Diego's Stickley

Progress on Diego's cabinet is coming along very nicely.   What started as a bunch of boards needing planing in February, and was just a frame in March, is now a beautiful cabinet.  As I type, Diego is installing the doors and hinges.  I think all it needs after this is glass for the doors.  I can't wait to move it into the house!

Our neighbors told us that they recently saw a very similar cabinet on Antiques Roadshow appraised for nearly $7,000!

Catching Up

I'm not quite sure how 16 days have passed since my last post.  It might be the biggest gap I've had since Luis was born.  March 19-23, Luis and I went to South Carolina for McDow Thanksgiving in April (started this year because we didn't all make it to Rock Hill for T-giving in '08).  With the exception of Randolph, Lauren, Eston, Diego, Jeff and Nellie - everyone either made it home for the weekend, or committed to staying in town.  We had family dinners, family lunches, family play, family runs, family visits to the barn, and more family meals.  It was a great weekend, though slightly chaotic at times.  There were 16 children (from Luis's generation) between the ages of almost 2 and 13 - and 15 of those children were 8 or under.  I didn't take my camera with me and have not one single picture.  Luckily, other people took pictures and you can see them here and here.

Also, as part of that trip, Luis and I drove up to Durham on that Friday to visit Gigi.  As an added bonus, Mom and Sandy were there also.  The driving to visiting ratio was not so good (6:2.5), but it was great to see Gigi.

Sitting here, it's hard to think of what the updates are on Luis.  He had a couple of rough weeks of sleep, and is back on a good schedule.  But people with kids don't want to hear that he's still sleeping 7p-7a at night and 2-3 hours during the day.  :)  

Luis is going through, what I call, a Forrest Gump stage.  If Luis is going anywhere, he is running.  He likes to run around the house, run around the yard, run down the sidewalk.  Last week, we walked to the park to feed the ducks - Diego, Luis, Ashley and me.  After the ducks were fed, Luis ran around the small lake (think 1/2 the size of College Farm -for those of you who've been to RH), and then ran most of the way home (stopping, of course, to hold hands when it was time to cross the streets).  When Diego takes him running  in the jogger, Luis likes to get out near the end, and "run in" with Diego.  

Luis is also in a sensitive phase.  For 4 days, his favorite book was Cenicienta - a Spanish version of Cinderella.  Diego read it to him in Spanish, and Luis doesn't blink.  But when I read it in Spanish, Luis says, "Momma, TALK to me.  TALK to me."  It took a while to figure out that he wants me to read to him in English.  The other night, I was doing this - loosely translating the Spanish version.  When we got to the part when Cinderall runs off (after the clock strikes midnight) and the Prince (el Principe) doesn't even know her name, Luis asked, "Principe little bit sad?"  I told him yes.  Luis asked, "Principe ki-ing (crying)?"  I said yes.  "Pricipe ki-ing because little bit sad?"  Yes.  Then, Luis burst into tears.  He cried for several minutes.  When I asked him what was wrong, he said, "Luis little bit sad."  The next day, he requested Cenicienta for both stories at nap time and asked to take it in the car when we went out.  After that, Cenicienta got "misplaced" and we've since moved on to Jorge Curioso.

Luis is now going to school 2x per week and seems to really like it.  There are several parents who have kids in the Parents Day Out program with Luis, who also have kids in the preschool.  There is 30 minutes between when PDO lets out and when the school does.  Luis and I have started joining 4-6 other parents and kids who congregate on a sunny hill on the side of the church.  It's great fun for both of us - Luis running with the kids and me chatting with the parents.  Thank goodness for school!

Luis still loves to "cook" and "help me" in the kitchen (as in "Mommy, I use (s)tool and help me").  Juevos (eggs) are his favorite thing to make - and he can almost crack the egg by himself.  As an example of learning what you see, Luis also likes to stand at the kitchen island to eat his snack - a habit I am not encouraging.

I haven't measured Luis's height since his 2-year check up, but I'm sure he's getting taller.  For one thing, wearing the same shorts that he wore last summer, he has A LOT more of his little legs showing between the bottom of the shorts and the top of his socks.  When standing on the ground, his eyes are almost even with the dining room table.  And he can almost put his hands on top of the kitchen counter (remember, they are SUPER tall - 40" I think).

These days, Luis laughs a lot.  He likes to make jokes and be silly and get others to laugh too.   He has silly ways of asking for things and we have lots of games we play together.  

