Month 8

 My pretty precious Paloma is 8-months old.  She is doing so much, always moving.  She crawls everywhere, pulls herself up, puts her bottom down from standing.  She even has a tooth, with another one making its appearance soon.  She is still crazy about her brothers, but now lets them know when they are all up in her face.  You'll hear a grunt, cry or scream.  They then give her space, but I can tell it's hard for them to stay away.  She wakes up too much at night to nurse, but I can't stop it.  She's just too darn cute!

 She smiles a lot.  Her happiness is contagious.  Watch out.  She just might cheer you up!  She is doing a lot better in the car.  Only crying if she has been in her car seat for too long.  She can now pick up tiny pieces of i-don't-know what that she finds on the floor.  She doesn't like touching grass.  She didn't know where to put her hands when we sat her down for these photos.  She still loves drinking her milk but is also trying a bunch of different food.  

Angus held her feet up this evening and smelled them, then gave them a kiss.  Every morning, Jonas greets her before anyone else.  

Yay for 8 months!

Unconditional

My dad and I were talking about how much teenagers need their parents.  I don't remember why this came up.  Sometimes people think they are all grown up and can take care of themselves.  They can, but there is so much happening during that stage in life that parents need to know what is going on with their teen.  That is a tough age to get through - for parent and child. Our conversation moved on to this:

"Even after you're all grown you still need your parents," he said.  "I wish I still had my mom around.  I still need her."

I agreed.  I don't know what I would do without them.

He started telling me about one of his older brothers, Norberto.  He said that he would visit their mom and dad many mornings.   He was married, had three kids.  He lived a few blocks away from my grandma and grandpa.  He would knock on their door and he'd listen as their slow footsteps got closer.  They would always answer, not upset because someone was knocking so early, but happy to see their son.

My grandma, Nena, would start the pot of coffee and my grandpa, Papiya, would tell him to stay while he walked to a nearby store to buy some rolls to have with their coffee.  They would sit, talk, until breakfast time or until it was time for my uncle to head to work.

My dad wishes he could hear those footsteps that brought with them love and warmth.  That were ready at any hour of the day, for their children.

I told him that that is how I feel when I go to their house.  I can say I am only going to be there for a couple of hours, but the hours just seem to fly on by, without a hurry to go home.  I can see it when my brother is there, too.  He does the same sometimes.

I am blessed to have such a good relationship with my parents.  Not every visit or talk goes smoothly, we all have our opinions, our own minds.  But most of the time everything is fine.  I can talk to my dad for hours and hours.  We can start a conversation on the phone and continue on to something else. We can talk the next day about other matters and so it goes, on and on.

"Our conversations never end," he says.  "We never feel full."

I think about how I will be when our kids, all grown, come knocking.  I will have a smile on my face, happy to see them, ready to talk or listen.  Just like my parents have done with my brother and I.  Just like their parents did with them.  

This moment

{this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama.

On planning

I had plans this evening.

The kind of plans that involve cleaning and putting away of clutter around the house.

I had hoped to get the kids to bed by 8, latest 8:30, then I would begin.

I was going to put away all the stuff on the table.  Maybe go through some of our mail and fill out some forms that have been sitting in a pile on our hutch for the longest time.  Clean the kitchen floor because it needs cleaning. There was a basket of laundry waiting for me, waiting right by the ottoman.  Watch a little TV while folding clothes.  Or write in the kids baby books, which I found the other day.

What really happened?

Well, I took them all into the boys bedroom at about 7:45, had them all lay on the bed, read three books to Jonas, because Paloma and Angus were too busy playing to listen.  Jonas fell asleep.  The other two were trouble.  They continued playing in the living room.  I tried to nurse Paloma to sleep, but Angus kept making noise, which would get her excited.

We ate cereal. Watched a cartoon.  I looked at the clock, it was 9.  We laid on the bed.  I sang to them. They continued to play, squeal, crawl, talk and wiggle.  We got up, went into the living room, where I tried to rock Paloma to sleep. Didn't work.  They crawled and played more.  Went back to the bedroom, sang to them and finally Angus fell asleep.  It was 10.  Got up to rock Paloma again and she fell asleep, but woke up again 20 minutes later. Rocked her back to sleep and here I am.

My plans didn't work out quite like I wanted them to, but that is how life goes when you have kids.  Sometimes things go smoothly, as planned, and sometimes, they just don't.

Waiting, watching and wondering

Make up

I was putting my make up on the other day and Jonas was watching me.  He was curious about it.

"What does it feel like to put that (mascara) on?"

"It doesn't feel like anything because I've put it on so many times.  It's supposed to make my eyelashes look longer," I said.  "You're lucky you don't have to wear any make up, because boys look handsome all the time."

"When you don't have any on you look nice.  You don't have to put it on," he said.

"I do?  Thanks, baby.  Sometimes it makes me feel better, so that I don't look so tired or feel so ugly."

"Well I think you look pretty, when you're ugly."

Important phone call

(Angus, playing with my phone) 

He kept saying, "Grandpa, doing?"  I didn't know he was actually talking to him.  My dad told me later that Angus called him and asked him what he was doing.  

(Having a serious discussion)

Here chick, chick, chick

He tries and tries but he just can't catch them.  Dad or Jonas have to help him catch them. Then they peck at him and he lets go, after only a few seconds of having held them.

This moment

{this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama.

Days like these...

        

*  make us all happy- from the oldest to the youngest.

* make us thankful for hungry ducks because they make our little ones feel good feeding them.

* are hot.   

* are for enjoying the day, even if it is over 100 degrees. 

* are made for swinging along.

Mi Nana

(This photo was taken a year ago, when Angus turned one)
At the moment, things are not like they used to be.  She is going through a lot.  Too much.

What was once a very active life, has suddenly stopped, slowed down, without her or anybody being ready for it.

What I know about her and what she has taught me throughout the years is that strength is what keeps us going.

She has always been strong.  She has always been a woman on the go.  That's who she has been ever since I was a little girl.

She gives what she has, even if it is dear to her, she will give.

She is the one who sings out loud, who dances when the music is playing, who will make you a warm bowl of soup if you are or look hungry, who will walk anywhere she needs to go, who will dress up for a special occasion, who will not stop for anything.

Even now.

I know she will not stop.

Te quiero mucho mi nana!