Independence Day in the Park

Since the 4th of July isn't a holiday in Spain, Alexis, Jacques and I were lucky enough to have this American holiday fall on a Sunday so we could have a little celebration of our own. Unfortunately a hamburger BBQ was not on the menu, but we did manage to have a nice relaxing family day in our neighborhood park complete with a picnic. Alexis was the designated photographer of the day and he definitely got some great shots, especially of all the flowers in bloom. Not exactly fireworks...but it worked for us. More Papa photos next time...I promise!

Yay! Independence day in the park!!!

Just Me and Mama...

Maybe flowers give firework makers their inspiration?

Which way should I go....?

Showing some tummy while trying to get the hang of this walking thing...

Who knows...maybe next year we'll get to celebrate this holiday with our family and friends in the states. We hope you all had a great Independence Day!

Jacques Reaches Double Digits: 10 months!

It's hard to believe, but Jack has officially reached the 10 month mark and there is really no looking back. He is continually on the move and really just taking advantage of his new gained independence. Luckily for us though, he hasn't completely forgotten about his Mama and Papa, even when he is busy playing he'll take a break for a quick hug or cuddle before his exploration instinct calls.

Here are a few things going on in Jack's life...

1) Weekend outings. Now that the warm weather has arrived in Barcelona, Jack, Alexis and I are trying to make the most of what could possibly be our last summer in Cataluna. This past weekend, we kept things low-key by going for a stroll along the beaches of Barcelona. Normally if we are planning on going to the beach, we will head outside of the city to avoid the large crowds, but I'm glad that we stuck to Barcelona this time because it gave us a chance to re-visit one of our favorite statues in the city by the catalan scupltor Juan Munoz.

The rocking bronze people in Barceloneta...

...placed here in '92 for the Olympic Games...

...and in Washington DC at the Hirshhorn Museum...

After our walk, we ended up at a beach front chiringuito to get a quick drink and catch the final half of a world cup match. This was Jack's first day and outing was his new water bottle complete with straw. Needless to say, he LOVED it...he couldn't stop sipping. Unfortunately for us, he had his first leaky diapers in months...he drank that much (in a very very short time). We have now put a few more limits on his water consumption.

Enjoying a drink while watching the game

Goal!!!

2) Moving...moving...moving. Since Jack has discovered crawling, there is really no stopping him. Within a few days of him officially mastering crawling, he quickly learned how to pull himself up on any elevated surface and how to cruise around the room. Jack is now without boundaries (well...except for Mama enforced ones...). He has quickly become very nimble on his feet and manages balancing acts on the most obscure things...which has of course led to a boo-boo or two...

Jack on the go...

...and cruising...

One of his new favorite activities is raiding his toychest...he props himself up with one arm holding the lid open and proceeds to remove any toy he can reach. Needless to say, this game can last for hours and his arms are much longer then you would imagine them to be.

Raiding his toychest...

Often times though, he'll just crawl back and forth across the floor saying "Mamamama" or "Babababa"...oh the joys of being a baby.

3) Playing. When Jacques is not on the go, he does manage to find a few minutes to focus on his toys. Some of his favorite ones these days are strangely his books...he can sit and page through his books forever, well of course until the urge to take a little nibble from them becomes too strong.

Taking a few minutes to sit and play...

...and of course everything still ends up in the mouth

Do you think anyone is watching me?...Books here I come!!!

Heehee...got one!

The one book Jack can eat but never makes it in his mouth...

4) Playdates. Jack and I have been going to weekly playdates for the past few months, and since the kids are finally getting older we Mommies have graduated from taking coffee and talking to real playdates in the park. It's really fun to see the kids start to interact more, even though they are still mostly playing next to each other and not with each other. We all have fun though, and I'm sure things will definitely get interesting in the coming months.

Playdate!: Jack with his friend Paloma

5) Teething. That's right, the pearly whites keep on coming in...he's up to 7 and I'm sure there will be other ones any day now.

6) Surviving the Barcelona summer. Now that summer has officially come to Barcelona it has been getting hot hot hot... In an attempt to beat the heat, our official motto of the summer has been less clothes is better. As you can see from a bunch of these photos, Jack's typical outfit these days are his diaper, and shorts if he's lucky. At least it makes for much less laundry!

We have only recently begun going to the pool with Jack. I think in general he likes it...but he prefers the water bathtub warm, otherwise he refuses to even put his little toes in it. Hopefully by the end of the summer, we'll have a little baby whale on our hands.

A quick bath to survive the BCN heat

7) Understanding. With each day, Jack understands more and more...he especially is getting a good understanding of the word "no", even though at times he still pretends not to. One of his new favorite things to do is clap his hands (meaning Bravo, good job) when his Mama tells him no to try to presuade her that "no...it's actually a good thing i'm...(fill in the blank)". Sometimes you can't help but smile.

He is also much more aware of who is around him and when. One night Alexis came home from work to quickly say hi to Jack and play a bit before heading off to school. When we walked Alexis to the elevator to wave goodbye, Jack broke down and just started crying because he was just that sad his Papa was leaving him. Lucky for him, the number of school days remaining is numbered.

8) Finger foods!. So, like any true American, Jack just LOVES wheatie Os (Cheerios!). His Papa brought him two small sample boxes back from a business trip to the states and there was no stopping him. These little Os definitely started him on the whole finger food adventure. Unfortunately, I can't find them anywhere around. In one last act of desperation, Jack and I will make the journey over to an American speciality store where things such as Smuckers grape jelly, boxed brownies, and frosting in a tub are sold. It's our last chance! In the meantime, we have to get by with the ends of baguettes in true Spanish fashion.

9) With each month, Jack has more and more expressions...he even manages a cheesy grin for the camera from time to time It's fun watching our little man grow up. I hope you're enjoying it as well!

Jack striking a pose

Can you believe it...I'm 10 months old!!!