Day 23: Happy 16th Month Fernachis!

So today was our little ones 16 month birthday.  We are so happy to have her with us finally!  When we originally learned about Amaya Fernanda she was only 11 months old.  In some ways Fernanda is a 16 month old, but in other ways she is a little bit behind her peers.  We have seen her develop in areas in the short time we have been together (like climbing up on everything) so we can only imagine her growth once we get home.  We did not do anything special today to celebrate her day, but we will make it up to her next month ;)

One BIG gift she (and us) received today was her amended birth certificate.  Our attorney went out to Soacha this afternoon and picked up the copies for us.  It was too late to make it to the passport office today so we are heading out to Calle 100 tomorrow to complete this process.  Colombia recently converted to the digital style passport like the U.S. so it now takes 2 days for processing (as opposed to same day with the old style).  It still beats the wait time for the U.S. passport!

We took Fernanda to the pediatrician today to solve the diarrhea mystery and it still remains unsolved.  They checked her for intestinal parasites and that came back negative.  The pediatrician mentioned that it could be a response to the antibiotic they gave her for her ear infection.  They prescribed probiotics for her stomach and then we will talk again with the pediatrician tomorrow to see what else she thinks it might be.  Fernanda has not lost weight at all since we took her in a couple of weeks ago, so that was a good sign.  She is well hydrated and her appetite has not decreased any.  She also hasn't been throwing up so the doctor ruled out food allergies. We'll have to wait until tomorrow, if not it will be something we will have to see our pediatrician about as soon as we get to the U.S.  We're just trying to get it under control for the flight, because when it's bad it is TERRIBLE and it requires a complete outfit change and a bath...I know TMI right!

We did have one major breakthrough today with Amaya Fernanda and her dad.  We were at McDonald's today and I was ordering lunch.  I had Amaya Fernanda in the carrier and she raised her hands for Mark to pick her up and take her to sit down at the table my mom was sitting at.  This is a huge first for her and her dad.  She initiated the action which makes it even bigger. 

Little Alejandra is feeling a little homesick these days.  She doesn't say she is homesick but her actions tell us how she is feeling.  She usually loves to be outside but today and yesterday she has wanted to just stay inside.  We, of course, make her go with us to the park and for special big sister trips.  I think she is going through a lot of changes right now with where we are and her new baby sister.  It is all completely understandable.  She is out of her routine and she misses school and gymnastics class.  Tonight she wanted to sleep with her nana.  We keep telling her soon we will be back home in San Marcos and perhaps this is causing her more stress than what we thought it would.  This parenting thing is tough stuff :D.

Hasta Manana!