Feliz Undécimo Cumplemes!

The past month has been huge for Paloma. Development speed has increased fivefold! She can wave "hi" and "bye". She can play "Fetch" with a soft ball (only she gives it to us with her hand, not her mouth!) She can do the very first gestures when we sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". Must I babble on? Here are the highlights...

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Pulling herself up on the crib rail. She has an incentive: getting a view of the city through the window.

A few days later. Standing. Cake. Next!

She's rejected being spoonfed. Unless it's creamy yogurt, then she jumps in her seat. So now she's a pro at hand feeding herself and loves to feed us too.
Practicing with a spoon.
Standing up is hours of fun.
Sharing a conversation with Pau about how cool standing is.

Pau and his daddy.

We got to steal our nephew to see how it would feel having another kid. Not bad!
Aliens with triangular snouts recently invaded.
Sound of the month: obsessive razzing noises. The joy. Of successfully placing an object where she wants it. Simple pleasures. Squeal!

I've started to take P to playgrounds. Instant hit! Who would have guessed?
I think summer is finally here. Park time!
Picnics everyday!

Next month is the big one. Uno! Byeeeeee!

Wait -- one last riveting video.

Razz Time from Justine Ancheta on Vimeo.

Paloma's Nest

Can I get an "amen"! We finally did it. After months of collecting pretty knickknacks and making craft projects, Paloma's room has finally come together. The room, being 6.5 feet by 10 feet is practically a walk-in closet by some people's standards. But I think we maximized the space as much as possible without having it look so cramped. Here's a tour...

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Ikea Expedit bookcase -- affordable and clean.

I spotted these charming embroidered cards at the Sant Antoni Sunday market a long time ago.

We decided to put a toddler mattress on the floor for several reasons. A bed frame would have consumed all of the narrow space. Being on the floor, it can also be her play area.

See? Playing.

My handmade paper medallion.

Being from earthquake country, I tried not to put shelves directly above her head. So I put these mini shelves further away and put light paper birdies on them.

There were a ton of unflattering cushions here left in the apartment, so I whipped up these cushion covers with some fabric from my collection. Go me! I can sew straight lines!

My proudest craft project involving more complicated sewing. Birdie friends on a branch. And it only took a year to finish!

More playing.

Thanks for looking, friends and family!

A Few Casual Guests

It was visiting time in the Ruiz Ancheta household three weeks ago. Our friends Alejandro and Nicole stopped by, as well as Fernando's brother Juan Pablo on the way to Malta, where he'll be working for the summer.

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A few observations in the city. These Quaker parrots inhabit Barcelona and squawk loudly in the trees. First arriving as pets in the 1950s, there were only 50. Now there are thousands.

Does anyone who speaks Japanese know if this means anything? "Come" means "eat" in Spanish, so I'm guessing they Japanesed it, or Spanified it, depending on your point of view.

Juan Pablo here at home with his niece and brother.

All of us went out for drinks on Saturday night. Paloma didn't wanna miss out either.
Our kid enjoying the evening.

JP and P at a Turkish restaurant.Pops and P, eating the embellishment on her sweatshirt.
With such great weather, we also hit the sand. Looks like a new installation. Barcelona's "muscle beach"!

Ah, kites.

Family pic.

Thanks for the fun weekend!

Feria in the Spring

Two weeks ago, we headed to the Feria de Abril de Catalunya. This is the region's version of the Feria de Abril in Sevilla, where the gaeity has been happening since 1847. They've taken the flavor of Spain's south: flamenco dresses, flowers in women's hair, dancing Sevillanas, drinking, chowing on tapas, festival rides, and all the blessed merriment.

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Women singing in their colorful flamenco dresses, or trajes de gitana. Sigh, so beautiful.
Blanca bought Paloma a bright traje de gitana a few days before the fair. Necklace, flower, and all! Wasn't that sweet?

An avenue of feriantes, festive-goers of the feria. They're peeking in the casetas, individual tents where there's a kitchen/bar, tables, and room for dancin' fools.
Traditional striped decorations and hanging lights in red and white inside a caseta.
A girl and her little sister dressed up for the fun.

Adult version of P's dress.

I was really impressed by these young girls dancing flamenco, Paloma's future. Where can we sign up for classes? Olé!
The wild bunch. Blanca, Jorge, Fernando, and Sweet P in front of a caseta.
Dancing Sevillanas. One day I'll learn...Hitting up the big wheel where all the attractions are.
The size of the games and attractions area was 100 times this picture.

Jorge won a keychain playing this carnival game of point and shoot.

This ride is making me sick watching it.

Balloons! For a mere five euro each! How many licensed characters do you recognize?

With all the different colors, crazy lights and festival sounds, Paloma couldn't stop saying, "O-o-o-o-o-ohhh".
More "O-o-o-o-o-ohhh".
Dreaming of a time when she'll be big enough to bump someone's boat out of the water.
Nighttime has fallen. Time to party, familia!
Fernando and Jorge took a spin in the bumper cars three times in a row.

I'm worried about the youth today.

Tapas on display. The kids hanging out in the caseta.
A classic feria dish: fried green peppers!

Time for some drinking and debauchery.
Chug! Chug! Chug! Paloma downed a Coco Loco. Next round's on her!
All the ladies in the house say, "Ho-o-o!"

At the exit, we found this guy who hits up fairs around Spain to sell home decor on the cheap. He opens the back of his truck, puts on a head mic, and magically creates an audience and eager buyers. Genius!
Time to go home.

We parted at the metro stop. Hasta luego, Blanca and Jorge! It was fun!