Rio Bound

Rio- Not where will be moving though. 

Nate and I have made the decision to stay here in Brazil for another couple of years. A new opportunity for Nate turned up in Rio, with the same company, and we feel that it is a great move for our family. Who knows how long this will put us in Brazil but I am excited for the change.

Not that Nate travels very much now but after we move to Rio his travel will decrease even more. This is great news since we have a new little family! Working in an office coming home each night for dinner couldn't be any more perfect.... well if we had the rest of our family to join us then it would. Guess you can't have it all. One day though.

After spending a month in Rio I found several girls to hang out with in the area that we will be moving. One of them has a little boy about 9 months older than Belle. Yea- a friend for Belle! Another thing to be excited about is that I will be getting a CAR!!!

Next week we plan to look at apartments with a real estate agent. After we find an apartment then we will have to meet with movers to pack up our place and move it to Rio. I am kinda curious about how Brazil will handle moving all our stuff. Hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised! 

What does this mean to you? Tons of funny stories and new adventures! Plus I will planing more trips home to see the family with Belle. 

Let the adventure continue!

Tchau,

Sara

Another Poop Story

When will I learn to never trust a Belle fart? It seemed so innocent as I was feeding her. I kinda smiled until I suddenly felt like I wet my pants. Yep. She soaked me. What do you do in this situation. Clean the baby or clean yourself??? Ugghh!! Needless to say Nate was woken up from his slumber so I could take a shower. 

Who me? I didn't do anything milk lady.

I fear that all my funny stories will involve number 2 now and I really am scared. The adventure of being a parent.

Tchau,

Sara

Noise Pollution

Only when you have a baby do you realize how loud the world is around you. We live on a pretty busy street traffic wise. Not to mention we hear the waves crashing into the shore in every room of our house. Add those noises plus the yappy dogs next door and the guy who drives around with a speaker strapped to the hood of his car and you have one loud environment. 

You also notice every floor board that creaks. Every knuckle that's cracked. Every cough, sneeze and fart. Each time a loud noise occurs my eyes dart immediately to the sleeping baby. More time than not she hears it and her cute little eyes pop open and look around to see what the commotion is. Then the process of getting her back to sleep starts all over.

I dream of sitting in my living room with a bb gun and a bag of golf balls to pelt anyone not meeting my noise tolerance. The first to go down will be the dogs next door. They don't bark at night but keep Belle up when she is trying to nap. Sorry to say but the bread guy with the clown horn on his bike has to be next. Then, random guy riding is horse drawn carriage down the street in the middle of the night. Can't forget about speaker guy... I might have to use a real gun with him. 

I just hope that she eventually gets used to all these noises and sleeps like a champ down the road. If all the work we are putting into it now says anything she will be able to sleep through the next world war.

Luckily as I write this she is sleeping and I am on high alert for loud noises. Saturdays are usually pretty rough with all the traffic heading to the beach. Wish us luck!

Tchau,

Sara

2 Month Update

Monday, after the diaper explosion, we made it to her appointment where she got her vaccines. Brazil follows the normal schedule with Tuberculosis being the only difference. The next appointment she will get the TB vaccine that way she didn't have to get poked 3 times in one day. Instead she received a shot in each leg and an oral vaccine. Thankfully combination vaccines exist or she/I would have been miserable. Of course she screamed bloody murder and Nate and I almost lost it. I teared up but forced the cry down because I knew her pain would be over fast and she needs these. Right after her shots I gave her the pacifier and held her while she fell asleep in my arms. Such a big girl.

That night she had a little bit of a temp but nothing to worry about. The pain that she had was a little much so we gave her Tylenol, per Dr's orders, and she calmed down pretty fast. It was heart breaking to see her in such pain and hurting. 

Her weight was up to 5.5kg/12.1lbs and her height up to 60cm/24in. Can you believe that she is 2ft long already?? Why does she have to grow so fast? Check out the 2 month photos below.

Seriously uninterested in what's going on.

All she wanted to do was play with her hands.

Love her eyes!

Trying to find her thumb but without success. 

She opts for her entire fist instead :)

Laughing in her swing holding her plastic keys. Ready for a car dad....

So intent.

Belle's likes:

Looking at everything

Wants to stand and doesn't want to be held very much anymore.

Loves to look at the TV- She doesn't get to do this often but after her shots it was the only thing that would calm her down that evening.

Laughing and smiling at her mom and dad

Bath Time

She is just growing way to fast. I really cannot keep up with all her changes! It seems that every single day something new happens or she finds something else new to stare at. These days are going by so fast!

