Thursday Update from Ethiopia
Jul. 23rd | Posted by Ena
15 comments
Today, I got to speak to my nieces for the first time (over the phone, obviously)! Yay! A very good way to start a Thursday!
I had a nice long conversation with Nicky today (it was evening in Addis), and we spoke a lot about the girls and how they are adjusting, how she’s adjusting, and what they’ve been up to.
I guess the twins are a little hyped-up today, because they all spent the whole day at the hotel, waiting for the call to go pick up their birth certificates and passports. Unfortunately, the power cut out in the middle of the printing of the birth certificates, but they should be able to pick them up tommorrow. Then they’ll have all the paperwork to send to Nairobi and can relax a bit and go for more day trips while they wait for the girls’ canadian passports. Things seem to be moving along really well, though (Thanks to everyone in Canada, Ethiopia and Kenya for making that happen!), and we’re hoping that they will be home sometime in August.
Nicky says that the girls are adjusting really well. The first few days were difficult, since they don’t remember any home besides the transition home. Their whole world was in that courtyard. They had some serious grieving in the first couple of days over leaving their teacher, but are now bonding really well to Nicky. Nicky was laughing at my Mum, saying that she was taking advantage of Nicky being on the phone to get some hugs in with Sugar and Spice. Certainly, they seemed to be having fun in the background, with joyful toddler screams from tickling and playing hide-and-go-seek under the bed covers. I guess that when Mummy is available, Grandma doesn’t get much hugging. (Which is really good, as anyone who’s done any reading about attachment issues knows) Apparently, they went for a long walk the other day, and part of the way there, each girl was being carried by Mummy and Grandma. On the way back, though, they were both too tired to walk, but Mummy had to carry them both – so she had one on the front and one on the back for about 10 blocks! I hope Nicky’s been working out!
Nicky says that initially, the girls seemed to be exactly as we thought, with Sugar being the shy, less risk-taking of the girls and Spice being the outgoing, more devil-may-care of the two. But as they are getting to know each other, she says that they are revealing their true natures more and more. Sugar is the one most often in charge, and she also has more of a temper than her sister. Spice is more constant and even-tempered, and does occasionally take charge, but more often lets her sister lead the way. She seems to be the more trusting of the two.
Both girls are quite bright, and Nicky says they’ve picked up about 25-30 words in English already. Wonderful how sponge-like little minds are. She’s discovered that their best days are the days they spend some time at the hotel, but also go out for a bit of a day-trip. Days when they are either in or out of the hotel all day can be a bit rough.
The girls are quite well behaved, but they are still toddlers. Sugar has thrown a couple of tantrums, but nothing much different from any other 3 year old. They are energetic, but not in a really physical way- they are alert and need to be kept busy, but they don’t like to get dirty or roughhouse much. They like to draw (80% of the ‘amoebas’ [Nicky's word, not mine ;D ] they draw are Daddy), sing, talk, learn, and most of all to play dress-up and pretend. There is a constant stream of chatter between the two of them. I could hear the girls in the background while we spoke, and they are definetly little chatterboxes! There was constant conversation going on between the two of them (I can’t tell, because it’s all Amharic, but Nicky says they’re actually conversing, not just making noises), singing, and lots of laughter. It was so wonderful to hear them laugh.
Nicky put each of them on the phone with me, and each said ‘Hello Ena’ and then spoke to me in Amharic while I spoke to them in English. Apparently, I was so hilarious to Sugar that she was in stitches after our conversation. As best as Nicky could figure out, it was because I sound just like her and Grandma. So we know that Sugar has a sense of humour! I’ll admit that I was in tears speaking to them for the first time and hearing Nicky being her new Mama-bear self. I’ve been waiting for a long time to hear that. They each came on the phone again at the end of the conversation, said ‘caio’ and gave me a phone-kiss. Tears again. Apparently, they love talking on the phone, especially to Daddy. I’m sure Daddy loves it too.
