Monday, February 29, 2016

Madrid Wrap Up

Our trip to Madrid this Winter Break was really all about hanging out with family and taking it easy. With weather a bit chillier than normal, we didn't venture too far from home, but we enjoyed the little outings in the city including the Madrid Rio area with playgrounds and slides. The girls were there a few years back, though Carolina was way too little to remember it. But this time she definitely enjoyed herself and we all loved our free-for-all on the slide mountain. There was no one there thanks to the fact that it wasn't a vacation week there. So we ran up and down and slid til our hearts content. What a fun day. 
After a couple of city strolls on our own and a lunch at La Bola, Nacho and I relented and took the girls in for a walk around Temple De Debod up on the hill overlooking the city. It was almost sunset by the time we got there so it was a popular evening choice. Of course, the Barbie Spy dolls the girls got before the trip made the city walk even more exciting and we finished our evening with dinner at Casa Mingo just down the hill from there. I'm always glad that we get to spend time in Madrid with the girls because it means a lot to me that they know where their Papa is from. These are his roots. And just as much as visiting family, I want them to have a feel for the place he calls home. They love the buses and the old city streets. They are getting better about eating a few Spanish foods--though Elisa definitely leads her sister in this category.  So far, Carolina mostly likes pan and casera. I can't really blame her for not loving all the other stuff, but I hope she'll try more and more with each visit. And this visit their Spanish was definitely better and more easy going. They both understand almost everything being said to them, but it takes a few days for them to figure out that they really must answer in Spanish. Carolina continues to use it when speaking with our Spanish friends here in Sunnyside which makes me happy. She told me, "Mom, I just had to think!" when I asked her how she knew those words. Love that girl. 
By week's end, I think we were all hoping to squeeze in just a little more time with cousins. We had a few short visits before, but on our last full day in Spain, we had a midday soccer game for Alvaro and a lunch with the whole family closer to Majadahonda where Jesus and family live. Alvaro played goalie for the first part of the game, and later scored at least 2 if not 3 goals of his own. The girls were delighted to play and run around with Sara while the game finished up. And then we were off to lunch and that's when the real fun began. The rustic parilla offered many kinds of grilled meats, but best of all, they had a large open play area out back for the kids to run around and climb and swing. It was a perfect choice for these growing kids who need less supervision, but still can't set for 3 hours at a time. I don't know how they will develop as friends, but seeing these cousins love hanging out together makes me so happy. They really try to engage one another in both Spanish and English. Diego is off to London for one school year in the fall and I hope all of them will have similar options as they grow up. Mixing their family ties with their love of travel can only be a good thing, and I can't help but wonder which of my girls will have crushes on Alvaro's friends as they grow older in Encinar. Little Paula was the newest addition to this growing clan and Amaia and Jesus seem to be taking their new parenting roles in stride. Of course, with 4 years between Paula and Carolina, she'll have some catching up to do before she'll be running around the field too. But in time. Yes, it all seems to be happening as I think about their future summers in Spain and spending time with family around the pool. Hopefully we will make it back this summer for our first family beach trip. But for now this week was a great little visit and I can't wait to see them again soon. 

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Week in Review

The week started off so well...first day back to class after our trip to Madrid and Carolina was raring to go!  On Tuesday Nacho and I made it in to the city for his hair cut followed by a little walk in the East Village and lunch at our old favorite Brick Lane. It was windy and cold with a little rain falling but we had nothing else to do. It was a good to be out and about. After a week away from the city, I kind of missed it. 
Of course all that fun and carefree, childfree time came to a end on Wednesday when Carolina came down with a fever. Yes, amazing how fast things can change. What started out as a lowgrade fever (100/101F) took a turn on Thursday evening and shot up to 103.8F.  Not cool.  I kept her home again Friday and we visited the pediatrician to rule out strep and the flu. But by Saturday the fever was still lingering so we had to cancel our paella dinner plans with the Spanish crew. It didn't help that Nacho and I both were feeling a little off, though luckily, it never developed to more than that. Elisa begrudgingly went to school all week long and also stayed healthy enough that by Sunday we all hung out at the park to get some much needed fresh air. Carolina was a little washed out in color but her attitude was great. No fever all day Sunday so looking ahead to a healthy week back in school. YAY!

Thursday, February 25, 2016

AMB Field Trip: Paper Bag Players

Just before Midwinter Break, Carolina's preschool class had its first field trip of the year. You would have thought it was Christmas morning based on Carolina's reactions each night at bedtime. Only 2 more days til the field trip...only 1 more day...The destination was Queensborough Community College out in Bayside where the Paper Bag Players performed one of their comedic routines called Pop Pop Popcorn. I had heard that they were a fun theatre group and without knowing much about them, I was mostly excited just to see the kids' reactions. And boy, did they have some good reactions. Carolina and Mason were my two charges and they were definitely amped up. The bus ride there was about a half hour and I think they bopped and kicked and laughed most of the way. By the time we rushed in to the parking lot and shuffled inside, the show was already slated to start. But I suppose they know the pace of preschoolers and there was actually still a bit of a wait before the curtain went up as the last few arrived. 
Afterwards, we had a starving group of 4 and 5 year olds and bag lunches with no where to sit and eat them. We tried to ask about the cafeteria but since the campus was actually closed for a president's birthday, we couldn't get in anywhere else. And the bus wasn't going to meet us for another 20 minutes. So as the theatre staff turned to leave us alone, I figured it was our only chance to get these kids to eat. We corralled them into a corner of the entryway and they sat shoving bits of sandwiches and fruit into their little bellies. Of course my girl wasn't too keen on the lunch offerings, but I came prepared with a few contraband items and so she had a little bit to eat on the way back. It didn't take long before the campus security came over asking us to leave. We phoned our bus driver and made our exit. The ride back was smooth and the kids returned to school with big smiles. I passed out some gummy heart Valentines with Paw Patrol cards and tattoos that I'd picked out for Carolina's friends. The class loved them and it gave the kids something to take home from a fun day out. I can't say that chaperoning is always a breeze, but today with this crew it was alright. 

Monday, February 22, 2016

Midwinter Vacaciones

Well, the rest of our week in Madrid was pretty much exactly how I remember winter in the city to be. We spent lots of time sleeping in, getting ready midday for a walk in the park or an outing to the city. Then home for lunch or maybe a quick bite at the Argentine parrilla we like so much. Nacho and I made it out a few times without kids and that's always a pleasure. It reminds me of the year and a half we lived there together and how we would walk endlessly through the city trying to plan our future together with so much uncertainty. Being back for vacation is always a reminder of how far we've come as a couple and now a family.  Shoe shopping is always a must. And of course, there are all the family meals and lunches to coordinate. Being there for one week meant we had time to squeeze in almost everything, but of course, it also meant we missed seeing a few friends this time around. Fortunately, the girls had a few opportunities to hang with their cousins and that was really precious. They play so well together now that we barely see them when we're at their house. We watched Big Hero 6 in English so Sara could practice, and we managed to see both Diego doing his skating and Alvaro scoring two goals in a soccer game. Yeah, I think they are eager to get back there for summer and swim in Encinar and have lots more time to mingle. And we're also hoping that maybe this year we can take the girls to the beaches in Almeria. Oh, so much to be happy about and so much to look forward to. I'm ready for it too.