December 7, 2006

(Photo 1) Leaving Mumbai, December 7, 2006
(Photo 2) Samedh relaxing at the airport in Amsterdam
(Photo 3) Samedh on the flight from AMS to MSP

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December 7, 2006

Notes on the flights back home...
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We got a bassinet on the Mumbai to Amsterdam flight. Samedh slept most of the flight and did well because of the bassinet. We only had to take him out to hold him whenever there was turbulence and the seat belt sign came on.

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At Amsterdam (AMS), Samedh started grunting while we waited for our connecting flight to MSP. We used the family restroom / baby changing station (love these!) and cleaned up a very messy diaper! Thank goodness he took care of business before we got on the plane! A true blessing for Mamma and Daddy.

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AMS-MSP flight: We got bulkhead seating again, but were not given a bassinet because turbulence was expected most of the flight and we'd have to hold Samedh anyway. It was only about an 8 hour flight, but felt much longer. Samedh was bored and miserable. He screamed and cried a lot. He was awake the ENTIRE flight, as it was bright and sunny inside the plane the whole way back. Not good conditions for nap time.

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Our flight attendant was very nice and helpful. She gave us a certificate signed by the pilot and wings to document Samedh's first flight. It was very thoughtful. There was also a 3 year old boy adopted from Ukraine on the flight. Pankaj talked to his parents while walking around the plane with Samedh. He got a certificate too. The flight attendant also brought a small orange for Samedh to play with. It amused him for a little while. She even brought him his own ice cream, which I ended up eating. It was way too cold for Samedh.

Decemer 5, 2006

December 5, 2006

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Today we gave Samedh a "deluxe sponge bath". He sat on a plastic sheet and we sponged him well. We gave him water in a cup and let him stick his hands in it. He really enjoyed that. He did well with the sponge bath until it was time to rinse him off. Then he cried. He dried him off and powdered him, and I oiled his hair. Then I rocked him to sleep. He slept soundly until 12:30pm, then woke up briefly. Now he's sleeping again. Soon we'll wake him up and feed him lunch. Then we plan to go to Eternity Mall for an outing.

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Later in the day...

We went to Eternity Mall, which is only a few blocks away by car. Unfortunately, the power was out in that neighborhood. We bought a music CD of the latest Hindi movie, Salaam E Ishq. We also bought DVD's of the animated Hanuman and Krishna movies for children. These will be great for Samedh to watch as he gets older. We also walked up three flights of stairs to the children's play area of the mall. We had to walk because the escalators were not working. It was very hot! Samedh played on some toys, which were out of order because of the power outage. He didn't seem to mind, however. He really enjoyed himself (SEE PHOTOS BELOW). On the drive home, street vendors were going car to car selling Santa hats. The vendors were even wearing the hats in the 95+ degree heat! To me, this is always a funny sight in Mumbai during the Christmas season.

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December 4, 2006

These are photos that were taken the morning of December 4, 2006

December 4, 2006

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Last night, all 3 of us slept in the bedroom together. Samedh woke up a 6am and was ready for play. He drank only 3oz of formula and also let me change his diaper without a problem. By 6:30am, he was making regular attempts to get to the vase by the front door, and he was wearing me out. Because his ear was still oozing yesterday, Pankaj gave him another dose of anti-biotic this morning.

I showered at 7am because the power may go off from 8-10:30am this week. (In fact, the time is currently 7:55am, and the power just went out as I'm writing this.) I gave Samedh a bowl of apple flavored rice cereal with formula and strawberry applesauce mixed in. I filled his little bowl. He ate it all! Then he drank a couple ounces of formula and ate some of Daddy's omelet.

Mummy ordered wadas and upma for lunch from a nearby restaurant. We couldn't feed the upma to Samedh (it's kind of like Cream of Wheat) because it was too oily. I made apple rice cereal and mixed it with Gerber Garden Vegetables. He ate the whole bowl.

At 7pm, Pankaj and I went to McDonald's for dinner with Samedh. He ate bits of french fries, pieces of aloo tikki, bread and fudge sauce from my sundae. He was well behaved and enjoyed being out. We went to Big Bazaar after dinner, where we bought some groceries and diapers. We were home by 9pm.

More December 3 Party Photos

December 3, 2006

Samedh's Party, Sunday December 3, 2006

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Today was the family party for Samedh at Royal Challenge II restaurant in Thane. All of the family was there, except for Sanju Mama. His car had been burned during the recent riots and bandh, so he and his family couldn't come from Pune. The party was held from Noon-3pm, and Samedh slept from 1pm onward. He missed his cake and ice cream, and Daddy blew out his candle for him.

