another dress from grandpa...

or at least it's supposed to be a dress. It seems awfully short though - I think it really may be just a top -but it looked too cute with her bloomers.

And a picture of Emilia and some pals from playgroup...

Quito - Summer 2008

A few pictures from Quito...

On the beach in CasablancaWaking up all hot and sweaty from an afternoon nap.

Going to Sofia's birthday party...

We're back, we're back

I haven't been slacking - it's just been a bumpy transition back to life in Charlotte. Between the unpacking, the sorting and putting away, and getting back on to our schedule and in to a routine I haven't had a chance to download pics into the computer. I promise to do so this weekend. For now, here's an oldie but goodie... (such an oldie she's actually still in the hospital in this picture!)

her daily bread

Since we've been here Emilia has discovered the joy of bread. Now, I can't blame her at all, as a complete bread addict I can understand why she's so enamored with it. My consolation comes from knowing the bread here is made fresh every single morning in the local bakery (located literally across the street from my mom's apartment building). Most mornings it arrives to our table still warm from baking in the oven. I'm also glad at least that it's whole wheat bread as well. I figure between it being fresh bread and whole wheat we're in decent shape. There's no denying it though - the girl's hooked. Most mornings I get her to the table with some cheerios and her juice but the second she sees the bread basket hit the table she will spit out whatever cheerio she has in her mouth and start making her noises and eyeing the basket. It's pretty funny. She's even been known to try to lick the dining room table to get the very last crumbs.

To Market, To Market

The other day we took Emilia to the Mercado Santa Clara - a huge open-air market where at least 3 if not more generations of Serrano-Velasco-Jijon women have done their shopping for produce and various household items. We went for a basket to put Emi's toys in but came away with this jaunty straw cap and advice from the indigenous woman we were buying from to put something red around Emilia's wrist in order to prevent her eyes from changing color and to protect her from the "evil eye"!

Then, later that same day, Emilia did some serious damage to a box of Kleenex...

Back from Casablanca

After arriving in Quito at midnight on Wednesday (long story short - 6 hours sitting in the Miami airport with a bunch of kids on mission trips is no fun), we left for the beach early Thursday morning and spent a long weekend there, returning yesterday (Monday). Someone small ate her way through some sopa de pescado, patacones, yuca frita, a batido (on the beach no less) and enjoyed white bread for the first time (at least it was freshly made).

Hmm... I wonder what this sand tastes like...

A little worried the tide might take her out to sea! (And eyeing that piece of seaweed!)

In addition to all the new foods she discovered Emilia also managed to crawl up 4 steps on her own and discovered the joy of having someone walk her up a flight of steps and then back down and up and down... you get the idea.

Flying with an ear ache

Well, I kind of suspected something like this would happen right before we leave for Quito and sure enough it has. I had to take Emilia to the doctor this morning where she was diagnosed with a double ear infection and a possible virus leading to her temperature ranging from 99 to 102 yesterday. I knew she felt warm after her afternoon nap and I thought she was fidgeting with her earrings a little too much and sure enough its true. So the magnificent Dr. Walker gave us an extra dose of azithromyecin (sp?) - 1 to use now and 1 to take with us. It's a great antibiotic, especially for travel, as it requires no refrigeration like many others do. SOOOo, throw up a prayer for us to whichever god you believe in that we have a smooth flight, that no one is sitting next to us, and that Emilia's ears don't explode off of her little head.

We did our usual last minute running around like lunatics - the bank, a last lunch with Papa uptown (*important note - Reid's uptown doesn't carry any sort of jar baby food & Emilia did not enjoy their orzo salad!*), Target, Harris Teeter, & CVS. I'm exhausted and still need to pack my carry on bag, clean the umbrella stroller (which I think I'm going to use... I'm still undecided about that), make dinner and figure out what the h-e-double hockey sticks is wrong with my ipod. I swear I'm ipod deficient. It's my 3rd one and I still can't figure them out. Oh, and I've totally and irrevocably (I fear) messed up my back. Could it be from picking up a 20 pound, 4 ounce bundle of love and cuddles? Could be! Stay tuned for more posts and (hopefully) pictures from the center of the world.