Week Four

Well, Frankie's good progress came screaching to a halt last Friday, after a trip to Kampala to sign his Legal Guardianship affidavit and a hour or so visit to Sanyu's (where he's not even from!).

Probably not in his best interest to visit the babies home but some of the old mama's are retiring next month and I wanted them to be able to see Ella before they left. He did not like it and was a total crank with all the other children. They had the gall to look at and even touch him! And his old lady and sister were a bit preoccupied visiting with old friends so he wasn't getting quite what he needed from us. And he was hungry! Poor guy!

He perked up remarkably after we all stuffed ourselves at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Ella ate until her tummy was sticking out and she felt sick!

So, ever since he's been moody, sullen and screams if we're outside and I get farther than five feet from him. Shoot. He was doing so well! Two steps forward, one step back...

He bunked with me last night, in a feeble attempt to give him a little "extra" in hopes of compensating for his set back. I co-slept with L a bit initially and then six months after she'd come home consistently for eight months because of her nightmares. She is such an extremely well attached, adjusted child now I'm not sure if that had anything to with it or not. Sleeping with Frankie was like sleeping with a little ninja and about the only way you can keep him still is by squishing him flat! Good grief, and I thought Ella squirmed and kicked around a lot. She's nothing to Frankie! Needless to say, I doubt we'll be repeating that again. We'll have to find some other way to strengthen and encourage attachment!

Today he actually started to progress again and was back to his jolly little self. I was a bit more careful of him when we were outside and let him sit on my lap on the porch rather than making him go play with L.

We also went to the zoo this morning and had a wonderful time! We went last Thursday and I was amazed at how Frankie was capable of scampering around the zoo on his own two sturdy little legs, while just three weeks earlier me and Sarah had had to carry him most of the way. It was the same today, only this time he did a lot of jumping around the zoo (??). No idea why.

The biggest thrill was when a red tail monkey that had escaped from it’s cage came up to us and gave Frankie TWO hugs on his leg!! It also licked Frankie’s leg and started to take off his shoe, at which point I picked him (Frankie) up. Did Frankie care? Not in the least!! When you’re raised and constantly competing with a dog like Kayo, what’s the big deal about a mere monkey clinging to your leg? It was awesome!! Franks is such a brave boy!

This little monkey was so cute – it just came and sat in the middle of us like, “I’m with you! Lets go home!” So yep, instead of an abandoned puppy, we almost came home with a red tailed monkey! I think it was the same red tailed that Ella and I had previously befriended and would touch us through the fence. In general, I am VERY nervous of monkeys and had a Vervet (the grey ones) grabbed his leg I would have been beating it with a stick and getting Frankie a rabies shot.