Rain, road work and girls

Today we awoke to condensation on the windows. The air was heavy with potential rain. Our bedrooms stay cold at night for good sleeping, while the dehumidifiers work their tails off to keep the moisture down. Every day, 2-3 times each day, we empty the full dehumidifier pails of water. If they fill before we get to them and turn off, you can immediately feel a difference in the air. A day cannot go by without them running, or we would live in damp growing mold or who knows what other yummy lab experiment.

Just this week the first rain of the season came... and it was delightful. Shortly after dinner, the sky darkened, the clouds rumbled and glorious rain fell and fell and fell. Lightning lit the sky and the thunder went on for over an hour. We were happy to be inside peering out, as we knew of several friends out meandering around in it on their way here or there. It was nice to wake to bright green leaves, freshly washed of their accumulated grime from the dry season. Each day now, you see more and more new leaves shooting out of the plants from their nice drink of rain.

(l) Ceiba getting her babies ready "for the airplane", (r) Ceiba and Hapsa (Mokta's granddaughter)

Ceiba is at school, loading up on the bus a few hours ago. She is getting so big. Her hair is long and sleek, her face is losing its baby-ness and her figure is lean and strong. She is such a vibrant and beautiful young girl. This week the buses are getting a work out, as many of the area streets are in disarray for repairs. The street divisions are trying to get sewer drains installed now before the big monsoon rains come, which will be any day. Why doesn't construction happen in December when it's dry and one has some wiggle room on the dates? For the same reason the American Club pool is under repairs in the middle of swimming season.... to irritate us. No, but because nothing in Bangladesh happens quickly, except for the rain itself. Planning, organizing and beginning a project take a painstakingly long amount of time. Such is life here, and while you get used to it, you never loose that huff when it happens. So huff I say at the road that is nearly impossible to drive on without hitting a rickshaw wallah, falling in a crevace of a hole, or getting to anyplace on time. And huff I say to the damn pool that is still unopened a month into swimming season, when we have a 4 year old (and family) that is dying for a daily swim. Huff huff huff.
...But we'll be in Bali soon enough for days and days of pool and beach. Hooray!

And as I type, a sweet little squishy dumplin is cruising around the floor, sometimes walking, sometimes crawling, sometimes sliding into a toy like it's the home plate stretch of the big game. She is the most scrumptious little nugget with a smile that can light up the night. It's funny how more relaxed of parents we are the second time around. The "she can't eat this until she is 1 year, she isn't allowed on her back until 6 months, she needs this or that or the other" mentality we tried to stick to raising Ceiba is out the window this go round. If it makes her happy, won't choke her or she eats it, no problem (to some degree). This morning I chunked up little pieces of moist pumpkin bread (my mom's old recipe that has become my signature now with my added topping, yum!) for Avocet to nibble on while playing before her morning nap. Her smiles and grunts at me were fun enough, but the every couple minute stagger over with her little bird mouth open for another bite was impossible not to smile at.  I want to eat her 24/7. Just so sweet!

A million pics of Avocet, now walking, crawling, trying to talk, waving bye and hi and just have a good ole' time every day. She is also playing soccer, and I do mean playing. If anyone holds her hands, she'll chase the soccer ball around the house and kick it (hard) with either foot. She just turned 9 months a few days ago, and continues to do new and exciting "tricks" every day.

 Not too exciting of a blog post, but a day in the life :)