Gusi loves the hotel we're staying at. We're up on the 14th floor (which is really the 13th since I noticed they failed to have a #13 floor) and we have a great view of the city. Gusi loves sitting in the big windows which come almost all the way down to the floor. He can rest his elbows on the ledge and stare out at the city.
This morning as the car pool left with my mom and PapaGus, I remained behind with Gusi. I needed to shower and since he seemed quite content munching on his bagel while checking out the view, I just slipped away without a fuss. After I got out I saw that he was still quietly standing there but the bagel was on the floor. Somehow, there were still smacking sounds coming out of his mouth. I walked up to him to see what he was eating. It was the little chocolate that they had left on the bed from the turn-down service the night before. And it was still in its wrapper. Amazing how a little bit of paper and foil are not a hindrance when dealing with chocolate. I laughed, asked him if I could unwrap the chocolate for him and gave him the rest of the little square chocolate. He agreed that it tasted better this way as he turned back toward the window quite content with a "peeled" chocolate in his hand.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The Calm After the Storm
Except for our piles of luggage and the few things in the fridge which will be taken to my mom's this evening, our house is empty. It is strange to walk in there. The movers have taken everything and parceled our belongings into air freight, sea freight and storage. We have the clothes on our backs and in our suitcases. Not much else.
Papa's car was sold and since my mom is getting my car, her car was sold too. There are three adults and one child carpooling in one car for the next day and a half. Everyone feels rather stranded I think.
The thing of it all is that I've been planning for this week for months now. I've sorted through boxes in the attic. I've bought lots of new clothes, toys and shoes to take with us. I made the reservations for our hotel room. I planned for everything up until Friday. And now I find myself quite uncertain of what is possible to do on Saturday when we arrive in Dakar. Unpack I suppose. Clean up around the house if that hasn't been done already. Call one of the housekeepers that has come highly recommended to see if she can stop by so we can interview her. And then what? Sunday we will have brunch at our host family's home. Perhaps start exploring our neighborhood after that? Figure out how to start our life in French? I'm just not sure what comes next and that is rather unsettling. I will just try to take Gusi's lead; make sure he's got what he needs and try to find him some entertainment for the daily routine.
For the rest of the day I think Gusi and I will just chill at the pool.
Papa's car was sold and since my mom is getting my car, her car was sold too. There are three adults and one child carpooling in one car for the next day and a half. Everyone feels rather stranded I think.
The thing of it all is that I've been planning for this week for months now. I've sorted through boxes in the attic. I've bought lots of new clothes, toys and shoes to take with us. I made the reservations for our hotel room. I planned for everything up until Friday. And now I find myself quite uncertain of what is possible to do on Saturday when we arrive in Dakar. Unpack I suppose. Clean up around the house if that hasn't been done already. Call one of the housekeepers that has come highly recommended to see if she can stop by so we can interview her. And then what? Sunday we will have brunch at our host family's home. Perhaps start exploring our neighborhood after that? Figure out how to start our life in French? I'm just not sure what comes next and that is rather unsettling. I will just try to take Gusi's lead; make sure he's got what he needs and try to find him some entertainment for the daily routine.
For the rest of the day I think Gusi and I will just chill at the pool.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Moving Ahead?
I hate moving. I should probably see it as a time to purge all needless things. Instead today I have seen it as a time to learn how to juggle.
Gusi is not happy to go back to the house these days. He'll stay on the front porch or in the back yard but screams when he goes inside. I can't blame him; I want to do the same thing. The packers in the meantime need to know what goes by air freight, by ship and what stays in storage. Friends are calling to see how things are going. Gusi wants a snack. The packers tell me that we're over our limit on our air freight by more than 150lbs. Gusi's nap time is here. My husband hands me an insurance sheet to fill out for our shipped goods. Gusi wants grapes. My tummy is growling. We take refuge at the hotel where his nap is cut short so we can grab a bite to eat before the restaurant closes. And so, we go back home. Exhausted. This is when I would love to have the ability to be in two places at the same time. One of me would be napping or playing with the baby while the other would be working with the packers to get things done. If only it were more than a dream.
