'Twas the Night Before Christmas

It is amazing how incredibly fun Christmas is becoming again. Now that Gusi is a bit older he understands more what this whole holiday thing is about. He's been careful to make sure he's on the "Good Children List" and not on the "Naughty Children List" for weeks now and he's told us countless times that he wants trains for Christmas...lots and lots of trains. Rumor has it that he will indeed get trains, as well as books and puzzles.

The baby (who is still clueless about the holiday) will get a couple of infant toys that will help with the upcoming teething process. Yesterday we had his four month well-baby visit. He seems to be doing well, but the baby scale was broken so we don't really know how much he weighs, so we don't really know how well he's doing, so I feel a bit uneasy about things. Yes, he's made progress, significant progress since two months ago but still, I'm a numbers girl so I'd like to be able to measure how much he's progressed. Sigh.

But my mom is here, Papi is snoozing on the sofa, the boys are nestled all snug in their beds with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads. I am not wearing a kerchief though. We had a nice dinner and I am listening to Christmas music with tears in my eyes as I hear each and every lyric. Sure it would be nice to have Grandma & Grandpa here with us, or be with my family in New Orleans, or have a white Christmas, but this is where we are and home is where you make it after all.

So, Merry Christmas to Grandma & Grandpa, to the aunties by the poolside sipping their cocktails, to our family in the land of Lincoln, to those in NOLA, to those friends in the Peach state and in the Big Apple, and to those near and far. We wish you the best for the holidays and 2009!

Lots of love.

Christmas Caroling

We had a few friends* over for a Christmas caroling party tonight and it was a lot of fun. Unfortunately since the four of us are still hoarse, we weren't the best singers. The baby went down early so I missed out on a chunk of the party, but Gusi had a good time with several of his friends from school--whose parents, coincidentally, are also our friends.

So. My favorite carols of the season? This year's list, in no particular order:

1. Sleigh Ride. I just like the imagery of being comfy and cozy on a sleigh; I've never been on one, but hopefully next year we can make that happen...right Santa Claus? Plus it's got a great beat.
2. Away in a Manger. With a little baby in the home this Christmas season, I can visualize this carol easily.
3. Silent Night. This is a perennial favorite. I sing it to the baby after his bath while I get his pjs on.
4. Jingle Bells. Because it's Gusi's favorite and one he sang at his school's Christmas party. It was also my very favorite when I was a little kid.
5. Little Drummer Boy. It gets me choked up every year. It was my grandmother's favorite carol and I think of her each time I hear it.
6. Up On the Housetop. I just love the chorus here, as well as the second and third verses which are a riot--talk about dated!
7. White Christmas. Because I am dreaming of a white Christmas for next year!
8. Let It Snow. Because it would be grand to see some snow right now!
9. Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon. This is just a great song.
10. Twelve Days of Christmas. There's just something crazy about what my true love sent to me.

*"We still have friends because they don't know about the germ theory of disease."--Papi after everyone left.

House Full of Germs

It started with yet another runny nose of Gusi's. It seems he is healthy for one week and then sick for two; the nature of the game when you have a preschooler. Yet now I've got a sore throat and headaches, the baby has a runny nose and watery eyes, and Papi is sneezing and feeling body aches. Whatever it is, it has been successful in contaminating the entire family. I hope we're all well by the weekend.

Our Busy Weekend

It is Sunday night and it would appear that both children are down for the night--but you never know with Gusi as he has this habit of getting up, walking to the living room and asking "what are you doing?" Ahem--go to bed.

Anyway, I said good-bye to my friend A who is going to South Africa with her family to spend the holidays. It seems like a lot of folks are clearing out for the holidays which makes me glad that my mom is coming. She is great about spreading the holiday spirit. But our weekend is certainly preparing us for that as well.

Yesterday we went to a company Christmas party and then a birthday party and today we went to another Christmas party where a special someone came to pay a visit. Gusi was the first one to sit on Santa Claus' lap. He was so excited. He didn't say a word, just nodded when asked if he had been a good boy. We snapped away. Later we woke the baby and got his first picture with Santa Claus. It was great to see all the kids get excited about the holidays. It is actually contagious; I'm really looking forward to the holidays this year.

Just Crazy

Ok, so I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I saw several things that I didn't expect.

1. A huge Christmas tree at the entry way with a black Santa Claus sitting on a folding chair underneath it. Bizarre. I didn't see any photographer, so maybe it was just for kids to see him and sit on his lap...under the a/c vent.
2. Christmas trees! There were small trees and large ones, though they will probably be gone by tomorrow since it's the weekend. No matter, we have our own plastic one that we already paid too much for. The fresh trees looked like one of those Charlie Brown Christmas trees, but I suppose if you want to pay about $25 then you can get one.
3. Ben & Jerry's ice cream. They had Chunky Monkey, Cookie Dough and something else. I went to pick up a pint and froze when I saw the price tag. 6990CFA which equals roughly $14!!! For one pint! I said outloud (in English) that I was glad I wasn't pregnant with the baby right now, otherwise we'd be going broke. An American family of five nearby laughed. $14!!! Besides, we've got N'Ice Cream downtown which has really good ice cream. It even has a new flavor called Barack Obama--chocolate with a nougat-type crunch. Yum.

Sheer Exhaustion

Gusi seems to be getting sick--again. He's got yet another runny nose and cough. When they told me that kids always get sick I thought that mine wouldn't since I make him wash his hands endlessly, but he gets sick just the same.

So three nights ago as I was putting Gusi to sleep he told me he needed medicine for his cough--which was non-existent by the way. I told him no and sent him back to bed. He got up again and again. Still, no medicine. No symptoms, no medicine. Then he did the same two nights ago and again last night when I finally saw some symptoms. I think he's getting a cough and sore throat confused. He probably had a sore throat to begin with and now I hear the cough. Poor thing.

So, I was up with Gusi last night at 2am when he woke from what appeared to be a nightmare, then again at 5am when all his noise woke up the baby. So between nursing the baby, getting us all dressed, changing diapers, going potty, etc, well, it was a miracle we were able to get out the door. It appears the boys are napping right now. I've got just a few precious minutes before they wake up so I'll go ahead and run a quick trip to the supermarket to prepare for the weekend.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm flying solo these days? That my dear, dear husband is off in the grand ol' USA? No? Well, I just have to say that when the baby is weaned it is my deepest desire to go to a spa resort for a long weekend with nothing but books--that's it. No children, no cooking, no cleaning, no grocery shopping, no packing a diaper bag, no cleaning spit-up or poop off of my clothes, no picking green paint out of hair--none of it, for three days. Insh'allah it will happen.

Roll Over

What is it that those luxury SUVs have that keeps them from rolling over easily? Well, whatever it is, I need it for the baby. These days he seems to roll straight to one side or the other and then whoops! onto his tummy. Then he's stuck. He's managed once or twice to roll back but usually he can't, and of course, he always rolls when he is put down for a nap or bedtime in his crib.

This of course has disrupted his sleep. Ugh. He'll get up around 3am because he's face-down and can't get on his back. He gets so worked up about it that he can only calm himself down by nursing. So, I let him, then burp him and take him back to his crib where I know I'll be back in two hours time doing the same thing all over again.

These are tough times because Papi is on a business trip to New Orleans. Yep, he's getting to see my city, my family and eat the food that I grew up on and he's getting paid to do it! So I'm flying solo on this gig for a while and the early wake ups are tiring me out. I hope he figures out how to do this roll and roll back thing soon because I'm slowly withering away from exhaustion.

Oh, and yes, A and I are becoming friends. She and I shared how difficult it was to make/keep friends here in Dakar and even though she's leaving town for the holidays we hope to pick up where we left off after the new year.

Another update: Gusi is being a great big brother these days. I thought with his dad out of town things would go haywire from his end, but he is being a real trooper. He helps by streamlining a lot of the whining, actually brushing his teeth when told to do so and making it to the potty on time almost all the time. We're even one of the first kids to make it to school in the morning. It's just been a lot more planning and organizing than when Papi's around. All I need now is a full night's sleep. Ahem! I hope the baby is listening???

My New Friend?

This is the kind of lifestyle where you think twice about making a new friend. First of all, people are so transitory that you never really know who will be sticking around for how long, so that leads you to either be very superficial with your acquaintances or to have just a few.

Last year I had several "friends" many of whom ended up leaving Dakar to go to points beyond. A few friends remain, but for a variety of reasons we don't see eachother much. One has started working, another now has both of her kids in school and is out and about quite a bit, and a third has only one son Gusi's age so she thinks that I can still keep to the older boys' schedule but she forgets that I have to deal with the baby's. Sigh. So, I don't feel like I'm connecting with my friends much. Until (hopefully) now.

I had heard through the grapevine that A had to meet me because we have so much in common. She speaks Spanish (she's from Central America), she has a little boy a few months younger than Gusi who shares the same name (yeah! Gusi 2) and she just had twin girls two weeks before my baby was born. Lots in common. She came here with her job, met a wonderful man, got married and had kids, all in 4 years. Yeah, she's been here longer than most.

So, we're on the same page when it comes to dealing with two year-olds and infants. We're going to try to get together at least once a week and will certainly do a lot of chatting on the phone and text messaging each other. And to impress her I've ducked into my secret stash of frozen cranberries to make a delicious cranberry pecan bread to have with tea tomorrow. The baby will have his first date--with twins! Boy this kids moves fast! I hope to have fun and start a new friendship as it does seem we have lots in common, plus she's not moving in the next year or two so I feel that I can actually invest in getting to know this person. We'll find out.

Just Thinking Out Loud

Why do infant clothes have pockets? Really? They seem a waste of fabric and thread to me.

