Happy Birthday Peanut!

and ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! too

Wherever does the time go...
Love you Peanut.

Birthday Baptism Bash - Part 2

Birthday 2 - The Day After, and the Day Before

Though we began our celebrations on the actual day of Peanut's birth, there was too much goodness (and too many presents) to be contained in one mere day. 

We only opened two presents on the day, so the 23rd and 24th were spent mostly doling out the birthday love from abuelos, tías, tíos, amigos, and more. We basically opened two presents in the morning and two in the afternoon because more than that and Peanut started getting a little wacky. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the biggest hit was still the bag and tissue paper. Luckily one-year-olds don't know or don't care that you are using the same two bags for every single present...

Before this grand occasion, Peanut had a number of books a few stuffed animals, and a little cube of toys. We felt like she had enough to do a toy change up, but not so much that we would be overwhelmed. Still, she was privileged. Blessed to have books; they are very expensive here. Blessed to have new things. Blessed to be the sole owner of all these things. While we have tried to give things away as she gets older, inevitably the amount of "stuff" she has is increasing. Some of it is hand-me-downs (Thank you McCavits!), but a lot isn't. We want to make sure Peanut has everything she needs to learn and grow, but we also want to remember not to get sucked in to the hype. It helps to realize that the Nutter is getting as excited about the wrapping as the present, and to realize that she can make fun and learning out of even the strangest things.

With blocks, books, and a band (oh my!), we should be all set through Christmas and beyond on gifts, but what we could not have done without was family. It would have been awesome to have everyone together, but we were thrilled to have Abuelita, Grandad, and Nanny in our midst. Peanut was so excited she even started walking for everybody...my girl's got nothing if not good timing.

The night of the 24th we made sure to get Peanut home and in bed early, but the abuelas had other plans. Jacky and Fanny invited them to go get their hair and nails done at a place nearby. I was tired (and I needed to put together the sugar high gift boxes we were giving out the next afternoon), so I chose not to go with them. Luckily, I did not miss out on the action. Why you ask? Because due to the high number of hair dryer, straightener, curler thingies that were being wielded in the beauty shop, the power blew in mid-style. Not to be daunted, our neighbors just piled everyone into their (teeny-tiny) car and brought them back to our home to finish up the job. I may get in trouble for this, but it might be worth it...

 

 

 What was worth it was the effort - on everyone's part - because the next day was big. 

I mean, big.

Birthday Baptism Bash - Part 1

Birthday 1 - The Actual Day

It started with a crown.

My mom, heretofore known as Abuelita, came the day before in order to be with Peanut on her birthday start to finish. As soon as she heard Peanut's stirrings, she ran in to sing Happy Birthday and so the celebrations began. Allowing her to finish her breakfast, in short order Abuelita had pulled this lovely topper out of her bag and Peanut went straight to royalty. 

Now I didn't think it would last. 

We can put a hat on Peanut's head to protect her from the sun, and if she is not immediately distracted that hat is off within .25 seconds. In fact, we can barely comb the girl's hair without her reaching up and grabbing to use the comb herself (which, perhaps deeply surprisingly, rarely results in combed hair). So I figured this crown, made of curly ribbon and wiry stars was a fun gesture on Abuelita's part, but one that would require some lightening fast fingers on the shutter of my camera to catch an actual photo of it on her head.

I could not have been more wrong. Peanut kept that thing on allllll day.

Sometimes she would toy with it... 

 

And once in a while she would lend it to someone else...

But by and large the girl kept that thing on all day - fascinated I tell you.

Most of the morning and early afternoon were spent doofing around (in a crown), waiting for Papi to get back from Cartagena with Nanny and Grandad. When looking at herself in the mirror got old, climbing in and out of and on top of Abuelita's suitcase became the order of the day. Because Abuelita's bedroom is also called the living room, there was not a lot of space for her to be private, but the upside was that she got to introduce Peanut to the wonders of make-up brushes.

Since Peanut's mom does not actually know what to do with a makeup brush, 

someone was going to have to step in at some point. 

