HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WOW, Has this year ever flown by?! So Christmas was wonderful, no surprises there (well there were SURPRISES, but it wasn't a surprise it went well...). Everything was the same this year as last year (and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that) here at the ol' Porterfield homestead. Tradition is the name of the game around here for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, which is just the way I like it! Mack was/is still being spoiled beyond belief! Basically, if his age range is printed on the box, and it's from CostCo, Grandpa got it for him. Many laughs! Mack caught the flu just before Christmas and recovered the day after. Now he's fighting an ear ache (from all those flights), we're hoping he'll be fine by the time we go back to Mexico on Saturday. Go figure, he's NEVER sick in Monterrey but as soon as we get to the states...I think he saves it up to take advantage of our health insurance. I put Mack on the floor in the cultural hall today durring sunday school and he was all over the place. He gets up on his hands and knees and then pushes himself backwards until he's stuck under the couch or a dresser or whatever. Adorable. One more thing, we got a great visit from Sean and Rachel yesterday! It really was refreshing to see old friends. They're the only one's from college that have yet to meet our boy (hint, hint). That's it for now. I'll put up some more pictures one of these days--probably when we get back to ol' Mexico. In the mean time here is one of Mack in his Christmas PJs holding the plate he made for Grammy and Grandpa. Happy New year everyone!

Once Upon a Time...

Whew! We got into San Diego on Saturday afternoon, and ever since then it's been 'Go-Time'. Saturday night I went to see The Lion King with my Mom, Karly and Kloe at the Pantages (Mack and his Daddy stayed home and goofed off with Grandpa). No surprises there! It was AMAZING! I'd never been inside the Pantages before, and let me tell you, it was stunning. The inside is all very 1920s/30s art deco. I can't believe it was never "remodeled" or torn down. Thank goodness. Sunday morning was the usual--Church--but in ENGLISH, which was much more relaxing. Straight after coming home, we ate and then my Mom and I were off again, this time to a Sing-along Messiah with the La Jolla Symphony. Kassey, you may think I'm weird but it was actually mucho fun. I tried singing alto because I didn't want to sit by myself in the soprano (I didn't come all the way from Mexico to be alone), I held in there for most of it but by the end I was basically a lost cause. On Monday my Mom, Mack and I headed down to Ikea after Mack's morning nap. Tyler opted to stay home get Gyros at Daphne's with my Dad. That night after Family Night (which was going to see Deck The Halls--not so good, but at least we were the only ones in the theater so Kloe could try sitting in every row throughout the movie), my Mom and I were off to run a few late night errands. REALLY. Erands until MIDNIGHT. I can't tell you what we were doing because I could spoil things, but we were both pretty tired by the end of it. Tuesday, Tuesday. What can I tell you about Tuesday? We got lunch at CostCo with my parents (basically Tyler's second favorite place to eat after Daphne's), then Mack had a quick doctor's appointment where they checked his hemoglobin (perfect) and gave him his second round of the flu shot. He complained a little bit to the nurse after she gave him his flu shot and didn't even notice the finger prick. Good nurse and GREAT boy! Last night my Mom and I went to a not so great Enrichment. All the women there were griping about their husbands and children (sheesh!), and there wasn't enough food. It was a progressive dinner. Isn't food kinda the point? That brings me to today. Wednesday and I'm blogging. The end.
Wait! a few more things.
Sorry there still aren't any pictures of Mack. I have to convince my Dad to let me add another internet browser on his computer because that's the only way I know to post pics with a Mac. And a quick tip to any of you out there who might be flying with young children this holiday season: little baby cheeks get very dry on the airplane. Try to bring a sample size of lotion for your darling. Also, I always forget how cold airplanes are. brrrr! What helped us adjust Mack to the time zone change was literally 'forcing' it. We switched all his meals to the new time as soon as we got there and tried not to let him go to bed early. The rest just fell into place after that. GOOD LUCK!!!!

HO! HO! HO!

