Mami in Hi-Def
For Thanksgiving, Jeremy, Dessa and I drove down to NJ! Jeremy always says I turn into a different person when I’m in or around Jersey—like Carla in Hi-Def. The further down I-95 we travel, and the clearer my favorite radio stations (shout out to KTU and Hot 97) sound the more excited, not to mention louder, I get, too! The second I’m around family, my “Que?” turns into a deaf viejita “Ehhh?” I’ve even been known to suddenly start talkin’ out my neck once we cross the Tappan Zee Bridge. Hopefully, I’m still recognizable to Dessa!
Jeremy and I have been together 7 or 8 years at this point so he knows to prepare himself for our visits home—it will be ridiculously loud, we’ll never have dinner on time and he’ll have to kiss more people in a weekend visit than he usually kisses in one month. Dessa, on the other hand, is a bit of a different story. We only go down about once a month, if that, so there can be big gaps between visits. She’s down with the kisses and the pastelitos always hold her over until the next meal but the noise level, well, that one we’re still working on.
Last time we went home we visited my 2 best friends. Both of their families along with their parents were there to greet us. So after a 3 hour drive Dessa walked into a condo filled with 7 Cubans, 2 Puerto Ricans and a Colombian. Poor thing was so startled she didn’t want to say hi to anyone, which is tough when everyone wanted to gobble her up with hugs and kisses. It took her a good half hour or so to get comfy and settle into the madness. I grew up with the madness so I never think anything of it and actually enjoy it now that I’m an official New Englander. I’ll have to train Jeremy how to get into Hi-Def mode so we can better prepare Dessa for our NJ visits. What do you think? Are your family visits home with the kiddies totally crazy?
December 6th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I wonder if we’ll all grow up to like our parents and aunts, loud and just want to overdose on giving kisses to kids who hate being kissed, lol!
December 8th, 2008 at 12:04 am
My famnily gatherings tend to be loud, I can vouch for that as a Cuban myself! I have had non spanish speaking friends over and they always ask me, “Is everything okay or are they fighting?” I have to explain that no one is fighting we’re just loud, it’s how we talk! I know my son normally takes some time to warm up to people. But once he does he becomes as loud as the rest! It’s an easy recipe, put a bunch of latinos together and a few adorable babies and you have a sudden uproar!
December 8th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
LOL! Jeremy always used to think we were fighting when he came over to my house!
And yes…as much as I’d like to think I’m not…I know I’m turning into my mother!
December 9th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
What a lovely sharing! I am friend of your mother-in-law’s in RI, from a large Italian family and the heritage, tradition, and loud EVERYTHING is almost a mirror image…
The first time my own beloved met my entire Italian family, he was in stunned shock for about 2 hrs; as they attempted to feed him, coddle him, hug him, feed him again, coddle him, hug him again and again - he now enjoys every bit of the attention and can be as loud as the best of us…
May your days be merry and bright - and filled with the wonder of the Holiest of Nights -
Joy to your world
and a hug to Dessa,
Ellen
December 10th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Thanks for sharing your Thanksgiving visit. I would personally love that Hi-Def world! And how wonderful to have that much love shared with you, Jeremy, and Dessa.