 

 I will note that it is possible the lesson did not fully take as 

"brush-cap-as-musical-instrument" was an equally popular choice.

Once Nanny and Grandad arrived, we deemed it time to celebrate. And what better to celebrate with? 

Why, Cheerwine, of course. 

She looks like she just loves it, right?

 

We talked a lot about what happened a year ago on the 22nd, and noted that Peanut was way to big to return from whence she came, hard as she might try.

And even though the official party was scheduled for the 25th, no one wanted to miss out on this special day. 

We donned the birthday girl shirt and obviously requisite tutu and invited over the rest of the family. 

 So with Tía Jacky (also fondly, and very appropriately known as Tía Mala...), 

Abuelo Alex and Abuela Fanny, we cheered for the birthday bean.

Papi made a scrumptious flan, we sang, we clapped, and we laughed and laughed and laughed. 

Though the prize was well worth it, I am giving September 22, 2011 significantly higher marks than 2010.

But it ain't over yet folks. It ain't over yet.

¡¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS!!

Happy Day Baby Light-Light

1 - Wish

There is always more than one wish.

There is always the deep prayer for health and safety and joy mixed with generosity and kindness, grace and wisdom.

There is always the highest hope for profound love and enlivening passion.

There is always the desire for unflinching courage that never needs to be tested, for confident silliness and stubborn faith.

But my one wish for you on this day - the last day of your very fist year - is that your magnetic charm which calls so many people to you may always bring people together but never bring them only to you. That your infectious smile and endearing eyes be gifts that inspire and uplift, an offering out rather than a reeling in. May you enjoy the attention you garner but never need it; love and appreciate the ways people care for you and multiply it for all those around you.

You have been a wish fulfilled in this year dear one, but don't fear, I will keep wishing with you.

2 - New Skills

Though she may say four words, Peanut understands many more, and it is incredibly cool to see her catch on to something new.

For a while we have tried to guide the Nutter as she was getting down off of the sofa, the bed, the ceiling (oh wait, no, that was me...), and our phrase is always "colita primero" or "bottom first." For whatever reason, while we were in Bogotá, it seemed the message finally sunk in. I don't know if it was because we slept in a bed that was very low to the ground so that the whole getting down from the bed process did not seem quite so daunting, or if it was just time. Whatever the case, "colita primero" is now where it is at. As noted in the photo, she will start to slide her colita over to the edge of the bed when she is still dead center. It is a helpful give away at the moment when we are still getting used to the fact that our daughter has a mind of her own and even though we just put her up on the bed, down may look a lot better.

And, though we don't have a photo of it, the second phrase she has learned is "a la boca" - to your mouth! Magically this is one we only have to pull out when there is actual food in front of her. Other times things pop right into her mouth without having to ask or remind even once... Peanut is still not master of the spoon, so it is kind of funny to yell "a la boca"  when she has a spoon in her hand because it goes very quickly to her face...just not always to her mouth. The ants, let me tell you, are equally pleased.

3 - Toys

 

We all know that little kids play with things that we might normally not see as toys. Keys are a favorite, and spatula + pot = happiness for most. Peanut is no exception to that rule, and with just a few "actual toys" on hand, we have seen many things become toys that we did not originally foresee. As you have seen from previous photos, sometimes the home printer/fax machine gets on the play list, but mostly there are things that just never seemed that interesting to us until Peanut got a hold of them...

  

1. Collapsible laundry basket.

Full disclosure - the tag above noting that "this is not a toy" comes specifically from this laundry basket. Thing is, Peanut can't read yet...suckers.

2. Egg separator.

To be honest, this seems closer to a toy than a really usable item to me anyway. It came with the set of measuring cups we bought, and the picture on the front of it is the only reason I even knew what it was. I tried to use it a couple of times as Peanut was just starting to eat eggs since she was supposed to only have the yolks for a while, but every time the whole durn egg would just slip through and I would wind up eating it myself...again. 

Thus, it became the perfect compliment to bath time. After all, if you have a cup that holds water and one that doesn't, surely that has to spark some thought as to why that is, and that is one heck of a lot more than that egg separator was doing for me before.

