Yesterday Was Hard

Yesterday we awoke to a grumpy baby. one minute she was smiling and happy and the next minute she was crying and angry. She even cut her nose somehow in her sleep. We think it was her bracelet when she was rubbing her face. Her cold has gotten worse, tons of junk in her nose, she's coughing a lot, and Bill looked in one of her ears and it looks like there's some fluid and a little angry. So our baby was not happy yesterday at all. Nothing would please her and there was lots of crying. At one point I put her in the Bjorn and just starting straightening up the room and eventually she passed out. He's the picture of her sacked out in the Bjorn. But through all the tears, we made it.

We did a little shopping and she was a great shopper. Very content to look at everything around here. And the walk back to the hotel knocks her out like a light. I told Bill next time we can't get her to sleep we should just walk her around the streets of Hanoi.

Initially I have been trying to dress her in long pants and shirts to follow what everyone has told me about the local culture liking the baby to be covered. But its been so hot and she gets so sweaty in the sling or when we're holding her while we're out and about. So yesterday I just ran her around town in her Hawaiian onesie. I only had only one person tell me to cover her up. But in my opinion she was much happier in her cooler duds. But I have found keeping her in something a little warm in the room has helped her adjust to the air conditioned living. But I can tell she's already acclimating well to the posh live of A/C. When we're out and about and she's sweating she can get quite grumpy like her Mama!

Last night we got her to sleep in her crib!!! Yeah!!!! We let her put herself to sleep which took about 4 minutes of crying. But she did great. And she slept through the entire night. I of course woke up a million times to make sure she wasn't suffocating or something like that and she did need the blanket put back on a few times, but she woke up a new baby today! Much Much happier than yesterday! I had a tough time letting her settle herself for those 4 minutes. Even cried a little myself, but while we waited Bill had me read a book about letting babies settle themselves. So we made a deal, if she was upset for more than 5 minutes than I could go get her. And our little one got herself to sleep in 4 minutes. We'll see how tonight goes. Early this morning when she started to wake up, I picked her up and we got to share our special snuggle time. So everybody wins!

For those about to travel soon, a few thoughts from us: Things to pack, she is a big drooler. A lot of the packing list said bring 2 bibs, which I'm sure is plenty for lots of babies, but for our little slober box I wish I had brought 10. But we did buy some more here in Hanoi. I've found the velcro or snap type are better than the one that tie, they don't strangle her as much. And as for the Advent Tempo bottles we're using with liners has proved very useful. We brought 2. We brought the nipples for a 1 month old and 3 month old. The 3 month nipple is defiantly too fast for her and makes her choke. Anytype of little vibrating portable chair would be nice too. We have a travel lounger but it doesn't vibrate and she hates it. But i think if it vibrated she'd really like it. The Bjorn has been great and a brought a sling too. I used it yesterday for the first time and she seemed to really like it until she got too hot. But the bjorn gets hot too, but they'r all quite useful.

That's all for now. We applied for our passport yesterday and they should be ready next monday. And we have our embassy interview today at 13:30. Sometimes I have as much trouble deciding what Thuy should wear as what I should wear. I think today something cute for her interview!

Thuy says hello to everyone or chao, not sure if she's babbling VN or English! :-)