Day Fifty-Two

I may regret having said this, but today's big delight came in the form of a bowel movement. After fifty-two days, I finally got to change my baby! Yes. She works! It was magnificent! It happened at 10:57 AM. Nice job, Julia! Clap! Clap! Clap!

As usual, Julia was happy and playful today and she is now the biggest baby in the Baby Room in height and weight. If she wasn't coming home with me, she would soon advance to the next level and move to the room with older babies on the other side of the dividing wall. But her caretaker, Maria, has assured me that she will stay put until our departure. I am greatly relieved!

After this mornings visit, Oleysa and I helped Darryl relocate from the 3rd to the 2nd floor, right next to me! Marcy, who is a little further down the hall, has a throwing up illness so she missed her baby visit with 10 month old "Zhana" and lunch with the girls. Actually, we missed her! We lunched at the Korean/Russian place where we all had the spicy noodle salad, Summer Soup (a cold, white broth of sour milk and mineral water) and a chicken dish. From there, we walked to the "salon" and booked a facial for Darryl and to the "nail place" to schedule a manicure for Oleysa. Back at the hotel, Darryl and Oleysa inquired about the "loaner computer" she is having installed in her room and I changed from jeans to a skirt to accompany Oleysa to the Registry Office to pick up Julia's new birth certificate, listing Bruce and me as her parents! It was to be a momentous occasion only the papers hadn't been prepared and Oleysa was asked to return again tomorrow. Mind you, this involves a 20 minute walk in each direction. On our way back, while Oleysa went into the "bill paying store" to pay her telephone bill, I found a street vending "flower lady" and bought her a small, surprise bouquet of yellow and white mums.

We are in such good, competent hands with Oleysa that I sometimes forget how dependent on her I really am for all of the big, important stuff that she accomplishes so seamlessly. And although younger (in some cases by FAR!) than all of us, she leads us like a mother hen, directing, nurturing, encouraging and answering our endless and often repetitive questions. And then she schedules and prods us to get to all of our appointments on time! Oleysa is exemplary and extraordinary and I am proud to call her a mentor, a teacher and a friend. It's been another good and very interesting day. I hope the same holds true for you, my mentors, teachers, family and friends back home!