And "exclusively breastfed"...does that include the dirty bath water that they'll end up swallowing at some point during those first six months of life? I'm just wondering if I'm being hypocritical if I say the baby is exclusively breastfed if every night he toasts with a different kind of bubbly.

Why do babies' diapers leak the most when you need it the least? Like say this morning...in our bed...number 2 all over my side...

Why does the big brother decide to check-in on his baby brother just as we've put him to bed? Like tonight...when he walked out of the kitchen and into his brother's room, turned on the light and tried to climb up into the crib to ask his brother why he was crying.

What's the Name?

Last night, after the baby was down, Gusi, Papi and I had some dinner and a lively conversation.

Me: The Lebanese lady who works at the restaurant where you got yesterday's food congratulated me on having another boy. She also told me that she had a secret recipe for having a girl and she'd give it to me if I wanted it. I told her no thanks.

Papi: The one with the dentures?

Me: She has dentures? Anyway, I told her I just wanted two healthy children and I had boys who are healthy so I'm happy. No need for a girl, we're just fine the way we are.

Papi laughs.

Gusi: What are you talking about?

Me: The Lebanese lady wants to help me have another baby.

Papi: Do you want another baby?

We both look at Gusi.

Gusi: What's their name going to be?

Me: Who's name?

Gusi: The new baby, what's the name?

Me: No Gusi, there's no baby, just you and your brother, that's enough. Mami's done, you two are keeping me busy enough.

Gusi: Mami, what's the new baby's name? Can I hold him?

Ugh. I just hope it's not on his Christmas list for Santa Claus...

Unemployed Papi Needed

Our car is in the shop getting some body work done (don't ask--it just gets me all worked up) and will probably be there all week so Gusi is getting a ride from a friend/classmate who lives up the road. He and his dad came by this morning to pick Gusi up for school and dropped him off at noon.

When he got home, he scarfed down his turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich (ok, so the bird does taste better when you smother it in sauce) and asked to play outside. When I saw that it was getting toward his nap time, he had to come in and a tantrum took place. I put him in his little chair that appropriately says "time out" at the end of the hallway. He cried for his father almost the entire time. After he calmed down we went to his room to read a book before his nap. Through the sniffles he told me that he had been crying for his father while he was in time out. Yes, I told him, I know. I explained that his father was at the office. He then told me that he didn't want his Papi to go to the office, he didn't want Papi to work. I explained that Papi needed to work so he could have clothes, toys and food. He said he didn't want any of that, he said he wanted a Papi that didn't have a job so he could play with him all day long. Obviously his Papi not taking him nor picking him up from school made an impact on him. Ugh and later this week Papi will be going to the US for a conference...Gusi is in for a tough time as am I. At least when Papi returns my mom's arrival won't be too far behind and then it will be Christmas! So, somethings to look forward to.

Changing My Mind

I thought that going with a local "turkey" (African Guinea fowl) would be ok. It was I suppose, but it also wasn't. It tastes rather gamey. Perhaps I've never had wild turkey before so it could taste like a real turkey tastes, but it doesn't taste like what I've always had on Thanksgiving. Our guests liked it, or at least said so, but I don't see any leftovers making their way to the sandwich plate. Gusi didn't eat any and stuck with the cranberry sauce instead. The baby was well behaved and all in all it went well.

Many thanks to Sara for stopping by and bringing the cranberries and pumpkin pie filling.

What's This?

Last night we were so exhausted. We've had a busy weekend. Usually we lolly-gag around the house all weekend and maybe get out for one outing, but this weekend was different.

On Saturday we went to the flea market at the American Club. When I say we went, I mean that we went as vendors, so we had to be there early. I managed to make about $100 off of our stuff, but it wasn't the money that was important--getting rid of the clutter, that was important. I didn't take much yet I managed to sell or trade all but two things. Gusi was extremely patient and the baby had one of the dirtiest diapers we've seen in a long time, but we managed. Actually, we also picked up our Thanksgiving turkey there. We had ordered a "local turkey" which it seems is actually an African Guinea fowl. Or something like that. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

The flea market was a full morning, so when we got home and thought about turning right around to go to a birthday party that Gusi was invited to, I just had to say no. Later that night Papi and I went to a fundraising event with dinner and music and had a nice time, so I'm glad we skipped the birthday and were able to relax before the fundraiser.

Of course, after a late night out, what happens? The kids wake up extra early. Ugh. Sunday we went back to the American Club, but this time to use the playground and hope that Gusi and the baby would tire themselves out. Gusi decided that he wanted to jump in the baby pool and then convinced his father to go with him in the big pool. The baby was busy taking everything in so he was tired when we got home too. Later that afternoon a French friend stopped by to see the baby and her daughter managed to make mischief with Gusi while the adults chatted.

So, last night Papi and I got the kids down for the night, had a bit of dinner and managed to get our tired bones to the living room where we each fell asleep on the couches until 1am. Papi woke me up, we brushed our teeth and made our way to our bed, only to be awoken at 4:40am by the baby. I nursed him, then he needed to be burped and have his diaper changed and he wanted to be nursed again. After that second nursing as I started to doze, the baby was lying next to me laughing in his sleep with the occasional coo or gurgle. I'm not sure what really happened, if I was entirely awake or what, but I swear I heard the baby clearly say "what's this?" and then go to sleep. I did a double take and shook Papi. "Did you hear what the baby just said?" I asked. "Sure, " he answered and went back to sleep.

I remember doubting if I really heard what I heard. Still, this morning I'm not sure what to believe. Sleep deprivation is a cruel thing.

First Term's Over

Gusi's first term is over as of today. I got his first report card of sorts. It's actually a letter from his teacher stating all the things they covered this term (numbers 1 through 5, basic shapes, fine motor skills, etc) and an overview of how he's doing.

He apparently is following directions, he focuses well and listens attentatively at story time, he does well in tidying up the toys, he's sociable, he loves constructional toys and is able to complete puzzles advanced for his age.

His teacher also included a small book made from his art projects and photographs taken of him at school with his play mates.

I'm so impressed with Gusi and how far he has come in the month and a half that we've been here. I'm also impressed by his teacher and all that she's doing to keep us informed about Gusi's progress. My mom kept all of my report cards, and now that I hold Gusi's with pride I understand why.

Just a Matter of Time

I knew this day would come. I just didn't see it creeping up on me, but it's finally here. My boys have reached a milestone each.

The baby is just about to roll over. Ok, big deal, some might say, but it is. It is the first step down his road to independence. First he will roll, then scoot (actually he already does a lot of scooting on his back when in the crib, so much so that I've been calling him Scooter each morning when he wakes up two feet from where I left him the night before), then crawl, then cruise, then walk, then run, then jump, then climb and then I don't know what since Gusi is at the climbing stage and I'm not sure what's next. In any case, it's the baby's first step towards independence. I've got mixed emotions. The baby stage seems to be a lot shorter this time around, probably because I've got to keep an eye on each kid. I'm glad he's making strides though.

Gusi is now asking why. Why Mami? He never really understood the why or how of things, so he didn't ask. He just accepted things as they were, but now he wants more depth in his life I suppose. This has been happening for a few days now, this constant need to ask why.

Today was difficult though. We went to buy groceries, just the two of us. When we entered the supermarket he asked why didn't I want to get a big shopping cart (because then I can't keep tabs on you and your little shopping cart). When we went to the butcher, he asked why didn't I like the turkey hot dogs (the ones over here taste gross to me, the frankfurters are better). And when we went to the little fruit kiosk guy where I buy my fruit from he had me stumped. We didn't get out since the fruit guy saw our car and ran over to take my order (drive up fruit stand comes in handy with kids in the car). As soon as my window went down a crowd of people came over. Some wanted to sell me sunglasses, others prepaid calling cards, others plastic hangers, but most were begging for money. Actually, one woman asked for a cadeau (present) from me. I told them all no, gave the fruit guy my order and rolled the window back up while we waited. The people mostly dispersed except for the cadeau lady. She picked up a little girl, probably her daughter who looked about Gusi's age, and smacked her right across the face, then swung at her again. Gusi and I both saw it. I knew what was coming next. Why did she hit the little girl Mami? What could I say? I wanted to cry and scream. Cry because I had hoped my son would never see something like that; scream at the damn woman who was beating her child in front of me and my son. I answered that I didn't know why she hit the little girl, but that it wasn't right, no one should hit anyone. The only thing I could think of was to make the story have a moral. What else could I do?

Clone Me

I need to be with two boys at the same time. The baby needs me for obvious reasons: I've got milk. But he also needs his mama to hold and cuddle him--to provide that warmth and security that all babies need. Gusi needs me for other emotional reasons. He needs to feel that he isn't being displaced by his baby brother, that there's enough love for everyone, that I have time to play trains with him, read to him, bathe him, and teach him how to put on his clothes. He needs to feel that warmth and security from me too.

So, where does this leave me? With three gray hairs viciously plucked from my head in the last two days. I think it's one hair for the baby, one for Gusi and one for Papi. Yes, Papi, because I don't have much time for him, and with potty training, a new baby, waking up at awful hours of the morning, we just don't have much time for each other. I am expecting at least one more gray hair--for me. I think this will be the longest, thickest one. It will probably grow out of my leg.

Presents

Today is my birthday. It's not such a big deal after you hit 25 I realize. So, since I'm a bit this side of 25, I'm not doing anything big. What did I do for myself to celebrate you might ask? I took 7 minutes to shave a leg and a half this morning. Yep. Even though Papi was a few minutes late leaving for his business trip this morning, he was kind enough to let me have a moment to myself. Ahh, 7 entire minutes to myself--and I was even able to squeeze in a shower!

