Bedtime routines: friends and veinte (twenty)

When we brush Samuel's teeth at night, we count to twenty at varying speeds depending on how easily I can reach all his teeth (Nancy thanks for the suggestion). When he thinks he's done, often well before I reach twenty, he looks at me and assertively says "Mami, veinte" (mommy, twenty).


Samuel has expanded his bedtime friends. In addition to requesting Amanda (the Anne Geddes doll given to him by Ruth's friend Heni, but which he named after Ruth's friend Amanda), he also now requests Monkey and Penguin.

Please, Gracias, and Bombero

Two days ago Samuel stopped saying "bobo" (short for bombero = fireman / firetruck in Spanish) and started saying "bombero" the whole word perfectly enunciated.

He's also started saying "please", "gracias" and "no gracias" when he wants something, gets something or doesn't want something. Tonight at dinner he asked the waiter for "leche please" (leche = water) and said "no gracias Mami" to my offer of nachos and tomato.

Mexico (or Mexicoco)

So I started this blog to try to share Samuel's development with everyone who doesn't get the pleasure of seeing him everyday. I now realize that this can be as much a record for him, and Marc and I, of the wonder of a two year old's life. What got me thinking about this was my work trip to Europe. I was away from Samuel for 5 days, longer than I had ever been away and the baby I left on Sunday afternoon was not the man I came home to on Friday night. OK, I exaggerate (a lot) but he really changed in those 5 days. His "sentences" went from an adjective and a noun to real sentences with a verb. He grew taller and leaner. His preferences and directions ("Mami sientate piso, Samuel silla" = Mommy sit on floor, Samuel on chair) became clearer. To this end, and giving my failing memory and ever growing mommy-brain, I am going to do my best to find some time to write and add pictures on a regular basis. Now that I won't be traveling as much I hope that it will be easier to find the time.

Mexico (or as Samuel often says Mexicoco)

We went to Mexico last week to celebrate my grandmother's 88th birthday. We spent a lovely two days in Juriquilla, a resort style hotel 2 hours outside of Mexico City, with my Dad's family. Samuel loved playing and running with his cousins, Eduardo and Moy (my cousin Sharon's 3 year old son), calling "Ven Uado, ven Moy" (Come Eduardo, come Moy) with an outstretched arm and a closing fist. He danced and sang with the musicians which he referred to as Machis (Mariachis). He called our hotel room "casa" (home). Here are a few pictures:

Andy, Uardo (Eduardo) and Samuel

Four Generations of Lulka Family

It was impossible to capture Eduardo, Moy and Samuel given their speed and the speed of a lay person's camera.

Moy and Eduardo

Dancing the night away

Breakfast with Tocayo (my dad), Regi (my mom), Baby Rebeca (my grandmother)

Our time in Mexico City was not as enjoyable. Our first night there Samuel came down with a fever and hallucinated about something being on th sheets and floor of the hotel, something about a dirty, falling train with garbage. It was the first time that being with Marc or with me didn't calm him down or make him feel better. Eventually with some Tempra purchased at the hotel store (this was the first of his 20 trips that I didn't bring a medicine kit, and the first time we really needed it), quality time in Tocayo's arms (my Dad) and an hour of watching the TV channel with highlights of the hotel, he calmed down enough to fall asleep.

At 3 am, the night of the hallucinations

Our lunch with my great aunt Emma and great uncle Beni and their family was cut short when Samuel's fever returned and we took him to my cousin's pediatrician. My mom, Samuel and I spent the rest of the trip at the hotel, hosting our friends there. Samuel got better each day, and eventually started to repeat our calming phrases "It's OK Mami" and "No train on bed". It was also the first time since we weaned that he showed a preference to be with me. It wasn't how I wanted to introduce Samuel to the country of my birth but we'll have other opportunities to go back.

Trip to Toronto - November 2007

Samuel made a valiant effort to ride one of Eduardo's tricycles, but found he got a lot further with help from Regi.

First guitar performance of "La Bamba"

Reading all about firetrucks and school buses with his great-grandmother Baby Rebeca.

We went to Toronto to celebrate Oscardo's 20th anniversary. Bravo Oscardo!!

Samuel also showed his excitement by dancing away to La Bamba

Samuel Turns 2 - November 16, 2007

We celebrated Samuel's 2nd birthday with 3 parties (one less than the 4 he had last year). The first was on the actual day at his day care and it was lovely, full of singing and dancing. The second was the next day at home, with a few friends. And the third was BBB#2 (Big Birthday Bash) with my friends from the Breastfeeding Center (our groups was aptly named "Milk Moms" by one of the Dads) - it's hard to believe we met 2 years ago holding these tiny infants who are now running around and blowing out 2 candles.

Enjoy pictures from all three celebrations, and note the fire truck theme which we chose in honour of one of Samuel's favorite moving vehicles - the other favorite is a garbage truck but we weren't sure that would make an appetizing cake.

DAYCARE:
AT HOME







BBB#2

October

A day at Mami's office

"Just because I'm in the bath doesn't mean I have to let go of my cookie"

See, I can bathe with my cookie

"Hola"

Ready to face the world

First boat ride on historic C&O Canal in Georgetown

The horses that pulled the boat were particularly exciting

And to top off the boat ride, we saw a fire truck!! What more could a boy ask for?

New vocabulary

Samuel's vocabulary continues to grow exponentially and he's using a few phrases:

"ah wan i" = I want it; as in "ah wan i mil" = I want milk, "ah wan i pan" = I want pan (=bread), and of course "ah wan it mami" or "ah wan it daddy" = I want Mami or I want Daddy. For emphasis and to remind us that he's almost two he'll sometime say "ah wan it mine".

"wu wu" = love you (although it's usually in reference to books "wu wu bunny", a cookie "wu wu cookie", or the Haagen-Dazs store down the street "wu wu ice crea" or "wu wu lado" in Spanglish).

He's also started to recognize the correct use of pronouns. Tonight, during a bath time tug of war with washcloth Marc said to Samuel "You got it" and Samuel responded "I got it". Wow!

Last Sunday

Looking for "pato" (= duck) in the Canal

Trying to figure out how it works

With Dad's old football

Time for a rest after a long day

Ricardo's Visit

Samuel took to his uncle Ricardo immediately and has said his name ("cado") a few times since his visit last week.

Rosh Hashanna in Toronto

We don't have many pictures from the trip (I left the camera at a friend's) but here are a few:

At the airport, with his new suitcase

Ready for dinner

Shana Tova Dance

In preparing for the Jewish Holidays, we've been listening to Hebrew songs for Rosh Hashanna. Samuel requests "shana" (="Shana Tova" = Good Year) frequently and dances to it in the car.