She's Official

SOPHIA JANE BARLOW

Sophia Jane really is God's Gift as her namesake suggests.

Brent and Janet were able to travel the 6000 miles to share this day. They have always promised to be at the blessing of the first grandchild of each family, but in reality, Brent has been able to assist in the blessing of all 12 of his grandchildren. We were also happy that Scott and Robyn could be here with us as well.

As an added blessing, Lidia made the blessing dress, which I was not allowed to see until it was completed. For those of you who have come to visit, you have spent time with her. She works for us, but has also become a small part of our family. When learning about the upcoming blessing of Sophia, she insisted on making the dress herself. I gave her a photo of one that I liked, she created a pattern and spent many late nights working on it. This dress will be cherished for years to come.

Beyond Buenos Aires: San Antonio de Areco

San Antonio de Areco

CHOCOLATES

We couldn't resist stopping at this quaint little Chocolate Shop. We found this shop the first time that we went and were excited to share it with family. I was a bit skeptical about cinnamon chocolate, but it was AWESOME!

Beyond Buenos Aires: San Antonio de Areco

San Antonio de Areco

Peyton happily accepted my photo invitation today, so there 

are quite a few of her.  (Good thing she's so cute.)

A new Parilla (grill) where we enjoyed lunch just off of the 1st floor balcony.

Statue of Vieytes

The town along the park

A bonafide Guacho

Look through the charming window to the courtyard

Yes, as nasty as the water may look, they really swim in it. 

El Puente Viejo

Grandma Barlow and Peyton

Our Cool Dude.

Another cool dude, Grandpa Barlow

And the coolest dude, always capturing video

Sweet Sophia. 

 She really has been with us through all of our recent travels, but is often left out when we take pictures.  

Argentina: Buenos Aires and Beyond

I have been on a long time since I have consistently updated this blog. My many reasons (or excuses) which include: a new baby, adapting to 3 children, 2 toddler birthdays, summer in the southern hemisphere, Christmas, my parents, both of our birthdays, his family, and travel a.k.a. Professional Tour-Guiding. The overwhelming realization of this post is that I have photos I would like to share from each of these events. I do not know where to begin... chronological order seems logical, but I am excited to post about recent events. So, I am going to start a series of posts which I will call "Argentina: Buenos Aires and Beyond". I may interject a few birthday party happenings and current events as I go along in my desperate attempt to keep this blog up to date and interesting. I also use this as a journal, so of course, bare with me as I post things that someone else might not necessarily care about.

No Time to Blog

Here are three good reasons that I have not had time to post much of anything...

Iguazu Falls


Colonia, Uruguay


Estancia Santa Susana

Whoo Hoo!

I have all of the last-minute details to take care of before my in-laws arrive at 7:45am, but I can't help but rejoice in the fact the Blurb.com has finally fixed its software problem and it now compatible with Blogger (and Wordpress)!

I have slurped the blog into a book, but now have to figure out how to change the page layouts. There is way too much white space!

No time for that now... To you, HAPPY SLURPING bloggers!

A Visit from Nina and Papa

Contrary to belief, we are still alive. It seems that when you have a lot going on in life and visitors (YAY!) the blog falls by wayside. However, this intermission will end shortly and we will post about our most recent acts! And yes, Martha would be completely disappointed that I still have a holiday background on January 18th.

A typical conversation with Abe

Yesterday at lunch while trying to feed Sophia and Peyton simultaneously...

A: Mom, am I going to Juan's house today?
M: If you want to. They invited you over after lunch.
A: Are you taking me or is his mom picking me up?
M: I am going to take you and I will just stay and visit for a couple of minutes.
A: Is it far away?
m: Not really, it is a little further than your school
A: Well my school is a little bit far
M: Well, it is like 5 km. It is not really far away.
A: So is it close?
M: No, it is not close
A: So then it is far away.
M: Abe, not really.
A: So it is perfectly far.
M: Abe, yes, it is perfectly far.
A: So does that mean that my friends who live past Juan's House are really far?
M: (Getting impatient...) Please Abe. Your friends all live in different areas and yes, it takes longer to get to some places than others.
A: But Mom, how far is far away?
M: Okay Abe, really. It depends. Do you want to go to Juan's house after lunch?
A: Yes. Depends on what?
M: Please take a bite and each your lunch so you can go and play.

If only he was this happy to do all of his chores...

Apparently he likes gadgets (or a vacuum named 'Shark') as much as we do!

Sophia's 1st Christmas

Christmas Tree Photosession

...and the first official picture of all three of them.

Her Favorite Place to Be

...drool and all.

What a Grin!

Click on the series to make is large

It is obviously apparent that she has an older sister who wanted to help entertain her, but the truth of the matter is, they adore her and would do just about anything to make her smile.

