Forgotten thoughts

Well, the night passed without any events which was great, but I still woke every time she moved because I was worried that we would be changing clothes and sheets...

I forgot to mention something yesterday about the hospital. As we went to check out, put on our shoes and pay, the nurse who was checking Jacob out could not stop apologizing. Really, it was so clear that she felt terrible about asking us to pay for the visit!!!! Once on national health, children here are seen for free and she was very concerned that we had to pay. It was less then $40, which is cheap by US health cost standards, but I reminded again of how screwed-up the system in the US is. The health care here is phenomenal and they cannot fathom asking someone to pay to bring their sick child to the doctor. Really, why not stay here??? The support and benefits that families get here are amazing, a year for maternity leave including time for dads and I mean paid maternity not family leave act, there is a quarterly bonus given for each child in the family, highly subsidized childcare and socialized health care. It's a pleasure to be a family here.

The BIG news is that yesterday was Zelia's nine month birthday and she stood. Really stood this time. Jacob was holding a toy in his hand that she wanted and she was sitting n the floor. She was not near anything to hold onto and just stood from sitting, stayed for about 30 seconds and then sat down. YAY. It was so exciting. She is also doing this funny panting thing with her mouth wide open when she is excited which is very cute, and also another form of that with her bottom lip sucked in and breathing through her nose. Finally she is making kissing sounds and thinks it's hysterical when we blow her kisses:)

Today is pretty warm, about 5 degrees, but grey and a bit windy. We will walk to bonus in the early afternoon to do our regular shopping and Thanksgiving shopping. Noon, as the time when the sun is highest in the sky is between 1:30 and 2 now. But as I look outside the sky is clear and blue and that can make all the difference, so we will move our walk and leave soon.