Annada Marie Vergo

This morning started off great! I got up – 7 solid hours of sleep – and made coffee. I got ready and then cooked eggs! It felt so good to be able to cook breakfast and start to know where things are, even if it is only in our apartment.

Then we met some friends. They made us a traditional couscous lunch with chicken, zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, potatoes and green peppers. Again, very tasty.

Our friends took us on a walking tour of the city. It is considerably larger than Orlando. We spent almost 5 hours walking and in taxis and I am sure we only saw a bare fraction. The idea was that we would understand the city enough to direct a taxi. Um, nope. I do however have a list of places I could tell one to take me and it would be safe and appropriate for women.

Taxis. This was the one thing I was most afraid of before coming. We will get around mostly by taxi. They do not have seat belts, much less car seats. And the traffic rules are… loose. There are no lanes. At one intersection today we saw a police officer holding the light controls and using a whistle to clear blockages. Cars drive literally inches from each other and everyone uses the streets: people walking, donkey carts, mopeds…

As we got ready to come here I couldn’t shake the feeling CPS was going to come find me for letting my child ride in my lap in a car. The picture of Brittney Spears pulling out of her house with a baby in her lap kept coming to mind.

But when the time actually came, the craziness of hailing a cab, trying to remember to give the right greeting/blessing, making sure I had the right amount of money and saying the right words for directions meant the ride was half over before I realized what was happening. Annada was quick. “Momma! I am a big girl now! I always want to ride with you.”

Of course, Annada was the only one who gave the correct greeting when we got in the cab. And when someone joined us in the cab she did it again. She didn’t seem to be paying attention during our language lesson this morning, but she is clearly learning faster than Marc or I.

Did I mention both of our cab drivers spoke 3 languages!! One even spoke English. Seriously, I need to get Annada in a language school.

During our tour, we stopped to feed the pigeons.

Annada is doing better today. She is still pretty far from adjusted to the time zone though. I am really hoping she goes to sleep soon. How does such a small person do so well on almost a week of little sleep? If she would sleep at normal times and eat the local food, we would be set. Most of the time she is dancing and singing and generally being her happy self.

Tomorrow we are going to have a low key family day. I’m looking forward to it.

This afternoon we went shopping. Our friends took us to the highest-end, most western grocery store here. It was a cross between a Target and a Walmart. On one hand it felt like huge relief to buy food for Annada (making sure she has enough food to eat has been stressful) on the other hand it was very overwhelming. We ended up with 2 carts full of water, food and random things (like a French press – we were all a little desperate for coffee today).

In the meat section I saw… a couple whole stingrays! Annada is pointing to them in the picture. They had been skinned and were slimy. I had no idea you could eat a stingray. Right next to the stingrays were tons of great fruit. Once I figure out how to rinse them with bleach, we are going to be set. Oh and cheese – awesome cheeses. We spent almost $300 for our home of 6. Probably way more than we needed, but since we feel a little helpless, it is nice to know we have more than enough for now.

We also ate at an upscale local restaurant. We got chicken cooked with brined lemons and olives. Sooo good. Annada fell asleep halfway through the meal. Unfortunately it was one of those terrible toddler naps that recharge them- she is wide a awake and calling for me now and it is almost 11 pm.

Last night Annada woke up crying a lot. Meme, may God bless her, got up several times and walked around with her.

Today Annada told me at the grocery store that she was whining because “I miss my Orlando home.” And as I was getting her ready for bed I asked if she wanted to sleep in her own room (the bathroom) and she jumped up, “Yes, in my Orlando bed please, Momma!”

While I am grateful to be here, I can understand. The low point for me today was going to bathroom at the grocery store. There are women who work in the bathroom who live on tips. This was a nice place, so I could “tip” as I left, but apparently at most they won’t let you in until you pay. I carried Annada in to find out it was a raised squatty potty. It was too tall for Annada to squat over, but there was no where to sit. So I held her in the air. As we walked out I thought, whew, we made it.

I walked up to the sink and there were 3 young women talking in the bathroom. They had their stuff spread all across the counter space. 2 things happened at the same time: I picked Annada up and the woman working in the bathroom turned the water on. As I lifted Annada up, she knocked a cell phone and wallet into the sink.

I grabbed them out and the lady’s whose phone it was started yelling at me in Arabic. The woman working there started yelling at her (for having her stuff laying around I think). The cell phone woman’s friends started yelling at her to stop yelling at me.

I could not think of one word to say. Not one. It was a very small bathroom. The woman turned on her phone and it worked but she kept yelling. Her friend motioned for me to leave and I grabbed Annada and ran out. Wow. I had no idea how terrible it feels to have people yelling at you in a situation where you have no idea what is normal and can’t understand a word. I really just wanted to cry, but there were enough people looking at Annada and I as it was.

