Feliz Cumpleanos!

Aliyah is one! Crazy, I know! For her birthday, we went over to a friend’s house to celebrate; his birthday was the day before. We had a piñata, a cake, and a traditional Guatemalan dinner. Aliyah had fun playing with other little kids, even if they were a lot older than her, and it was fun to celebrate with Juan’s family. We had a good time, but I’m excited to celebrate with our family once we get home too!

A few fun facts: She has been walking for over a month. Her first word is "hola," it's not always clear, but sometimes she says it really well. She waves whenever someone says "adios" and when it's bedtime. She claps when you say "yay!" or "good job!" She has learned to give kisses, where her nose is, and dances whenever she hears music. She still doesn't really like to play with real toys very much, but seems to prefer household items. She now has six teeth, 2 on top, 4 on bottom. She went to the doctor about a week before her b-day and she was 21.7 pounds and I think 77cm long (but I'm not positive on that one because I cant find the paper.) She's apparently huge for Guatemalan standards, but I think pretty average for US standards. We'll find out when we get home!

Getting ready for the party

Playing at the party

These little boys LOVED her, and she didn't mind the attention

The pinata

Birthday dinner

The birthday kids

The cake

Happy Birthday Aliyah!

Welcome to the Jungle...

Well, the first leg of our journey is officially over and a new one has begun. On Friday, Steve finished his classes in Antigua, and Saturday, we moved to Panajachel. Our last week in Antigua flew by and I can’t believe our trip is almost half way over. We are settling in to our new place, and again adjusting to our new surroundings.

Living in Panajachel is quite the change from living in Antigua. For one thing, we went from living in the middle of the city minutes from everything, to being in a secluded little place in the middle of the jungle. Don’t worry, we’re not far from civilization, but if you look out the windows, you would think so. Another change is going from living in a hotel room, to living in a little apartment. We have a bedroom, bathroom (with really hot water-another change), living room, kitchen, and balcony.

We are very excited to one, not share a room with Aliyah, and two, have a kitchen, but these things have presented their own challenges. We figured out that Aliyah sleeps much better if she has her own enclosed room, so although it may seem strange, we gave her the bedroom. We sleep upstairs on our futon couches, which I actually think are more comfortable than the beds, so it works out well. I’m excited to cook again, but our kitchen lacks an oven, which was a bit of a surprise for me, but we’re working around that. The other challenge is that we’re starting from scratch. We don’t have all the normal little stuff you’re just used to having in your kitchen, like spices, baking soda/powder, measuring cups and spoons, whisks, mixers, or blender. And then there’s the difference in food. Things are definitely different here, but it’s kind of fun, or at least interesting, to try and come up with something tasty for dinner.

Aliyah is sleeping better now that she has her own room, and we are glad that there are more places to let her run around. And it’s not all rocks, there’s grass too! There is also a pool and a little playground, so hopefully we will be able to keep Aliyah entertained. One down-side, there are not a ton of people that want to hold her, talk to her, and play with her. She is having a bit of people withdrawal, and she really misses playing with other kids. Other than that, she is a happy kid. I don’t feel like she’s much of a baby any more, she’s getting so big! And she’s only walking; she’s very independent and would quickly wander off if we didn’t watch her. And she claps and waves at appropriate times. She’s also eating normal food and loves it. She eats a ton! One of her top teeth has come in, and the other looks like it should pop through anytime.

Steve is working with a lawyer in Solola. It’s only been a couple days, but the guy is super nice and he seems to be enjoying it so far. And I’m just chillin’. Trying to keep Aliyah entertained and learning to cook with very basic ingredients. The weather is wonderful, and the surroundings are amazingly beautiful, and I hope to come back with a nice tan :)

Our new place

Playing on the balcony with Daddy

The view

We live down by the tall tower.

Pics added to previous post...

Hola from Antigua!

