Memorial Day on the Farm

Wow....what a busy weekend.  It might have been a bit too much, in fact, for all of us.  No naps....late nights and one cranky Mommy by the end of it all.  But, remember there are two kids and just one Mommy....and that is exhausting!

Today is memorial day in the U.S.  It is a day to remember those who have died defending this country.  I'm still a little young to understand all that and am pretty new to the country, but I did learn about something important to the States today.....we went to a real working American farm, Ardenwood Farm.

 

They had so many fun things for kids.  I fed the sheep, got scared by a turkey, kissed a tractor (I REALLY like tractors) and learned how to walk on wooden sticks. 

Happy Memorial Day everyone...

A birthday Adventure Safari

We went on an adventure safari for Bada's birthday today....to the Oakland zoo.  I was so excited and kept calling it my adventure safari.  We saw all kinds of animals....of course, I have seen many of them myself on safari in East Africa, but I always love to see the animals.  AND, the zoo lets me walk and run instead of just sit in a car...and there are places to play....and, I get to be with my whole family.

Happy Birthday Bada....thanks for a great safari.

Baking a cake for Bada

Tomorrow is her birthday, so today we had to get busy making our famous cake.  Uncle Gogo put the ingrediants in the bowl and Mommy and I mixed.  Then, we greased the pan, poured the cake batter and let it bake.  I really really wanted to eat that cake today, but I had to settle for a few bites of the batter....not nearly as good!  I can't wait for tomorrow....Birthday time!

Meeting Zayd and Nicole

Today we met some new friends.  Well, for my Mommy it was meeting an old law school friend.  We all went to the Children's Museum in San Jose.  Nicole was able to get us free passes to go...thanks so much Nicole, I had a blast!  There were fire trucks, helper trucks (though I guess they are called Ambulences, I heard Mommy tell Nicole that I call ambulences, helper trucks....they are, arent' they??). 

There was a water play area, a toddler area and a food play area.  There were sooooo many things to do and to play with there that I couldn't possibly have seen them all.  But, then we had to leave....and I must say I nearly had as much fun running in the grass outside the museum with my pal, Zayd, as I did in the museum itself.  Thanks Nicole and Zayd for a really really fun morning!

Hanging with Goges...

I've shortened my given name for Uncle Gogo even further.  Often when I see him now, I say, "Hey Goges....what's happening". 

Goges let me ride on his skateboard with him...sitting down and going way too slowly in the driveway, but still...it was really fun!

Barefoot Over the Serengeti

I love to read.  I ask my Mommy several times a day to sit and read with me.  Most times its my books that I want to read....some of my favorites are, "If I were a lion", "Where the Wild Things Are", "An African Princess" (we change it to Prince), and "Baby Owls". 

Sometimes I want Mommy to read her book out loud to me.  I used to ask her to do this a lot when we were in Tanzania.  I would play with my blocks or my train on the floor and ask Mommy to read out loud to me.  If she stopped I would say, "Please read Mommy".  This sometimes drove my poor Uncle Gogo CRAZY.  But, I learned a lot about farming and eating because much of my Mommy's book, The Omnivores Dilemma, was read out loud to me. 

Now my Mommy has been reading, "Barefoot Over the Serengeti".  I asked her to read it out loud and figured out that it is about life in Africa and the Masai!  Now, I want her to read it to me ALL the time.  We sit in bed at night and she reads me 10 pages every night.  I sit and listen enthralled.  I really hope it never ends!

I'm riding a cow mommy, I'm riding a cow!

Street Art

A few weeks ago I went with my family to see the work of the street artist, Banksy.  I loved it.  Mommy got Clara Shei and I some chalk to use outside, and we had a really fun morning of drawing and playing outside and developing our artistic side.  Oh, and we learned how to play hopscotch! 

I smell you....

