Fall Beauty

I miss the fall so much! These photos were taken in my parents front and back yard. Living in Brazil you see summer all the time even when it is winter. I miss the crisp cool air when the sun is shining. I miss being able to sit outside and not fear turning into a lobster. I miss the changing of the leaves.

I guess it's a good thing that I am home for so long! I bet by the end of winter I will be praying for the warmth and sun of Brazil!!!

I wanted to take a few test photos before I did an outside photo shoot of Belle. Of course the today there is an overcast and no good sun :( Maybe tomorrow!

Tchau,

Sara

Not Fair?

Oil royalties are now going to be redistributed across Brazil. Instead of each state collecting and maintaing royalties resulting from the drilling of oil, the monies will be spread out among the states. I really don't think that this is fair.

From what I have experienced being in Brazil most of the country is very socialist. Now Rio state will lose millions of needed dollars to support other states of the country :( I really hope this doesn't effect the plans for the World Cup 2014 and Olympics 2016.

People in Rio are protesting the decision and hopefully they are heard! Check out the article from Rio Times Online. 


Tchau,
Sara

Moving On

Not me but it's what I feel like!

Time to pack up and move on to my parents house for the weekend and week! I am trying to spend and equal amount of time between the two grandparents that way Belle get to know them both. Plus she gets some good lovin!

I really need to try an figure out how to keep stuff at both houses that way I don't have to pack everything up. Little things like a toothbrush, face wash ect. Not to mention all of Belles stuff!

That little monster keeps growing! I can't keep up with what to buy for her :) She is wearing 6-9 month clothes now and needs the length of 9 month stuff. Her skinny bottom doesn't fit in the clothes but she will live for sure! I wonder what's going to happen after this growth spurt.... it's still going by the way!

Off to pack more!

Tchau,
Sara

Always Ask!

My pump that I burned out about two months ago was replaced for free!! I made the call and Medela overnighted a brand new one to me :) I had to send the old one back but I am soooo impressed with the service!

Also Nate made a phone call because our suitcase wheels have been falling off and they sent us a brand new bag!! All we had to do was give a copy of the receipt. Too bad we only had one of the receipts so we still have one bag without wheels.

This is just a reminder to always ask. You never no what you can get when you complain or just ask!

Tchau,
Sara

3 Months!!

Already? Really? Here we go with the 3 month update: 

• Started teething last week on the flight home 
• She is going through a mean growth spurt
• Loves her hands/feet and sticks everything in her mouth
• She is getting stronger by the minute 
• She can reach and grab things now with a purpose
• She belly laughs when you tickle her- I need to get it on video!
• If I could sell her drool I would be a millionaire.

On to the photos!

I can't get her to smile for photos anymore!!

What are you doing?

Classic Belle pose these days. Hands in the mouth.

Always staring at her feet!!

I want to stare at my feet lady not you. 

Your weird noises only frighten me. Are you on meds?

Seriously. You should talk to someone....

Almost grabs her feet!

Big push ups and roll overs now!

Work it Belle.

About the biggest smile I got from the photo shoot!!

She is growing at an alarming rate. We have conversations daily and you can tell she wants to communicate so bad! I guess that's the girl in her. I can't wait for her to tell me what she is thinking. Until then I can only guess. 

Nate is back safely in Brazil and Belle and I are staying at the in-laws house for the week. Then this weekend I will transfer to my parents house for the week. Hopefully I will just be able to switch back and forth so everyone gets equal time! In between family, growth spurts, teething, cold weather, friends and a new environment I try to get some sleep and shower! I feel like I am getting less sleep that ever. 

She was sleeping 530pm to 2am with a short feed then back down until 6am. Now she is going 530 wake at 930 feed/wake 1230/wake 330/wake 6ish/wake 730 for the day.... I am worn out!! Can't wait for her to be done with the growth spurt! I also think that she is a little cold here so that's messing with her not to mention the uncomfortable teething issue. 

All things will pass and I am loving every minute that I spend with her. She has started napping better so I really do get enough free time! Not to mention we can travel and drive around town. Trips to Target and Wal-mart are awesome!

Plus I have so many people that love to watch her. If only I could pump enough to keep up with her needs. 

Ahhhh. Missing the warm weather but loving being surround by family and tons of love.

Tchau,

Sara

Errors

Well I just now realized that all the photos that I have been sending to Blogger via itouch via email are not posting. This means that half of my posts are not showing up and you are missing some cute photos! Don't think that I haven't been posting because I have so here are the photos you have missed out on so far. I have been trying to solve the problem but haven't had to much luck with the time that I have. Belle is teething and going through a growth spurt. Back to the days of waking up at all hours and eating everything I can get my hands on :)

Looking like a little lady.

Fell asleep after feeding and I left her by her daddy.
Don't worry I was in the room with them :)

Drool monster eating her hands because she is teething!