Mack met Santa yesterday. He gave him a funny "What's with the facial hair dude?" look, was a little confused by his crying cousin (Mason) over on Santa's other knee, and finally a little wave over to Mom and Dad, as if to say "I'm fine. Go ahead and do what you gotta do." Once again, he's adorable. Lately he's been doing this little straight armed wave with his left hand. He sticks his arm out, elbow locked, and moves his little hand around in a circle. It's too cute!
What else?....
Bellevue is QUITE the place to be for the season. At seven a bunch of drummer boys walk take position along the street (drums, cymbals and all) and drum along to some classic/jazzy Christmas carols. They stand on giant drum platforms about every 20 ft, with a young lady nearby on the sidewalk dressed in traditional caroling garb (fuzzy muff, bonnet, red skirt, you get the idea), complete with tambourine. Everyone is cheery and about 1 1/2 songs into the "set" it starts to snow (like at Disneyland). I'm telling ya I've never seen anything quite like it. Très magnifique!
Jim (Ty's Dad) cut my hair yesterday. He took off about 5ish inches, which I am thrilled about. It was getting to the point where I just had hair for hair's sake. It was down at/past my waist (still mostly healthy at least) and I simply didn't have time for all that hair in my life anymore. It was giving me headaches, took FORever to brush and wash, and no matter what I did I could not keep it out of Mack's fingers/food. So good-bye and good riddance to the last 5 inches of my hair!
Steve Bumstead took Jim, Tyler and me to a Sonic's game on Friday. I'll NEVER have better seats in my life. We were in the third row and to top it all off--they actually won with a buzzer shot! Quality entertainment my friends.
In case you haven't noticed Mack is 7 months old now. He officially fits 18month clothes (lucky because his cold weather stuff is all size 18m), but we like to mix it up with a little bit of 12month in there too (snazzy). He's adjusted well to the time change (Shauna I don't envy you trying to do this soon). We're still working on that afternoon nap, so far he just screams for a while and the falls asleep later when we're out. I don't think Tyler's family believes me when I tell them what "unusual behavior this is for him". HONESTLY, he almost never cries at home.
I feel like I could probably write more but it wouldn't make any sense this has been a pretty scattery brained blog. And if any of you out there are interested, it looks like baby Truman (the premie I linked to a while ago) might be going home today!

Okay, But I've Only Got Time for a Quickie....

• Yesterday we flew from San Antonio to Houston. Then from Houston to Salt Lake. Then from Salt Lake to Seattle. There was a LOT of turbulence on our first flight. Mack was an angel the entire time, he even napped well. On our first and last flight we were able to get an empty seat between us to put Mack/junk/feet on.
• Upon entering the U.S. of A on Thursday we found our way to the nearest Jack in the Box where I ordered a Egg Nog Shake to celebrate our return to freedom (Tyler had a hamburger).
• When we got to Seattle there was a package waiting for me from YakPak. A couple weeks ago I'd gone out on a limb and ordered both of their "specials", $15 each with free shipping. I'd completely spaced the whole thing off until Tyler's mom came into the room with box for me. Basically the specials work like this: 15 bucks gets you three random bags, you don't get to pick them AT ALL! OR 15 bucks gets you two random pairs of shoes. You tell them your size then after that's in in their hands. I can say I am very happy with the way it all worked out. One of the bags has a price tag on it for twenty dollars (the rest of the stuff doesn't have price tags but I'm sure it's worth about a gajjillion$$). If I was snazzy I guess I could resell the stuff, but I'm not so oh well! One pair of the shoes is black and the other is a "blue suede shoe" color. I'd post pictures but...
• We forgot our camera in the car. The car is parked in front of a house belonging to a lady we met the LAST time we were in San Antonio. Also, we were supposed to leave her with a set of keys to the car in case she needed to move it. INSTEAD, Tyler accidentally took the car key off the key chain, then gave her said key chain. oops!
• Mack has been in 6 states (and 2 countries) in six months! How's that song go? Something, something, I was born a rambling stone (or rolling stone? something like that).
• Tyler's finals week went well. I think he's just glad it's over. He's heard back about a final grade from one of his classes already, an A! Way to go Tyler! Hip, Hip! HOORAY! Hip, Hip! HOORAY!
• The time zone change hasn't been too bad on Mack so far. He stayed up till about 6:45 last night (8:45 Monterrey time), but then woke up and fussed at 4:30 this morning for a while til we got him out of bed. He refused to eat his breakfast unless I was holding him, and insisted he eat the pears BEFORE the oatmeal (usually it's the other way around).
• Tyler is heating up milk for me to have "Giradelli Hot Chocolate: Double Chocolate" as I type this and it's almost done. So I guess that means I'm done.
• I just noticed the longest bullet is about my new shoes. What can I say? I'm a female!

Behold...Green Bean Casserole. I'm curious, has anybody out there NOT heard of green bean casserole? Am I crazy to to believe it is a standard Thanksgiving side dish? Please, if you read this (does anybody ever read this?), tell me whether you have or have not heard of green bean casserole.

