Please more please

These last few weeks have flown by around here.  Scott was in Thailand through the weekend and then I left for Gaibandha on Monday but only stayed until Thursday.  We filled this weekend with fun now that we were all together including watching a morning softball game, a sunset boat cruise (another entry) and a standard weekend afternoon at the pool.  All too soon we're back to work tomorrow but only for a half week. We leave for 2.5 weeks in the US late Wednesday night and just can't wait for the wonderful change of scenery.

Before I launch in to all things Merrill, we'd like to share that we are all safe and sound after the 6.7 earthquake that hit southern Nepal and shook us in Dhaka a few minutes later.  I was literally leaning over Henry's crib putting him down to sleep when the building shook.  After what felt like 4 seconds of shaking I determined that it was not just the garage gate rocking the foundation.  The wobbling lasted just a few shakes longer and then only everyone's excited re-enactments of exactly what they were doing when their building shook lingered.  Thankfully only 4 buildings were damaged in Dhaka.

Henry's language skills have continued to amaze us.  When I came back after my three day trip I was amazed that he was including "Please" in his requests and was slinging together two word phrases like it was no big deal.  I was so used to asking him "More what?" after he said "more" but now he throws out "more cheese, please".  What's funny to me is that he probably thinks that "Please" is similar in forceful command to "NOW" but at least it easier on the ear and warmer on the heart.  We were at the coffee shop today sharing a cinnamon roll between the three of us.  If Henry only had "more" to use we probably would have eaten the whole thing before he got any as we tried to coax him to say "more, please".  Instead, he just kept jumping up and saying "please" and then immediately sitting down with his eye on the prize.  That politeness was a successful front to the determination that lingered behind the facade; we were a little scared of what might happen if we didn't hand over a bite.  He certainly worked his magic and may have commanded 1/2 the roll.  Within 10 minutes we had a sugar high toddler on our hands exploring all over the shop.  He's also finally, after so many months of dedicated practice, refined his rooster call and can correctly belt out "cock a doodle doo" rather than "cock du da" and he's added the "o" on the of "eee-i-eeee-i".

Here are some photos from the last few days:
Henry using himself as a canvas

The second time he decided to commit to a Popsicle. His greatest challenge, lingering on until today after a few more Popsicles, is accepting that the plastic stick he finds in the middle after a few bites is a) there to stay and b) not edible and that when the final pieces fall off the stick it's better to eat them quickly then hold on to one piece in each hand freaking out that the said hands become very cold very quickly.

Slow pitch softball game on Friday (the first weekend day) morning.  It's no surprise Henry loved the game and watching the ball be thrown and hit all over the place.  In fact it just so happened that there was a baseball and bat/tee ball kind of toy at our friends house that afternoon which kept Henry entertained for a fairly long while.

 

Kitchen in rural Gaibandha.  This one was nicer than most because they had hung a light bulb from the "ceiling".  I'd say that 90% of the kitchens in the area where I work are outdoor with maybe 50% of those having a roof over them.  I have more photos from my trip that I'll add soon.