Feliz Dia de las Madres

I will never forget this Mother's Day.  One, I have a new baby girl.  I have three girls! I love it.  And secondly, we were taken out for lunch to a beautiful restaurant up in the mountains.  Enrique Frei, runs the Hotel Pension Stein in Cali with such love and caring.  Usually on Sundays, he takes the guests out to lunch to enjoy Cali and typical Colombian food.  Well today, most of the families are gone.  Most signed Sentencia and have gone on to Bogota or were away from Cali seeing other parts of Colombia like the French families.  We were the only ones left in the Hotel.  Enrique took us with his wife and family to their favorite restaurant up in the mountains on the road that leads to Buenaventura and the Pacific Coast.  My goodness to be treated like family is just an amazing feeling.  Colombians are incredible.  My brother told me they were but to experience the hospitality firsthand is amazing.  My husband Angel is like this and now we are in a country of Angels, in every sense of the word. 

It felt amazing to leave the city and get in the country.  The breeze was amazing and the views were spectacular. 

And at the restaurant called La Cabana (with an ~) or The Cabin, Enrique and his family gave me a Mother's Day present.  It was a beautiful wood carved, I don't know how to describe it, but I would use it as a jewelry box of some sort. I love it.  It's as if someone told them what I love because it was similar to one I was going to buy. 

Natalia my baby girl.  I call all of them my baby girls. 

Here you can see how small Stefania really is.  She is getting bigger already.  I know she has gained some weight in the short time she has been with us but she is still tiny.

Today we also sent a surprise video to my mother at her church.  They put together a video of some of the children of the members of the church.  I am sure the last group she expected to see were us sending a video from Cali.  I wish I could've seen her face.

To all my fellow mothers out there, Happy Mothers Day!!!  Just having my children with me, safe and healthy is the best gift I could ever have.



One week

I have been a mother of three girls for one week.  I feel as if Stefania were always with us.  The transition has been so smooth, I am so blessed.  Natalia acts out from time to time with Angel and I and with Iliana.  Being that she is 2 and a half, that is completely normal behavior for her.  I will say, she is so gentle with her baby sister.  She goes in the crib with her and they play like the two babies that they are.  Stefania is getting used to having two sisters.  She played with children her age at the orphanage, never older so I think that may be why she doesn't know what to make of these two doting kids around her all the time.

Today we took Stefania to the park for the first time.  I think she liked it.

She is so close to Angel and me.  She truly knows we are her Mama and Dada.  By the way, she said Mama clearly.  She will be talking in two months with the way her two sisters give plenty of example.

Visit to Chiquitines

I have been meaning to write the past few days but it has been a little emotional and overwhelming. 

Being in an adoption hotel has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages.  Since we are a bunch of families from all over the world coming to adopt, we are here together sharing joys and heartaches.  Yesterday was heartache.  A couple had come to adopt a 4 year old boy.  They arrived same time as us and we bonded.  Unfortunately, the boy was not adapting well.  He played well with children but he seemed delayed and unresponsive to his "adoptive" parents.  Things didn't work out and the adoption was interrupted.  He was taken back to his foster home and the couple were left with a lot of unknowns.  The cries from that mother were heart wrenching.  I cried  for the couple, for the boy who had not been diagnosed properly and was not ready and for Iliana who wondered why her friend was gone.  I told her he went to his family and left it at that.  I wanted to take the boy home like I do all the kids.  Fortunately because it was not the couple's fault but that of the Colombian child protective services, they may get another child referral next week.  They are such loving, caring people and I know a child will be so lucky to have them as parents. 

Today we went back to Chiquitines to see where Stefania lived her whole little life until last week.  Well the place is beautiful and well run.  The staff are phenomenal and caring.  The children were happy as they can be without forever families.  Iliana did great talking to the kids her age and wanted to stay and play because they have a great playground and swimming pool.  However, Natalia and Stefania did not do so well.  Natalia felt insecure and clung to Angel and me.  Stefania shook her head "no" from the time we walked in to the area where she used to live.  She would cry whenever she went near a caretaker.  I think she thought we might leave her.  When we left, Stefania had a fever.  She has been sick all day since we came back.  I don't know if it's coincidence or what, but she hasn't been sick until today.

