Boyisms

1. The boys and I were discussing the importance of doing math and of embracing the mistakes they make, as they are opportunity for mental growth. So on Tuesday when Santi was at his Kinder orientation at the new school, he told me he had to stop doing his math homework because his brain was so big, his name tag necklace didn't fit through his head!!!!

2.  Mateo is curious about everything and is now much more logical with his reasoning. Nico had explained to him very briefly how babies are made:  the daddy puts a seed in the mommy and the baby grows in the mommy's belly. Out of the blue, he asks me where that "daddy" seed is. I tell him that it's in the belly. And then he asks me how the daddy puts it inside the mommy. After nearly chocking and stalling, Santi says very matter-of-factly:  the mommy and daddy roll around together and the daddy seed goes in the mommy's belly. Mateo didn't accept that answer. I started cracking up and said that more or less Santi was right. Mateo looked stunned and persistent in knowing how the daddy seed went inside the mommy. I was searching my brain for some scientific explanation which would quench his desire without revealing much more but couldn't so I just said that the mommy swallowed the seed!! Lame and sad I know but I couldn't think of anything age appropriate to say. Any suggestions??

Precious (hahaha!!!) Moments

Santi, Santi, Santi.  Such a little bundle of energy full of mischeviousness.  

When we first arrived to the Bay Area, we rented a house.  The boys were misbehaving so Nico put them outside to calm themselves down.  BIG, HUGE mistake that Nico put them out with their ball.  Santi told Mati, "Don't worry Mati (Mati was having a drama-queen meltdown that they were outside!!), I'll get us back inside!"  And with that, he threw his ball to one of the windows, shattering it.

Price to get it fixed on a Sunday, in the middle of winter: $130.

Yesterday, Santi was doing his business in the bathroom.  I presume that when he set out to cut the toilet paper, the toilet paper roll rolled from his hand and went all over the bathroom.  To cover his tracks, he decided to put all the fallen sheets (and there were a lot of them!!!) in the toilet ... and flush!! Well, the toilet over flooded!  Water just kept on coming and coming out of the toilet, flooding the hallway and two rooms.

Price to dry the floors and prevent mold and mildew: $1300.  

Hopefully the next bill we'll have to pay from this little guy won't have another "0" added to the end!!

Water Babies

This summer was hotter than previous ones and that meant many lazy afternoons poolside. The boys really enjoyed the water, the endless hours playing with each other and with the tios, Tia and Benito. Their backs and arms have been sun kissed and are looking more handsome than usual!!

Synchronized swimmers practicing their routine

Summer Fun at the Fair

I took the boys out of summer camp one Friday and took them to an all American tradition: the summer fair. The rides, the lemonades, the heat: it all equalled great fun and some pretty tired kids ... and mommy!!!

Tilden Hike

Mati and Santi rock!  Literally.  We took them on a hike, about 3.5 miles up to Wildcat Canyon View in Tilden Park.  It's a moderate hike for adults, but rather strenuous for little legs.  We did it in about 2.5 hours.  They collected crystals, ate wild blackberries, climbed trees, drew, saw insects and animals and admired the view ... and yes, they complained a bit.  Specially Santi who ran up the first 20 minutes of the hike!!

Memorial Day Weekend with Tio Cucu

One of the most special things about being back in California is being close to family again.  About two weeks ago, my brother came up for the weekend and the boys LOVED having him here.

TENNESSEE VALLEY BEACH HIKE

Playing Wii at Home

Happy Father's Day!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

We are lucky, but more so my boys, to have such a loving and giving Father.  I asked them today why they loved their Daddy, and here's what they said:

1. "Because when he comes home from work, he always gives us a hug."
2. "He reads to us every night."
3. "He gives me good advice."
4. "He plays soccer with us."
5. "He takes us nice places."
6. "He makes pancakes for us ... with chocolate chips!!"
7. "He protects us."

Nico is away in London today.  And even though the boys didn't have the chance to tell him all of this, I know he knows that they treasure every day with him.  We love you!!

Recently ...

A couple of recent pictures of the boys ....

Best Friends

Yesterday I had one of those sweet parenting moments.  I took the boys to get Santi's hair cut.  While the hairdresser clipped Santi's bangs away, Mateo entertained him by making silly faces, which obviously got Santi cracking up.  The hairdresser asked, "Do they always get along this well?  Every time you guys come, they always seem to be the best of friends!" While their fighting can be extreme and constant, they ARE the best of friends and that makes ME swell up with joy.

And the Gold Medal goes to ....

Santi has been doing gymnastics for well over a year now and continues to enjoy it very much.  In his words, "I LOVE gymnastics as much as I love candy."  Pretty strong statement from our little gourmand!!

Mateo started about 8 weeks ago and has really taken a liking to it.  Nothing, though, replaces his love for soccer.  He's not as strong, agile or coordinated as little brother is, but he gives it his best and enjoys the hour and quite honestly, that's good enough for me!

