20/20

I never thought my formal education would mean so many mani/pedis. Or rather, I thought that the mani/pedis would be for me, not me doing them to someone else. Now that someone else has become two other someone elses.

Between yesterday and today I've done 20 toes and 20 fingers. It has not been easy. I've needed to negotiate with Gusi--just the toes today Mami, later we'll do the fingers. And with the baby I've just had to wrestle him into submission which he hates just as much as I do. At least they can't scratch me very hard if they decide to turn on me.

I'm good for about 48 hours before the process begins again. Lucky me.

End of the Season

Two of Gusi's classmates have already left Dakar. Their parents' jobs brought them here and have now taken them away. And most of his classmates are leaving Dakar before the end of the summer. It will be the last time he sees most of these children. It will be the last time I see most of their parents who have come to be my friends as well. It feels weird, like the day after Christmas when you wonder "now what?"

I Kid You Not

The baby is starting to walk. Yes. Walk. Already. He's nine months old. He's taking 6 to 7 steps. He can stand up for 10 seconds at a time by himself without support. I wasn't prepared for this. At all. At all.

It's Starting to Boil

The weather is getting hot again. I'm just glad I'm not pregnant at this go around. Luckily, we'll be going to the US in about a month for two months where people will complain about the heat and I'll count my lucky stars that every place you go into is air conditioned.

I look forward to being able to take the kids out and about and not have to worry if there will be a bathroom, changing table or high chair around. I'll be able to take my kids to parks, museums, the zoo, and so many other places that I used to take for granted.

It's not that I don't like it here in Senegal. I do. But I need a break. A break from negotiating every little detail--like how my tailor (normally very reliable) wants to jack up my prices and make me pay for his cab fare even though I'm almost certain he took the public transport to get to my house. Dealing with all the minutia of life here is boring and tedious, but it is what folks like to do here. I want to go where people are more efficient with their time and can cut to the chase. I want to prepare a meal for my family with ingredients like blueberries, portobello mushrooms, or salmon. I am so tired of apples and bananas and sorry, no mandarins this week or we don't know when we'll be getting grapes again. I want to binge on bing cherries, watermelon, peaches, kale, edamame, wild rice, turkey, tofu, sweet potatoes, Wisconsin cheddar, bagels, sour cream, raspberries, cream cheese, apricots, root beer, cottage cheese and so much more.

I want a reminder of all that I miss out on by living abroad. I hope it doesn't scare off my kids though. I know they will miss their home here in Senegal, their dad who won't be with us at the beginning, the staff that we see every day of the week, and Gusi will miss his friends. Still, I want a break; the heat is getting to me and flu pandemic or not, I want to go home and feel that I know how things are supposed to work. I want a break, even if it means giving up the comforts I've grown accostumed to in Senegal.

Need to Pay More Attention

When did that third tooth pop out? It's gotten out almost as much as the second one. Will keep an eye out for the fourth which is sure to come soon. Right?

It's Here!

The second tooth is finally here! I thought I felt it yesterday, but today I know it is definitely out. Also, today the baby took his first two crawling steps...does that make sense? Well, he crawled and then flopped on his belly and cried. The point is, he's moving around and is communicating more. I swear he can make the sign for "light" now, in a babbling sort of way, but I get it nonetheless. Brilliance, sheer brilliance.