September 28 & 29, 2011

Yesterday was a pretty lazy day. Jack is not what we'd call a good sleeper yet. Ayudame told us he slept from 10:00 until 5:00. They just forgot to mention that he wakes up about seven times between there. He has reflux and a cold so I'm sure neither of those are helping. His nose gets so stuffy he just can't breath. And then he is spitting up so much he gets hungry often then he spits up some more. For a person who needs a lot of sleep, I think I'm functioning fairly well. Poor Murph will whisper from her bed "Mom, can you get the baby?". She isn't getting much sleep either. Jack is up for the day around 6:00 so I take him downstairs and sit with a cup of tea (also my ritual with Murphy) while Rob stays in the room with Murphy. I feed him then around 7:30 he is ready for a nap (which has only been about 10 or 15 minutes...I don't know how this child isn't tired!) so we go back upstairs and get the car seat. Murphy is usually awake by then so we all go downstairs and eat breakfast. Hotel Paris has a full time cook, Juanita, and one of the maids, Sandra helps out as well. We have gotten into a routine of eggs and ham for Rob, french toast for me, and we bought Murphy some Lucky Charms so she has been eating those. We have freshly squeezed juice every day. Usually strawberry but we've also had pineapple and passion fruit. I've gotten so full from the french toast (they really aren't very big pieces!) but I think it's because I have plenty of tea and juice to go with it. On Wednesday's they serve a breakfast sandwich (like a grilled ham and cheese sandwich) and on Sundays they serve pancakes. Sandra also knows that Rob wants coffee and cold water, Murphy just wants juice, and I want tea and mineral water (the bubbly stuff). We are very well taken care of here! So by the time we eat and visit with Dale, Diane, Luis, and Sandra, it's usually close to 8:30 or 9:00. Then we go back to the room and get ready. Jack eats again and takes a catnap. So by the time we are actually ready to go do something, it's time for dinner. I had explained to them on the first day that I am a vegetarian and they have really had good food for me. Rob said the chicken they had one night was the best he's ever had. (Did I say that already?) We brought Ramen noodles and some Easy Mac for Murphy just in case she got a little homesick for her favorite foods and she hasn't even mentioned them. Juanita makes her way through the dining room (which doesn't take long since there are only two families here) to see if we are eating. So after we eat, Jack is ready to eat again and then we head out. Yesterday we went to Maku which is a souvenir shop. There are three levels and so much to look at! And so much to break! And Murphy was starting to wear down from a couple of days of travel, excitement, and no naps. So we basically made it in the door, to the back of the store, and turned around and came home. We walked by Zuetana, which is where we stayed in 2007, but didn't ring the doorbell or anything. We aren't sure if they'd even let us in. It was interesting walking our old route. The Tex-Mex place that we ate at the end of the street is now a furniture store. We stopped at Jacques and I tried to get a warm eclair and they wouldn't warm it up for me! They kept saying it would ruin it and I said I've had it like that before but they still wouldn't do it. So I had a cold one and it was still pretty good. We just came home then so Murphy could nap. Rob sort of enjoys those naps, too. Jack is on such a crazy schedule that I have been hanging out with him during nap time. He is so happy! Have I said that before? :) He really is. Even with a cold and spitting up all the time, he just smiles and smiles. He is also practicing scooting to the edge of the mat because he wiggle and wiggles. His hips never stay still. So hopefully that's a good sign and he isn't going to be pinned often! :) He literally can swing his hips from side to side like the bottom of a clock. And of course he would prefer to be naked. It's a little chilly here. Chillier than last time, at least at night, so I've been dressing him pretty warm. Which is a good thing because I don't want anyone coming up to me and telling me he isn't dressed warm enough! So after Murphy's nap yesterday, we just hung out here and let her play and let us all get more acquainted with Jack. It's odd that it seems he's always been a part of our family. We felt the same way with Murphy, too. It's like we were a part of the first four months of their lives. Which I guess we were since we prayed for them and loved them even before we knew them. We gave Jack a bath last night and the tub is a little small for him to lay down in, but not quite small enough for him to sit up in. The one we had for Murphy was a handy little thing that she put her legs over this little hump about 2/3 of the way down. So she kind of sat in it. He really wasn't thrilled with it but Murphy got in the shower with him and she can really make him laugh so it wasn't so bad after that. 

Today after our morning routine, Murphy and I went with Diane and Sandra to a little salon next to Carulla for  manicures and pedicures. Somehow in the translation, I didn't get one, which was fine. Murphy had both done while Diane and Sandra only had their fingernails. It cost me a whole whopping $13 for both. So that might be something we do when she gets antsy. We were going to go to the bank at Carulla (the grocery store) to get some money and Rob and Jack were just coming out of Carulla with the money! So we just walked back to the motel and hung out here. Another pretty lazy day. Jack slept little during the night again and then during his naps so we are all dragging. Except him I guess. The only time he gets cranky is when you don't fix his bottle fast enough. And then he will let you know he is not happy.   

Murphy's favorite thing to do is to play in the backyard. It's a small yard, but it has a swingset and she would swing and swing if we'd let her. There is a little play room on the other side of the back yard and she's been in there a few times, but she'd just rather stick to the swingset. She swings while we're waiting for our food then as soon as we are done eating. Fortunately it's nice enough during the day that she can be out there in either her pajamas or shorts and a t-shirt. It's dark by 6:00 so she can't go out then, much to her irritation. 

Sandra and Luis, the other two kids here, are 12 and 13 and they love Jack. They have been around younger kids their whole lives and are very good with them. Murphy has been around so many kids that age that she just is drawn to them, too. One of the women who works here has a daughter named Camilla and she spends time with Sandra and Luis once her homework is done. There is also a girl from Spain named Manuela that has been here on and off since we arrived. She is really good with Murphy, too. Her new brother is three and I'm guessing she has been waiting for a little brother or sister for a while. We have to keep telling Sandra and Luis that Jack throws up but it doesn't seem to matter. Maybe it will when they get thrown up on! 

Well, that's our pretty boring two days. Boring, but we are loving every minute of them. Even the sleepless part! :) 

How many Lewis' does it take to feed one baby? 

Deb, I see Marco in this picture! 

Binoculars! Her new favorite thing. 

Not sure about this bath. 

Maybe it's not so bad if Murphy makes me laugh! 

Just can't keep her hands off of him! 

Good morning everyone! 

Happy kids in the morning! 

She would feed him every time if we'd let her. 

Again with the "how many does it take" question. 

Always drooling. 

Finally found his hat! 

The lesser of two evils. (The pacifier, not the child.)

Part of the $13 manicure and pedicure. 

Sandra getting her nails done. She will be going home to Wisconsin! 

Sandra and Luis love, love, love the baby!