Fairly early on in the international adoption process, we decided not to bring Kate with us when we traveled. There were a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the 25 hour plane ride with a toddler and ensuing jetlag and tantrums. We also wanted to be able to focus all of our attention on meeting our boys and starting to get to know them. It was pretty obvious that staying with Grandma and Grandpa would be a much better option for everyone involved, except for maybe Grandma and Grandpa if Kate doesn't sleep very well (sorry!). In addition to getting everything ready for Kerry and I to travel, I wanted to try to help make the time while we're gone fun for Kate, too. She's starting to understand the concept of calendars, so I made one for the days that we'll be gone, and enough toys and treats that she can mark off the day and then get a surprise. I did this same thing this past summer when we staffed scout camp and Kate spent every night and part of the day with Granna for the week and a half we were there. It didn't seem like Kate really understood the whole calendar thing as well then, and I'm hoping that this time around she'll understand it a little better. If nothing else, she's pretty excited about the toys that we picked out today! And it somehow helps me feel like a much better mother.
In other news, last night Kerry and I bought an Amharic Dictionary App that had audio as well as written translations, which is what we really need. We looked at a few apps that were similar, and all of them had reviews that were mixed, with some saying that the audio didn't work and some saying that it was the best app ever. After taking a gamble on the cheapest 99 cent app, it turned out that the audio didn't work. Sad. But don't worry, we also downloaded a free Ethiopian music app that's pretty much the greatest, so the night wasn't a total bust.
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