Happy 24 months! Paloma 2.0 has arrived!

Eeks! I feel like I haven't posted in forever! Not that our lives are more important that anyone else's, but we've got lots to share! I guess I'm talking out of the fact that I'm finished with my classes for the school year (in hopes to get some summer classes starting in July), but at least I have about a week and a half to not worry about work. So a little more time to organize/blog/clean up/enjoy the hot sun during these first days of the glorious summer. And....

...the new and improved version 2.0 has arrived, folks! Forget about the archaic 1.5, Paloma is a bigger, better and much sleeker little girl. It's getting exciting to watch her grow into her own little personality, even though she copies everything we do. She can communicate very well now, and sometimes says things that surprise us like, "'cuse me, Mommy" or "Mommy, help". My favorite is "Awefome!" We really have to be more conscious of our adult language because she will repeat it. Oops!

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Taking a picture with an old ink cartridge, which I guess resembles our DSL camera? "'mile!" she says.

I'll admit it. I was a bit nervous when Paloma and her cousin Pau mounted their first ride. No seatbelts! That's the pre-cautious Californian in me!

They had a blast. Ding! Ding!

Running, climbing, higher and higher things while Mommy says, "Careful!" 500 times.

Driving these mini-cars are always fun until we have to peel her away and go home.

A few family portraits with Baby and Elmo.

Variation #2.

Now a family squeeze!

She loves couscous. She likes to eat it, but also likes to serve us and leave lots of grains everywhere! Parents of toddlers must have some sort of tolerance for a mess. I think mine is pretty high!

Improving her writing skills. I think she switches between her left hand and right hand. I'm kind of hoping for right since it's a right-hand man's world.

Audible gasp! Yes, that is permanent red marker on the walls. I was in the kitchen, and I came back and there was this. Mama was not happy! I found out that toothpaste of all things can take it out on certain surfaces, and also rubbing alcohol, which I'll have to work on soon!

Sad news! Her best buddy Jack and his mommy/my good friend Marie, are moving to Stockholm! As such is the expatriate life for me. Time to find more friends. We'll miss Jack soooo much!

My favorite ultimate photo this year so far! Someone tell me how I was able to capture two toddlers hugging each other, position their bodies and smile at the camera at the same time?

They fell down, laughed, then got up, hugged, fell down again, laughed, got up, hugged, fell down, laughed...
Paloma wanted to dress like her Baby one day. I realized it was the only way she'd let me put pigtails on her.
Party pics next!

Happy 23 months!

Countdown is on! On our final month of one-ness, we are excited to see Paloma move on to more complicated things. She loves to learn people's names and remembers all our family and friend's names. If she doesn't know, she'll ask. She also repeats words heard in conversation, and makes 2-3 word sentences. Like lots of toddlers, one of her favorite words is "No". Now when will that change?

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I'm surprised this still worked this one time. Papi puts Paloma to sleep on his shoulder.
She likes to put things in order. Here she put her little critters in a row facing the same direction. Now to let her organize the shoes!
I forgot that toddlers like to stack things...until I turned around one day and Paloma had made a 9-block tower. Steady now, steady....

We can't quite put on shoes yet, but this is a step.

We're also working on our arts and crafts. Here Paloma helps make her little heart-shaped pocket.
Her what? Yes, a pocket she can wear around her neck to collect things. It feels good to craft again!
Coloring is also fun. Now if only she'd stop rubbing her crayons on everything around the house.

This would have looked real had her baby doll's feet been tucked away and not sticking out. Right?

We're on to playdough now...ahem, homemade, thank you very much. We can't make much more than a ball, but an elephant is next ;-)

I don't really allow eating breakfast and watching TV, but we couldn't miss the wedding of the decade. Go, Will and Kate!

This is probably imitation of a bad habit of mine. Breakfast and checking email. Oops!

And lastly, I'm getting to find Paloma more and more useful around the house. Here our superchef is making a salad.

It was lovely having you!

Feria

A few weeks ago, we went to the Feria de Abril de Catalunya, which is the local Barcelona version of the Andalusian fair in Sevilla every year. Paloma was so lucky to get her very own traje de flamenca, which is adjustable so hopefully she can wear it next year. Cute, no?

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There are rows of casetas, tents where you can eat, drink and be merry.

They are usually striped with some lovely indoor hanging lamps.
It's always fun to see what the fair-going girls and women wear.

I remember seeing this kid dance crew at some other event. The reason why I remember is because of the look of passion on this boy dancer's face.

Lots of colorful accessories to dress up your traje.

Nothing is more Spanish than a Flamenco dress and cured ham.

Sharing a fun moment in front of the Ferris wheel.

Now, time to boogie!

Vuelta! (Turn!)
Move those ruffles, girl!
Work it...own it....
And smile for Mommy!

Now time to pretend-drink the rebujito (soda and white wine).

Thanks for stopping by!

NZ

A few days after our trip in Seville, Fernando's little brother, Juan Pablo, and his girlfriend, Maider, stopped by Barcelona for a few days to bid farewell to us. Why? Because they're going away for at least a year to work/discover/enjoy a different life. The lucky country to welcome them is New Zealand, which happens to be the antipode of Spain. Yeah, what's an antipode? Basically, it's the furthest, most opposite end from a place on Earth. Two locations are antipodal if you place a straight line through the center of the planet. If you want to know the antipode of Southern California, I already researched it...the closest would be Madagascar. Fun fact!

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Tio JP poses with the kids on the mini bench in Parc Ciutadella. If only we could get the tykes to look at the same place at the same time. One day....

Hey, Pau, come back! Cute chick on the slide, maybe?

We went downtown too. Benetton was having a jeggings event with dancing girls in the shop window. This seemed like an interesting campaign, I even found this video, but I'm still not sold on colored jeggings.

Back to the brothers. One last photo...until 2012?

Now a squeeze!

And one more before leaving the Iberian peninsula for a year. Farewell, family!

Second Spring Trip

We spent five days in Seville during Holy Week. It's great that the low-cost Ryanair has affordable seats within Europe. The bad thing about this airline is that there is no assigned seating -- first-come, first-served, even for families with small children. What! It was our last trip as Paloma as a lap baby, because next time we fly she'll have her own seat since she'll be over two years old.

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Suitcases are packed...again. And we're off!

Coming back to Seville always brings me back to my "study abroad" days as a junior in college. This is where I entered school for Spanish classes every day.

The University has several locations, but the one above was the Fabric Real de Tabacos, or Royal Tobacco Company, until 1950.

Ah yes...I remember the bar that I used to go to across the with my friends to have coffee, plan our evenings, and compare notes on our host families.

The flowers in Seville are a-bloomin'. I love the bougainvillea, especially this pink shade that I'm not familiar with.

Paloma's will to walk and be out of her stroller is getting stronger. Checking out the shops around the neighborhood.

Rodrigo, the ring bearer at our wedding is growing up so fast. He loves picking up Paloma.

Paloma had fun trying on and playing in her custom fit traje de flamenco that Juana's cousin, Mari Carmen sewed especially for Paloma. Separate post to come!

Ana Celia and Javier also came down, and Paloma inherited a nice bag of clothes.

...including this coat. Tres chic, no?In the garden doing our favorite...Palomattack!
Paloma enjoyed holding hands with the abuelos around the city center.

Peek-a-boo, there I am. Hasta pronto, Sevillanos!