Video of the Week

I tried to post this 2 weeks ago and you can tell from her outfit and her mosquito bites on the face :( The outfit no longer fits at all and the mosquito bits are another story. Still a good video though!!



Tchau,
Sara

New Apartment!

As promised here are some photos of the new apartment we are signing on! Nate picked it out and I have never seen the place. I didn't want to drag Belle back to Rio because she had a little cough and congestion. He loves it though. I trust his opinion and from the places that we have already looked at together in Rio and this place looks so much better from the photos alone. 

The grounds of the building

Brand new play ground

Indoor play area

Community Gym

Big kid play area

I think the front of the building...

Pool area- it will be nice not to have to maintain anything!

Game room 

Sorry for the crooked picture but Nate was excited- In Brazil these machines are very rare and
 I have never seen one in real life :)

 On to the apartment itself! I believe that it's roughly 1800sq ft. with 3 bedrooms/4 bath with a maid's quarters including a room and sink area. The apartment comes completely bare but we have asked that they put in light fixtures for us and we will provide the rest.

The kitchen... I am downgrading from what I am used to here!

The living room. Nate took measurements and it will fit all of our
 furniture which we had shipped from the US 2 years ago.

View from the living room and onto our deck.

Entry way

Belles room. Notice the air conditioner unit!  Yeah for brand new :)
This room also goes out to the deck.

Her view.

Bathroom... small shower here I come.

Guest bedroom. Come and visit!

Our bedroom. The built in cabinets are a huge plus! This is a very rare find in Brazil.

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Our bathroom. Thank goodness for some drawers and shelves!

I am so excited to move into the new place. Right now I am trying to go through the house and pick up so random things and get rid of other stuff. Ya know the old magazines that you collect and other knicknacks! Nate will do all the moving in and facilitating our movers. 

The company covers our move so guys will come to our house and pack everything. I mean everything... all Nate will have to do is watch carefully and cross his fingers things go well. Then they move everything to Rio and unpack- we unpacked the first time around so I am not sure if we will decided to do it again or not. 

When we did this the first time around our whole place was packed and ready to move in less than 8 hrs... I was absolutely amazed and shocked. I really believe that here in Brazil, the same amount of furniture, will take 2 full days. I hope that I am pleasantly surprised. Also, I am thankful for insurance! All of our furniture was stuff we both had from college and first year out of college. The sea air has ruined most of it so if it breaks in the move I will gladly take cash for it!!

Not sure when the move will take place but we guesstimate around mid December before Nate returns to the US. This means that I only have to live in Macae for another 3 days- omg. I just realized how little time I have left! Crap. I have to tell Claudia tomorrow what is going on. 

Ok. Off to make lists of things to get done in the next 3 days!

Tchau,

Sara

Update

The past few days I really just have not wanted to write. A mini break I guess. Really there are a ton of new things going on in our lives.

1. I am going home to the states next week! Tickets are bought and everything is ready to go. I will be staying until January 7th!! It's a long trip home but it will be great for Belle to spend some good time meeting everyone!

2. We have signed on an apartment in Rio. Which means that when I return to Brazil I will be moving into a new place! Good thing is that I don't have to help move and the new place is really quite :)

3. I have a new breast pump that a co-worker of Nate's brought back down with him... kinda funny to have a guy bring it down. I wonder what security was thinking. This means some free time for mommy!!

4. I have no idea how I am going to tell Claudia all the new stuff going on. Ugghhhh dreading this conversation!

5. I need to find a pediatrician in the US. I am actually nervous about this part because I get so much time with our pedi here that I fear I will be just a number in the US. Plus I don't want Belle to have to wait around and get so-so care.

6. Since I am going to be traveling to the US so much we are going to purchase a car to save on renting one and to make things really easy with Belle.

7. I am really nervous about flying with Belle. Thankfully Nate is escorting us to the US so I am not flying solo with a baby. The company bought a seat for her which will hold her car seat and then we have the bulkhead seats. The bulkhead seats are the seats that usually are sold for extra leg room but when you have a baby they place a bassinet on the wall. I wonder if she will even fit??

8. I am really nervous about spending the winter in the US. Brazil has warmed my blood so much I don't know if I can handle it!!

9. I am in desperate need of new clothes.... my yoga pants don't fit anymore because my prego belly stretched them out way too much. Belle also needs new clothes so it looks like I will be shopping quite a bit when I get home.

10. Oh, something random. Nate is starting to get grey hair!! I love it :) I bet that it's coming faster now that he has a sweet baby girl to look after!

That's all I got for now. I promise to keep up with the news this week and post pictures of our new place!

Off to get some sun before I head back to the US and get some alone time! Nate has Belle duty so he is going to do the feeding- wish him luck!

Tchau,
Sara

Photo Shoot of the Week

Then and Now

Where did all the time go?

Isabelle then:

And now:

Crazy Hair

I want her to grow but I don't at the same time!! I feel like I have blinked and now she is so grown up :( love her all the same though!!

Tchau,

Sara

Say What?

