awa coco

Dear Chicken Nugget,

One of the beauties of toddler-hood is that you get to try out new sound combinations to make words. One of the miracles I get to experience as a father is watching you do this.

One of your first words was "agua," spanish for water. The way you say it, it sounds more like "awa." Not to be confused with "awawa," which is what you call your abuela.

Recently you discovered coconut water, one of your mom's favorites, and you'll see anything that resembles a coconut and call out "coco." The other day, in a conversation with your abuela, I heard you try to say, "agua de coco" by saying "awa coco."

At dinner a few days ago you remembered that we had picked up some coconut water at the store. After downing some broccoli, brown rice, water chestnuts, and baby corn, you thirstily looked up and said, "awa coco," and pointed towards the refrigerator. I filled up a sippy cup with "awa coco" which you chugged down rather quickly.

After refilling the cup you went back to work on dinner. Nowadays you tell us when you're done eating by giving us an all-done sign with your hands. After giving us your all-done sign you once again asked for "awa coco." Your abuela suggested that I fill up your sippy cup with regular water and just a tad of coconut water, to test out your taste buds.

With my back turned to you to block my deception, I pretended to pour in new coconut water into your sippy cup. You took it with a smile and started drinking happily. It took about two seconds for you to put down the cup and angrily call out, "awa!" You tasted it again. "Awa!"

Your abuela tried convincing you that it was "awa coco" but you would have none of it.

You shrugged your shoulders and continued drinking but would stop every now and then to point at your sippy cup and let us know that you were on to us. "Awa!" you kept repeating.

You're one smart Nugget and the ability to communicate with words and signs is making life so much easier and fun for all of us.


I love you and your words,

Tu papa

Your mom is a better athlete...

Dear Chicken Nugget,

Yesterday, your mom and I complete the 3rd Annual Staten Island Triathlon. Your mom, by the way, is a better athlete than the average person, including me. There, I said it.

We once competed in a duathlon (run-bike-run) two years ago where she beat me by a couple of minutes. That same Fall I beat her in another duathlon (run-bike-run) by a couple of minutes. This triathlon (1/3 mile swim - 12 mile bike - 4 mile run) was our third head-to-head competition. And she crushed me.

we ate a healthy plate of rice, beans, and veggies for dinner the night before our race

We woke up really early to drive down to Staten Island with your Abuela Betty helping us with our equipment and keeping you entertained. Although I was nervous, there was very little time to be nervous now that we've got you. A lot of our focus is on your well-being and comfort so it's a good distraction from race-day nerves.

It feels like we barely got set up when they called us to head down to the beach. Now, the swim is my weakest sport. I learned to swim at the age of 25. Your mom was on the High School swim team. She was also a lifeguard. So, heading into the swim, I took it easy.

I was surprised by how great it felt to swim in the choppy ocean water. I was slow, with people passing me left and right, but I was swimming without having to stop; that's a victory for me. I came out of the water a full three minutes behind your mom.

Heading to the bike I pedaled as hard as I could. We biked a 4-mile loop three times, so I could see you mom ahead of me, but I could never catch up. I managed to make up some time on the bike but not nearly enough for what was about to happen.

I consider myself a runner so I was confident that I could make up some time on the 4-mile run. However, after swimming and biking for over and hour, your legs feel like tree trunks. And mine did. For about four miles. Your mom, on the other hand, said she felt great. She sped through the run leaving me gasping for air behind her.

Your mom finished in 1hr48min26sec and I finished in 1hr54min45sec, a full 6+ minutes behind her.

you joined us to celebrate the finish

So, your mom has beaten me in two of our three athletic competitions. Of course, this doesn't end here. While discussing our triathlon over dinner your mom said, confidently, that she could beat me in a road race - my sport!

So, on September 17th, we'll be facing off in a 4-mile race.

If you're smart, you'll put your money on your mom crossing the finish line before me. If you're lucky, you'll get her athletic genes.


Still running,

Tu papa

Happy Birthday, Abuela!

Dear Chicken Nugget,

On July 13th we celebrated your Abuela's 71st Birthday.  She would kill me if she knew I was putting her age in a letter - she likes to tell people that she only celebrates the day of her birth not the number of years she has lived.

We went to a Spanish Tapas restaurant in Manhattan:

Abuela Betty and Santi

We followed that by heading to the Children's Museum of Manhattan:

And then, we surprised your Abuela by getting you a professional haircut, you very first!

Before

 

 

After

Your Abuela thought it was the best birthday she's had in a long time - all because you were a big part of it.


Thank you for making my mom's birthday the best,

Tu papa

Happy First Thanksgiving!

Dear Chicken Nugget,

Today we celebrated your first Thanksgiving.  There is so much to be thankful for!

I give thanks to God for all He provides - family, friends, health, career - but this year I am especially grateful for the gift of you.  Pastor Paul at our church likes to tell new parents that their babies are not theirs but on loan from God.  We are all God's children and parents are chosen to help raise one of God's children.  No pressure, he likes to add.

Well, we're so eternally grateful for the gift of you and so is your entire family.  This year we went to your Grandma Betty's home to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving in an Ecuadorian household is a little different from Thanksgiving in your typical American home, but some things are still the same: turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and dessert.  But, there's also the Ecuadorian staples: white rice, Ecuadorian stuffing, and Russian salad (I know, I said Ecuadorian, but that's what they call it).

But, of course, the highlight of Thanksgiving this year was you!  The family enjoyed playing with you, dancing with you, singing to you, and cuddling with you.

You seemed to love the attention and were in awe of the turkey...

...then you tried to make a grab for it...

... but you were caught red-handed.

Overall it was a great Thanksgiving.  We're already looking forward to next year when you can actually take a bite out of that turkey leg.


Until then, eternally yours,

Tu papa

a cure for the hiccups

Dear Chicken Nugget,

You are now four days old and your mom and I have been enjoying every moment of the exhausting roller coaster ride that is having a newborn. 

Among the sounds, fusses, and daily movements we've been dealing with, is the occasional bout of hiccups.  Most newborns suffer from hiccups due to stimulation of their diaphragms.  There's no real way to prevent it, you just kind of have to deal.  For a couple of days we had trouble figuring out how to help you with your hiccups... until Grandma Betty showed up.

She gave us the old Ecuadorian solution of taking a little piece of paper, putting mom's saliva on it, and placing it on your forehead.  It works!

Chicken Nugget with the hiccup cure

Sure it looks a little funny, but it makes you feel better.  Every time you've gotten the hiccups, we've put the little spit paper on your forehead and every single time, they go away within seconds.

As you get older you're either going to find the above picture really cute or really embarrassing - either way, never doubt the magic powers of a little bit of mommy's spit.

Eternally yours,

Tu papa


Note: I'm not sure that this hiccup cure is exclusively Ecuadorian, it just happened to be passed down by my Ecuadorian family.