The kids are like children anywhere, happy, playing and they waved goodbye to me.  Two came to the car to say goodbye.  I wanted to bring them all home.  God it seems so unfair that there are so many children without families.  The good thing is most of these children will find homes and be adopted.  I just think about the ones who aren't.

Stefania's old room.

This was Stefania's old crib.  It was taken over by Valentina.  Now the crazy thing is we thought about giving Stefania the middle name of Valentina after me because Valentin is my mother's maiden name or my second last name.

Iliana found a baby named Iliana too and was playing with her.

Saying goodbye to three little girls who were playing with Iliana.

We met Stefania's physical therapist and she said Stefania just needs to play with her sisters.  She will catch up in no time.  She is a little delayed in gross motor skills but that is typical for babies who come from orphanages.

I boo hooed the whole way home. 

I feel guilty for having "so many" children when couples struggle to have one.  The couple with the interrupted adoption have been waiting five years.  Paperwork is necessary to ensure safety measures, I understand that but sometimes it seems so unfair.

On a brighter note, two more families here officially adopted their children and there was a nice party today.

Juan David is going to the Netherlands with his wonderful parents.  He is Iliana's age.

Kaia is going home to Norway with her lucky parents.  She is their first child as well as well as Juan David.  Did I mention both kids are gorgeous?!

Having fun in Cali

Cali, Colombia has a population of over 3 million residents with over half of the population being Afro-Colombian.  It is diverse, lively and of course they have SALSA.  Cali is known for having some of the best salsa dancers in the world.  As a New York born Puerto Rican, salsa was what I grew up listening and dancing to.  Whenever we tell a taxi driver or a store clerk that we are of Puerto Rican descent, we are given brotherly love.  Immediately they tell of all the great Puerto Rican Salsa singers and groups that come to Cali's salsa fest every year.  In a music store we saw the Puerto Rican flag on some drums along with Colombian drums.  Of course we took a picture.

On Saturday, we went to a park where artists sell their crafts.  Beautiful items.  I bought some things for Stefania to have from where her mother was born as well as from Cali which is where she was born.
On Sunday we were taken to a place for lunch where you order your food while your kids can play in a park and run around.

Then we went to the pool at the hotel where our girls wore their matching yellow polka dot bikinis courtesy of Iliana (of course).  Stefania didn't like being so matchy, matchy.

I love how Natalia wears her life jacket in the kiddie pool.  That is her father's idea.  He is scared of water.

Yesterday, we went to the Chipichape mall.  Very high end and expensive.  Didn't buy too much there.  We did find Exito which is similar to Walmart.  What I noticed about Exito, unlike Walmart, is that all of their clothes are made in Colombia.  Even the Disney and Hello Kitty brands and they are not knock offs but licensed real deal shirts.  They weren't cheap.  I appreciate how they are made here.  I would pay more to have clothes in Walmart made in the USA.    It's so sad how I was surprised to see that the clothes weren't made in China because I thought everything was.  It's only everything imported to the US is made in China.  I'll get off my soapbox now.

On the way home from the mall, our taxi conked out.  The driver, an older little man gets out and starts pushing the car to the side to get it out of the way.  Angel jumps out and pushes the car along with him.  The man does a few tricks, the car starts up, Angel jumps in and we get back to our hotel.  Very Dukes of Hazzard.  I think us being brought up going to Puerto Rico throughout our childhood and experiencing very similar things made this seem so non chalant.  We joked if it had been any of the other families from the hotel, they might have panicked.  (Most don't speak Spanish and I doubt their car has ever broken down ever.  They are very nice but very First World:)

Today we went to the Cali Zoo.  Beautiful little zoo.  Iliana and Natalia loved it.  They wanted to stay all day.  We will probably go back since it's 5 minutes by taxi and Iliana wants to see more animals.  She has the map and is telling me what we didn't see.

Natalia and Iliana giving their father his daily heart attack.

This last picture meant a lot to me because the orphanage gave me a picture of Stefania's bio mom on top of this iguana while she was pregnant with her.  I was able to take Stefania there and she will have both pictures when she is older.

Stefania our new daughter

I will try and express how I felt but we took a ton of pictures and I think they show more.  This was on our way to pick up Stefania.  Please forgive my chest hanging all out.  I had no idea I looked like a sexpot when I went to the orphanage.  I hope they weren't thinking, "look at this hoochie."  But then again, it's Cali.  We were so nervous.  My heart was in my stomach.  Angel had been antsy all week.  The girls couldn't contain their excitement.  Iliana told me, "Mami, I am going to cry when we get Stefania."

