Jan and Nathan's travel schedule

Tentative travel schedule 

Jan 27- Feb 2

1/27- Leave for Tha Kaek, 5 hour drive south

1/27- 1/29- Tha Kaek: Looking for housing and office space

1/29- Leave for Thailand for the "So" people festival

1/30- 2/1- "So" festival festivities

2/1- Drive four hours north to Udon Thani, Thailand

2/2- Routine hospital visit in Udon, return to Vientiane, Laos

Not sure what she's doing here...

We've been deliberately leaving the camera at "home" due to jet lag and our fear of leaving it somewhere... we'll be bringing it with us in the next week or so. Eva's adjustment here has been great! Her sleeping is back on track, she's eating hard, talking a mile a minute, and loving all the attention. 

Eating

Eating cheese at Grandma and Grandpa Cole's house. Eva LOVES the food here, especially the lao food she's eaten, and her portions are the largest I've ever seen! She just keeps eating!

Sleeping

Exhausted after the long drive to Udon. From here on out, Eva has been sleeping through the night again!

Travel

On our 8 hour drive from Bangkok to Udon, the Thai town about an hour from the Lao border. We were happy that Eva was able to be in her car seat for this drive. For the most part, she's been riding in taxis, buses, tuk-tuks, and the sky train in Bangkok while sitting in our laps. 

Guesthouse in BKK

Eva and Nathan in the pool at our guesthouse in Bangkok. The weather was so cool, and there was no way Eva was going to let herself be put in the water!!

We're in Laos!

We are finally in Laos!!

Staying a couple nights in Bangkok was such a good decision. We had decided that we were going to start staying a night or two in Bangkok on our way into and from Laos, as a way to recouperate and prepare for the coming transitions that occur as we shift countries of "residence". This turned out to be a life saver for us, especially since Thailand is so familiar and comfortable for us. This is especially true for Nathan, and we were happy to see that his language ability quickly returned, even in the midst of jet lag! He was able to keep an easy conversation going with our taxi driver during our 25 minute drive to our guest house!! 

We haven't taken many pictures yet due to our worry that we'd lose the camera somewhere along the way in our exhaustion, but here are a few random shots we were able to take. 

Theung Leo

"Theung Leo" means "to have arrived" and arrived we have. After a grueling flight and 32 hours of travel we finally made it to Bangkok. Eva slept for a total of 6 hours. Jan and I both managed to eak in 1 hour of fitful sleep. We were hoping to sleep long and hard after we arrived (at 3am), but Eva was up for good after just a few hours, and our longest day of all began. In the end, we made it through the day by heading out into Bangkok and trying to distract ourselves, and it worked.

We have hired a driver to take us to NE Thailand today, so at the end of the day, we will be in the Thai town just across the border from Laos. We are so glad to be here!! We had safety on our flights, an empty seat beside us on the plane, Eva did a great job during our travel, and our luggage arrived with us safely. Pictures to follow!

3rd suitcase

The 3rd bag is packed and weighing in at 70 lbs!!!!!! Almost finished!

1) 1st Aid

• Ibuprofen
• Tylenol
• Aspirin
• Benadryl
• Tums
• Loperamide
• Dulcolax supp.
• Lamisil
• Sudafed
• Miconazole
• Nyquil
• Parasite meds
• Antibiotic for UTI
• Tylenol w/ codeine
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• Hydrocortisone cream 1%
• Hydrocortisone cream 2.5%
• Prep H cream
• Bandaids
• Butterfly closure bandaids
• ACE wrap
• Gauze pads- medium
• Tape
• Ankle brace
• Thermometers adult & baby
• Cough drops
• Infant tylenol
• Children's tylenol
• Infant ibuprofen
• Infant's mylicon drops for gas

2) Jan's maternity clothes

3) Nathan's entire wardrobe!!!

4) Large Kelty backpack

5) Boppy pillow

6) Sunscreen, contacts x 1 year, sunscreen, fingernail polish- 4, baby fingernail clippers

7) 3 packs cinnamon gum :)

8) Computer and cords

9) Small case of CDs

10) Prescribing reference 08-09

11) Jan's jewelry

12) Blow dryer for Asian voltage

13) Jan's shoes- 1, Nathan's belts- 4

Additions to 1st packed bag!

