Field Trips in the Tootsie Roll

Christian Diego is on the mend. He is back to his former self and we are so happy that he is feeling better. He is so happy and smiley. Dad is really enjoying his silly personality! Yesterday we made a trip into Antigua. We walked all over and Diego was in the sling for the first time. That thing is magic!! He goes in the sling when he is fussy and within minutes he's asleep! Today we went to the horse farm to watch Gaby take riding lessons and to meet the horses. Once again, despite the rain, he slipped into sleep the moment he wrapped up in the sling. We call it the "tootsie roll." Christian now puts him to sleep using the tootsie roll...

The rainy season has begun and it is getting colder here, especially at night. It is raining right now and we're all bundled up! Diego is enjoying a bottle on the couch with dad and he's about to go to sleep; hopefully he'll sleep more than he has the past week. His congestion has improved a lot! We do have to use the "snot sucker" which is no fun if you've ever had to suck snot out of a baby's nose. They don't like it!

Yesterday I met up with a former professor of mine from Stanford University. She adopted a 4 year old boy from Semillas de Amor, and picked him up from the home yesterday. It was an exciting moment to see a child depart with his new family, and yet in some ways I felt a little sad, too, watching the nannies and children say good-bye. The older children all lined up on the stairs and waved as the gates to the home closed behind the van. Small world.

As for Papa Christian - he's a natural! He has amazing paternal instincts and totally rallies to fix and feed bottles, change diapers, put Diego to sleep...I knew I was lucky to be married to such an amazing guy...and now I realize how very, very lucky I am to have a husband who is also an amazing dad.

We are going to visit a hospitalito in Santiago, on the other side of Lake Atitlan, on Friday-Saturday and will be leaving Diego with his Abuela Anna. It's a two day trip...Two of the doctors who are working at the hospital, which has recently been reopened, are retired doctors from Duke who have children that are Christian's attendings. It should be fun!

Diego is crying...gotta go! Love to you all!