My Barbie dolls never had a Barbie car, and they got around just fine, too.

 

I knew this moment would come sooner rather than later. My daughter is not yet three and I'm already drowning in information about which schools to apply to for next year. Public school is the only real option for us, so it's a regular public school or a public charter school. So why apply at 3? Well, many of the good programs start out at three, so if I don't do it now then the chances of getting into my school or schools of choice go down. There are more options that open up at pre-K 4-years, but starting now gives us two opportunities. 

In the past week we've been to six school open houses or events to check out what's in store for our little one. I've got a handful more to go before the month is over. We love the bilingual programs, but of course, they are not all created equally. Some are two-way bilingual, immersion, and others are just a class or two per week in Spanish. And I'm not so sure how taking a once-a-week class in Spanish would really help. We did see one really awesome, amazing school that, of course, has stiff competition to get into, but at least it's a lottery system. At least we've got a better chance of winning this lottery than the kind of lottery I'd really love to win. If we won THAT lottery, I'd enroll the toddler K at the Obama girls' school. And she's become fluent in Spanish on our jet-setting vacations to Latin America.

So many things to think about as a parent, and it's really a subjective decision in the end, no matter how much you talk to your neighbors or friends about it. The other thing is, I'd really like for my daughter to go to a school that has a strong arts integration. And by that I mean that she can learn to play the violin, cello or whatever (a recorder doesn't count) through classes during the school day by third grade. Programs like that exist. But if we go the arts way, what happens to her Spanish? And what about science and math? I mean, those were always my best subjects in school, even going into college when I suddenly did an about-face and said nah, I wanna do something else. 

So many decisions. Guess I gotta do like my mom and just light my San Judas candle and let it all work itself out.

Holding hands and running with your favorite amiga. Isn't being a kid just wonderful?

 

The game of Loteria, which is essentially Spanish bingo based on pictures of everyday things, has always been a great way to learn Spanish. It's always a staple in Spanish classes as a fun way to grow vocabulary. And it's fun to play at home with friends and family. A few weeks ago I left a few tablas lying around the house and my toddler picked them up and has been hoarding them in her little junk stash (that's what I call it as it includes a wooden toy hamburger meat, a toy doll's bib, stickers, etc.). Every once in a while, she'll bring me the tabla and ask, "What's that?" Of course, she's usually pointing to 'La Muerte' which is a scary looking calavera and a sickle. I just re-direct her to things like 'La Escalera' or 'El Melon' or 'El Venado.' 

 

A lot of folks are off of work for the holidays. Or as I always like to say, work is what you do in between vacations. I have to say, hands down, this has been our most active Christmas holiday season in a loooong time. I am really tired, but it's not over yet. And my child is officially a parrandera of the highest caliber. With all the Christmas songs she's heard over the past month, her singing has really blossomed. On Christmas afternoon, my mom took out her karaoke machine and we had a blast singing Christmas songs. The toddler's favorites were Jingle Bells (simple for a chiquito) and Feliz Navidad. And mine, of course, was Last Christmas.

As we near 2012 I'm sure everyone is thinking about what changes they want to make in their lives. For me, it's more about goals than resolutions. And one of them is to really grow this online store. I can't wait for next month to get moving!!! As always, if there's any product you'd like to see us carry shoot us an email or a Facebook message. We're always happy to hear from you.

Enjoy the last week of 2011!

Watching Sesame Street this morning with the toddler, and I think I was more excited than she was when this segment with my boyfriend, Juanes, came up. But since she knows exactly what "manos, cabeza y pies" are, she got into it, too. This behind-the-scenes clip of Juanes and a 'no hablo español' Elmo is pretty funny to watch, too.

I didn't get around to ordering or mailing any of the toddler's "picture with Santa" Christmas cards this year, except for the three little overpriced ones I got when we took the pic, but that's what Facebook and blogs are for, right? I wrote a post earlier this month about her first encounter with Santa, and this is the final product. She was all giggles, and is so happy. 

It's been a very happy Christmas season for us. I'm pretty much holiday partied out. The toddler's grandparents took her to a holiday Christmas concert last night where they featured musica latina and songs like El Burrito de Belen. I was so exhausted that I passed and stayed home and dozed out to HGTV House Hunters (I get way too addicted once I start watching). But tonight we'll be driving to somewhere in Virginia where my mom wants to go see this huge lights display. As long as I get to sit in the backseat of the car, I'm in.

The themes in the stories we read are children are often universal, so even if it's about a little bunny wanting to run away from his doting mother, we can still see a little bit of ourselves in the characters. But once in a while you'll come across a book that is more than just something we can connect with. It's a direct reflection of your life, or your family's life. My mom gave me a copy of a children's book by Chicana artist Carmen Lomas Garza this weekend, Family Pictures, or Cuadros de Familia, and I was just so happy to see a book that captured life in South Texas --mostly as my mother knew it, and a bit of how I knew it, too. Garza, who is Mexican-American, says on the first page of the book that the "pictures in this book are all painted from my memories of growing up in Kingsville, Texas, near the border with Mexico." She says she grew up dreaming of becoming an artist, and with the inspiration and encouragement of her family she finally realized that dream. The book is of family pictures, and each painting tells a little story, in English and in Spanish, about life in South Texas.

I bought these beautiful Frida Kahlo paper dolls in a little boutique in New York City earlier this week. Stocking stuffer for the kiddo. I don't think she's old enough to appreciate paper dolls, especially if given the chose between these and an iPad, but in a few years I think she'll get their appeal. 

These paper dolls -- which you actually have to cut out yourself -- make you feel as if you're peering into Frida Kahlo's closet. Next to each dress is a description of when she wore the dress and at what point in her life. The booklet describes how Frida carefully cultivated her image. Whether it was pants and short hair, or regional dresses with ruffles and lace, a shawl and braided hair, her selection of clothing spoke volumes about the woman she was. I'm scared to think what the clothes I wear say about me! 

Anyway, I would love to have these clothes hanging in my closet.

Diego Rivera, her husband and brilliant artist (and mujeriego) in his own right, is also included, although there are only four changes of clothing for him, including the denim overalls he often used while working.

I loved playing with paper dolls as a little girl, and my mother always talks about how she and her sisters used to save their money to buy them at the Woolworth in downtown Laredo. She says they used to even cut furniture out of the Sears catalog. My daughter is starting to get into role-playing with her dolls, and it's always the everyday activities she knows: sleeping, eating, playing, singing and dancing. I can imagine role-playing with the Frida and Diego paper dolls. Oof, complicated!