Bedtime

It was an almost perfect morning with the boys. Walks and reading; two of my favourite things. 

We headed out to Budondo again this afternoon. Londa came up with the good idea to take mandazi for the kids this time. Elena spoke to our chapati guy on one of our walks and organised for him to make 25 mandazi by 1:30 when we leave. He gave us a good price, but had only just started to make them when we went to pick them up. Only an hour later we left for Budondo:). The kids loved the special treat. 

Stephen, the malnourished baby, is doing much better except he has the measles now. He's much more alert and his mama said that he is even beginning to play. 

The mayor of the village appeared and asked for a picture of himself. The best I could do was take one and show him. He thanked us for helping his village. 

Cloudless blue sky!

It was very hot again this afternoon and I may have gotten a little burnt. Though I put sunscreen on, my nose seems to be permanently red:). 

The boys were almost good as gold tonight!

Jay was crying as is usual for him, while I was supervising the boys on the potty. I poked my head into the bedroom and said "Jay! Salika!" (salika means be quiet). He stopped instantly and looked at me, I just stared at him in shock as this is the first time he has actually stopped crying when I've told him to! Normally I tell him several times and then end up just ignoring him until he tires of crying. I think he might be growing up a little. 

I mentioned a little bit of my goodnight routine in my last post but I wanted to do it in detail for each boy. Alex, Edmund, and Babu sleep in a smaller room together and the rest sleep in the main bedroom. After the bath, potty, pajamas, brush teeth and story routine it's time for goodnight kisses. 

Alex: gets kisses, says "Bah" or "Eh" in reply to Goodnight and falls asleep almost instantly

Edmund: gets kisses, giggles as I throw him up into his cot bunk, and either plays with himself in bed or yells "Ahhhhh!" in protest at being left.

Babu: gets kisses, cries at being left in bed until he realises he's tired and lies down. I'll sometimes stay and sing to him till he's calm. 

Jay: watches all the older boys get ready for bed while banging the door against his cot, giggles every time I smile at him from across the room, giggles again as I reach down to give him kisses as he's too tired by this stage to get up. 

Judah: after waiting for his older brothers to get ready for bed and listening to a story he's almost asleep by the time he gets a gentle kiss on the forehead and simply smiles sweetly with his thumb in his mouth without moving.  

Isaiah: giggles as I near his bunk and scoots as far away as possible, I catch him and give him a cuddle and a kiss. 

Paul: usually laying thoughtfully off in his own little world until he realises I'm waiting, then squeezes me as hard as he can for a hug and then kisses me probably twenty times before I give him his kiss and butterfly kiss. 

Frank: on a top bunk tries to wrap his arms around my neck and jump off the bed, hence I make him sit down before doing the hugs, kisses, butterfly kisses routine. 

Richard: his bed is under Frank's and has usually wrapped himself around my middle already, gets hugs, kisses, butterfly kisses. 

Sande: Is also too tired to move and gets a kiss on the forehead then his eyes follow me around the room. 

Eric: hugs, often tries to lick my cheek instead of giving me a kiss, gets kisses and butterfly kisses.

Christopher: also on a top bunk and wraps his arms around my neck, gets kisses on his dimples and butterfly kisses, he always gives me a raspberry.

Michael: half asleep by this stage, grins his cheeky grin as I have to reach right across the bed to give him his kisses and hugs.

Joseph: (if not still running around the room naked or in the corner crying), yells "Aunty, I want a butterfly!", also is made to sit before he gets his hug or my poor neck would snap in half, gets hugs, kisses and butterfly kisses, and likes to give me a butterfly kiss on my eye before I leave. 

Then I turn out the light as each boy tries to convince me that I forgot one kiss or hug, or they didn't give me a butterfly. 

Tonight I said goodnight to Mama Georgina and she replied "Goodnight mummy, well done". :) 

Goodnight my sweet little men!

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Psalm 46:10