I just had to share some pictures of this gorgeous sweater we found the other day. It's a size four, so it won't fit Mack for a while, but I had to have it. I even made Tyler ask the guy if they made them in my size (they don't). It's from Otavalo, where Tyler served his mission. All the little details--such as the hut, llama, sun, etc-- are hand stitched. We picked up a few other beautiful items, but I can't share them on such a public forum, what with Christmas right around the corner. Hooray for the Holidays!

"Singing in the Bathtub!"

AH HA! Mack, caught naked in the bathtub. We don't have a real tub, so Mack takes his bath's on the kitchen rug, in front of the oven...Old West Style.After the initial shock of the first couple flashes from the camera, Mack seemed to warm up to the idea of having his naked picture taken. Should we be worried?
Ahh, all fresh and rosy after a nice bath and bedtime feeding. It was laundry day, so Tyler improved by putting him in some 'comfy' pants and his old shirt from when he was a baby. A - You're adorable. B - You're so beautiful. C - You're a cutie full of charm (we listen to a a lot of John Lithgow around here). I love the fact that Mack is semi posing in these last two pictures.

amazing

I've been following Teeny Tiny Truman for about a month now. Truman's struggle, coupled with his parents' determination throughout the entire ordeal, has been really inspiring. I often find myself thinking about him and what a trial this must be for his family. As a mother, his story has caused me stop and give pause to consider how blessed I am in regards to my own family. Cheers and good vibes to Truman: Grow Baby, Grow

You asked for it...

Here are some pictures I took of Mack yesterday. He's not doing anything especially spectacular except being spectacular in general.

You did not ask for it...

A couple days ago, we were out buying milk (the kind from a box) and I spotted this beautiful PUMPKIN! Buying a pumpkin here is not impossible, but it's not a given either. For example, we had no problem finding one a full month prior to Halloween, but on the night itself there was not a descent (ie: not rotten) pumpkin to be found. SO...we got this pumpkin so I could try making cabaza en tacha. Here goes!

First, cut the pumpkin in half. Next, you skin it and chop it into 1-2 inch chunks. Next you let it simmer for a couple of hours with all this "stuff". Cinnamon sticks, orange zest, orange juice, piloncillo. You can get a recipe here.

THIS is the final product. It was very tasty and would probably be good with whipped cream (like pumpkin pie). I don't think I'll ever make this again unless it's for more than 5 people. We had a LOT left over. Plus, peeling a pumpkin is hard work! Maybe sharper knives would have helped?

We're back and nearly recovered from a whirlwind trip to San Diego. Tyler had a job fair to go to on the 3rd and Mack and I decided to tag along. Ty wasn't comfortable leaving us in Monterrey for 3 days alone, and a hotel across the border would have cost just as much as flying to San Diego (we snagged $89 each way, direct tickets thanks to Southwest). As far as I can tell the job fair was a success. Tyler spoke to all 12 companies there he was interested in and is now waiting to hear back from them.
I managed to get Mack into see the doctor while we were in CA. It's just as we suspected, he's still growing. He's 28 inches long (95th %) and weighs 19 pounds 2 ounces (85th %). He thought the appointment was basically tickle time, so no worries there. Obviously he wasn't too keen about getting his shots, but who is?
Have you noticed Mack is SIX MONTHS OLD! Babies are so great! In the last six months he's conquered a countless number of skills. In fact, as I write this he has learned how to pull down his toy-with-the-blue-arches and scoot his way inside. AMAZING! Maybe I'm a little biased...but I think we've got a genius on our hands...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

PUMPKIN, PUMPKINPumpkin, Pumpkin,
Sitting on the wall.
Pumpkin, Pumpkin,
Tip and fall.
Pumpkin, Pumpkin,
Rolling down the street.
Pumpkin, Pumpkin,
Good to eat!

FINISHED!! I made these shoes today/last night. The pattern was so simple and I'm absolutely in love with the results. I can't wait to actually pick out specific fabric and make another pair of shoes for Mack. For this pair I cut up an old blanket I "borrowed" (I know! I'm sorry!) from an unnamed airline, and used some rick-rack scraps, buttons and embroidery floss I had lying around. Mack meets his shoes. He never wears shoes, so this was kinda a big deal for him. "Say hello to my little friend."The fuzzy fleeciness of the shoes didn't make this activity fun for very long (Yes, fleeciness is a word).They even look good when he's standing up! AMAZING! How many pictures of these shoes can I post? A lot, that's how many.

Nap time. He's so peaceful when he sleeps. I love nap time. That's when the screaming stops. For the past week he's been experimenting with different volume levels.Did I mention I MADE these? I guess you could say I'm a little proud...

