These are a few of my favorite things… about ‘Toto’ (by: Evelyn)

  It’s just not fair that Mama and Da-eee have been taking up all the blog posts, so in honor of my 18month birthday I decided it was time to write one myself and tell you about all the truly interesting things in Togo (or, as I like to say, Toto)!

  First off, I really like it here. Mama says I fit right in! I guess if you are Togolese, greetings and goodbyes are really important and extensive. Well, I’m a Togolese in disguise I guess because they are really important to me too! For instance, in the morning while I eat my breakfast I often say “hi!!!” (in a loud shriek) to the guest house staff ladies (Miss Amavi, Mrs. Florence, Mrs. Elizabeth, or Mrs. Enyonam – some of my new best friends) at least 60 times or so. And the best part is, they answer me back every time! But I have to say I don’t really like being grabbed… and here the grown-ups do like to grab my hands in greeting. But no worries, I just get even by attacking their kids – usually with hugs and kisses, uninvited. Oh, and I never met a baby or kid I could walk by without stopping to talk and play. I usually have one of two effects – I either make them really excited, or really scared. My favorite thing to do every morning now is to go to the hospital, and when Mama tells me we’re going to go see Daddy and the babies I get really excited. The first thing I do is walk right in the door and shriek “Daa-eeee!”. This usually gets everyone’s attention, just the way I like it. I usually bounce from doctor to doctor for a few minutes while they say hello, and then the Togolese nurses come up and say hi to me. After that I have a few favorites I go and visit. There are a few preemie (I’ve learned that means itty bitty baby) babies and their mommies around who are always there, so I kind of know them now and will let them hold me and everything while I point at their babies and shout “Beebee!!”, just in case someone missed the obvious. Mama tries her best to keep me from doing such things as licking the floor and swiping a baby’s bottle (which I did!). After blowing a few kisses we move on to see the kids. I have two friends named Delphi and Sarah that I play with every day. Their little brother is one of the itty-bitty’s so they are always there. We really like to blow bubbles, play with stickers, and color together. I think their favorite is bubbles, because it just makes them giggle and giggle. After that we go to the peds ward. The little kids there are pretty sick, so we usually just greet them and give them a few goodies (coloring books, or little beanie babies). We then go visit the women’s ward, which actually has some pretty young girls in it too. We greet everybody and then spend some time playing with the younger ones. Today we taught one girl how to play tic tac toe! At least, we think we did… but it’s kinda hard to say when we can’t exactly understand each other. Sometimes we share some lotion and stuff too. Then we move into the maternity ward, my favorite! We go from bed to bed to say hi to the babies. For some reason all the babies here are always asleep? And I find it necessary every time to declare each one “Night-night!”. I blow them kisses of course, because that always makes their mommies laugh. Sometimes the moms try to hand their babies to me, at which point Mama insists on rushing to my side and helping me “hold” them. I mean, what does she think I’m going to do, drop them?!?! Squish them? Poke their eyes out? Sit on them? I digress… Anyways, I always talk to the nurses here, and if there are older siblings around sometimes I play with them too. By this time I’m pretty exhausted and ready to head back to read a book, cuddle with my Quack-Quack, and take my pre-lunch nap (not to be confused with my pre-dinner nap – life here is tiring!). Though I always have to stop to talk to the pet monkey that belongs to my friends on the way back…

  Don’t tell anyone I said this, but the doctors here aren’t very smart. They are always asking me where my trachea, xyphoid, liver, and spleen are. I keep having to tell them over and over again! Sheesh, what would they do if I wasn’t around? I’ve noticed around here mealtime talk is usually about something medical or gross, so I just join in by pointing out everyone’s body parts – you know, I’m trying to help them out with their medical education. My current favorite is pointing out everyone’s “Belbows” – especially when they lean them on the table. I’m the only toddler around here, but there are some other MK’s (missionary kids) around. I really like hanging out with them and they like me too. What in the world am I going to do when I go back to boring ol’ home and it’s just me and Mama all day? Oh, and another cool thing about this place is the basketball court and swimming pool! I was afraid of swimming at first, but now I’m pretty much over that. And everytime we leave our room I point to the basketball court and talk about balls and kicking them. Of course, when we go down there to play – I still just want to talk about playing with the balls, rather than actually doing it.

  Well, those are a few of my favorite things about Togo. In conclusion, and in honor of my 1 ½ yr birthday, I will give you a list of “firsts” that I have experienced here in Togo:

·           1. Skinned knees (and 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th … all “Oweeeees”)

·         2. Riding in the car without a carseat! (don’t worry though, that’s only for short, squished trips)

·         3. Cooo-keees, Ca-ca (chocolate), and cu-cakes at almost every meal! I now ask for them all by name     =-)

·         4.  Mangos! Mmmmm…

·         5. Soda (ok, this one has a story – the Fulani shopkeeper we met gave me one, and Mama thought it would be rude to refuse so I got to try my first Pepsi =-)

·         6. I have consumed part of a stick. Strangely, that wasn’t quite as good as the previously mentioned items.

·         7. Money… for some reason this one lady in the hospital keeps giving me coins to keep! I’m rich…

·         8. Bugs – I now recognize them and talk about them!

·         9. Fufu, Gawu, and various other African dishes

·         10. Medicine every morning! Mommy says I’m weird that I actually like my anti-malaria medicine that is supposed to be so bitter and awful

·         11. I now say Amen! I especially like to say it right in the middle of prayers, loudly =-)

·         12. Saying I love you (I wuh-woo), and singing along with the song in the “Love You Forever” book too!

·         13. Dancing in church – I’m a huge fan! =-)

·         14. Going to work with daddy…I think I help his patients feel better!

·         15. Antibiotics – yay…

P.S from Evelyn’s mommy… Sadly, the little stinker got quite sick yesterday with a very high fever. She likely has typhoid or something similar, but she is being treated for it and seems to be improving. Please keep her in your prayers!