Another Church

Tweet

We went to a church dedication at Khongolote. I got to be part of the "Pass the Baby" game for the first time. This means someone takes me from Mommy and holds me for a while, then passes me on to someone else. This goes on until I cry and Mommy comes to rescue me. In about ten minutes it starts again. It is interesting to meet lots of people, but I like knowing Mommy is right there if I need her.

Then I decided I needed to eat during the service, so we went to the truck. There were too many kids around for me to concentrate on my meal for very long, so we "held court" and entertained the kids from my "throne" in the truck. Mommy and I made faces and played games with my monkey puppet. Every so often the truck alarm would go off and scare the kids away for a few seconds.

After the service Mommy passed out stickers to the kids. It's a good thing Daddy had me then, or I would have been crushed or stampeded on!

Puppy

Tweet

I got a puppy today! She's not really mine; we're just keeping her 'til my cousins get back. I miss my cousins!

Anyway, she's one of the puppies who was born here just after we moved here. She likes to lick my feet and hands - Mommy won't let her lick my face. And I like to pull her ear - it is nice and soft. I giggle when she licks me. I don't like to leave her and start fussing when I have to.

Border Crossing

Tweet

Today we went to South Africa and back. What this means is I get to sit in the car while it drives for a really long time. Then we get out at the Mozambique border, stand in a long line, get back in the car, drive a very short ways, get out at the South Africa border, stand in a long line, get back in the car, and drive a really long time to Nelspruit. Then we repeat the whole process coming back. Sometimes we spend longer at the border if we are bringing things in or out.

Today there weren't really any lines. We did have to wait while Daddy tried to get money back for a truck that had been imported. They wouldn't give him the money because the invoice didn't say "Tax Invoice"; only "Invoice." This is Africa, after all, and you must have all your rubber ducky stamps in a row to get anything done.

We got to go shopping, too. I like shopping and smiling at everybody. They all smile back and tell me how cute I am. Sometimes they call me a boy, though.

Walkin' on Water

Tweet

Today we went to the beach with my friends Isabella and Joshua. There were LOTS of people there.

Daddy took me on the boogie board, but I didn't like getting wet so much - it was cold. Then he helped me walk on water, and I really liked that!

One man brought over a big crab for us to look at. It disappeared really quick - it was the same color as the sand.

Computers

Tweet

I REALLY like computers. Actually, I like anything with buttons (remote controls, cell phones, etc.), but laptops have LOTS of buttons.

Mommy and Daddy are gonna get me my own computer one of these days. I'm not supposed to play with theirs, except when we're reading an online book and Mommy lets me press the button to turn the page.

I do manage to get to the buttons sometimes, though, by stretching really hard, and I am very good at the computer. I can do things Mommy and Daddy can't do. Once I got a long line to go across Daddy's monitor for a while - it finally went away.

Today I pressed some buttons on Mommy's computer. Later when she hooked up the printer, lots of paper kept coming out with stuff I had printed. It was very cool!

Blah Blah Day

Tweet

I've been practicing my sounds a lot. Some days it's bababababa; other days it's mamamamama. Today was a blah blah blah blah blah day. We all have some of those, don't we?

Learnin' to Share

Tweet

Today we visited my friend Christian. He is four months older than me, and he can get around!

His daddy is Darcy, the country ADRA director. His mommy Judy cooked a Peruvian meal that looked yummy, but they didn't give me any.

Anyway, I had lots of fun playing with his toys. A couple of times we wanted to play with the same toy, but usually he was really nice and let me play with it.

I have to learn to move around like him - crawlin' - here I come!!

Rutendo

Tweet

Sunday I went boogie boarding in the pool and even got wet this time.

Monday Rutendo came back. Yeah! Rutendo makes sure I have clean clothes, clean dishes, and a clean bathtub. She also plays with me sometimes when Mommy is busy working. She makes me smile with funny faces and noises. Anyway, she was gone to Zimbabwe for almost two weeks.

Wednesday morning Mommy and I took Rutendo to the hospital cuz her power was gone. Turns out she has malaria. Terrible stuff, I hear. And I thought mosquitoes were my friends. Mommy calls me a "mosquito burrito" after my bath when I'm wrapped in my towels.

I tried some avocado but it tastes strange to me.

The Kookaburra Song

Tweet

Daddy found a song that fits me pretty well. Here it is:

Kookaburra
Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree

Merry merry king of the bush is he

Laugh Kookaburra, laugh Kookaburra

Gay your life must be

Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree

Eating all the gumdrops he can see

Stop Kookaburra, stop Kookaburra

Leave some gums for me

Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree

Counting all the monkeys he can see

Stop Kookaburra, stop Kookaburra

That's no monkey, that's ME!!!

Papayas

Tweet

I ate papaya for the first time today. I kept saying "mmmmm" while eating it. Mommy says not every baby gets to eat it this early in life.

I also like rice cereal, butternut, sweet potatoes, carrots, pears, apples, peaches, and bananas. Any other recommendations to add to my menu, anyone?

Andre's Visit

Tweet

My daddy's cousin Andre came to visit me. I like him – he watched my do my routines with Daddy and played blocks with me. I played table tennis with him, but I think he beat me. I need to practice more.

We got to have him stay an extra day because "the system was down," so they wouldn't let him get on the plane before it left. Mommy says that is Africa.

Mr. Jeron came over and did kayak cartwheels in the pool. I want to try it, but we don't have a kayak my size, so I have to splash in the bathtub instead.

Boogie Boarding

Tweet

Daddy finally took me boogie boarding on the beach. Check out my video on MySpace! It was a little bit cold, but I hung on real good.

5 Months Old!

Tweet

It feels like years since I started writing this blog, back when I was still a baby, but it has only been one month. I am five months old today! I am very big and weigh about 19 lbs. I probably won't grow as fast anymore now that Ouma is gone. I miss my Ouma!

Anyway, we checked to make sure that I can do all the developmentally appropriate things, and I am passing with flying colors. I can sit all by myself foreeeeever (until I try to reach something beside me). I can finally roll over. I've been standing for months now (with a very little bit of help). I can make "agoo" sounds. I could certainly eat a teething biscuit by myself with my two teeth if Mommy would let me. I can even pick up a raisin with my fingers!

Missing Ouma

Tweet

Ouma! I miss my Ouma!

Yesterday we drove through Kruger National Park and saw LOTS of elephants all around us, some cape buffalo, and a hyena, as well as the crocodiles, hippos, baboons, and other regulars. As usual, the park was littered with impala. I don't quite get the point of going to the park, since the zebra, elephant, hippo, and giraffe on my crib mobile are much more colorful and make music, too!

I was all excited about sleeping in a tent again with everybody, but we didn't get to camp cuz the camps were full - instead we stayed in a guesthouse in Nelspruit.

And then today we drove to the airport and my Ouma left me. I don't know why!?

Mischievous Me

Tweet

I got into my first bit of mischief yesterday - with Ouma watching. I like Ouma!

I was in my walker in the kitchen and maneuvered to a low shelf with cloth napkins on it. I like my walker! Then I tasted them one by one and threw them on the floor. I had quite a nice pile of cloth on the floor when I was done! I was very proud of myself when Mommy came in and found me after finishing up in the office.

They weren't very tasty, though. Next time I should try some cookies or pizza - if only someone would leave them low enough for me to get to.