Bolos

We took Sofía to jugar bolos for the first time.  She liked it, but I think she would have liked it even more if her favorite Primo Juan Diego had been able to go.  She’s loca for him!

Navidad

іFeliz Navidad!

Los Preparativos

Here are part of our Holiday decorations (yes in a nutshell!) Every year we host a Santa Fiesta where Santa makes a visit and gives all the niños regalos. We also always host Noche Buena(Christmas Eve)and this year due to kitchen malfunctions at Abuela’s house, we hosted Christmas Día also! Wow! 

Repetition

At two years and 10 months, Sofía still isn’t that into opening gifts.  So when people give us presents early, we try to open one a day so that she won’t be all that overwhelmed or STOP opening presents all together.  This year’s favorite present……an easel  with a dry erase board!!  So much entertainment writing with marcadores and erasing it! 

¡Feliz Cumpleanños a Mí!

¡Feliz Cumpleanños 42 a Mí!   We always forget to take birthday pictures.  Here Is what is left of my yummy torta! Yes, it had my nombre on it! My husband is the best!

Pesebre 2011

Every year, we put up both an Árbol de Navidad as well as a Pesebre.  Although our Pesebre is not nearly as elaborate as many European households, we still like to make a big production out of putting it together.  Sofía decided to add her own animales this year!

Odontólogo

We finally went for our first visita with a pediatric odontólogo or dentista as my husband says.  (I think that Colombia is probably one of the few places that uses odontólogo for dentist  and I think it may drive him a bit loco that I can’t erase my Colombian ways for his Peruvian! Sofía uses both terms depending with whom she is speaking.)  It went as well as expected (I set the expectatives pretty looooowww!)  Sofía received a, ball,  balloon, and a rinoceronte among some other really cool dental gifts like toothpaste and a toothbrush!

Árbol de Navidad

And here is the producto final....

Buscando

El mejor árbol de Navidad!  We always go to a Tree Farm to cut our own árbol de Navidad.  It is a suuuper fun tradition.  My pobre esposo has to cut and haul the tree and at about 14 feet…well, it isn’t an easy task.  Makes for great memories though!! 

A Rare Event

Sofía sleeping in the car.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Hojas

This is what Otoño SHOULD look like!

Colombino o Chupeta--It's all Azul to Me!

And here is what my tongue looks like after eating my first Día de las Bruja’s colombino or chupeta as Papi says.  Lengua Azul!

El Día de las Brujas

El Día de las Brujas, Halloween, was strange this year in all aspects. 

Sofía dressed up as Campanita.  Here she is visiting Papi’s office.  

Our other fotos of Campanita got erased and since Papi went out of town, we didn’t get many other good fotos before we went pidiendo dulces (by ourselves—still a little bitter!). It snowed, yes, SNOWED, the day before Halloween in Northern Virginia. 

We had to make adjustments to the Campanita costume. 

Next year, I’m making a costume to go over the Winter coat.

Se Parecen

Really??  Can’t anyone see that we look alike?  After 9 months of hard work, can’t you give Mami something??? іSe parecen!

Ooblek

Sometimes, you HAVE to let los niños just get messy.  We made some ooblek and mixed it with some granos de café, put it in a big container, a few large spoons and went outside.  Hours of fun entertainment and lots of scientific observation!

Story Time Sapa

I swear I posted this already, but it must have only been in my mind! I took Sofía to storytime at Barnes and Nobles.  It had been a VERY long time since we had gone there.  I wasn’t sure what to expect from her since the last time, over a year ago, she really didn’ t want to have anything to do with the lector (unanimated, boring, monotone and clueless about tots).  Well…this time, Sofía marched right up and sat next to the reader.  I didn’t video tape it, so you will have to just believe me when I say that she is definitely a Sapita (brown-noser)!

¡Feliz Cumpleaños Papi!

Sofía loves a fiesta and celebrating her Papi’s cumpleaños was no diferente!  We ate lots of yummy comida and baked deli tortas (Yes, I said tortas!). 

But what she loved most was giving Papi his regalos! 

Even Nacho (el gato) joined in the fun!

We created a piece of arte for Papi to hang on his bare office walls.  Sofía and I had soo much fun making it and everyone at the Papi’s oficina RAVES about it!

Los Números en Tiza

While we were outside playing, Sofía spontaneously grabbed the chalk and drew a número and then said, “іMira, el número dos!”.

She did the same thing again, but this time said, “іMira, el número tres!”.

Going Up!!!

Sofía and I were riding in the asensor to go swimming at our Health Club.  I told her to press the buton B1 and do you know what she did?  She pressed B1!!!

Cosechando Tomates

Earlier en la temporada, Sofía and I cultivamos some tomate plantas.  FINALLY we got some results with a few pleasant sorpresas! 

We only cultivamos a pot to see if our netting would keep the animales from eating our fruits!

Mi ayudante colecto los tomates en su balde.

Quality control is always importante.  (She ate them ALL before we got into the kitchen!)

We made a new amigo!  I thinking he was guarding them for us! Sofia liked checking out the Grillo!

Montando Potrillo

What is the Summer without a Feria?  We got back from our trip just in time to catch the end of a nearby Feria.  We will definitely be going back next verano!  Sofía rode a potrillo for the first time!  She LOVED it!

Bembos Park

Bembos is a fast food resaurante chain in Perú.  It serves a variety of hamburguesas y papas fritas.  I took Sofía there one morning, not for the food, but for the children’s play area.  I’ve always been impressed with how Latin America has great play areas for children in their fast food places.  Nothing like I’ve ever seen here.  Take a look!

This is a foto of the restaurante from the outside.  If you see where it says, Bembos Park, that entire section is the play area.  It has lots of natural light and a high ceiling for climbing and going down cool slides.

I was also really impressed with how well things were labeled and the rules set out.

This is the giant ball pit.  There is a tunnel slide that opens into it also.  Sofia played in it (since we were the only ones eating at 11:30 AM) and liked it!