I have become obssessed by all things smelly.  That might be a good smell or a bad smell, but I haven't yet decided to tell people whether I am enjoying the smell or not.  For example....when Mommy get out of the shower and puts on lotion, I go right up to her, take her hand or her hair and breathe in a good whif.  Then, I proclaim, "You smell Mommy".  Only recently did Mommy decide to ask me if I like the smell or not.  When I like it I tell her yes and when I don't I tell her that too. 

I woke my Mommy up to the beautiful sound of my voice loudly stating, "I STINK Shei Shei, I STINK".  That was my not so subtle way of telling my Mom that I pooped in my diaper overnight and need to get it OFF of me. 

So, beware, when you come near, I'll let you know what I think of your smell. 

Bada's Mother Day Gift

For Mother's Day, Clara Shei and I gave Bada snap dragons to plant in her garden. They are one of Bada's favorites and my Mommy's most favorite flower.  I love to put my finger inside the dragons mouth and have it snap my finger.  So fun!

Also, Mommy wanted to plant an herb garden so we can have fresh rosemary and basel to cook with. 

So.....this afternoon we did  little gardening.  I had fun....Mommy and Bada might say TOO much fun as I had a hard time listening and not eating the dirt.  Between my sisters mess and my trying to eat my dinner from the garden, we didn't get all the gardening done before Mommy and Bada had enough and said we would have to do the rest of it later.  Still, we had a great time, and now I get to look forward to more gardening to come.

Happy Mother's Day Mommy and Bada.  I love you!

The library!

Today I took a trip to the library for the first time.  For those of you who don't know, or who have forgotten what it is....it's pretty magical.  There are SOOOO many books there, and magazines, and movies and music.  Oh my goodness....more than you can ever imagine.  AND, I can look at any of it (well, almost any of it), that I want while I am there.  AND, if I want, the library will let me 'borrow' a book or some music to take home and read or listen to or watch.  Wow....this U.S. goverment has something going for it.  I hear Mommy complaining an awful lot about our government, homeland security, and something called a 'two party system' that she disagrees with.  But, I hope she remembers how great some parts of the US government are.  Not everyone is so lucky as to live in a country with government services like these.

Today, Mommy let Clara Shei and I each pick one book to check out to start with.  I found a book from Tanzania in the shelves!  I even own the book, it is about the masai....me!  I think it's pretty cool that they have a book all the way from East Africa in a library in Northern California. BUT....since I own the book at home and have read it a gazillion times, I chose a different book to check out.  It's all about having a picnic with jungle animals!  I can't wait to read it more thoroughly tonight.  I'll let you know what I think!

Thank goodness for volunteers

Today we got to meet up with someone who has really made a difference.  Nike is from Germany and she volunteered at Cradle of Love during the summer of 08, when I was still a little baby boy.  She and her other volunteer friends took care of me during that summer before my Mommy was able to come and find me.  How special and important she and her friends are.  They gave me love and laughter, cuddles and comfort when I needed it most and didn't have a mommy to do it for me.  So, for me and my friends at Cradle of Love, these volunteers had a huge impact on the beginning of our lives, teaching us how to love and trust other people.  What's more, when Mommy brought me home, these wonderful volunteers contacted Mommy with stories about me and photos of me which are so special and important for both my Mommy and me to have.  I can never repay them for all that they gave me that summer.  And, I'm so happy that I can still know many of them through the internet. 

It is especially special to get to meet these ladies.  Nike came back to Arusha last summer to volunteer for a human rights NGO and while she was there, she came to visit us.  Now, she is studying as an exchange student at Berkeley and so we got to meet her for lunch and playtime at the science center.  I really had fun seeing her.  I did NOT behave well for the camera though, and so the photos from today are not great.  It was just too much fun to stay still for the camera! 

In any case, thank you for taking good care of me when I was a little boy and for sharing your memories of me with my Mommy who can forever cherish them for me. 

My Mommy...

The gift I give her at least a few times EVERY day:  "I love you SO MUCH Mommy".

Happy Mothers Day Mommy.  I love you soooo much!