Marshall's First Christmas

Its been a great day so far. Marshall is already on board with his duties as he excitedly started his terydactyl impersonation at about 6 am. Granted, he was asleep at about 7pm last night...



Its kinda wild since, for just about everyone else, this is just a normal day that some places have off and some people celebrate...kinda like Veteran's day.

We started the morning with presents. We kept it simple this year as you can see from our sparsely present-ed "tree"...




Ian got a silly plastic sac with wildlife pics on it from Marshall and a real ceramic coffee mug from me(he's been drinking out of plastic ones).

I got a pair of cool flip flops for the house that will help me from tracking dirt all over and a Malian baby carrier. Basically, a big piece of white cloth with pretty embroidery on it. Meant to be worn on the back. I'm going to try it later and will show pictures so you can see what a good job Ian did picking it out. Its fabulous and I hope it works because all of the Malian women think my current sling carrier that holds him in the front is completely ridiculous.

For Marshall, what 6 month old doesn't like a bunch of kitchen stuff to play with and bang on? Luckily, most of the stuff for that here is plastic and really brightly colored, so he got his own bucket full of it..Needless to say it was a hit...







We had some tasty spongy frufrus for breakfast. Basically sweet dumpling like things...



And then gave Marshall his other present. Ian and his fetish master made Marshall a fetish that is supposed to help him with teething(the teeth of a Savannah Monitor help somehow...) and also protect him for at least the next 20 years against evil spirits trying to eat his soul...something to do with vulture feathers and rock salt...seriously, see Ian's blog for a much better explanation. Granted, as special as this gift is, it obviously wasn't as fun as the plastic kitchen ware.




Right now, we are just enjoying a napping baby, relaxing with frufru full bellies. I am going to go out in bit and get a few last minute things for dinner, we'll watch a family movie and enjoy the peace of the day.

Wishing all of you the same day of peace, enjoyment of family and fun this Christmas Day.

Things that make it Christmas no matter where we are...

I still can't wrap a present to save my life

We put a spending limit on each other ($5 this year) and then one of us breaks it

We have a special meal...on the menu this year, a lovely cut of beef, mashed potatoes, gorgeous green beans, fruit with yogurt and fancy euro chocolate. Oh, and the fantastic French bread we can get just down the street.

We get our "tree" the day before in a funny way. This year a stray "flower" from someone elses garden across the street that the gardener sold me for way too much(but its in pot...this, I guess means that its 5 times the price...).

Ian is busy making something at the last minute(currently working with his teacher on something special for Marshall. Its 4:30pm Christmas eve)

We make our cards and stick them in the tree

We're together


Looking forward to a fantastic first Christmas with Marshall. Its nice to "purify" it the first time...

Happy holidays to all and stay tuned tomorrow for pictures!

Our House

per many requests, photos of our house. sorry for the quality and positioning, having technical difficulties this morning...hopefully it gives a good idea.

A few of my favorite things...

The plesant honesty, "Jeneba(me), I was up last night hearing Kimby(Marshall) cry. Is he better now?" Not complaining, just statement of fact...

How everyone, despite their age, is still wearing their new Tabaski clothes like excited little kids

How even the most distinguished old man is not above making a fart joke

The two inch baby gecko that lives behind the armoire in our bedroom and occasionally comes out to eat the stray moscito that sneaks in

How Marshall literally bounces with glee everytime someone greets him

How Marshall thinks he can use the spoon to feed himself. Watching him take it from my hand like I don't know what I'm doing and purposefully smacking himself in the cheek with it, mouth wide open.

The nice musicians that live behind us who are my unoffical Bamabara tutors who ask me everyday where I am going and what I am buying and politely correct my language when i'm wrong.

The medival castle like building that the family that sells eggs lives in

How instead of zoning out to the TV every night, Ian and I spend time telling each other crazy stories of our days

The awkward, yet endearing woman that I buy my salad fixings from who, despite how little I may want to buy, gives me the same amount worth of stuff each time I see her, hunts me down in the market and interrupts my conversations and keeps giving me carrots for Marshall

The wonderful salt and incence vendor with the huge smile that I see everytime I go to buy bananas

How, when at the grocery store yesterday, one of the employees was literally in the middle of the store at a table very openly counting money

The cool patchwork hearts outfit that my new friend Fatime was wearing the other day. I will try to get a picture of it,..