Beautiful baby Mack asleep, taking a nap like a good little boy should.

Here is how we regularly find beautiful baby Mack. Not napping, not even trying to nap. Just playing with two of his best friends, Binky and Bunny.

Yes folks I've finally done it. I have single-handedly created the world's most terrifying baby toy. Introducing...Mr. Freaky Fish. I'd been holding onto an old t-shirt with a fish on it that I just couldn't bear to part with. So I did what anyone would do, and made it into a prized family heirloom, which Mack is sure to enjoy for days, nay weeks, to come.

OF NOTE:
On this day, in 1861, the first transcontinental telegram was sent.
The discontinuation of the Pony Express was announced two days later.

Interesting. Here I am, 145 years latter, blogging to the WORLD (alright, maybe not the whole world, but some of the world). WOW. Communication my friends, communication. To learn a little bit more today then you'd originally planned CLICK HERE. Isn't history fascinating? You don't have to answer that, unless of course you agree with me....

Lately I've been sewing more and more...and really enjoying it. Last week I made a really simple Thanksgiving/Fall table runner (I know--crafty--but it looks better than it sounds). Then, on Sunday, I made a little pouch out of two cheapish stained receiving blankets. It holds about 4 diapers and wipes. Yesterday I finished a little **surprise** Santa helped me with for Mack. I can't tell you what it is because that would ruin the **surprise**. I also just found a pattern online for soft soled baby shoes. YES! Bottom line? Before Christmas I still have the following items to sew:

• shopping cart cover
• Christmas stockings
• 3 pairs of pajamas
• a handle for the car seat bag I made in August
  
• 2 or 3 pairs of shoes
• several bibs
  

It is very likely I won't get everything done, but no one can say I didn't try. Sewing for Mack is similar to knitting scarves. Quick, not very complicated and very satisfying.

Wanted to share this Photo: It seems like these "Quince Años" girls are everywhere. I've never seen one wearing white. Instead they're usually dressed in varying shades of sherbet colors, bright lime green is very popular right now. Naturally each young lady is accompanied by a well dressed young man and the two of them are followed around by group of girls with a disproportionate number of boys. It's funny, but the girl's friends wear the DARKEST (skimpiest/tightest) dresses they can find, while the image of the "Quince" conquers up visions of a light and fluffy, sweet cupcake.

On of the best things about having a visitor (I say 'a' because we'll probably only get one the entire time we live here), is that it gives you the chance to finally take pictures of everyday moments. These types of photos typically become my favorite when I look back because they have so many more memories attached to them. Since all of you reading this (excluding my mom, dad and sister Karly) will probably never get the chance to come to Monterrey, I'm putting up these photos so you can get an idea of what our life looks like here...


This is the view of mountains near the Monterrey Temple, on the road to Santiago, where the market is. You follow?

Mack and my mom at the top of Obispado Hill.

Rain on our way to Zona Rosa. It's like this every time it rains, and it usually rains a couple times a week.

Here I am, nursing mack at Las Monjitas. It's this little restaurant in Zona Rosa where the servers and the cooks dress as nuns, and the menu has a papal theme. The food is both very delicious and very cheap.

Tyler on his way to the corner store.

Tyler inside the corner store, our preferred tortilla purchasing location.

Downtown Monterrey.
Don't fret, there's still more to come, but right now--I've got to run myself!

To Market, To Market

These are some of the pictures my mom took while she was here. Tyler had the presence of mind to download them before she left, thank goodness. The first picture is of some children at the market we caught licking the sugar off their wax Dia de Muertos skulls. Next, is a picture of Mack and the nice woman from Oaxaca. We bought Mack a traditional Mexican outfit from her, and my mom bought an embroidered dress (you know the kind!). I thought that perhaps the sight of Mack might entice her to give us a discount and it worked! We've had to start covering Mack with the stroller canopy or making him wear a hat when we're in public because of all the attention he was getting. Apparently there is a tradition/superstition here that if you see a baby you think is cute and don't touch their head, the baby will get sick. The woman at the market LOVED Mack! In this picture she is tying a good luck trinket (black with a Mexican man and woman on each end) she gave him onto his wrist. In the last two pictures Mack is wearing the outfit we got him with and without the poncho. It's a size two (children are much shorter here) so it's still too big, but should fit him perfectly by Christmas.

I don't have ANY time right now, but I L.O.V.E. this picture and wanted to get it up on our blog. It's a picture of Tyler, Mack and I at el mercado on the road to Santiago, you have to click it to get the whole effect. I think it is so beautiful, plus we had so much fun browsing all the stalls. Prepare yourselves for a picture explosion as soon as I get the time (probably sometime later tonight).

