On Motherhood

I was just sitting at work today, thinking about all of the creative endeavours I would like to embark upon at this point in my life, when a thought suddenly occurred to me. Dorky, but it just makes sense today...

I have created two amazing little boys. If I died today, there would be two lives out there - two little personalities, wonderful and funny and bright - that would continue on because of something I (well I guess Andrés had something to do with it too, lol) made.

Wow.

Pretty cool.

I never realized until I became one, but being a mom is the best. I can't understand those moms who wouldn't give everything of themselves to their kids. It actually brings me joy to buy something or do something and then think - hey, someday my kids will get that, or this is something that will be a memory for my kids.

I love that. It is so special and I am so happy that I am the type of person - the type of mom - that sees it for what it is: the most incredible experience a person could have. And the icing on the cake is that Andrés is that kind of dad. That we plan our future as a family, as a couple, and as individuals, around what will be best for the kids.

I know we are not the only parents who feel the same. But I also know that there are some parents who think that once their kids turn a certain age, they're done, that they have rights too and that their happiness is equally important as their kids' happiness. Nothing wrong with that - it is the "American way". But I'm happy to know that over here, at this house, that just won't happen.

Off to England (again)

Bati received good news this Friday. He had an interview with the Delta program he was applying for in England, and he was accepted! This is a very prestigious certification program for English language teachers, and very few people in Ecuador carry this certification (perhaps very few, even, around the world). That I know of, there are probably only about 4-5 people in the country at the moment with this certification - and he will be one of them!

He leaves in September. The kids will miss him so much, but I know he is really excited.

Congratulations, Bati!

Living in a Video Game

Some days I feel like I am living in a video game. A little Mario Bros. world where simple tasks like walking and jumping over a puddle at times become a challenge.

• Like trying to pour milk while a 3 year old climbs up your leg.
• Or walking by the stairs when suddenly a five year old jumps out at you screaming "Catch me!"
• Or trying to navigate the kitchen-utensil (land mines and grenade bombs in my boys' imaginations) strewn kitchen floor while I try to make supper.

• Balancing one kid on my back while I carry the other because they both have to be the first ones in the car.
• Making gecko/Galapagos tortoise/fire salamander/iguana/crocodile/newt/bullfrog/Komodo dragon noises as I read the bedtime book Grandpa Dan gave us.
• Blocking karate hacks (rattlesnake attacks) to the face and fake crocodile bites while reading said book and also while trying to differentiate between one of the former or what might be an unexpected bear hug and kiss.

I figure I am in Level 3 approximately - I am just beginning to get the hang of it while the difficulty has gone up a notch. I still have all my lives though!


My boys - turning my life into a video game one day at a time.

School supplies

Forgot to put up the pictures of Agustin's school supply list. It took us about a week to get it all together.



Had to get Kas in there. Stickering up my couch of course...

Kids' Videos

I haven't been real good about adding cute videos I find online to this blog, but I thought this one was just too good to pass up. I know a lot of mothers use YouTube for entertaining their little ones, and oh! the things you can find on that site. Anyway, this was cute. I can imagine my Agustin really enjoying it. He loves anything animal-related.