Passport fun

We're leaving for Peru in just under four months now which is just about the time it takes to get a new passport these days (no exaggeration!). Since before Isabel was born, Oswaldo and I have been researching what we need to do to get her passport ASAP. In case you were wondering, this is what you'll need:

1. Birth certificate (available 6 weeks after birth)
   
2. Social Security number (you should apply at the hospital when you apply for the birth certificate).
3. Passport photos

If you're in a hurry like we were, all of these steps require going in person to various offices, often with a baby in tote. In our case, Oswaldo had to wait hours for the birth certificate, and I had to go to the Social Security Admin office because her card hadn't arrived via mail (luckily that only took 5 minutes). We then had to bring Isabel to a processing center where we both had to be present and take an oath.

The trickiest part, frankly, was getting two valid photos. Why so tricky? The photos have to be straight on with a white background. It's not like I can sit Isabel up against a wall and tell her to smile. And, I didn't want to take her to a photo store, so I decided to do it at home with a digital camera and the help of my mother in law.

Here are the results from two photo sessions. Can you guess which one we had to use? Not very attractive, but it's the only one where she's looking straight on (hint: it's not the one with her tongue sticking out or her eyes closed - we didn't think those would be kosher). Click on the images to see larger versions - it's worth it, they're pretty funny!



Useful links for those of you getting passports for baby:

• Baby Center passport info page
• State Department page - Special Requirements for Children Under Age 14 Minor Children must Apply in Person

UPDATE: 9/5/07. With all the bru ha ha about passports taking forever, Izzy's passport arrived today! We applied on 8/24/07, it was issues 1 week later on 8/31/07 and arrived via express mail 2 business days later. We did pay for expedited service which they said would take one month. Hum, with all this extra time, I could have tried for a better photo. Zannie is correct - it is the fourth one in the second row. Also, Oswaldo spoke too soon - bath time pictures now available on Picasa.

Swing success!

I think it's safe to say that Isabel is a fussy and possibly colicky baby (she likes to express herself via the art form of cry from about 4:30pm onwards). This week we made a bit of a breakthrough. She finally took to the swing which calmed her for about 30 minutes.

One month plus

It's been a while since we've posted. It seems that things have been sort of hectic lately as the adrenaline has worn off, and we're trying to get into a routine.

Isabel is thriving and is closing in on 8 lbs as you can see by her chubby face here. (For more pictures of Isabel from one month on, check out the Isabel - One Month Picasa Web Album).

She's had some gas pretty much since she was born, so that has been making her a bit cranky (hence the break from blogging). Also, our night nurse finished her stint, and while Oswaldo is an expert swaddler, I'm hopeless so her night time sleep has not be as great as it was (and neither has ours!).

Grandma has come to the rescue with another visit - giving me time to get my hair cut (and colored!!!) and other personal hygiene things and providing a nice place for Isabel to take her naps in Grandma's cozy arms.

Stay tuned for more posts in the coming days - I've got lots of things stored up - including videos.