Trip details

So our trip was really incredible, definitely an adventure, but an awesome experience! We started off by getting up at 1am on Friday morning to get ready and head to the airport (an hour and 15 minute drive). Our flight out was at 5:30am so we got to the airport at 3:30 (the 2 hour early rule) only to find that the check-in desk doesn't open until 4! So we could have gotten an extra half hour of sleep, but oh well. Then our flight from Milwaukee to Atlanta was delayed due to "weather" (they never said what the problem was, just "weather") so we arrived almost an hour late and had to literally run to our connecting flight to Guatemala City. That was a bit stressful, but after that things went ok as far as the flight! The Guatemala City airport was very interesting, there were lots of armed guards with BIG guns all over! I wish I could have taken a picture but that didn't seem like the best idea! We got through customs with no problem whatsoever which was good. Then when we went into the baggage claim area there was a band playing and a big "welcome" sign. I thought that was kind of funny but it was neat to see. Our luggage actually made it too, which I thought was a miracle given the circumstances of our connection! I guess Delta pulled out all the stops for us because it was there and all intact!

When we walked out of the airport it was so bizarre because people were standing and sitting all along the sidewalk just watching this parade of people come out of the airport. I don't know if most of the people were there waiting for someone or if they just hang out there to pass the time? I kind of felt like we were walking the red carpet at the Oscars or something! We found our taxi driver pretty easily in the crowd, he was waiting with a sign that had our names and the hotel. He didn't speak much English but just enough to try to drum up some repeat business by giving us his card and pointing out places we should go visit and that he would be happy to take us to later. Maybe next time we can do a bit of sightseeing, but this trip was all about Cameron!

We got to the hotel (we stayed at La Casa Grande) around 1:30 local time and called our contact who said they would come drop Cameron off around 3ish. We were going to head out to the lobby to wait for them a little before 3 but they called at 2:30 and were there already! Our attorney introduced herself and our foster mom P and her son, then P handed Cameron over to me. It was the most amazing moment to hold my little boy for the first time! He wasn't too sure about me at first and was fussing a little, but P showed me how he likes to be held and suggested I walk around with him because he likes that. So we wandered around the lobby and looked at stuff and we were ok after that! Then we went through his feeding and eating schedule (and thankfully Brian wrote everything down for me because I was extremely preoccupied!). We knew our fm would bring formula for him but thought that would be it. We were surprised to find that she brought this giant bag of stuff for him with clothes, diapers, baby food, juice, a toy and blanket he really likes, and even some bottles that looked brand new so I think she bought them just to bring for us. We didn't end up using any of the clothes or diapers since I had brought enough of that already, but it was so nice of her to offer so much for him. So then we all said our goodbyes and everyone left. I could tell that both P and her son were very sad to leave him and I really felt for them. It was very reassuring to know that he is in such good care.

So the first night was a little rough as all of us got to know each other and I tried to remember what to do with a baby! My old babysitting skills came back to me in a hurry thankfully, or else my maternal instincts kicked in or something and I think I did ok. Cameron was quite a happy smiley little guy for the most part and didn’t seem scared of us at all, but unfortunately he did not want to eat or sleep that first night. And besides the fact that he’d been left with strangers and in a strange place, he was also teething, which just added to his fussiness. There was a lot of pacing the floor and comforting him that night and not a lot of sleep for mom and dad, but it was no worse than I expected. He did finally take a bottle at about 5am and then proceeded to sleep for 4 hours! Poor tired little guy! After that he ate really well so I don't know if he finally decided I was trustworthy or what!

Day 2 and 3 went much smoother as we all became comfortable with each other and Brian and I figured out his likes and dislikes. We found out he just LOVED to go out on the balcony at the hotel and watch the cars go by. He would just sit and watch and was mesmerized by them, it was so cute! And if he was getting tired but wouldn't fall asleep we just brought him out to watch the cars and he was zonked in no time! He also really liked the bouncy seat we brought along for him. We bought a cheap one at Wal-Mart that was pretty simple and came apart easily enough that we could stow it in our luggage and then put it together there. It was nice to have a place to set him down other than the bed or the portable crib the hotel had for us to use. We also found it to be very useful for keeping him occupied for a little while when we were eating at the restaurant.
By Sunday (day 3) he really seemed at ease with us and was getting pretty close to the schedule his fm said he followed. He was eating regularly and took a couple of really good naps and overall he just seemed in a good mood. He really is a good natured little guy and when he wasn't hungry or wet he was very content to just sit and play with his toys for a while. And he definitely likes to be held and to cuddle, especially when he's sleepy, and I was more than happy to spend good quality cuddle time! Sunday night he did get a whole lotta fussy as his first little tooth was coming in full force and we could see it poking out where there was only gums when we first met him. As irritable as this made him, we tried to look at it as a blessing that we were there with him to witness his first tooth coming in rather than think of it as bad luck that he was teething and cranky! We had a hard time getting him to sleep that night but thankfully I had brought along some baby Tylenol. Unfortunately we both had underestimated how difficult it can be to administer medication to a 5 month old who keeps spitting it out, but I think eventually we got him to swallow enough to help and he calmed down. That night he slept from 10pm until almost 7 the next morning, so finally all three of us had a good night’s sleep!

Sadly, Monday came along all too quickly and P came to the hotel to get him on Monday afternoon. We said our teary goodbyes and they reassured us that that he would be fine and that P cares for Cameron very much. She really seems like a sweet woman and it's so obvious that she and her son both love him. I sincerely hope we can keep in touch with them so that Cameron will have that tie to his birth country as he grows up. Giving him back and watching them walk out of the hotel was definitely the hardest thing we ever had to do. I can’t even describe the feeling, I get teary eyed just thinking about it now, but at least we know that he is in good hands. I only hope that the process goes very quick and smooth from here on out and we can bring him home very soon!