 this morning we carried on with our usual morning routine. I went down to the coffee shop in the lobby and got us some latte's while Tami changed/fed the kids. About 20 minutes after I got back Ava decided that it was her day to be sick, and started throwing up something besides the usual spit-up that she does. She also had a very raspy sounding cough, so it was back to the clinic for us (we're going to have to go back at least 2 more times before we leave, so by then we should all be on a first name basis).
Ava has the beginnings of an ear infection (which we had seen no symptoms of), so she's now on antibiotics for that. Both kids are now off the cough syrup that they got earlier in the week.
We did make an effort to get out of the room for fun -- we went and had lunch down in the restaurant rather than order it as roomservice, which is what we're going to do for dinner.
Tomorrow we have the 1st interview with the embassy, and we should get the kids' passports on Wednesday. In theory we could get the call for the 2nd interview anytime after the first, and we would be able to come home the next day (although we will end up staying until the 6th anyway if we can't get a bassinet on an earlier flight).
One rumor that we did hear this morning is that in the very near future the US Embassy is going to change the immigration process here in Vietnam. Instead of there being two required interviews there will be only one, which should cut the process down by a week or so. Unfortunately that process won't be in place for us.
Maybe we'll have some pictures tomorrow.
Dennis
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
What a day (and it ain't over yet)
Between the two of us Tami and I probably got about 5 hours of sleep last night. Will and Ava weren't that bad (Ava continues to sleep through the night, and will likes to wake up for an hour at 1:00 am), but Tami and I were horrible. Between the coughing, sneezing, nose blowing, coughing, and more coughing, we ended up staying up most of the night.
At about 6 this morning Tami finally decided she had had enough and we went down to the clinic. Turns out that Tami has a fever (probably bronchitis) and I'm having real bad allergy problems. Ava still has crap in her lungs, and Will seems to be the healthiest of the bunch.
Tami got 4 perscriptions and I got 2, and we came back and have been trying to get some sleep during the day today but now neither Will nor Ava are cooperating.
We can still lay around the apartment tomorrow, but on Tuesday we have to go to the 1st visa interview whether we're feeling better or not. Here's to hoping we're feeling better.
Around 5:00 today we lost power in the apartment. It took them about an hour to turn everything back on, but the AC in the bedroom is now broken (the AC's here are kind of like window units, but they're not in windows). It's going to take them another 3 hours to fix that unit.
We can't wait to go home.
Dennis
At about 6 this morning Tami finally decided she had had enough and we went down to the clinic. Turns out that Tami has a fever (probably bronchitis) and I'm having real bad allergy problems. Ava still has crap in her lungs, and Will seems to be the healthiest of the bunch.
Tami got 4 perscriptions and I got 2, and we came back and have been trying to get some sleep during the day today but now neither Will nor Ava are cooperating.
We can still lay around the apartment tomorrow, but on Tuesday we have to go to the 1st visa interview whether we're feeling better or not. Here's to hoping we're feeling better.
Around 5:00 today we lost power in the apartment. It took them about an hour to turn everything back on, but the AC in the bedroom is now broken (the AC's here are kind of like window units, but they're not in windows). It's going to take them another 3 hours to fix that unit.
We can't wait to go home.
Dennis
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Everyone is sick
We're all sick. Will and Ava are on drugs from the clinic and getting better. Tami still hasn't been to the clinic and now I'm getting sick and don't feel like going either. The funny thing is that we have every drug under the sun for the kids, but don't anything for us. Even the only thermometer we have is rectal, and that's not going anywhere near me.
Dennis
Dennis
Somerset Grand
We moved to our suite at the Somerset Grand on Thursday. This place is fantastic and as close to home as you can get. We have two bedroom, two baths, living room, dining room, kitchen, and small outdoor patio. The outside walls in the living room and both bedrooms are wall-to-wall windows.
Our living and dining rooms
Our kitchen
Our second bedroom
Bedroom with Dennis, Will, and Ava
Love,
Tami
Our living and dining rooms
Our kitchen
Our second bedroom
Bedroom with Dennis, Will, and Ava
Love,
Tami
Ho Hoan Kiem
When we first got here (aka pre-babies) Dennis and I walked around Hoan Kiem Lake almost every morning. We were never early enough to catch the Tai Chi-ers but there was always a lot of people sitting on the benches, gathering in groups talking, and just generally hanging out.
