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!

Life in America!

It's not too shabby.  What a great Saturday at the park.

A year ago today

I remember that day.  My Mommy was quite frantic and running around doing all kinds of errands with lawyers and stuff.  Then, in the afternoon, she came to get me and Uncle Gogo and we all drove out to Cradle of Love. Shei Shei came home with us that day.  I was soo interested in her and wanted to play but Mommy wouldn't let me do too much with her.  She was very little and we got her right to the doctor who seemed very concerned about her.  Even though she was 6 months old, she was only 3.5 kilos and couldn't hold her head up.  She spit up everything Mommy tried to put down her and what didn't come out that way, came out a different, even more disgusting way.  Mommy looked like she was trying to be excited about this homecoming, but was sort of freaking out and on the verge of tears. 

A year later, we've all come along way.  Both our adoptions have been finalized, we've been admitted to the US and are living here now getting used to our American ways.  I sometimes miss Africa and the people we love there and I tell my Mommy so.  I think she misses it sometimes too and I know she misses the people that we love there.  But, today, was a day to celebrate how far we've come and how happy we are NOW that Shei Shei is in our family. 

Today she is doing soooo much more than a year ago.  She is walking, she understands everything and has become an excellent partner in crime.  So, today, during the day, we went to Tilman park, a park in Berkeley where they have so many fun things to do for kids.  We went to the nature center and learned all about nature and the park area and the animals that live there.  And, we saw a working farm with all the animals and got to pet them a feed them as well. 

Tonight was cinco de mayo and so we went out for dinner with the whole family.  Shei Shei and I love bean burritos.  Mommy was really hoping we would, we didn't try them in Arusha as there really aren't any there.  But, Mommy LOVES mexican food and was really hoping that we would too.  And we do! 

Well, Happy Shei Shei de Mayo everyone!  Hope yours was as fun a celebration as our was.

My Slide!

I am pleased to announce that I now have my very own slide (OK, I have to share it with Shei Shei, but I'm trying REALLY hard to ignore that part).

Bada (or Bestamom, or Grandma for your north American English speakers out there) brought me home a slide and today the boys of the family put it all together so I can using my fantastic slide. Thanks Bada!

My First Art Lesson

The museum was the city of San Francisco and the art was fantastic.  I had so much fun searching the streets for the works of Banksy, a famous street artist.  In the middle of our hunt, we stopped in the Haight for some picnicking and some fun.  I haven't laughed like that in a long long time and it was soooo nice to get outside with my family and just have some fun.  Everything has been so serious and stressed out of late and it was really fun to run and laugh again for a day. 

Stay tuned for more of these days to come.  The sun is shining and life is looking up.

HOME

Boy, we have been so buys the past few months with lots of family commitments and a transcontinental move.  Mommy just hasn't given me much computer time. 

But, I have told Mommy that this is it!  I want my blog back.  So, stay tuned, I'm catching up my blog life and will be back soon. 

I've missed you all!