Halloween with a baby has already made it a much different holiday than without kids. Though I did miss the wild late night parties of Rincon this year, we had a lot of fun just keeping it low-key. I have always loved dressing up, especially in costumes, so I couldn’t wait to think of a new “disfraz” (costume).
A monkey in the jungle with his bananas!
When we found this cute little monkey costume, I set out to think about what would go well with a monkey? A big banana? Other jungle creatures? Then I had it. One of my favorite artists. Frida Kahlo. Frida inspired me in school because I learned the often sad ties between heartache, pain and artistic expression. When I traveled throughout Mexico, her image was iconic. When Salma Hayek played Frida in a Hollywood movie, she gained even more fame and is now fairly well known. Some of her best-known artworks are self portraits, especially with her pets. Most notably, monkeys. And that was where this costume was born.
Frida and her monkey
From there Britton became either Diego Rivera, Frida’s husband, or maybe a jungle tamer or Indiana Jones or Curious George’s dad or Steve Irwin. Funny that a hat or wig can totally make a costume!
Family costume!
This Frida and her monkey
We went out to our good friend Missy’s house for some spooky good food and even I (often not really into cooking) got into the spirit making Halloween themed pasta salad and a childhood favorite of dirt pudding!
Fun times with friends!
Halloween pasta salad and graveyard dirt
Fun trick-or-treating
What a ghoulish group!
Then we went out trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. Aeden was getting a little fussy so we headed home, but before we got there, we stopped and did a lap or two around Art Walk since Halloween fell on a Thursday this year. It was fun to see so many friends out and about dressed up. Halloween just isn’t a big holiday in Puerto Rico, but we celebrated it very well. Overall, it was a lovely and mellow Halloween this year!
With Aeden’s adoptive abuela, Maribel and a random Mariachi-dressed guy at Artwalk
Here’s a little how-to video on my Frida costume (and remember to subscribe to our Youtube channel and ring the bell to see the newest videos before anyone else!):
Where has the time flown!? Our baby has officially turned into a one-year-old! We decided that we had a lot to celebrate after this first year, and that we should throw a party in honor of making it through (literally since I almost died)! Our property is like a sanctuary to us and we are sort of hogareños (home-bodies) and don’t often have events or people over. But we have the space and we also very proud of all the work we put into it and wanted to showcase it.
Before the party, not only did we mow and clean both the houses, but we also removed another section of fence that we have always wanted to take out in order to open up the meadow area and connect it to the upper courtyard. This took many steps, including a tow rope and the truck, but it turned out great and will look even better when the grass grows in.
We also had fun going out and finding the craft stores and party stores around. There was one I noticed close-by in Aguada and just had to check it out. We got all sorts of fun party supplies and then stopped for ice cream. And of course we went a couple of times to the All Ways 99 stores. They have pretty much anything you could want for cheap but fun home and party fixings.
Raising a baby really helps you to see time go by much differently. And it is like a marker point for reference now (before Aeden, when I was pregnant with Aeden, when Aeden was ___ old, etc). It is not always easy and the challenges always change, but I’d say having a one year old is much better than having a newborn! Holy smokes we can sleep again! We are so grateful that I am alive to celebrate this milestone of life that the party was more than warranted.
Aeden Cakes!
For the party, we rented a big white tent and chairs since we don’t really have entertaining space and it was a good idea since it was both roasting hot in the full sun and then we had a downpour for about 20 minutes in the middle! Aeden enjoyed his little smash cake that we bought from a local small business “reposteria.”
Nice tent at the party
Fun at the party!
Memories in the making! Thanks to some friends for some of the photos/videos
Here’s a fun video of the party and highlights of the first year and before!
No, I am not talking about the stock market or the GDP, but rather the original meaning of those words. Literally growing things (including a baby) and going to markets. We have a bit of a schedule and routine now, moreso than ever with a baby. We used to go out a lot more at night with the band and just to hang out at chinchorros or downtown at the ArtWalk, but we now appreciate our quiet evenings with the kiddo sound asleep. So that means our days must be a little fuller. Fridays and Sundays mean market. Fridays we go to the San Sebastian Pulguero (Flea Market) where we do some bartering and buying. Mostly we are in the market for strange exotic plants. Actually we are ALWAYS in the market for those it seems. No matter how much plant life we throw at the property, it just eats it up.
With a new flower find at the San Sebastian Market
It’s pretty fun at the San Sebastian market because we are nearly always the only “gringos” there and so we sort of stick out like sore thumbs. But people are starting to get to know us, greet us and show us what all they have available before we even have to ask. It REALLY helps to know Spanish in these sorts of environments!
Aeden is a favorite with many people at the market including this sweet woman who even sang “Que Linda Manita” to him
Aeden and the birds back at the farm
Saturdays are usually spent back at the farm unless we have something fun planned. On Saturday afternoon we harvest the fruit and flowers for the Sunday Rincon Farmer’s Market.
