Tick, tock...tick, tock

Nora with her new doll, a big sister gift from her friend, Megumi

Nora showing excitement over her new toddler bed

Nora and her maternal great grandmother, Abuelita Dorila, enjoying lo mein together

Zuly at 34 and a half weeks!!!

Nora's favorite song is titled "Las Horas" (the hours) by Jose Luis Orozco. She requests it by shouting, "Tic, tac!" At one o'clock Jose Luis eats tuna, at two o'clock he eats arroz (rice), at three o'clock everything is backwards...and so forth. Jose Luis's clock is not the only ticking these days. We have about 5 weeks left before the newest addition to our family arrives, and we have TONS of getting ready to do.

On Monday, the Bronx native in our household got bitten by a tick for the first time. This experience has demystified the tick for Zuly. The only insect bites she has ever endured have been mosquito and "chigger" (as Texans say) bites. At least for this Bronx native, tick bites have traditionally conjured up grave thoughts...Lyme disease, infection, the unknown...thanks to the very influential media coverage on ticks from the late 1980s and early 90s. Unlike the South Bronx, however, Northeastern CT is no stranger to ticks, all varieties. But, fear not! Zuly is doing well. No infection appears to have set in, and we are monitoring the situation closely.

Happy Easter to all!

In the apostle Paul's words, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures...He was buried, and...He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures..." (NASB).

Over in the Meadow...

Abuelita pretending to take Nora's blood pressure

Nora walking the alphabet ladder cheerfully

A light snowstorm inaugurated Spring in Canterbury, Connecticut. Temperatures are rising at snail's pace but rising nonetheless. Apart from lamenting Spring's slow arrival, we've had some opportunities to engage in premarital counseling. One Friday we attended an all-day Prepare/Enrich training seminar at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in West Hamilton, MA. We continue to enjoy our Sunday night small group, and Zuly continues to meet with the "younger" women of the church. Nathan is currently preaching through Matthew.

Zuly and Nora drive all over town to participate in various playgroups three to four days a week. Nora has begun remembering her teachers' and friends' names. Recently, she has been recovering from a small bout of pneumonia and seems to be feeling much better. Since our last post, we took another trip to the Bronx where Nora got to enjoy her "bue" (abuelo), "bua" (abuela) and "anee" (Tio Andy). As for Nora's developmental milestones, she can now say and identify the letters A through F in Spanish, loves to dress and undress herself, creates opportunities to sit on the potty, wipe and flush, can turn door knobs to open and close doors, and can climb over her crib although Zuly has averted an actual fall. Two days ago, she devoured a fourth of an egg roll but refused her broccoli (once a favorite). She loves taking walks to the pond near our home, collecting and throwing pebbles, acorns and pine cones into the water, listening to birds which she calls "tweet, tweet" and scaring ducks which she calls "cua, cua." True to her name, Nora is a bright light. A church member described her as "confident and sociable yet she maintains clear boundaries."

The little baby is quite active and healthy and so is the momma. I've begun having contractions and have felt descending movements. Last night I awoke to a breath-robbing contraction that nearly compelled me to pack a suitcase. This morning Nathan cupped his head when I shared about that contraction. On Sunday I'll be 33 weeks pregnant.

This afternoon we will drive down to the Catholic church to enjoy one of their Lenten fish fries. I can't stop thinking about succulent shrimp. Happy Spring to all!