This is when they were presenting her to us.  The woman holding her was her primary caretaker at the orphanage.  She cried before and while she was handing her to me.  I feel so bad because I didn't even notice her.  I was too caught up in Stefania.  I was bawling and doing the ugly cry. 

Look at Iliana grinning right next to me.  She was so happy.  She said, "Mami! She is so cute!  I can't wait for Grandma and Grandpa to see her.  They are going to love her."

I know it's not that clear, but she stared at me from the moment they put her in my arms.  She looked at me very intently with no fear or hesitation.  It was a curiousity for her to see this boo-hooing lady holding her.  She never pulled away or cried.  She was just my baby.  This meant so much to me because with both of my other girls, I had c-sections, and I was never the first to hold them.  Angel held them both first and took care of them the first day while I recovered.  With Stefania, she was mine first.  For the first 5 minutes anyway because then she met her Dada or Papi.

And I lost her too. LOL.  She has joined her sisters in being a Daddy's girl.  If you know my husband Angel, then you know I married the Pied Piper.  You should see him with all of the children here at the house.  The kids flock to him.  He's just a big kid too.  All of the fathers here are watching and taking notes, which they should because my husband is the best father in the world.

On the car ride home I held Stefania in my arms.  (No carseats in Colombia. Iliana and Natalia are loving that.  Wait til they get home.)  The whole ride back, Iliana and Natalia would alternate and ask, "Mama you holding Stefania tight?"  Poor Stefania has three mothers.  Let me add that my older girls have been phenomenal.  No jealousy at all.  Sometimes they get a little babyish and want me to coddle them but considering they really are still babies, they are entitled.  Iliana will be 5 in June and Natalia is 2 and a half.  Stefania is 10 months but she is tiny.  She is so petite.  She is very strong and has a good appetite.  Another one like her father who can eat everything in sight and not gain weight.  She is adapting very well.  She likes her sisters, loves her father and knows I am the one to cry to. (Lucky me).  Oh I forgot to mention, the girls all had matching shirts courtesy of my eldest Iliana.  She insisted we get two big sisters shirts for Iliana and Natalia and Stefania's matching shirt says Little Sister.  I didn't get a clear picture of the three of them wearing the shirts but I think you can tell. 

Stefania's 1st nap with us.

Stefania's first meal with us.  Sorry we are posting all the firsts but like Angel said, we have all the firsts in one day as opposed to through the last 10 months.  I love this picture.  Actually, I love them all.  I love her.

And as a woman who has given birth and now in the process of adopting, the first time I held Stefania and had time alone with her was exactly the same as when I held Iliana and Natalia.  I truly felt my heart grow.  It is so crazy but it feels like your heart is multiplying inside of your body.  I boo-hooed and still as I write this, I cry.  It's amazing.

Me and my three daughters, Iliana, Natalia and Stefania.

Now granted this is a horrid picture of me but it's not about me.  This was the first bottle that Stefania took from me almost 24 hours after we picked her up.  She hated the bottle.  I had no idea what to do because both of my older girls were breastfed babies.  My inclination was to give her the boob but alas, there is no milk there anymore.  She ate fine from baby food but didn't want the bottle.  Finally she woke up hungry and caved.  We were so happy she drank from the bottle!  Also I am wearing the bata (in English it's nightgown?) that I wore in the hospital after giving birth to Iliana and Natalia.  I thought it fitting to wear for Stefania as well.  Stefania sleeps well.  Better than her sisters in fact.  We hope she can give them some pointers.

Today is Saturday and Angel took the big girls to the movies.  We are a few blocks from a nice mall so they went to see Rio in Spanish.  My girls are picking up Spanish.  The rest of the children at the hotel are getting adopted so some of them are Iliana's age.  They only speak Spanish for now, but I will tell you, kids are amazing.  They pick up language with a quickness.  One couple had a 2.5 year old girl for two weeks.  She already understands her parents who are speaking to her in Norwegian!  Spanish and Norwegian are about as distant in language structure as you can get.  Another little boy David, is Iliana's buddy.  He was adopted officially yesterday by his Norwegian parents.  They are so proud like any new parents and he is excited to have a forever home.  He loves his father like crazy.  The most beautiful thing is to see children be loved and treated the way all children should be.   They leave for Bogota and then for Norway next week.  We will miss them but we are so happy they are going home.  He too is already understanding Norwegian.  Here he is playing with Iliana.

