Settling In

Well, we will officially have been a family of three for two weeks tomorrow. We have gone through nearly 100 diapers, three blown out diapers, two nail clipping sessions (with no blood!), three sponge baths, one full bath, one six hour fussy fit, one doctors appointment, and one trip to the US Consulate.

It feels like we've always had Aden around and our old lives are foggy dream-like memories. It's more work and more wonderful than I ever thought it would/could be. He has been a wonderful little sleeper and eater. He sleeps in 3-4 hourstretches at night with one wake-up to eat and eats until he looks like a drunk half passed out with milk dribbling out the corners of his mouth. He is growing bigger and more cute by the day.

Aden is also working on becoming a legal US citizen (Saudi does not offer citizenship). By the grace of God we processed his paperwork at lightening speed. Our Government Relations Office at school said we needed our marriage license certified by the Saudi Embassy in the USA to get his birth certificate, which is needed for the passport. This was turning into an 8 week or more process. Long story short, we went to the office that issues birth certificates and I buddied up with an Egyptian guy processing the same paperwork for his son. He said they turned him away last time for not having an appointment, but I said I was going to try anyway. He went up the counter first, showed his appointment sheet and said something in Arabic and pointed at me. Then he said in English they would process mine too. 30 minutes later we had the birth certificate. Five days later we went to the consulate and processed all his passport paperwork. Instead of taking months, it took 9 days! However, the US government is usinga new system for new international passports that is not ready, so everything is on hold. We are confident in an April homecoming though.

As for Tara, her headaches are completely gone and she is feeling very good. She is back to walking laps around the compound and looking forward to being able to run again in the coming months.

Enjoy the newest pictures.

-Jamie

What a heartbreaker!

Our school organized dinners for us for a whole week. It was very nice and very yummy.

This is Daddy at his most tired time of the day, right before bed and after bath time.

Good perspective on how small even a good size newborn is.

Can you tell he's putting some weight on the cheeks?

Aden hanging out with some of our friends and his fans, Heather, Stephanie, and Laura (left-right)