The many moods of Kieran

I finally have proof that our son really does smile! While he was playing this evening, I grabbed my camera and took a bunch of shots till I captured a few smiles. He's such a happy boy when he is in a familiar environment with people he knows. We are so blessed to see his personality coming out more each day. God has blessed us with a sweet, intelligent, and vibrant little boy. What a miracle!

Shopping in Rwanda

For those of you planning to travel to Rwanda, this post is for you. (Those looking for a Kieran update, scroll to the bottom of this post.) We didn't have much time to shop while we were in Rwanda, but we did get a chance on Saturday to visit this little market place (pictured here). If you like going to garage sales, you'll like shopping in Rwanda.
At this market, there are about thirty-five little shops. They are tiny with dirt or cement floors, poorly lit, and packed with trinkets. Most shops have the same stuff: carved animals, baskets, beaded necklaces, coasters, masks, etc... Each shopkeeper eagerly watches you examine every item. They say, "very good price" if you pick something up. Our tactic was to visit every shop and then go back later with our guide so she could haggle for better prices. The shop keepers encouraged us to remember their shop number and please come back. One guy even remember what item I liked and hunted me down when the buying began to make sure I didn't forget to buy from him. I did purchase from him a small handcarved airplane as a toy for Kieran. I think I paid around 3000 francs (about 5 dollars) for it. The exchange rate when we were there was about 570 francs to the dollar. So, things seemed expensive there since we were often working in thousands, but the prices were actually really reasonable when converted into dollars.

There was one shop there that was clean, orderly, and had the best quality baskets. (Pictured here.) The shopkeeper, a kind lady who didn't speak much English, charged higher prices than the other shops for her baskets. I only bought one that day for 4500 francs: I proudly bargained for it on my own. In retrospect, I wish I had purchased more from her. But at the time, we were planning to do one more day of shopping and I wanted to wait for better prices.

We did do a quick shopping spree across the street from the downtown Buorbon Coffee shop on Sunday. The dads and sons stayed at Bourbon and enjoyed cool drinks while the moms zipped through the shops. Most of the shops had the same items we saw the day before, but we discovered that the prices were better on Sunday because there aren't many shoppers. I bought more baskets, although not style or quality as the one I bought the day before, for 3000 frans each! Another favorite item that all of us bought were the beaded necklaces. They were about 1500 francs each. The beads are made out of colorful paper and then dipped in something to make them harden. I ran out of money so I couldn't buy as many as I wanted. I would definitely recommend that shopping center because the shops were cleaner and had better lighting.

One last story about shopping. On our first shopping day, the store keepers got really competitive for our business shortly before we were about to leave. Kelly wanted to get a little purse as a gift. Three store owners were surrounding us, and all were holding out similar purses and shouting out prices, each lower than the one before. It was such a crazy experience, but I loved it.

Ok, time for a Kieran update!
Kieran got to meet his grandparents on Friday. We were blessed to have them here over the weekend taking care of us while we recovered from the journey(More pictures of Kieran meeting other family members coming soon.)
He also had his first bath at home. He never liked bathing when we were in Africa. But here at home, he enjoys playing in the tub. You wouldn't know it from the picture! He just got his hair cut before his bath.
He had his first hair cut a couple nights ago. He did well for the most part. I think we'll have to invest in some better clippers, but he looks adorable even with a slightly uneven buzz.

Getting settled

We're starting to find a routine that works for all of us. Kieran slept peacefully through the night last night. It was wonderful! Today he has really come out of his shell more than ever before. He's playing more energetically, babbling, eating with gusto, and smiling frequently. We actually caught a grin on film today. It's our first picture of him with a happy face.

Our first day with Kieran, May 19th. Check out the serious expression on his face. He was distant, almost void of emotion for the first couple of days that we had him.

This picture was taken today. We'd been playing with his train, and Mike managed to capture a grin on camera. Does Kieran even look like the same kid that we meet two weeks ago? Watching the transformation happen has been such a joy.

We're Home!

On Friday afternoon, we made it home. Thirty hours of travel with little sleep has left us exhausted. However, we are happy to be home and are beginning to settle into a routine. Our family has been a wonderful support to us and we're so grateful for their help as we recover from the jet lag. Once we're feeling more normal, we'll post details of our trip. There's so much to share!

Meeting our son for the first time.

Our wonderful travel group. We are sitting outside our hotel, Chez Lando, in Rwanda.

Bonding with Daddy. So sweet!

Our boy in his stylin' new hat. So cute, but very serious around cameras.

Mommy & Kieran in the lobby of the hotel in Ethiopia. He's starting to show more expression, but he still will not smile for the camera!

Our new family

This picture was taken at Bourbon Coffee in Kigali, Rwanda. It was a favorite hangout of Mike & Amy during their stay in Rwanda. It had good food, a relaxing atmosphere and it made them feel like they were in the US.