Back in the USA

On December 9th Kesha and I hopped on a plane back to Seattle for a visit.

Visiting where you come from is always bittersweet. There are so many things about the States (specifically the Seattle area) that I miss... the specialty shops selling fancy olive oils, vinegars, spices, wines, pastries, amazing coffee shops around every corner, the seasons, the rain (even though I whined the entire time I was home about it), and, of COURSE my friends and family are at top the list!

But there are so many things I love about Ecuador and it is hard to be away from my family there. It was Kesha and my first time away from Arturo since she was born, and it was hard (although I had lots of help from my mom and dad which was wonderful!).

Kesh slept 8 out of the 12 hours we spent in an airplane, and zoomed through the airports with me in Miami and St. Paul like a champ! And while mom almost had a nervous breakdown because there was so much turbulence on our flight from Guayaquil to Miami (everyone, including cabin staff, was seated for 3 out of the 4 hours we were flying due to strong turbulence... darn Tungurahua and its eruptions!), she napped away... She is really quite the little traveler! I'm such a proud mama!

We arrived in Seattle late at night and my dad met us at Sea-Tac. He was waiting for us outside of the elevator in baggage claim. When he saw her he said "hi" and she smiled SO big! It was wonderful! I couldn't think of a better way for the two of them to meet.

It took us a short while to get home then it was time to surprise mom...

We arrived in the house, sat on the couch, and dad work mom up. She was beside herself to see us sitting there. It was so much fun to see her and for her to see us!

Should be a fun two weeks!

More Videos Starring Ms. Kesha Lee

Now Playing: Chatting With Daddy

Now Playing: I Can Hold on to my Butterfly, but Can't Quite Get it in my Mouth (so I Put my Hand in my Mouth Instead)

Now Playing: Christmas Decorations Excite me to the Point Where I Choke

Another Video for Nana and Grandpa

Now Showing: I can hold things, but am not sure why I'm holding them 

or how to get them out of my hand.

Censo

It comes every 10 years, the Ecuadorian national census (censo).
It is much more involved than the US census, from the questions that are asked to the method of data collection.

Here's how it works here...
They send 700,000 high school students out to all of the neighborhoods in the country with pencils, erasers, and census booklets. If the students are sent to a "safe" neighborhood their only protection is the teacher who accompanies a group of 5 or so students. The teacher waits outside while the students enter the homes that they were assigned (Note: According to my in laws, the last time did a census here 3 students were murdered). If they are sent to the "dangerous" neighborhoods there is a police officer or military personnel stationed every block. The students are not provided food, beverages, or bathroom facilities by the government and it is obligatory that they do this (i.e. they are not paid). I think we, as residents of Ecuador, should speak out against this.

They enter the home and ask many questions of the head of the household, including conditions of the home, where we get the water from our home, to do we have a phone and internet.. Then they continue on to ask each individual family member a series of questions that ranged from "do you work, and if so how many hours?" to "where were you born?" to "do you have insurance?", etc. Being that we are a 6 person household this took our poor interviewer 45 minutes. They have to hand write all of the answers on a form that has to be manually reviewed and compiled.

We can leave the house at 5 if we'd like to, so until then we're relaxing and watching movies.

Cangrejo (Caan-grey-hoe)

Cangrejo. Pronounced caan-grey-hoe.
Also known as crab, or my husband's favorite food.
Cooked correctly, it is his Kryptonite.


No one makes your favorite food like mom, and today Chela was in full cangrejo cooking mode.
We headed out to the feria libre around 9 and bought 24 brightly colored, Ecuadorian blue crabs.
We went in search of the perfect platanos verdes (green plantains), albaca (basil), and limes to add to the dish. Then we were headed home to clean and prepare the creaturas for cooking.

Chela and Arturo scrubbed the live crabs with toothbrushes until all of the dirt was off (I think Arturo only got pinched twice. Chela didn't get pinched at all. She's a pro. But don't worry, Arturo got his revenge.), while Kesha and I watched intently discussing the colors found on the crabs' bodies (thrilling conversation topic, I know).

