Monday, Monday

This is long, so if you just want the two second recap, read right above the pics.


Dallan and I were so tired of being cooped up in our hotel room. I think Gracie was too. We were all just stir crazy after being there from Saturday afternoon on. Granted there was some great bonding time so I can't complain one bit...

So anyways, we woke up on Monday morning and got everything going. We wanted to take a walk into town but the woman at the front desk said that sometimes people move much slower on Mondays so we should maybe wait. So we did. We played, got Grace fed (we brought along some rice cereal to introduce her to it and she had this. It was pretty funny. Any time Dallan would try to wipe the stuff off her chin/cheek/lips she'd just keep trying to eat and it would get everywhere!) and put her down. Then Dallan and I played some cards and packed up and got ready to go. We left about 11:45 when she was up and had eaten. We used our Moby wrap and got her tied to me while Dallan carried the backpack with wipes/food/diapers/toy etc, etc, etc. (you know all the crap you never use but can't live without!).

As soon as the door to the hotel was open we were smacked in the face by the heat. I knew at that second this was going to be a very bad idea instead! Hahahaha. Had I not been so stir crazy I would have turned right back around.

We set off for the market that we'd gone to on Saturday, thinking it wasn't very far of a walk but we were so wrong. It was that the distance was long (maybe 1.5 miles in each way) but that it was so hot and I had Gracie strapped to me. She's not that heavy at all but the extra material on my chest/back made me sweat even more. People definitely stared at us but I was surprised by the lack of comments. I guess I'd just prepared myself for many questions but there was only one in our entire walk, "Is that how you carry babies in your country?" I said yes and she said "cool". Lots of people commented on how beautiful Grace is and how cute her little pierced ears are. They loved her hat and her little socks. One lady told us what a cute family we were.

So anyways, we kept walking and walking and walking and finally we were there. We needed to get some dish soap. Random I know but necessary none the less. I was overwhelmed by the smells as we walked. It's something I can quite explain. The heat of course doesn't help in any way. People were out and about, selling their wares and chatting with anyone that would stop.

While were walking taxis would honk at us to see if we wanted a ride. If I used the burp cloth to wipe my face they took it as a sign to pull over so we'd have to explain when we got to the car. On the way back a car pulled over and stopped but it didn't look like a taxi and when we got there we saw that it was Juliet, Grace's caretaker at the orphanage. She was out with her husband and daughter. She wanted to kiss Grace so we did and we chatted for a bit. She said we must be good "mummy and daddies" since Grace seemed so perfectly content with us. It made my heart sing.

On the way back I was exhausted and so dirty! I couldn't wait to get back to the hotel and strip everything off, which is exactly what we did as soon as the door was closed. Every piece of my clothing was dripping. So were Dallan's. And Grace? Not a single thing wet other than her diaper!

We took it easy for the remainder of the afternoon and met with Percy at about 6 to go over all the documents for our embassy appointment today. All in all, it was a good day!

So basically here it is: What you can walk at home is IMPOSSIBLE in this heat. People think our daughter is the most beautiful. I sweat a lot, but Grace didn't get one bead of sweat! Dresses are actually easier and let a breeze in.

In the pictures: Gracie with Jeffery the Giraffe, eating rice cereal for the first time, trying to stand up herself, lounging in hat after walk with daddy's glasses.