one and a half

When I saw this idea on Pinterest, I just decided to do my own version. Everything changes so fast with the little ones, it is nice to let them know what they were up to at a certain age.

Adiel these days...

I like this picture because it shows, in a very natural way, where she is at right now. She is all about the details, her senses, exploring. She inspects, smells and tastes as much as she can! 

On the background Uri and our neighbor Jan, who was a successful motorcycle racer back in the day. Now he has a workshop that is like heaven for Uri, where he can shape any piece of metal Uri needs to build his engine (this is also where Uri built his Baja Bug). Jan helps us a lot with anything electrical and mecanical, and believe me, when you live in a self sufficient house with solar panels and with a built-it-yourself kind of husband, a good neighbor like Jan is very much appreciated.

Take care,
Mercedes

My neighbor Aris

Reality check! This blog is public!

I was thinking I am sharing the pictures and adventures of my daughter with some of my friends and family... when I wrote about the birthday party of our neighbor Aris it never occurred to me that sooner or later someone was going to google his name and get to this blog. He still is an important figure. As I told you, I consider him family, we love him. We have dinners together often and once in a while he talks to us about his life. The man is the most knowledgeable person I have ever known. He is kind, intelligent, sharp, strong... we really look up to him. He is the type of person that will speak his mind and take a stand for the things that he believes in. He is tough, he is honest and wise. 

A couple of months ago Uri and Aris got together to do fresh handmade ravioli. It was a beautiful afternoon and a delicious dinner. (A series to Aris' family)

 I like the shots of his hands. You can see the guy is an artist, a builder, an inventor. He is delicate and precise, but strong and firm (Italian).

I will keep a closer look at what kind of information makes it into this blog from now on! But if you are reading this because of Aris, please drop him a line and I will take it to him.

Take care,

Mercedes

Giving light

I am crazy busy these days, specially at finishing my homework for the course I am taking on line at the University (it ends tomorrow!! so this is the last and most important days), but also with work and running after Adiel. She is unstoppable and learning so much everyday... However, I wanted to stop by and share a few words of advice I am writing to my friend Aida for her labor (due date is today!). I thought maybe you have some recommendations to share as well... (...oh, those days we were all learning about becoming parents in our childbirth class!)

*****

Dear friend, without any doubt I can say nothing in my life has ever been so explosive, powerful, intense, empowering, healing, emotional and wonderful as giving birth to my daughter. With all my heart I wish your experience is perfect for you and your baby, that you are able to go through it as if it is the most beautiful gift and that it will grant you all you expect from it. This is a short list of advices and reminders I wrote to myself during pregnancy, with the purpose of having them close and read them in my early labor. These are words from what I learned in my prenatal yoga class, my childbirth class, and the books I read. Then, I also added a few points from my birth experience. I do not recall exactly what comes from where, but I have to however recommend 2 brilliant books (I might or might not be quoting): "Birthing from Within", and "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful" (they are a pregnant mama must reads!!). 

Words for labor, giving birth or, as we say in Spanish, giving light (dar a luz):

