10 month happenings

When I got back from Yei, I discovered Toby had learned how to stand and even take a couple of steps, eat with a spoon, and get down off the bed or couch – all by himself! It’s amazing how quickly babies change! I had been teaching him for the past couple of months to get his feet over the side of the bed, since he had developed a propensity to pitch over onto his head. I’m relieved he finally got the hang of it.

Toby loves stories – especially picture of babies and kitties, who he waves at vigorously. He has figured out that the baby in the mirror is himself, and so also waves at baby Toby, and the picture of the baby on the shampoo bottle, etc. With the start of self-awareness comes a little more of fear of new people, and a few more tears when I or anyone leaves the house. When I come home he needs to spend some time hugging me, patting my back, and playing with my hair. When Baba comes home, Toby follows him around and does a little dance – head & butt shaking, and a huge grin plastered on his face. He points at things he likes or wants, and gestures for us to come to him. He loves the bath, and laughs uproariously when Leah runs in and out of the bathroom screaming & laughing. He’s still not sleeping through the night, but only wakes up momentarily while we rock him back to sleep. He’s most comfortable sleeping with mama & baba, but manages to spend most of the night in his crib.

The funniest was when we returned from Lamu – he was so excited to see Leah & Gigi! Maybe he thought we were never coming home… Renee had come to Nairobi on her way through from Rwanda to Capetown, but she was refused boarding due to lack of pages in her passport. We went to the High Commission to sort it all out, and she ended up with an extra week in Kenya. So we went to the travel agent and booked a weekend in Lamu! It’s a small island on the Indian Ocean coast that I’ve always wanted to visit – no cars, only donkeys, and a timeless Arabian atmosphere. We took turns tying Toby on our backs and tossing him into the ocean (he loves swimming). We walked around the pathways of the old town, discovering beautifully decorated spaces – shops and hotels, all done in the serene Swahili style. I ordered Lamu crab, and Anniken’s recommendation was spot on – delicious!

I got back in time to head to Juba again for a night, where I relaxed on the banks of the Nile with my colleagues until 4am… though the luxury tented camp was hardly worth the 3 hours of sleep or so. Juba is HOT.

I also finished the book Out of America, by Keith Richburg, an American journalist totally demoralized by Africa. Sometimes I understand what he means, but sometimes it’s gratifying to see the good side of the continent as well…