Happy 19 months!

Nineteen months! Our kid is growing into her own personality. Her bilingual vocabulary is expanding every day ("scarf", "spoon", "two", "fish", "todo"). Some days she follows me around the house and literally copies everything I do. It makes me laugh out loud. Her gross motor skills are improving, so now she can climb chairs, beds, and stairs with more ease and determination. It's all getting easier and harder at the same time..!

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Hanging out at the abuelos' house.

Little girls are so fun to dress up...if she'll let me. Sporting her tres chic hat (Thanks, Chrissie!)

Having a serious meeting with Pau at the office.

Enjoying some slide time with Papi.

Back home in Barcelona and people-watching on the main strip, La Rambla.

A brief pose with my chiquitina.

Not counting this week, January was filled with some cool yet sunny weather. Paloma tests her gross motor skills by climbing down this slope at the beach.

Time to check email.

Ooh, look what the Three Kings brought. After me telling Paloma not to sit in it, Fernando snuck a picture of our girl lounging in her doll's stroller.

Paloma and her stroller have become inseparable.

Check up time. Someone's hinting they don't want their vaccine shot. (Seriously, she put Baby on the table.)
City life and strollers sometimes can make getting around difficult.
Bringing Baby and her stroller everywhere has become part of our routine.

The good thing is that it slows her down so we're not constantly running after her when we're out and about. Like here at the zoo. God bless!

Cheers, everybody!

Sevilla Christmas 2010 - Part II

These posts are quite delayed, but what the heck. Better late than never, right?

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A cheek-to-cheek shot with abuelo.

Paloma and her Tito Juan Pablo, who was visiting from Malta.

Fernando's brothers showcase the Christmas Eve dinner shrimp.

Hugs to her great aunt Isabel.
Paloma's godmother Isabelita has a gentle way with Paloma.There can never be enough hugs in the house.
Turron of all sorts. It's a typical Christmas confection made of honey, sugar, egg whites, toasted almonds or other nuts. It can be hard or soft...my favorite is the soft, sticky variety. Yum!
My ham of a nephew.
I love this little couple.

Me, acting all Euro and stuff.

Paloma playing with a daughter of Fernando's friend, who does have arms (they're behind her back!)

Break out the champín, it's 2011! (That's champagne for kids..I know, this would not be allowed in the States)

Paloma and Rodrigo (our ring bearer at our wedding) ring in the new year together.

Now...back to today!

A Jewel

One of the stunning jewels of Seville is the Parque de María Luísa. When I was living in this city as a student (I just counted - 14 years ago. Wow.) and a teacher (8 years ago), I often came here by myself just for a moment of solace. It has lovely palm and orange trees, elms and Mediterranean pines and lots of ponds, pavilions, statues, everything you would want in a romantic European stroll. It was created for the 1929 Iberoamerican Exposition, which was a world fair. It was designed with elements of Art Deco of the 1920s and Mudejar architecture, the result of the Muslim and Christian cultures that emerged in the Iberian peninsula in the 12th century.

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I'd never see white pigeons before. You can come here to feed them and get attacked too.

Said pigeons around a fountain.

A pavilion.

Pabellon Real - it was designed to hold the art collection of the royal family.

Not sure which pavilion this one is.

At the top is Monte Gurugú, which represents a mountain that exists in Melilla's African city.

A nice pond to admire.
Statuesque.

Decorative tiled benches are scattered throughout the park.

Moorish-inspired tiles with geometric patterns.
Nestled in the park, the Plaza de España is a half-circle lined with buildings, which are now used as government offices.

The plaza was also the filming site of "Star Wars: Episode II".The central building.

Freedom! Paloma wanted to run around the whole plaza like a maniac.Taking a peek at the central fountain.

As a student (remember, 14 years ago?), I'd come here with friends to row boats around the plaza. Well they took it out for a few years and just recently renovated it, open for rowboating again. Yay!

Paloma admires the rowboaters from the outside.

More tiling that embellish the plaza in bold colors.

A bridge.

Fernando's cousin, Felix, poses with Papaloma (Papa + Paloma).

Pretty, huh?

More beauty.Paloma does some squats for fun.The walls are aligned with tiled images of different cities in Spain.

Another point of view.

Palomama (Paloma + Mama) in front of "Salamanca", my first introductory city to Spain. I spent my first semester here, but then transferred to Seville after I was enraptured by its beauty :-)

The buildings behind us.

The chivalrous Don Quixote and Sancho are the motif of Cuidad Real.

Guipuzcoa is the name of our street in Barcelona, but more importantly, it's a city in the Basque region.

Paloma pays homage to her paternal roots by showcasing a map of the province of Andalucia.

Our Barcelonesa represents her natal city.
I love this face.

Tourists can admire the park in horse-driven carriage. One last round at sunset.

Fans decorate the steps hoping to entice tourists to take one home as a souvenir.

Time to go home. The downside to having elegant horses line the city? The horse poop!

Hope you enjoyed!