FIRST CANADIAN DINNING...NO TEARS!!!

KAZ TO AMSTERDAM

Us sleeping from Uralsk to Almaty first class!!!

24 OOPSSS!!! 30 HOURS!

This will be a re-enactment of the last 30 hours in real time, you will know exactly what happened to us while traveling with a baby…It’s risky and dangerous, so please don’t try it for fun!!!!

Read with caution…Just kidding I think I will just sum it up~!

We left at 21:00 hours from our apartment and at 20:00 baby Oli-K decided to give us problems, first he hadn’t slept and now he had a massive case of the poops that ruined all his clothes…so I had to give him a bath because it was all over him and then I had to go into the luggage to pull out another outfit (I only brought 3 outfits and 3 pj’s). He cried from exhaustion all the way to the airport! In the smoke filled airport he was calm and starring at everything. Elvira stayed with us until we had to go down stairs and wait for them to open the gate, it was much appreciated! Boarding call, we all get up and walk outside in the cold for about 3 minutes to the plane. I was a bit surprised that they don’t let baby’s board first…so I decided I’m going to push in front of everyone and tell them “ASTAROJNA”and “IZVINITEE” in Jackie’s language “out of my way!” it really means be careful and sorry. As I push to the front with the stroller and the baby freezing to death, I wasn’t about to take him out of the stroller, so I told Daniel to go in front and hold it and I will take the back. We really looked like strong people, Daniel with his big back pack and the laptop and me, with mine and my purse. As we enter the plane we are really happy that we paid for first class and it was worth it. Olivier got a bottle as the plane was lifting that way he would not bother everyone by screaming! First class wasn’t full so I didn’t feel too bad when he did cry. He slept maybe 1 hour out of a 3 hour flight. The same thing for when the plane was landing we gave another bottle. I can honestly say we are a mess; we have so much baggage and then the baby stuff. Everyone gets off the plane and we are still there looking for the baby‘s boots and putting on his jacket, all while he is crying. The flight attendant is telling us to hurry because we are holding up the bus that will take us down the runway…well we didn’t know!!! We get on the bus and everyone is staring at us…we feel slow and awful and Olivier is still crying.

We enter Almaty airport and met up with Sveta, another nice coordinator. We sit and have coffee while Oli sleeps. Our next flight is at 8:20 and the time is 3:45 am. We have lots of time to kill. She gives us his documents and his passport and tells us what we have to show if someone is to question us. Boarding time, we meet 2 other families that have adopted from Almaty and a lady that is in the process but has to return home. We asked to be seated where the basinets are so we could have room and for the babies to sleep. Well that flight was for 7 hours and 55 minutes (late departure) and Olivier didn’t sleep much maybe 2 hours…between him and Lara (the other little baby seating with us) they made an orchestra of yelling, screaming and smells. We arrived in Amsterdam and we have 3 hours to go instead of 5 hours.

In the airport we relaxed by getting a massage, ok I got the massage and it was so worth it at the time but now my back and arms are sore! Baby Oli-K was an angel but seems to go to the bathroom at the most awkward times. Boarding time!!!

We asked to be seated together and to get a basinet but they said they could not accommodate us at all. Finally on the plane the nice lady seated beside us on the isle seat accepted to change spots with me. It was an older plane and not much room where we are seated and the flight attendant asked if she would change seats to another row…but it never happened. It was ok but cramped (the lady was really nice and helpful). All I can say is my little boy slept most of the 7 hour and 20 minute flight on me and he peed on me twice, once while changing him and the other while sleeping (no more clothes for him). And finally we land, we also noticed when we landed the first time in Amsterdam that he didn’t need a bottle, he didn’t feel the pressure change (or he didn’t complain), so we didn’t give him bottles on the ascent or descent.

At the arrival we are struggling with our bags and the baby, and we find it frustrating that they decided to put our stroller (umbrella) under the plane; we really needed it to walk through the airport and to wait in long lines (customs and immigration). All is good, we are in Canada and tired, but home.