1. The only certainties for labor are: it will be hard work, it will be painful and you will be able to do it. Labor is a wild ride... you will not know when it will start, what will happen, how much it will hurt and how long it will be, but you can be in disposition to take whatever comes your way with love and strength, and trust that is the best for you and your baby.
2. Your body won't give you anything you can't take.
3. Give birth with your body and not with your mind. Lose yourself into it. Giving birth comes from within you, from a universal consciousness that encircles all generations of women that came before us. Your body knows what to do and the more you let it do it, while shutting your mind and trusting, the simpler it will all be. Nature will do its own thing if you allow it to work for you.
4.  When the time comes that contractions overtake you, there might be a visualization that help you through it. A phrase I took for myself is "open like a flower". It's a nice reference!
5. Forget about time. Do no ask anybody to tell you the time because it might generate anxiousness. "Laborland" has its own time and space. Go to your inner self, to your baby... whatever goes on outside is not your problem.
6.  Breath, breath, breath deep. Breath with an open throat and a long rhythm... like the sea or the mountain breaths. When you groan with a high pitch, there is resistance and pain, your throat closes and the sound is distressing. If you moan in a deeper way (exhaling with a wide "aaaaah", instead of a high "ayyyy") it will help you connect to your inner wisdom. Think of the waves coming and going, or the leaves of a tree moving to the soft wind. Contractions are easier with rhythm and harder if you resist and stop your deep breathing.
7. Every contraction helps you to open your cervix and brings you closer to the moment of giving birth and being with your baby. Experience them to the fullest and with gratitude... take one contraction at a time, moment by moment, being in the present.
8. There might come a time when you will want to give up, you might think it is too hard for you and you can not take it... Fortunately, that means you are really really close to giving birth. Then you will surrender to the process. Go to the edge and beyond with no resistance!
9. There is NO correct way of giving birth. Do not judge yourself or your experience, don't feel ashamed, do not feel bad. Whatever you are going through, and the way you are going through it is your own perfect way. Forget about your plans and your ideas of "the ideal way to birth". Respect and embrace your baby's journey and destiny. My ideal way was a water birth... lets just say my Adiel was born in very different circumstances... she was born her own way.
10. A lot of tension is accumulated on the jaws, do not tighten your face and neck... the less tense you are, the more your body will cooperate. Ask the people who will be with you in those moments to remind you to let go of the jaw!
11. Whenever the pain is getting intense and you start thinking you can not take it any more, it makes a world of a difference if you smile. For some reason it snaps you out of being focused on the pain... so give contractions a big smile!
12. There will be people around you during labor (like maybe your mama) that might start getting worried or feeling bad for you. They might be troubled by the pain your are feeling or the way you are expressing it. However, it's very important that you feel absolutely comfortable to express whatever comes to you (you can not control it, so do not try to control it), even if that means shouting and cursing. Talk to your birthing team beforehand and remind them that you can do it and that you are not helpless (you do not want worried faces around you!!). Ask them to be supportive of whatever your body needs to do.
13. Remember your baby is also working very hard to come out. Your baby is your partner here, talk to her and let her know what you require.
14. Do not be afraid!!! We established there will be pain and you can not predict or control anything during labor. It is a very primitive process of your body and you might cry, shout, vomit, pee or poop! Or all of the above! All of that is ok, those are natural body secretions, so do not mind them. Do not be concerned of being unladylike, birthing is not for ladies, is for warriors! Let it be.
15. Talk to your partner and ask him to NOT take anything personal.
16. Move! Even if you have to force yourself it is better to move. Specially when pain takes you, if you stay in one place or position your muscles (working harder than ever) will get a little stiffer with every contraction. Take a few steps, even if it is not the easiest.
17. You need energy, a lot of energy. And you need to be hydrated (it is critical! I know people that had complications because they forgot to drink water). Drink something refreshing with many calories like coconut water. 
18. Push only when your body has no choice but to push. Do not force yourself into pushing. If you are thinking about pushing or thinking about when to push, then it is not your time yet. 
19. If all is good and you have the chance take a few minutes for you and your baby and let her do the breast crawl. I was able to do it, and I cherish those moments. 

I planned a home birth, so I wrote all this thinking I was going to be with my midwife, and that she would guide me, but also respect my needs. I knew I was not going to be hooked up to the IV, at least on my early labor... I ended up in the hospital giving birth naturally, but with a lot of help from a wonderful doctor and my midwife... but there will be a different post with my birth story one day...

The days before the birth there was a lot of "mama drama", navigating on a roller coaster of hormones and emotions. When I gave birth the story of my life changed completely. I had to forget about that little girl who wanted to be good and pretty, to become a mother who thinks always first of her child, who is loving but fearless, tough and compassionate, patient and responsible, a mother who needs to provide stability and equilibrium to her family, becoming the a pillar for my loved ones. 

So, dear Aida and baby Constanza, may you have a beautiful birth experience and be full of blessings, health and joy!

One last share: the SONG I danced with my father on my wedding day, and that accompanied Adiel and me during many sleepy times! I love singing it to her...

My Adiel 2 days old 

Now that we are here, I want to thank Sada, my wonderful yoga teacher who inspired and guided me so incredibly much through many months, and Jake my midwife ,who was like a loving mama to me in the most critical moments on my journey towards becoming a mother, and who sadly passed away a few weeks ago... Thank you Jake, your memory will always stay very close to my heart!

Finally, thank you to all the mamas, my journey sisters, who walked the motherhood adventure with me and who continue to support and encourage me in many levels.

With much love,
Mercedes

Happy Mother's Day

It has been a wonderful year of motherhood. I have been given the beautiful gift of rediscovering the world through the eyes of my little Adiel, and yet more, with her I knew the meaning of unconditional love.

Today I took some photographs of the two of us... I am rarely in front of the lens lately, and I do want her to have these memories.

This is my take on motherhood. A self portrait...

One day I will have a great editing software and good skills, and I will do a nice work with these pictures for her. I love the intensity of her eyes in this one.

And since we were at the beach, I also took some photos of her.

...one day I will learn how to use my camera properly and I will take much nicer photographs... Just imagine the day when the journey sisters start standing still and modeling for me!!

I hope you all had a lovely mother's day.

Until soon,

Mercedes

Jerusalem

We have been traveling in Israel for a couple of weeks. It has been a humbling experience. It is incredible the amount of love we have received from family and friends, the beauty and deepness of the places we have visited, the intensity of the holly land and its peoples, the majestic sites, the hard contrasts, the constant reminders of how different our lives are from everything here. 

I have enjoyed taking our little one around and I have taken lot's of pictures for Adieli's photo journal. I have also taken other much more intimate pictures of things that moved me. Here are a few of my favorite Jerusalem shots of the old city.