The fact that no matter how hard I try to get out early each day, I always leave the house within 5 minutes of 10:38am

The local gangs(not like in the states, really just a club) that have spray painted their names in our area: "The Fiber Boys" and the "Petit Fiber Girls." I imagine a bunch of 13 year old boys running about throwing bran muffins at each other

Tabaski...

It was fun seeing everyone all dressed up. Here are some great pics Ian took that show most of what we were able to see within feet of our front stoop. Most of them are just from that stoop, the view from our front door. Excuse the sheep heads, but its part of the day.

Ian's blog...

For lots of fascinating info about traditional medicine and magic in Mali as well as just some other cool cultural tidbits, visit Ian's blog...http://adventuresinbamako.blogspot.com/.

Tabaski has not been all it should have been. We've been shafted. No grilled meat for us, even though we can smell it cooking everywhere. damn....lesson learned. Its been fun to watch the kids go by, though, all dressed up in their fancy new duds. We've been handing them out fancy French candies that we just tasted ourselves...that explains why they havent been banging down our door...

Namasa

This is the bunch of bananas that Marshalls first real food came from. While snacking this morning, I gave him some to mush in his hand, it quickly went to the mouth and the hungry bird mouth began to form again and again as we gave him more. I honestly think he would have eaten the whole bunch if he could...

pictures

Marshall chillin' with the neighbors


Marshall yesterday


Marshall lounging on our luxurious poly-sateen and lace coverlet



Marshall and Ian keepin it real


How Ian passes his days


So, in Mali, there is a lot of joking that goes on based on last names. Its a light reminant of some past slave relationships and family feuds. The Coulibay's seem to be the butt of many jokes and are often seen as goofy folk. Abdolaye is a Coulibay...

Baby breaks

The past couple of days we've been out and about, as we are most days, going to the market and running various errands. Bamako is most likely similar to all of your towns right now, full of traffic and craziness with people buying up everything in their path. Although people here are preparing for Tabaski which involves lots of food, new fancy clothes for all(I am a bit of a bad wife for not procuring matching Mali outfits for all three of us...apologies as that would make one heck of a picture), and a goat or a sheep, which are now filling the streets as everyone is proudly displaying theirs by tying them to the nearest tree or post outside their home. Just like the Thanksgiving turkeys, they know not their fates, and on Thursday their carcasses will be stripped and displayed hanging from the tree limbs, noting that all bellies are full and an afternoon of naps and sluggishness has arrived.
Marshall, being the social love child that he is, can't seem to get enough of this activity. He stops traffic at the markets at least twice, each outing. Regularly, we have to stop and laugh on the roadside with a family, an old lady, or a bunch of girls braiding their hair for the holidays. These breaks take at least 10 minutes and begin with him giggling like crazy and the rest of us following his lead doing all sorts of ridiculous things to keep him going. One stop with a sweet old lady yesterday seemed to go on forever and honestly, I'm not sure if we even spoke a word after she summoned us in Bambara so she could see the baby. We just laughed, and snapped our fingers, and shamelessly made funny faces and sang silly noises.
I tell you what, there is no better medicine for the frustrations of a hot Bamako day full of traffic, dismissive men and stinky goats than a giggle with a bunch of strangers...

Abdolaye...

Can't write much at the moment, but did need to say something about Abdolaye as im not sure how much longer he'll be with us. Hes demanding coffee before work, staying around for hours after and eating all our peanuts. We think hes depressed(his father died a year ago...was an accomplished doctor...Abdolae, oldest son and is not able to find work. Or maybe he's just flat out odd. If one of us could just be brave enough to tell it like it is to him...Management training 101...
Happy Tabaski(http://www.peacecorps.gov/kids/like/mali-celebration3.html) to all. Its Thursday and weve chipped in for a fat sheep. Yummy. We will be sharing it with Ian's fetish master and his family. I predict a few sacrifices and crazy stories to come. Aw be san be san be. A long, happy and fruitful life to all of you and your families.