My ellala bed....

Finally....after a long wait, a LOT of money and an amzing amount of logistical stress....all our belongings have made it through the Somali pirates, half way around the world on a boat and to San Francisco.  Of course, the problem is that we don't know where we are going to live. So, even though we have all our amazing stuff here with us, we can't get it out or put it up.  We kept it all packed up in those boxes that the packing men in Tanzania put them in and put all our brown cardboard boxes in a storage.  oh my.....how disappointing. 

Still we managed to get a few of our favorites out.  My big boy bed is too big to manage, so that has to stay in storage.  But, we were able to get the ellala crib.  It was originally mine, but when Shei Shei came home, I share my crib with her and moved into my big boy bed.  I'm back in my ellala crib now.  And I LOVE it.  In fact, I was so excited about going to sleep in my ellala bed tonight that I cut reading time (which I LOVE) short tonight just to get into that bed.  Then, Mommy started in with prayers.  Usually she starts the prayer with, "Dear God" and then I come up with the general subject matters that I want to talk to God about that night, and Mommy fills them out into sentences for God to understand.  Except....tonight, she said, "Dear God" and I said, "A-Men".  Then, I jumped down and ran for my ellala crib!  Yay!!!!

Summer Camp

Today was my very first day of summer camp.  In fact, it was my first day ever to attend school.  Mommy got me up and ready and on my way with a sandwich and carrots all packed for lunch.  I was pretty excited to go and meet Ms. Evelyn.  She is soo nice. 

I had lots of fun...there were 5other little boys in my class today. We sang songs, and played a lot.  And, we went for a walking safari.  There were animals in the bushes (OK, there were paper cut outs of animals taped to the bushes....but just play the game) and we all walked in a line (while holding on to a rope) and found our animals. 

Ms. Lorienne was so nice and took lots of photos of me today (it helps that my Bada is a teacher here and she knows all the lady teachers).  She told my Bada that she was impressed by my knowledge of animals, colors and songs.  She took me to the bathroom today but we had a bit of a mishap.  She took me along with another little boy and while she was helping the other little boy, I pulled down my pants and got on the potty chair.  I was being such a big boy but then Ms. Lorienne and I discovered a problem.....I pulled down my pant but forgot to pull down my underwear.  I realize the problem and told her, "I went potty in my pants".  She started to tell me that I was a big boy going on the potty chair, but then she looked over and discovered the problem.  Oh dear.....but we tried. 

The County Fair

It was a family affair today....we spent the day together at the county fair.  It was my first time.  It will not be my last.

I visited many animals, rabbits, cows, sheep, goats, turkeys, pigs....if there is a farm animal, I saw it today.  We saw a few demonstrations featuring waterless cooking ware, and pondered the art of table setting and why one tea set gets a 4th place and other gets a second.  We just couldn't find the logic. 

We saw pig races, visisted a petting zoo with a kangaroo and a llama, and milked an imaginary cow.  What a day! 

The grown ups ate some yummy looking food like cheese on a stick, cinnamon rolls and lemonade.  However, mommy packed kids lunches full of healthy peanutbutter and mango/bannana sandwiches, soybeans and blueberrys.  I can't complain though.....I loved our lunch. 

I made friends everwhere I went today....from the grown ups I sat next to during the pig races - strangers I held hands with and petted much to their surprise, to the lady sweeping the barn yard who's bum I spontaneously turned around and kissed as we walked past, I was full of fun and socially awkward moves.  I like to keep my Mommy on her feet. 

I also walked through the halls saying, 'peace my people' (which sounds like I think I'm the next messiah, but really comes from a book I love to read about Wangari Matthai, the Noble Peace Prize winning environmentalist who teaches her people to plant trees and tells them, 'peace my people.')

 And, I tried talking to many strangers....here is an example, "hi lady....Lady......excuse me LADY...why won't that lady talk to me....LADY, excuse me.....etc".  hmmmm.....Mommy looked a little mortified, I don't really get what her problem was, but Shei Shei must have been doing something embarassing while I was trying to talk to the lady. 

All in all, we had a geat day!  Happy Fair Days!

Sushi!

Today Mommy and Bada took Shei Shei and I out for an international experience.....our first time eating sushi. 

Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious! 

I love it!!!!  crab and avocado and cucumber all rolled up into rice with seaweed.....I mean, seriously.....the only thing better than that is GINGER!  It was so tasty.  Mommy ordered a spicy tuna roll, a california roll, and a veggie roll.  I had one piece of the spicy tuna roll but it was too spicy for me.  Then, Shei Shei and proceded to eat the entire roll of veggie and the entire roll of california roll and almost all of the edemame. 

