Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda

Things I am so glad that I brought:

1.  My mom's insulated leather gloves!

I borrowed my mom's gloves and I am so glad I did!  It was COLD our first few days here, while we were in the capital city.  The gloves were great to have.  I haven't worn them much since we have been in region, but that is because we aren't really outside much.  Our driver picks us up at the door and we have a big mall connected to our building.  The supermarket is inside the mall.  Pretty sweet set up.  So even though I have been wearing the gloves much lately, I would have been miserable the first several days without them.

2.  My leggins and long socks.  Keeps my legs nice and warm under my jeans when we are going to be outside alot.

3. Folgers singles

4.  Reading material.  I didn't think that I would have time to read, since we have the baby with us and all, but I have been surprised how much reading I've been able to do.  On the plane ride over here I read almost all of a really awesome book that a friend let me borrow, called, "The Strength of Mercy" by Jan Beazley.  I totally recommend it. 

5. Travel size deo, shaving cream, hairspray, mouthwash....

That helped save some room, and it is plenty for our trip.

6. A handful of ziplock bags of assorted sizes.  Someone suggested this to me, and even though I wasn't really sure what I would end up using them for, I packed them anyway.  I've ended up using them for everything.  Holding change, storing receipts, cookies and cracker after they have been open, etc.

7. Kellen. 

I'm so glad I brought that boy.

Things that I wish I would have brought:

1. MORE Folgers coffee singles. 

2. More granola bars.  Who knew that granola bars were suddenly going to be the baby's favorite food?  And good luck finding them here, because I haven't been able to yet.

3. Fingernail clippers. Kellen's nails grown at warp speed.  I know this and cut them right before we left, but they need to be cut really bad already and I haven't been able to find any in the stores around here.  I went in to a pharmacy type store to try to find some today, but turned around and walked out because they had some very offensive items on display.  It's a different world over here.  You just THINK that they use sex to sell stuff in America....

4.  A washrag.  Neither of the apartments that we have stayed at have had them and that is what I am used to using to bathing with.

5.  A queen size FITTED sheet.  One of my readers suggested that I bring one, but I didn't.  Even before she had suggested it, I have read about her husband bringing one when he went back for his second trip.  Yet, I chose not to bring one, in order to fit more blue jeans in my suitcase, and now I'm regretting it.  The bottom sheet on our bed is a flat sheet that has been tucking in.  You can imagine how well that stays tucked in....

6.  A better digital travel alarm clock.  There are like NO clocks here.  We bought the bottom of the line $6 travel alarm clock for our trip.  Kellen threw it down one time, and now it no longer works.  It drives me nuts to not be able to glance over at a clock and know what time it is.  Wish we would have splurged and got the $10 clock....and then kept it out of the baby's reach.

Things I wish that I had NOT brought:

1.  A butt load of baby food.  When we left the states, Kellen was still eating about one container of baby food per meal, and then regular food after that.  I packed a ton of baby food because I was worried that we would get over here and he wouldn't like the food, or the baby food would be different, so he would end up starving and miserable.  He has eaten ZERO baby food since we boarded our first flight.  He just completely gave it up over night.  Now I'm stuck with all that HEAVY baby food I packed. 

2.  My nice 31 Gifts Retro Metro bag.  I brought it as my diaper bag/purse, but I wish that I had left it at home and used a backpack instead.  It would have been safer, since my shoulder bag doesn't close at the top.  Also, it would have been easier to wear a back pack, instead of a shoulder bag, when you are walking alot.  And my pretty mod dot bag is getting dirty and stained up being lugged in and out of taxis and orphanages and what not.  Shoulda gone with a backpack. 

3. More toys for Parker, Daniel, and Josslyn.  Even though we try to rotate toys, they are getting bored with our stash.  There are two toy stores near our apartment and both of them are expensive.  We bought a couple of toys there(dress of jewelry, a toy car, and a play cell phone.  All of those were a BIG hit), but they are still getting bored by the end of a two hour visit.(Not so much Josslyn, because she is content to just sit in my lap for hours on end.  But the boys get bored, and rightfully so.)

Those are my lists for now.  If I could go back in time, I would exchange all that baby food for Folgers singles.  

Josh and Kellen are napping, so I'm going to try to catch a nap too while everything is quiet.