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When we got home from the party, it was only 3pm. Therefore, the power was out and the lift was not in service. Daddy went off with the driver for a while because he can't make it up 7 flights of stairs. He came home later when the power came back on. Pankaj carried Samedh and Mummy and I joined them up the stairs. It took us several minutes because it was so hot outside. This was the third time we had to carry Samedh up the stairs due to a power outage.

Daddy & Samedh at his party

Samedh with Aji and Ajoba

Mamma & Samedh at the party

December 2, 2006

December 2, 2006

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I woke up several times during the night and took my temperature around 5am because Pankaj thought I felt warm. My temp was 100.4. My body ached badly, so I guess that explains the fever. My eye is also still swollen and red. The eye doctor is closed until Monday, but Mummy still had an Rx for eye allergy drops. We'll get the Rx refilled for me today at the chemist and see how the drops work. I plan to wear only glasses for the rest of our stay.

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Samedh woke up at 7:30am. In one hour's time, he drank only 3oz of formula. He sat nicely with Daddy (Pankaj) during breakfast and Daddy fed him pieces of omelet again. Around 10am, Pankaj and Samedh took a nap in Mummy and Daddy's room. Samedh slept until 1pm.

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At lunch, Samedh had formula and some gobi from Daddy's plate. He also had bits of paneer and chapati dipped in dal. Then I put him on a plastic sheet on the living room floor and gave him a teething biscuit. When it got soft, I gave small pieces to him so he wouldn't choke. Samedh ate the entire biscuit. Later in the afternoon, Samedh ate the cream frosting from several biscuits, which we would call cookies in the US. It was vanilla and strawberry. He also drank some pani to wash the frosting down. Like me, he likes his pani cold out of the fridge.

December 1, 2006

December 1, 2006

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We slept pretty well at Jaggat's, and then had to leave early in the morning - - just in case someone called another bandh and we again couldn't reach Thane.

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Samedh did very well when we reached home - - he needed no adjusting. He started immediately with his masti making with Aji and was totally comfortable.

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Today was our first attempt at giving Samedh a proper bath. We had been sponge-bathing him due to his ear infection, but decided to try him in a tub this afternoon. We added 2 inches of warm water to a nice large plastic tub Mummy has, and I splashed my feet around to show him how fun it was. Then Pankaj put Samedh in the tub (with his diaper on!). He did NOT like that, and was screaming and crying! We managed to wash his head and hair with water only. Then we applied Johnson's Baby Hair Oil to his scalp. He screamed when we put his diaper on after the bath, but quieted down once we powdered him and had him dressed.

November 30, 2006

Bandh, originally a Hindi word meaning 'closed', is a form of protest used by political activists in some countries in South Asia like India and Nepal. During a Bandh, a large chunk of a community declares a general strike, usually lasting one day. While often it means the closing down of a major marketplace of a city for the day, there have been instances of entire Metros coming to a standstill. Bandhs are powerful means for Civil disobedience. Because of the huge impact that a Bandh has on the local community, it is much feared as a tool of protest.

--from Wikipedia

November 30, 2006

Mr. Singh picked us up at 10am and we drove to Himmat's office at Hutch to drop off the house key. There is a small section of road around the corner of the Hutch building and it is quite bad. Pot holes and deep ruts line the street. We all bumped right along in the old Ambassador taxi. Afterward, we got dropped off at the airport for our 2pm flight back to Mumbai.

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Unfortunately, we learned earlier in the morning from Daddy that there was a bandh in Mumbai, which would affect our drive from the airport back to Thane. Someone in another state desecrated a statue and got some folks mad so they called for a bandh. (It seems like there is a bandh every time we visit India!) Typically, a bandh is over by 6pm, and then you can safely go out on the roads; shops re-open, etc. Today's bandh included rioting and train burning, some of which occurred along one of the direct routes to Thane.

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We arrived in Mumbai at 4pm and waited for about an hour for our driver to pick us up. Instantly, the cool Delhi weather was gone, and we were once again facing temps over 90 degrees. I had a chill that wouldn't go away, and thought I may be getting the flu. My left eye was also oozing and red, similar to Pink Eye. I believe the eye thing was due to pollution in Delhi and my wearing contacts lenses there. My throat was also sore which was likely from the pollution too.

