Lucky, lucky us...

October 28, 2007 – After an exciting weekend of smiling, hugging and wondering about out little baby, tonight the sickness hit. And I was hoping I was going to be one of the lucky ones… Well, I know I already am!

Happy Days!

Steve is amused at my blogging position...

October 27, 2007 – Today, after 8 days of waiting, we had our first appointment with Jhon Rodriguez of Salud Total. Totally useless! The doctor could do nothing more than take my blood pressure as just on the other side of the enormous windows of his office were 5 men washing the windows! We left with 30 days of folic acid and 30 days of iron, a promise from Jhon to see us in 24 weeks and mega frustration for wanting the doctor’s final confirmation. I mean, we knew, I had known for weeks, but you still want to hear from guy in the white coat that we’re on our way! We walked away, slightly annoyed, from our 6,900 peso appointment wondering if there was any way we could defy the unpredictable odds of being able to count on anything in Colombia and find ourselves a blood test before lunch with Beatriz. We found one Laboratorio, but had to break through a iron grate to get in and then found we were the only people there, with a seemingly 16 year old nurse. The place was more like a prison cell than a clinic, but I was desperate. Steve, however, was not as anxious to see his wife passout with the cockroach corpses so we left, once again, on a mission. After some walking and some questioning, we ended up at a different place. Walking up the stairs it looked mysteriously similar, but at the top of the dark corridor we were greeted by a lovely bright, white and clean office, two waiting patients and a friendly 50-something nurse. Within minutes the test was over and I didn’t even faint! The nurse said the result would take 10 minutes but after just 3, she got out an old fashioned typewriter and began to type away on a small piece of white paper. I wondered if what she was writing was for us but she neither cracked a smile nor looked our way. I remember thinking how sad it is that this test is not as exciting for everyone, that for some the result is full of fear and dread. Nevertheless, a minute later, the typewriter dinged, a noise I haven't heard in years, and the paper was ready to be ours. She handed it to us and as quickly as I could I scanned the print. POSITIVO! We exclaimed, we shouted, we kissed, we thanked her as if this was somehow thanks to her, we paid our 13,000 pesos and got to the windy stairwell and celebrated our new, official baby! Life is good!

The Biggest Day!

October 19, 2007 – After weeks of the two of us dreaming simultaneously about a little baby, I decided that whether it’s testing time or not, we have got to know for sure! After an amazing 4 days in Cartagena, bathing in mud baths and walking the old colonial city, we return from Cartagena and I take my one, U.S.-bought home pregnancy test in the evening. Ready to brace myself for minutes of agonizing waiting in our very modest bathroom, within 60 seconds, it’s positive! I am too happy for words but somehow have to keep it from Steve for 3 hours until our Friday night mega date of dancing at Casa del Equeco. I had planned this earlier in the day, knowing in my heart that we would have something huge to celebrate. Jumping off and on the manic Bogotá buses that night, I was suddenly so aware and so protective of the little person inside me. With every second that passed, I was getting happier and happier and within minutes I would get to tell Steve the news. Once there, in this candlelit tavern, we sat down on a comfy couch, the only people there. It was 9:30, but that is early. Did I wait for the music to start? Did I put the news in a clever rhyme? I couldn’t wait another second! With the greatest pride and excitement, I lift my glass of limonada frappe and I toast my baby, the newest Daddy in Bogotá! The people arrive, the music begins, the beat is amazing and we dance all night long, but all of that is just details… We are parents! Life begins here!