Ho Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Swords) took its name from a legend about King Le Loi. The King, while boating on the lake, was given a sword by a giant tortoise, which helped him repel Chinese invaders. After the battles, the sword was restored to the tortoise in the lake.
There is a temple called Den Ngoc Son (Jade Mound Temple) on the north side of the lake. A beautiful red bridge crosses from the lake shore to the island where the temple is located. We haven't been inside yet but plan to go back and take the kids. We bought Ava a Vietnamese Barbie doll in a cute little shop right outside.
In the middle of Ho Hoan Kiem is Thap Rua (Tortoise Tower). I need to go back and get a pic of it at night when it's lit up and absolutely beautiful.
Kid News:
We tried our first outing today with Will & Ava. We missed the shuttle to the C-Mart (a Walmart-like grocery store) so we decided to go get a bite to eat. (We can't really do much yet with the kids still under dr. ordered "house arrest.") We barely got out of the elevator when Ava spewed all over me. The milk was running down my chest and into my shorts when she spewed again. It looked like one of those double fountains people have in their backyards -- a stream from her nose and one from her mouth. Needless to say, we went back upstairs and ate in. We haven't had the guts to attempt it again. New rule: Always bring a dry clean shirt on any outings.
More Ava news: She now lets us know when her nappy is dirty. The sweetie used to sit complacently until we checked her. I like that she feels comfortable enough to tell us she needs something and also that she knows something will be done about it.
I just keep wondering what I did in my life to deserve these two. Dennis and I are so blessed.
Love,
Tami
Ho Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Swords) took its name from a legend about King Le Loi. The King, while boating on the lake, was given a sword by a giant tortoise, which helped him repel Chinese invaders. After the battles, the sword was restored to the tortoise in the lake.
There is a temple called Den Ngoc Son (Jade Mound Temple) on the north side of the lake. A beautiful red bridge crosses from the lake shore to the island where the temple is located. We haven't been inside yet but plan to go back and take the kids. We bought Ava a Vietnamese Barbie doll in a cute little shop right outside.
In the middle of Ho Hoan Kiem is Thap Rua (Tortoise Tower). I need to go back and get a pic of it at night when it's lit up and absolutely beautiful.
Kid News:
We tried our first outing today with Will & Ava. We missed the shuttle to the C-Mart (a Walmart-like grocery store) so we decided to go get a bite to eat. (We can't really do much yet with the kids still under dr. ordered "house arrest.") We barely got out of the elevator when Ava spewed all over me. The milk was running down my chest and into my shorts when she spewed again. It looked like one of those double fountains people have in their backyards -- a stream from her nose and one from her mouth. Needless to say, we went back upstairs and ate in. We haven't had the guts to attempt it again. New rule: Always bring a dry clean shirt on any outings.
More Ava news: She now lets us know when her nappy is dirty. The sweetie used to sit complacently until we checked her. I like that she feels comfortable enough to tell us she needs something and also that she knows something will be done about it.
I just keep wondering what I did in my life to deserve these two. Dennis and I are so blessed.
Love,
Tami
Friday, September 21, 2007
1st Visa interview
The date of the 1st Visa interview has been set for next Tuesday afternoon. My understanding is that the 2nd interview can take place at any time after the 1st, usually about a week (but it can be earlier). We can leave the country one day after the 2nd interview (assuming all goes well),
Next Wednesday we pick up the kids' passports.
Next Wednesday we pick up the kids' passports.
First week
Our first week in country is almost over, and it's been quite a week. After being out of the hotel for hours at a time at the beginning of the week, we've spent the last 3 days cocooning in our hotel room.
A recap of events and key learnings:
1) getting them on a schedule is going to be difficult. Since Tuesday, they've gotten farther and farther apart. Whenever one is awake the other is asleep, which then leads to two different wake-up times during the night. The longest sleep that we've had since Tuesday is about 4 hours.
2) They definately have different personalities.
Will-- We first noticed at the G&R ceremony, but William is used to a lot of attention. The caregivers kept coming around and taking him back from us while we were waiting to leave. He cries a lot when he doesn't get his way, and likes to be held a lot. Since Tuesday he's gotten better about being by himself (not held all the time), but he's still really vocal when he isn't happy. We're pretty sure that he's about as normal of a baby that there is.
