I wonder how often I will be able to blog in India. It seems here I never get the chance.

The update for our move is that we are moving early. (!?)

As things were Mr.D wouldn't be able to stay with us after the move for more than a couple of weeks. He is quite happy we are going early because he is missing the girl so much. Our new travel dates are now July 29th instead of August 17th. We will not be here for cousin S's 7th birthday :( but will go instead to King's Island to celebrate early before we leave.

We are defintely bringing the cats but not the birds.
We cannot fly business class (as planned) because they have a ban on cats.

Sanbate is now 24 pounds and I have lost more weight. Almost to my Chicago weight,
(10 years ago).

Our permanent resident visas should be arriving this week and the 24 lb. box Mr. D mailed on June 3 priority mail is still lost somewhere in the us postal system. The box contains our vonage box and many other important and personal items. I have been calling customer service of cincinnati for the last month. Rosalyn is handling our case. Maybe she will find more information on Monday.

Sister and I are going to take the Sahaj Samhadi course next weekend which is an intensive meditation practice. I have been a little bit short with the strong-willed girl and really need a little help staying peaceful in my gestures, (instead of growling at Sanbate every time she sticks her tongue through the bars and shakes the bird cage).

Yesterday marked the great cousin S's first official "I can swim in the deep end" day. After practicing floating for extended periods of time she was ready to try to swim across the deep end. She didn't seem surprised when she did it but was amused by my excitement.

Sanbate also had a first. She crawled into the pool (way over her head) and did not seem to be bothered by it one bit. No coughing or crying. In fact, she continued to try to crawl in backwards for the rest of our time at the pool. I think watching her older cousin has inspired her imitative self to exercise her gills.

First Tooth lost! Sanbate's cousin, the beauteous S surrendered her tooth to her valient brother K today. Incidently, last night was the first shaving day for the bold nephew, who is 14. What a day.

Sanbate has a cold. Her first illness since March's hospital visit. At night she tries to do bastrika (hard breathing through the nose) to clear herself out.

She has also become very CLEAR about what she wants and does not want. A very strong message at all times. This is I believe her true self coming out. It is funny because all my relatives say, "Oh she is so sweet and good-natured!" This is true but when you do something she doesn't like. LOOK OUT! Temper, temper. A lovely set of lungs, I must add.

It is hot here in Ohio, but we are staying in a very nice house and neighborhood with a pool. WE are able to stay cool.

Today we fed the ducks in the local pond with sister/cousin! When they saw us they came swimming toward us from the other side of the pond. It looked like the fleet had been given orders. There were also some large hungry fish that cleaned up the leftovers.

Yesterday I walked by the duck pond very early and had to dodge the sprinkler system. I was carrying the baby in the ergo and also coffee so it was quite comical, at least for me.

Oh me oh my oh,
Look at Miss Ohio.
She's runnin' around with the rag top down.
Says, "I wanna do right but not right now."

Did you know that I am (as my older sister puts it)
"The biggest b* in the world" ?
I can tell you there are some relatives in Ohio that would concur.
Today, I put my foot in it (again).

Its an adoption thing.
Its also a cultural thing.
Its also a family thing.
And no
thing is working in my favor right now.

My husband is having difficulties in India, (many).
My baby is confused and clingy.
I feel like I am going to explode and again I am friendless.
Aren't there any b****es out there who want to hang out with me and we can be mean together?

Our angel in Ohio

She loves the bhajans!

MASON, Ohio.
Here we are and this is the reason it took so long for me to update.
Our schedule is also a bit different and I have a little less time to blog.
Our main activity here in Ohio is swimming.

Our moving day was humorous, (that is if you are the type to think the unexpected is fun).

We left a bunch of stuff (bird cage, recycling bucket, gardening supplies, cardboard boxes).

We forgot our shipping receipt which is required for customs in India.
Our cleaning people did NOT clean the cupboards but casually slipped out after being paid. We mistakenly packed all the extra keys (for the garage and utility box) which will cost plenty to replace.

Sanbate is doing great except that she still doesn't sleep more than 12 hours (including naps). She loves the neighborhood pool. She eats up all the attention that her relatives are showering upon her.

We are trying to be patient with the Spice factor here. Everyone eats spicy food and Sanbate doesn't so when the family is preparing "mild" food, it isn't.

Baby cries so must fly.

Our house is quite empty. The packers came and packed up most of our belongings. They don't work on weekends (?) so they will be back to help us with the rest. We will have to mail several boxes to sister in law.

Last night we were excited to relax and watch a movie and LO! the packers had packed our netflix movie. I had to go down to the garage, which is brimming with boxes and open a few to find the movie. sigh.

Baby is cheerful but clingy and finally someone, (my friend Maria) noticed she is a bit DRAMAtic. That said she is coping with the echoing chamber of our home and dragging items from the suitcases all over with zeal.

First haircut and first earings!

With Sanbate on my lap I post.
Yesterday my car drove away. I think the baby knows somethings up cause I started crying and after we went for a walk she threw up her entire dinner in Mr.D's car. It was definitely not a flu purge. We came home and dissected the car seat cover and put it in the wash.

On an up note, Elianshu Sanbate's readopt is finalized. She will receive a certificate of citizenship and California birth certificate in 8 (!) months. We hope it will be forwarded to sister-in-laws. Regardless, she is now good to go.