THAT is an experience I plan to have again.  America really does have some pretty cool stuff.  Who knew fish and seaweed could taste so good. 

The Lion King

With my new rhino sunglasses and my Simba (lion) hat, I am ready for an extreme safari....oh, if only I had Linda's defender and a forest full of baboons, I'd be all set.  Mama, can't we just go to Africa for the weekend???

Safari Njema everyone!

Just another day....

picnicking at the park, feeding the ducks, making mischief with my sister.  What could be better than a lazy day in California?

Mommy, are you talking to God?

Yesterday we had a long long drive in the car back from Napa with Shei Shei and Mommy.  Mommy was driving and Shei Shei was sleeping.  I was talking as I ALWAYS do with Mommy.  After about an hour Mommy said that she wanted some quiet time and asked me to be quiet for a little bit!  Well, can you imagine?

I really was flabergasted.  How come she didn't want to talk to me?  What in the world was she doing?  I pondered and pondered that question for a few minutes an then....

.....I found the answer!

And, I asked, "Mommy, are you talking to God?" 

a nap in Napa?

Shei Shei, Mommy and I went on an overnight adventure to meet one of Mommy's best friends, Meg and her daughter Celeste.  Celeste is almost 5.  She was less than impressed by me, but I'll win her over....just give me a few years.  I did have fun playing with Culder, he is 17 months old and the son of Penny and Karen.

I had so much fun and was enjoying every second of exploring the house, pool and yard that when Mommy tried to get me to nap, I just found it impossible.  Way too many fun things to see and do, and people to harass. 

Thanks for putting up with me you guys!  Oh, and Penny and Karen are two of Megs really good friends.  AND, they are fire fighters!  I LOVE fire trucks and fire engines and talk pretty constantly about them.  Karen is a fire fighter for Berkeley, just a few minutes away from where I live!  Maybe one of these days I could convince her to let me see her fire station and fire trucks etc.  How cool would that be????

Music...

MAKES MY WORLD GO ROUND


Now most kids like music and have fun dancing.  But....I REALLY LOVE it and music is an essential part of my daily life.  Mommy likes to listen to a lot of different kinds of music, and I have my favorites as well.

I love Bach and Chopin.

I love Zanzibari music (swahili with an arabic twist)

I love Swahili music.

I love French music (especially Edith Pilaf and Carla Bruni)

I love the sounds of Abba as heard on Mama Mia. 

I love songs from Mary Poppins (especially A Spoon Full of Sugar).

And, I love Masai music, as I do all things Masai.

This is just a sampling of my eclectic, yet highly refined music sensibility.  When I want a specific type of music, I will call out to Mommy, "I want French" or "Mama Mia please" or "Mommy classical please".  She is very happy that I am learning so many different types of music, but sometimes I get the feeling she wants to blow her brains out after the 30th rendition of Dancing Queen or her favorite, the chanting of the masai celebrations. No, it doesn't drive my mommy crazy at all.  She forgives me since I still love 'American Boy' by Estelle and Kanye West the best, or maybe that's her? 

I heart swimming

I want to do it EVERY day!

Our First Anniversary

One year ago today, Mommy got me up very early on a rainy morning, got me dressed in my cutest outfit with my jacket from Bada and she and I set out to meet Jeremiah, our lawyer and friend, at the courthouse steps.  We picked up my biological mom, Lillian, along the way and we all drove to the High Court in Arusha.  We waited and waited outside the judges chamber and finally, we were all called in to Judge Sambo's courtroom.  Mr Panga was there and we quickly went through the report of Panga and Judge Sambo gave the order.  I was officially named Akira Topher Bowman and legally became my Mommy's son.  Everyone was very happy and then we all went out to lunch to celebrate at Blue Heron.  Later, the whole family had dinner together at our favorite Indian restaurant at the Impala Hotel. 

This year is much less stressful for my Mommy.  We went out to lunch, just Mommy and me.  And, we played at the playground, and then we had milkshakes at Burger King, and tonight the whole family enjoyed some play time at the local mall where Shei Shei and I could run around and practice our summersaults. 

I love my life, my family (my whole family, biological and adoptive) and my Mommy.  Today we are so grateful to everyone in Arusha who supported and loved me enough to help me find my forever family.  We are forever indebted to our friend Jeremiah, who turned out to be the most loyal, hard working and good man and lawyer we could have ever hoped for....to all our friends, especially Linda, Kyle and Aiden who supported us and cheered for us every step of the way.....and to Lillian, my biological mother, who despite her very hard life, made such good choices for me from even before I was born and who acted with such love and selflessness for my best interest always.  We love you all. 

And to my Mommy.....I love you Mom, happy anniversary!