Holiday time!

This is a catch up post of how we've been starting the holiday season and all the fun I've been having while being at home on maternity leave! I've had to work some (which I knew would happen), but overall it's been a wonderful time filled with lots of visits to the immigration office (that is a story for another post) and time to get to play with my little man G and get to know sweet Finnula. FYI lots of pictures.

Christmas always really starts for me once Thanksgiving is over. This year we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our good friends from Leon. Through a united effort we managed to make all the Thanksgiving staples we were craving ... though there were some modifications. Everyone pitched in and though dinner was a little later than we had thought (due to me not defrosting the turkey in time .. ooops.), it was a wonderful dinner, made even more special by sharing it with good friends who were beginning their first anniversary celebration!

I'm not really sure why they made this at Gustavo's school since they don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, but he came home one day with this headdress and a maraca

Very carefully coordinated cooking (with Abby!) of all items to make sure the were all done for dinner

Rafael showing off his carving skills (who knew?!?)

Finally sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner only 4 hours after I thought it would be done. Oh well. With our lovely friends Elder & Abby

Gustavo also recently had his Christmas pageant at school. As I may have mentioned before he loooooves to dance. After practicing for weeks at home, he got to dance on stage and also got to be a wise man!

Outfit number 1

Gustavo with his classmates

Gustavo with his class and teacher dancing on stage (all of these children are the same age as Gustavo)

Wise man

I dont know who you are, but my mom (who's over there) told me to come up here....

You may notice that Gustavo is literally a head taller than all of his classmates (they are all the same age within a few months). We took him for his 2 year old check up and the pediatrician told us this is the largest 2 year old he has ever seen -- at 38 inches tall and 41 lbs. This puts him well above the growth curve for two years olds .. in fact he would still be in the 50% percentile for 5 year olds. Using a height prediction formula he might be between 6'2" to 6'8" eventually. Oh boy.

R's dad was just here for a visit. He got to meet Finnula and play with Gustavo who had so much fun with his "'Buelo" (abuelo = grandpa). We were sorry it was a short visit.

Hanging out in the morning

Sharing monkey with 'Buelo

PapaTilo and Finnula

Coloring with 'Buelo

Finnula went on a nap strike the day I went out for lunch and was only able to fall asleep in 'Buelo's arms

Taking a walk near our house

Gustavo striking a pose

Speaking of Gustavo speaking he has new words everyday, which means we have to be careful about what we say, but also gives an insight into things that we do say. Favorites include " Oh NOOO", "Why???" both when something happens (like him throwing a full cup of water on the floor). When we ask him "Did you do that?" He looks at us with a serious face and says "Luuuunnnaaaa". So I guess he wants us to believe the dog did it. He refers to himself as "Tayo" and Finnula as "Ooola". So far he has been very good about sharing with Ooola though he does have some definite ideas about when he is not pleased with the choices we give him "Otro Otro" (otro = another one).

Finnula is also growing growing growing! She was 8.5 lbs at birth and at her one month check up she was 12.5, so that's a pound a week. She and Tayo have fortunately coordinated their sleep schedules which includes going to be every night by 7:30 p, Oola then wakes up at 3 and goes back to sleep till 7, Tayo however wakes up at 5:30am. Luckily they both take a nap in the afternoon, Oola 11 or 12-3 or 4, Tayo 1 to 3 or 4pm. Knocking on lots of wood that this continues.

Happy happy girl

Finnula's Nicaragua Christmas outfit

Trying to get everyone together for a Christmas card

Still trying ... a version of this coming to you in a Christmas card sometime soon.

Hoping that everyone in getting in the holiday spirit -- with the non stop fireworks this month we certainly are!

Love from Nicaragua

Finnula's First Riot!

