Basil Riot, The Wanderer

Basil the little backpacker. She has been so great; all this change and she hasn't batted an eye. Actually she sleeps better here. I suppose she is still young enough that changes don't affect her too much... as long as she gets attention from everyone then she's good, and eeeveryone here does just that, so she is as happy as a bird with a french fry. Shop owners call her by name when we walk down the street. I was walking alone late one night and someone asked me "donde esta tu bebe!?" If there are two people talking, she will walk almost right in between them and wave with both hands until she gets a reaction. She's definitely the star of the show. Women grab her hands and face and just ooo and ahh over those baby blue eyes that they don't see everyday. Or ever. The ladies of the night, or rather, of the day, can't handle themselves "aayyee, mirra mirra, la munequiiiita!" "aayyyeee que liiiinda!" all the while Basil is grinning and waving and "hiiyyeee"ing and"bye bye"ing. She graciously accepts cookies and fruits from the giggling worker-bees. Yesterday a young man selling fruit and vegetables waved at her, and usually she just stops for a minute and waaaaves and cheeses it up. But this time she didn't say hi, she just pointed at the grapes. I tried to get her to wave back but she wouldn't, she just kept pointing. He loved it. He pulled the biggest grape off the vine, wiped it on his shirt and handed it to her. Only then did she grin, wave, and take a giant bite like it was an apple. Little mooch. I didn't even teach her that. People give her cookies and kisses like it's going out of style..yes, sugar. Tony turned around the other day and Basil had a mouthful of cake. CAKE! But unlike my friends and acquaintances in the states, I just can't tell these sweet people no (but this does not mean you get to give her sugar when we return!) So. She's had her share of crystal-death. Oh well. We made it almost 14 months. I think she will survive ("she" meaning me).

Yes way, San Jose

I am not a big city kind of girl. Don't get me wrong, some of my favourite places to which I have been were bigger cities; Luxor and Cairo Egypt, Paris France, Barcelona Spain, Budapest Hungary, Rome Italy, Munich and Frankfurt Germany... But generally I just love 'em and leave 'em. I especially thought this would be the case with Basil in tow. I can't stand smog and exhaust, the sound of shrieking car horns drives me batty. I do not love massive crowds, pushing and shoving. I don't appreciate skyscrapers the way others do. Pavement is not my best friend. Touts in your face and beggars under your feet get on my nerves, fast. Higher prices for everything and crawling with tourists? No thanks. So when we pulled into stinky San Jose with an underfed, sleep deprived baby (and mama) I was ready to get to a hotel and get out of this city.
Next scene: day 5 in stinky San Jose... do we have to leave already!?
Once again, I am forced to ask myself "Ew, does this mean I am a big city street rat?" But as soon as I begin to believe that everything for which I stand is turning on me, I arrive at our next destination, take a sigh of relief and reassure myself "Oh yeah, no, I'm definitely not a city girl". But as for now I am loving this place. For the moment I can't imagine myself anywhere but our little Hostel Gran Imperial, which really does live up to its name. I could argue that this is the nicest place we have stayed while out on the road. Nicer than a Motel 6, that's for sure. They even provide toilet paper (!!), soap, sheets, sometimes coffee (Costa Rican coffee. Jeff would be in heaven) a community kitchen and bathrooms (which are separate) a large television in the communal area which is often blasting a sub-titled "Friends" or "Big Bang Theory". And the balcony. I love me some of this balcony. Wrapping around two sides of the building, high enough that passersby (almost never tourists) below rarely notice you, plenty of chairs and tons of potted plants, and positioned perfectly to watch the crack dealers on the adjacent corner. Don't act shocked; you probably have a crack-house on your block and you just don't know about it. Anyway, the nightly raids have provided much entertainment. It amazes me that they continue to show up when they know the cops will just come back. Yet somehow, it is the same guys every time..so apparently the punishment is bearable, if there is one at all. I watch people buy peanuts all day from my perch and breathe in the smoke coming from a tall, nearby pipe, which smells something like burning caramel popcorn. To the left and right of me, the street ends in mountain, sparkling with lights at dusk. Right now there is not a cloud in the sky, but that will change in a matter of 30 minutes, when it will probably be pouring rain. I don't know how anyone dresses for the day here. Hot, cold, sunny, cloudy, windy, stagnant...eight times a day. Yet for this moody weather, the temperature stays fairly consistent. And, best of all, the people here are so wonderful. And they all adore Basil. Of course.

A one-year old.. What!?

Whoops. The last post was her birthday. And here is her birthday again. Where did that year go!? How many moms have I heard say that, and I still wasn't prepared.

Well this is not a Sara Garner birthday party. But it was still really cute, complete with a map banner and matching colors and a fabulous baked potato bar.. and of course I can't prove it because the next few photos are the extent of what was taken that day. In the moment I was intent on wanting to live it and not be behind the camera. Now...I wish the dang thing was glued to my face, as usual. Bummer.

And I can't forget a very special thanks to everyone who contributed to the donation jar in lieu of gifts. We raised $130 (!!!) which was sent to the Save Africa's Children non-profit charity to help fund a free clinic for orphaned babies who are in risk of HIV/AIDS. Thank you, thank you everyone. I cannot say it enough.

Happy One Year, punkin!

(never mind she's actually almost 14 months now)

 Pre-party faces.

 She seemed excited for her cake...

 But it might have just been the fire, because...

she just wasn't havin' it. 

