Zoe Walks

Zoe has finally taken those first steps!  I'm so proud of her growing up, but it is going by too quickly!

Bananas

Zoe has gotten a little too comfortable with always getting free bananas at the fruit market.  Lately, even if we just walk quickly by, she points and cries as she see the bananas hanging there.  We went by the other day but the usual guy wasn't there, so Zoe didn't get her banana and she was devastated, but I was thankful I didn't have to worry about stains on my or her clothes.  Today we went by and Zoe got her free banana and got to visit a little with the parrots that also live at the fruit stand.  Everyone was impressed with her new walking skills and her squeaky shoes :). Thankfully she finished her banana before we left, so there was limited banana mess on our clothes. 

Zoe's Life

There are days when I am so amazed by the life of my little girl.  I weep over the things I know she's missing in the States around family and close friends, but yet what an amazing experience she will have growing up overseas, in a culture all of her own.  Yesterday we went to the park (as is our custom in the evenings), there were three Yemeni ladies there sitting on a bench together.  Yemeni ladies usually wear a full burqa and niqaab (they are dressed in complete black except for their eyes showing), and these ladies were no different.

(I did not take this picture, but simply googled one off the internet, but it was taken in our park)

Zoe has seen ladies dressed like this, but she has not had much close interaction with them before.  Zoe also can be a little stand-offish with everyone till she gets comfortable around them.  So, there we are sitting in the park, these ladies sitting across from us.  At first Zoe gives them a good stare, then she starts smiling and waving.  The ladies loved it.  Andrew took Zoe away for a few minutes to visit one of his friends.  While they were gone, one of the Yemeni ladies got up enough courage to come over and ask me if when they returned, they could take a picture of Zoe.  Of course I didn't care, as this is quite a common thing, people taking pictures of Zoe.  So, when they returned, I got Zoe and took her over to see the ladies.  One of them immediately jumped up and grabbed Zoe.  I was a little worried because usually when someone she doesn't know holds her she cries, but she didn't this time.  She wasn't extremely happy, but she looked at the camera and let them all hold her and kiss her.  I was definitely a proud mama.

On our way home from the park, we stopped by the fruit stand.

Just about every time we go, they give Zoe a banana.  Usually she plays shy and won't take the banana out of their hand (although she really wants it) so they end up just giving it to me, but yesterday she finally took it from them herself.  So, we finished our walk home, Zoe feeding herself a banana.