He's now pretty good about rolling around, and he sat up for the first time today.
Ava-- She's quiet. Really quiet. She pretty much sleeps the entire time. If she's awake she's quietly laying around waiting for someone to notice her. We think that this is the self-pacifying that we've heard about that kids from orphanages do. We're making an extra point to pick her up every time we hear a peep out of her -- we really want her to understand that we're going to be here for her and she doesn't need to hold back. She's super sweet and the sounds that she does make when she's happy will melt your heart.
She's learned how to roll over, but isn't really able to roll back yet. She really likes to nap on her side.
3) the kids still have a little cough. If they didn't spit the cough syrup out when we gave it to them, they'd probably be better by now. The dr told us to leave them indoors for 5 days and we're on day 3 of that. I'm starting to get some cabin fever, but maybe we can get out this weekend.
4) Tami is still sick and getting worse and refuses to go to the clinic. I'm going to have to make her go -- she's about to lose her voice.
5) The italian food in Vientam is pretty good. We're having Mexican tonight.
6) It feels weird to walk around with 1.6 million Dong (the equvialent of about $100 USD). It's a huge wad of cash, even if it's mostly 100,000 Dong bills.
7) It's not that hot here if you're from Texas.
8) Japanese tv is very strange, but Sumo wrestling rocks.
9) The Melia hotel executive lounge has the best coffee in the world.
Some pics starting with the trip to Thai Nguyen in reverse chronological order because i'm too tired to put them in the right order. The picture of the building is the orphanage, but not the building where the babies live. The Vietnamese woman holding Will is one of his caregivers (that kept taking him back every chance she got). The picture of Tami and I signing documents was the actual G&R ceremony. That's the point they became ours.
A recap of events and key learnings:
1) getting them on a schedule is going to be difficult. Since Tuesday, they've gotten farther and farther apart. Whenever one is awake the other is asleep, which then leads to two different wake-up times during the night. The longest sleep that we've had since Tuesday is about 4 hours.
2) They definately have different personalities.
Will-- We first noticed at the G&R ceremony, but William is used to a lot of attention. The caregivers kept coming around and taking him back from us while we were waiting to leave. He cries a lot when he doesn't get his way, and likes to be held a lot. Since Tuesday he's gotten better about being by himself (not held all the time), but he's still really vocal when he isn't happy. We're pretty sure that he's about as normal of a baby that there is.
He's now pretty good about rolling around, and he sat up for the first time today.
Ava-- She's quiet. Really quiet. She pretty much sleeps the entire time. If she's awake she's quietly laying around waiting for someone to notice her. We think that this is the self-pacifying that we've heard about that kids from orphanages do. We're making an extra point to pick her up every time we hear a peep out of her -- we really want her to understand that we're going to be here for her and she doesn't need to hold back. She's super sweet and the sounds that she does make when she's happy will melt your heart.
She's learned how to roll over, but isn't really able to roll back yet. She really likes to nap on her side.
3) the kids still have a little cough. If they didn't spit the cough syrup out when we gave it to them, they'd probably be better by now. The dr told us to leave them indoors for 5 days and we're on day 3 of that. I'm starting to get some cabin fever, but maybe we can get out this weekend.
4) Tami is still sick and getting worse and refuses to go to the clinic. I'm going to have to make her go -- she's about to lose her voice.
5) The italian food in Vientam is pretty good. We're having Mexican tonight.
6) It feels weird to walk around with 1.6 million Dong (the equvialent of about $100 USD). It's a huge wad of cash, even if it's mostly 100,000 Dong bills.
7) It's not that hot here if you're from Texas.
8) Japanese tv is very strange, but Sumo wrestling rocks.
9) The Melia hotel executive lounge has the best coffee in the world.
Some pics starting with the trip to Thai Nguyen in reverse chronological order because i'm too tired to put them in the right order. The picture of the building is the orphanage, but not the building where the babies live. The Vietnamese woman holding Will is one of his caregivers (that kept taking him back every chance she got). The picture of Tami and I signing documents was the actual G&R ceremony. That's the point they became ours.
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