June 15, 2010

This morning I got woken up at 6:45 by a snuggler... I let him stay since we were getting up around 7:30 anyway. He FORCED me to cuddle with him... if I moved my arm away.. he would immediately grab it and put it back in it's proper place across him and tucked under his belly.

We left the house around 8 with Leila because Paul had to get blood drawn... and interestingly the streets were blocked off and there were tons of people muddling around... and trucks full of old clothes and old cars parked on the side of the street... they were filming part of a movie right there in front of the apartment! It was pretty cool... until later in the morning when the cars would NOT stop honking because they were so inpatient and in such a rush to get to work.

Anyway... we went to get blood drawn. Paul was pretty good while waiting... still in his "zombie" mode since it was early... but when it was time to get that needle in his arm... he was anything but zombie-like. Leila had to sit on him... literally straddle him and pin him down while I held his shoulders down and then hold his arm tightly in place. I really thought I was going to snap his arm off. He is so strong that he could LIFT Leila with his legs while she sat on him... He really was pretty good though... what kid likes shots anyway...

It was another rainy morning so I stayed in bed. When I woke up I walked around to see the filming and I stopped at the bread place

to get my favorite Croissant Crema.

When it was time to pick Paul up from the bus he was pretty sad.... he cried most of the way home but once we got home he was happy. His mood swings are pretty puzzling... I think he misses Mari - his nanny of 13 years.

We had a little snack and got ready to go to the Aquarium. I think I was more excited than he was because I love aquariums and sea life.. but he was hilarious on the bus and in the best mood and laughed the whole time.. he even made friends with a man fromBangladesh who sat next to him... Paul would not stop holding his hand and wouldn't let the man move his hands to another place... the man understood English and sang songs to Paul and seemed to really enjoy Paul's laughter and company.

We got off the bus and he immediately had to pee... So I took him down to the water and he peed right there in front of people into the sea.... the teenage boys next to me were laughing and I said "When he has to go - he has to go" and they said ooo yes they understand that!!! They thought it was hilarious... I took a picture of the 10 foot stream he produced... but I obviously can't show it here... but I got him to look at the wall he was standing next to.. Alexia translated it for me but it didn't make much sense.

We walked across the bridge over the water and made our way to the aquarium... I must say... for the 1st half of our walk through the fish Paul was great... I got him to be patient and wait to get to see things, and he payed attention... but after a while he got bored and it probably all looked the same to him. One place he liked being in was the tunnel where there's water all around you... I got him to look at the sharks and the big fish... I love this picture of the shark swimming right over him...

We had a good time at the aquarium.. and unlike his cousin Iman... Paul didn't want to buy anything in the gift shop. We walked around a little more and went to catch the bus. Of course he had to poop right before we get on the bus so we searched for a bathroom. On the way back to the bus I stopped and bought some liquor... it was clear - so Paul thought it was water and kept asking me for it on the ride home. He got upset with me because I wouldn't share any of my water and he cried a little bit... it's hard to explain that it's not water when it clearly looks like it.

We had a good day and ended it watching Brazil vs North Korea and an early bedtime.