A is for Arlo: family

A pre-party nap

A hearty laugh came from this little man, so now I know his sense of humor and we’ll get along just fine. Poor guy is teething, started just a few days ago while we were still in Mexico. Now, he is somewhere between laughing and crying at a moments notice. Today I am easing back into the workforce, sadly and reluctantly. I have LOVED my time off like I never thought I would.

Mexico was amazing and the Duran family was so generous. Milka and Laura held a fantastic party for Arlo and us on Saturday before we left. About 40 sweet people came and we played a lotteria bingo with espanol cards. Milka out did herself and decorated and cooked so much great food, cookies and cakes. Truly talented and such a fun girl.

Tia Irma

Muy besos.....

Primos

The baby shower held in Arlo's honor. It made the local paper!

http://www.noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=569433

I MUST KNOW SPANISH IN DECEMBER.

It is just too embarrassing now. Even Abulita said I need to learn so we can all laugh together. Really true. They were so funny, always concerned Arlo’s feet were cold. It was 85 outside, no kidding, and he was breaking a sweat.

We are looking forward to returning in December for Christmas and maybe even his birthday!

Arlo enjoying his patio suite in Mazatlan.

A playa tambora

We are down in Mexico for 2 weeks to visit the family. Arlo is a supreme traveler as we knew he would be after over 30 pre-natal flights. I am in a melancholy state, just for tonight. As Markus’ family IS Escuinapa. On this visit, I thought I’d try to record everyone’s names and relations, which sent me online to buy a family tree software program. This is fantastic and the software is very cool, but it reinforced what I had been thinking a lot of recently, how small my family is getting. I broke into tears tonight after doing 3 hour of data entry of all of our family I could think of, and after a video chat with Mom and Dad and Abulita, then thinking of Grandpa Kemp and how he’d dig Arlo and how I wish I could be with him for just 5 minutes. Today Arlo was smiling while sleeping in the car as we went to a beautiful little town North of Mazatlan for the afternoon. Felipe, Markus' cousin, said when babies smile and giggle while sleeping, they are talking with the angels. He is a doctor, so I’d like to think he is has more insight. In my heart now Arlo is getting advice and sweet whispers from Grandpa somewhere out there while he naps.

There is a sweet superstition here. Arlo had the hiccups and Milka pulled a red thread from a scarf and wadded it up and stuck it on his head between his eyebrows like a bindi. When it fell off, she sprayed some Aquanet on it to make sure it stuck.

Today Arlo found his feet. It was after a scary/funny incident at the market when one of Markus’ Aunts came over and took off with Arlo for at least 10 minutes. It seemed funny she was taking him around and introducing him to all, then after 5 minutes, and some looking around, my heartbeat became more desperate for him. They turned up, and with a fresh pair of blue knit booties on, and a big smile. We came back and he sat there and tried endlessly to kick them off. By the end of the day he was able to reach down and grab them and put them in his mouth.