My first duffel was still underweight, so below are the items I added to bring the bag to 70lbs

1) Eva 

• 12 mo. tops- 2
• 12 mo. pajamas- 2
• 12 mo. shorts- 2
• 12 mo. capris- 2
• 12 mo. dress- 1
• 12-18 mo. sleeveless- 4
• 18 mo. tops- 7
• 18 mo. dress- 3
• 18 mo. pants 1
• 18 mo. long sleeve- 1
• 3T - 4 items
• 4T- 2 items

2) 2 heavy, large picture frames with pics

3) Jan and Nathan clothes- 6 items

Second bag packed!

Contents of bag number 2

Large black suitcase

• Eva's clothes (4 items 18-24 mo, 7 items 2T, 5 items 3T)
• Baby boy's clothes (6 NB onesies, 2 NB long sleeve, 2 NB pants, 7 other)
• Jan's clothes (Her entire wardrobe!!!! Excluding maternity)
• Portable high chair-Eva
• Paper files (Medical, birth certificates (3), Marriage license/info, Eva's birth papers, Pregnancy files (2), Taxes, Immunizations, Resume info, personality tests and on and on and on.....)
  
• Eva's baby book
• Bible (#2)
• Eva's books (Five Little Monkeys, Tails, and 2 on Bible heroes)
• Nathan's shoes, 2 pair
• Compass
• 2 decks of cards
• 2 bibs with sleeves
• Gifts for friends- 3
  
• Baby boy shoes, 2 pairs
• Christmas red cloth tablecloth and 12 matching napkins
• Jan's books (Babywise, 2nd in series, journal)
• 2 pocket calenders for 2009
• Book of business cards/contacts
• CD children's songs for Eva
• Christmas sprinkles
• Portrait Jan and Nathan, 11x14
• 2 large packets of pictures
• Small picture in frame
• Family portraits
• Misc. picture frame
• Lao picture book
• Thank you notes- 2 packs
• Nathan, 1 yr supply contacts

Packing

Most of my spare time this last week has been spent trying to pack, which means condensing all of our belongings to fit into four suitcases/duffel bags. So far, I'm remaining optimistic as it looks as though we may have a little extra space when all has been packed!!!

Due to expressed interest, I am posting a list of all items packed into each bag. I'm not the most organized packer I've ever met, in fact, I may be one of the most unorganized packers, so please don't look for any order to the contents of the bags!!! My packing skills fall into the category of "cramming the highest number of things into the smallest space".

1st bag- blue duffel

• Nathan's sandals (4 pairs)
• Eva's shoes (4 pairs)
• Misc. cookie cutters- 25
  
• Christmas cookie cutters- 4
  
• Growing Participation language learning manual
• Computer speakers
• Vitamins (Multivitamin 2, Prenatal 1, Fish Oil 1)
• Apple computer equipment
• Electronics (Portable hard drives 2, battery charger, flash drives 3, misc. cords)
• Sippy cups 2
• Jan's Books (Babywise and Baby's First Year by American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Eva's books (We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Baby's 1st Bible, I Love you Through and Through, and a 4th book by Noel Piper)
• Small book of wedding photographs
• Photo album-Eva
  
• Nursing aprons 2 (one for me, one for a friend)
• Spices 16 jars
• Baby blanket- boy
• Christmas stockings 4
• CME material for Jan (years 2008-2010)
• Head support for infant car seat
• Desitin, 1 bottle
• Video camera
• Pens/highlighters/markers
• Bible
• Jan's shoes (2 sandals, 1 pair heels, 1 pair casual)
• Eva's stuffed bunny
• Finger puppets for Eva- 10 puppets
• Small water filter (demo)
• Post pregnancy misc. items
• Picture in frame
  

more wedding pics

Eva getting in a little walking practice before the ceremony

Elena's wedding!!!

Congratulations to Elena and John!!!! I don't have many pictures because I didn't want to get in the way of the photographer, but here's a few I do have!

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