Gusi is not happy to go back to the house these days. He'll stay on the front porch or in the back yard but screams when he goes inside. I can't blame him; I want to do the same thing. The packers in the meantime need to know what goes by air freight, by ship and what stays in storage. Friends are calling to see how things are going. Gusi wants a snack. The packers tell me that we're over our limit on our air freight by more than 150lbs. Gusi's nap time is here. My husband hands me an insurance sheet to fill out for our shipped goods. Gusi wants grapes. My tummy is growling. We take refuge at the hotel where his nap is cut short so we can grab a bite to eat before the restaurant closes. And so, we go back home. Exhausted. This is when I would love to have the ability to be in two places at the same time. One of me would be napping or playing with the baby while the other would be working with the packers to get things done. If only it were more than a dream.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
So Incredibly Lucky
I had a wonderful weekend. Gusi had a wonderful weekend. My best friends from home came to town for the weekend to wish us bon voyage. Not only did my friends come, but their families came too. See, the thing is, I've grown up with Heather and Erin since I was a little girl. Being that I'm an only child, they are the closest things I have to sisters, so their moms, kids and sisters are like my own. Our moms are great friends and hopefully our kids will be great friends as time passes.
Gusi did great with all the kids running around the house and getting into his toys. The house looked like there was a rally going through it. I believe Gusi was taking bets on the Kawasaki 4-wheeler vs. the fire engine with odds favoring the fire engine. I'm sure I saw money changing hands.
On Saturday our friends helped us take stuff down from the attic and shift things from our house to my mom's and other things from her house to ours. That afternoon we had Gusi's music teacher come and do a sing-along (plus we invited some of Gusi's regular playmates to join us). He absolutely loved it. He was so happy. All the kids seemed to enjoy themselves that afternoon filled with songs and pizza and play. For me it was a bit tearful. I knew it meant that moving into the hotel and out of our house was around the corner, and that meant that moving to our new house was also right around the corner. So much change.
I know all of this change (i.e., the boxes piled high in the dining room) is not going unnoticed on Gusi's part. He has been waking up at 4am or 5am every morning screaming and trembling. I go in to get him and he spends the rest of the morning snuggled in our bed, (usually) fast asleep. This is not routine and he is frightened. We've taken (as of today) the position of calling everything new una aventura so he senses that all of this is supposed to be fun. Of course it isn't fun when mom spends most of the day packing things and dad is out running last minute errands, but it does seem to cheer him up when we proclaim that adventure is within our grasp.
The change is also affecting me. My two best friends in the world will now be across the world. My son's best friends will be across the ocean. My husband's family so far away. My support system, my strength, my mom no longer in the same neighborhood. And then I remember...this is an adventure, a once in a lifetime chance to see and do and feel something totally new; it's a great opportunity for my son. If I could only pack up everyone that was in my home Saturday afternoon and take them with me. Then it would be easier.
As I said good-bye to friends who know my weaknesses and still love me, who know the tough times I've had and have stood by me, who love my husband and child simply because I do, I thought to myself: I'm the luckiest person in the world to have so many wonderful people helping me turn the page to the next chapter in my life. So incredibly lucky.
Gusi did great with all the kids running around the house and getting into his toys. The house looked like there was a rally going through it. I believe Gusi was taking bets on the Kawasaki 4-wheeler vs. the fire engine with odds favoring the fire engine. I'm sure I saw money changing hands.
On Saturday our friends helped us take stuff down from the attic and shift things from our house to my mom's and other things from her house to ours. That afternoon we had Gusi's music teacher come and do a sing-along (plus we invited some of Gusi's regular playmates to join us). He absolutely loved it. He was so happy. All the kids seemed to enjoy themselves that afternoon filled with songs and pizza and play. For me it was a bit tearful. I knew it meant that moving into the hotel and out of our house was around the corner, and that meant that moving to our new house was also right around the corner. So much change.
I know all of this change (i.e., the boxes piled high in the dining room) is not going unnoticed on Gusi's part. He has been waking up at 4am or 5am every morning screaming and trembling. I go in to get him and he spends the rest of the morning snuggled in our bed, (usually) fast asleep. This is not routine and he is frightened. We've taken (as of today) the position of calling everything new una aventura so he senses that all of this is supposed to be fun. Of course it isn't fun when mom spends most of the day packing things and dad is out running last minute errands, but it does seem to cheer him up when we proclaim that adventure is within our grasp.
