Passport Application in hand

Ella and her American Auntie, chillin' on the couch

We were able to go into Kampala yesterday and get the application for Ella's passport. We also stopped in at the birth certificate place but sadly, it wasn't ready yet. Rats! I so want to just GET IT so that my days of driving into down town Kampala are over. To make up for the disappointment of not getting the birth certificate, I did get my hair cut :). We went up to visit Lisa and the lady that cuts her hair lives just down the road. So I left Becky and Ella with Lisa and was able to get my hair done. I always feel better after a haircut.

In the evening L and I picked up Prossy and we headed to the LC1's, passport application in hand. The passport application needs signed by the LC1, LC2, LC3 and RDC, and you also need a recommendation letter from the LC1 with signatures from FIVE of the council members on it. This translates into "pain in butt."

Friday the intrepid trio had set out to pay a visit to the LC1 because last time Prossy and I went for him to sign Ella's fostering papers he gave us a hassle. So I went with fear and trembling. I wanted to visit him once with Ella before starting to ask him for not only his signature again, but a recommendation letter as well, AND five signatures from council members.

Imagine our surprise, relief and DELIGHT to find that he was out of the country (in Darfur of all places) and that now we could deal with the vice chairperson! She is an older gal and just great. Her 3.5 year old granddaughter was running around playing with Ella so that helped :). She was more than happy to see us and help us with our passport application (only we didn't have it). Such a relief!

So anyway, we got there to her house yesterday, application and recommendation letter in hand to give her, only to find that she wasn't there and was at a burial in Mbale. Her son had no idea when she'd be back (boys!). So we are going to try tomorrow. The council meets about once a week so getting the signatures on the recommendation letter shouldn't be too hard for her. SO nice to have a willing helper!! Hopefully the LC1 has to stay in Darfur and little longer... ;)

Sanyu and Bridger chillin' with their American Auntie

A good picture of handsome little Spike

Halland Girls

Ella enjoying the new horse shower curtain. You sit on the toilet and it feels like the horses are going to run right over the top of you! She likes to sit in there and talk to them :)

People keep telling me that Ella acts like me. Frightening thought but this morning it was confirmed. The BEST way to wake her up in the morning is to let the dogs in her room. They jump on her bed, licking and wiggling, and she always wakes up with a cheery smile. Then afterwards they were both sleeping on the couch, Bridger with a doll blanket tucked around him and Sanyu with a hankie (used) snugly tucked around her. Yep. The kid does take after me!

Baby James :)

Our new neighbor, James :)

Inspecting the new arrival

"Look what I have!!" A very proud little cousin :)

Ella was SO happy to finally see baby James. We were all really happy when he came home!

The Halland has landed!!

Thursday Ella and I picked Becky up from the airport. We got a surprise sms while we were both at work at 10am from an unknown # that said that Becky was in Entebbe! So we jumped in the neighbors car (they have ours because it was more labor and baby friendly than theirs), zipped to the airport and there she was, 2.5 hours early! What a great surprise!!

Ella was not disappointed by the toys, as depicted by the following pictures. Spike however can not wait for Becky to return to Oregon – taking all her toys with her! The dogs just like activity and being made over.

The meeting between Becky and her dear nephew, Bridger, was a tear jerker. Finally, after over three years she got to meet the dear boy and pat his fuzzy head!!

This is the Cadillac princess outfit that she got from Debi. I had figured that it’d be something pretty girlie but wow!! This totally takes the cake!! It is hilarious! Especially when Ella’s outside pushing her Tonka truck around in her tiara. I personally like the wand quite a bit myself. Yes, I was disappointed that I didn’t get an entire outfit myself but I’m coping…

The Princess, pushing her stroller with her infant gorilla in it…

Ella trying out her new, ginormous Tonka truck. She loves “boy toys” but has her own girlie style of playing with them. Tonka trucks are either for getting pushed in if you have a willing pusher around, or for loading your babies in and giving them rides.

Yeehaw!!!!

You can give your hedgehog rides in your Tonka truck

And don't forget your tiara!!

Another great thing to do with your Tonka truck is to hitch your dog up to it

Or why not two?

Ella was also a great help in helping her Auntie put the wagon together (along with the invaluable help of Spike)

Working on one of the nuts : )

Mission accomplished!!

Since he helped put it together, Spike had to check it out too.

Strollers are for pushing your gorilla (as seen in previous photo), pushing your dolls or pushing your hedgehog.

One large, grumpy hedgehog

Bridger and the babies

Sanyu, after her first lesson in mushing

New Arrival!

Aitasi James Asiku was born at about 9am today! I have yet to see his little face in real life, but saw scans of it last night after Gift and Kathryn came back from Kampala where they were getting sonograms done. We were all in my house at 8:30pm with no hint whatsoever that little Aitasi James was on the way. By 12:30 Kathryn started having contractions, 1:30am I was awoken to help pack up everything into my car so that they could head to the hospital in Kampala, and by 9am little James entered the world!! Welcome little neighbor!!! We are SO glad that you’re here, safe and healthy. Can’t wait until you come home!

Pictures pending…

Montana in the national news!!

Wow, imagine my delight and extreme pride when I found a story in the national news that occurred in Billings, Montana! Pretty cool when you find something under the title "Criminal Weirdness" that's from your own home area...

Weekend with friends

Ella and I spent this weekend enjoying some of our friends. Saturday we went to Kampala where we had a hotdog roast in Lisa's backyard, then Sunday Harriett and her kids came down to our house in Entebbe. A fun time was had by all.

