Passports, Visas and Shots

It's been forever. For posterity sake I think I'll break up the update into different entries so Diego doesn't know how delinquent I am....

Last week we got the kids passports for our upcoming trip to Bolivia/Panama and SHOTS! Diego and Charlie had to sit on boxes on top of stools to get their picture taken at the ghetto photo place next to the passport office. Of course Diego was all smiles and Charlie gave the photographer his special skeptical stink eye. The passports are good for 5 years so I look forward to Diego traveling when he is 5 with his baby photo.

I also spent 3 hours getting shots with the babies. I told Carlos there wasn't anything he could do to make up for how terrible that experience was. I had two pissed off, hungry kids confined in a small room, missing their naps and a nurse who took forever to discuss what shots I should get. When Charlie finally got his shots he went ballistic -he wouldn't stop crying and screaming. Diego got one shot too but seemed less upset about it. By the time I got out of the room I was sweating and the entire office knew who we were. We went to Starbucks to get a treat and Charlie sat and ate and ate and ate - he finished a yogurt with granola and an entire panini sandwich. We also have to deal with visas. Bolivia thought it was a good idea to impose reciprocal visa requirements on Americans so we need to have an invitation letter from a Bolivian, bank statements to demonstrate solvency, shot records, photos and pay $135. Slightly absurd.

Sticky fingers Diego finds little treasures all over the place and puts them in his mouth. I'm in a perpetual state of hypervigilance given that Charlie never did this. The other day I looked away for a second only to hear Diego gagging and then see a WHOLE cherry pop out of his mouth - stem and all! I don't even know how he managed to swipe it from the counter. He has quick hands and he is getting quicker in his crawling. It is still so darn cute to see him scurry along the floor. I tell him to hurry up and he tries his best to shuffle quickly.

I gave up and moved Diego to the guest bedroom. I put Diego to sleep in the pack and play in the guest room and then once Charlie falls asleep I move Diego to his crib. This was after 2 painful weeks of trying to get them to sleep together. The routine had become Diego going to sleep and then Charlie waking him up when he went to bed with screams of wanting to go to the bathroom. He literally goes pee 3 times every night before actually falling asleep. Bedtime routine was turning into 2 hours and Diego is very punctual about getting up at 6am.

This is usually what happens when Diego gets near Charlie's toys....Diego was so cute talking to the train, but then Charlie pushed him out of the way.....