There were elections here in Nicaragua on Sunday which went mostly peacefully. Daniel Ortega won according to the government reports, but a lot of people feel that he shouldn't have run in the first place and have doubts about whether he actually won. Monday the whole country was ready for any problems (there were none that I know of). Most people that we've talked with were not surprised Ortega won and didn't seem that concerned about it.

However today on our way home from running two quick errands with Finnula during Gustavo's nap time, we got stuck in a huge protest against Ortega that was just starting. At first one lone man who is in support of Ortega was blocking the road. But as the anti-Ortega group grew to over 600 people and traffic backed up all across Managua, a pro-Ortega group also arrived.

We arrived at the same time that the riot police and television crews did. We inched forward to the sound of bottle rockets, until finally we got to the stop light where the action was concentrated. At that point the crowd started to tighten around us -- both people protesting for and against Ortega as well as the police.

I started to get teary and R sprung into action rolling down the window to inform all those around that we had a new born in the car and to please let us by. Surprisingly everyone listened and cleared our path through the crowds. As we drove through the riot police closed behind us and stopped all traffic on the road.

Luckily we are all home safe and sound watching the local news to find out what's going on ... and to see if any of the three news crews that filmed us will show us on the evening news.  

Usually women wait 40 days after giving birth to rest, staying in their house with the baby, not doing anything and eating special foods. This is called "la cuarentena" or the 40 days. Some lady in the grocery store asked me how old she was and was surprised that I am taking her out in public already. I didn't think anything of telling her of course we are out and about ... that was before our adventure this afternoon. What an exciting day for Finnula!

As the crowd closed in around us

Riot police closing the street behind us as we sped away.

Baby! Finnula Alma Catherine

Arrival at the hospital 6:15pm. Waiting for things to get started (and for R to get back to the hospital with the camera battery that we forgot! oops!)

Working through a contraction on the birthing balls -- this was a huge novelty for the hospital. They had never seen birthing balls before, or apparently had someone bring their own soundtrack to listen to, or use the shower for getting through contractions... in fact with the 98% C-section rate, one of the nurses had never seen natural birth before.

Just born!

And latched on immediately!

Proud Papa

After we both got cleaned up

Later that same day -- since Finnula was born at 1am and we live around the corner from the hospital, we were back at home by 4pm the same day

G not quite sure what to think....

After her first bath

G playing with "Mom" (that's what he calls his grandma) making the silly face

Sleepy girl (with her new earrings)

Finnula Alma Catherine was born October 19th at 1:12 am. A healthy 8.5 lbs and 22 inches long! G was a little skeptical at first but now he is sharing his blankie with his "Mana" (hermana) or "Seeester". We are having so much fun with her!

Successful event!

Our event was covered by local press!

One more report and I'm ready to give birth :-)

Lots of pictures! 39 weeks!

39.5 weeks! I'm officially due on Wednesday, but hoping that baby F will hold on until after that since I have a major work event that day (the graduation of our first round of caregivers - complete with press coverage and distinguished guests - from their training program as well as visits from our home office and board of directors).

In the meantime baby F is kicking up a storm (including in the middle of the night). Pictures from earlier this week follow. G loves being in pictures so many of them have him on the side or straight in front of the camera...

G popping up in the picture

39 weeks

G is not sure what we are doing but it seems pretty fun

We recently also had some good friends visit and help out with work in the orphanages. Before we got married there was about 6 months (?) where we all lived in a group house together in Baltimore, so having them here with us was (sort of) like old times ... plus Luna and G and my pregnant belly...

Mirador Catarina

Biking in Grenada

Vulcan Masaya

Also the week they were here I had two lovely baby showers -- one from my staff and the other from our friends here in Nicaragua.

Again G loves being in pictures

With our good friend and her lovely children (right around the same age as ours!)

decorations

Complete with games -- I may look big but not quite THAT big

We have a name :-)

All of the lovely people who were there to share the baby shower with us -- very thankful for good friends here and for sharing our excitement in waiting for baby F!

Hopefully the next post will have some baby pictures!