Another 5 AM Update

Kina is kicking me in bed, but at least she has rolled over ad now I have more than a foot's width of space in the bed. I am staying out at my parents' house for extra support right now, and Kina and I are both in bed with my mom. Godson is sleeping on a palette on the floor, and my dad has escaped to the guest room upstairs for a true good night of sleep! Lucky duck!

Godson has steadily improved, and he is now a happy toddler who still throws screaming toddler fits occasionally, but not so many of those desperate, fever-spiking, brow-sweating fits. He plays, plays, plays for most of the day, pretty much whenever he isn't napping and whenever strangers aren't around. Shekina is having a hard time with all the change and lack of sleep. She did play some yesterday, but she also acted horribly bratty and threw wailing fits. I have to remember that the root of these fits is a very sad one; that she's lost her biological family, her orphanage family, and her country all within a year. Anybody would be heartbroken, and since she has no way to communicate what's wrong, she acts out. 

On a more positive note, we had a lovely visit with our good friends Sandra, Juan, and Juanito yesterday. They brought Godson a musical, flashing flashlight thag he adores, and for Shekina, a baby that drinks from a bottle, sleeps, and snores. Kina now has three baby dolls; you know about Baby Blandine, purchased at the Thieves Market in Kinshasa and named after a guesthouse worker that Kina truly loves. She also received a doll with multiple outfits back at Christmas from her great aunt Deborah and great uncle Gary. She received "Baby Debbie" the night we got home, and brushed her hair and changed her clothes until 3 am! She also played with the blocks that Gary and Deborah had given Godson for Christmas, and she absolutely loves them too. 

Speaking of our arrival night, we didn't get home from our flights until 1 am, and by the time we got settled and to sleep, it was 3. Then the kids woke us up at 7!!! After two long sleepless flights (and nights!) during the last four days, and after such a short night of sleep last night, we are all majorly sleep-deprived. Both kids have scabies, and Shekina's have gotten so bad that even Benedryl doesn't seem to help. She itches so bad that she cries, and itching seems to worsen whenever she is having one of her fits. Poor baby. We visit a lady who is probably the best pediatrician in the city of Memphis, Dr. Janet Geiger, today at 9:15, and we are hoping to get at least the scabies straightened out. This lady is so amazing that, although I had planned to take the kids to the international adoption clinic at Vanderbilt for examinations, I have decided to just stick with Dr. Geiger for right now. I am so thankful my cousin Christiana introduced me to her! 

Well, I have another hour to sleep before we start our day, so I should go now. (The only reason I am up right now is because I'm still on Congo time.) Here are a few pictures from our first day at my parents': 

First time in a tub. Kina is a fish, and is so ready for swim lessons it's not even funny. After we removed Godson from the tub, she "swam" for another fifteen minutes. 

Sweet Sandra painted Kina's nails for her and took her for a short walk. I can tell these two are going to be good friends. 

The kids loved Juan as well, and Godson even let him pick him up! 

The Long Flight Home is Just Beginning

My children's beautiful brown skin was dusted with powdered sugar until just a few minutes ago, when the Turkish Airlines flight attendants brought around hot towels for us to clean up. Why powdered sugar? Because before the hot towels, they brought around a piece of Turkish Delight for each and every passengers, served with toothpicks on a tray like hors d'oeuvres. We are sitting in economy class, in the back of the plane, and when we first sat down, we each found a metal container with the Istanbul skyline printed on the front. Inside, there were socks, slippers, earplugs, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and an eye mask. This 11+ hour flight has only been in progress for thirty minutes, but already I can tell it is a far cry from the overseas (and domestic) cattle cars we're used to. Oh yeah, did I mention there are unlimited beverages, including unlimited wine and beer? And they passed out a menu of choices for each meal? Only problem is my personal in-flight entertainment TV is malfunctioning, as is my dad's, but not to worry--the flight attendants are attending to that as well. Meanwhile, Shekina, who cried through the entire Istanbul airport because I wouldn't/couldn't carry her (including through four--FOUR!--security checks, has calmed her uncertain heart with a Katy Perry movie on her tv. Godson is in the teensy restroom with Saint Koko Vickie, who often offers to change him. I've got the latest David Sedaris book and am good to go as soon as the kids fall asleep (and Godson already has). For right now, at least until we hit turbulence, which strikes fear in my heart so strong that I feel like a deer frozen in headlights just before it is slammed by an oncoming SUV. Yep, my fear is that strong. Thank goodness for my best friend, airplane Xanax, who has accompanied me on many journeys since college! 

Update: It seems that everyone on the plane is asleep except for my children. The second the lights went out and everyone started going to sleep, bedtime triggered Shekina's bad behaviors. Luckily, we were able to redirect her with a special surprise toy we had saved for the plane. There are many kids and babies on this flight, and while Godson was the quietest and sweetest one before, he is now the most vocal. We have only finished 4 hours and 20 minutes of our flight. Seven hours remain. Please, GOD, let these children sleep... 

Update: Shekina threw a screaming, crying fit over an undetermined cause with about three hours left. She finally settled down to eat our second meal after a kind, kind stranger offered her her own water (S didn't want ours) and showed her her baby asleep in the bassinet. Another neighbor offered Benedryl because Shekina was itchy, and another, cookies. The kindness of these strangers astounds me. Neither Godson nor Shekina went to sleep until the 11th hour of the flight. Now they are fast asleep, and it's time to get off the plane and face a long layover in Chicago. Maybe we can find somewhere to nap. We are SO happy to be back in the US!