First Bites Baby Tent

O! Sebastian

A bird and her head

Even though my birthday isn't for another week Mr. D gave me my birthday gift, a Flip video camera. This camera is very low tech and for some reason reminds me of a super 8. I think because it doesn't do a lot but it is easy to use and the picture is excellent and does not require flash or any fancy business. My only complaint is that it takes forever to publish on your computor and then forever again to upload onto Youtube. I shouldn't complain as it is a pretty nifty gift and if we have a decent connection in Bangalore I will be posting often for everyone to stay in tune with this growing miracle child.



We are lonely today because the kitties left with dad AND aunti Jayshree, uncle Subbu and cousin-sister Sujaya. The house is so quiet. We will pack a little and play. Here we are Peeking. Watch her little hand at the end crunching "good-bye".

I haven't posted in a few days and it has been quite an emotional week. Two major disappointments, one closer to heartbreak.

Our adoption agency decided to send their admin. liason on vacation when our readopt papers needed to be filed with the superior court. We are late making a hearing date and have been told there is no way we will get a hearing before August 15. We have flights out of California on the 16th of June so... the readopt may not happen at all until we return to the states which for me is a big problem. Luckily, Sanbate has a us passport.

The other problem is that our birds won't be joining us in India as the US is so strict about birds coming into the country there is a chance they wouldn't be allowed back. This put me in a funk for 2 days, crying and carrying on, as my bird Sebastian has been a huge support to me for the last 8 years, especially when I was single. She and I are extremely close and she is such a sweet, loving, and trusting bird. I am just shattered about it. :(

I am enjoying the company of our neice Sujaya and she has been absolutely great with the baby. We will be having a great summer together with Sujaya and her family in Ohio. At least I will be able to spend time with kitties and birdies then, because they will be living in Ohio while we are in India.

I know this isn't a polical blog but I just can't help it. I am crazy for Senator Barack Obama.

Knowing I may not be able to watch all the movies on my "list" I have been on a Kurosawa Kick. Movies by Kurosawa I recommend:
Ikiru
Throne of Blood (based roughly on Macbeth)
Hidden Fortress
Red Beard
Kagemusha
Stray Dog


I also recently enjoyed Harakiri by Masaki Kobayashi.

A new movie I LOVED which reminded me of a fresh Hal Hartly movie was:
Juno
!!!

It is hard to believe we are leaving soon, (4 weeks!). The cats are going to Cincinatti a week on Wednesday. That leaves birdies, (Sebastian and Scrap), Sanbate and me. There have been very few responses to the craigslist ad so we may as well have a freebie on the weekend. I haven't listed my car yet but who wouldn't take a perfect rav4? I will miss my car. It saved my life twice, once in a snow storm and another time on the highway driving 70 mph. I will also miss driving. How am I NOT going to get nauseous riding in the back seat? With the poor air quality etc.?
AW, Quit yer yappin' and get packin'!

Everybody loves a BOX!







Well, that is unless you are moving and have to fill them.
I have listed some stuff on Craigslist for free and for sale. Most of it sort of useless. I would like to just chuck it but that is not the right thing to do.

Sanbate is learning to eat with a fork and spoon. She loves her board books, especially the ones with animals.

It was hot last night! 91 degrees in our house.
Poor kitties were like little defeated pancakes. Sissy slept with her legs dangling to air them out and Missy licked ice cubes for an hour.

Sanbate in a bathing suit ;) and I went out back and filled up every large container we could find, watered plants and played in the water until Mr. D came home. The house was still stuffy at 7pm so we opened the rest of the windows and could hear the neighborhood cooling off.

Remember the nights at the houses of your "friends with children"?
How silly they seemed trying to get their kids to sleep?
How it appeared to you that they were playing the clown pretty well for their kids?
I just realized it is an actual game you play with your kids.


The Napping/Sleeping game:
(Can only be played after quiet time with a book)
Allow mom to rub back for 1 minute and then make her stop.
Lie still for 1-2 minutes and begin closing eyes.
When mom sits down at the edge of the bed, get up.
Refuse to lie down.
Let mom "help" you to lie down 3 or 4 times.
Wave by by to mom.
When she leaves, cry as loud and long as possible so that the neighbors (and dad) remark, "Wow, she is really upset!"
When mom comes in, clearly flustered, smile and start game over again.

When mom gets tired of the game and starts to cry or throw a pillow etc., it is time for the actual nap/sleep.

Well I blew it, (I guess I am overwhelmed with the move, posting stuff on Craigslist and worrying about how to do it with no friends and family to help us pack up)
ie:

I left my husband's car lights on. We should have known when the keys didn't unlock the car on Monday but didn't put two and two together.

Yesterday we discovered the error and my husband was furious at me and told me not for the first time, "you are so irresponsible!" He was planning on showing the car today to a prospective buyer. Last night was spent trying to get the battery out of the car, which required special tools. The job was not finished and today the battery needs to be replaced. (Why the hassle? Mercedez ML320)

Last night I did not sleep for nightmares(mine) and crying from our daughter and cats.Yes. Our cats cry in the night too, like ghosts.

This morning I woke up feeling broken down and the feeling has not gone away.