16 months

life in mexico
was amazing
but overwhelming.
i fell behind
and then
the backlog
was overwhelming.

now is the time
to begin
to
catch up.

. . . . .



the month of movement.



we began our stay
in mexico with
a little girl
who held
our hand
(or the
nearest
solid object)
as she explored
the world.

















but
on christmas day
she realized
she no longer
needed to hold
onto things
anymore...
















and so
her
independence
begun.

with the
occasional
return
to
home base.



but of course,
this was
just the beginning...

15 months

back to the ocean...


 . . . . . . .



our time
in seattle
passed quickly
and before
we knew it
it was
time to pack
and head south
to our new life
for 3 months.



i will not
deny
that i was
dreading it.
setting up
life with
a toddler
in yet another
foreign land...
just as
we were
getting comfortable
with our family
in seattle.

but with
all great
adventure
comes
that initial
hesitation
and fear.
that desire
to stay
where it is
comfortable
and familiar.

vee is more
of an adventurer
than i am
and within
hours
of arriving
in puerto escondido
she was
napping
on the bed
like old times.



it was
hard to believe
we were here
such
a short time ago
but
she has changed
so very much.


{top: @ ~ 4months . . . bottom: @ ~ 15 months}

the first few days
that
i was here
i was in a panic.
i was overwhelmed
with change
and fear
that something
would happen
to vee.
it was almost
debilitating...
but as the days
passed and
vee took
to mexico
like a duck
to water
i was able
to relax
and focus
on what
i was here for..
work.



as grub
and wee grub
explored
and got settled into
our new apartment,



i planted,
set-up cages,
and started
experiments
with my colleagues.



vee was
introduced
to
sand &
the ocean..

 
 

she quickly
took a liking
to the life
of a beach baby.



she spends
her
early mornings
on the beach



late morning
and
afternoons
napping



or
walking
back and forth
along
the shopping area
in rinconada
where we live.



sometimes
she goes
with papa
shopping at
super che
or
the mercado...



or
we have
lunch
at a restaurant
nearby.



then back
to the beach
in the late
afternoon
to play
and
watch the sunset.



not
a bad life.

she sure
has changed
a great deal
from the little
baby
we brought here
almost
a year ago.



we are struck
by how much
she has become
her own person.
how often
we see
the little girl
that she is
quickly becoming.



it makes us
catch our breath
sometimes
and try
to live
in these moments
that
we have with
her now.
while she
is still small.
just
the three of us
and
the ocean.

xo

walking!

the day after
thanksgiving
vee
(with some prompting)
walked around
my parents house
by herself
for the first time.


then,
for some reason,
she went on strike.
if we let go of her
she would sit down.

so
we stopped
pushing her
and figured
she would
walk again
when she
wanted to...

shortly
before christmas
she started
taking
a few steps
on her own.
usually just
between
chairs
and tables
or other objects
close together.

on christmas
evening
as we attempted
to eat dinner
vee decided
to walk.


{sorry for the poor quality. it was very windy and dark} 

her walking
entailed
going
into the kitchen
at the restaurant.
we were lucky
to be the only
ones eating
and they
were
very kind
to vee.


{socializing in the kitchen with the staff}

the waitress
even
took care of her
so we could
eat our dinner!

this time it stuck.

the next day
she was walking
all over
the apartment.





now she is
always on the go
and excited
about her
new found
freedom!

we have gotten
quickly use
to our
much more
mobile toddler
who now
needs
even more
careful
supervision!

xo

thanksgiving 2012

wee grub
celebrated her
first visit to the u.s.a.
with the best
holiday
america has
to offer...
thanksgiving!

it was
very eventful indeed-
all her
uncles, aunts
and grandparents
were there!

we took advantage
of the rare
gathering
and took
some
family photos
despite the
bad weather
(and lighting)!

 . . . . . . .

bugheart's side



grub's side



uncle joe, aunt kiyomi, cousin jonah, and marla


aunt kiyomi & aunt miya


until next year!

xo