I asked Nicky how the transition was for her – did she feel like their Mummy right away, or like she was babysitting someone else’s wonderful girls? She said that she instantly felt that they were her babies, though she feels like a mum-in-training, as she’s learning a lot! She said she had worried about everything on the way over; from bum-wiping to consoling them in the difficult transition time, but that it’s all coming very naturally.
One of the things that she was somewhat surprised at was the positive support of strangers in Addis. I guess it took a bit of getting used to, but over there, it’s quite common to have perfect strangers come up and kiss a baby. Nicky’s girls get even more attention because they are twins. What she was really surprised at, though, is how many of the people that come over and give them kisses on the cheek then tell her a big thank you for adopting the twins and giving the girls a better life in Canada. They are being genuine, she said, and it’s nice to know that they feel that way. She says she wishes that some of the people over here who are so negative about international adoptions could see that.
More news when I get it…
Ena
Sounds like everyone is settling in wonderfully! It’s great to get such a positive update!
Oh wow… that is an awesome update! Seriously. It’s great to hear that things are moving along and the girls will be home in Canada soon!
It sounds like they are doing so well! I hope that you and your entire family get to meet Sugar and Spice very very soon!
beautiful!!!! I’m misty eyed just hearing about it. How wonderful for you Ena, to watch your sister experience the transition into motherhood…and you into auntie!!! there is something so amazing about the sister support system.
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Just want to say thank you for keeping us all updated! It is so encouraging to read these updates.
What a nice update. I’m loving reading about how well the girls and Nicky are doing. Hope they will be home soonish so dad and the rest of the family can get a full dose of the girls.
What a beautiful post, I loved hearing every detail. Those two gorgeous girls little girls sound so precious. I am just so happy for the new mommy and daddy, and I can’t wait to see the pictures of the girls in their beautiful hand-painted room, with their homemade quilts! I got misty eyed two reading about the strangers on the street and their kind words, I agree that people home either need an attitude change or keep their negativity to themselves. Can’t wait to read more!
Kristin
Thanks SOOOO much for the update. Sounds like they are doing amazingly!
Thanks for posting! It is so great to hear that they are well and Nicky is in mommy-mode!!!!
Claire
Wonderful detailed post – thank you for taking the time…. I think of the girls a lot over there…. I understand what Nicky means about the sincerity of strangers – it was like that for us and Mikias as well. We’d eat dinner in a restaurant and they’d want to hold him for us etc… always coming up in public, after I’d initiate contact with a smile, and talk to him and thank us…. I think some people miss out by have this conception that they won’t be welcomed by the local Ethiopian community. It is so the opposite – if you reach out a bit, they will LOVE visiting with you!!!
Sherri
P.S.
As much as I can’t wait for ‘Daddy’ to join the family, I’m so jealous of Nicky and her time there.. I loved Ethiopia and would have stayed for weeks if time would have allowed for us… can’t wait to go again! Nicky will have such an understanding of the culture, what a gift that will be for the girls…..
Great update!
I must admit, I got a little teary-eyed when I read about how Nicky is a natural mama bear with them. Can’t wait to see pictures when they get back, which will hopefully be SOONER rather than later!
Ena, I have been following the girls and I am sooooo excited for your family. I HAVE TWO TWIN girls from Ethiopia, that turned 3 in May. They have been home now for one year and I would love to get to know Nicky and Jrock. I can so relate to them. Twins are amazing. You can find me on Facebook, Noel Nielsen. I also have a blog of the girls, which is noelnielsen.com
Hey, I just heard on the radio that your cousin Shawn was elected as the national chief of assemblies- Congrats!
Noel- How wonderful to hear about your girls! I’m sure Nicky would love to meet someone with twins the same age as her girls!
Thanks to everyone for their positive comments. I have to admit, I’m having fun with Nicky’s blog…though I probably should be posting to my own blog as well! Right now, though, everything that’s going on with Nicky and the girls seems so much more exciting than posting about art!