Mis Queridos Hijos 11/11/07

Dear Tino, Mateo, and Sarah,

There's not a lot to say that hasn't already been said, so this week's installment will be short, sweet, and to the point. And since the camera still has no batteries, we'll have to add the pictures from papi's cell phone later on.

Tino: Super Star-You had a once in a lifetime opportunity this week. You got to play ball on a real live, honest-to-goodness major league baseball field. You got to play where the Washington Nationals hold their Spring Training. Your coach also let you go in to the locker room, where he had put all your names and numbers on the lockers, just like MLB players.

Mateo: Super Smart???- This week your new trick was tying your shoe laces from the two shoes together, so you couldn't walk and you were "stuck". I don't know if I am more amazed at the fact that you learned how to tie your own shoelaces several months prior to turning 4 years old, or the fact that you are playing shoelace tricks on YOURSELF. You are a funny kid.

Sarah: Super Sick/Super Sensory- This week you have been sick. And you do not like the feeling of the runny nose goop . . . running down your face. Nor do you like to wipe your own nose. And as for the sensory processing disorder, we learned that the way your brain processes the sensory experiences is out of whack. Think of a kink in the garden hose. The sensory messages that get sent to your brain take a little detour on the way to the brain. By the time that message gets there, the sensory experience is either minimized or maximized. When we go into a crowded place like the mall or Costco and you have a meltdown or when your brother comes up behind you and taps you on the shoulder without you expecting it, those blood-curdling screams and tears are not you being naughty. It's just that the background noise and commotion is too much for your brain to handle. And that unexpected touch is as if you were truly being attacked and those screams of pain are truly screams of pain and not you just being drama queen.

Papi and Mami: Super Samba-less. Date night to the Samba Room was a BUST. Dinner reservations were for 9:00 p.m. (a.k.a. order an appetizer and diet coke). They were on to us. We have been discovered. After three years of living in Orlando, we know how to work the system. We get reservations for the last possible dinner seating time before the club opens so we don't have to pay cover charge. (Who wants to pay between $10-$20 per person???) This time the system beat us. The club was closed for a private wedding party. We headed over to Universal CityWalk and guess who didn't bring their purse OR i.d.? Yep, no dancing for us. But since we had the babysitter until 1:00 a.m., we enjoyed walking around CityWalk and talking . . . and thinking about all the fun we could have been having if we were inside Latin Quarters dancing. We'll try it again.

Love,
Mami