El Salvador was fine. It was interesting but I don't feel that I got a true sense of what the children there are struggling with. I did, in an intellectual way, by talking to staff and partners, but I didn't talk to children or see them that much, so I am left a bit hungry for more information. Talking with staff was great (in Spanish mostly. Ole!) but most of them work in advocacy and talk about partnerships and system change. I talked to them a bit about what life is really like for children (how violence has permeated all areas of society) but again... not enough. Still, it was a good trip. I ate pupusas, drank cappuccinos that kept me up at night, read a whole book, and watched the end of Downton Abbey, season 2. I took a few pictures that I'll post soon (really just a few. I'm not good at documenting trips).
And then I went back home and picked up Léo at daycare. He was not overly happy to see me, but he shyly hugged me for 5 minutes straight and gave me 10 consecutive kisses -usually I beg him for kisses! It was so good to see him again. He has pretty much been in my arms since -he's in yet another mama's boy phase.
The day after I came back we left on our cruise to Alaska. ALASKA, where it's cold. Of course I packed for a Carribean cruise because, what else, I was in mayjah denial. We had to buy Léo a sweater in Juneau! The landscape was beautiful, but let's just say I'm a city girl through and through. Seeing one glacier was enough for me. That being said, spending 100% of my time with Léo as well as Joe and his parents for 10 days straight was perfect. It was tiring -dear God this boy is like the energizer bunny!- but it was so good to hug him and make him laugh and see him try to talk more and more. He says mainly "dadadada" and "babo" for everything but he points, says yes or no (shakes head, rather), says and signs "again" all the time, and is very determined when he wants something, which made it really easy to communicate with him. He was super flexible regarding schedules and was simply fun to be with -and he danced all the time! It's such a blessing to love and like your child! In other news, the bedroom was very small so they put the pack and play between our two beds. Welcome back to the Victorian area :) At night I held my baby boy until he fell asleep and when he woke up during the night he banged on me (really, literally banged!) until I picked him up and we finished the night in the same bed. That was so SO sweet -except now we have to do sleep training all over again and it's breaking my heart. Cruise... success! Next time we'll go in the sun (next time is actually September when we'll spend 3 days in a Beaches resort in Turks. Can't wait for that!).
Now I'm going back to work tomorrow. Seriously friends, if I didn't love my job so much I would quit right now because spending quality time with Léo is really nice. I'm going to miss him during the day -and miss him even more tomorrow night when I go to New York for 3 days. I mean... it's New York so I'm not complaining, but I'll miss him all the same. We were to go to Montreal next weekend but we'll just stay home and chill a bit. I really want to go to Montreal (it's on top of my travel bucket list) but it'll be hard for Joe to take Léo on a red eye and it might be tough for him to travel all the time. We'll see though. It might not be possible to change our flights.
So that's it for me. Work, family-family-family, hugs and kisses and laughter and more hugs, and work again. Busy and good.