I absolutely love that he has one-on-one relationships with lots of people here, much like in Mumbai.  When we leave the gym, he tells Todd (my trainer), "Hasta Manana-na-na-na-na-na-na" before busting out in giggles.  Luis likes to share candy (and cookies and chocolate) with Kyle & Tim next door.  Luis likes to blow bubbles with our New Friends - the kids across the street.  Luis likes to help Rosie & Blanca sweep & vacuum.  And he likes to look at pictures of airplanes with John (a guy at our gym who often has his laptop there - and used to be in the Air Force).He likes to help Julie (another neighbor) garden, using her special "little rake".  Luis has his Granddaddy's (and Uncle Dodie's) memory for names and faces and stories.  He knows who is at the gym based on the cars out front.  He knows which way to go to drive to the Digger Park or to see the Concrete trucks.  

He is also being very polite - more times than not using "please" and "thank you" without being asked.  Of course, it isn't all perfect.  Last week, we were playing outside with our neighbor Holly and her dog Blue.  Luis, who was tired, walked up to Holly and said "YOU GO HOME!"  He said it again.  I told him that he was speaking rudely and probably hurt Holly's feelings.  He thought for a minute and said, "YOU GO HOME please".  Slowly, slowly we're getting there.

All in all, he continues to be a delight.  I am really enjoying this stage with him and am a little sad that he won't be age forever...

Peruvian Chicken, Sort Of

Early in our relationship, Diego introduced me to Peruvian Chicken and yucca.  In turn, over the years, I have introduced Peruvian Chicken (and yucca) to most of my friends in VA and those who came to visit.  There is rotisserie chicken and then there is Peruvian Chicken.  It is mmmm, mmmm, mmmm good.  And there is NO Peruvian Chicken in Dallas.  We've looked around, we've searched the Internet, we followed directions to several stores that turned out to be closed.  Next to Trader Joes, this may be what we miss the most (besides, of course, our good friends and family!).  

On Friday, Diego bought a new grill for us AND got the rotisserie chicken attachment.  He also found a recipe on the Internet for Peruvian Chicken.  Saturday afternoon, he marinated the chicken for many hours and then fired up the grill.  The result was beautiful!

And, it was delicious.  By far, the best chicken I've had off the grill at home.  But, unfortunately, it wasn't the Peruvian Chicken we were hoping for.  So we'll keep looking for recipes and testing them out -- and enjoying the trial runs while we do.

More Froggy Boots

Luis has a relatively new game he likes to play.  It happens immediately after mealtime and is called "Get down, take pants off and run around like half-naked boy".  I'm not kidding.  That's what he calls it.  We play it a lot after dinner and before bath time, when the pants are about to come off anyway.  The gist of the game, outside of the obvious parts from the title, is to run around the house as quickly as possible.  It's an added bonus if someone is willing to chase Luis - and then be chased.  With a very open floor plan and super tall cabinets & island in the kitchen, it's a pretty fun game to play.  When Luis and I play, I'll hide behind a counter in the kitchen and jump out as he comes around the corner.  We then have to pause the game as we both laugh so hard that we lose our breath.  It's not a bad way to wrap up the day.  (Note:  Luis is the only one who takes his pants off when we play the game.)

Earlier this week, while playing GD,TPO&RALH-NB", Luis stopped by the front door to pick up his boots.  Luis's Froggy Boots are getting to be a little bit small for him. BUT - they continue to be the only shoes that he can put on by himself (thought he doesn't always get the right shoe on the right foot).  

Smile!

It's not at all surprising that Luis is interested in cameras.  I've taken approximately 7,500 pictures on my camera alone since Luis was born, a few of them of Luis.  (Thank goodness it's digital!)  He has recently begun picking up common household things and making them into cameras of his own.  The first was this hose diverter that he found outside.  He walked around taking "pictures" and requesting that Ashley and I say "EEEEEEeeeeeee" for about 20 minutes.

Then, last week, he started using this toy trumpet as the new camera (after we hid the pipe camera out of fear he'd poke his eye out).  It won't be long before he can start taking his own pictures on a real camera.

Luis also likes to check out the display screen on the camera after several pictures have been shot, often pointing to the the picture on the screen and then pointing at the "live" version in the room.

The Seasoned Traveller

This morning, Luis and I flew from Dallas to Charlotte (for a McDow Family "Thanksgiving in March"). After getting our boarding passes at the ticket counter and checking in Luis's car seat, we headed for the TSA line. Luis and I snaked our way through the empty line up to the table & bins. While I was pulling out my zip lock bag of liquids and folding up the stroller, I looked over to make sure Luis was OK. In fact, he had walked over to the stack of bins, pulled the top one off and set it on the floor. Then he sat himself down next to it to take his shoes off. After that, he lifted the bin up onto the table (that was actually taller than Luis).
Diego, who was watching from outside the screening area and I, were both amazed. Luis hasn't been on a plane (or through screening) since early December. I hadn't thought he'd remember all that. But clearly, he did. I just wish that I had a photo to capture the moment.

My Construction Boy

Luis has known crane truck for several months, as well as crane (building crane).  He recently learned tower crane.  The other day at lunch, he made a tower crane with his spoon.