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After some time and several phone calls, it was suggested that we spend the night at Jaggat's flat (he is a friend of the family, who also attended our wedding in GR back in 1995). Jaggat and his family live only 5 minutes from the Santa Cruz airport. His daughter and their driver picked us up and we went home to relax. Samedh didn't enjoy his stay there because it was another new place with new people. For dinner, they served us a creamed baked veggie dish, similar to chipped ham with cream that you serve on toast. Samedh loved it and ate all the cream portions that Pankaj fed him. He didn't eat any veggies, though, because they were too hard to chew with only his gums.

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Later that evening, my body hurt so bad and I was extremely exhausted. I took my temperature, which was 101.4. I took some ibuprofen and felt better much later. Looking back to last Sunday when I threw up in Delhi, I may have had a touch of the flu all along...

November 29, 2006

Our first meeting with Sanghamitra, Aloke, and Udbhav

November 29, 2006

We headed out for the day at 11:15am, and met Sanghamitra, Aloke and Udbhav around noon at their hotel. Sanghamitra and Aloke also live in Michigan, and visited Bal Vikas one week before we did to meet their son Udbhav for the first time. Udbhav (who will soon be renamed Anish) is only nine days older than Samedh. We ate lunch and visited and had a good time. The boys were very quiet at first, almost seeming to recognize each other from just two weeks ago.

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At lunch, Udbhav ate everything and still wanted more. (Samedh is just the opposite!) They shared some of Udbhav's mashed potatoes with Samedh and he actually ate them. It may have helped that he saw Udbhav eating so well. I also tried to give Samedh soem Gerber pears, but he refused. I ate them, which caused great distress to Udbhav. He eats Gerber foods all the time, and recognized the container. I think he seriously thought I was eating HIS food.

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After lunch, Sanghamitra and Aloke had to go to the Embassy to pick up Udbhav's passport and visa. Pankaj and I went sight-seeing with Samedh. Mr. Singh took us to India Gate and also drove us past the capitol. Our last stop was the Lotus Temple, which was beautiful. We got some really nice photos and video today.

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Later in the afternoon, my left eye began getting irritated, swollen and red. I wore contacts the past few days, and Delhi was quite polluted. Our taxi has no A/C, so exhaust and fumes came in through the windows that were cracked open for "fresh" air.

Photos at India Gate & Lotus Temple

Photo with Rajiv Himmat, our host in Delhi

November 28, 2006

November 28, 2006

(Visa Interview Day)

We left for the US Embassy at 10am. Samedh's visa appointment was at 11am. We arrived 15 minutes early and got called up right away. By 11am, we were done and walking out the door. Our visa officer who conducted the interview was Eric Johnson. Pankaj and I took an oath to swear that everything we said and submitted was true and correct. Then we were asked a few questions like, "Who is your US adoption agency, and what do you think about them?" Also, "What orphanage did you work with, and what are your impressions of them?" We were expecting these types of questions, as Sujata had mentioned it to me on the phone one week before. After the interview, we were told to come back after 3:30pm to pick up Samedh's passport and visa.

Samedh behaved very well today at the Embassy. During his interview, he was a model child. He did so much better today than yesterday, partly because we weren't driving him all over Delhi all day for small things. Between the interview and pick up of the passport, we had lunch at a Cafe Coffee Day (I had another mango frappe'), and then went back to Himmat's place to rest. Samedh napped in the car, but was wide awake at home during his normal nap time.

We talked to Sanghamitra twice today and tried to make a plan to meet their family for dinner tonight. However, Samedh fell asleep at 7pm (and so did Udbhav, Sanghamitra's son), so we are planning to meet for lunch tomorrow at their hotel.

November 27, 2006

Monday, November 27, 2006

Filing I-600

Mr. Singh picked us up at Himmat's place at 8am. We got to the Embassy by 8:45am. We went to the head of the line and got right inside. Then we were taken to a waiting room by an escort. When Sujata called the other day, she mentioned that she and her family only had to wait there for 15 minutes for Manoj Mahay. During our wait, we learned from someone else that the office didn't open until 10am that morning, so we waited well over an hour before the escort came again. Samedh was miserable from time-to-time, and there was a sign in the waiting room that said, "Silence Please." He was not silent at all. When it was our turn for our I-600 appointment, we discovered that Mr. Mahay was not in today. We met with Terry DeMaegd instead, who appeared to be Mr. Mahay's boss. He said he doesn't do I-600's very often, so he was not exactly sure what to do after our meeting. (He explained that Mr. Mahay has been doing this for 15 years and is a pro.)