This girl does nnoottt like getting her fingers messy. Great. And great!

I put Basil's fave on top for a last ditch effort. But she could see right through me. The frosting was cream cheese sweetened with breastmilk. She loved it before the party, but not when she had to touch it herself.

"Visualize whirled pea's"

Behind the Scenes

Finally getting around to updating. Still on Basil's birth... but this time less of me and more of what happened behind the scenes.

Look at that little bubbly blue baby. I was so grateful for Becky jumping through so many hoops to be there. Her love and support was incredible. Not to mention the priceless video and photos Basil and I get to adore forever.

Hahaha, yeah, awesome, thanks Tony.
(but really, he was great. Couldnt have done it without him. literally. get it?)

This was Berk's perch for the last, and obviously most eventful, portion.
She sat on a ledge above the tub. Hence the angle of the first picture.

This. THIS is my favourite picture of the entire day.
The genuine smiles and the watery, red-brimmed eyes just melt my heart.

sweet becky took about an hour to dress Basil for the first time.
She was so careful not to break my tiny baby's tiny arms ;)

So much going on and Basil just gazes..
Thus the love affair begins.

Trust Becky to find the mirror.

"You come in with three people and you leave with four!!"

What happens when you want to meet your baby so so so bad.

And to end on a prettier note....
Bottoms up!

Introducing Basil Riot Edwards

Got to the birthing center at 5:00am with contractions 3ish minutes apart.
this is during a contraction...you can see how they progress by my facial expressions.
pretty amusing. now.

Tony was absolutely wonderful. never left my side.

so far so good! i can handle this labor stuff.........

the tub felt so wonderful. i highly endorse it. i never want to have a land birth.
(another contraction)

a few photos skipped and here she is!
after five hours of labor with less than an hour of pushing.
Welcome to the world Basil Riot Edwards!

The most beautiful baby i have ever seen.

Basil Riot
August 18 2011
10:17am
8lbs. 6.5oz.
21 inches

June, our FABULOUS midwife. love her to the high heavens.

difficult...but so so soo soosososo worth it.



my crew. my wonderful friends. thank you all.

Belly Shots (no alcohol involved)

Before we introduce baby herself,

here she is in her bubble.

A ton of belly photos,

obviously not in chronological order.

Sorry, i dont remember the weeks exactly.

ill try my best, though.

30 weeks

23 weeks

35 weeks

there (he or she??) is! 19 weeks

19 weeks
...its a girl! she thiiinks.

37 weeks
first great granddaughter

37 weeks

18 weeks
trying to show off my "bump"

19 weeks

16 weeks
i thought i had a belly

41 weeks, 3 days "overdue"

41 weeks, 5 days "overdue"
this is what she was constantly making me look like

week 42, 8 days "overdue"

and finally 42 weeks, 12 days "overdue"
...but here she comes! shes more than ready for her big debut.
in the middle of a contraction

it worked!

It worked! Erin was right; i just had to switch to the "new blog interface" which i dont like at all, but at least its letting me post my pictures now! so the previous post that was held hostage in my drafts is obviously old- i definitely dont have that belly anymore... i traded it out for a baby! so here come new posts soon, of our updated life :)

Because i Love Alex

This is me getting back into blogging, since the babe comes next month (!!!) i should probably get back on the ball. Plus my favorite brother-in-law told me to pick up the pace. So heres a start! At least one a week is my goal. Fair enough, Al?

There is not one picture in the world taken of this little boy that is anything but freakin adorable. i still cant believe this mug.

Jence is a big fan of the zoo, and his momma is a big fan of 50 cent snake toys in the gift shop.

Italia!

we absolutely LOVED italy, and cant wait to do it again, someday with our wonderful friends Erin and Jeff. So much to see, you could live there forever!

Why would you pay to see David if hes standing right there outside? Of course its real!

I still can't believe i didnt buy this ::sigh:: next time. (i am apologizing to my mixed company right now)

My happy hobo. is was a beautiful time of year for sleeping outside.

The leaning tower! And we didnt even get a picture pretending to push it over.

We had borrowed Robs van for the trip and predicted a broken window. Let's not predict things anymore. They got my camera bag (complete with NO camera, suckers) but they did get my journal of FOUR years at that point, the one i started the first day i met tony. i cried. plus a whole bunch of other little very important things like my shewee. what goes around comes around, right? theyll get it bad. meanies.

Photo credit: Anthony. we bought the good camera for me, only to find out hes the photographer. dangit.

my wonderful stisters and our windowless car, which we could never leave alone for too long again after that. we all took turns. it made for windier road trips.

i think becky and i took a million of these. tourists do it all the time, for some reason, but usually in front of famous things...this was just in a tunnel ?

this happens a lot.

the Via dell'Amore (path of love) in Cinque Terre. love birds lock padlocks all along the path. i wish i had one! it was so fun to see all the love!

I had to add this one for my other stister and her wonderful man (currently in S.Korea) Sara + Alex Ti Amo. thats how far their love reaches; all the way to Italy!

We dont need padlock to prove our love...ive got him forever. (awww)

absolutely stunning little villages along the Cinque Terre route.

see? who wouldnt want to live here?

um. venice on my birthday...dont know how this one got into the mix. they will all probably be mixed up. int he cuuute? yes, tonys socks are on my hands.

strawberry fields forever...

more italy to come.. i think that was just from the first of three albums.