Hasta Luego Calebcito!

Dear friends, relatives and other fans:

You'll have to excuse me if this post seems a bit melancholy but we've reached that inevitable point in a baby's foreign service career when he has to say goodbye to a dear friend. Well folks, that time came for me last Sunday when I had to say goodbye to my best buddy Caleb...and his Dad (Kenny), Mom (one of my best ladies, Linsey), and baby brother Isaac.

I first met Caleb at his first birthday party (see incriminating photo), when I was just 1 month old. Considering that Mama and Dada had met his Mommy and Daddy months before and how well we have gotten along since that day, it is down right criminal that we did not meet sooner.


Over the ensuing months, we chased the chicks together (both Abuelito Pablo and Uncle Jamie would be proud),




discussed world politics,



volunteered at the local old folk's home,



painted the town red in our best clubbing clothes,



composed some rockin' tunes (our first cd is due out next fall, stay tuned for details on our cd release party),



and took road trips together.




But one of my favorite memories of Caleb and his family is when we spent Labor Day (the international one, celebrated on May 1st, not the American one) having a picnic, playing soccer and trying to keep our parents from jumping into the pond at a local park. You can read his mom's version of the day's events here: http://ramblesandruminations.blogspot.com/2008/05/may-day-is-lei-day.html. But I have to warn you that her version isn't quite accurate since she says that it was really Caleb who wanted to jump in the pond and not her.

Linsey, Caleb, Kenny, Baby Isaac, Dada and Yours Truly

Kenny and Baby Isaac (Uncle Kenny, if you are reading this, Dada really misses you. Now he has nobody to share is Coke Zero obsession or take leisurely lunches with at Tierra Santa. Also, Mama says that you took the good hummus karma with you.)

Yours Truly and Baby Isaac (I love babies!)

Mama and I (that's an olive tree in the background, the park is full of them).

Limsey and Baby Isaac

Yours Truly and Linsey. I love her! She makes me laugh. (Aunt Linsey, I know you are reading this, so I thought that I would let you know that Mama really, really, really misses you.)

But sadly, all good things must come to an end (at least temporarily anyway, our paths will no doubt cross again soon) and so it was that I found myself on a grey, drizzling Lima evening bidding, not adios, but hasta luego (that's see you later to those of you North of the equator and then some) to our dear friends. I would have liked to have indulged in my sadness but Mama and Dada were grief-stricken and so I had to be strong for them and put on my best game face. So, in closing I leave you with a couple of photos of our last moments with our friends before they hopped on a jet plane to Venezuela, with a 2 month stop-over in D.C. and Utah, where they will be rubbing elbows with international luminaries and statesmen such as Hugo Chavez. Lucky them!

Yours Truly standing forlornly at their gate waiting to enter and see them for the last time.

Secure in our manhood

He is even more secure...and coordinated too!

Hanging on the stairs (I made sure to fall off these one more time just for old times sake).

Consoling Dada on those same stairs

One last shot of the whole group (isn't Linsey's new haircut sassy!)

Caleb, Linsey, Kenny and Baby Isaac, wherever you are tonight, good luck, godspeed and we'll see you in Los Roques!

Hasta la proxima,

Sebastian

Mother's Day in the Motherland

Surprise! Two blog entries in as many days! You must all think that you've won the lottery. Anyhow, I just wanted to give you a quick update on how we spent Mother's Day #2 here in the Motherland. First, Dada and I let Mama sleep in. She slept for 3 straight hours! I couldn't believe it. I mean, that is three hours less that she got to spend with me on the holiest of all days. While she was sleeping, however, I did get to hang out with my super cool cousins, Alicia and Alejandro, and my Tio Juan.



My prima Alicia and I. Aren't we adorable?



Tio Juan and I hanging out in our pajamas.

After Mama and Tia Kitty (who isn't pictured here but deserves mad props for being Super Mom) woke up and had a couple cups of coffee, we all headed down to the Botanical Gardens near the Capitol Building. If you have never been, then you shouldn't wait any longer. A little piece of the jungle/forest/desert exists right in the middle of downtown DC. But my favorite part was the scent exhibit. It was almost too much for my young olfactory system to handle!


The Botanical Gardens (with Capitol Building to the left)


The celebrated lady and I. Doesn't she look refreshed? It's amazing what 3 extra hours of sleep can do.


The scent garden


Some beautiful orchids


Mama and I acting up


The main atrium- a baby could get lost in here.


My primos, Alicia and Alejandro, and I learning a bit about the nature around us.