Afterward, we went to window #17 and inquired about the visa application. The man directed us to our medical appointment, so we went there first. However, we discovered that Dr. Chowla's office requires the visa photo to be taken first. They need a copy of the photo for their paperwork. So we went for Samedh's photo next, back in the direction of the Embassy. Samedh didn't cooperate at first. It took about 30 minutes to calm him down, but the photo turned out great! We got only three photos at the time, and Sujata suggested we get six. We took the three photos to Dr. Chowla's office, and had Samedh's medical appointment before they closed for lunch at 1pm. (Their evening hours are 4-6pm, so we were lucky to get in when we did.) Then we went back to the Embassy at 2pm and turned in our 1-864 papers, etc. for the visa. They set Samedh's visa appointment for Tuesday at 11am.

At 3pm, Mr. Singh dropped us for lunch at a local restaurant. We had two fresh lime sodas (my favorite!), butter chicken, a paneer dish (for Pankaj), and both garlic and plain naan. Samedh slept most of the lunch hour.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

November 26, 2006

Pankaj's aunt and uncle came to visit this morning. Samedh was a little unsure at first, then warmed up a little. He played with Saru Atya's watch and waved at her. She even got to hold him for some time. Before they left, Samedh went to Kaka and he held him for a little while. Samedh didn't want to let go of Kaka, and it was very cute. On the way out, Saru Atya gave Samedh a gift of Rs100. He held on to the note tightly and didn't drop it or even try to put it in his mouth. Just like his daddy, this little guy certainly understands the value of money.

Delhi Flight

We left for the airport at 11:30 am. Samedh enjoyed the ride to the airport. Santa Cruz Airport is very nice...very modern. We had a snack at Cafe Coffee Day and Samedh was very fussy. I had a mango frappe' drink and poured it in with Samedh's remaining vanilla Pediasure. (He drank it later on the plane.) We went through security just in time to board the plane. Samedh went through the men's line with Daddy. We had to take a shuttle to the plane and it was very crowded.

When we boarded the plane, we were greeted by friendly flight attendants. One came and introduced herself and then briefed me on the safety measures for flying with an infant. She even gave Samedh his own pillow. He enjoyed looking out the window. But before we took off, he got fussy again and cried for twenty minutes. He was calm at take off and quickly fell asleep. He slept until we were almost done with lunch, around 3:30 pm. We had a good meal of chicken curry, basmati rice, aloo gobi, and butterscotch ice cream for dessert. Raita was also served with lunch, and I mixed all of mine with the rice. It was delicious!

When the plane landed, Samedh was in good shape. No pressure seemed to bother his ears. He just enjoyed looking out the window. Then we took a shuttle to the airport (this time we had plenty of room to sit down) and got our bags. Rajiv Himmat ("Himmat") came to pick us up and took us home to his flat. The temperature in Delhi was pleasantly cool, and it was sunny. But after dark, it got cold quickly. Himmat has a nice apartment - - two bed & 2 bath. It has beautiful wood trim and built in cabinets throughout. He didn't add too many furnishings (except a TV) because he's not sure how long he'll stay here. We dressed Samedh in his dinosaur pj's and set up a quick bed with the Benji sleeping bag in the living room/hall. We ordered Domino's pizza and cheese bread and I had two pieces around 10pm. Then, all of a sudden, I got very warm; almost like a hotflash. I did not feel well at all and went into the other room. I threw up a few times (lost all my pizza and my Requip), but then felt better immediately. Maybe I was just exhausted from traveling.

At night, it was so cold for me that I had to wear my thick knit purple socks, green plaid pj's, one of Pankaj's shirts, and my heavy wool vest. I used my fleece Trendway coat as a pillow because I found the bed pillows were too hard. Samedh slept on the bed between me and Pankaj. We couldn't lay him on the sleeping bag on the marble floor because that was too cold. Both Pankaj and Samedh slept soundly all night, and the cold did not bother them. In fact, they kept kicking off their blankets!

November 25, 2006

Saturday, November 25, 2006

(written by Deb on Monday, 11/27)

I didn't make notes on Saturday's events and now it's hard to remember the day's details. Our routine was pretty much the same as any other day, however.

We didn't have enough time to go to the tailor's to pick up my new salwar kameez, so we'll have to do that later next week when we return from New Delhi.

