Belle Photo Shoot of the Week

I vow to do a photo shoot a week and post it that way you all can see her grow as much as I do! She wasn't as smily as usual but she can sit up so much better!! 

Pictures again. Really?

Ok I will smile!

Lip curl

I just want to be moving my feet all the time

Taken after she decided she didn't want to sit anymore!

We changed outfits throughout the day because the red/pink jumper wouldn't stay buttoned and it started to annoy me! So we went with a racerback onesie and little pink skirt with built in bloomers.

lovin life

Mini push-up

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday! The sun is out here and Belle had a great night... for a baby.

Tchau,

Sara

Avenida Niemeyer

Wanted to share with you one of my favorite views in Rio. The double decker bridge, on Avenida Niemeyer, links the two neighborhoods of Barra and Leblon, with Sao Conrado in between. Each time that Nate and I drive on this road I am gently reminded of Brazil's beauty. A breath of fresh air from all the craziness a person can experience while living here. 

Sometimes it's a good idea to take a step back and be thankful for the little things. Remember that things can always get worse so relish in the goodness of what you do have and the people around you.

Loving life and all it has given me!

Tchau,

Sara

New Day

I have embraced the 'new day' starting with a morning walk when Belle woke up, after her feeding of course. We were going to take a short walk but then she fell asleep so I took advantage and walked for over an hour! It felt great :) She started to wake up right as I we arrived home but then fell asleep in my arms shortly afterward.

Since previous experience with putting her down results in immediate waking with tons of crying, I decided to just hold her.... forever! I think because she finally got some good sleep last night that today she feels ready to conquer the world. I think both of us are ready for a GOOD day before we have another exhausting day. (I don't like to say bad day because everyday I cherish with her but some are more challenging than others.)

I plan on posting several pictures to give you an update of how much she's is growing... unofficially she weighs 14lbs and a little over 24inches. I hope the growth slows down because she will run out of clothes soon. She is wearing 6-9 month in her Gerber Onesies, which are known to run small. For her Carter Onesies she is wearing 3 month old and some 6 month pants. Well, the pants end up being capris but we will take it!

Ahhh. Great morning.

Tchau,
Sara

Tired

Why didn't anybody tell me how hard it was to get a baby to go to sleep? I understand the constant feeding and being up all night with that but being up because she won't sleep?? Someone should take out a billboard ad so all moms know in advance. Maybe it's one of those taboo things that only new parents find out the hard way...

When I google: My baby won't sleep/maybe baby hates sleeping/how to get my baby to nap/my baby cries the minute I put her down, I get a ton of information. It seems that everyone has gone through this. I guess that is why there are so many books and gadgets promises new parents sleep if they by their product. 

Honestly I would pay anything right now for her to sleep longer than 45 min at a time during the day. Let the bargaining begin. Belle you can have a Porche when you turn 16 if you promise to nap during the day...

At night, for the past week, she has been sleeping pretty descent so I really cannot complain. The problem is that I have so much 'new mom' anxiety that I find it impossible to quite my mind enough to take advantage of her sleeping. In my logical thoughts I know that a missing classical music every once in awhile won't scar her for life but let's be real. I haven't been logical since the day she was born. The lack of sleep perpetuates illogical thoughts. I cry every day at some point. 

I know that I need to chill out. Starting tomorrow bright and early when Belle wakes up, around 5 am, I plan to feed her and then go out for a walk. Hopefully this will help relieve some stress and maybe calm me down enough to calm her down to sleep. ahhhhh..... 

Off to try and sleep. Out look doesn't look promising at all as I sit here typing staring at the video monitor of Belle tossing and turning with her eyes wide open. 

Tchau,

Sara

Now What?

