Finding Faith in the Battle

Omara is automatically an American citizen, having been born to American parents. However, to formally file her birth and claim said citizenship, we had to meet with the US Consular at the Embassy today. Actually, Chad had to go last week and file permission for her to get a passport since he wouldn't be here for today's appointment. They require both parent's notarized request for a passport to keep one parent from being able to kidnap a child. Anyway, armed with all the necessary documents, I headed out today to file for "Birth Abroad" and request a passport. These necessary documents were no small feat! In addition to the notarized "letter of concern" from Chad, I also had to have the passport application, birth abroad application, her birth certificate, our marriage license, my passport, and last but not least, 2 passport photos of her. Yes, of Omara, at 2 weeks old. In order to get these, I had to lay her on the coffee table on a white blanket durin...

Omara's first petting zoo Don't worry--our windows were rolled up tightly! Us all with the yet-unnamed baby giraffe, slightly bigger than Omara at 4-days old The vicious attack-bird Isaac discovering the fear of waterslides What is a family to do when stuck in South Africa for weeks, awaiting a new baby’s passport? Dreadful as it is, we’ve tried to make the best of it. With Omara being sweet and mild and very portable, we found ways to entertain ourselves…so many ways, in fact, that I’m quite behind in posting updates! Day 4 after birth we headed out to a game-park, where we petted lion cubs, and spotted any number of gazelle, zebra, ostrich and huge prides of lions sleeping just feet from our car. We also took pictures of Omara with the baby giraffe who shares her birthday! Day 5 we went to a bird sanctuary. Isaac has been particularly fond of birds…pointing out every one he sees and chasing any that dare land near us. We were right in that he loved seein...

Omara Layne Pumpelly Born November 4, 2010 at 2:20pm 6 lbs 10oz, 19.3" long

I have now known the entire spectrum of birth experiences possible! From C-section to natural birth, from precipitous labor to failure-to-progress, from medication-free to an epidural that didn’t work. I haven’t decided why it was necessary for me to experiences all the options, but I’ve ended up with a healthy baby each time, so I know I shouldn’t complain. After Isaac’s rapid (3 hour!) entrance into the world, my OB told me to come in the minute contractions started. I thought I was being daring but reasonable by waiting until they were steadily 8-10 minutes apart for 2 ½ hours first, and then we drove to the hospital at midnight. I was quite discouraged when the nurse told me baby wasn’t fully engaged and I was only 2cm! So I made Chad try to get some rest while I walked up and down the stairs the rest of the night until my thighs couldn’t take the burn anymore. The contractions were strong enough I couldn’t sleep anyway. But nothing increased except in intensity—and imagine my horr...

We met with the endocrinologist today, and Ethan has grown just enough to keep the doctor happy! He said he was shocked—the only thing stranger than the way Ethan just up and stopped growing for no discernable reason was the fact that he started growing again with no intervention. He hasn’t come close to catching up to where he should be, but the rate of growth for the last 4 months was back to normal. The doc said he would have really “insisted” on hormone injections had he not grown, and I was ready to insist we wait a little longer even if he hadn’t grown, so I’m glad we didn’t have to have that show-down! We’ll have to follow up in July of next year again, but that’s ok. I’ll be ready for another McFlurry by that time anyway! Otherwise we’re all doing well. The kids had a hard time going to the mall today…so much to see, so much to want, so many times we said no. They just couldn’t understand why we can’t do all the fun things and get all the treats we haven’t seen in two years, ...

After a minor delay and a huge lightning storm, Chad and the kids arrived yesterday. Isaac is still a little clingy to me at times, but he is so excited to have his dad and his siblings around. For the first time in 3 weeks, I didn't have to spend 2+ hours getting him to bed...he just lay beside Anya as she sang and talked to him, and he eventually fell asleep without a fuss. And then Chad got up with him in the night while I stayed in my toasty bed. There are some joys that know no bounds! As we drove home from the airport yesterday, Anya saw the Golden Arches and said, "McDonalds? Man, this place ROCKS!" How is it that I'm about to bring a new child into the world at the same time my oldest is threatening to jump head-first into teeny-bopper-ville? What were we thinking!?!? And baby has still made no appearance, and no indication that she has any plans to soon. She is settled a little lower than before (which my rib cage is thankful for but my bladder has taken issu...