We retrieve our bags and the stroller after 45 minutes and then off to find Lorraine…what a welcome, we cried seeing a familiar face and place!!!! Olivier took to Lorraine immediately by giving his warm energetic smile and a giggle.

Now we sleep!!! We feel like we are still on the plane (motion sickness)…to be continued!!!

THE INSANITY!!! SERENITY NOW!!!

THE INSANITY!!!


What is up with the baby that won’t sleep, especially when it’s my shift to go to him if he cries in the middle of the night!!!??!! Sunday and Tuesday, baby Oli-K decided that he is going to cry every 1 hour until he is fed up of being rocked and put back to sleep! Then he is stubborn (like the Taurus that he is) and refuses all together to let himself return into dream land. He knows all mommies tricks and fights it the whole time until I give in and bring him into the living room, then he gives me a devilish smile which makes me think he won!!! Why me? He doesn’t do this with Daniel, with Dan he cries maybe 2 times 3 max and then he will go back to bed for maybe 5 hours. I think we might have to change his nap schedule once home. Can you believe all I talk about is how much my son doesn’t sleep and how much I’ve aged!

Change of subject,

My little boy has started to change; (the 5 things that made me happy)
1st I think he is bigger.
2nd he is finally able to take a banana piece from me or the plate (better if it’s from me) and put it in his mouth. Before he would put it in his hand and forget it was there.
3rd he is able to communicate when he doesn’t like his food, he shakes his head in a no gesture, and if I persist, he whacks my hand and the food lands on the floor.
4th he loves his bath now…we are using a little blue baby bath that Kim and Jean left for us, but it slides to much to keep the jitter bug in one place.
5th he loves dancing with mommy and when mommy sings off key he does the same (with a lit scream)! (Lorraine you are going to have to help him).

We wanted to let everyone know that this may be our last entry until we return home, so please do not panic. We are on dial up using internet cards and I think we are at the end of our card. We will keep updating until the end and add the missing entries once we are safely at home.

By the way…we fear the long plane ride home, we will be traveling more than 29 hours, just letting everyone know!

LE DEPART APPROCHE

Samedi 16 février 2008

A 5h00am il est debout et c’est tout pour le dodo. Notre constat est clair : plus cerne que ca tu meure ! Ce matin -12 degrés a Ouralsk. Ce matin Olivier dors 30 minutes (dans le bassinet) vers 8h00am puis un 2h00 vers 11h30am dans la poussette. C’est bon pour lui, il récupère de cette mauvaise nuit. Nous espérons que le sommeil entraina plus de sommeil. En après-midi nous allons au magasin Bayterick pour faire moudre du café Colombien (oui, un endroit existe pour avoir du bon café, ca leur prend 15 minutes environ a le moudre dans une vieille machine). 200 grammes coutent environ $14 canadien, c’est très cher mais nous avons besoin d’un peu de luxe de temps en temps… Notre réserve de Tim Horton est épuisée depuis longtemps! Vers 4h15 nous rencontrons Isabelle et sa mère au Chagala. C’est devenu une habitude. Le propriétaire Anglais et est très sympathique, les employés parlent tous un peu d’anglais et la nourriture est excellente. Olivier est couche vers 8h15 et on le laisse dormir jusqu'à 9h45 puis on le réveille pour une bouteille. La nuit commence bien, pas de crises cette fois…


Dimanche 17 février 2008

Il dort jusqu'à 12h30am, heure a laquelle il se réveille et je dois aller le bercer. A 1h00am, il se réveille encore et je le berce une dernière fois car il dort sans tracas jusqu'à 7h00am ensuite ; un record pour Olivier ! Est-ce que ca sera une nouvelle habitude ? On le souhaite grandement, mais on verra, il ne faut pas s’exciter avec ca. Aujourd’hui il fait -15 degrés. Olivier a maintenant une routine de dodo de jour : de 11h00am jusqu'à 13h00 et de 3h30 a 5h30. C’est très bien cette horaire semble tenir bon pour le moment.
Dan

