Barefoot in the park

It doesn't take much pushing to get us out the door these days since the weather is warming up and Elisa loves people-watching as much as we do. Luckily there is a great playground just behind our building which seems like the communal backyard most afternoons. This week we met up with our Sunny Playgroup (yes, the splinter group from Sunnymoms) on Thursday morning to have a little stroll-in. The group quickly gathered around the blanket for all the sprawling babies to climb and topple one another. Elisa did her fair share of tapping and tugging on others and seemed particularly obsessed with Hiro's hat. Here she is attempting to pull it off (which she did several other times).

Young Leo

So I came across a link to children's horoscopes this morning as I was logging into my email and I couldn't resist. Here's what it said about Elisa's birth date:

"Leo children are rays of light - playful, willing to be the center of attention, always ready to put on a show. This child is highly entertaining and able to assess the presence of an audience with surprising sophistication. In infants you may notice his showmanship just by their alert and pleasant nature, like stars ready to go onstage. There is warmth and charm about little Leos. As the baby grows into a toddler, there will be a marked agility with the body, a natural athleticism, good balance, and physical features such as a wide brow or a big head of hair. Leo children are natural stars and may need a little help when it comes to fitting in with their peer group. They are naturally popular, but may have issues when it's not their turn with a toy or game, or simply not their turn to shine. Rebuffs or accidental slights might be taken as deep insults. Imagine a cat getting water poured on its fur! At these junctures, help your little Leo understand that they are not the target of ridicule, even though they feel terribly humiliated because it means so much to them to be loved, adored, even worshipped! Remember, many actors, rock stars, and politicians are Leos, so you have a big personality on your hands! Leo is a fire sign and thus warm, affectionate and sexually uninhibited. Encourage your child's free expression with the body, maybe introducing dance lessons when he or she is ready. Some kind of physical exercise that channels all that fiery exuberance is recommended, lest the energy be repressed or express itself in unproductive ways. Be the parent who gently reminds your son or daughter about boundaries and limits, their own and other people's, so that you are a trusted source of support, not a critical judge."

Of course, I know this description is probably true for lots of kids, but I swear she fits the performing part to a T. And Nacho has been saying that she'll probably be a comedian with the way she loves to perform and make us laugh for months now. I think a star is born!

Edited to add: Here is the link from the MSN website: http://astrocenter.astrology.msn.com/msn/gochildprofile.aspx

Aunt 'Tacey

Elisa loves a visitor and this week Aunt Stacey has been staying with us giving Elisa plenty of audience. Although we haven't been taking her into Manhattan with us, Elisa has enjoyed a little extra time with daddy while us girls have had our night (and day) out. Luckily Aunt Stacey likes taking photos as much as we do and she has a great camera so there have been lots of opportunities for capturing the moment. Here are some of my favorites so far...

Happy Mother's Day to all!

It's 6:15pm and Elisa decided to have a third nap today, so I'm taking advantage of it by catching up on my blogging and reflecting on all that this day means. I thought since Nacho would be traveling this weekend I should attempt to make plans which would keep me from wallowing in my first mother's day alone. As always, my good friend Dan Riley came through and even brought me flowers for our pancake breakfast at home. Since convincing Dan to move to Sunnyside last year, I've reaped many benefits from his friendship and proximity. He's the kind of guy you like to know is around at the drop of a hat.

Here he is teaching Elisa some great recipes from the Amy Sedaris cookbook. Hilarious stuff if you haven't seen that before. We visited the park at Greenpoint and 47th Ave for a few minutes to let Elisa get her swing on, before hitting the Paraguayan bakery for some delicious empanadas.
I should note that in his absence, Nacho did ensure I wouldn't go empty-handed this mother's day. He gave me a very nice (and unexpected) gift certificate to a day spa in Manhattan that came highly recommended from my friend Protima. As Nacho said, when you want luxury, you can trust Protima will steer you right. So, thanks to his initiative and Protima's good taste, I'll have a treat to enjoy in the next few weeks.  Most of all I think I enjoyed this first mother's day because I really feel like I'm beginning to get the balance back in my life that was hard to come by in the first 6 months. Elisa has mastered sleeping and naps and is a very playful and enjoyable baby to be around. And I'm realizing that if you approach the day with new eyes, the same routines and actions can be fun, or at least offer the potential for small moments that you will never forget.
I see more and more of my own reflection in Elisa lately and maybe that's why it's such a joy to see her smile back or clap her hands or just babble softly to herself. It's like watching all that I must have gone through too as a baby and wondering what on earth she'll be like in another year, or three or five. It's such a mystery and yet it propels you forward in time like nothing else. I can't wait to meet her again and again every day.
And of course, I'm also reflecting on this day what it means to be a mother and how the women in my life have informed my own sense of motherhood. I'm extremely grateful to all of them for the wisdom shared and the little encouragements that have meant the world to me. So for all of us on this day, I hope it is filled with lots of hugs and laughter.

Just beachy

We're flying back home today but here are some pics from our first beach adventure of 2009!