Spring

After 5 days of rain, all of the blooms are about to burst around here.  I love it!

Being Creative

(thanks to Sarah for giving us these Dots)

Quotes from Luis

"I fix vacuum"

"I do my work"

Caleb Comes Again

Luis's friend, Caleb came over Friday morning for an ultra-early play date (Bethany, his mom, had a 7a meeting).  This is the 4th time that Luis and Caleb have played together.  And while there are definite moments of toy-hording and a few pushes, I am always a bit surprised to see how well they do together, and to see what appears to be true affection in their relationship.  

It was a fun morning, with only a few tears and one threat of time out (for Tu-Lease, as Caleb calls him).  Caleb stubbed his toe at one point and limped over to me, teary-eyed.  "Miss Mary (sniff, sniff), I ouchied my toe (sniff, sniff)."  I sat on the floor with him to inspect the damage and to give a hug.  At the same time, Luis came over, gave Caleb a hug and said, "I'm sorry you ouchie Caleb, I'm sorry you ouchie".  Caleb, who uses the potty instead of diapers, amazed Luis as he stood up  to "tee-tee" in the potty (the word for peeing at Caleb's house).  I really think that Luis now thinks you sit to Pee Pee in the potty and stand to Tee Tee in the potty.  (Luis's friendship with Caleb has really sparked Luis's interest in the potty!)

Caleb & Luis playing with our Elmo puzzle book

Caleb & Luis enjoying breakfast - dry cereal and mini-bagels with sour cream (Luis confused cream cheese and sour cream)

Luis & Caleb playing "trucks"

Rin-cycle Bin

 

What could inspire such curiosity for Luis?

The "Rin-cycle Bin", i.e. the Recycle Truck, which comes down the alley every other Monday.

Heather Visits

Last Saturday (3/7), Heather came out for a visit.  Her parents live about 90 minutes SE of here, so she could kill a couple of birds with one plane ticket.  As always, we had a great time with her here.  I am not sure if Luis remembers her (we last saw her in December, on our drive from MD-FL), but he definitely enjoyed her.

Saturday we hung around the house and cooked out for dinner.  My New Friend (as Luis calls everyone we know in Dallas) Leah came over for dinner and we had a great time.  Sunday we chilled around the house - playing outside in the beautiful weather, enjoying the swing set, went for a walk and just relaxed.  After naps, Luis and I drove Heather out to her parents house.  I didn't get all the details, but they live in a gated community - gated to keep in the several types of deer and the zebra!   Luis wasn't so psyched about the drive, and kept asking where we were going.  I told him we were going to Heather's parent's house.  He asked 100 times and I told him 100 times.  In the week since we were there, he's asked about a dozen times, "Heather at Parent's House?"  There was much fussing and a few tears on the way out.  Heather was a great sport at entertaining Luis, and even let him have a turn with her sunglasses.

 The drive, in the end, was well worth it as they had a HUGE yard with lake-front access.  They had a yard full of gumballs that could be thrown into the lake. And Heather taught Luis how to clean of his hands by rubbing them in the grass (he loved that idea).  Later, Heather's mom, Mary, took Luis and I out for a ride in the golf cart to try to espy some wild animals.  We saw two small herds of beautiful deer (or relatives of deer).  Mary was apologetic that it wasn't a better trip -- and invited us to come out anytime to try again.  I told her in Luis's mind, the trip couldn't have been any better:  he rode in a golf cart, he got to take turns pushing the gas pedal, he got to try steering, and he saw some goose poop close up.  Zebra, in fact, would have been less impressive than what he DID get to experience!

It's "Water Games" Season (again)

More on Diego's Project

Diego is out in the garage today, working on the cabinet.  With the body of the cabinet done, he is now working on the doors.  They are a beautiful latice design.  Although we have many very nice power tools, there are still somethings that need to be done by hand.

Better than the spring season...

... is BAREFOOT season!  And it is upon us here in Dallas.

Diego's Creations

Diego has been working very hard at the airport these days, but he's also working hard at home.  He is building a new media center/cabinet for the house.  It will be beautiful when it's done (as are all of Diego's word working projects) - and in the mean time, it is providing sawdust by the bucket load for Luis to play in.

On Wednesday night, our friend Leah came over for dinner.  Diego made (yet another) delicious paella.

Funny Faces

Spring!

Most of my friends on the East Coast - from Atlanta to NY - have been talking about snow this week.  While our temps were colder than they had been last week, it's still pretty nice weather here.  In fact, right now, it's 75 degrees in the shade at 2:45.  I did a quick walk around the house to capture some of the blooms that we have now.  They are beautiful (though I don't know the names of any of them)!  They make me excited about what is still to come, as this is just the very beginning of spring...

Unfortunately, I know what this is:

A Gift from Shabina