One of the great things about weekends is that you can sleep in a little...

This is where Sanyu strategically places herself during meal times

The only danger is falling asleep and Bridger getting any tasty morsels that fall, first

This is the AWESOME little boda that Lisa got for Ella! It is a "station wagon" variety so Ella has haul around her babies. She also likes putting her sippy cup back there. Might need to make cup holders...
Lillypie, strapped into her seat with a bailing twine seat belt (compliments of me. You can take a girl out of Montana but...)

Ella and Harriet. I just love this picture!

Jackie and Ella on the boda

Action!

Ella and Jackie

Getting a ride

Ella was really, super tired Saturday because she'd missed her nap. She was whining and crying all evening and a little miffed that we had dinner with the neighbors and I actually sat and talked with them, without giving her my full and undivided attention. As she was getting ready to brush her teeth she told me, "I'm cranky and tired!" At least the kid is honest...

Well, planning meetings start tomorrow and my sister, Becky, comes Thursday. I will work through Wednesday and plan to take the rest of the week off. Hence my blogging will be limited for the next couple of weeks.

I will be gone all day for the planning meetings, so this will be a first for Ella. Then Becky will come and I'll take some time off, which will be a change from routine. This is really a perfect time for Becky to come because I'm afraid Ella is starting to get very spoiled. In her mind, as long as Becky comes, brings her toys, plays with her and obeys any and all of her commands (PROMPTLY), doesn't make a big deal out of the dogs, nor talk to her Mom a lot, things should be fine. Aunt Becky will just need to be kept in her place! I'm pretty sure that L will get a bit jealous that all my time isn't spent focused on her so much. Ella would get frustrated when her Granny would sit and play games with her Mom, and still gets a little irked when Kathryn or Sarah have the nerve to chat with her mother for longer than three seconds. So I think this visit will be really good for Ella. It will sure be good for me!

We are EAGERLY awaiting the birth and arrival of our neighbor's baby this week. Ella and I are well psyched for it, having helped put together the babies bed and watching Kathryn's tummy grow. I surprise myself at how anxious and nosy I am about the whole thing, every morning going over there to ask how everything is going. Like they're just going to say, "Oh yah, here's the baby, Grace. It came last night" or something. Or else, "Oh, the baby came last week. Did we forget to tell you?" I'm trying not worry about it but am starting to fuss a little... I'm getting as bad as Ella!!

Little Ballerina

Took Ella to ballet yesterday and the teachers mother had come from the States and brought little ballet outfits for all the girls!! So now Ella not only feels like a ballerina, she looks like one too :) It's all about the figure!

The Little Ballerina in ballet class is,um, well, interesting. I'm figuring out that the child acts a lot differently when I'm not around. The teacher asks all the parents to stay out while class is in progress, because of parent interference and distractions. I totally understand where she's coming from, after giving riding lessons for many years.

Anyways, sitting outside we hear a lot of "Ella! Sit down!!" "Ella! Stay on your spot!" "Ella! Listen!", etc, in a really nice voice. I have been attributing L's rather neurotic ballet behavior to "being young" but sadly, I don't think that's quite the issue. I almost interfered when I peeked in and the teacher was having having all the girls standing and doing something and my "young" little daughter was goofing off, writhing around on the floor. She wasn't even trying to cooperate!! But I bit my tongue and backed off. This teacher has been teaching little tots for eight years so I'm sure she can handle it but boy did I ever want to lecture my daughter! I also saw her hopping along taking other peoples mats, totally not cooperating at all. Grrr!!

One of the other mothers tried to encourage me by telling me, "Ella is doing so well! She stayed on her mat for like... [hesitation, pause]," "three seconds?" I helpfully suggested. "Yes!" she replied, "Then she said 'I did it!'" Well, I sort of felt proud. But not really ;)

Seriously, with a bit of firmness, Ella is fine. She is hungry for control however but in a very subtle way. It always comes as a bit of a shock to me when I see her testing other people. So I've been thinking that probably my reports on her haven't been very objective. Unless you show her that you are in control, she will totally take control herself!

Bridger and Sanyu - then and now :)

Ella and my lives would not be complete with out our dogs, Bridger and Sanyu. I simply can not imagine life without them or trying to raise a child without their help.

I've had Sanyu eight months now and look at how much she's grown! She was so tiny when Bridger found her and now she's a smidge bigger than he is! Neither are big dogs but in the small house that we have, their sizes are perfect for us.

Sanyu in January, right after Bridger found her wandering around alone in the Botanical Gardens

Sanyu now, eight months later

Wrestling - Sanyu down, Bridger up

Oops! Times have changed!!!

Then

Now
Both dogs got bathed and new flea collars yesterday, in preparation for thier Aunt Becky's visit. We're having some major flea issues so I'll bathe them in flea shampoo again next week, when Beck comes. With this constant warm weather we never get anything near a freeze to help kill off the fleas. I need to find a freezer big enough to stick my little doglets in... ;)

A Family Frolick

Yesterday we all enjoyed some family fun together and I took pictures :)

Bridger chewed a stick, Sanyu played with a squeaker toy (when she could get it from Bridger) and Ella played with a dog Kong



Everyone in their own little worlds...

The Players:

Ella Monica

Bridger James

Sanyu Sue

Ella and "The Mom" who needs a hair cut...

Then "someone" stuck the balls we were playing with down Ella's shorts!!!
Ella struggling to get them out

"Doggone it, Mom. Why'd you do that? "