"Chévere" no significa nada en México

We finally feel that we have moved into our apartment. A visit by the missionaries for dinner pretty much sealed the deal. We had Elder Simmons from Winston-Salem, NC and Elder Alvarez from Mexico City over for dinner. I had to slave over a hot stove for hours....actually that's not true at all; I ordered pizza from Domino's. There's nothing more Mexican than pizza. Well at least the American missionary enjoyed it.
In other news Mack is now a celebrity. Fern submitted an idea to RookieMoms.com and they loved it so much that they included a picture of Mack and the brilliant idea on their website. Go to RookieMoms.com Let's hope Mack doesn't decide to be a male supermodel now. I don't know how I'd feel about that.
School has hit full stride now which means that I have no life. I have to actually use a daily planner...which is kinda girly I know but I have no choice. Between meetings, classes, projects and homework I am left with just enough time to eat, sleep and hang out with Mack. Poor Fern, she supports me despite my frequent absence. Also I am still trying to pump out the resumes. My new goal is to apply to a different company each day...this may sound easy to the untrained ear but each company has separate requirements. The Amsterdam Monitor office even wanted my high school transcripts. I can hardly even remember that far back. Today I filled out two applications for strategic consultant positions with IBM. The jobs are in NYC and DC. At this point (tired of school) I am willing to live just about anywhere that is close to an ocean and a major sports franchise. But the company and Fern may have something different in mind. Lo que yo quisiera hacer de verdad es empezar mi carrera fuera de los E.E.U.U. tal vez en Europa o Asia pero siento que la decision cae totalmente sobre las empresas. Ellas indicaran el lugar donde nos tocara vivir. Escucho que para un recien egregado de la escuela de negocios es muy provechoso comenzar el empleo en una compania de consultas. De esta manera se puede ser capacitado en muchas industrias no solo en una. Algunos dicen que el trabajar en una consulteria es la mejor forma de aplicar lo que se habia aprendido en durante los estudios de la maestria. Bueno escribo en espanol solo para practicarlo no para que la mayoria de los lectores no puedan entenderlo. Les agradezco su paciencia y disculpen la falta de acentos, no tengo como ponerlos.
Oh yeah, Fern's mom is en route to beautiful Monterrey, Mexico. I have a sneaking suspicion that she is coming with the sole purpose of seeing Mack. But I'm still excited to she her.

Mack is out for the count, and Tyler is at school. By way of an update, Mack sleeping habits have improved dramatically since I last mentioned them. We took a modified cry-it-out approach to night time and nap time and it worked very well for him. He goes to sleep around 7:30-8pm and only eats once around 3:30-4am, then wakes up for good sometime between 6 and 7am. Good Boy! Naps are right on track too. Sleep really does beget sleep. I sewed up Mack's Halloween costume yesterday (he's going to be a big round pumpkin). He was so patient every time I tried it on him and he really seemed to enjoy the bright color. Fabric seems relatively inexpensive here; the entire costume cost just under 50 pesos. Plus I've got fabric left over to do who knows what with. Maybe I'll make myself a pumpkin pin cushion (I'm crazy and unpredictable like that!). I also FINALLY made Tyler this 'towel apron' yesterday. The idea for the apron was in my head for weeks, but I was lacking focus. It always feels so good to bust out quick projects. It's not going to get me on Project Runway any time soon, but it was easy and fast. Here is a picture of Tyler wearing said apron, giving his best "hot, hot model" pose, bellow that is Mack wearing the onesie he helped me make for Ty. And the last one is Mack looking like such a big-kid. Sometimes he looks so old! I can't get over it.

While Tyler was away at a meeting this morning, Mack and I made him a little welcome home present. Those of you who know me (which should be everyone reading this) know that my art skills --or anything involving markers for that matter-- are limited. So I am very proud of this little production. First shot, I promise. There is no 'scrap onesie' hiding in the garbage somewhere.

Mack's gotten pretty good at sitting up this past week. ANNOUNCEMENT: We are ready to officially announce that he is willing and able to sit up on his own! He just needs a little help getting there. These pictures were taken earlier this evening, after Mack's evening meal as evidenced by the green beans smeared on his clothes. He's so perfect.

After a good days work (and a trip to the fabric store) Mack was a little beat and decided to take a well deserved break . THE END.

Post Script: This pose is a Baby Mack original. He's never done this before. Learns something new every day. Sometimes several somethings.