Goin' to the zoo, zoo...zoo?

Well I must say the zoo was interesting? PETA would probably arrest us for even thinling about going there much less paying 25 cents each to go there. We had a great day never the less

We started our day at the temple of literature, Very old around the year 10,800. A structure dedicated to learned men, scholars. Over 300,000 of them. Their names carved in stone tablets with turtles at the base. A very beautiful place. We then decided to take our son to the zoo. A zoo in a developing country. We were curious. The people were so nice to us and very curious about us. We were the only non Vietnamese there. Set in a large park with a lake. We skipped the feathered friends, bird flu on our minds. We walked on to see many monkeys and apes. All of them were in clean cages, holding their young. The children jumped the fences and were hand feeding the monkeys. Apparently the monkeys re quite tame and used to junk food! There were may rats frolicing about the grass, kinda like our squirrels at home, but many more!

The lion was very sad as were the elephants. Pacing, thin, and very stressed. Looking sickly and I had to walk away. The animals were clean, but I had to walk away esp from the elephants. The scooters were ever present, driving through the zoo as well. the area was slighly decripit but we never felt unsafe. As I said the people here are very friendly. If you smile at them, when they are sizing you up, they warmly smile back. They really love kids, esp babies. They are very family centered.

Our hotel now has the discoery channel only. We now are experts on survival, hauntings, death defying acts, and the general business of human fortitude, Of course we now have Austrailian accents, much like Bear Grylles from Man vs Wild. We narrate everything we do like we are on a survival show. Thank God we are married because any outsider would HATE being around us. We never get tired of the same joke!

Dylan is so sweet we love him more everyday. He had a coughing fit after his 8 ounce bottle, he vomited the entire feeding from his mouth and nose. Poor dear. He then is fine, lungs are clear. I am sure he will wake up soon starving. Tomorrow the babies go to the SOS clinic to get approval for their travel. We get their Vietnamese passports, and are still waiting for the US embassy approval. Chris is leaving in less than 48 hours. What am I going to do? I will miss him, he really is my best friend and a terrific father. I am going to try to get a flight as soon as I can. The only problem is the flights arrive during morning rush hour in NYC. I don't want to harrass any friends to pick us up, so I may stay until I can arrive on Sat, or surprise everyone and take the train home from the airport. We will see. Too much to think about. Enjoy the pictures...

Great day, great company!

Our entire group rented a van and went to a local silk factory village. We were all itching to get out. The village was about 35 minutes outside of the city, and really interesting. Winding alley ways, with scattered shops. We walked around and were fascinated by glimpses into peoples lives. Ever present were the scooters, tooting away, on your back. It is amazing how people make due with so little. Families crammed into 2 small rooms, very sad people begging for money. It breaks my heart to see how unfortunate some people are. I am humbled by my good fortune and wonderful life, in the face of such poverity and desolation. I wish I could do more, give more, and often wonder, what happened that they are so unfortunate and I am so blessed. Life can be so cruel.

After we shopped we all went back to the hotel where we had some coffee, and a beverage. Then all walked out for a great meal. The babies are all thriving. Dylan was rejected by Lily (she is an older girl of 7 months)! They started out holding hands, then she got mad at him and gummed his hand! He just looked so hurt! THe little lip went down and he started to cry. I think I have a sensitive man here. I guess he needs to learn his place early with his house at home full of women. Poor guy! God I love this little man.

He woke up happy today and talked to his hands for about 30 mintues, then he sang to my knee, then he gave lots of kisses and hugs. At this point I have melted and will do anything he wants. He loves to look at books and talks to books too! He love to touch the mastercard sign at the hotel door. If you say "touch the sign" he will! Pure genious. He also had a poop for me while I was singing him Stairway to Heaven. Led Zepplin moves me too! Not exactly in that way.

More Pictures

I look like a hippie chick and feel like a spring chicken (chickens are good luck here)! Someoneis sleeping 13 hours and counting (so is daddy!).
He cried a few times and I gave him some formula and he went back to sleep. He is wheezing slightly so he also got some Albuterol in his sleep. Really helps him. He breathing is fine, no distress just a wheezy cough.

Here are just some of my favorite pictures.



I love this one the most because his smile lights up the room. He loves to smile, and kiss and cuddle.

PS Jackhammer guy must have had a hot date because Sat night there was no extra noise. Just 5 million people on scooters blowing horns constantly. I will have to post a video because the scooter and car traffic is not to be believed. I saw a woman holding her husband breasfeeding her infant while riding a scooter. Familes of 4 or 5 fit on a scooter. people carry large panes of glass, desks, bookcases, cages of farm animals, small dangling children on their scooters! No helmets either! They do not stop for red lights, drive the opposite way on one way streets, drive on sidewalks, go through red lights, aim at pedestrains, all while honking the horn. Crossing the street is better than a large coffe to get the blood flowing. They don't stop, just kinda drive around you. You cannot stop either or trip (not easy for me), because to fall down would throw off the crazy rhythm. The exhaust smell is very heavy and the reason I have no desire to go running at all.
I miss all my friends. I miis my family. I miss brushing my teeth with tap water, I also miss having a sink with no small ants crawling around in it. This is quite an experience. I also miss having long hair, and am done cuting it (random thought).

Today we are going to church to give thanks for our family. Tomorrow we are going to try a trip to Ha long bay.
I love getting out of this city. Take care everyone...Dylan is still sleeping!!! I promise not to complain about that!LOL!!

Day at the museum.

We spent a wonderful day at the museum of Ethnology. It was about 100 or more degrees, like a steam bath, but the museum was so interesting we did not seem to mind. It had some amazing exhibits of Vietnamese ethnic groups with life size village huts and houses. It was 3 dollars for both of us to get in. 4 dollars to use the camera! So we took 115 pictures.
Here are the highlights:

Guess Who Slept throught the night?

This guy did!!!!



Thank you to all how emailed me with suggestions and comments I appreciae your advise. I love the emails and comments, makes me less homesick! I just love this little guy.

I hate sleeping! Love screaming!

Why is it that most kids hate to sleep, and fight it like a monster? On the flip side, most adults, like me love to sleep, love to nap, will pay good money to relax. I would pay very good money for 1 night of sleep! it seems that someone very cute loves to be moving 24/7. Which is fine if the little person had an army of people to walk him around the streets of Hanoi in a baby carrier, but, for 1 little baby, these 2 adults are very tired. Not to mention it is 11pm and the construction workers across the street are jackhammering, sawing and hammering with a vengence. I should see if someone jackhammering would want to wear Dylan in a sling all night. He would probably love it!

We are otherwise exhausted, and very exhausted, and did I mention we are tired? We had our 1st interview with INS today (US government). All went well and now we just have to wait for Dylans visa. Tomorrow we will try to do some sightseeing, depending on how well tonight goes. Wish us luck....