Around 6:30pm, Pankaj, Samedh and I left for the hospital for a follow-up appointment with the pediatrician. He checked Samedh's ear and confirmed that he has a middle ear infection. The fluid from the chest congestion has made it's way to the ear through a perforation in the ear drum. If this is a chronic condition for Samedh, it can lead to hearing loss. If this is a one-time infection, he should be ok and the ear drum should repair itself. The doctor suggested we have Samedh's hearing tested once we return to the US. The doctor also instructed us to give Samedh 5ml of the baby Tylenol (one time dose) right before our flight to Delhi. It should make him comfortable and ease the pressure in his head. He also suggested that we put cotton in Samedh's ears for the flight.

November 24, 2006

November 24, 2006

(Samedh home Day Four)

At breakfast, Samedh ate some cream cheese spread off of toast. He really liked it. He also ate some mixed fruit jam off the toast. He liked the cheese better. Samedh even ate two bites of Daddy's omelette.

In the afternoon, we drove to McDonald's for lunch. Pankaj ordered the Shahi Paneer and McAloo Tikki, and I had my traditional Fish Fillet and a McAloo Tikki too. Samedh didn't want to taste any french fries or food, but enjoyed having his photo taken with Ronald outside the restaurant. After lunch, we went shopping next door at Big Bazaar. This department store is like one-stop shopping, similar to going to Meijer or WalMart. Samedh was excellent at Big Bazaar. He was well-behaved, and waved at all the sales ladies (the ones at the perfume counter waved back at him). On the way home, Samedh sat next to me in the back seat. Pankaj sat upfront with the driver because all the shopping bags took up the extra space in the back seat. Samedh enjoyed playing with all the shopping bags. He also really likes being out in public. He enjoys the sights and sounds and loves looking at all the people.

When we got home, the power was out and we had to walk up 7 flights of stairs with all the shopping bags and Samedh! This was the second time we arrived home when the lift was out of service and the power was out...

November 23, 2006

November 23, 2006

Thanksgiving Day

(Samedh home Day Three)

During his morning playtime, Samedh crawled over me a few times to get a toy, and he also stood up with my help and took a few steps. He also pulled the chair leg out from under the dining table and then pushed the chair back in. He is a very strong little guy as his name suggests.

After a 2.5 hour nap, I tried feeding Samedh Gerber sweet potatoes and some pears for his first Thanksgiving meal. He ate only a couple of spoons of each, and then got mad. He just screamed and cried. Very angy. After he calmed down, I took him to the back balcony off our bedroom and fed him formula. He really likes to eat out there. I've been calling it his "liquid lunch".

Samedh played hard in the evening. He pulled himself up to the couch several times and walked with support. He also started exploring the house by crawling around. He crawled to the front door (and really wants to play with Mummy's large terra cotta vase) and also crawled into our bedroom, where he pulled himself up to our bed. He is very comfortable exploring the house after only a few days. Samedh also enjoyed playing with the curtain that hangs between the living room and the hallway.

Around 6pm, we all went out for a drive except Mummy. We circled Thane and saw all the shops, etc. On the way home, we stopped at a roadside market stand for apples and mini bananas. Samedh was quietly resting and sucking his thumb while laying on Pankaj's shoulder. I think the ride soothed him and gave him some entertainment. We dressed Samedh in the 9 month size white onsie and navy overall shorts that Amy and Clive had given as a shower gift. Samedh also wore the matching socks, which are patterned like tennis shoes. At 9pm, he went to bed. He fell asleep in our bedroom and then we transferred him to the living room around 10pm. Even I slept the whole night...from 10pm-5am. Jet lag is finally wearing off for me!

Update on Samedh's Health

For those of you who have visited Samedh's blog recently, you know know he was diagosed with pneumonia and another ear infection. We visited his pediatrician this morning as a follow-up to our Emergency Room visit Sunday morning, and Samedh is doing better. His doctor now has him on another round of Augmentin, so he should be feeling better very soon. Other than a lack of appetite, Samedh continues to be himself. Sure, there is a little less masti going on, but I'm sure that won't last long...

Many thanks to friends and family who have called and emailed. We appreciate your prayers and support for Samedh.