As far as babies go, Sophia is a dream. She eats, she studies all of us around her, she smiles, she sleeps and then eat she some more... all with the the crazy hair that just won't stay down. My Argentine friends tell me that there is still time to shave her head like they do, but I finally have a baby who has kept hair past 2 months old. I occasionally resort to Steve's gel but in the end, she just looks like Jack Nicholson. We do LOVE her expressions though! Doesn't she have a great smile?

So far away...

I stood in the kitchen with Lidia as she told me about her holiday traditions and then I told her about ours... and then I began to cry.

Today, I miss family. Today, I wish that we were all together sitting around the table playing games and laughing together. Today, I wish that 6827 miles did not divide us. Tomorrow, I will wish the same thing.

Tango

After living here, the birthplace of the Tango, for more than I year we finally saw our first show at Senor Tango. This was a diplomatic awards ceremony for a recent tennis match, which for me meant free VIP tickets and a last-minute date with Steve and Sophia. We had a great time, although we felt bad ducking out with nearly an hour left of the show because it was nearly 1am. For Argentines, this is a reasonable hour, but for us, an hour from home, a babysitter who needed to get home to her own son and our two children who would wake with the sunrise, it seemed the right thing to do.

Straight No Chaser- 12 Days

I love this...



Thanks Robyn, again. You have to turn off my playlist at the bottom or pop it out on YouTube to watch this.

Good-Bye Play Kinder

Today was Peyton's last day of school at a wonderful Jardin run by Gabby (in white). Peyton is the most fond of Lola, who is holding her. I hope that Peyton will embrace her new preschool the same way!

The school itself is a converted house with a very small yard. All of the room have been divided and every last square inch is being used. They have even converted the roof into a playground to give the kids more space outside. However, it is filled with a lot of fun activities and love! Each class had no more than about 10 children within 6 months of age with two teachers. This was the perfect transition for Peyton and she is now ready to move into a class of academic learning with a solid foundation of Spanish.

Yep, She's the 3rd

I just realized that this is the last photo taken of Sophia. Sadly, it was a month ago. I have so much to catch up on. Hopefully I can get it all posted soon.

I am now dreaming of this... (Thanks to Robyn)

But I cannot justify spending that kind of money at Pottery Barn and I am too late to have this made here by Christmas!

Update: I had met with a carpenter this morning to see what this would cost here so that I could avoid the shipping costs. I was quoted $1000 USD for each piece and 2 month turn around time! Now you all know why I use the APO instead of buying locally!

Christmas Dilemma

Update: Santa succumbed to the red retro kitchen since the pink one is on backorder until Feb.  If the red one is too small, then Santa will sell the red one and exchange it for the perfect pink one in a couple of months!

Do I buy this great wooden kitchen set which weighs more, costs slightly more, is backordered and does less so that I enjoy looking at...

or do I buy this functional, compact, lightweight, plastic eyesore?

Or do I compromise on this one which seems a little small?


or this?

2nd Annual Summer Christmas

The tree is decorated and the nativity sits prominently on the mantle, but there is something about swimsuits and 90 degree weather that make it difficult to get into the "Spirit of Christmas". Although Argentines do not decorate their homes until Virgin Mary Day on Monday, we have proudly displayed our "gringoness" by decorating a week early.

Santa made a very special visit to the End-of-the-Year party for Abe's class on Monday. However, Abe would like you to know that this is not the real Santa.  The real Santa can speak all of the languages, not just Spanish.

On Tuesday, which was his final day, many of the moms took the class to Burger King for lunch and then headed to a special Christmas theatrical show at Alparamis.  Apparently, Alpapramis began as a nursery selling plants and has evolved into a Christmas store year-round.  It is a beautiful shop in a Swiss Chalet building across from the Presidental Palace.  Even Sophia loved the lights and music of the show.  Peyton was terrified of Santa and would not even sit on a small chair next to a Christmas tree about 3 feet away.  Toting 3 children in a holiday store filled with toys and fraginle ornaments mde it impossible to take a photo of my own.

Goodbye K-4

Abe had a wonderful year!  The end of the school year is bittersweet for us.  He has learned so much from his teachers and from his peers.  He has really grown out of toddlerhood and into a little boy.  Not only has he learned facts about the his world, but he has broadened his world view and become fluent in Castellano.  It is incredible to hear him speak and play in groups of kids that he could not communicate with just 9 short months ago.  

Abe, we are so proud of you.  I look forward to having the summer together before you leave for school all-day.  I will miss you not having you around as much next year.  I have a feeling that the transition is going to be more difficult for me than for you.  You are so charasmatic and bright.  We love you!

P.S. The Argentine School Year begins in Feb. and ends in Dec.

2-Month Weigh-In

No, no, not mine! :)

Height - 22.5" (+3)

Weight - 13 lbs (+5.5)

Head - 15.35" (+2)

Thanksgiving 2008

Thank you for hosting a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner complete with turkey, swimming and good company!