Typical Weekend

This weekend was the last day of music class. We have had such a good time this summer taking Stella to class that we signed up for the following semester. It’s really interesting watching Stella observe the people and kids around her and she has started to smile and laugh more. Usually that comes when we are jumping around pretending to be rabbits. Yes, Rabbits. Rabbits that eat the farmer’s vegetables and needs to be shooed out of the garden. But sometimes the smiles come from watching everyone play instruments and sing around her.

We found Stella's best hippie outfit for the occasion

Of course we did the butterflies and walked around with scarves flying as the children sat in the middle of the circle. Slowly one by one the other children became frustrated or upset and it was much like the songs we sang. Children’s songs always start with a certain amount of things and work there way down to one or none. So first there was three kids, then two and then there was Stella all by her lonesome. I felt bad that the other parents had to continue to waive their scarves for Stellita’s enjoyment since there kids no longer wanted to be in the circle, but they are all good people so they obliged. At the end of class we said goodbye and learned we would see everyone next semester. One of the dads when saying bye to Stella said, “Bye Stella, the best behaved child in the class.”

I think he gave her ojo (“the evil eye”) Belinda thinks he was just paying a complement. Belinda always the diplomatic one said, “Oh its just she can’t move on her own yet or she would be everywhere.” Probably true, but now I have someone to blame if she becomes a hot mess at next semesters class.

The next day we went to go eat at IHOP. Stella practiced using a straw. She refuses to use Sippy cups but she loves to drink out a glass with or without a straw. Thankfully she only drinks water so there are no stains, but once she moves into drinking Big Red Soda that will probably be a different story. I Kid, I Kid! No sodas for Stella for a while.

After that we went to Sam’s and bought in bulk as we have learned to do now. We still don’t know if it is cheaper to buy in bulk but we know it saves on the amount of trips we have to make to get things to care for our child. AND! We always plan it around sample days so you get to shop and eat a good meal all at once. That’s where the saving comes in! If you walk around enough you can have a full course meal.

Belinda’s Dad made the trip up this weekend so he and Mrs. Chapa could make it a Beatle’s tribute band concert so he was riding around with us on our errands when he noted the time. It was a little before noon and we were heading home. We explained to him the tendencies of people with children and old people. They both are up at the crack of dawn like it or not. Even if we wanted to sleep in Stella would veto that plan. That’s when Mr. Chapa noted that when he makes the move up here he might not be joining us for breakfast if it’s always going to be that early. Pre-Stella, we to had breakfast at noon.

Later that day we went to birthday party for a cousin of mine. My thia took advantage of the situation and planned a small reunion around the affair and invited a few of the nephews and nieces to the party. Two of our cousins were coming in from out of town and she wanted to have everyone welcome them to Texas. As with all of my thias parties it was good food and lots of laughs.

This photo only shows 10% of my cousins. No really! My mom had twelve brothers and sisters. Her oldest sister had twelve of her own. I don’t know the breakdown, but I think there are around fifty cousins all together ranging in ages from late twenties to mid sixties. I don’t have an abacus large enough to count all the following generations but I know its a lot. What I do know is that if Stella has a family reunion one day her whole family won’t be as large as this group. Thats me in the back and behind me if you can see is one of my favorite cousins behind the glass. She was smart and stayed indoors.

The party was divided into woman inside and men outside. However, seeing as how it was a hundred degrees, there was a third division. The smart men who were also inside. 

I had been wanting Belinda’s family to meet my mom’s family cause they are the nicest people and cause I think it would help them know the type of person my mom was. Here are my two thia’s talking to Mrs. Chapa about the family as Stella eats and listens. We had a good time but had to leave early to make sure Stella stuck to her night time routine.

Stellita, The lady in the photo with your dad is thia Leo. I’m sure she will want you to call her Thia also. She is your grandma’s younger sister. She gives unconditional love and does everything possible to make everyone happy. She doesn’t know how to cook for less than ten people and no one is ever hungry when they come to her house. She also has the best stories about your nana. Some she says she won’t tell me cause she thinks my mom would haunt her if she did. She also is the one who is going to do the huevo on you if that man from music class gave you ojo.