We are home!

We are back from our trip to bring Baby B home! Sorry that I couldn't tell you all of the details ahead of time, but I wanted maintain a certain degree of privacy for my kiddos.

We have pictures that I will be sharing, when I have the time today (I hope). It's funny how I don't seem to have as much time for 'stuff' with a two year old around! :)  Little Man and I are exhausted. 

She's a busy Baby B.

Right now, our little princess naps. So I thought I would grab a moment to say 'Hi'.   I will have a lot to share about the ups and downs of bringing home a two year old.

Oh and feel free to check out the FB page for a picture of Baby B.

JustB-Adoption Facebook Page

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Any Advice?

Here is what I've been thinking about lately. Since this is the month we travel plane rides, with a toddler, are in the not to distant future. It's been awhile since I brought Little Man home from Ethiopia (five years next week). Little Man will be a big help, but I want to make the trip as pleasant for Baby B possible.

I have some ideas (stickers, bandaids, and tape are always a hit) and I am packing some books that are supposed to be tear proof. 

But a person could always use some more ideas.

What are some things that you all have found helpful when travelling with a toddler? 

Leave your ideas in the comments section, on the FB page, or feel free to private message me.

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Home from Haiti Part 2: That Really Nice Lady

On our first trip to Haiti, I knew that Baby B was a tough sell. Whenever our coordinator would go down to check on the children at the creche, every picture she took of Baby B showed her staring at the camera as if to say 'So you're here to take a picture. I don't even know you. Why should I smile at you strange lady." She had her favorite nannies, but she didn't warm up to others very quickly.

After our first visit, everyone was amazed (including me) at how well she attached to us. I was thrilled, but worried at the thought of what our leaving might do to her.

With a child who has a hard time opening up their heart, you don't want to do anything to break the trust that they have given you or they could lock you out forever.

 I was really worried about how she would respond when I returned. Everyone hears about Reactive Attachment Disorder, especially in regards to children brought home after having spent time in an orphanage. Attachment issues for Baby B could be a real possibility if we aren't really careful.

The Haiti coordinator and I decided that when I went back I would not have Baby B stay with me at the guest house.  Even if it broke my heart to not have her spend every moment with me. I would head to the creche to visit her during the day and return to the guesthouse in the evening. I would try not to do any of the typical 'mom' things for her even when I visited her at the creche. No diaper changes, no feeding her meals.

I was to be 'that really nice lady' that came every day to visit (bringing fun stuff with me.) Hopefully, having her see me leave and come back many days in a row would help her while she waited for me to bring her home forever.

I think that our plan worked. The first day when I came to visit, Baby B wasn't sure if she was going to be my friend anymore. She recognized me immediately, but she was still mad that I hadn't taken her with us when we left her back at the creche on the first visit.

My poor baby. It breaks my heart.

Although she didn't want to look at me for the first hour or so, I made sure I sat where she could watch the two of us interact in the reflection of a glass door. I knew she was scared to let me back in (and risk getting hurt again.) But she couldn't resist sneaking peaks at Mama.

 It was hard work trying to stay mad at Mama.

Stickers, bubble soap, a ball, a photo album, a stuffed animal, books... All items chosen specifically for the fact that they required interaction. 

Slowly, Mama's love and the presents worked their magic.

Baby B even opened up enough to do silly toddler 'tricky tricks' (ie head upside down peaking, walking silly, bonking things on her head, trying to wear Mama's sunglasses...)

While each time I left there were still tears, I am praying that when I return Baby B will still have her heart cracked open to let me in. 

Next time, my baby, that really nice lady gets to finally be your Mama forever.

Travel Tip #2-Communication

Our coordinator said to contact our cell phone provider to sign up for an international plan to use in Haiti. If that didn't work, we could ask someone on the plane if we could use their cell phone to contact our driver when we landed. 

Yikes, that sounded a little bit out of my comfort zone.

When I stopped by the Verizon store, the very nice young man working said that if it were him, he would just pick up a pay as you go phone when he got to Haiti.

Still stressed out. 

I decided to look online to see if there would be any way to get a phone ahead of time. After a lot of reading online, I decided the way to go would be to purchase an unlocked international cell phone. Then all I had to do was get a sim card and purchase some minutes once I arrived in Haiti.

Thankfully, I knew that I could purchase the minutes and the sim card right at the airport when we landed.

I searched Amazon, and picked up a  very basic Unlocked 'Blu' Cell Phone.

It worked like a charm! The woman at the cell phone booth at the airport even put in the sim card and loaded the minutes for me.

All I had left to do was call the driver, using my very rusty French and we were set.

For communicating with home, we just brought an iPod, and used Skype and Facebook (they had wifi at the guesthouse where we stayed.)

Next travel tip-packing.