end of an era

Updates: Vivi had birthday number 1! We celebrated by going to Applebee's on her actual birthday, where she got a free chocolate meltdown cake (yes, I'm one of those bad moms who gives the baby chocolate) and sang Cumpleanos Feliz to her. On Valentine's Day, we had Vivi's Valentine BBQ Birthday Bash. About 20 people came to eat bbq, drink wine or beer, and hang out with us. We were able to actually invite people to our apartment because we finally got the light fixtures and pictures hung (unfurnished means you get nada here).

Positives: I am finally starting to feel a bit connected here. I found a North American Moms Living in Santiago group that has coffees and weekly playgroup. Which is nice, because as much as Vivi and I love each other, it's nice to be around other people. I have also visited with other friends here. I really enjoy going to the Dents' (Alison and Bill) house, because it's very relaxed, and Vivi can explore, and their two lovely children, Thomas and Nico, are a pleasure to be around. I just have to keep Vivi from picking up the poor kitten by its head.

It was also nice to have people over for a gathering. Vivi did much better than we expected, and spent the time mingling, eating off people's plates, drinking their water, and playing with Thomas and Nico. It seemed people had a nice time, and I enjoyed it. It was a good way to celebrate surviving Vivi's first year.

Negatives:
Speaking of Vivi and surviving...I've had a few of those "bad mom" moments recently when I do stuff that you hope you NEVER do as a parent. Like lock the child in the car. Which could have been much worse, because it was in the subterranean parking garage, so it wasn't hot. And Stuartt works ten minutes away, so he came home quickly with extra keys (luckily he wasn't observing). I did have to run upstairs to get phone reception to call him, and Vivi was decided UNhappy about being in there by herself, but a hug and a bot helped her recover quickly.

She has taken recently to climbing into the picture window in the living room, then diving off onto the couch. I baricade her out of the living room when I'm not in there, but once she dove off, bounced, and hit the floor. Again, hugs and bot did the trick. And while the playgroup is a good thing, being around a bunch of other toddlers does put her at higher risk for injury. Our first time at a coffee, she was in the Hansel and Gretal playhouse and another girl closed the shutters-on her pinky finger. I felt Soooooooo bad for her. A piece of skin hung off her finger, she was screaming, she fell down in the dirt, and her finger was red and squashed. I immediately envisioned stitches and reconstructive surgery, but it turned out not to be that bad. Hugs, bot, and cold water on her finger, and she was off playing again. A few days of neosporin on the finger and it's healing nicely.

So, all in all, not a bad birthday week. Hopefully we'll spend a good portion of year two with friends, but not getting injured.

finally settling in

Updates: Vivi got and recovered from an ear infection, we fired the nana (subpar cleaning wasn't a big deal, but her attitude was), we are planning for Vivi's birthday party, and I passed my driving exam and got a license (yeah!)

Positives: It felt good to have the guts to fire someone who wasn't doing a good job. I've had fun planning a menu for "Vivi's Valentine BBQ Birthday Bash," and making stuff ahead of time for practice. I'm also slowly and finally coming to terms with the fact that I don't understand most of what people say, most of the time. And things are still constantly catching me by surprise. Just as I think I have things figured out, I get thrown off again. For example, I went to a panaderia the other day. At almost all panaderias, the tongs are in the bread bins, and you're supposed to use them. At this store, there is a bucket of tongs by the door that you're supposed to get when you go in, use, and then put back when you leave. I didn't notice this until I left, and was utterly confused by the "use the tongs, the tongs aren't here" sign by the bread. Ah well, my hands weren't that dirty.

Negatives: baking products. I cannot find corn starch or baking soda (though I can find baking powder, which contains baking soda). But what do I do if I have a recipe that calls for both??? Also still lamenting the lack of cheddar cheese and, as always, diet dr. pepper.

Also, the "North American Moms Living In Santiago" playgroup that I tried to go to isn't happening in February. Bah. I went all the way downtown for nothing.

I'll have to go look for friends elsewhere, I suppose.