Hunting and Gathering

Our second night was a bit less regulated and I have no idea how much I slept or when.   All I know is that Tali Bami slept and ate well. 

This morning, chamber maids kept knocking on the door to get a piece of the action.  Our own maid hand-washed in the bathtub the blanket that I bought on Thursday which Tali Bami promptly threw up all over.  Then she helped me give her a “bath.”  I was so grateful.  It is very hard to hold an infant in one hand and soap and rinse them with the other.  4 hands, however, and one set with experience, make it a breeze.

The attitude toward children here reminds me of Israel.  Absolutely everyone adores them and absolutely everyone feels entitled to give you lots of advice, comments, touch, adjust, etc. As I was walking down the street this morning with Tali Bami in the sling, a woman looked angry at me as she indicated that a baby’s feet should NOT be hanging out. 

Other unsolicited advice that I have received?  Do not let people breath on the baby.  Cover her up more.  While she was sleeping in the stroller, two hotel waitresses insisted on rigging up a pillow with the diapers in my bag so her neck wouldn’t be bent.  They were 100% right, it is just a funny cultural glimpse.  If someone did that to your baby at Whole Foods you would punch them out, right?

Being a complete formula neophyte I had no idea how long the canister of Bebelac would last.  Apparently, 2 nights exactly and not a second more.  So this morning, with just 3 ounces left in her last bottle, we had a mission.  I wrapped her in the sling and we crossed the street to the first “drug store” on our formula hunt.  No luck.  It took a full 20 minute hike to find a pharmacy with the right stuff (My guess is that the foster home is using the “good stuff”-- it costs 180 birr (about $12) per can-- so it is not available at every shop.)

I got the sense that it is pretty unusual for a white lady to be walking down the street with an infant, at least in this neighborhood, and I got a lot of stares and attention that I mostly ignored.  I was a mama on a mission. When I finally got the goods, I hailed a cab and we made it back home to the Semian just in time.  TBK was ready to eat again!

The Semian hotel is what I would call a 3-star African business hotel.  As a crazy coincidence, Dorrie just sent me an e-mail that last night she went to Abyssinia Restaurant on Colfax to pick up Ethiopian take-out for her book club (They read There is No Me Without You by Melissa Faye Green, a book about Ethiopia and its adoption story that I HIGHLY recommend.)  

While she waited she chatted (in her fluent Amharic of course) with some fellow customers.  In the process, she found out that owner of my hotel has a son who lives in Denver who was a political activist and is no longer welcome here by the Ethiopian government.  Complicated reality indeed!

I mentioned the hotel because ferengi (foreigners) with babies is not its typical clientele.  It is mostly African business folks –not even families.  The hotel worked for me for the last 3 weeks because it is within walking distance to the foster home, high speed wireless internet in the lobby and fresh squeezed OJ every morning. 

I have come to the conclusion, however, that it is not the best place for the 2 of us.  So, my goal for this afternoon is to explore some guest houses which cater to adoptive parents.  One with cribs, for example. (Dodadee gently pointed out that if TBK continues to sleep with me in my bed that she will likely and easily become accustomed to that and that I MAY be sorry later .  (“I’m just saying…” she says…::J))).

Also on today’s agenda is a visit to the foster home to see the doctor.  I want to check her weight and keep her closely monitored.   

And finally, tonight is our first Shabbat together and we are doing to ATTEMPT to go to Rick’s for dinner.  So much for a regular bedtime….Wish us luck!!

Shabbat Shalom and Love from Addis,

--Jen and Tali B