This is Belle in her 6 month footed sleeper... She still needs to fill it out bit the length is almost to small. She has completely grown out of the 3 month sleepers. Good thing we are going home soon because she's going to grow out of everything here!

Tchau,
Sara

Trying to crawl

Video for the Week! I finally have it figured out :) Here is Belle doing tummy time but working her legs and arms.




Tchau,
Sara

No Translation??

Cavalo is horse....

This is why if you don't know the word you don't eat it :) Look at the last thing on the menu. I saw the listing on the Portuguese side and wanted to know how it translated in English. Turns out they didn't want it translated in English..... Cavalo is horse.

This is at the Sheraton in Rio. From what I have heard the cut of meat is really tough but I think I will pass this time around.

Tchau,

Sara

Watch Belle Grow

My friend Carol made this video from the pictures in the blog. It's crazy to see how small she was and how fast life is passing by. Thanks Carol!! 

Hope you all enjoy this as much as I did.

Tchau,

Sara

No you try it...

Everything except the gas drops that we have tried before Belle has!

I have made a habit of trying everything that Belle has take as in medicine and vitamins. Don't worry, I am not alone. I make Nate try it too! Last week when we had to give her Tylenol we both tried it and I about gagged because it leaves a nasty after taste. Belle didn't seem to mind the first time and I am pretty sure it's because she was just shocked and curious. The second time around who know how much actually made it into her system. I am amazed that she able to just hold it in her mouth and then let it slip out the corner of her mouth.

Before the Tylenol there was the Gas drops which taste like chalk but Belle seems to like. I don't give them to her very often because I don't think they work at all. So I break them out when I have exhausted all resources as to why she is crying :)

Next on the list is her vitamins. The Pedi prescribed a multi-vit and some iron drops. Previous experience on giving these to babies in the NICU made me not want to give these to her. I broke down though and decided that with the research I have done it really can't hurt and only helps her health.

I actually dreaded trying these and I swore that if I couldn't stomach it then I wouldn't give them to her at all. Turns out they are not too bad! The multi-vit taste like something fruity with a sour after kick and the iron drops taste almost like chocolate.

Nate and I can't place specifically what the iron taste like so he kept tasting it to figure out :) I say chocolate though...

The hard part comes into play with giving these to her and when is the right time. Your not supposed to take iron with calcium (milk) because it can actually cause you to lose more iron. Well her diet is strictly milk..... so I have started giving it to her an hour after she eats because she won't eat again for another 1 to 2 hours.

If they start upsetting her tummy then I will stop with the iron first and then she if it helps. If not the I will discontinue them all together. Ahh the joys of motherhood and being the final decision maker for another human life. Talk about stress :)

Tchau,

Sara

It's Official

Belle now has dual citizenship! We went and picked up her Brazilian Passport on Monday and we have already received her US birth certificate and passport in the mail shockingly!

This means that she can leave the country at anytime now. We are planning a visit mid November until mid January. Nate will only be able to escort me home spend a weekend and then return to Brazil until December when he will visit for a few weeks.

I am so excited to visit home. This is the longest that I have been in Brazil without returning home so I am definitely ready to see friends and family! Belle is ready to meet all of the family and friends too! I really just cannot wait for everyone to meet her. I am so in love and I know that they will be too.

This also means that I will get to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with family! I don't know if this post can handle any more exclamation points :)

We have yet to purchase tickets and we should know the return date sometime next week. Looking forward to seeing everyone!!

Tchau,
Sara

Post Prego Workout Begins

Ummm yeah. It's about that time that I stop putting off working out because I had a c-section or I am too busy. Let's get real. I just don't want to start! I am soooo out of shape and I fear what will take happen once I start to raise my heart rate! 

All good things must come to an end and I can no longer continue to wear yoga pants 24/7 because nothing fits. Today I am starting the 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels. I did these before my wedding and I loved the results. Plus she does a ton of work on arms and that will help me carry around the ever growing Belle. 

Luckily these workouts are only 20 min and I can do them when Belle is awake or doing one of her little cat naps (since she doesn't nap for more than 30 min at a time). I am hoping that my arms are already conditioned a little bit from carrying Belle around. I guess we will see!

I have about 5lbs to go until I am back to the normal pre-prego weight. Unfortunately the weight really isn't the problem. All the extra softness in the middle area concerns me the most. I fear that even when I do make weight that my regular jeans still will not fit. 

Uggghhh. I guess I better stop typing and start working out!!

Tchau,

Sara

More photos!

I have been trying all week to get video of her laughing and babbling but she stops when the camera is on her. I think she sees he reflection and gets distracted. Any way Blogger won't let me post it!! I will keep trying but until the here are some more pictures!

Tchau,
Sara

Photo Shoot of the Week

Belle and Dad

Love both of their blue eyes.

Look how long she is now!!

Talking is out

Mom what are you doing?

What did you say to me dad?

Really! I can have a car!!

But I want one!!!

Mom, will you let me have one??

Just love her pouty face! She sure can work the lower lip. I already want to give her whatever she wants but add the lip and I don't hold a chance to say no :) Dad doesn't either! We really are in soooo much trouble!

Have a great Monday! 

Tchau,

Sara