So we've been here in Antigua, Guatemala for two weeks now, and it's taken a little while to adjust, but life is good. Antigua is a beautiful old town and we've become familiar with our surroundings and are enjoying the sights. Steve has law classes 4 hours a day and I meet two hours a day with a Spanish tutor. Aliyah is walking all over the place! Unfortunately, learning to walk in a world where there is no carpet and there's a lot of cobblestone is not the easiest thing to do, and she's got the bumps and bruises to show for it. But she's learning quickly, and loving all the attention she gets for pretty much everyone, other students, hotel staff, people on the street, everyone. I guess there's no denying she's a pretty cute baby!
This past weekend, we also had the opportunity to visit Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. It was beautiful! While there, we met up with one of Steve's mission companions and spent the evening with him, his wife and baby, and his wife's extended family. It was interesting to see the way they lived and a good opportunity for me to practice my Spanish. Unfortunately, we were only there for a day and a night, and for a good amount of that time, I was pretty sick, so we didn't get to see much of the town. Fortunately, a week from now, we will be moving to Panajachel, so we will get to see as much of it as we want!
And now, some things I like about Antigua, and a few things I don't.

Things I Like:
It's very pretty in an ancient sort of way.
Everything is within walking distance.
I don't have to cook. (We live in a hotel.)
The other students are super nice and I don't feel like I'm an outsider even though I'm not a student.
I'm learning Spanish.
The food is delicious.
Our hotel is nice.
The weather is wonderful. (Upper 70s to low 80s, mid 60s at night)

Things I don't like:
The city is old, so although our hotel is nice, it's an old convent built in the 1600's and lacks a few amenities. But really, it's not bad, it's very pretty, just old.
Sharing a room with Aliyah. This has probably been the most difficult thing. It's taken some adjusting and some creativity, but I think we've about got her back to her normal sleep schedule.
I'm not good at Spanish.
We have to find a place to eat twice a day.
The food does not always agree with our stomachs.

So far, things have been great and we are enjoying this adventure. We're learning a lot both in and out of the classroom and are blessed to have this amazing opportunity.

For we like to help Mommy for we all love her so...

Aliyah has become so "helpful" around the house! She wants to do everything that Mommy does. Unfortunately, she has not quite figured everything out yet...Helping with the laundry

Helping with the dishes

Putting "away" groceries

"Cleaning" the bathroom

Feeding herself

Organizing the closet


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

Easters Past and Present

During the Easter season, I cannot help but reminisce about the amazing experience I had four years ago of doing a study abroad in Jerusalem and I feel inclined to share. While there, I came to know Christ and understand His life in a way that I hadn't in the past. I happened to be there for Easter, and had the opportunity of experiencing Easter in a few different ways. The sabbath day in Jerusalem is Saturday, so the Saturday before Easter we had a nice sacrament meeting and it was a special experience to speak of Christ's resurrection while looking over the city in which it took place.
That night, I went to midnight mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It was humbling to see so many Christians from all over the world gathered together in honor of Christ's resurrection, but for how holy of an event this was supposed to be, I was surprised by how irreverent it seemed. We showed up hours early in order to get a spot inside. Shortly after, the building was packed, there were people touching me on all sides. We were sandwiched in so tight and the heat was incredible. There were people pushing and fighting for a better spot, and to be honest, I never figured out what we were trying to see. I expected some sort of ceremony or sermon, but from where I stood, there never seemed to be one.
The highlight of Jerusalem's celebrations for me was sunrise ceremony at the Garden tomb. We walked to the garden at 4:30 in the morning to get in line before it opened. We sat outside the garden for the next hour singing hymns about Christ and his resurrection. This was a special time for me to be in this amazing place with so many people that I had grown to love dearly, honoring the life and death of our Savior. The spirit was very strong and it was an amazing feeling that I hope to never forget. Although the feeling changed as we entered the garden, it was still a positive one. The ceremony was one of great celebration, with a live band, upbeat songs, lots of clapping, and"Hallelujahs!" It was like a big party and it was a joy to see so many people truly celebrating Christ's resurrection. As much as I enjoyed this, it still did not compare to the simple spirit and reverence I felt before the ceremony, sitting with my friends singing hymns.
I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to experience these many things and the opportunity I have to sit and remember them every year. I know that Jesus Christ loves me. He gave His life for me. And He lives again!
This Easter was not quite as eventful as that Easter four years ago, but it was nice all the same. We went to church and later had a delicious dinner with Steve's sister, Betsy and her daughters, Brittany and Karissa, and his brother, Roger and his son, Luke. And it was another excuse to take pictures, so enjoy :)

Nine Months!