Leg Man

For the last two days in a row Gusi hasn't needed a nap at his usual nap time (though he does get completely exhausted right around dinner). Today, after arguing with him for a while I realized that he just wasn't sleepy. I tried telling him it was quiet time, but that only worked for about 15 minutes. He wanted out. So, we agreed that he'd bring two cupcakes over to his friend's house (she's lives right down the road from us) to share. These were special cupcakes since they were made in moulds to look like a train and a butterfly.

We sat on the floor and he sat in my lap so I could put his shoes on; this is what ensued.

Gusi: Mami, what's that?
Me: What's what?
Gusi: I don't like it. What's that?
Me: What's what? What are you talking about?
Gusi gets up from my lap, turns around and rubs my legs.
Gusi: That Mami, what's that?
Me: They're the hairs on my legs sweetie. Sometimes women shave their legs and then the hair grows back.
Gusi: I don't like that Mami. I don't like it. My legs don't have any hairs on them.
Gusi reaches out to touch my legs and pretends to shiver.
Me: Ok, I'll shave if you and your brother give me some time. I'd love to not have the stubble either.

So I wonder why isn't Gusi as offended by his father's five o'clock shadow as he is by my unshaven legs?

Jinx

Ok, so he had an accident each day for three days in a row. He's not perfect and I'm obviously getting carried away with the success stories. He'll get this potty thing down when he's ready. At least he's doing a lot better than before. Actually, he's doing a lot better than one of his classmates who is almost four years old and still in diapers. Heaven help me if that happens to me!

Potty All the Time

Gusi's got it. With a bit of fear of jinxing myself, it seems that Gusi has got the potty thing down now. It was a grueling process with Papi and I at eachother's throats and at Gusi's when we were in the thick of it, but now, we are so happy we went through it.

We spent about two weekends in a row doing potty training boot camp. I felt like a zoo keeper, shoveling poop, taming the wild animals and hearing the constant shrieks and screams. Yet now, Gusi only wants to use his "big boy" underwear, tells us when he has to go, and makes his own way to the bathroom to use the toilet. He still needs some help with his clothes (though not always) and cleaning up afterwards, but he does it all by himself for the most part. He was peeing sitting down at the beginning but now he really only wants to do it standing up "like the big boys". The only problem is that he wants to wear underwear at nap time (yes, he's napping during the week since school tires him out) and bed time. He'll accept a diaper at night but not for his nap, so we often see him wake up with "an accident", but I'm sure he'll either get rid of his nap altogether or he'll learn how to hold it while he sleeps.

For now, I'm just changing one set of diapers. I'll take what I can get. Kudos to Gusi!

Words for My Sons

My Dearest Sons,

Last night as you slept, your father and I watched our country make history. Far away from our country we hope and pray for your future and we do everything on our part to ensure that it is bright, safe and rewarding. So to be able to tell you both this morning that we have a new President-elect who inspires many to believe that all things are possible and is proof of just that fills our hearts.

It is the micro and the macro together that I as a parent cope with each and every day. I worry about the mice running around the house and the current economic crisis; I hope you learn your letters and numbers with ease and I hope you make a difference in the world through the work you do; I want to be a daily role model for you and surround you with many others who will influence your morals and ideals. I want the best for you.

Think of all that inspires you, keep it close to your heart and let it always guide you. It is all within your reach if you remain true to yourself.

All my love,

Mami

My Friend the Water Heater

The baby...I don't talk solely about him very much, do I? I suppose I should start blogging more about him. Frankly, he's a great baby, an excellent sleeper and quite alert to things going on around him. But since he is a baby, we have him in a funky little room right off of our room.

On a slight tangent I need to talk about African architecture. It never ceases to amaze me how bizarre some African buildings are. In our home, which Papi jokingly refers to as "the house with no right angles", there is the master bedroom which leads into a smaller room and then into the master bathroom. The only way I know it's the master bathroom is because it has a bidet, otherwise it's almost like Gusi's bathroom. Anyway, that smaller room between our room and the bathroom is where the baby is. Is it a changing room? A walk-in closet? A storage room? I'm not sure what it was intended for since it has no closets, no rods or poles to hang things on. It only has a water heater in the top corner of the room. That's it. Yet, it's big enough to put a crib, a changing table, a dresser, a diaper pail and a laundry hamper and still leave enough squeeze-through room, so I'm not sure what the purpose of the room was originally.

In any case, the water heater is more or less above the changing table for the baby and since he is really into cooing now, he coos and chats with the water heater. He is fascinated by it. He looks up and back each time I change his diaper to make sure it's still there. Then he starts cooing, kicking his feet wildly and making other cute little baby sounds. I don't get it? But he thinks it's grand, so we'll go with that.

James the Train that Didn't

Gusi had a costume all set out for him before we got back to Dakar. He was going to be a park ranger. He has the vest, the hat, even the velcro wallet so all I needed was to throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt--easy, done. However, Gusi decided that he was going to be James the train from the Thomas the Tank Engine series. For those of you who don't know James, he is no. 5 and is red. Gusi likes James quite a bit.

So, his father, my dear husband, decides his little boy is going to have his wish and sets out to make him a James costume. He got several cardboard boxes together and started cutting, stapling, gluing, painting and shaping it all into what we will call James the Great because it was just that great.

On Halloween at Gusi's school most of the kids got dressed up. I took him and his James costume. He refused to put it on but he didn't want me taking it home either, so it sat on a shelf for the entire school day. Later at our embassy trick-or-treating event, he again refused to wear his costume. Luckily I had dressed him in overalls and a train conductor's hat, so he looked like a conductor without his train--oh well. After hitting a couple of houses we made our way to the party and Gusi had a blast. It was a good time after all was said and done. Next year I just have to remember that he will have to pick out his own costume so we don't go through all of this again.

Things To Look Forward To

There have been some great developments while we've been gone. Remember I mentioned all the construction going on in our neighborhood? Well, it seems that one big project a bit down the road will be done before the end of the year--a new Casino. And no, it's not the kind of casino where you gamble, but a Casino as in a supermarket chain (from France?). Right now I have to go all the way into town to go to the big supermarket (where they also accept credit cards--few places here do) to do my weekly shopping. I don't get any produce or meats or fish there, just juices, milk, cheeses, rice, honey, marmalades--things like that. Still you don't always find what you need but it's the best one-stop-shop in Dakar. So, I'm really excited that we'll have one close by to the house.

Another bonus is that further down the road from the new Casino they've opened up a new gas station. It is a big deal because there are always lines here to fill up your tank. Hopefully the gas station will do well and we won't have to wait too long next time we fill up the tank. Oh, and in case you were wondering, here you don't get out of the car, someone pumps the gas for you.

The only other thing that I would like would be a nice, quiet coffee shop. Something close by where you can get some good coffee or tea and a small snack in a quiet atmosphere.

Cheeky Boys

I was looking back at pictures of Gusi when he was 7 and 8 months old to remind myself how big the baby will get in a short time, and I noticed that Gusi had the biggest cheeks you've ever seen on a child. Actually, he still has these incredibly squeezable cheeks. Now the baby is going down the same route. He too is getting quite cheeky as he finishes up his second month. Someone told me that babies who nurse develop their jaw muscles which helps the rest of their facial/cranial development somehow, but the effect is that they tend to have rounded faces with big cheeks. Perhaps it's the nursing, or maybe genetics, but one thing's for sure, both of my boys are quite cheeky.

PEE-TAH

Earlier this week Gusi told me how his teacher at school had read them a story that day. This is how our conversation went.

Gusi: Mami, my teacher read a story today, she always reads two stories.
Me: Really sweetie, what was the story about?
Gusi: It was about a boy named Pee-tah.
Me: And what did this Peter do?
Gusi: No Mami, Pee-tah not Peter.
Me: That's what I said, Peter.
Gusi: No Mami, you said Peter but my teacher says Pee-tah.
Me: Oh, I see, well what did Pee-tah do in the story?

Gusi goes on to tell me the story where all the names have British accents. Amazing how he's learned to distinguish accents in English already; my American one is not as cool as his teacher's British one. I cracked up at the thought of this child knowing only a couple of words in English just a few short months ago and now he's going to learn proper English--nay, the Queen's English!

Clearing Things Out

I'm in a funny place right now. I'm stuck between the cusp of true boy toys (trains, cars, dump trucks) and baby toys. We shipped over all of Gusi's old clothes and toys when we moved here last year and since our storage space here is limited, I am happy that the baby is starting to outgrow the 0 to 3 month old clothes. Actually, he's even starting to outgrow some of the 3 to 6 month old clothes! Him moving on to larger sizes means I can get rid of those clothes and pack up Gusi's 2T clothes since he's well into the 3Ts. But now, our house is slowly being taken over by baby bouncing chairs and activity centers as well as bicycles, fire engines and little red wagons. There are a few things that I'm keeping--cute outfits that Gusi and/or the baby wore, special little toys--and the rest I'm going to get rid of. I'm certainly not going to take all of this back with me to the US or on to our next post when our time here is over. We've accumulated a lot so I need to keep things balanced. I thought that I'd be leaving with less than I came with but I realize that that may not happen. We've ordered numerous things (especially toys) which means we'll have quite a bit amassed. I just need to stay on top of where it all is and what needs to go. It's too bad my cousin (she's having twin boys in December) lives so far away, otherwise she'd inherit the mother load of boy items.

