Random stuff...

While in Ethiopia.... (this is meant for enjoyment purposes only, so please don't take anything I say too seriously.)

1. Don't wear shorts. You already stick out like a sore thumb...the dreadfully white legs will not help the situation. I speak form experience here folks, if I would have busted out my frighteningly pale legs...eeks.
2. Do let strangers wisk your baby away...I promise they will bring him back and you will have made lots of new friends.

3. Do bring the plastic, preformed drop-in bottle liners for your childs bottle.
4. Don't leave a huge stash of them on the nightstand...as the housekeeper will inevitably think you brought 120 condoms with you. (awkwaaaard) Seriuously, these things could have had a better design...google a picture, it is kinda funny.
5. Do stand up and be a part of the traditional Ethiopian dancing when asked! (I made a huuuge fool out of myself, but shoot, I did it! I may have also not known how to dance Ethiopian style and so I just busted out an old classic- the running man)
6. Don't do the running man at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant.
7. Do let Belay show you how it's done! The man's got moves!
8. Don't bring a soy based formula for your new baby.
9. Do make sure you are wearing rain gear if you do decide to bring soy based formula. There will be some major spewage.
10. Do stay at the Ayat house! We loved getting to know people in the community and being able to support a local family!

11. Don't bring any undies you wouldn't want the neighborhood to see blowing in the wind. The housekeeper was amazing and did our laundry every day...but imagine our suprise when we came home to find all of our whitey tighties dangling around at eye level for the world to inspect. Eeks.

12. Do bring a sling (or Bjorn or whatever). There are no high chairs, car seats or anything to set you little one in, so our arms were mush after a short time...the sling was a lifesaver!! And he would sleep for hours in it when we were out sightseeing. Glorious.

13. Don't be fooled by the cute little puppies that wander the streets. We were enthraled with one cute little fella and when he turned around we saw that he was knawing on part of a bloody goats head. It may have ruined his cuteness just a teensy bit.

14. Do bring some Mac N Cheese, Campbell's soup and saltine crackers. When you are eating out at restaurants for every single meal, (that would be about 30 meals) sometimes it was nice to just stay at home and have boring old familiar food. We also wished we had more of those types of things when we were barfing and pooping our guts out. Saltines would have been my best friend.

15. Do soak up everything you can while in Ethiopia!! They are such beautiful, friendly, warm people- get to know them as much as you can and you will be SO BLESSED!!

Ok. That's all I can think of now. Stay tuned, I may think of more. I know they are super helpful right??

This picture below was taken in Ethiopia- doesn't Mal look so much skinnier and balder?? Yeah, balder is a word.

Our boy is growin' some hair! When we got him he just had a little patch on the top of his head and a small patch on one side of his head. (Yes, it was as attractive as it sounds) But now, he has a whole aray of little curls! I won't go as far as to say that he has a head of hair, but we are on our way! The pictures above were taken a few weeks ago and now our little man's got a few more teeth! I am so excited to see these teeth come in but I LOVE his gummy smile...it will break my heart when it is gone forever. I mean, come on, have you ever seen such a huge, precious, gummy smile?? Anyway, one of his top teeth has come out and is a funny little snaggle tooth and the other top tooth is on it's way in and is causing some serious fussiness in this boy! It will be a joyous day when that one tooth makes it's appearance- I am thinking of throwing a party. Feel free to send lots of gifts.

Have I ever mentioned that Eric is Super Dad and offered to be the one who get's up with Mal durring the night? Every night. I basicly fell in love with him all over again when he told me that glorious news. Anyway, Mal's teeth have been causing him to wake up a little more than usual so last night Eric got up when we heard little squeeks over the monitor and groggily headed to give him his bottle. When he got there, Malak was laying there wide awake ready for his midnight snack but whenever Eric tried to give it to him he was acting weird and wouldn't latch on. Eric kept on feeling around in the dark for his mouth but whenever he would put the bottle in his mouth Mal would push it back out. After a few mintues of this Er realized that he was trying to force a giant Ozarka bottled water, that had been sitting on the nightstand, next to the BABY bottle into Malak's mouth. Hmmm, how weird that Malak didn't want to nurse from a giant plastic lid that was being crammed into his mouth.