Happy Baby, Happy Mama

This post is from Saturday, October 1, 2006, but since we don't have internet at our new place yet and since I'm still in the midst of unpacking this post has been patiently waiting for me to upload it.

Today was one of those five star mothering days that totally reaffirmed for me our decision to move to Guadalajara as we wait out the result of Jaime’s US visa application. Saturday and Sunday are traditional family days in Mexico in which the whole extended family gathers for a meal and together time. My in-laws are no exception. When Jaime was growing up, his family would spend each Saturday with his mom’s extended family at his grandparents’ house and each Sunday with his dad’s enormous extended family, his dad is from a family of 13, at his Aunt Rosamaria’s ranch outside of the city. Each Sunday they would gather at least 50, everyone bringing their own food, and then hanging out according to their stage in life—kids together, unmarried young adults together, etc. His dad’s enormous extended family no longer meets each Sunday--I’m sure that organizing all those people got complicated, however his mom’s side still meet each Saturday without fail at his grandparent’s lovely house with a special outdoor eating area used almost exclusively for their traditional Saturday meal or for other special family functions.

This Saturday afternoon the menu was based around carne asada, steaks on the grill, but luckily for me, the only semi-vegetarian in the group, the menu also included pico de gallo jaliscience, panela, nopales, frijoles de la olla, and tortillas, of course. To wash all of that down we had agua de guayaba, agua de limon, and siempre coca cola—always coca cola. And with that said, there’s always Diet Coke too for all of Jaime’s aunts who are keeping close watch over their figures. And for dessert there were those delightful store-bought Mexican wedding cookies, and jelly filled sandwich cookies too.

With all my goings on about food, I’ve just about gotten away form why it is I’m so happy today, although the good food and good conversation certainly played a part. It was seeing Oliver so absolutely content and at ease that really made the day for me! Minutes after arriving, Jaime plopped Oliver down in the grass with his “cousins” for lack of a better word (what should Oliver call his dad’s cousin Marta’s two year old son Diego? Or his dad’s uncle Jaime’s five year old son Santiago?). They were playing with limes and limas picked straight from the trees in the garden. Oliver was mesmerized by everything—his “cousins” jumping about, the smell and texture of the limes and limas, the strange sight of the the smoke coming off the grill, and by the wonderfully lively chatter of the large group seated around the table on the patio near by. After almost a week of teething pain and only mommy’s arms will do, I can’t sufficiently express the joy I felt to watch Oliver so contentedly playing away with his cousins as if I didn’t even exist. As a matter of fact, the whole afternoon he was happy as can be, so happy that Lupita offered to stay longer just so Oliver could keep playing and exploring. It was such a great afternoon, that Oliver fell asleep on the ride home.