He Asked for It

Now that Gusi is going to school every morning our life is starting to find a rhythm. I'm using the mornings to organize the gazillion toys, baby items and toiletry products for all four of us that we brought back from the US into some coherent system--oh, and take care of the baby at the same time. I hope that two weeks from now I'll be able to get out of the house in the mornings as well.

The new development in Gusi's life right now is that since I told him that he would only take a nap if he asked for one, he has begun to ask for it. Rather, he tells me that he's tired when he gets home from school and when I ask him if he would like to sleep after lunch, he agrees and goes to sleep on his own. Actually, I think he's physically and mentally tired from school when he gets home. They do lots of activities including running around the yard so I'm finding the school well-balanced in learning, play and physical activity.

The other thing I like is the fact that he takes a snack to school, so every night after the boys are asleep I pack his lunch bag with a healthy snack. Today he's got halved grapes (had to cut them to get the seeds out), a bag of Annie's cheddar bunnies (he would live off of these things if given the opportunity), a juice box and two gummy bears. I just love the idea of packing him a snack pack, it's like he's really growing up now what with wearing underwear, going to preschool, taking a back pack (stuffed with several changes of clothes in case of an accident) and a snack. From now on he'll be in school for many years to come. I'll be packing lunches in a few years, not just snacks and then there will be the bus and carpool. Wow...and the baby will be at this point in the blink of an eye too. It just blows my mind how fast time flies when children are around to mark it for you.

School and Coo

Today was Gusi's first day of preschool in Dakar. He did really well. I dropped him off and took the baby along. We put his backpack and lunch bag in his cubby, he went over and checked in*, he gave me a kiss good-bye and off he went to work on a train puzzle. I took the baby and walked out the door. No big deal, like he'd done it a million times before.

When I finally got home the baby and I had some alone time. Since early this morning he has been very into communicating with me--the most I've ever seen him do. When he woke up around 5:30am (yes, that early), I nursed him in bed half asleep but he (for the first time) reached his little hand up and kept caressing my face. I could barely make out the eye contact he was trying to make with me, but it was incredibly touching. So when I got home and had some time to dedicate just to him he was cooing with excitement. He was such a happy baby when there was quiet in the house and he had me all to himself.

Later Papi came to pick me up and we went to pick Gusi up at school. The baby was fine up until we took him out of the car and into the heat--he really doesn't like it, he fusses all the time. Gusi was all sweaty from playing outside. He had had a good day. His teachers told me that he jumped right into things and wasn't a bit shy. He managed to sit down on the potty before snack time but nothing. Then later when he was running around the yard he had an accident of the wet kind. (He's still learning this potty thing, but he is wearing underwear instead of diapers. We're only doing diapers at night now since that dryness tends to take a bit longer.) As we drove home I read the syllabus his teacher had left in his cubby (he's starting about 6 weeks later than the other kids) and asked what activity they had done with circles today. He told me that they had made smiley faces and talked quite a bit about his day in a very positive way. He obviously liked it so he'll go back tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how he does going to school 5 days a week vs 2 as he did back in the US. At least he knows and will socialize with all his classmates outside of school so that will make the experience more enjoyable. I know half the parents in his class and there are three other children who speak Spanish as their first language so I'm sure he'll feel some comfort in that.

In all it was a great to see my big boy starting a new chapter in his life and see my little baby begin communicating with me. Quite a day.

* Gusi's teacher has all of their names laminated in extra large font which she places on a table next to the wall. They also have a large envelope on the wall with their name on it. Each morning the children have to find their name from the group of names and put it in their envelope. It teaches them the beginnings of letter recognition as well as making them feel special to have their names up on the wall and helps the teachers keep track of attendance.

Snappy & Harry in Africa

A few things must be said about our transition back to African life.

1. I forgot how hot it gets and the baby doesn't like it. When we go outside he wiggles and complains. Glad we missed the bad part of the summer; it's supposed to cool down in the next few weeks.

2. Gusi is officially off the nap list. The second day we were here was the last time he napped. He just doesn't seem to need it and if I force it on him he doesn't get to bed until nearly 10pm, so no naps unless absolutely necessary.

3. Gusi is also really into snapping lately. I mean, he snaps all day long. If his hands aren't busy with his trains or cars or trucks, he's snapping. He even snaps as the cars or fire trucks "stop at a red light". He learned how to snap when we were in the US but he was never quite so into it.

4. The baby is trying to adjust to a new routine. He's slowly getting over the jet-lag. Some nights he wants to go to bed at 7pm (like last night) and other nights (like tonight) it doesn't happen until 10pm.

5. The baby is routinely swaddled in his miracle blanket. (It was recommended by our pediatrician and really did the trick. I wish we had gotten this with Gusi--it would have saved us so much pain.) However, if we don't put him down soon after swaddling him, the wrap comes a bit loose, just enough so that when you do put him down and think he's asleep, he'll wiggle one leg out and cry until you come get him. So, we try to swaddle tightly, bounce, bounce, jiggle, sway and into the crib. If we bounce too much or sway too long our little Harry Houdini will get out of his baby straight-jacket and wail so hard you'll have to start the bouncing all over again.

6. I miss our free range, reasonably priced chicken. Here I'm shocked, again, to pay $10 for one midget bird. I spent $80 at the butcher's the other day and the expensive parts were the chicken--the beef fillets were cheap at 4 for $10. It's just mind boggling at how expensive life is here for your average Joe...or better said, your average Mamadou.

7. I haven't told too many folks that we're back. I just need some time to adjust before everyone starts stopping by to see the baby. I think I can buy myself about another two to three days before people start finding out and calling me up offended that I didn't tell them I was back. Plus, they'll all find out as Gusi starts preschool here in Dakar later this week and a lot of my friends' children go to the same school.

8. Before we left it was the constant yelping of the peacocks that we heard. Now that I'm back I haven't heard them once. Instead after sunset, we hear loads and loads of toads. Gusi hears them most at bath time and isn't sure if he should be afraid or not. It's only when I start to sing songs about frogs or recite rhymes about toads that he settles down.

9. The potholes have gotten bigger. If you haven't visited us in Dakar yet then you don't know what I'm talking about, but if you have you're saying to yourself: how is that possible? Well, I didn't think it was, but it has happened--the rainy season was so incredibly long and strong that there are craters everywhere. I don't even think they'll be repaired, at least not while we're living here.

10. A lot has changed in our neighborhood since we left. Construction sites have advanced, new ones have started, stalled ones have recommenced. In a city that is constantly shifting, it will be interesting to see what exactly has stayed the same.

Two Little Angels

In a rare moment of quiet I rejoice by logging on. Both Gusi and the baby are sleeping.

The trip over wasn't too bad. It wasn't easy, but we managed. All of our luggage got here so that's always a plus. The heat when we got off the plane was intense. I forgot how hot it actually gets here. Since we got here at the crack of dawn we had the whole day to unpack and acclimate ourselves--Gusi more than anyone. Papi and I were tired, the baby was jet-lagged (nursing on his old schedule which meant he didn't go to sleep until mid-night) but Gusi was confused. He didn't know where his bedroom nor his playroom were. He played with his toys like he had never seen them before.

We all took a morning nap in our bed yesterday--the four of us--with the two children in the middle. By the end of the day Gusi was exhausted. After his bath, we put him to bed without the usual story reading because he was so tired. He wore some cute moose pjs that my mom got him because they were new and he saw them in his drawers. The moose pjs are long-sleeved and that combined with me not setting the a/c cold enough meant he woke up screaming in a pool of sweat three hours later. It didn't take much to get him back to sleep and now I've learned at what temperature I need to set the a/c.

The baby did well, but it does seem to me that he is a bit perplexed as to where he is. The swaddling blanket I use is the same so that seems to be comforting to him. I hope he gets over his jet-lag soon and starts going to sleep around 9pm again. He is such a good baby, sleeping quite well for several weeks now, crying only rarely, nursing like a champ and growing like a weed. I'm already putting away the 0-3 month old clothes because he's outgrown them before even hitting 2 months old. Good thing I kept all of Gusi's old baby clothes and brought them with me to Dakar. No need to spend another small fortune.

I must admit that it's quite nice to have Vivane and Tony back in our lives. Our housekeeper/cook and day guard/gardener are a huge help around the house. Yesterday Vivane entertained Gusi in his play room while I unpacked. Today Tony took him to our neighbors house to see their dog (that dog and the dog's ball are the only thing Gusi remembered about Dakar). He came back exhausted, ate a bit and is taking his nap. I'm mostly taking care of the baby, but considering he's nursing it's hard to hand him off to anyone for an extended amount of time. In any case, it's good that Gusi's getting some one-on-one attention.

I will admit, I miss the US. It is a much more hectic lifestyle than here, but I know the system over there and there's comfort in that. I'll get back into the swing of things here soon enough though. I need to get serious about potty-training Gusi, get him involved in school and see what other activities he can be signed up for, like soccer? It will get easier, that much I know. If it didn't, people would only have one child and that doesn't seem to be the norm.

The End Begins

We are coming to a close here. In less than a week we will be getting on a flight--all four of us--to go back to Senegal. There are daily reminders of our upcoming departure.

Today was Gusi's last day of preschool in the US. We gave his teachers and his soccer coach gift certificates as thank yous for having been so welcoming to Gusi, and for having helped him learn so much. After the children had lunch, Papi and I (and the baby) brought by cupcakes for the kids and a cake for the teachers. They had all prepared a big book full of photos and letters from his classmates and teachers, and put it together with some toys as a going away present. Gusi was thrilled. I was touched. I teared up quite a bit. Amazing. I cried on his first day of preschool and again on his last. He will only have one first preschool, one first coach, one first teacher. My baby is growing up. Actually, my baby is growing and my little boy is growing up. But they will always be my babies. Always.