The change is also affecting me. My two best friends in the world will now be across the world. My son's best friends will be across the ocean. My husband's family so far away. My support system, my strength, my mom no longer in the same neighborhood. And then I remember...this is an adventure, a once in a lifetime chance to see and do and feel something totally new; it's a great opportunity for my son. If I could only pack up everyone that was in my home Saturday afternoon and take them with me. Then it would be easier.
As I said good-bye to friends who know my weaknesses and still love me, who know the tough times I've had and have stood by me, who love my husband and child simply because I do, I thought to myself: I'm the luckiest person in the world to have so many wonderful people helping me turn the page to the next chapter in my life. So incredibly lucky.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
What I Did On My Summer Vacation
We got back from Guatemala a few days ago. Gusi had a blast. Everyone had a blast. It was incredible to go and see the family one last time before heading off on our African adventure. Gusi had a huge terrace to run around with a hammock hung up for when he got tired. He wasn't too happy having to sleep in the Pack-n-Play but he adjusted eventually. He loved having company come over and in any respectable Latin family, you always have people dropping by. He was quite social with everyone and wanted to be where the action was.
He has also blossomed into this little chatter box. He started saying his (first) name while we were there (in the last two days he has been able to say his first and last name), as well as pronouncing everyone else's name.
What I loved about being in Guatemala was that everywhere we went it was set up for kids. There were play yards in restaurants and stores. People didn't give me nasty looks (like they do here) when Gusi started squealing. Everyone complemented me on how beautiful and intelligent he is. Everyone! I was waiting in line at the bakery close to our house and Gusi was chatting with the woman behind us. She couldn't get over his vocabulary. She even said "hello" and he responded in English to her. The boy is a genius: mastering two languages before the age of two and knowing when to use each one. And soon we'll add on another one, maybe even two depending on how much Wolof he hears on a daily basis.
We were very sad to leave though. Gusi still asks about his great-uncle and our neighbor Sandra every day. Everyone teared up when we said our good-byes because this little one had brought so much happiness to them. I know they will miss him and he them. I just pray that we'll be able to go back soon. He will be surrounded by French (and some English) in just a few short weeks; I will be the only native Spanish speaker he hears until my mom comes to visit or we return to Guatemala. I know it will enrich him beyond my own expectations, but still, I worry about his maternal tongue getting pushed to the side.
He has also blossomed into this little chatter box. He started saying his (first) name while we were there (in the last two days he has been able to say his first and last name), as well as pronouncing everyone else's name.
What I loved about being in Guatemala was that everywhere we went it was set up for kids. There were play yards in restaurants and stores. People didn't give me nasty looks (like they do here) when Gusi started squealing. Everyone complemented me on how beautiful and intelligent he is. Everyone! I was waiting in line at the bakery close to our house and Gusi was chatting with the woman behind us. She couldn't get over his vocabulary. She even said "hello" and he responded in English to her. The boy is a genius: mastering two languages before the age of two and knowing when to use each one. And soon we'll add on another one, maybe even two depending on how much Wolof he hears on a daily basis.
We were very sad to leave though. Gusi still asks about his great-uncle and our neighbor Sandra every day. Everyone teared up when we said our good-byes because this little one had brought so much happiness to them. I know they will miss him and he them. I just pray that we'll be able to go back soon. He will be surrounded by French (and some English) in just a few short weeks; I will be the only native Spanish speaker he hears until my mom comes to visit or we return to Guatemala. I know it will enrich him beyond my own expectations, but still, I worry about his maternal tongue getting pushed to the side.
Jolly Green (Bean) Giant
Gusi loves green beans. Hmm. Let me rewrite that. Gusi LOVES green beans. Yesterday that is all he would eat. At lunch he helped himself to 3 servings of that and nothing else. Later he wanted some grapes. Dinner was only pleasant after green beans were put on display. Perhaps it is a "g" diet? I shouldn't complain, I know, but how can a child live off of green beans alone? Ok, and grapes. But still???