Staring down the frog in her cousin Colson's bouncer!

Finding her feet which she finds fascinating!

Off to eat lunch and do some errands while Drool Monster sleeps! 

Tchau,

Sara

Earthquakes???

Saturday after OSU won, thankfully, I headed upstairs where I could hear Belle starting to stir needing to be fed. While I tended to Belle, Nate got ready for bed and then the sound of a loud helicopter came. Then the entire house started to shake and I started to freak! I called out to Nate and Belle just started looking at me like, "why are you shaking me? I am trying to eat here". Then she started to study my face trying to determine if she should freak too. By then the shaking stop and I kinda chuckled and Belle gave me the biggest smile, closed her eyes and went back to eating.

Kinda crazy that we visit and Oklahoma experiences the largest earthquake they have on record at 5.6 on the richter. Actually as I am typing this another one just happened. It's weird that you hear them before you feel it and this one I just heard not felt. Probably just an aftershock of the second large one that we had last night at 4.7 on the richter. Yep, we had another one and you could see everything shaking once again!

I don't care whose fault it is just stop already!!

Needless to say that these are freaking me out. Not only did we have an earthquake last night but tornado warnings across the whole state with a thunder storm dumping rain on us. Just go with the flow is all we can do.

Take me and my family and friends back to Brazil where it's warm, no tornados, no earthquakes and the beach!!

Tchau,
Sara

Flight Home

Wow. I don't think that I could have flown home without Nate with me. Wow.

We make the four hour drive to Rio and take one more look at our new apartment. Then we stopped by a friends house to say hi and take a short break before heading to the airport. We arrive and checkin without any complications. In fact I made it through security with- my shoes on, milk in a bottle in my bag and my laptop all concealed in my carry on. Love Brazilian security. Love.

She took a small cat nap in the moby wrap but woke up immediately when we got on the plane. I could see all the other passengers looking at us praying that she wouldn't cry the whole flight. Trust me. I was praying too!!

She stayed awake for a long time and I thought she would be up the whole flight. She finally fell asleep when I fed her and I just held her for the next three hours until it was time to feed again. Then after that feed I placed her in the car seat which was positioned between Nate and I on the plane. She sleep until we landed and life was good. Then we managed to catch the early flight to Tulsa and that's when the tired set in for Belle. She had enough but the crying didn't begin until after we landed- Thank you!!

She spent the rest of the day catching up on sleep and eating a ton. Not to mention TEETHING. She started to teethe (is that a word?) on the flight home. The bottom gums are swollen and she won't stop eating her hands and anything you place near her. The drool is a constant flow these days but it doesn't seem to bother her that much.

All I have to say is thank goodness the flight is over and we don't have to make it again until January.

Deep Breath we are home!!

Tchau,
Sara

Photo Shoot of the Week- Tour da Belle

Some photos from yesterday when the whole family came over to meet Belle!

Lovin some GG-ma H

chewing on her hands :)

Her auntie Amy!

Papaw

With Nana

With GGma- T

GGma T and Great Aunt Janet!

My best friend from high school and her new baby girl who
 is two weeks younger than Belle!

Thinking that it's a mirror

The H Clan

Love this sweet girl! Next thing on my list- get my hair done!!

Nana and Papaw with the grandkids

Colson loves Belle and her bow!

We are exhausted but loving being home with family! It's so nice to be home.... really there is no place like it. I am just sad that today I have to say goodbye to Nate for 1 month until he returns for Christmas. More to come on how she did on the flight.

Tchau,

Sara

Goodbye Claudia

Well yesterday morning I had the top most uncomfortable conversation in Portuguese. I had to tell Claudia that we were moving to Rio and that I am leaving this week to visit the US for 2 months. Since Nate will still be here for another month we are keeping her working until mid December and then she will be done. I am hoping that I will be able to find her more work in replace of what she is losing with me. I have already found her a guy that needs help so now only two more days to go! 

I can't believe that she has been in my life for a year and a half. While talking to her this morning she started to cry and told me that it's not just the job. She is losing a family and Isabelle is like a daughter to her. Today I gave her some alone time to love on Belle and let her do the afternoon feeding. Belle just absolutely adores her and laughs when Claudia talks to her in Portuguese. Every morning that Claudia works she tells Belle what a Princess she is and that she is loved. 

To be honest I am not sad about leaving Claudia because I guess I always knew that I would be leaving so I never really opened my heart to her. What I am sad about is Belle losing someone who cares about her so much while we are away from family. It was so nice to know that Claudia cared and really does love her. Each weekend I receive text messages asking how Belle is doing and if she slept better. 

Claudia and Belle after Lunch.

We will miss her dearly and forever remember the help she has given us while so far away from family and friends. I know in my heart that she feels the same way. When we are in Rio I hope that we can find someone equally amazing.

Tchau,

Sara