Don't Spit

Gusi is at that stage where he is really engaging people in conversation. With all the family visiting us stateside, he did not fail to impress. His vocabulary is incredible, he repeats everything and he makes sure folks around him know the rules that he is obliged to follow. For example, my mom took off her seat belt as she was driving into a parking garage one day--before actually parking the car. Gusi told her that she need to always wear her seat belt until the car was parked. Smart, huh?

Well, yesterday morning as Gusi, my mom and I were huddled on my bed around the baby, Gusi was talking to his baby brother and the baby was mesmerized by Gusi. He likes to get up real close to him and tell him what's going on. All of a sudden I hear Gusi saying, "no baby, don't spit, you're not allowed to spit." Huh? Gusi says it again. I look over and see the baby spitting up all over himself. I grabbed the baby to burp him and explained to Gusi that he wasn't spitting on purpose, but that his tummy had too much gas so the extra milk was coming out with the gas. Still, I wonder if Gusi understood or just thought that his brother was getting away with something.

Feeding Time

Gusi is a sweet little boy. He has been so good about having the baby home. He wants to hold him, kiss him and even feed him. Yes. Feed him.

Hungry baby cries.
Gusi: Mami, what's wrong with my baby brother?
Me: He's hungry sweetie.
Gusi: Mami, Gusi wants to hold his baby brother.
Me: Sweetie, he needs Mami's milk, that's all he eats.
Gusi: Gusi has milk too Mami.
Me: Really?
I put the baby to breast so he can feed.
Gusi walks over to take the baby.
Me: No sweetie, I need to feed him.
Gusi pulls up his shirt, looks at his chest and then at me.
Gusi: Mami, Gusi can feed the baby because Gusi has milk too.
Me: (laughing) Maybe you can feed him next time, ok?
Gusi: Ok, can I play with the train then?
Me: (still laughing) Sure.

He's Here!

Left ya hangin' a bit, didn't I?

Well, as you may have already guessed, our little bundle of happiness was born. Actually, he was born not too long after the last posting. It was quite easy this time around. I did end up getting the epidural which helped a lot. I still felt the contractions coming on and they were strong, but I felt in control. Three pushes and the little guy was out.

Before I was wheeled away to the recovery room, Gusi and my mom came by. It was so incredible to see how happy Gusi was at the thought of his little brother finally making his appearance. I have to say that I'm quite impressed at how Gusi is handling this. He wants to hug, kiss, snuggle and hold his baby brother all the time. And even though we've got friends and family coming to see the new baby, he's quite happy to see everyone himself.

The question that now pops into my mind is how will Gusi adapt to going back to Dakar? The baby is easy enough, but Gusi will go through another enormous change and he's more conscious of his surroundings now. I hope it goes smoothly.

In any case...I'm now the mother of TWO. Life is about to take us to a new level of love.

Let's Get the Party Started

History has a way of repeating itself. With Gusi I was scheduled for an induction on a Tuesday and went into labor late Monday night on my own. This time around I was scheduled for an induction on Wednesday and went into labor on my own Tuesday night. The big difference this time is that I've got wi-fi at the hospital.

I'm about 3cm dilated, hooked up to some pitocin to make the contractions stronger so labor progresses, Papi is reading the newspaper, Gusi is with my mom riding the bus around town, and I am being a 21st century mom by blogging my labor away. Will it work? Who knows.

In the meantime...ouch! Contraction! Let's see how long I last without the epidural...that was pretty good last time after all. But really, why suffer needlessly?

No Later than Wednesday

This is not how I planned my labor and delivery. I was going to deliver my second child on his due date with a +/- of one to two days. That was what I had intended. Yet somehow, this child did not get the memo on "the plan". I'm now three days past my due date and will be induced on Wednesday if he decides to hold out on me.

This happened with Gusi as well. I was one week late, had an induction scheduled for a Tuesday morning but ended up going into labor on my own the night before. My doctor was surprised to see me at the hospital before she even got there that morning. So, at 41 weeks, I delivered a healthy, bouncing baby boy. I had hoped that I would be able to do the same at 40 weeks this time around. Surely I had paid my pregnancy dues in full? Yet it would appear that I haven't since I'm now approaching the 41 mark and no baby.

It looks like I've passed on my procrastination genes to my children. I was always doing my term papers at the last minute and cramming for exams no matter how hard I tried to study ahead of time. They are like me. My friend Sarah, who just had her second little girl a week and a half ago, said that perhaps this little guy just needs a deadline--a "must vacate by" kind of deadline. It does seem to have worked for Gusi. So, hopefully he knows now that I'm posting it: your eviction will be enforced on Wednesday come rain or shine.

Beckett on my Mind

These days I feel like I am caught--no, trapped--in a Samuel Beckett play. Specifically Waiting for Godot. In case you're not familiar with it, it's a story of two men who spend the entire play waiting for this guy named Godot who is supposedly an acquaintance. The problem is that they aren't sure they'd recognize him if he walked by and even though one of them wants to leave, he's told that he can't until Godot arrives. The two spend the play rambling about Biblical and philosophical matters to pass the time. Godot never arrives.

This is my scenario. I am waiting for my own Godot. I cannot do much of anything until he arrives, I wouldn't recognize him if I saw him on the street yet I feel like I know him quite well. Of course, late at night when I can't sleep, I ponder my existence, his existence and our intertwined destinies though we've never met. He has yet to arrive.

I hope my story ends differently than Beckett's...being pregnant for the rest of my life would be tough.

Let the Pains Begin

I know it's been a while since I've written. It's been a hectic few weeks: PapaGus arrived from Dakar and we've been enjoying our time with him after a two month absence, including celebrating his birthday (though Gusi got to blow out the candles). It's been my chance to get things done: buy those last baby items I need, wash the baby clothes, run errands and chase my own tail apparently. But now almost all of that is done, at least all the important parts.

We've celebrated a birthday, seen the first games of the Beijing Olympics and nested as much as possible. I am now ready. Ready. Ready. Ready. Last week I went in to see the obstetrician and found out that I am 1cm dilated and 50% effaced--basically the (slow) process is under way but far from over. I'm 39 weeks pregnant and now even Gusi is a bit bored with the pregnancy. A few days ago he inched up to my tummy and told his little brother "come out and play!" I laughed and couldn't have said it better myself. I want to see what this little one will be like, to hold him, to count his fingers and toes, to smell him. Yes, the pregnancy has gone by faster this time around, but I'm convinced that it was only because I had Gusi to chase after. But now I'm ready. Ready. Ready. Ready. I want all my boys at home, together, soon, before PapaGus has to go back to Dakar. So, let the pains begin so we can get this show on the road.

Alice the Camel

There's a nursery rhyme that goes:

Alice the camel has three humps,
Bumpity, bump, bumpity, bump.
Alice the camel has three humps,
Bumpity, bumpity, bump.

Alice the camel has two humps,
Bumpity, bump, bumpity, bump.
Alice the camel has two humps,
Bumpity, bumpity, bump.

Alice the camel has one hump,
Bumpity, bump, bumpity, bump.
Alice the camel has one hump,
Bumpity, bumpity, bump.

Alice the camel has no humps,
Bumpity, bump, bumpity, bump.
Alice the camel has no humps,
Alice is a horse.

There are lots of humps and bumps right now. I'm feeling pretty crummy that Gusi is going through such a hard time. Some days are better than others, but generally speaking, the sleeping is not going so well. And the toilet training is out the door. Very early this morning he woke up screaming for his father, tears streaming down his face. It took a while to calm him down; snuggling in bed in between his grandmother and I seemed to help.

Papi comes at the end of July. These will be long weeks ahead. I just pray that I don't go into labor before he gets here. A friend from Dakar was on her way to the hospital in Vermont as her husband's plane was landing at JFK airport. He made it to the hospital four hours after their child was born. Her mom took care of her older two and she delivered alone. Yikes. I just hope Gusi's brother isn't quite so anxious to get into this world...

Regression

It didn't go well yesterday nor last night. When I picked Gusi up from preschool his eyes were swollen and red: he had been crying most of the morning and his voice was hoarse from all the crying. He didn't want to participate in anything, just be held by his teachers all morning long. My heart broke as they brought him out to me, though he lit up upon seeing me.

Nap time was difficult yesterday as was bed time. He woke up once during his nap and only went back to sleep after I crawled in bed with him (no easy task in his twin bed and my huge belly). Then last night he woke up three times, and at the 5am waking, he wanted to get into bed with me in my room, but he refused to sleep. I am exhausted from all of this.

This morning we went to drop off my mom at work, headed over to a coffee shop so I could get a chai latte (with soy, yum) to have a bit of caffeine in my system (but not too much) and headed over to the park. As is usual at most playgrounds, the kids were accompanied by their nannies, the majority of which were Latina. When they heard me speaking to Gusi in Spanish they struck up a conversation.

Nanny #1: How old is he?
Me: He's two.
Nanny #2: How cute. How long have you been taking care of him?
Me: Since the day he was born; he's mine.
Nanny #1: Really? Wow, because he just looks so white, I thought he was just really smart in picking up Spanish from his nanny.
Me: No, he's mine. He's Latino as well as white. We come in lots of colors, right?
Nanny #2: We sure do.
Me: Actually, Gusi speaks Spanish as his first language and then French. It's English that he is trying to pick up.
Nanny #1: Oh, he'll get it, they all do, especially if he's in school.
Me: Yeah, well, he's in school, but he's just started so he's having a hard time.
Nanny #1: It will get better. I just started leaving my two-year-old son in preschool too and he's going through a rough time as well, but I have to work. It breaks my heart to drop him off so early in order to be here to take care of the twins. Imagine, leaving your own child to take care of a stranger's.
Me: No, I can't imagine what you're going through, not at all. (I am a lucky woman after all.)

