News from Addis and Notes on Boycotts and Breastfeeding

One of the friends I have made through this process is in Addis right now picking up her children. They are adorable and she is very happy to finally be with them. She is hoping to get an earlier embassy appointment so they can leave as soon as possible. They are both tiny babies and need lots of love and attention right now...so its good their mom and dad are there to give them that. Anyway, she wrote me today to let me know how my boys were. As you know, we have not heard much about Yabsera and even today- I was happy to get new measurements on the boys- but they said his weight was 4 kg which is about 8 pounds...well that along with his height and someone else saying he is a "good sized 7-8 month old” made me think it had to be wrong. It’s been a challenge to get good accurate information from Ethiopia to North Carolina to the families. I am sure it will get better as this agency processes more and more families- we are like family number 10, I think, to go and pick up kids. WE did request that our embassy date be the 23rd of May- its a week later - but for many reasons it made sense to do that. We will not know for sure until...well...until we know. If it is then we may leave May 17th. This would be good because I have loaded up my clinic on May 16th, I will be here for Shakespeare festival, Maddie's theatre banquet, and of course our dear Phoebe Darling's 7th birthday. So the news...here is what she wrote:

"Em-
Yes, it was a good day!!! :-)

First - your boys are awesome!!!! I have held them, kissed them, played with them. I will attach photos, but they don't do them justice. Yabsera looks very healthy. He has been to two doctors for his skin, one today. They are treating it as if it is scabies, but it is not bad at all and I know you will be able to get it healed quickly at home. He smiles, laughs, is very responsive. He can hold his own weight if I hold him by the hands. Child of laughter!!!

Maren will be somewhat of handful on the plane ride home, so you may want to try that benedryl!!! He is just a doll. Not naughty, but full of life. He loves to laugh. We played tickle games. He would not take off his shoes for me, but Sharon said she thinks he is 5 1/2 or 6 (she measured).

All of the children except our baby girl are in very good health. I learned to day that we have our baby girl to thank for that! When she came she was so bad they took her to a dr here who ordered her formula with iron. Dagne just ordered the same thing for all of the babies! So they have all been on Nestle Infant Formula with Iron, I think it is called Nans (?). They are also fed rice cereal with fruit; I think also a Nestle product. I am really happy! They look great! They said Yabsera, and the other babies were somewhat malnourished when they arrived, but a month on formula has done wonders!!!!"

So, those of you who know me, know that I sometimes take a stand against stuff...I have become much more complacent in my old age...right now my only boycott is Tommy Hilfiger...but there was a time I would not buy NESTLE products. Yup. And that is hard to do...because they make a ton of things.

Historical Timeline on Nestle Boycott

If you look at this time line- and you look at 1988...that is right around when I probably joined the fight against Nestle. It was also the time you found me marching on Tiananmen Square with the Chinese Students, joining the fight against Racism at Cornell University, and shortly before I moved to Northern California to take care of children with HIV. My bumper sticker read "Fight AIDS not people with AIDS" Anyway, I am still all about fighting racism, I still feel the Chinese have suffered oppression, and I still think we have a long way to go to get rid of the stigma that goes along with having HIV....but admittedly I am ready to go out and buy a case of Nestle chocolate bars...for two reasons...one- I could really use the chocolate to help with my stress and two because after reading that it was Nestle formula with Iron that has made Yabsera healthier- it would be hard for me to personally knock it.

And you all know what a huge proponent of breastfeeding I am...if you see my links you can find a link for mothers wishing to breastfeed their adopted child. I think it’s great if you can do it. Here is a link to more information:

Great Site on Adoptive Breastfeeding

So, still waiting on an embassy date and therefore a travel date...feeling better tonight after hearing Yabsera is weight bearing and that Maren is being a huge pain in everyone's butt...I take that as a good sign.