Celebrating!

First of all, today is my parents' 39th Anniversary! Congratulations! Hope you are enjoying your night away in Williamsburg with friends, Mom and Dad!

Secondly, last night before going to bed, our neighbors below us asked me to pay them a visit. She, Maria, was going into labor with their first little baby girl. I had visited her several times throughout her pregnancy, as she had some complications, and lots of questions (naturally!). The doctors here really don't explain anything to their patients. I walked her and her husband through a brief anatomy lesson, regarding how her body was created to give birth and what contractions feel like. With those aforementioned complications, she believed she would have a C-section, until just yesterday when her doctor said she could deliver naturally. So, Michael woke me up at 1:30 to tell me that she wanted me to see her again. Once I really woke up, it was like I was back into OB nurse mode, coaching her and instructing her husband on how to help her through contractions. I encouraged them to pack their things and prepare to go to the hospital, something they really hadn't done yet. I prayed with them and left to return to bed around 3, knowing they would have a long night/day ahead. I returned from a meeting this morning to hear that they had their baby just a couple hours earlier! It's been a real delight for me to use my professional skills again.

Lastly, Noah and I attended a birthday party this evening for a friend of his at school, Gonzalo, who turned 3. Now, I've been to some pretty incredible children's parties here so far, but this topped them all. The parents rented a preschool to host it. There were probably 100-150 adults and children there. They had one of those moon bounce slides, a little train ride, a trampoline, a tent, a popcorn and cotton candy machine, waiters to pass appetizers, a videographer, a magician, and a whole line-up of favorite characters in costume: Mickey Mouse & Goofy, The Lazy Town crew, and Thomas the Tank Engine. To lead them all was "Bubalina" basically the emcee, who made sure to embarrass the parents of the child and other friends, which is the tradition at these events. I cannot imagine how much money they must have spent for this 3-year-old's party. After they broke the piñata and we sang "Happy Birthday" (in English and Spanish, also tradition), they asked the kids to line up to receive their goody bags and box of cake. Noah got lots of sweets and a really cool battery-operated car that can flip over and keep going if it hits something. When the whole thing was over, Noah said he really wanted Mickey Mouse to come to his house...we'll see about that.

Noah liked playing in the mouth of the shark

He loved being the conductor! There was even a little bell to ring.

There's the birthday boy with his parents - a little dazed, if you ask me.

Noah was trying to take it all in