He's napping right now. I hope he naps well. I want to do what I can to get him over this hump. But just how many humps does this camel have?

A Day Later

It was easier today. I'll admit it. Gusi slept really well last night and while I hold my nose at his regression in toilet training, I remind myself that he is improving each and every day.

I dropped him off at preschool and spent some time with him as the children walked onto the playground. I gave him a kiss, two actually, and then said that I'd be back later. He played quite well. I walked to the reception area and made sure he was signed up for soccer class. My son, in soccer class. I can't believe it. He's just growing up right before my eyes. I thank God and my husband for giving me the opportunity to see all of these special moments up close.

Yesterday after all the tears Gusi got a Thomas-the-train Echo Tunnel. The most expensive Thomas-the-train toy the toy store had. Guilt? Yes, definitely, but magically washed away when I saw his face light up while pushing the echo buttons on the tunnel. Today I've gotten him a puzzle which I hope he enjoys. But today, I also went to have a chai latte (with soy milk, yum) and read a magazine after I dropped him off. Then I got a pedicure. It was relaxing and took my mind off of the somewhat lost little boy on the playground that I left just a short while ago.

I'm starting to remember that list of 1,001 things and hope to get to three of them today. This won't be so bad after all. I just hope Gusi's day is going better as well.

His Big, Wide World

Gusi has been a trooper. I haven't been so religious about keeping up with the blogging lately, but in my defense it has a lot to do with being a temporary single parent.

We flew "home" to the US two and a half weeks ago. Gusi actually did really well, though he didn't sleep as much as I had hoped on the plane. He's had some difficulties adjusting to the many changes that have been thrown at him, but he seems to be finding his rhythm now. It can't be easy to be two years old, switch continents, languages, friends, leave your father behind and start all over in a new place, even if it is an old place since you can't remember it. Sure he was born here and lived here for a year and a half before leaving for Senegal, but Dakar is his home, it's what he knows best. He asks about his friends, our gardener, our housekeeper and tells me how he's going to ride his tricycle down to the Plateau (the city centre of Dakar). This country, his birthplace, is the foreign one now.

So, now that's he's been on a number of flights and passed through security check points and adapted and re-adapted to life's many curve balls, he's now starting yet another new chapter: preschool. We had been preparing him for months about this: as soon as he got to the US, he'd go to school to play and learn. He was excited and for a while there, he'd even go to the potty since he wanted to be a big kid who went to school. (Unfortunately, the move back to the US has been too much and the potty training has been side lined for now.)

Today, this morning, just over an hour ago, Gusi started his first day of preschool. I thought it would all go smoothly since he'd been so excited about it for so long. When we went to visit the school he shooed me away and cried when we left--but that was just for half an hour while I talked to the director. Today, he was holding on to my dress, my legs, wanting to be held. When the teachers took the kids out onto the playground, he cautiously went along. He was excited to see the bicycles and jungle gym, but didn't want me out of his sight. I managed to slip away. I thought I'd talk to the assistant to finalize all his paperwork, but she wasn't in yet. I could wait 40 minutes in agonizing pain or leave and come back early to talk to her. I tried to leave, but I was frozen. I wanted to see how Gusi was doing. They told me I could watch on one of the security cameras, but I couldn't find him. I went back to the playground, caught the eye of one of the teachers. I shrugged my shoulders and gave a thumbs up and thumbs down to ask her from afar how things were going. She put out her hand and moved it left and right: so-so. I wanted to cry. I looked closer and Gusi was right at her pant leg. He carefully moved away and climbed up the jungle gym to see what was going on. One of the teachers came over and told me that he had started crying and when she went to pick him up he swatted at her. He got a time out for that but calmed down quickly. He was now adjusting to his new environment. The teacher told me that it was his first day and that eventually he would get used to it, not to worry. I thanked her and walked out.

As I climbed into the car the tears started welling in my eyes. Even though I've been thinking about the 1,001 things that I need to get done while Gusi's in school, I couldn't think of one that I could do at that very moment. I called my husband who's out in the middle of nowhere in Senegal on business. His voice calmed me down enough to start the car and drive back to our apartment.

The house is empty. The blinds in my room still open from where Gusi was playing there earlier. My son is growing up. Others will start to have an influence on his life, something I will have limited control over. I will soon have another baby which will consume all the spare time I have. How will Gusi react? How will his brother fare? How will I manage? Our life here isn't permanent and our real life awaits us in Dakar in three months' time. What then? Gusi's life is changing and so is mine. Can we successfully adapt and manage?

Time is passing and it is most evident by monumental changes like starting preschool. I'll be fine. I'll leave in a little while to pick up a special toy for him to celebrate his first day of school. That's about all I can think of right now. Oh, and maybe we'll spend the afternoon at the pool today. Some quality time will do us both good. In the meantime I'll try to write down a list of those 1,001 things so I'm not caught like a dear in headlights tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, when he goes back to preschool. Again.

African Showers

This past weekend, our friends threw us a baby shower. They were not only quite generous with their time in preparing a wonderful get together, but they included a Senegalese flair to the entire event.

Sure they had the typical crudites and appetizers that one has for a party, but since I had requested one of my favorite dishes, theibou-djaga, the main course was totally Senegalese. Thiebou-djien and theibou-djaga are both rice and fish dishes and for many at the party it was the first time they had tried it. Incredible since all of them have been here longer than we have!

The best part was the music. Our friends throwing the shower had gotten a traditional African music group to come perform. Gusi, Papi and I loved it. What a great send-off. This little one was "made in Africa", loves his thieb (via my taste buds) and moved to the beat of the djembe drums that were beating that day. All four of us had a great time at the shower.

I told our friends that this was better than Gusi's shower because it was a uniquely flavored family event. The music, the food, the friends, the families all getting together to celebrate us was quite special. I will be happy to return to Dakar after the birth knowing that I am coming home to such a loving group of people.

Words to Ignore

Gusi is a brilliant little boy. He is also a happy one who is entertaining me in ways I never expected. Lately he is into telling me in no uncertain terms, what he does not want to do. At first I would argue with him or try to convince him that he needed to do them anyway; now I just nod my head and keep going with the program.

Me: Gusi, it's time for lunch, let's wash up.
Gusi: No, Mami, Gusi doesn't want to wash up and Gusi doesn't want to eat lunch.
Me: Oh, then we'll just go straight to nap time.
Gusi: No, Mami, Gusi doesn't want to take a nap.
Me: Really, well then let's wash up for lunch. I'll race you to the bathroom, let's see who wins!

we run down the hall to the bathroom

Me: Gusi, you won! What a fast boy you are. I bet you can wash your hands really fast too.
Gusi: No, Mami, Gusi doesn't want to wash his hands, Gusi doesn't want to eat lunch.
Me: Ok, then let's go for your nap.

he climbs up onto step ladder and puts his hands out to wash them

Gusi: No, Mami, Gusi is hungry, Gusi doesn't want nap time.
Me: Good thing that lunch is ready then.

we wash our hands and race back to the kitchen

Gusi: Mami, Gusi wants Jell-O for lunch.
Me: Sure Gusi, you can get Jell-O as soon as you eat your rice and fish.
Gusi: No, Mami, Gusi only wants Jell-O.
Me: Too bad, because for the children that finish their bowl of rice and fish, I've got some yummy grapes as a reward.
Gusi: Mami, Gusi wants grapes! Gusi wants a reward!
Me: Ok, then let's have some lunch! Big smile
Gusi: Ok! And then we can have some grapes?
Me: Sure.

he manages to eat lunch, forget about the Jell-O and chow down on the grapes

Gusi: Mami, Gusi doesn't want to take a nap.
Me: Ok, then let's go brush our teeth and wash our hands.

he brushes his teeth, washes his hands and walks straight to his bedroom without hesitation

Gusi: Mami, Gusi wants to sleep with Mami in her bed.
Me: I'll tell you a story before your nap and then let you take a book into your crib to read if you want.

Gusi climbs into my lap, I proceed to make up a story about a turtle living in Africa who was very good at taking naps and help him into his crib with a book

Gusi: Nite-nite Mami.
Me: Sweet dreams my love.

Big Bellied Mama

Today as I was trying to convince Gusi that going in his little potty was a good thing, I got sidetracked when he saw my belly (I was tugging at my shirt). He wanted to see the whole belly, so I obliged him. Then he wanted to touch it, so I knelt down for him to do so. I have started my third trimester so the belly is big, or as a t-shirt I have says "bellylicious". Gusi was all smiles. He said his baby brother was inside the belly. I am finally convinced that the boy gets it. He gets that there is a baby growing inside me. I keep telling him that he was once in my belly and was once a little baby, but that seems to still escape him.

In the meantime, I am getting ready for our departure from Senegal for what will likely be a four month stay in the US. I realize that I'll be home for the 4th of July, summer weather, campaign madness and the Olympics, not just the birth of my second son. Although we've been gone nine months, I'm sure a lot will have changed. There will be that "catch up" period where I'm realizing that the places I went to before are no longer open and it will be incredibly eye-opening for Gusi who has all but forgotten his home town.

During the next two weeks I'll be attending going-away parties, lunches and dinners. Lots of folks will be leaving Dakar permanently, some off to Sri Lanka, some to Mauritania, some to Moscow, some to London, still others back to the US. And then there's us. Gusi and I will be leaving in less than two weeks. I am more nervous about being at the airport at midnight and waiting around for the airplane than I am about the actual flight to the US. It's the airport time that gets you with Gusi--he wants to explore, roam, run, anything but sit still. And with my big belly, it's just not going to be easy. I hope he decides to take pity on me and sleep all the way from door to door. If only it were that easy.

