New Digs

We apologize for neglecting the blog. Be sure to check out the new photos (link on left).

The trip was a blast - Elisa's family and friends are great, and the boys were a big hit. The only downside is that it was about a million degrees in Niteroi (Rio) so the boys were tough to deal with - couldn't sleep, always thristy, etc. Also, there was a giant blackout which was fun for a few minutes, but then the worries crept in about coping without fans, air conditioning, even running water. What if? Luckily, the power came back on a few hours later.

The boys did well on the trip, but they both came down with the flu when we got back in-country. Adrian displayed symptoms first, with a fever and congestion the day we got home. Vinny was symptom free for a few days, but was increasingly fussy. Then, after about 3 days, Adrian seem to be recovering, and Vinny ran fever of 103. Thankfully, the fever subsided, but more than a week and a half later, the congestion and coughing remained. The boys couldn't breath through their nose, so they couldn't drink their bottles or go to sleep. We repeatedly used saline drops and a nose plunger to remove some mucus, but it provided little relief. We used Vick's Vapo-rub, and it did nothing. We thought we'd never get a good night's sleep. It was pure hell.

Finally, the congestion subsided, and suddenly they were sleeping through the night consistently and began eating like there was no tomorrow. We couldn't believe their appetites after weeks of rejecting the food we offered, suddenly they were eating 2 - 3 times what we used to feed them at a single sitting.

We thought they'd be walking comfortably by now, but progress has been slow and they're still prefer grasping furniture for assistance.

They've adapted well to their new surroundings (the house) and the home day care where we leave them 3 or 4 times a week.

They love climbing the stairs, and once we didn't realize Adrian was over there until we heard 'thump-thump-thump' and rushed over to find him no his back laughing. They do funny things every day, but nothing else comes to mind at the moment.