Mamadou's favorite activities (age: 18 months) :

1. Pushing things: chairs, wooden stools, push-toy with wheels that dont turn, buckets, the game of cards you were playing (off the table)
2. Kicking things: stuffed dog that scares him, the couch, people, food that is being prepared, buckets
3. Sticking his hands in things: trash, other peoples food, his mouth, my hair
4. Running: with his hands flopping like a doll and his lips bobbing
5. Being naked or at least bottomless: in any and all circumstances

Mamadou's really a little devil but he's so incredibly cute you can't not want to still play with him all the time anyway. Ive learned his tricks though and i think that finally, FINALLY, i have learned to outsmart him. Here's an example: Bintou (me) and Mohamed are playing SET. Mamadou approaches (dun dun dun). BUT WAIT... there is a wooden stool next to Bintou. She reaches out her hand and starts pushing it. AH HAH! Mamadou sees stool and gets jealous. He grabs it and starts pushing. Diversion accomplished! Mamadou pushes stool contently for 10 to 15 minutes. Game continues. (little does Mamadou realize that pushing off our game of cards would have been WAY more satisfying than pushing that little stool... sucker).

I've also found that making a tickling motion in the direction of Mamadou's stomach accomplishes a temporary break in being hit/drooled-on/pulled-at/offered-prechewed-mush-on-lap/and-so-on, though I think he secretly likes being tickled because he always, always comes back. I'm telling you, this kid is sly.

The cutest thing ever is that when I fill up my cheeks with air and then "pop" them in his face, he always giggles... and hes gotten so used to it that now, he makes a face like hes bracing himself for the wind even before my cheeks pop. Hes smart, you see.

Anyway, Im in good spirits because i finally got to the bank today so im not running on empty and borrowing money from everyone anymore. woooo! it actually took 5 banks and several hours before I could find a place that can do anything with Visa, but you have to expect that sort of thing here. btw mom and dad, travelers checks arent going to happen here... boo.

Oh so craziest thing ever happened. So i have this friend named Mama Koné. Hes the dude that plays djembe at the place where ive gone to dance a few times (centre togola). Hes chill and we've also hung out a few times outside of the dance stuff and climbed my hill and what not. and hes told me hes kind of internationally known as a drummer, but lots of people say that kind of thing here because like, "one time they went to senegal" or something like that. so i kind of blew off the claim. and THEN (yesterday) im searching through my ipod and HOLY ALLAH it says Mama Koné! ON MY IPOD! The album is "Danse de Bobo" and his ethnic group is Bobo and THAT is the music i bought on itunes last semester to practice west african dance to (mom- its the music we used in the DR) So basically, ive been dancing to his drumming since long before i knew him and i juuuust found out and jl:akdsjmf im still freaking out about it really. waa!

Anywho, gotta run. Im leaving for the 10 day excursion tomorrow so i may or may not be on computers. Si non, ill have lots of good stories when i get back.

K'an si