Our third day with Ava

First of all, we can't believe that it's only been 3 days! It feels like we've known her for much longer! And we've learned a lot about her these last few days. It realy is just priceless this time we have just the three of us. We are just having a great time here getting to know each other. Ava is a sweet sweet baby and still pretty content. However, we did have a little bit of a rough night last night but it wasn't her fault. We discovered when we got her that she has a rash of some sort on her head and bottom. We were worried about that of course and as it happened, her head really became a bother to her during the night. She did not sleep very well b/c it was itching and she was continuously attempting to scratch it. It was so pitiful. She has a way of rubbing it back and forth on the sheets to soothe the itch. It's cute to watch, like a little kitten, but obviously it's not good for the rash and not a good habit for her to be forming. We decided we HAD to get her to the International clinic as soon as possible. So at about 5am we dressed and headed out the door. The clinic is only a block or two away so we walked. She really seemed to enjoy the walk as it was cool and breezy and quiet(well, as quiet as it gets around here). We were the only ones at the clinic so we were seen quickly and they were incredibly kind. The dr. believes it is eczema so he gave us some creme which we started today. Now it is almost 2am and she is sleeping much better. He said after 3 days we should really be able to tell a difference. But sadly, we did have to cut her hair in the back. You can only imagine how bad this haircut is! Brian and I do not need to become barbers!! There's only so much you can do with tiny scissors and clippers and a bouncing baby.

So that was the start to the day. She slept a while as did I while Brian caught a baseball game on the internet. Then we went downstairs to eat and decided to buy an umbrelly stroller at the store in the mall here. It was a little expensive for an umbrella stroller but it's made well and we'll use it at home too. But it has really helped!! She is comfortable in it and it's nice to have another place to sit her besides her crib since she can't sit up on her own yet. After we got that we had lunch at Jaspas, which is here at the hotel. We had the breakfast buffet which is a smaller buffet then what we have at home but still it hit the spot. Ava just stared at me the whole time from her stroller. I had my hair pulled back and I think she was trying to figure out whether I was mommy or not! She looked a little puzzled. She was great. Just sat quietly and watched. We're such proud parents. I got some great shots of her in the restaurant I'll post tomorrow. She seems to like the camera!

We met up with our friends here in the lobby and they said they were going to the lake to walk around and we decided to join them. The lake was so pretty and it was breezy there although very humid. The people here believe that the babies should be covered head to foot even when it's hot. Our friends had taken their daughter's pants off so she only had on a onsie and boy, the looks they got from the elderly women here. We even had a couple of them come up and speak to us in Vietnamese about it! They told, or gestured I should say, that we needed to push Ava back up in the stroller (she was sliding a little). They are not shy AT ALL about confronting! But the people here, young and old, LOVE babies and we are constantly stopped by them as they want to talk to the babies and ask about them. They are for the most part extremely pleasant people. We got some great shots of all this at the lake. I will have to post them tomorrow.

After the visit to the lake Ava had a rough time with her head again. Perhaps the heat made it itch more. We applied the creme and then she fell asleep on me and we slept on the couch, well, she did, for a couple of hours. Brian got a great nap too. Then he woke up and fed her while I slept. Now they are both asleep and I am up boiling more water for tomorrow and writing. It's quiet here except for the occasional horn outside. During the day the car horns are nonstop! I do miss the quiet of home.

So we don't have anything planned for tomorrow. Maybe the pool? We'll see. Then Monday we go back to the clinic for her exam for her visa. Then we'll have the visa interview Wednesday or Thurday. So for now we'll just burrow in here and make this apartment our home away from home.