NOLA on My Mind

I bought two t-shirts for Papi and I today from Dirty Coast. I actually got some of the rather tamer ones since no one in Dakar would get any of the good ones (actually neither would Papi--it's a New Orleans kinda thing). I got to their website because they were mentioned in the New York Times this week. Of course, it's the weekend before Mardi Gras so New Orleans is doing what it does best: party. I wish we were home, even if it is cold, even if it would be a hassle to drag the baby to the parade routes, even if we were jet-lagged. I wish we could be there.

So, as I was daydreaming about being there and checking out my friend's flickr photos, I came across this wonderful photo. The message may seem funny to most but it is oh-so-New-Orleans-at-her-best. Thanks to Shokufeh for the brilliant idea of capturing it so those of us living far away from home can enjoy the moment too.

I'm a Bad Mama Jama

Did I mention that the Carl Carlton song "She's a Bad Mama Jama" was playing when I was pushing the baby into the world? I had my iPod playlist for the baby going and sure enough this was the song that was on when he came into this world. I don't know why I was thinking of that today, but I was.

Oh wait! Now I remember...because yesterday the baby turned six months old. Incredible how time flies.

Living Room Scrum

We don't have NFL or NBA or MLB on our satellite channels, instead we get soccer, rugby and cricket games. Lots of soccer--or football as it is called everywhere else in the world--and rugby and cricket. Our satellite comes in from South Africa so that may have something to do with it.

In any case, yesterday as we were hanging out in the house, the baby was napping and Gusi and his father were watching rugby. How Papi knows anything about rugby is beyond me since he's always told me that he was never into sports as a kid. I don't really believe him. Papi explained just about every move the players were making on the field to Gusi; why they did this, why it was advantageous to do that, etc. Gusi obviously picked up some of the basics because ever since then he and his father will pretend play rugby in the living room. They toss a pretend ball, they kick it and they even manage to get into a scrum (which looks to me a like a huge pile-up of bodies). Gusi loves it and so does Papi.

Somehow I never imagined my kids would grow up knowing anything about rugby, but I revel in the fact that Gusi and his father love it so. The baby just sits on my lap for now and watches, but I'm sure that as soon as he can he will join in as well.

Two Helpings

Today we were a bit off schedule. Gusi woke up several times during the night and seeing how Papi is in Switzerland for a conference, I am flying solo with the sleepless nights. Of course, when Gusi woke up just before 5am he managed to wake the baby up as well. Sigh. Gusi is coming down with a cold--again--so he was coughing quite a bit as he came to bed with me. (He actually wanted me to sleep in bed with him but his twin vs. my king is no match.)

As it turned out, all three of us ended up sleeping "late". Gusi found a position that allowed him to breathe and the baby and I fell asleep as he nursed. Before I knew it 7am creeped up on us and we got our day off. Eventually lunch time rolled around and Gusi wasn't hungry (surprise) and the baby was. I prepared him some squash with rice cereal; it was the second day he was having it and today he liked it much better than yesterday because he gobbled it all up. As I signed "all done" to him he began to cry and whine. I asked and signed "more?" and he kept crying. So, I prepared another helping. He gobbled that one up too. Incredible. I'm sure he would have wanted a third helping but Gusi came into the kitchen like a whirlwind and distracted the baby enough that I was able to get him out of his chair and interested in some toys in the living room. Still, he is growing, and I swear that it is happening faster this time around. Is is possible that time is going by faster? That the rotation of the earth is somehow just a bit quicker? Whatever it is, my baby is leaving behind his "exclusively breastfed" days and happily entering the world of solids...soon he will be toddling alongside his big brother who will be bigger yet. Amazing.

Batter Batter Swing

The baby has figured it out. He knows where the milk comes from and when he doesn't get it fast enough he starts batting for it. For several days now he's started pulling at my shirt, or at my bra or batted his little arm at me to hurry up and serve him his meal. I can't help but laugh and tell him to calm down. Of course his motor skills will only improve and if memory serves me, Gusi would yank my shirt away or would throw his head back "into position" refusing to budge until served, so I expect something similar to happen with the baby.

As for Gusi, these days we are reading Beatrix Potter. I got the complete edition of her works for the boys. Tonight we read the Tale of Peter Rabbit and the Tale of Benjamin Bunny. Gusi just gobbled them up. They are the perfect combination of short prose and drawings. Of course, there was a bit of fascination with the scarecrow as well as with the naughtiness of the main characters. Why are they naughty Mami? Good question. Not quite sure how to answer why children are naughty or why people are bad. Maybe Beatrix's other tales will point me in the right direction.

Take It Down a Notch

I realize that we need to take it down a notch--the crib that is. The baby has learned how to roll as a means of transport. Up until now he's rolled but didn't realize he could get anywhere this way. Now he does. His crib has been at the very top level (there are three). Today I realize that I have a new project for Papi. Granted I could do it myself and have done it myself in the past when Gusi was in the crib...ok, maybe I should say that I have a family project that Papi needs to be present for...does that sound better? In any case, the baby is pushing up on his arms and I'm not sure when he'll be rocking on all fours trying to go somewhere. So, to avoid any mishaps--like the baby propelling himself out of the crib--we'll just lower the crib mattress one notch...just as soon as Papi gets home.

Getting Out More

We are starting to get out a bit more. We are able to in part because the baby is sleeping well and Gusi can be reasoned with to some extent about an adults-only night out, but mainly we are able to go out because we now have a nanny. Elisabeth, or as Gusi pronounces it Lee-za-bef, is very good with the boys, so good that she is able to put Gusi to bed. Well, actually, he convinces her to sit in the chair in his room until he falls asleep, but still, that's better than anyone else here has ever been able to do.

This past weekend we went out with our Kenyan-Swedish friends. She's from Kenya and he's from Sweden and their son is Gusi's good friend and us parents have become friends too. They know the city hot spots quite well, so we've been tagging along for a few weekends now to some of the chic restaurants around town. Of course, they complain that most of their friends with small children don't go out at all because they don't have the sense to get a nanny (these friends brought theirs from Tanzania where they were last living); now we know what they mean.

Aside from being able to enjoy a meal with our friends, the boys are doing great. Gusi is now signed up for a tumbling class and is doing really well. He doesn't want to try the cartwheel yet, but is excited about learning the forward and the backward rolls. The baby is now sitting up on his own. He wobbles a bit but he's essentially got it. He seems to be developing similarly to Gusi so I wonder if he'll be crawling around the same time as Gusi did. Time will tell.

In any case, Gusi and I are planning a winter vacation for next year. Here's our list so far:
1. Must have snow.
2. Must have hot chocolate with marshmallows.
3. Must make snow angels and snowmen.
4. Must wear mittens, scarf, hat and boots to stay warm.
5. Must have snowball fight.
6. Must have reindeer.
7. Must take sleigh ride.
8. Must have beauty salon and spa close by. (that one's mine)
9. Must sing Christmas carols.
10. Must include family.