And for those of you who have been reading my November journal entries, here is the latest:

November 22, 2006

Observations of Samedh, home Day Two

This morning, Pankaj noticed a colored discharge in Samedh's right ear. We cleaned it out a few times during the day, and Pankaj called the pediatrician at Hiranandani Hospital again. The doctor said this is the beginning of an ear infection, and he prescribed a medicine called Augmentin. Jay Chemist's shop will deliver the prescription after the power comes back on today at 4:30.

During the evening, Samedh and I played on the living room floor because Pankaj wasn't feeling well. Pankaj stayed in the bedroom to rest. Samedh clapped his hands a lot, played with the Learning Puppy, and played Peek-A-Boo from behind his photo album. When he peeked out, he would laugh and show his teeth. He has several dimples in his cheeks. It's great to see him laugh! But sometimes when he's laughing, it will quickly turn to a cry.

11/22/06
Samedh, Daddy, and Aji enjoying morning tea on the balcony

Celebrating Two Months with Samedh!

The following was taken from Deb's journal while in India:

November 21, 2006

At 1:15pm today, we left Bal Vikas with Samedh for the very last time. We had a good ride home, and Samedh slept in the car. We arrived home in Thane around 2:30pm, and discovered that the power was out. The lift (elevator) was not available, so we walked up seven flights of stairs to the top floor. Pankaj carried Samedh. Before entering the house, Mummy and Daddy performed an aarti for us, welcoming Samedh home for the first time. We each were blessed and then received some Indian sweets. Samedh just got a "taste" of sweets.

Around 6:00pm, Samedh was very angry; crying and screaming. We just held him to offer comfort and fed him Parle G biscuits mashed with milk in between. Pankaj had cookie mash all over him. Samedh was definitely going through some grieving (Rage?). But after he tired and got some of it out of his system, he quieted down on our shoulders and rested.

At 6:30pm, we left for Hiranandani Hospital, in the apartment community where Pankaj's cousin Advait lives with his family. Advait's wife Nina met us at the hospital (she had arranged an appointment for Samedh with the pediatrician their son Arnav used to visit). The doctor reviewed Samedh and said he is healthy overall. His weight will increase in a home environment. Samedh has nasal congestion and light chest congestion, and was prescribed strawberry flavor cough syrup and nasal drops by the doctor.

Around 8:30pm, Nina invited us back up to their apartment for a quick visit before we drove back to Thane. She offered Samedh some porridge, and he ate a little of it. He was fast asleep by 9:00pm, and slept soundly ALL night.

Exactly two months ago today...

NOVEMBER 20, 2006

I met my son Samedh for the very first time on November 20, 2006. The photos above were taken that day. The sunrise over the city of Thane represents a new beginning in a new chapter of our lives. The others were taken in the office at Bal Vikas, when we met Samedh for the first time as a family.

The following notes were taken from my journal from November 20:

Play Time Observations

Samedh played with Fisher Price plastic donuts along with the other kids. He would hold one and throw the second one. He crawled a little among the play mat. He seemed to like the plastic "popping train" toy we brought for him. Samedh sat among the kids and played alone. Pankaj sat next to him. Samedh was comfortable-looking in the company of other young children.

Social Observations

*Samedh sat on my lap while Dharmik, another little boy, sat nearby. Dharmik was trying to show Samedh the album we brought, but Samedh was not too interested.

*When we walked around the courtyard with Samedh, he was always looking back at the other kids playing to see what they were doing.

*Samedh cries whenever he is handed over to someone new, even if it's an ayah. After two minutes, he gets comfortable with who is holding him.

General Observations

*Every time he has to leave someone, he cries.

*Pankaj had Samedh standing with support. He has a firm grip on the floor with his bare feet.

*He has moderate chest congestion, which must be treated soon. You can feel the congestion when he breathes. He is not out of breath, however. He has a runny nose, which could be part of the cold. We will take him to the doctor this week.

*He has two top front teeth and two bottom front teeth. He drooled a little and sucked his thumb often. He may have even been chewing on his thumb.

*I put my finger in his mouth and he bit down lightly on it (like he was teething on it).

Notes from the Evening

When we got home after visiting Samedh, we learned that Mummy and Daddy had been quite busy while we were out. The workers came to finish the china cabinet on the balcony, and when Mummy passed through our bedroom, she encountered a horrible rotting smell from the air conditioning unit. She called the Watchman from the Garima B building and he and the carpenters opened the A/C and found a dead adult squirrel. They disposed of it and sanitized the rom to make the smell go away. The funny thing is, we couldn't get the A/C to work last night. It made a loud thumping noise and shook. That must have been the end of the squirrel...