From my Day 1 this is what I ask myself every morning :) Today is no different. I feel I have exhausted almost all of my resources on trying to get Belle to sleep in her own crib which is in our room. She can be dead asleep in my arms and her little eyes pop open the minute I put her in her bed. Sometimes I catch her peeking at me with one eye when she is sleeping. It's like she is saying, "don't even think about it or you will pay." Swaddling, rocking, music, the neat vibration bed machine and even placing something warm down before I lay her down doesn't work. I even tried placing something that smelled like me in bed with her. 

I think she really is becoming more aware of her surroundings and wants to be in all the action. This too will pass I know but sometimes it's hard to see out of the weeds. Already time passes to quickly. 

Today is a new Day. I feel it :) For ever rough day there should be a good day right? We will see :) Off to catch 15 min of sleep before she realizes that she is in her own crib.

Tchau,

Sara

Foot in Mouth

First rule if babies: each day is different. Now she hates the moby wrap and her bed. My arms are being abused!!

One day I will sleep and then she will blame me for all her problems and attachment issues. Little does she know that I will always remind her that she made me carry her 13 lb booty around for hours on end.

Then again, who wouldn't want to carry this cutie around?? Hard to stressed when she smiles at you like this. There is a reason God made babies cute!!

Tchau,
Sara

Rock in Rio

The past weekend marked the first time in ten years that Rock in Rio returned to Brazil. The concert rotates between Portugal, Spain and Brazil every few years. Tickets went on sale earlier in the year for pretty cheap but almost impossible to get. The 600,000 tickets sold out in four days but what was even more impressive is that most of them sold out from people purchasing without internet. The good old fashion wait in line and purchase at a ticket booth. A friend of ours paid his maid to stand in line for 8 hrs to purchase as many tickets as possible.

Scalpers then took advantage of the situation and increased the prices from an original 200R to 800R a ticket. Nate planned on attending one of the days but opted out to stay home with me and Belle. Thank you!! Little did we know that the concert is shown on TV... live. So weird to me! I would be pissed to pay 800R a ticket to know that I could have avoid the crowd, traffic and other craziness to sit in the comfort of my home.

Check out the article in English describing more of the concert and the bands that are playing. A wide variety of groups to appeal to everyone! Such a great idea :) Rock in Rio in Here

From the looks of the concert on TV all of the tickets are standing room only. So pretty much a huge field with hundreds of thousands of people at eye level for a concert... no my cup of tea but to each there own.

Our friend that went this past weekend had an amazing time despite the pickpocketing scandal that took place. Apparently people trained for it and a large group set out to pickpocket everyone at the concert. My friend got his wallet stolen then a friend of his got his camera stolen with in a matter of minutes of walking into the concert. When they realized what had happened the kept checking their pockets only to find they fell victim again by losing their phones.

The police have arrested people and supposedly are investigating the incidents. Better nip this idea in the butt before the World Cup 2014 and the Olympics 2016. Set an example of these people that way no one thinks it is a good idea in the future!

Tchau,
Sara

PS- Funny bit: In Portuguese you don't pronounce the R when it occurs before a vowel which makes Rock in Rio pronounced Hock in Hee-oh :) Always makes me laugh.

Make You Smile

Here are a few photos to make you smile today. Belle being a diva in her big sunglasses and another one of her smiling in the swing!

Tchau,
Sara

Proof

Here is a photo to prove she is sleeping in her own bed!!

Love her way too much. Now I just want to pick her up ;)

Tchau,
Sara

Sleeping??

No way. I don't believe it. Belle has fallen asleep on her own, no crying, in her own bed three times today!! I haven't had to rock, walk, pat for hours on end to get her to close her eyes. Now that she is finally sleeping I have no idea what to do. I keep walking into the room to see if she is still alive.

I seriously don't believe that she is sleeping. I hear all those parents who say there kids fell asleep anywhere and anytime. Who knew that Belle would be ready to go all the time?

I guess I called it when I was pregnant. She moved all the time then and she moves all the time now. Today I have been taking advantage of her sleeping by trying to catch up on mine. Off to sleep some more!

Tchau,
Sara