She loved it. 

Sophia's first bath in our biggest bowl. 

We didn't go in, but she was still there! 

We figured she may never have a chance to have her picture at the Pyramids again. 

Sophia's first trip to the Pyramids. 

Wednesday, July 19

Sophia has her very own passport and is now a recognized American citizen. Only one more hurdle to get by - she has to get an entry visa from the Egyptian government saying that she entered the country. Easier said than done. Joe and I spent a good hour or two at the government behemoth, Mugamma, trying to get an entry visa. This place is dirty, unairconditioned, and crowded. There is no organization. We actually saw one employee behind the glass sleeping on her phone.

This is how it goes. You go to a counter which you randomly guess might be the correct one. They tell you to go to a different window. That person tells you to go to another window or back to the window you were just at. Around and around you go in a useless circle. The woman who was supposed to help us barked at us, "Photocopy this, this, this, this." She then shoved our papers back at us. "Window 42, window 5" We went to both of these windows. They sent us to other windows or back to her. By the time we had been to at least 15 different windows, that same lady suddenly says, "Window 5, down there." She points down a hallway to a completely different window 5. Why didn't she tell us this in the first place?? I don't know, but I think they do it on purpose for their own amusement. In all I think I counted that we went to 17 windows.

Long story, but the point is, it's another annoying and frustrating bureaucratic step to getting our daughter out of the country. At the end of all of it, the woman announced "3 days". Okay, in three days we will go back. Maybe we'll have what we need. Maybe we won't. It will be another test of our patience. Regardless, we are going to attempt to leave this country on July 27. We even got Sophia's ticket today.

We've been spending alot of time tying up loose ends. Actually, Joe's been spending time doing this since it's really too hot to take Sophia outside. We are looking forward to being finished with everything and moving on.

A positive note this week - Joe got to give Sophia her first bottle. Apparently, she will take her food in any form and she enjoyed gazing up at daddy while she ate. I know he really enjoyed being able to feed her for the first time.

She's getting so big - one month old today. I can hardly believe it. Time really does fly when you have children.

She's so big already. 

Just past 3 weeks old. 

Friday, July 15

Can it really be July 15 already? Yet, we are so eagerly awaiting the end of July when we will get to come home to America. We are really just sitting here waiting. The latest news is that we might have the passport for Sophia by next week. Let's hope so.

Things have been good here. Sophia is growing, growing, growing. She already fills up the Moses basket she sleeps in. Her newborn onesies don't fit anymore (sigh). I already miss how tiny she was when she was first born. Has it really been three weeks?

We've been spending most of our days at home since it's so hot out during the day. Every day we try to take a little outing - to the store, to Judy's, out to eat, whatever it may be. Mommy has to get out of the house after all. Sometimes we even get to take a walk with Leia. Sophia usually is wide-eyed in her baby carrier for five minutes and then falls right to sleep. It must have been all that walking I did when I was pregnant. She's used to the rocking motion.

Other than that, our days are pretty quiet (unless Sophia's crying, of course.) I've been wanting to take new pictures, but our camera is stubbornly refusing to turn on. I'm not quite sure what the problem is. I'll keep working on it, though.

Yes, I'm going to be one of those parents who posts tons of pictures of her baby. Oh well! 

Two weeks old today. 

Nap time with Grandma. Sophia's very spoiled and often gets to fall asleep with us. 

Sophia didn't know quite what to make of the super loud music on our Nile dinner cruise. 

Sophia's first encounter with a whirling dervish. 

She seems to get a lot more sleep than I do! 

Even some black and whites 

We try to get any rest we can. 

The fam. 

These pics are a few days old, but I thought I'd add to the collection anyway. 

July 2, 2006

We are slowly settling into a rhythm and pattern. We're even starting to get the hang of this feeding thing. At least I haven't been up all night the last couple of nights. Sophia has allowed me a few hours of sleep. We went to the pediatrician for a check-up and she's gained the right amount of weight, so all looks good.

Last night was a very exciting night for her. Her first trip on the Nile. We went on a dinner cruise, sailed around the Nile while taking in some entertainment like a bellydancer, band, dancers, etc. Of course, in Egypt, the music has to be super, super loud, so Sophia didn't know quite what to think. She just sat there wide-eyed. She's definitely an Egyptian baby, taking in all the sights and sounds.

Joe and Jan have been a great help, and hopefully we haven't bored them too much. It's nice that we are at the point where we can start to take her out more and do a few things around Cairo.

I'll have to post some more pictures because it's amazing how quickly she's growing. I looked down at her last night and I could have sworn that she had grown in the last few hours!