Guinness goes to Washington

We capped off the year by taking Guinness along for an afternoon in the capital. It was a beautiful, chilly day and we fully enjoyed it, complete with walks around the Tidal Basin and to the Jefferson Memorial, hot dogs on a bench along the mall, a trip to the White House and a close-up view of the Old Executive Building. Guinness seemed to be most excited about the hot dogs and all of the attention he received from strangers, as he was seemingly the only dog out and about in town that day.



Witnessing preparations for history in all of the construction for Obama's inauguration festivities around the White House.

The Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial

-----

We spent an hour of waning afternoon light in Arlington National Cemetery, where we visited Dave Sharrett's grave and said some prayers for him and all of his brothers and sisters in service. The only sounds were those of the geese flying overhead. It was a moving and humbling experience, to say the very least.

Quieter moments of Christmas

Morning coffee with great-grand-Bomps

Bomps editing my medical article for me

Our contented Christmas elf by a dwindling fire, in his pajamas and surely past bedtime

Morning play atop the piano with Gram

Grandma DD and Mom talking into the night

A peaceful threesome: Great-grandma DD, Mateo and Guinness

Music-making, Bach looking over their shoulders

Merry Christmas

Mateo's first Christmas was a beautiful one. We spent most of our time cozied up with parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents alike in between the fireplace and the Christmas tree, donning scarves and whatever (and whoever's) footwear was in arm's reach to go outside with Guinness and collect more firewood every couple of hours. And, of course, all of this to the soundtrack of the ultimately very endearing electronic, touch-responsive music of the Rainforest Jumperoo, which daily made its way into each of our minds and humming--our own Christmas carol of sorts. (Thank you, Fisher-Price.) A smattering of the day's pictures are as follows:



Just strutting along the kitchen counter on Christmas morn, la di da.



Making our way to the chapel for mass on Christmas morning.

I just love the train embroidered on his hook-ups. Does that spell little boys and Christmas, or what?! Great find, Grandma.

The boys.

Everyday is Christmas on the Jumperoo. (Sheesh, we should now be paid by Fisher-Price for advertising.) My dad calls this the Overstimulation Chair.

The little move that Robert dubbed Mateo's "jig." This would be more convincing if I could figure out how to properly download our video footage. Stay tuned.

We have all spent countless winter--and sometimes even fall and spring--hours sitting in front of this fireplace. (I did most of the reading for my Princeton senior thesis here, meanwhile burning through how many cords of firewood? We dare not ask.) I cannot express how special it is to be here now in the company of this little guy.

We hope that all of your holidays were equally warm and bright!

What awaited him:

We safely arrived in Virginia after a flight of continual *wakefulness* on the part of the youngest among us.  All was worth it, however, as Mateo was happily greeted by Uncle Robert and Gram's super insightful Christmas gift, the Rainforest Jumperoo.  A 5 month-old and his parents could ask for little more.   

*Fun for the whole family with the Jumperoo to follow in subsequent posts.

5 months old, will travel

It is hard for us to believe that our little guy is already 5 months old.  Life with him just gets better and better.  He is constantly smiling and has just discovered a high-pitched "chirp" that he uses when he is most gleeful.  He is happiest when he is standing and requires less and less of our assistance doing so, mostly just relying on us for getting him up and maintaining his balance now.  He has discovered how to grab things and bring them (everything, that is) into his mouth--you know where he has been by the presence of his saliva.   He remains a great eater and sleeper and, most importantly, brings so much joy into this home.

And so, with Christmas upon us and this little red elf in tow, over the Atlantic and through the Virginian woods, to Grandmother's house we go! 

rain colors

This is the biological phenomenon that occurs outside our living room window each day at 2pm during the rainy season.  The doors of the elementary school across the street become host to dozens of adult umbrellas greeting their little offspring umbrellas' ebullient exit and zig-zagged dispersion from school.

Giving solids a go

*bib courtesy of Grandfather Mario



He took down the puréed fruit like a champ and finished with one less sock and one more smile. We think that Mateo could probably do a decent job of polishing off a leg of lamb, though, if given the proximity, so strong is his interest in food at this point.

To Sunnier Climbs

Our holiday weekend (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) began with a 9-hour train ride to the southwestern coast of Spain on Friday to visit Maria, Francisco and Mercedes, Mateo's 6 year-old cousin, in Alicante.

The sun was out in ways Asturias won't see for months, the town was celebrating the holiday, and we spent most of the weekend walking outside, eating well and watching Mateo and Mercedes engage in cousin-play.

Mercedes has her way with Mateo

a morning at home

awaiting dessert

off to mass, Mateo with his godmother and Mercedes

cousin socks

While Mom does laundry...

The little one, swaddled and surfing the net with Grandfather.

Winter is here

...and with it, the gratifying task of bundling this happy baby, indoors and out.

Paris, continued

a Canga-Loeffert quartet


discovering Paris on the #64 Bus route, children in arms


lunchtime across from Notre Dame, Mateo going bonkers


Vivian's Story Hour with Mateo, one of the weekend's most precious moments



Goodbye Loefferts, goodbye Paris

A Parisian Thanksgiving

We have many many blessings to be thankful for this year, one of which was the opportunity to finally meet our beautiful godson and spend this lovely holiday with our wonderful friends, and in Paris, no less! Happy chaos abounded in the bohemian apartment we shared for the weekend and while exploring one of the most elegant cities in the world, and both of our families went back to homes that suddenly felt too empty.


with our godson, Seth, and his big sister, Vivian


wrapping up one of our many warm meals in the apartment


a Bolivian (not Swiss) hat under a French tower


our morning in the Pere Lachaise cemetery

To get through your week

Happy Wednesday.








And a parting view of the little man's caboose:

A new friend, and just my size!

Mateo has just discovered that he loves looking in the mirror. It is our new favorite form of mutual entertainment. I also consider it our first "play date" of sorts, as Mateo is obviously under the impression that we have come upon another little boy just like him and equally excited to flash a smile from the end of the hallway. The routine goes something like this: We look in the mirror, I say "Mateo, who is that?," Mateo smiles somewhat tentatively as if waiting to see if the other little boy is going to smile back, the "other" little boy does indeed smile back--and I'll be darned if it's not in the very same measure as Mateo's smile-- and then Mateo breaks into an enormous grin, often squealing to consummate the friendship, and I cannot help but laugh with delight every time.

I tried to catch part of this routine with a camera in the mirror, but Mateo is too keenly aware of anything in my hands. I did get this shot of the curious little cherubic one, though.

Happy Feast of Saint Martin!

We annually celebrate the feast day of San Martín de Tours in this household, as San Martín is the patron saint of Moreda, the hometown of Bernardo's grandparents and mother. It is a day of feasting on Asturian fabada (a delicious stew of enormous white kidney beans with pork, sausage and bacon) and panchón (a dessert made of bread crumb, butter and sugar, oh my!) while the town of Moreda, a few kilometers away from here, hosts elaborate parades of people of all ages dancing in traditional Asturian dress. Bernardo made the fabada, our grandfather made the panchón, and we all danced in spirit.


Abuelito preparing the panchón.




Our delightful view during the meal.

around 9pm in Mieres

This is the typical scene upon Daddy's arrival home from work each evening. If M's smile were any bigger, it wouldn't fit on his face.

Mario says that Mateo closes his eyes when he laughs in the very same way that Bernardo's mother did. I love that Mateo brings pieces of his Grandmother Mercedes back into this home, and I know that I am not alone in this feeling.

Sitting Up

Mateo holding court in the Bumbo chair, our newest temporary solution for his constant desire to be upright.

Mornings with Grandfather