Lundi 18 février 2008

Aujourd’hui -24 degrés ce matin. C’est vraiment très froid, en après-midi il fait -15 mais on dirait qu’il fait toujours en dessous de -20. Nous achetons nos billets de retour chez Air Astana aujourd’hui. La première fois nous y allons pour rien car Elvira a oublie de nous donner le certificat de naissance d’Olivier. Air Astana a besoin d’une preuve d’identité pour chaque passager incluant les enfants. Les enfants volent gratuitement sur Air Astana et pour KLM ca coute $95 environ. Nous obtenons finalement nos billets lors de la 2e visite chez Air Astana. Nous avons bien hâte d’être revenu chez nous. Olivier fait ses 2 dodos durant la journée. En fin d’après-midi, nous allons encore souper a l’hôtel le Chagala. Nous sommes devenus des clients réguliers de la place. Jackie est très fatigue aujourd’hui, elle s’est levée a 3h00am car Olivier ne dormait plus. Il est reste debout jusqu'à 11h00am sans dormir. Jackie me laisse dormir jusqu'à 7h30 pour que je puisse prendre la relève.
Dan








Mardi 19 février 2008

Olivier se réveille a 3h45am. Je le berce, je lui frotte le dos de temps a autre jusqu'à 5h00am. A cette heure il ne veut plus se rendormir donc le petit déjeuner commence avec Passe-partout (comme a tous les jours). Il aime beaucoup Passe-partout, on écoute des épisodes ensemble pendant 2 heures ce matin. Durant ce temps, je le fais manger et je me fais a manger. Il ne dit jamais rien durant tout ce temps. Jackie en profite pour dormir pendant ce temps. Elle se lève vers 8h00 je prépare son déjeuner pendant qu’elle surveille Olivier. Ensuite, je retourne me coucher jusqu'à 11h15. C’est la seule façon de survivre. En après-midi nous décidons de rester en dedans, il fait environ -10 mais nous préférons essayer de nous préparer pour le retour qui s’envient. Dormir plus de jour c’est une bonne idée car nous volons de nuit des le départ d’Ouralsk. Le vol quitte a 11h00pm et arrive a Almaty a 3h00am. Jackie a déjà fait une grande partie de nos bagages.
Dan

LET'S START A COUNT DOWN!!!! 8 DAYS TO GO!

I have to say time is going really slow now!!! I’m very anxious to get back home to all of you and my precious cat, that will never forgive us for coming home with a screaming baby! I know it will take time for everyone to adjust, just with the time difference I heard it could take a week or more for everyone to be able to function properly. Then with the cat being chased by an over excited baby is going to be the death of him (he is 17 human years). I will be monitoring the little Oli-K’s activities a lot, they say that at the beginning the baby will be over stimulated by everything, so no bringing him to the groceries, no toy shopping, don’t bring him all over the house or to other peoples house. It will be an overload for his little mind! Some books emphasize to only be in one room all the time with the baby until he is ready to go into another, with Oli-K that will be after he has touched everything and put it in his mouth. To be continued…I’m being summoned by the prince of the orange kingdom!

17th Sunday, continuation

Baby Oli-K was a true prince yesterday, he didn’t give us too much problems going to sleep and he slept from 10:30 till 7 am (he was up from 5 am I’m sure but let us sleep in), “Oh la belle vie”. Today we aren’t planning much, just a little pub food and groceries at the Atrium. Yesterday we went to pick up some more diapers and formula NAN2 for our return home. THIS COULD BE NEXT WEEK, YAHOO!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!! Any traveling tips for parents with a wired baby? We have a long flight back home 20 hours + but before that, we need to prepare bottles, food and change of clothes for when he poops or barfs on one of us!