It is strange to be in a city where BMWs share a road with a donkey drawn carts. Where avocados are cheap and apples are expensive. Where milk, eggs and cream cheese are not refrigerated but there are two whole aisles of yogurt. Where the call to prayer wakes me up in the night and at dawn. Where people enclose their homes with 10 foot high walls with broken glass on top. Where few people speak English. Where dishwashers, refrigerators and air conditioning are not only rare, but seen as ridiculous.

It’s also a city where random people come up and kiss Annada on the cheek. Where when one of our friend’s kids wandered off at the beach, a woman walked the beach with him looking for his parents. Where most of the food is organic and local because people here grow it – and the organic version is often cheaper because it isn’t imported. Where, despite my awful language skills, nearly everyone wants to help and acts like it is a joy to do so.

And another major plus – we do have hot water :).

Heading to JFK airport in New York. We are 2 hours into the trip and Annada is doing great. No one got much sleep the night before, though.

Dinner on our way to Africa. Roughly 12 hours into trip. And despite our expectations, the food was tasty. Meme watched Annada so we could eat. Meme was a godsend :).

Annada finally went to sleep. They kept the cabin lights on until around 11 pm (4 am Africa), which made it hard for Annada to sleep. But she did lay down after dinner and didn’t wake up until our descent. 14 hours into trip.

When she woke up it was because I picked her up as we descended. For a few minutes she looking around in a daze (it was 3:30 am Orlando time). Then she stared to yell, “Africa! We are here in Africa! Mommy, we are going to Africa!” You could hear a collective chuckle and awww from the 40% of the plane that understood her.

5 pm African time (2 pm Orlando). To stay awake, we went to the beach after unpacking. They had horses to ride! Annada’s ride was about 10 minutes and cost around $1.

They also had beautiful fully grown horses you can rent to ride bareback. My mom and I have dreamed of riding a horse on the beach since we read Black Beauty. I really hope we get to go back and ride!

Everyone has been wonderful. A older woman on the plane even found an extra blanket and covered me up while I was sleeping (Annada had the blankets).

I tried to thank her when I woke up. It started off a chain of events I am realizing will be normal: I say one word in Arabic (I know 3-4 tops), the other person goes off in Arabic. I look confused. They switch to French and I am surprised to discover I kind of understand (where did I pick up any French?). I try to think of what to say and realize I am speaking Spanish. They smile and go off in Spanish. I start say, “La” (no). They laugh, and we go back to where we began – hand signals.

It makes me want to enroll Annada in language class ASAP.

The view from our apartment. The outside of buildings may not look very nice, but the apartment is beautiful inside – marble floors. There are 6 of us sharing and apartment this summer. Our friends even set Annada up with pack n play and Dora sheets. She just went to sleep – 36 hours since sleeping in a bed. I’m next!

Annada loves to “cook” soup for us in her special room. She called it duck soup in honor of the book.

On the way to visit Uncle William, Aunt Lucy and baby Isaiah, we stopped at a gas station that sold juice in bottles with characters on the top. Annada was being such a trooper in the car, I wanted to get her something fun. So I let her pick out one. She picked out the Minnie Mouse one but asked if she could get the Ariel one next time. Naïvely I said yes thinking we had a lot of stops ahead of us.

Annada became enamored with the Ariel bottle to be. She talked about it and dreamed out loud about it. And at each gas station she pulled Erica and I around to look for it.

Except we never found one.

I told her it was like an Easter Egg hunt: we just had to keep looking. So for 3 weeks every time we got in the car Annada would say, “We stop at a gas station, Mommy? I want to hunt for the Ariel bottle.” The sweet kiddo never forgot.

For my part, I looked up the company and found a list of gas stations that should carry them. We drove there. No bottles. I did more research – you can order them on Amazon. Except, now you can’t. They are discontinued. I even went to the Disney store to try to find a substitute. Apparently Ariel is not a hot princess right now – no Ariel bottles.

Meanwhile, Annada continued to ask sweetly and persistently for the Ariel bottle. Erica and I felt horrible. Annada even started praying that we would find it.

Then, after 3 weeks of this, one of my teammates – Leanne – walked into a YearOne brunch and said, “Annada, I have a surprise for you.”

SHE HELD OUT THE EXACT BOTTLE ANNADA WANTED!

I just stared. “But I didn’t tell you!” I exclaimed.

“Tell me what?” She replied. “I saw these in a store. I noticed Annada had the Minnie Mouse one and thought she might like Ariel.”

Meanwhile Annada was cradling her Ariel bottle in her arms like a baby.

Needless to say, that bottle went everywhere with Annada – even bed – for a week.

And I am in awe. I think God heard her prayers.