Wow! Aliyah has grown up a lot in the past couple weeks! She is now 18 and a 1/2 pounds and 27 and a 1/4 inches long! She is definitely on the move and getting into everything! She is a super fast crawler and can pull herself up on anything! She is starting to let go of the things she is holding on to and standing on her own for a few seconds. She walks along furniture, along the wall, holding on to mom's legs, holding our hands; let's just say she doesn't like to sit on the floor much anymore. She has learned to open the cabinets, but lucky for me has not started pulling stuff out yet. It's time to start baby-proofing for real this time. She is getting more adventurous and will crawl into other rooms to play (get into things) without having anyone with her. She has learned to climb, which helps her reach things she's not supposed to. Her mobility has been a little bit challenging for mom, but she is loving it!(Climbing on a box so she could pull stuff off the table and discovering that the cabinets open for the first time.)

(Pulling herself up.)

(Walking along the walls in the kitchen.)

Another new development, Aliyah is no longer toothless! She had two teeth pop through on March 19th. They didn't seem to bother her at all at first, but a couple days later she got kind of fussy and we were grateful for baby orajel. The pain seemed to subside after just two days, and now we are good to go! The funny part is, she didn't get her two front teeth, she got the ones next to them. They're like little bottom fangs!(It's hard to take pictures of teeth.)

Along with turning nine months old, came sleeping through the night! For the past two weeks, Aliyah has gone to bed around 7 o'clock and doesn't wake up until anywhere between 4:30 and 6:30, and then after being fed, normally goes back to sleep until 7:30. I love it! Yay Aliyah!
One new thing that is not so fun is tantrums. Little temper tantrums have become a fairly common occurrence at our house. Anytime she doesn't get what she wants, like to be picked up, or if we take something away that she's not supposed to have, she lets out a crazy scream and the tears start flowing. If she just wants to be picked up, I often give in. I really don't like the crying. I know that I need to be more consistent about not responding to the tantrums so that she doesn't think she can get whatever she wants by crying, but it's kind of hard for me. Don't get me wrong, she's still a happy baby, but the tantrums do exist.(I found her playing in a jar of vaseline that she figured out how to open. At least that's not snot all over her face. She was not very happy when I took it away and cleaned her up!)

(playing with daddy's basketball)

On another note, a small update on what's going on with me and Steve. This month I turned 26. I really can't believe it. It doesn't seem like college and even high school are that far in my past, but then I think about everything I've done in the past eight years and realize it's true. The week of my birthday was Steve's spring beak, so we were able to go down to my parents' for a few days to celebrate with them (and watch lots of basketball!) (Sharing Teddy's bone, trying to help those teeth pop through!)

The big news in all of our lives is that we our going to Guatemala this summer! Steve applied to a law program down there and was accepted. We will be spending a month in Antigua, where Steve will take classes learning about international law. Then, we may spend another month in Solola, where Steve has found an internship, we'll know for sure by the end of this week. We're excited, it should be a fun adventure! We've also enjoyed beautiful weather this past week! Aliyah and I got to go on nice long walks, play at the park, and even went jogging one day! We can't wait until the sun is here to stay! I have been loving spending time with my girlfriends, we have dessert nights, playgroup, do crafts, and just hang out. And Steve has found some guys to play basketball with again. Life is good for the Brown family!

Happy Valentines Day...

So I'm realizing that I'm always about a month behind, but oh well, someday I'll be more on top of things. (Likely story, huh?)
Valentines Day is not even that big of a deal in our house, but I couldn't resist posting these adorable pics of Aliyah. Other than Aliyah's cute outfit and the beautiful orchids Steve brought home for me, it was a pretty ordinary day.



Right after Valentine's Day, Aliyah turned 8 months old. Along with this came two new discoveries, scooting and sitting up on her own! She had been scooting for awhile already, but only backwards and with little control. At about this time, she discovered forward motion and started getting up on her hands and knees and rocking, as well as crawling backwards. On Valentine's Day, she went from laying down to sitting up on her own for the first time. The next day, she figured out how she did it! We are all very happy that mommy and daddy don't have to sit her up anymore. In the past three weeks she has mastered the art of crawling and likes to play with anything that is not a toy. She has also learned to pull herself up to stand using pretty much anything, including the flat wall. She loves to get up and down and up and down and is starting to walk along the furniture. She also likes to blow raspberries. She's not very good at it, but she purses her little lips and tries so hard. She thinks it's pretty funny, but I think we think it's even funnier. I love all the new things she is learning, but I've had too recognize that keeping my eye on her and playing with her is more important than the other things I'm trying to do around the house. Life may have been easier when she couldn't go anywhere without my help, but I think this is more fun :)