Happy Birthday Papi!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ninja had said it the best for all of us..."Mom is the candle, you are the fire, and Anya is the table..." 

 

What a year!

It's been an unusual year, all the way to the end. A tribute to a weird year:

It's been a weird year! Yes. Weird. Filled with highs and lows, old and new, excitements and disappointments - a total juxtaposition of contrary events and emotions. Kids completed the whole school year online then back to school in person. We all got vaccinated, even boosters, yet Covid is still in the air. Messi left Barça, Xavi arrived. Life is back to "normal" and we are living the "new normal". From the sunset in CR to Curaçao, from the sunrise in Grand Canyon to Mammoth, from the starry night in Big Bear to Joshua, from the morning mists in Pichincha to Montjuic - we have journeyed near and far this year, made a few new friends and reconnected with some old ones along the way. It is a full circle and we are back to where it started, marking a new chapter. 

Looking forward to what 2022 has in store for us! Wish you and your loved ones a safe and wonderful holiday.

With love,

*****

BCN hideout

The weird year didn't end with the card. While in Barna, we had to cancel the Christmas Eve dinner due to covid and the four of us ended up eating the catering we ordered for 10 people (the food was amazing by the way, all traditional Catalan Christmas dishes topping up with great turrón). In addition, we had to leave omicron and papi behind (the kids and I ended up spending the new year in the air somewhere in Canada). On the bright side, we got to know our new hideout really really well and we like it a lot!

Truly, what a year! 

Bon día!

before sunrise

Outspeed

I never thought that this day would come for another 5 years or so, at least until they are teenagers. But it has arrived. They have officially outspeed me on the hills. It's such a strange feeling - mixed of frustration and joy. The competitiveness inside me still thinks that I could totally outski/snowboard them yet the cautiousness (of being a mom) has slowed me down. On the other hand, there's the motherly pride that my kids have "outgrown" me. 

I am going to give myself another season to reassure that this is really happening. Just cannot not be that these 2 daredevils have beat me on the hill. 

Culé

Ninja bawled his eyes out (again)…I was stunned by such a reaction, feeling like I was watching a Latin/European football drama…

N: 😭😭😭 Why does he have to leave? Why does it have to be PSG? 

Me: not his fault, it’s the mis-management of the club, they cannot pay him. They found a solution but it wasn’t approved by La Liga.

N: how much do they need?

Me: 50 million I guess.

N: each game? every month or?

Me: a year.

N: why cannot they just fundraise so he can stay? (that’s a very gringo solution 🤣)

Me: …I am not sure kid, not sure if that’s even allowed by La Liga. Well, at least you had watched him in person playing in Camp Nou for Barça. You got good memories…

Perhaps he’s right. Maybe a GoFundMe will work? 🤣🤣🤣

Belle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A is signed up for some theater camps this summer, first the Lion King and then Beauty and the Beast. I didn't expect her to get any "role" and just wanted her to get exposed to musicals, one of my favourite pastimes and wishing that she would go with me when she's older (since the boys are not really interested at all) 

While I was in Barna, I heard her screaming to me on the other side, "mommy, I got it. I got the role Belle. It's like a dream except that it is not a dream!". I was almost in tears. She made it to something she really wanted and she cared for (normally she didn't really care for anything). She worked hard on it and made it to the audition and had a small part.

She's got 21 lines and a solo (singing). They went through 2 weeks of rehearsal. I never imagined that I would be in tears when I saw her on stage singing her solo. She had kept the solo in secret from us for weeks (didn't want to practice in front of us) as she wanted it to be a surprise with "high pitch". I guess this is how it feels to be a "proud" parent. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience being a proud parent, my little Belle. 

    

(minute 46:37 to 54:13)

Lonely

Ninja is away on a sleep-away camp. It certainly feels very different having one less kid in the house. So much quieter. A always complains about having a brother and wishes he were never born…
Me: So, how do you feel about having Mommy and Daddy all for you? 
A: Lonely
Me: Really? 
A: I miss Erik.
Me: 🤣🤣 
#lovehaterelationship #bestfriendsworstenemies 

let go

Couldn’t help myself wondering how he’s doing. Really hope that he’s having a good time. It’s been 12 hours since the “last breakfast” at Norm before seeing Ninja off at the pier for his first sleep-away camp. Trying to picture that he’s hopping from spots to spots in the Catalina Island on a tall ship learning about stars, navigation, marine biology…having an adventure of his life. 

He gave me and Papi a big hug before he went off. It was funny that A actually went ahead and gave him a long hug (he was somewhat embarrassed and surprised by it). 

It’s a little bit funny, this feeling inside of “let go”. I suppose it is one of the hardest things to do as parents. Sure that we will get to practice a lot of it from now on…but practice makes perfect? I am not so sure.

“Mommy, I miss Erik. I am worried about him. I cannot sleep.” A said. She’s usually pretty “stingy” about her affection towards her brother. So It’s nice to hear the true feelings from her. She definitely takes after me in this department.