Look who needs to start wearing shoes soon!
Aeden is now 11 months old! Check out his latest update video
New bromeliads in bloom at the farm
Our avocado that we accidentally cut down YEARS ago, has come back and is fruiting! I am so happy! Yay for guacamole! What’s strange about it, is only one trunk has fruit. So I think it must have been grafted long ago and we’ll probably have two types on one tree. We’ll see!
At the Farmer’s Market in Rincon. Dragonfruit! We have had our dragonfruit plant flower, but it never holds onto the fruit
The Farmer’s Market on Sunday mornings is fun. We don’t make much money, but it is worth it and it’s fairly stable for being summertime. We have made a lot of great friends there. And we use the money to go out and have brunch and drive around a bit afterward. If we make any more than that we put it into buying more plants from the nurseries or flea markets around.
Taking Aeden to Yogufruti after the Farmer’s Market one Sunday
I never knew what fashion tasted like before, but it’s pretty good! haha
During the week we mostly work on the farm: mowing, planting, improving trails. We also clean and do “turnovers” if we have guests staying in the cabana. We also like to pick a day or two to go shopping or an excursion of some sort. Sometimes we go hunting for plants on the side of the road or check out a beach. Lately it has been so hot, that we have been doing everything we can to stay cool. Since we don’t have A/C that means sitting in the baby pool, finding anywhere that has air conditioning and just milling around, eating watermelon and lots of fluids and trying to avoid the heat of the middle of the day (siesta anyone?). The beach is actually too hot for me on those sizzling days since the water and sand multiply the sun’s effect.
Staying cool in our baby pool in the shade like the hillbillies we are haha!
Fun shopping day out with friend Pauline
Stop in at an authentic chinchorro for una bien friiiia
Checking out a beach in Aguada (Tablerock) -great beach for bamboo driftwood hunters!
Fun on the farm! Dad and boy
Man and his horse swimming in Anasco
Not sure, but I believe this is a cupey flower blooming at our house
Britton had a red RX7 when he was a teenager so this made him gasp when we were driving along in Aguada one day! His 17 year-old self has multiplied! haha
He probably wasn’t listening to this type of song back then though (this is a top hit currently on the radio that we turn up when it comes on, and it’s great for Spanish vocabulary!)
Buying plants at Jardines Eneida! One of our favorite nurseries!
At Jardines Eneida. Check out the video:
I call Puerto Rico “Toon Town” and it’s not without reason…Check out this vibrant little house
And this one…who is very concerned with the modesty of its columns haha
Or this awesomely strange creation seemingly out of a sci-fi movie
Driving up the hills of Mayaguez we had a majestically different view of Rincon and Desecheo in the distance
That’s it for the update. Time flies. I can’t believe that a year ago I was hugely pregnant and just waiting for our little guy to arrive and now he’s almost walking. It’s crazy. Nothing like a kid to make time really feel warped.
Here’s a quick little video of some vignettes of our daily life in Puerto Rico. Hope you enjoy. Oh, and I am trying to do a little more with Instagram if you’d like to follow along.
We have been enjoying the island even more since we returned from our trip to Colorado. Nothing like a trip off the rock to help you appreciate our tropical island home even more.
For my birthday this year we stopped by one of my favorite resorts: Villa Montana in Isabela/Aguadilla. I like how it is tucked away and not too “posh” that we can drive in with our truck or old Mustang and not feel like a hillbilly as we did at Royal Isabela. There was hardly anyone there and so we had one of the pools to ourselves and Aeden just loved it. We ordered a pizza and walked along the beach. It was a very chill time, especially considering how hot it’s been!
With Aeden down the beach
On the drive to Isabela we stopped at this windy coconut farm
And at a coconut tree!
The beach is so interesting to a baby!
We have been enjoying our trips to the Pulgueros around the island -these are delicious mangosteens
Our friend John Grady died recently and we went to his memorial at the Rincon Marina
Orchids in bloom -I am starting to get into orchids more around the property!
And we continue to expand the trails to the gardens
Fun at Steps Beach (Aeden got sand EVERYWHERE!)
Our little sidekick won’t be in our arms for long- he is raring to go walk!
Quick stop at Hacienda La Fe in San Sebastian and old coffee/sugar plantation turned museum/park
At La Fe’s kids’ park Aeden got a ride in a swing
Fun scenes around the island and with friend Daisy
With my friend Jessika and her little boy who is close to Aeden’s age
At Indicator’s in Rincon
Lots and lots of mowing this time of year!
And bugs! Yes, this greeted me in the shower! haha Life in the jungle!
Our little monkey with silly faces
Even loves bananas and swinging!
Here’s Aeden’s update video. He has really grown a lot!