A Plane to Spain

I've been out of touch for a while now and hope to get back on track with the blog before being thrown off the track again with the upcoming birth of Gusi's little brother.

Recently we took a family vacation to Spain. To Barcelona to be exact. It was a chance for Papi to get a break from work, for Gusi to hear Spanish being spoken by people other than his parents and for me to dip my toes in "first world" life again.

Weeks previous to our trip I researched where might be a good place to take a family vacation. We had thought of a resort in Cyprus, Turkey, Corsica or Greece but ruled those out when we saw that the temperatures would not be beach weather. Besides, we've got resorts and beaches here in Senegal, why go so far for what we can essentially get here? So, we decided on continental Europe. Yes, madness I know, since the USD is so low compared to the Euro, but we really thought it would be worth it (and it was). I looked around online and found a list of the top child-friendly cities around the world and Barcelona was at the top for the European cities. BINGO. They have an aquarium, a zoo, Güell Park, museums, a metro, buses, everything to make our stay pleasant.

I even found this site kidsinbarcelona.com which I really liked. They give advice and support to families moving to Barcelona as well as valuable information to tourists with kids. Their lists of possible kids' activities, parks and message board forum provide loads of information.

We agreed this would be an easy place to go to. I put together a tentative schedule that would allow Gusi some fun activities (the Science Museum, the zoo, the aquarium) and Papi and I some cultural ones (the Picasso Museum, the Joan Miro Foundation). Gusi was more excited about the possibility of riding on a train (ok, the metro), a bus, and strolling the streets in his stroller. Dakar isn't easy when it comes to using a stroller. There's tons of sand and my umbrella stroller gets stuck quite easily. Note to self: we'll be needing an "all terrain" stroller with two seats upon our return this fall.

The plane left Dakar well after bed time, but Gusi was wound up about going on a plane that he couldn't possibly sleep. He finally fell asleep on my belly, so I guess you can say that he and his brother were napping together for the first time.

When we finally got there, Gusi was so excited to see new things. Look Mami, tall buildings! Yes dear, there are lots of them here. Look Mami, what's that? Recycling bins so people can put their containers and newspapers in them and they will be turned into something else. (I'd have never thought they were interesting but hey, I've seen plenty of them and he hasn't.) He was also amazed that everyone spoke Spanish. He commented several times to me during our trip that the whole world speaks Spanish in Barcelona. Yes, son, that's one of the reasons we came here, so you could hear more people speaking your mother tongue.

I must say that he did quite well (looking back on it) at the museums. He wanted to listen to his own handset when we went to Gaudí's Casa Batlló, he watched the screen showing how Picasso transformed Velazquez's Las Meninas into his own for almost an entire hour at the Picasso Museum, and he would point out things like the bell tower on the cathedral. Of course, he is two years old, so after spending two hours waiting in line to get in at the Fundació Joan Miró, going inside was challenging. There were lots of screams of "CIAO CIAO MIRO" which is Gusi's way of saying "buzz off Miró". But I have to thank my dear, loving husband who graciously took Gusi and entertained him so I could enjoy the museum. Miró has always been one of my favorite artists and I had never seen the pieces in this collection before, so it was a treat to have some time to myself to explore.

We also did some shopping. We had to get Gusi a jacket (don't need one here in Dakar) and some shoes (he's usually in sandals or Crocs) to keep his feet warm. When we took him to the department store all the saleswomen doted on him. Ay, pero que guapo que es el niño. (The boy is so handsome.) Of course, even the men at the neighborhood bar where we had breakfast were commenting on how beautiful our son is. That's just being Spanish...they always comment on how handsome this or that person is and Gusi loved it though he was timid while they were talking to him.

We also managed to buy a decent toaster for our house in Dakar. And a night light for Gusi's bedroom. Papi wanted to upgrade our toaster, so we did and Gusi hadn't been sleeping well in his crib before leaving Dakar so I thought the night light would be helpful, and it has been. It was random odds and ends that we got and/or enjoyed while there. Like strawberries, sweet, large strawberries. We all chowed down on those. The joy was in the details.

Gusi did quite well sleeping in his own room and in a bed. We rented a two bedroom flat so that we could have space as well as kitchen and laundry facilities. It worked out well. Gusi slept in his room, we had breakfast and snack foods in the kitchen and did laundry whenever we needed to.

There did come a point when we noticed that he was missing home. He would wake up telling us how he had gone to play in the garden with Tony and then walked to the beach. I can only decipher that this meant he was dreaming of home. We told him the day before we were leaving that we'd be going back to Dakar and he was quite happy. While we could see that he had had fun in Barcelona, to him his memory is all about Dakar, this is home, this is where he is happiest. And frankly, for all the comforts of living in the "first world", I missed Dakar too. I now realize that we have a HUGE house (how do Europeans live in those cramped apartments?), a wonderful garden, two people who work for us who care for our son, and a tranquil lifestyle. We live the life that many Americans in the 1950s did: you know your neighbor, you socialize with your friends on a regular basis, you bake from scratch, you cook seasonally, your kids play in the street, you take things one day at a time.

I am looking forward to going back to the US in a few short weeks, but it will be different. I've been in Dakar almost 9 months now. I've been reborn in those months in a manner of speaking. I don't always find what I'm looking for, so I have Plan B, C and D ready. This used to frustrate me incredibly but now it is becoming second nature. No pork loin at the butcher's? Ok, then have beef bourguignon. Never made it before? No problem, that's what the internet is for. We make our own pizza from scratch, we grow some of our own vegetables and we see our friends every single day. I haven't been this social since...well, never probably. So, the US will be familiar in how to get things done and where to go for things I need, but my life there won't be easier because of it. Life will simply be more convenient. I wonder how Gusi will do with the transition.

A Jumping We Will Go

I've found a new way to exhaust my son and allow him to realize that yes, he still does need to nap: the trampolines at the frites on the Corniche. This is probably the most gorgeous site where a trampoline business has ever been built: right next to a small cliff overlooking the ocean with waves crashing and all. Kids from all over Dakar come to the frites (since the trampolines are right next to these huge columns that everyone popularly refers to as the french fries) to enjoy the eight trampolines, Gusi included.

On Sunday we took him down there before our lunch downtown. It was a busy day with lots of kids waiting in line. He jumped for 15 minutes at a whopping 500CFA (about $1.20) with his father on the sideline. He didn't want to go up alone so his papa went up with him. Once Gusi got the hang of it though, and saw that the other kids were going solo, he managed quite well on his own. The problem was that the 15 minutes went by fast and there was another herd of kids waiting in the wings. Gusi sat out, unhappily, but rejoiced once their 15 minutes were up and he was back on the trampolines again. He was so red from the heat and sun. This little tomato among all these Senegalese children. Note to self: sunblock is necessary when at the trampolines.

Today we went with our French friend and her two little girls. The girls are older than Gusi and their French is obviously better, but he understood the game they were playing on the trampolines. We were the only ones there today, two moms and three kids, so the kids jumped for 30 minutes uninterrupted. The two little girls (3 and 7) would jump from one trampoline to the next (there's a pad about two feet wide that separates each trampoline but the 7 year old was able to clear it) and were calling to Gusi to do the same. He is too little to do that, but he would stop, walk across the pad and keep jumping. He loved it and would call out to the girls as he would move to the next trampoline. My friend and I just smiled as we watched the kids play.

It was a delightful afternoon by the seaside. Gusi napped really well both times so I think we'll have to make a habit out of going there.

Two Minutes

He really is a little sponge. This morning Gusi woke up early--5am early. (I now realize he probably woke up so early due to the sopping wet diaper we found him in.) Papi brought him to our bed, changed his diaper and we all went back to sleep. At 6:40am Gusi woke us up with kisses and proudly told us he had slept all night in his crib. Uh-huh, so why are you in our bed?

Then he turned to his father and said: Papi, Gusi is hungry, let's go eat.

Papi: Gusi, ask Mami to give you breakfast.

Gusi: Mami, Gusi is hungry, come eat with Gusi.

Me: Two minutes, give me two minutes.

Gusi (turning to Papi): Papi come with Gusi, Mami needs two minutes.

Big smile on my part.

Then this afternoon after he refused to nap in his crib, but slept like a log in our bed, I went in to wake him up. I woke him up with a shower of kisses to which he would smile while still keeping his eyes closed.

I finally said: Gusi, wake up, let's go play.

Gusi: Mami, two minutes, just give me two minutes.

I couldn't help but smile.

My Pending Second Annual Review

I realize that I am late on writing up my annual review this year. It's been two years now that I've been at this mom thing. Considering my son hasn't bitten anyone's ear and drawn blood nor repeatedly beaten anyone over the head with a wooden toy (yes, one of the boys in our play group has done this and more, much to the horror of all around), I'd say he's doing pretty good. I'll have to write something more detailed soon.

I Should Be Dancing

Ever since we went to our friend's house on Holy Saturday for a typical Senegalese dinner and bon voyage (for their family returning to the US after their holidays) party, Gusi has been inspired to break dance. See, at Tina's house she had asked for 3 or 4 musicians to come play to bid her in-laws farewell. Instead she got 10 musicians, including some Guinean calabash playing-break dancers. Gusi loved it. Now when he asks us to put on some music he gets down on the ground and starts to tumble or log-roll around. It's quite cute. I think we'll be signing him up for gym classes in the US this summer.

