SummerDance last night.

Well, it's like his favorite thing ever. Dancing to music. And staying up past his bedtime. (Ok, favorite that's a tie with kicking a ball around!)

Last night was the first tango in the park for SummerDance and we dusted off the Ergo Carrier just like last year. Of course, he's bigger!! Taller and much heavier. But he's also stronger and I don't worry about him acting like a dead weight to swing around. He loves it and he's safe.

He rode on me the entire night and I am a bit sore this morning as a result. That was 2 hours of dancing with a little break in the middle to eat some grapes and cheese and stretch his legs.

Needless to say, he loved it. And it's fun to see people react to a threesome tango family. One couple came up to us and said they have a photo of us dancing at the Cultural Center when I was pregnant. And now they have one of us with the kiddo, too.

Joaquin and I danced with Papi and two other brave leader souls were willing to take us on as well.

It was great!

The family that tangos together, sweats together. Super humid. Super wet. Super curly.



My boys.








And a couple more photos since I am dedicated to practicing with my camera.

This is from Monday, June 15. Cafe Gelato.




And this is from this morning. Putting on his chapstick.

First day of Soccer. Consider it an early Father's Day!

Well, I took over 200 photos from this grand event. First, I swore to keep practicing. Second, I knew we needed to document, document, document the event. I hope Joaquin doesn't feel the pressure, but he needs to get a full ride to a very good school on his soccer (nay, futbol!) skills. So we started him at 18 months. That's about when you learn that soccer practice has 45 balls, bubbles and all parents on the pitch chasing you around, too. I figure we can learn about offsides in week 3 or 4, right?

Let's state the very obvious. JOAQUIN LOVED IT! It's the combo of one of his favorite things ever (balls) with the doing something with Papi, with .... well, it was SUMMER on the first day and we have been waiting around for summer for like... uh, a year.

Perfect, glorious day. We love soccer.


Where can 18 month olds learn to play soccer in Chicago?


Papi put my kit on for me. Apparently I don't get to wear my Honduras uniform. Boo!


All suited up. This one may last for a year or two! And yes, that's an Extra Small.


Doing drills with papi. He loves Coach Nikki!

Working on his Game Face.


One of the best parts of the practice was stacking cones.


Future scholarship recipient.


They got stamps on their hands at the end. He's never had a stamp. He loves stamps now.


My favorite little boy and my favorite shot of the day of him.

And a final shot of the mother of his crazy hair.

Practicing with my camera after taking a lesson

On Friday I got to take the entire day off to run around with my camera and try and learn new stuff. It was so much fun and I learned a lot. I took a class with Rachael from Metropolitan Images. She's the gal that took my maternity photos and Joaquin's first year milestones.

So after a full day class I vowed to keep my camera close at hand. Today I grabbed it for some photos after getting back from Target with his brand new first pair of Converse. And then I lugged it out of the house in the diaper bag, too.

Tomorrow we have the first day of soccer practice (the idea of this makes me laugh! this is the first day of disorganized running around in the park with other 18-24 month olds!!) and I will have my camera at the ready.

So just because I know Rachael will be hassling me if I don't practice, here's what I caught today.

New Shoes! Papi picked them out!



Checking out the flowers on the balcony.



Trying to get back inside and go and dance with Papi. Is his class over yet?!



Getting smart.



Mami asked me to do a Kitty Meow! Twice.



(Notice furrowed brows of plaintive kitty face during meow!)


Doing a jump dance with a kitty toy in hand. Aka: Freaking out.





And a self-portrait I took during the class.

Joaquin Cousteau.

Auntie Monkey sat for Joaquin tonight. Apparently he hassled her for a bath over and over with pleas for agua and signing bath. She gave in to the relentless begging.

She got her revenge. She gave him the beloved bath with the shower raining on him. And put his safety goggles on.

The pay-off is the final few moments.

Happy Mother's Day

My second Mother's Day.

It was such a nice weekend. Saturday was brunch with girlfriends, then the entire day of playing with my boys and then heading out to see a play and have dinner with Douglas. Sunday has been hanging out at the park and napping. Perfect. Off to teach class in a few hours.

Here we are.

Do Not Want.

Today Joaquin signed EAT at me like 100 times.
And then waved off each thing I gave him. He ate a lot of yogurt today.

At one point he was squealing for the just washed broccoli on the counter.

So I gave it to him.

Raw.

These speak for themselves, no?

The final shot is where he set it down when he was done.

This is the best photography work I have done so far.

I am proud of me.

A week in Texas. AKA. You can do 6 days on fruit and no naps.

Joaquin and I got home this evening. To a very happy Papi that his family had made it back safely. Watching Joaquin see his "stuff" and know he was home was a really cool experience. As much fun as he had with his cousins, he was really going on a LOT less sleep and a LOT LOT less food. He lived on grapes and whatever Cheerios he could forage from Uncle Matt. And no nap unless it was on a person, preferably on Grandpa Tommy in a porch swing.

But we are back. He gladly kicked the mirror facing his carseat and turned his music on before he was even in the straps. And he ran into his bedroom to make sure the crib was still there.

He went down without a peep after EATING REAL FOOD.

It was a fun week. And I need to go through all the video and photos and start uploading quickly, but I am tired tired tired.

Here's one. Cousins can go to the beach together. Rockport Beach, Texas.