Here are two videos taken last week:

Mateo:  http://youtu.be/y_OWQIvOxLA

Santi:  http://youtu.be/cHhDw4vVLYQ

Ice Cream for Santi

One of the things Nico and I have been working on with Santi is to teach him better eating etiquette.  We remind him to slow down, to chew, to cut, to hold his fork and knife correctly and lets not forget, to wipe his mouth (and arms, and hands, and ....!!!) However, when it came to eating his ice cream on a warm evening a couple of weeks ago, he showed that all our efforts are pretty much fruitless because he enjoyed his frozen treat pretty much however he wanted to!

 Santi with a chocolate mustache

 Close up of Santi with a chocolate beard

End product: chocolate all over his face, on his tee shirt, hands and knee!! It was "Delicious!"

Lights, Camera, ACTION!

Santi had his end of the year show at school today.  Uuuuummmm, abstract corporal movement would be the best way to describe it.  :)  Enjoy!

I couldn't upload it directly here to the blog, but you can access it by clicking on the link below: http://youtu.be/IQ0h62iphhs

Boyisms

2013 has been breezing by rather quickly!  Most of these months I have been consumed by the move, buying the house and settling in; and now, daily visits to the chiropractor.  Sadly, little time is left to maintain this blog. :(  And it's such a shame because as I go through the in's and out's of daily life with my two cherubs, I am constantly telling myself I can't forget what they said or what they did, so I can update the blog and because quite honestly I want to hang on to every inch of their innocence and babyhood.

My mom always says that children are borrowed, in the sense that they are never ours for very long.  They soon grow up and start leaving us, parents, behind.  How true that is!  In our case, the one who is doing most of the growing up is Mateo.  He is still so innocent and immature but certainly doing some emotional and intellectual transformations.  Here are two recent events which juxtapose each other but show the internal changes going on.

1.  We are the car having a conversation about quick sand.  He asks me how it is that quick sand pulls one under.  I answer that I don't know, but that we can "Google" it when we get home.  He agrees and about 10 seconds later says, "I bet Arthur's dad knows the answer!" Me: "Oh, really, why?" Mateo: "Because he knows everything!!" Me: "How do you know that?" Mateo: "Mami, he WORKS at Google!!!"

2.  He lost his front two teeth in the past four months (I can't remember if I had I mentioned that in a previous blog entry!!).  And so, again in the car, out of the blue, he asks me if the Tooth Fairy really exists.  I didn't expect this conversation so soon, so I turn his question around and ask HIM why he's wondering that.  He starts telling me that a boy in his class told him so, that the Tooth Fairy is really one's parents.  I lamely answered that the boy probably said that because he had lost a tooth and the Fairy didn't bring him anything. And he answered that it couldn't be that because another friend, "who is a really good student", also told him that the Fairy didn't exist.  I couldn't spill the truth and ruin this illusion for him or for Santi who was very attentive.  I told him, remember how when you lost your tooth the Fairy brought you $10 from Trinidad and Tobago? Clearly, that was because it got confused of where you were (we were in T&T for a night before coming back to California in December)!  Mommy and Daddy don't have money from Trinidad!  There, as simple as that.  He was satisfied with the answer.  He said, "You are right Mommy. I believe in the Tooth Fairy."

And then, there's our wild child ... our Santi! That little bundle of energy that is non-stop!

1.  Me (in the car): Santi, who did you play with today? Santi: Jeanne.  Me: What did you guys do?  Santi: We played spies and then we tried to make a fire by rubbing two rocks together.  Me: Huh? Santi: Daddy said that long time ago, people made fire by rubbing rocks together. It didn't work.

2.  Santi: Why did the Egyptians build the pyramids in the dessert?  (Anyone, anyone???)

Back to the Bay Area

My camera was in the repair shop for most of December and part of January, so there are very few pictures from this past month back in the States.  But here are some shots of the boys in full action!

One of the perks of our rented house is a trampoline in the backyard.  Here they are taking a small break.

 Mateo lost his front tooth in Orange!  The crazy tooth fairy got confused and brought him $10 from Trinidad and Tobago!! Thank goodness Abuelita Rosi was able to exchange it for $10 US dollars! 

 I love Santi's shadow profile - the nose!!!

 The rebel skating inside Wheeler Hall!

Sunset view from our rented home

Getting back in the swing of blogging

As I look back at the pictures from our last couple of weeks in Caracas, it all seems so far away.  A warm dream wrapped in a bittersweet blanket.  The shock of leaving in a rush, without having the opportunity to really say goodbye to this city that has seen me grow through many stages in my life, has created a big void in my heart.  But I know that time will lessen the gap; I know that despite it all, Caracas will always be a special place for me; and I know that my boys were very happy there, just as I was when I was their age.

Family picture time

Homework time.  We didn't have paper, so Mateo practiced his spelling words on the window with special markers.

 Mateo's Holiday Performance Day

Santi's Holiday Perfomance Day (he was a cowboy)

 A beautiful morning

 Empty apartment = soccer field!

El Messi-cano

At the Chevron Christmas Party