Observations

I am now a working mama. 3 days a week I travel over or under the bay to San Francisco to become a solar policy advocate. So no time for long blog posts while I find balance.

#1 Sea Otter Pup
Joaquin recently perfected his art of rolling over. Now he can roll left or right, tummy to back or back to tummy at will to reach an object of his desire. He reminds me of a sea otter pup when he rolls onto his tummy to get a toy and then rolls on to his back to examine and play with it on his tummy.

#2 Sitting
Joaquin is picking up a new skill every few days right now. On Saturday, May 23rd when my friend Carol came over to take me for a trail run, she asked if Joaquin could sit. I said not really he falls over. Then I plopped him into sitting position and he sat by himself from then on. He still topples over now and again. It happens in slow motion, so he's easy to catch and it's kind of funny.

#3 Thank You Thievery Corporation
There is a music group called Thievery Corporation. I love their world influenced electronic beats and dub sound. And so does Joaquin. But I am totally astonished at the power the song Lebanese Blond has over Joaquin. Just now he was tired and fussing. I laid him in his little pen and he was writhing around, fussing. I start Lebanese Blond within 4 minutes he is sleeping like a dog. The song has been a magic switch for putting him to sleep for about 2 weeks now.
Its not a bad song to have to listen to over & over. Here it is if you want listen.

Joaquin & his auntie Clararose

Thoroughly Modern Baby

Joaquin is a thoroughly modern baby. He called me on my cell phone when he woke up from a nap last Sunday. I was in Amy's backyard and he was in the second floor guest bedroom sleeping.

Okay, he didn't call me. But the iPhone called me when he started to make noise. The iPhone has an amazing app (that's application for those not in with know) called Baby Monitor. Since the iPhone has a speaker, the app senses any new sounds above the background noise level and then calls another designated phone number when the baby makes noise. So we leave Daniel's iPhone near Joaquin with Baby Monitor app on and then when he starts to coo or sqwak, I get a call on my cell phone.

So Joaquin calls me when he needs me. It was pretty funny to get a call from him.

I have one wonderful grandmother. My abuelita, Maruja, has her first great grandchild. It is her first boy offspring in almost 35 years. Here she is with my youngest sister Maita, the baby and I.

Il Giro Del Bambino- Stage Four "The Dash"

Daniel and I awake our third morning at Hotel Cecio at 8 a.m. The baby is sleeping contently but we all rouse ourselves so we can catch a 10 a.m. train from La Spezia to Rome. The night before we forgot to check the train schedule for Corniglia to La Spezia. So we hope for the best.

By the time we hit the stairs for our third (fourth?) descent, it is nine a.m. This time I have the baby on my back and Daniel has the heavy backpack with all our things. We hurry down the steps knowing we are cutting it close. We finish the stairs and start the 300 meter long straightaway to the train station. I swear I hear the chime that indicates trains a-coming in stations in Europe. I start to walk rapidly. Then we definitely hear the rattle of an approaching train. The station is still 200 hundred meters away. We begin to run in earnest. Me with the baby on my back and Daniel with a 50+ pound backpack. A light drizzle has started. We run as fast as possible. Amazing, we arrive at the platform as the train is opening its doors. Out of breath I grab a metal handrail and pull myself aboard. My chest is heaving as we pick a seat. It was like a scene out of a movie, running for a moving train. What Joaquin thinks, I dont know.
It is definitely the sprint at the end of the Giro.
We sprinted the length of the pavement sidewalk on the left. Full length not pictured.

Two trains and a few hours later we are back in Rome.