3. Rosary.

 Yeah, so technically this might be a big no-no. I am going to have to rely on my Catholic buddies out there to tell me whether we need to keep this on the super down-low or what. 

The thing is, we would not even have a rosary if it were not for some nuns in the airport. You see, Peanut is what you call "magnetic." Perhaps it is the blinding white skin; could be the wispy blonde/red/huh? hair; possibly related to the scrunchy faced smile she throws out at those she passes - whatever the case, people come talk to her. As we waited in line to go from Barranquilla to Bogotá two weeks ago there was a bevy of nuns (are they a bevy? they seem like a bevy...) all there to send off a compatriot on our flight. Two young nuns began to "chat" with Peanut and asked if they could put this rosary around her neck. "Sure!" I said, but when we got up to go and I tried to return it to them they said it was for her to keep. So we took a photo of Peanut with her nuns to send to them when we got back, and we just hope the other photo isn't somehow problematically blasphemous. 

4 - Words

Peanut talks a lot. Every day she looks out our window and jabbers and waves (sometimes to people, sometimes to buses, sometimes to dogs, sometimes to the city itself). Sometimes she speaks with great forcefulness such that while I have no idea what she is trying to say, I am clear that she believes very strongly in what she is telling me. Language acquisition is always a bit of a tough thing to chart, but I think it can be even more challenging initially for kids in a bilingual environment. We talk to Peanut most of the time in Spanish, but we talk to each other most of the time in English. Others in Barranquilla talk to her in Spanish, but everyone on the computer (yeah for skype!) talks to her in English. It is bound to be a little confusing.

Still, we have sussed out four words that we think she says pretty clearly and regularly. 

1. Mama

Now, this would warm my heart a little more if the word Mama referred only to me. However it seems to refer to photographs of any sort (regardless of whether I am in them), and it is a general filler word in between other currently indeterminable phrases. Funnier yet is that it often gets put fairly close together with a word that sounds  a lot like Mamie, so then it comes out Mama Mamie. As if the kid had another Mama...(or as if I would let her get away with calling me Mamie). 

Still, when I get a Mama that is clearly about me - well, there ain't nothin' better.

 

2. Papa

This has some eerie similarities to the usage of Mama. Not that she gets us confused; Papa definitely refers to Richard, but it can be other bright, shiny objects as well. 

For a while Papa seemed to get thrown out in fits of irritation, but that has subsided. I am sure it will return at age 13, but that is for another time. In the here and now we will pretty much take it any way it comes. 

3. Baby // Bebé

This is clearly for another baby. The way Peanut says it is actually sort of a cross between baby (English) and bebé (Spanish). I can't quite explain it to you, so I will let you see it in action. The first book is from Tía Shannan and has lots of good words in it. The second one is from Tía Laura and Tía Jess and is called Global Babies. Peanut loves it because it is chock full of babies (of course). She opens it up, points to a picture, says "beby" and then gives the baby a kiss. Love it.

4. Gato

Okay, this may be a word she actually has, or it may not be. 

Gato is the word for cat in Spanish, and as I mentioned two days ago, Peanut became encantada with Carlotto the Cat while in Bogotá. (Hey, that sounds like a children's book...) Every time she saw him she would squeal with delight, and if we said, "¿Dónde está el gato?" ("Where is the cat?") then she would look toward either of his two favorite spots with eyes wide and hopeful. Since then we have heard a lot of things that sound like "ato", so we have basically just decided she is saying gato and chalking up word number four!

5 - Party Preview

You may remember that I was fretting here earlier about first birthday parties and all the hoopla surrounding them. Let me be clear that if it were up to Richard and me alone, we would have a small cake, invite the neighbors, sing, and voila - first birthday. However, much as we might like to think so, it is not all up to us.

Peanut is very much a child of the community here, and as early as six months Doris was asking me what I was planning for Peanut's cumpleaños. At the time, I laughed (choked?) and said that I had not even considered it given that it was double her lifetime away, but Doris was in earnest. She began making suggestions and contacting others so they would be ready when the time came.