I love Hotel Pension Stein.  It truly is a haven for adoptive families.  The parents all help one another, the kids play together all the time.  We all celebrate each other's victories.  Enrique Frei runs the place with such love and attentiveness.  The babies get their own meals!  Homemade baby soup! Delicious! Hopefully Stefania will get a little fatter with the food here.  I know Iliana will.  She told me today, "Mama they cook better than you here!"  That says a lot because before Iliana used to say I was the "best cooker in the world."  I met the cooks here.  She is right.  I ain't got nothing on them. 

Every few days we go on trips arranged by the hotel to get to know Cali.  We went to a waterpark on Wednesday.  It was so much fun.  I think I had the most fun.

I was holding Natalia in the picture.  I need to have a kid to make it look like I did it for her.  I loved this place.  There were no lines.  It was clean and the food was cheap.  How I love cheap food.  Angel and I are sure we will come back fatter.  And since we both did not get into the NYC Marathon, we are in trouble.

Sorry it took me so long to write.  I am now a mother of three and the only reason I could write this was because the girls are at the movies with Angel and Stefania is taking a nice, long morning nap.

One more of Stefania looking at the camera.  I noticed most of the pictures are of her profile.

Meeting before we get Stefania

I started writing a post for today but it was so emotional and private that I decided to save it for Stefania instead. 

We had a meeting at the orphanage today to find out Stefania's medical history, her habits, her clothing size, etc. We also got to hand in our donations and they were especially grateful for the maternity clothes.  I sure won't be needing them again, LOL.  It was a little hard to be at the same place where my daughter was in another section of the orphanage and not be able to see her but at the same time, I understand it makes it easier for us to process all the information we received.

I did find out yesterday that she had been in the hospital because there is a bad case of the flu going around with all the rain.  (We were fortunate to miss the rain here in Cali but there is flooding all over Colombia).  She developed pneumonia and was in the hospital.  All I thought of was my baby was in the hospital and I wasn't there for her.  They assured me she is much better and doing 100%.  I can't wait to hold her in my arms tomorrow.  I hope she doesn't reject us or get too sad.  But I doubt she will with the love she is going to get from her big sisters. 

They told me she has a temper.  We smiled and said she will fit right in. 

COLOMBIA!!!

Estamos en Colombia!  We arrived in Bogota at 5:00 am (6:00 NY time).  The flight was great, both girls slept right through.  We then had breakfast in the airport at Bogota after going through Customs.  Apparently you arrive in International Arrivals and from there you go through Customs which was painless.  From there we took a bus to the other terminal where the domestic flights were.  That was an adventure.  The bus drives right on the runway where planes are taxiing to and from the gate.  We have pictures which hopefully we can upload. 

You see although I am married to the biggest techie geek in the world, his wife has the power to destroy electronics with a single touch.  My laptop is not working.  It worked in Bogota and then after that it seems to have crashed.  Flip camera where I was going to record our adoption story is not working.  Won't turn on.  We are down to Angel's computer and my Iphone which is our camera/ video camera, etc.

But I digress.  We arrived in Cali after a short flight and immediately I love Cali.  First of all, the weather is way better than anything I have experienced in the last, oh, 6 months.  On the way to the hotel we saw three young men.  While we waited at the red light, they jumped on each other's shoulders and juggled.  That is one man on top of one man, on top of another man, juggling.  It was so impressive.  Iliana said, "they must work at the circus!"  We get to the hotel which is in a higher end neighborhood.  The hotel is beautiful, safe and a kids haven.  Right now there are eight families who are in the process of adopting.  Two of them got their children today and it is so amazing to see these families experience that love for the first time.  These are the first children for both families. 

It is a great environment because the kids all play together and share their toys.  It is so fascinating to see families come from all over the world to adopt.  There are two Norweigan couples who we have bonded with because we've been to Norway and have Norweigan friends. There are three French families, one Italian family, and one Dutch family.  We are the only family fluent in Spanish so at times we are the only ones besides the staff that understand what the children are saying and we translate.  The kids love our girls who speak English and a little Spanish (hopefully that will change on this trip).  All families speak English.