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Walk a Mile in His Pajamas
I've managed to finish the last Harry Potter book--which, by the way, I thought was very dark and questioned myself how old Gusi would have to be before I let him read it. I've also managed to read another book that had been on my shelf for a while now: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. It is the story of a nine year old boy named Bruno and a fence. A very scary fence that bifurcates and keeps out the Outs and in the Ins. I won't say more for fear that I would give too much away. However, Boyne has done such an amazing job in his writing that as I turned every page I couldn't help but think of Gusi as Bruno.
This is definitely one book that I will want Gusi to read when he gets older. Boyne apparently has a children's version which would be a good start to the subject matter. It will be appropriate to read when Gusi starts recognizing that life is not always what it seems. Or perhaps it is a good book to read even if you're an adult and need to be reminded not to take things for granted lest you find yourself wondering what side of the fence you are really on.
This is definitely one book that I will want Gusi to read when he gets older. Boyne apparently has a children's version which would be a good start to the subject matter. It will be appropriate to read when Gusi starts recognizing that life is not always what it seems. Or perhaps it is a good book to read even if you're an adult and need to be reminded not to take things for granted lest you find yourself wondering what side of the fence you are really on.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
We Are Family
My parents-in-law and two sisters-in-law were in town for a few days. They got to see Gusi and he got to see them. I was really happy to see that he took to them quite easily. He was, of course, drawn to his Grandpa for many of the same reasons he's drawn to his father: they both let him do just about anything. It was obvious though that Grandpa needs to move closer to us to stay in better Grandpa-shape since 30 minutes with Gusi had him worn out. Gusi would of course love to have another version of his dad around all the time so we're hoping Grandpa and Grandma visit us in Senegal soon.
I can't help but realize how incredibly similar the three generations of Grandpa, Papa and Gusi are. It's uncanny to see each of them trying to figure something out: they each get this look on their face like nothing but extreme concentration will do. Grandma and Aunties Megan and Beth were loads of fun too, especially when we went out to dinner and they were each entertaining him at the restaurant.
I just hope that Gusi gets to see his family as much as possible after we move to Africa.
I can't help but realize how incredibly similar the three generations of Grandpa, Papa and Gusi are. It's uncanny to see each of them trying to figure something out: they each get this look on their face like nothing but extreme concentration will do. Grandma and Aunties Megan and Beth were loads of fun too, especially when we went out to dinner and they were each entertaining him at the restaurant.
I just hope that Gusi gets to see his family as much as possible after we move to Africa.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Faster Than a Speeding Pilobolus
I spent three days in New York City this past weekend without Gusi or PapaGus. It was the first time since I got pregnant that I have been on my own like this. I actually rather enjoyed it. PapaGus took Friday off to stay with Gusi and from what I gather, they had a blast. A wet rug in the living room and a suspiciously placed hose are all the proof I need for the fun they had.
I, meanwhile, had a blast myself. I got a chance to eat at restaurants without high chairs in them. I got to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and see new pieces that I hadn't seen before. I got to window shop along 5th Avenue. I got to walk over 50 blocks in Manhattan just for the fun of it. And I got to see a show. Actually, that was the highlight of the weekend (aside from seeing my friends). My friend and I saw Pilobolus, a modern dance group with incredible acrobatics thrown in to every routine.
I, meanwhile, had a blast myself. I got a chance to eat at restaurants without high chairs in them. I got to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and see new pieces that I hadn't seen before. I got to window shop along 5th Avenue. I got to walk over 50 blocks in Manhattan just for the fun of it. And I got to see a show. Actually, that was the highlight of the weekend (aside from seeing my friends). My friend and I saw Pilobolus, a modern dance group with incredible acrobatics thrown in to every routine.
Did I miss Gusi? Sure I did. I missed reading him books and kissing him goodnight, but it was rather nice to have some time off from being a mom. Of course I called home and PapaGus and Gusi called me, but hearing them didn't make me as upset as I thought it would. I came back home refreshed and ready to set out on our new adventures in Africa. I just can't get over the fact that three days went by so fast. The countdown to Dakar will probably go just as fast.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)