A close-up of yours truly

Dada deserves special mention because even though it was Mama and Dada's anniversary as well (4 years!), he ceded all honors and spoils to Mother's Day. Smart move, if you ask me. And last but not least, Abuelito Pablo deserves a special shout-out since it was his birthday also!


The original tree hugger in action

Until next time,

Baby Sebastian

Our Village Idiot

Warning: What you are about to read may not be for the politically correct or staunchly conservative among my fans.

There comes a time in every baby's life when he must make his first political stand. Well, fans and loved ones, that time has come. As I was watching CNN this morning over breakfast, the lead story spurred me to emerge briefly from my much deserved vacation. As you may already have ascertained by the title of this entry, it concerns our Commander-in-Chaos, our Duke of Dumb, our Icon of Ineptitude, our President of Poo Poo (and believe you me, I know alot about poo poo), yes ladies and gentlemen, step right up, the one and only George W. Bush.

Anyway, while I was minding my own business eating a delicious waffle lovingly prepared by the staff at Homewood Suites (product placement, yes, someone has to pay for this blog..oh wait, it's free you say...), I learned that in a speech before the Israeli Knesset on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence, he "suggested" that Barack Obama and other Democrats wanted to appease terrorists and that they were naive in their understanding of the situation. For more details, click on this link to the original story: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/15/bush-suggests-obama-wants-appeasement-of-terrorists/#more-7138

Again, does anyone not notice the dirty diaper in the room? He's obviously full of, well to put it in polite terms, poo poo. What has the world come to if politicians who support diplomatic solutions to international conflicts are deemed to be spineless and naive?

On that note, I will leave you with a few pictures of my charming self, Mama and Tio Eddie on our Nation's Mall. I may not have been born here but I love this place!



Tio Eddie and I at the World War II Memorial (Lincoln Memorial in background)



Teaching Tio Eddie to walk, alongside the Reflecting Pool



Tio Eddie and I in front of the Lincoln Memorial



The Good Man himself...well, memorialized in stone anyway. This is Mama's favorite monument.



A closer inspection for those of you who forgot to put your reading glasses on.



Yours truly, flagrantly disregarding the rules. Can't let the military-industrial complex keep you down, man.




And speaking of the original Military-Industrial Complex, isn't it lovely? Tio Eddie says that this whole scene was just created for the movie Forrest Gump, but I have my doubts. Maybe if you look close enough you can see Jen-ay emerging from the Reflecting Pool.



Mama and I

Now, back to that vacation.

XXOO, Baby Sebastian

You should see the other guy!

Hola amigos,

Sorry for the latest communication delay. We must be in some weird time warp here in Lima, because I am blogging about an event that took place in January. Yet, it is news to you in May. Bizarre!

Anyway, I was walking around a rough-and-tumble neighborhood (you've seen the video evidence of my walking prowess... and now I go backwards!) when I saw this huge gorilla of a man attacking a poor helpless weakling. In case you know my Tio Luis, he was built similarly...

Anyway, since Mommy and Daddy have taught me right from wrong, I stepped in to defend this poor sap. Well, that sucker got one lucky shot in, but I beat him good. I only wish I could have held him long enough to photograph his wounds.

For now, you can only see mine... here. Though Mommy and Daddy have been telling folks I fell and hit my head against the corner of the bed. Liars!

In this shot, I am reenacting how I bit into the thug's nose. I gave the same mean look too! I think he wet himself worse than I do on a daily basis.

Here's a shot of me and the original tough guy... Daddy.

Anyway, that's it for this short post. But there will be more to come... promise. And please, no more pictures!

Muchos smooches,

Baby Sebastian

P.S. - Bet you didn't know I could fly!

Beating the heat in Lima

Now, I know that it has been awhile since all of you, my dedicated fans, have heard from me. But to be fair, it has been way too hot here in Lima to write. So at the risk of being insensitive to those of you who have suffered through the worst that winter has to throw at you - especially Tio Eddie and Tia Stacy up in Rochester, NY - I have decided to put together a short photo essay about the ways that I have been coping with the Limeno summer.

First and foremost in any plan to keep cool is to rent a beach house and spend at least a month just chillin'. Here are a couple photos of me enjoying the pool overlooking Bujama Beach, one with my Tio Nilo and another with Mama.


















The second step is to eat ice cream...lots of it.







Of course, Daddy has a difficult time keeping his face clean. And he really hates it when I make fun of him. But hey, isn't imitation the ultimate form of flattery?

















If there is no pool or beach to be found nearby, the next best thing to do is either fill up the kitchen sink and splash around gleefully or take a bubble bath (no that is not product placement, though Johnson and Johnson should put some money in my college fund for pushing its wares).


















And when all else fails, your best bet is to run around half-naked....or heck, completely naked.