It's Been a Whirl

The last several weeks have flown by. Grandpa and Grandma came for a visit, I got medevaced, Auntie Megan came, we took a family vacation around Senegal, we celebrated Gusi's birthday, the family left and now life is getting back to what it was before.

Our family vacation ended up being quite an adventure. We went to St. Louis, the old capital of Senegal for a few days. Our car ended up getting vandalized while it sat parked RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE LOBBY all night. They tried to steal our diesel by cutting the tube that leads from the spout where you fill up your tank to the actual tank under the car. We found the hose wrapped around our back tires early one morning, but after smelling the hose we knew they didn't get anything. Still, it didn't occur to us that they had CUT the tube; we thought they tried to jimmy open the door to siphon it off from the outside, not underneath the car. It wasn't until we were on our way out of St. Louis filling up the tank that we realized it was spilling and not going into the tank. That meant driving back to St. Louis to find a Toyota dealership to see if they had the part. Everything ended up being closed for a long weekend, but a mechanic came by on his moped and clamped on a metal pipe onto the cut tube and off we went. It was an exercise in patience for all of us.

Of course, the fun didn't start or stop there. The day we went to the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary was unforgettable. We had hired a guide and a car to take us there. We piled into a 7-seater Peugot. In case you've never had the pleasure, the car looks like a station wagon from the 1980s with a small third row seat. About 2/3 of the way there the car breaks down. Actually, something happens to the "tree-frame" (that's all we can get out of the translation) and we're stuck in the middle of nowhere but on a well-traveled road at least. Everyone gets out, Grandpa risks his life trying to stop a car coming down the road, Auntie Megan takes pictures of animals, Gusi plays race car driver with the steering wheel and I just roll my eyes at the luck we've drawn. Finally, someone takes pity on us and gives us a ride to the park in their pick-up truck; our guide meanwhile orders another car from St. Louis to pick us up after the bird park tour is over. We go on a boat ride, see thousands of birds, get a lot of sun and find our ride waiting for us when we return. Then we stop for lunch and continue on our journey. The suspicious part of all of this is that the same 7-seater Peugot now has an extra person that has tagged along with the driver. Hmm. This person seems to be telling the driver how to drive. Hmm. Why the hell are we squeezed in like this with no air conditioning and windows with no handles on them? We end up getting to the point where our first car broke down and stop. Uh, why has this guy been sitting in the same exact spot for 5 hours now? Our guide then informs us that the two drivers want to tie the broken-down Peugot to the one we're riding in and tow it all the way to St. Louis--another hour or so without the extra weight. NO WAY! Papi is adamant. The guide agrees with us and says we should continue and the first driver must wait for someone else to come. But the drivers are buddies and the second driver won't leave without towing his friend. Gusi is fast asleep through all this. The arguments occur outside the car in Wolof and get translated to Papi and I in French through our guide. NO WAY are we towing the car, it's not safe. So the first driver tells us to get out and wait for a car so his friend can tow him--he's tired of waiting. The second driver tells us to get out of his car and starts to tie the two cars' bumpers together. Papi tells him in no uncertain terms that if he ties the cars together or dumps us here (with two seniors, a sleeping child and a pregnant woman in the bunch) in the middle of nowhere he will go directly to the police in St. Louis where these matters will be settled the hard way. The second driver relents; the first driver curses and our guide shrinks with embarrassment. As luck would have it, a tour bus full of French tourists slows down as it approaches us. Our guide and the tour bus guide are friends and have room to give us a lift back to St. Louis so we climb in. When we get back to the hotel our guide tells us that in 8 years of doing this, nothing like this has ever happened to him. We tell him it wasn't his fault but Papi reflects on what would have happened if we had taken our car? As it turns out, with the cut gas tube, it could have been extremely dangerous.

So, we were all a bit happy to finally leave St. Louis and Murphy's Law behind us. From there we went to Sine Saloum to a small resort. We relaxed and had a nice time, chatting, swimming and taking boat/kayak rides.

It was kind of a relief to get back to Dakar. I'd traveled around Africa before for work and had these types of encounters of the African kind and realized that I was glad I didn't have to deal with this anymore. It was good to be home. But (what was I thinking?) the next day I had planned Gusi's birthday party so we were in full party-preparation mode. The party went well. Gusi was sung "Happy Birthday" to in English, French and Spanish; he stuck to his cupcake diet quite well and the families that came seemed to enjoy themselves.

Then Auntie Megan left. Tears were shed by Gusi since he grew close to her during her short stay. Then we had a series of Easter parties. Then Grandma & Grandpa left. Gusi kept saying that he was going on the airplane to Arizona too and would take his backpack.

So after all this, we are trying to settle down. I realize that it will be short-lived because in just 10 weeks we will be going home to the US. I've got a lot to do before then. A LOT. And so the rat race continues.

Bump-itty-Bump

When I was pregnant with Gusi, my friend Natalie warned me that one day you fit into your clothes and the next morning you wake up and don't. I didn't really believe her until I experienced it for myself. Now I can say that from last week to this one I feel my body growing incredibly fast--expanding in ways I had forgotten. Looking back on it, it was also around this time that I felt my body morph when I was pregnant with Gusi.

It has gotten to the point that people who haven't seen me in a few weeks and didn't know I was pregnant, are surprised to see me. Today I saw a Franco-German friend of mine who I hadn't seen in about 3 weeks; she widened her eyes when she saw me and I knew at that point that it was visible to everyone who knows me that I've got a bump. I'm just happy to have a healthy bump, so the fact that it's now visible just makes me even happier.

Take Your Vitamins

The good news is that Grandpa is better, just like new. The bad news is that we had a scare last week.

I haven't said too much about my pregnancy on this blog because I think that deep down (or perhaps not so deep down) I am a bit superstitious about counting chicks before they hatch. I will only feel comfortable once I can count all the fingers and toes for myself, and that won't be for a while yet.

On Monday I had a prenatal check up. Part of it entailed getting blood drawn for an AFP test. The best part was that even though Papi was traveling, Gusi came into the examining room with me and we both heard the baby's heart beat. Gusi was thrilled! So was I. Since then he's reminded me several times that he heard the baby's heart. How happy it makes me to see him participating in the pregnancy this way.

On Wednesday I got a phone call from the embassy doctor. The alfa-fetal protein test that had been done came back five times the normal level. This was not good. I knew from my earlier trip to London that Down Syndrome had been ruled out for this baby, but the doctor informed me that I would have to go back to London to rule out any neural tube defects. Since the AFP test is just a screening tool and not a diagnostic one, more tests had to be done especially after these types of blood results. I was terrified but I packed my bags anyway. That same night I caught a flight to London.

Thursday was spent running around without a compass. I barely spent time at the hotel, just enough to drop off my things and shower. Then I was off to the specialists. He did a high definition ultrasound and checked the baby from head to toe. They checked to see if the skin was closed over the spinal column, if the spine was a good shape all the way down, if the cerebellum was the proper shape. All was fine. Great in fact. The baby looked absolutely healthy from all angles. I told the sonographer that if she could find out what the gender was I'd like to know. Unfortunately the little munchkin was sitting cross-legged with the umbilical cord in between the legs so we could see nothing. Oh well, I thought. Then as I was getting up from the table, she remembered that she had forgotten to take some head measurements. I hopped back on the table and she took the measurements. This time the OB walked over. They both smiled and said "there's the willy". It's a boy? Yes. It's a boy. And he's healthy? You're positive of this? Yes, he's perfectly healthy, go home. I was so relieved. I called Papi and told him the news and then I got ready to go home the next morning.

So why does this blog title mention vitamins? Because the folic acid found in prenatal vitamins can prevent the vast majority of neural tube defects, but only if you take it before you get pregnant. In fact, once you find out you are pregnant it is usually too late to change anything. What's high in folic acid aside from prenatal vitamins? Leafy greens, fortified cereals, oranges, strawberries, liver, eggs and beans. But diet alone is not enough for women of reproductive age; supplements are necessary in the form of prenatal vitamins.

If it's one thing I hate it's taking those horse pills called prenatal vitamins, but it is such a small sacrifice of comfort in the end. We do so much for our kids already, this is a piece of cake.

No Great Bienvenue

For those of you that have never had the pleasure of being so sick that you have to take oral rehydration solution (ORS), consider yourself lucky. Many times, during my travels across Africa, I have had to force myself to drink this for my own health. For an adult the quantity is 1 liter and it tastes a lot like salt water, so drinking 1 liter of it seems almost impossible when you are sick. The trick, I've now learned, is to drink it when it's ice cold.

So, I bring all of this up because Grandpa has fallen ill. Africa often bestows her bienvenue in the most inhospitable ways. This morning Gusi and I found out that Grandpa had had a rough night, and consequently so had Grandma. Gusi immediately suggested medicine to make Grandpa feel better. I agreed with him, so with ORS, some fever reducers (since he had a high fever) and a course of antibiotics, Grandpa is hopefully on his way to recovery. But what really cracks me up is that when he sees his Grandpa not feeling so well, he tells me to give him some medicine. At one point he told me that Grandpa would be very brave if he took his medicine--something that we always tell him when he takes his anti-malaria medicine. I guess he's paying attention to our advice after all.

But the cutest part of the day was when it was time to give good night kisses. He didn't want to leave anyone out (PapaGus is traveling so he didn't get a smooch). Gusi jumped out of his chair and said that he had to give Grandpa a good night kiss, so he jetted down the hall to their room, woke the poor man up, gave him a kiss and zoomed back to his room. There he gave Grandma and I kisses and said I love you Mami to boot. I hope Grandpa gets better soon.