So sorry that we haven’t been keeping the blog as updated as we would have liked, as you can imagine, life with this new little man is been a bit… well… challenging. That said, here’s a quick update on everything, so you aren’t left hanging, wondering what the heck is going on over here in Addis. ☺
The Status of the Adoption
We heard back from the Embassy last Wednesday. Unfortunately it was not the news we were hoping for and it’s going to be at least two more weeks until we can come home. In a nutshell, the records from the birth mother say that she relinquished a 5 month old, so although the Embassy found no fraud, we need to get a new Birth Certificate and Passport to reflect that new birth date. Unfortunately, the super simple process of getting those two things are complicated because before we can get them, we have to get a new Certificate of Adoption and MOWA letter. Both of these require us to have to work with historically slow entities once again.
So, it could be quick, it could take… a while. BUT, once we get the new BC and PP, the Embassy is ready to rubber stamp us and send us on our way!!! So, please be praying that everything falls in place and that we find favor in the eyes of the Ethiopian Court and MOWA.
The Status of Bronson
Little B seems to be a healthy, happy little boy, who loves to eat all day long (a little grazer) but has a hard time taking his two naps during the day and sleeping through the night. Which can really make the nights looooong and hard. But, we’re trying to figure out what’s wrong, help him with it and try different approaches out until he does better. The good news is that after having 3 consecutive nights of throwing an absolute FIT about 2 hours after going to bed, he hasn’t done that for the past 2 days, basically since his meds for his cold were finished. So, hopefully we’re making headway there. I guess that one is going to take some time go get used to.
However, for the pain in the butt he is at night, he is a JOY during the day. So sweet, smiles all the time, giggles like crazy, loves us, has learned to give us hugs and high fives, crawls all over the place, took two consecutive steps yesterday, loves bath time, claps and dances to music or the chanting of his name, totally digs riding around on daddy’s shoulders, is learning what ‘tao’ or ‘no’ means, and is just the sweetest, happiest little boy in the world. It’s been so amazing to watch him come out of his shell. We never got to see this side of him at the care center or in pictures, so it’s such a gift to be able to see him blossom. I can only expect that as we continue to give him a place of safety and security, he will continue to grow into such an awesome little man.
So basically, he’s a little angel during the day… except for when he gets tired, then he starts to get finiky and fights sleeping so hard. He hates being in his crib, so we have to figure out ‘clever’ approaches to get him to sleep… like letting him fall asleep on his blanket on the floor and getting lifted into it after he’s sleeping, or getting carried in the MOBY wrap on mom’s back and such. It’s can get pretty elaborate, but we have to do what we have to do out here. Kind of hard to let him cry it out when there are like 10 other people on the property, most of which are Ethiopian and the concept of ‘crying it out’ is foreign to them. But, we are pressing on, continuing to learn what he likes and doesn’t like, getting him used to sitting while eating, etc.
It’s definitely an adventure.
The Status of the Parents
As you can expect, we are exhausted and overwhelmed, trying to keep our heads above water. This whole thing is so new to us and according to Ali, the woman we live with, B is above average when it comes to his level of maintenance. But, we’re trying our best to be good parents, to stay calm as much as we can and to communicate well with each other and support each other as much as possible. We just can’t wait to get home. We’re ready to get back to our house where all the conveniences of the States, which are so absent in Addis, are readily available, not to mention our support systems (family and friends). So, we try to sleep when we can, eat when we can, and stay as sane as we possibly can.
I won’t lie, trying to parent for the very first time with a child that is going through some separation anxiety is MUCH more difficult in a country where everything we need to help us in the process is… well… just not here. BUT, there is an amazing woman that lives on the property named Helen who shops for us, makes awesome food, cleans up after our mess every day and washes all our clothes and dishes. She is super sweet with B, too. I honestly don’t know what we would do without her!
So, it’s a roller coaster of a ride, with plenty of ups and downs and challenges to boot. But, this little man needs us, and we’re going to do our best for him. When we consider the alternative of what his life could have had in store for him, there’s no question whether we made the right choice… even at 3 AM when he’s screaming. ☺
Thank you all for all your support, for the prayers, the kind words, the positive thoughts, etc. We can’t tell you enough how much we can’t wait to get back to all of you.
Talk soon!