Once washed, the crabs were stashed in a laundry hamper until the chefess was ready for the next phase. I missed this phase due to a much needed diaper change for Kesh, but I returned to find the crabs in the sink. When I asked if they were dead Arturo said no. When I said, "oh, so they're alive", he also said no. So, I have no idea if the crabs in this photo are dead or alive...

Randy and Karen arrived to partake in the crab luncheon.

The caldo was prepared, crabs tossed in, salad distributed, table set, juice made...

Then the crabs were devoured...

Great lunch!

Thanksgiving, far away from home, yet full of friends and family

I loved this year's Thanksgiving experience!
I have been in many countries for Thanksgiving (England, Argentina, Australia, and Ecuador), however, my 2010 Ecuador experience takes the cake.

Normally, my mom cooks our TDay dinner, or we do it potluck style with the extended family. This year, we did potluck style, but I had to pull out my cooking magic, making "pumpkin" pie (really squash pie, but you could hardly tell the difference), sweet potato casserole, gravy, whipped cream, and biscuits from SCRATCH (plus I made coffee, cooked green bean, and helped clean and decorate... and with a three month old to take care of... go momma go!)

Karen and Rand made the turkey, which was AMAZING! They insist that there is no recipe, but we'll get it out of them! Tresa and Edd brought apple pie, pecan pie, and ice cream (the pecan pie was heavenly! I didn't try the apple pie, I was too full, but I'm assuming it was incredible as well! The rest of the guests brought whiskey and wine.

It was a very fun evening with a wonderful mix of extranjeros and Ecuadorians. I missed my family back home, but am thankful to have had such wonderful people by my side here in Cuenca.

Here are some photos from the evening's festivities (although most of them are blurry because I took tem with my phone's camera), and links to the recipes I used.

Hoping everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Becca

Making the "pumpkin" pie

Miss grumpy pants helping set up.

The dessert table set-up

The buffet table set-up

The turkey

Part of the Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, sweet potato casserole, and green beans)

Ricardo carving the turkey

Karen, Lorena, and Tresa

Johana, Cristobal, Arturo, Randy, and Ricardo chowing down

 Gladys and Karen

The boys... Arturo, Ricardo, Juanacho, and Cristobal

Graciela and Gladys

 People serving themselves (look at that great salad made by Alex and Johanna!)

Karen and Kesha

 Julie, Alex and Ricardo's daughter

Randy

 Edd and Jannie (Karen and Randy's friend who lives in Loja and came to celebrate with us!)

Cristobal, Kesha, and Johanna

 Graciela, Kesha, and Johanna

Sweet Potato Casserole

Pumpkin Pie

Gravy

A Week of Firsts

Kesha has had a lot of firsts this week; first parasites, first fungi, first fever, first 3+ hour crying session...

She was due for her 2 month vaccinations which include 2 oral doses (rotavirus and polio), and 2 injections (DTaP and Pneumococcosomethingoranother, also known as Hib I think). She was smiley and really happy with the oral doses (I think they make them taste like candy). Then came the injections. She screamed and cried for both. However, Kesh is a trooper. She stopped crying the minute we left the clinic. However, according to my baby bible (What to Expect the First Year) a small number of children have swelling, redness, and cry for hours after the DTaP. Well, that was poor Kesha. She got her vaccinations around 3:00 in the afternoon and spent from 4:30 until around 8:00 really screaming her head off and kept crying from 8:00 until 10:30, when she finally fell asleep, crying. I have never felt so helpless in my life and felt so bad for someone. This little tiny baby, so helpless and not understanding what is going on with her, in pain, screaming because the pain wouldn't stop... ugh.

I would like to insert a big shout out here to Karen for sticking it out with us for several hours of the worst if it!

Thankfully she slept like a log last night, but woke up this morning with a fever. Back to the Tempra (like Children's Tylenol) and thank goodness her fever is gone now.

On top of having to have her vaccinations, the results of her fecal exam (nice, right) came back positive for fungus and some parasites. Back to the doctor this afternoon to figure out what they do to get rid of this stuff in babies...

Poor Kesha. It will all be over soon, I promise! (well, at least for 2 months, then you have to get the same shots again...)

At least she will have one first that isn't medically related this week, her first Thanksgiving! It should be fun!

My little trooper after being vaccinated.