Antonio Montoya[1] is a nephew of Josefina Montoya.
Personality and Facts[]
Antonio is Ana and Tomás's son and the younger of her two sons. Early in the series he is only one year old and thus young enough to lay in a hanging cradle, must be tended to by Josefina or Ana (and others), still nursing, has only started to learn to walk and talk, and is unbreeched (as seen in Again, Josefina! where he is only dressed in a shirt and soft shoes). He is a stout little baby. By the end of the Central Series, he is just around three years old and has matured some.
Through much of the early part of the series, he is generally mentioned through his mother Ana's talk of him and his brother Juan. He is lively and smart but very young; for example, he is allowed to set his shoes out during Three Kings Day and understands the story of the kings visiting the Christ child, but since this is his first time he eats his treats very quickly and is disappointed that they are already gone.
In the Books[]
Meet Josefina: An American Girl[]
Juan and Antonio are mentioned when Ana hopes that Abuelito has brought shoes for the two of them up from Mexico City.
Josefina Learns a Lesson[]
Ana had not yet started on her dress because she is sewing vests for her sons.
Ana is caring for Antonio as he lays in a cradle hanging from the ceiling the morning after the floods; when Andres says that hundreds of the sheep were drowned, she picks him up and holds him close to her.
Changes for Josefina: A Winter Story[]
Antonio and Juan wake Josefina up to tell her that the saints had put treats in their shoes.
Antonio says sadly that his shoe is too small; Juan shushes him and says that Antonio ate his treats too fast. Josefina, knowing what it was like to be so excited and eat all her treats all at once instead of saving up, gives him some of her treats.
Antonio gets excited about the fiesta, but is discouraged when Clara says it might be cancelled due to the weather. Josefina tries to cheer them up and sends them back to their room they were sharing with their parents. Antonio and Juan are later supposed to sweep up the snow, but end up using their brooms to play with it. Papa mentions they should stop them but Tia Dolores says not to as they were running around in the kitchen asking for cookies repeatedly. Antonio and Juan are excited about their Abuelito and Abuelita coming over to visit, and Abuelita mentions she thinks that the boys should be educated by the priests in Santa Fe. When Josefina and Abuelita were playing games with Antonio and Juan, Abuelita mentions she will miss the boys when she leaves, inspiring Josefina to have Ana go to Santa Fe in Dolores' place.
He, along with Ana and the rest of his family, move to Santa Fe; he will likely spend much of his time with his great-grandmother, as he is still too young to attend school.
Again, Josefina![]
Antonio is a year old and part of Josefina's daily tasks include watching him for part of the day while Ana does her own daily tasks; Andres brings this up as one of her responsibilities she must keep when she asks to learn to play the piano with Tía Dolores. After her first lesson--which is frustrating and not how she thought it would be--Josefina places Antonio in his cradle (to his young surprise) and attempts to coax him to sleep so she can practice as it was suggested. He does not do so, and she gives up when it is clear that he will not sleep and let her play the piano as he believes it to be the time of the day she plays with him.
After many weeks of frustration and upset in learning--and a desire to quit--Ana comes in while Josefina is attempting to practice the song Tiá Dolores has given her to practice and asks Josefina to take care of Antonio. Antonio wriggles free and toddles to her, and Josefina picks him up and he plays with her braid as she confesses to Ana that she wants to quit and is encouraged by Ana to keep trying--and practice, if Antonio will let her. Josefina says her playing might be so bad he'll cry before she sets him down and, after he slaps the bench, starts to practice the song. Antonio is happy and crows, bobbing to the music so excitedly he falls. Josefina laughs saying that at least someone--Antonio--likes her music. He continues to bounce and try to dance to the music, giggling so much he can barely take three steps before falling (as he is only learning now to walk). Josefina realizes that, much like no one expects Antonio to walk perfectly while he's learning, no one expects her to play perfectly while she's learning and she keeps playing for the fun of it and watching him dance even as she makes mistakes, because he doesn't care and she doesn't either. When Papá claps--distracting Josefina-- Antonio tugs on his pants leg and is picked up. Josefina confesses that what inspired her to no longer wish to quit is Antonio's enjoyment of her music.
A Reward for Josefina[]
Antonio, one years old, is being carried along by his mother Ana on her hip as he is too small at one year old to ride on the back of the mule like his older brother Juan. Tiá Dolores offers to carry him for Ana, and they exchange smiles.
Antonio is left with Josefina, Juan, Miguel, and Carmen at the campsite in the clearing, and he naps on a blanket laid out for him. Josefina accidentally wakes him up and his crying wakes up his brother Juan; Carmen has to take him to Ana to nurse.
Secrets in the Hills[]
The Glowing Heart[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 In many Spanish-speaking countries, children are given two last names, with the father's first last name first and the mother's second. (See Spanish naming customs on Wikipedia). However for the purposes of Wiki categorization both Juan and Antonio are listed with the last name "Montoya," as Tomás's last names are unknown.