Oranges are not the only fruit...

But they're my FAVORITE! Especially honeybells sent from Florida with love. Yummmm. Gracias, Abuela & Abuelo!

11 months

Hey Y'all...


I am 11 months old today!
I've entered my last official month of infancy.

I may be crawling now...


but watch out.This baby is growing up, and fast.
Pretty soon, I'm gonna be running this joint.

2 views from the stroller

Now We Are Six...

TEETH!

new toy

how do these things work?

Are they candy?

weeeeird... am I trippin?

Much better!!!

Xela the Pooh

Look what Mama found in the hand-me-down closet...

a fleecy warm Winnie the Pooh aviator hat!

Perfect for a blustery January day.
Thanks, Aunt Gillian & Abby!

1st Trim

Before:

shaggy as we wanna be

After:

hey, what happened to my bangs?
Put down the scissors, Mama. NOW.

50 years in the US!

(Not me, silly! I'm on day #78 - but who's counting?)

Today is Tia Tina's 50th anniversary of arriving in the US. Like me, she began life elsewhere, another baby in a distant land who left behind her familiar foundation of culture, climate, light and language for a new world. Fierce little immigrant that she was, Tina mourned her mother tongue with a vow of silence. Only when she was good and ready would she speak. She didn't talk for years! I'm glad she finally did, because she has a lot of smart things to say. plus, she has a really sweet voice. I can't imagine a better guide for my own immigration journey.

We met in Guatemala City, during my high top-knot period...

Oct.24, 2007, the day I left the orphanage forever

She's bottled and bathed me:

Made silly baby-faces with me

When I became a US citizen in Houston, Tina was there. And when we finally got home to Sodenland, Tina installed my car-seat in the Bumble (good thing, too... not in a million years could Mama figure it out)

We've shared viruses and plane-rides, long walks and afternoon tea:

Today, we celebrated Tina's immigration anniversary together:

the immigrants, looking dapper

Happy 50th, Tia Tina. I love you!
xoxox
xela

the Nanny diaries

...so today was the big day: back to work for Mama, off to Nanny-land for me. Nirmala, my new nanny, is from Nepal, where she ran a school for 500 kids. I guess she knows a thing or two about child development.

More importantly, she loves babies - including yours truly.



I'll be "sharing" Nirmala with Cyrus, a cute 8-month-old who lives nearby:



but this week, since his family is away, I have Nirmala all to myself, SIKE!
Today we ate an orange and played with new toys. It's a whole new world.