Halloween 2008

Yes, those are his ladybug garden boots. He is not too concerned with authenticity.


Amado y los otros bomberos de Las Semillitas, Lucio y Luca

One of the very best things, and this is something I hope I remember when I am an old old lady, is how sometimes when we are cuddling in bed together, Amado grabs me tight and says "Me gusta tu amor". There really might be nothing better in the world.

Amado's School Pictures

Las Semillitas 2008-2009
photo by Rocio, mama of Eitan

Monkey on my back

Since Amado was small, I have (lovingly) called him the 'monkey on my back'. Not because he actually is a monkey on my back, of course, but because sometimes when he gets silly and riled up, he acts like a baby monkey, usually jumps on me, you get the idea. Anyways, I've called him this for years now, and I have never explained the non-literal meaning to him.

So today, after he used the bathroom, I was getting his chonies back on him, and he had one leg in them already when I realized I was putting them on him backwards.

"Oh, mijo, lo siento", I said. "Estan alreves".

He let out a big, heaving sigh and tried not to smile.

"Oh mami, tu eres el mono en mi espalda" he told me.

si se puede, part 5

Amado attended a vigil last Friday night, to stand in solidarity with a family in the Mission. This family is fighting their landlord, who is harassing them and trying to intimidate them, because she wants to evict them so she can raise the rent.

He spoke on the mic for the first time. Can you guess what he said?

Si Se Puede!

amado's presidential commentary

So, many of you know that Amado is new to the tv watching world. We held out till he was 3 to let him see any TV/movies/film - I can share if you are interested why, though don't want to bore everyone here.

So, he has seen a couple Pocoyo videos (highly recommended to all you with and without kiddos) and a couple youtube things and that's pretty much it. Last week, he was playing while we watched the vp debates but mostly just played with Jason. Tonight, him and I were home alone, so I put on the presidental debate while we played. He was excited about seeing Obama, because he has been hearing alot and talking alot about him. He loves the "si se puede" obama video on youtube. When he watches it, he puts his little fist in the air and pipes up to participate in the the "si se puede" parts.

I thought I would share a couple choice moments from tonight.

After about 5 minutes in, Amado asked, "cuando van a cantar?" (I think he was thinking of the aforementioned video).

About 5 minutes after that, Amado asked, "cuando van a decir 'si se puede'?

Amado thought that this white guy with a mustache in the audience was funny-looking (not quite sure why). He laughed and tipped himself over as the camera passed by thus guy, and then popped up to point him out to me. The camera had moved on by that point, so Amado craned his neck, trying to peer through the upper corner of the TV, to see if he could see him still.

At one point, McCain said "Senator Obama". Amado said, "Oh, el habla espanol." I was like, um, I dont think so dude. And Amado said, "si, dijo 'cien obamas'. Que bueno! Cien Obamas! Cien Obamas! Queremos Cien Obamas!"

a balanced breakfast

We made pastelitos the other day with canned pumpkin, and had some left over, so last night we were discussing what we could do with it. I suggested we put it in his avena this morning, and we was thrilled by the idea. So this morning, it was the first thing on his mind.

I whipped it up real quick, set his avena in front of him and like I do every morning, went into the other room to start getting dressed. He called to me to come sit with him while he ate. He was really enjoying that pumpkin avena, and wanted to have some company. I told him that I needed to get myself together and then I would come sit with him. When I came to sit down, he said, "mami, tu no vas a comer?"

Now, I never eat breakfast with him. I usually grab a yogurt or an banana on the way out the door and eat when I get to work. But this morning, this struck him as particularly troublesome. "Mami, tu no vas a comer?"

I told him I would just grab an apple and eat it later.

"Oh, no, mami. Eso no es bastante. Tu necesitas comer algo con proteina. Algo como...avena....con calabasa....o....algo asi. Es muy importante, mami."

He popped another spoonful of his beloved avena in his mouth, and then slid the bowl across his little table to me. "Toma, mami. Este es para ti. Tiene proteina. Por favor, comelo".