(I know she doesn’t look ecstatic in the pic with Leanne. Like me, Annada doesn’t smile when something huge happens in her world until she has had time to adjust. That face really means, “okay, I’m playing along with the picture, now please give me back my bottle.” But once the shock wore off, she was all smiles.)

Annada loves to dance. And she has some pretty awesome moves. I especially like her “modern dance” when she suddenly bends her knees then slowly draws her hands over her head and down to her toes.

Princess Lavender

Last Friday Meme and Pepe decided to take Annade to Epcot. When I told her she was excited but torn about not seeing princesses (who are more abundant at Magic Kingdom). On a whim I decided to check and see if I could get them reservations to eat at the Norway castle with the princesses. I figured there was no way because generally you must make reservations 6 months in advance and I was looking 2 days ahead.

But there was one spot left! It was the highlight of Annada’s week.

They started the day with a smoothie. Everywhere Annada went, people called her “princess.” I had bought the purple dress after Halloween and was saving it for something special. This occasion certainly deserved it.

Then Annada showed Meme and Pepe the Figment ride. She had to hold their hands during the ride so they wouldn’t be scared when Figment sprayed them like a skunk.

Somehow a baby Figment followed them out of the ride and Annada danced with him in anticipation of eating with the princesses!

The first “princess” was Mary Poppins. I love Annada’s, “yeah, me and the Poppins are buds” smile.

A hug from Cinderella.

And the highlight of the event: Snow White kissed her!! Annada was in awe.

One happy little princess. Thank you Meme and Pepe!

Picking Daddy up at the airport. Annada was so excited to see him. She picked out her “My Dad is Totally Awesome” shirt to wear and the skirt. She also picked out the balloons and made him a card. All day she would ask, “Is it time to go get Daddy?”

Sounds Like That

When she trying to be persuasive with a new new plan she says, “How’s sounds like that, Momma?”

As in, “Let’s got to the pool and then eat ice cream? Okay? How’s sounds like that, Momma? (Tongue Click)”

(Because I say, “how’s that sound?”)

My Dad

Annada is learning the important lessons. Yesterday after lunch, Annada threw her hands above her head and announced, “I am beautiful and wonderful and my Dad is totally awesome!”

Nakey Baby

Annada is still enthralled with baby Isaiah. Aunt Lucy calls Isaiah a nakey baby when he is undressed. So Annada has been stripping her dolls, running out of her special room and showing me her “nakey babies!”

Cinderella and Jesus

Annada’s favorite movie is the Cinderella with Brandy in it. We dance to “10 Minutes Ago” and “Impossible.” She pretends to be Cinderella. And she will pull her little white chair out, face it in the corner, sit on it and sing, “In My Own Little Corner.”

At night Annada now prays, “Dear God, Thank you for Mommy. Thank you for Daddy. Thank you for Meme and Pepe. Thank you for Grandma and Grandpa. Thank you for Nanny and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa. Thank you for cheese sticks. Thank you for Jesus. And thank you for Cinderella! Amen.”

Are you a lollipop?

Before bed, Annada like to pretend that Daddy and I are food. She will lean in like she is going to give us a hug and then nibble on us. We yell, “Annada, this is Mommy! I am not food!”

Then Annada laughs so hard she can hardly breathe. When she calms down she looks at us and barely gets out, “Are you a lollipop?” before cracking up again. We repeat with her coming up with different favorite food – cookies with sprinkles, chocolate, a donut, a cheese stick and carrots.

I usually let her go until I can tell she is laughing so hard she wants to stop but can’t. Then I wrap her in my arms and say, “shhh…” She gulps for air until she calms down. Then usually a few minutes later I hear her whisper, “Are you a lollipop?”

Annada loved crushing the Easter Eggs she and Meme dyed together. Meme filled them with candy and toys.

The before pic

After getting her hair washed

Annada did great! Now she loves to get a towel, put it behind Marc or I’s head and pretend to cut our hair.

Over Easter weekend Erica, Annada and I drove up to Georgia to visit William and Lucy… and their new baby boy!

Isaiah is a sweetie. It was wonderful to be there with whole family. Lucy and William are great parents (double points for Lucy).

Annada is enthralled with her new cousin. The day he was born we spent 3 hours at the passport office. Annada spent half the time singing, “I have a cousin! I have a cousin!” and dancing around.

The week before we went everyday she talked about how she wanted to feed Isaiah a bottle. Lucy was so kind to let her.

Now everything is about Isaiah. About twice a day Annada tells me, “I am not Annada. I am little baby Isaiah. You hold me like a baby.” And every night she thanks God “for Eye-ZAY-Ah.”

Annada and Marc were dancing around together to the Cinderella song 10 Minutes Ago when I walked in our room. “Party in the house!” yelled Annada.

Ah, her Aunt Erica has taught her well 🙂