Well it has come.

The 5 for today are photos of the 5 different hand-made (not by me) invitations that each child (all 30ish of them!) will receive. We have either a zoo theme, or a farm theme, depending on your point of view. Whatever we have, we do not have a Disney theme which, in this context, I consider to be a rousing victory.

Each part individually cut from foam and pasted together. Oh yes friends, this is an EVENT.

Along with these animals will be an balloon archway consisting of animal faces as well as stand-alone balloon animals. There will be a banner with Nora's photo, a styrofoam fence (farm-leaning...) plus, of course, palm trees. I believe I heard something about face-painting, a sing-along, individually made foam animal visors as party favors, and I am sure I am missing something. If you can think of it, it is probably happening. 

The thing is, I am doing fairly little all in all. This party is much like the gift of my wedding. After a week of rain and last minute changes to make an outdoor, backyard gathering into an indoor, fellowship hall celebration, my family and friends transformed a concrete slab room into a sacred space. It was the greatest gift one could receive - all that work with no one even really telling you how much work it was. Peanut's birthday has been a cause taken on by a variety of people that jumped in and said, "You know, I would love to do invitations." "I have a decorating business and I want to do this, this, and this for Peanut if that is okay." "Of course you can use the church, it will be such fun." So while I am sure that next week will be a little more stressful than normal, it may only be as hard as getting a little cake, inviting the neighbors and singing a song. And I can do that. 

Now tell me, you can't wait to see the photos next week can you? :)

Oh, and in case you didn't see the announcement for Peanut's baptism and birthday, here it is. You are all invited!

6 - Cities in 6 Months...Twice!

Peanut is actually quite the traveler. Besides going to Urabá and Brazil in utero, she has kept up her busy schedule out of the womb as well.

1. On her first monthday she headed to an ordination service in Cartagena.

Outdoor beach restaurants will put a girl right to sleep

2. Month two it was off to Medellín for her first church conference.

Nametag and all

 3/4. Month three and part of four introduced Peanut to international flight and the joy of customs as we went home to North Carolina and Texas to allow her to greet more of the family in person. 

White Christmas and Maxine to boot! Nothing better.

Hanging out in Texas with the cousins. Like people do.

5. Month five was Bogotá.We hung out with the Walker-Wilson family and the Colombia Mission Network. 

Two great tastes that went great together!

A little confused by all this outerwear, but happy!

6. Six months found us back in Barranquilla and here we stayed for a while (thank God), until we got to July.

Kickin' it for Carnaval de los Niños

And then we decided to do it all over again, sort of:

1. In July we went back to the States for the Big Tent Event with the Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. For four days we lived it up with Presbyterians from all over the place, and Peanut got a taste of what it is to stay with Abuelita Kit. I think she could get used to it...

What, this stole and necklace? I was just getting ready to give them back...

2. It is but a short jaunt from Indianapolis to Chicagoland, so we headed north to talk with folks in Chicago Presbytery about what we are doing in Colombia. Peanut, as always, stole the show. It was a gift to stay with loved ones in the city and out!

Requisite Bean Photo

3. Chicago is close to New York (okay, no it isn't), so Brooklyn was home for about 6 days. Nothing better than workin' for the Lord and hanging with your buddies at the same time. 

Seriously could no one have told Jesse and me we needed to wipe our faces?

4. New York is in fact close to New Jersey (the parts we were visiting at least), so next it was to the Jersey Shore. And yes, we did see filming and may even appear in an episode walking through an amusement park...you just never know.

Mmmmm...Sandy Hook tastes good

5. Though sad to leave, it was good to get back home...until last week when we headed off to Bogotá again! This time we stayed with Doña Flor and Carlotto the cat. He became a great focus of attention.

Stop laughing people. It is called layering.

6. And finally we are back again in Barranquilla. I think when you are away for long enough you get to count home as another travel stop. And it works for the whole theme I have going on, so it's in. Welcome home baby girl, welcome home.

All right, back to work. Clothing optional.