This city is no ordinary city. It vibrates dense and high rhythms. 

It crawls into your skin, haunting your every step with a broad scheme of emotions. 

It calls you to the spiritual while talking tales of war. Its extreme and irrational. 

Makes you squeeze, cry, pray, and bargain what you have.

Subtle game of dark and light.

You have to be a character to live inside the old city.

My mother at THE WALL. A prayer.

View to east Jerusalem.

My family cruising the market.

Until soon,

Mercedes

A celebration of life...

Last weekend we celebrated the patriarch of the mountain! Our beloved neighbor Aris turned 90!

I have mentioned before that our neighbors are like family to us. Most of them come and go for a few months out of a year, some come for the weekends, but until very recently, and for a long time, we were only 4 people living full time in the mountain: Mike, Aris, Uri and me (now we added Adiel and a wonderful couple).

Mike is an amazing artist and a very colorful character, it's such fun to have him around. Mike and Aris came first to this place and it is because of them that we all came to find our own piece of heaven in the mountain. Most of the neighbors know each other for a veeeery long time, some even went to high school together or were at some point related to each other, so I get to hear pretty funny stories of their youth.

Aris  was born on March 10th, 1921, in Uruguay. He is an art teacher, critic and curator, acclaimed theater director, unstoppable and strong builder, devoted reader, sharp political analyst, amazing cook, fearless environmental activist, friendly translator, epic adventurer, crazy driver, animal lover, skillful researcher, gifted gardener, pizza oven guru and legendary pizza maker, mountain trail keeper, and a tremendous source of wisdom and inspiration to us all. Among his numerous anecdotes he met Botero, Igor Stravinsky and he frequented Manly P. Hall in San Francisco. He did so many things for art and culture in South America, including starting the Plastic Arts Movement of Colombia. The man is healthy as can be and he insists he owns it to never drinking water and eating no greens, haha... but that comes from a time when he lived in the Amazone where there were very unsanitary conditions. There is just so much to say about him... We love Aris.

So here is our mountain family (there is an extended mountain family that could not make it for the party) and Aris' celebration!

They all are art people in a way or another... below you see Aris, Mike, Adiel and Uri in the sangria pre-party and above are Mike's shoes, he always wears something funny like those. I like having these older close friends, gives me a different perspective on life (and they all looooove Adiel).

The view from Eddie's house on our way to the dinner party...

I decorated the place... you can't really see the decoration from the pics, but everyone liked it and I think Aris was happy. We ordered paella!! (Tough to make paella for such a great cook, Aris knows his way with saffron, but it was good)

After the dinner party we moved location again for cake and presents. Lots of love and signs of appreciation came through. There were poems to him, many toasts, thoughtful and creative presents and even a proclamation of a day in his honor! Aris was touched...

I think I always tell everyone else that our mountain neighbors are like family to us, but I guess I never told him before how lucky I feel to be a part of his family, so I told him that day...

It was nice to celebrate life after all those devastating images in the news... I am grateful we are safe, healthy and calm!

Until soon, 

Mercedes

Wednesday Market

Every Wednesday there is a market in a town close to us. I am not particularly fond of this town, but markets are always great, so I finally decided to take my new lens for a walk!

This week the market was exceptionally good featuring big red juicy yummy strawberries (a box for 2 bucks!).  You can always also find toys, vegetables, piñatas, shoes, underwear, corn on a stick, dried or fresh fish, sandals made from tires, candy, watches, homemade yellow, appliances, junk food, hair cuts, bicycles, pet fishes, pizzas, sombreros, tools, clothes, boots, furniture, suitcases, jewelry, cotton candy, fried pig skin, peanuts, beautiful fruits, corn or wheat tortillas, plants, cars, birds, tacos, homemade “wine”, computers, stickers and a few neighbors...

This is the Wednesday market, eccentric even for Mexico...

Muddy, mud, mud... 

While you are shopping there people approach you, they talk to you, they want to show you things, let you try their stuff. Uri and I usually stand out in the crowd, but me + Adiel in the Ergo + camera were a magnet to friendly strangers.

Here is a home-made-wheat-tortilla-selling family. The father advertises out loud 13 tortillas for 10 pesos. Also Uri and our neighbor Jan buying some veggies next to a pile of bras, and the enthusiastic  case of not gold rings.

 

 Mrs. Gossip cleaning nopales (those lovely cactus we like to eat).

For some reason people here loooooove the soldier haircut.

We usually have "aguas frescas" and fruits on a plastic glass.

And my favorite...

After de market we went to our beloved ceviche stand to get breakfast!

I enjoyed taking those pics, but I am sure I can do much better with that lens... I was very self conscious and was feeling a little awkward. I saw some funky looking people, but I could not take their picture. I am still just learning and experimenting. Which pic do you like the best?  

That was my morning in here!

Until soon,

Mercedes