Micah & Jandro Adventure #1

My face hurt from smiling so much when I found out that my very good longtime college friend Maybelline was moving to the DC area. She and her lovely little family arrived in early July, and even though we haven't seen each other much, it is a blessing to be close to her. We have adventures planned ahead. Here's a peak at our first one :)

We met at the National Mall to stroll around the Smithsonian Museums, and um, here are our little men, in front of the official "Smithsonian"...it's just a building that has info...but it's the official and first one to be built.

As we wandered around the building, we saw a poster of an exhibition titled, American Sabor (American Flavor), which immediately caught our attention. I mean, it sounded Hispanic obviously, which we are, but also American, which we are as well, given we immigrated to this country at a young age. Plus the title describes our own kids! Born American, with a Latin Sabor from their mamacitas! hehehe

The poster had a picture of an old school couple salsa dancing! how was i not going to see this exhibition?!? that would be like giving cookies to the Cookie Monster and expect him not to eat them!

Considering it was about the history of Latin music in the United States, or better yet, the different roots of Latin music (conga, bomba, rumba) influenced by American music (jazz, rock) and the fusion of art it created. Perhaps, one of the greatest creations in music, one that had a huge influence in my own identity, and that would be none other than Salsa, mi primer amor. But that, I will blog about later. this is about our little trip to the Salsa Museum! Man, I wish they would teach this at school.

El Maestro Eddie Palmieri!

ORIGINAL posters of some of the first presentations of Tito Puente, Miss Celia Cruz, and Ismael Rivera back in the day in New York....ahhhh how I would've loved to live during those years!

El cantante de los cantantes, Mr. Hector Lavoe

The Original Fania All-Stars! Ahhhhhhh! I know heaven is a happy place with many of them around.

and of course, who's dis? el Cangri, Daddy Yankee yo.

A  wall covered in album covers from those who had American Sabor :)

Teaching Alejandro about Joe Cuba, Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, Ismael Rivera, and all the other great artists her mama used to dance to back in her youngen days!

"wanna dance Micah? I heard our mamas used to shake it all the time at the BYU salsa club!"

        They had a jukebox with a progressive timeline of some of salsa's biggest hits! we danced. what do you expect?

 Happily posing in front of this castle-look-alike building

Quick visit to the famous elephant in the Museum of Natural History

Jazz in the park! Alejandro was knocked out! but we weren't :)

 Maybelline and Micah shakin' their groove thang!

This girl is awesome. I am so happy I get to have her close!

It was a fun day. and many more to come soon ;)

First "Official" Haircut

Ok so this is very delayed...like a month and a half late and Jandro already needs another haircut...hahaha.

Anyway so on May 28th, we went to get his first official haircut! After I had ruined it back in March as you can see in a previous post here. So we headed over to "The Yellow Balloon", a children's salon in the Kentlands, and I fell in love with the place! It was so cute and vintage, I didn't know if I was in an antique children's store or a old toy store from Peru. 

He patiently waited for his turn while played :)

He sat in Papi's lap, while I was photographer, and Emily, his first hairdresser from Peru, got him all set up! (Funny fact, my first midwife-the one who confirmed my pregnancy-was also Peruvian, and we were also sealed/married by a Peruvian temple worker/sealer! coincidence? I think not! Alejandro will definitely be aware of his roots)

He was soooooooo nervous...pobrecito

And...let...the...snapping.....

and.....

crying.......

BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!

He was so scared, he wouldn't stop crying or moving! There was a TV playing Elmo's World across the room, we had to turn him around so Elmo could help him calm down :(

A little better now :) Except his face and eyes were swollen...

All done now! Right outside the place with Daddy :)

The First of Many Graduations

Almost a month ago on June 10th, Alejandro graduated from his "Bugs" class at the Little Gym, and he is now moving on to "Birds". For their little graduation, their instructors threw a fun show and tell party, where they pretty much did everything they did during their semester at the Little Gym. His instructors were Ms Katie and Ms. Christina. Unfortunately, Alejandrino was feeling a little bit sick (because he had been throwing up that whole week) so he doesn't look too excited when "showing off" :) Here are a few pics:

Rolling over the Hot Dogs

Here comes a forward roll!

YEAH! WELL DONE!

Now off to the Donut!!

That wasn't too bad now, was it? :)

It's Ball Play Time! Here he is with his buddy Lucas

Papi and Abuelito came to watch this special event :)

with his friends and all the mamas taking pics...just like I was ;)

This kid LOOOOVES bubbles!

Proud Mama :)

Proud Papa!

And now, presenting the Little Gym's "Bugs" Winter-Spring Class of 2011!!! woohoo!

Striking a pose with Abuelito Fidelius and Papi

With my friend Ixiana and our little ones, Lucas and Alejandro

Now you may think I'm silly, but this was such an exciting and emotional event for me. I think much more for me than for him. I've seen so much progress in my little guy since we first joined. I think he was 9...maybe almost 10 months when we first visited the Little Gym. I had received an invitation on the mail for a free class, so we went. I  remember he looked a little bit overwhelmed, and it was probably because of the bright colors that filled up the room, the babies and mamas running/crawling/sitting around, the music, the movements. But I think all that stimulated him for the better. Soon after we began going he became more mobile, with a greater desire to explore, play, and do things independently. From scooting to crawling to standing up on his own to taking steps to climbing steps up and down, to catching a ball and throwing it back, to following bubbles, to singing along to music. Oh it's been a blast! I love my Little Little. I couldn't help but think how fast he is growing and that soon I'll be attending a Pre-K graduation, then Kindergarten, then elementary, then middle school, then seminary, then high school, then college, then grad school....aaaah! like I said, you probably think I'm silly and may laugh at me, but hey, I'm a new mom and I can't believe Alejandrito was once a single cell that lived in me; that I was once this little man's house and food and everything, that I gave birth to him and many could say I gave him life, but in all honesty, he's given ME life....along with purpose, direction, and infinite joy. He's helped me look at life in such a different manner. And when he gives me a kiss, a breath, a smile, or a cariñito, it's so surreal, I feel like I'm in another dimension. He really is my little gift from God.