Playing at the park

Engida's best buddy is the sweet security guard at TDS, who has a son almost Engida's age. Engida escaped from playing several times to run our with his friend, who instinctively picked him up, threw him, swung him, hugged him, and rough-housed with him while Engida would melt into giggles. I'll admit I was a little jealous that my playing didn't elicit the same reaction- but I think it was a papi-son sort of play that he needed and missed. I can't wait for Tonio and Engida and Tonito to play together at home!!

The TDS Guesthouse has a driveway/paved area where the kids played soccer, cars, and bubbles all day. Here is Lemat with a different security guard, and Hirut and Bedalu with their parents.

Engida loves his play telephone, and knows exactly what to do with it. He'll answer "Hallo?" and carry on a conversation in Sidaminya/Amharic while pacing around. Apparently he has seen people do this before!? Isn't he so handsome in these pictures?

I am not the type of person to stay at home all day- I start to feel trapped and I'm willing to go anywhere as long as I can leave the house. Fortunately the area we are staying is very safe and we are able to walk through the neighborhood and go to the supermarket, restaurants, cafes, or this little park. If you are at TDS, walk back to the Internet Cafe, and keep going on that road (passing the internet place on your right) and on the left there is a "city park." This picture pretty much captures what you will find- the kids are not allowed to go on the grass, but they can play on the metal structures. Beware- it is extremely muddy during the rainy season!! But walking all the way there and back gives little kids a little fresh air and exercise:). I can't wait to come home and take Engida to all of the parks around our house, long walks by the bayou, hikes in the forest, etc.

Mimi put on some traditional ET music videos on TV and the kids were dancing adorably to the music!!! She was showing them how to move their shoulders to the rhythm- Lemat was really good and I have a cute video of her dancing. I can't tell how much Amharic the kids understand, but they seem to know what Mimi is saying. Their receptive language is better developed because they probably have been listening to the nannies give them instructions in Amharic at the WACAP transition house. But I'm pretty sure their productive language is still Sidaminya, since they would do most of their talking while playing with their friends. I wish the kids had subtitles!:)

Today was a great day- he took his nap again in the carrier, and seemed a little more comfortable with it- like he remembered it from yesterday. He still loves bread, bread, and more bread. It was hard at breakfast because they place out a buffet at his eye level- I have to physically remove him to stop him from finished all of the food- fortunately the security guard is a good distraction:).