Tchau,

Sara

Let the Crazy Happy Begin

The morning started bright and early with Belle rising with the sun's first rays. A quick feed, diaper change and pass off to dad allowed me to take a nice hot shower before the four hour drive to Rio. We left the house on time and diaper bag packed for the day. Shortly after the drive began Belle fell asleep, yeah for morning nap, and awoke mid way to feed and bathroom break for all. By the time we got to Rio the day was half way over.

Feeling confident that the day started out well we stopped by Nate's office to show off Belle and say hi to everyone. Why should I have brought the diaper bag in for such a short amount of time? We only planned on walking in and out. Lesson be learned. The moment you are without diapers and wipes you will automatically need them. Why did we have to learn the hard way?

Close to the end of the showing off I passed Belle to Nate because she was getting so heavy. Immediately she begins to pass gas..... keeps going.... keeps going.... done? I laugh but then quickly realize that she might be having a blowout as we speak. I lift up the back of her nicely pressed pink flower dress to find number 2 literally bubbling out the diaper. With my cat like reflexes I cup my hand to catch the overflow. Yes, you heard correct. I cupped my hand to catch the overflow.

Shouting several inconceivable commands at Nate left him confused at the seriousness of the problem. Then, assuming he felt the wet on his hand, we moved like a potato sack team to the nearest empty room. Of course only after excusing ourselves from whom we were talking to. Once into the empty room I felt like NASA trying to figure out how to proceeded when placed with the impossible.

With her dress still held away from disaster and my hand cupped full of shit, Nate laid her on an empty desk while I placed a blanket beneath her. He then ran to the car to get the diaper bag while I patiently maintained her side lying position. A couple of people popped their heads in to check on us and thank God that the mess was turned away and all they could see was her cute little smile. I dry heaved a little at the site of the mess and tried not to think about my hand.

Once Nate arrived the surgery began. Quick methodical removal of the diaper and blanket involved teamwork good enough to win the Superbowl. Behold our clean child with dress still intact along with bloomers intact as well. Disaster averted!

We both laughed at what just happened and Belle joined in to which made it all worth it. We then looked at each other and decided that now would be a good time to leave and head off to her appointment!!

Can you believe it? Holy Belle :) The only casualty was the blanket but I could have cared less at that point. Nobody in the office even had a clue what was going on and the three of us walked out clean and happy!

I just know that this will be the first of many instances where things deviate from the plan. What great laughs and family memories life holds!

Tchau,
Sara

PS- later I will post about the doctors visit and all her vaccines.

Good Job Belle!

While she had pain last night and tons of tears she made it through. I ended up sleeping with her and she got great sleep! This morning, despite a low grade fever, she is her normal smiling little self!! Later today I will post about yesterday.... Funny story to come!

Tchau,
Sara

2 Month Pedi Apt

We are off to Rio for Belle's 2 month check up and I am nervous to get her vaccines!! I wasn't like this when she got her 2 week shot but now I think we have bonded a little more. I bet this will be the first of Manu where this is harder for me than her :( wish us all luck.

Tchau,
Sara

Sara

Night Lights

They work! This photo was taken from my iTouch without any flash... You can see the ocean and all of the beach!! I bet so many people take advantage of the safety and run/walk at night now.

Tchau,
Sara

Beach Path Lighting

Since we returned to Macae after Belle was born the beach path has been torn to *&%$. Bright orange temporary plastic fencing blocked the path from street entrance. Leave it to the pissed off runners, walkers and beach goers to tear down the fence to access the path and beach. At first, the construction seemed to go along without direction and now it's pretty clear that they are replacing all of our lighting along the beach path in Praia Campista. 

I would have liked to see them fix the torn up beach path that was destroyed by the waves over 6 months ago along Praia Picado and Praia Caveleiros but I assume that this project was already set in motion. 

The guy standing by the orange fence is a city worker trying to repair it :)

The blue light poles are going to be torn down and replaced with the yellow poles.

Surprised these made it intact through the night. Yesterday the city workers laid out all the lights and left them so they could finish today.

Part of the yellow pole set up. The lights will be placed on later today.

Since the project is proceeding I really hope that the new lighting doesn't shine directly into my bedroom window anymore! I also think that part of the beach will be lit up. Maybe since this happens to be the only beach in Macae that isn't destroyed they are trying to build it up? Who knows what the real reason is behind the construction. I just hope it works and the power outages cease.

Tchau,

Sara

Story Time

I am so impressed with her head control! I thought he neck would be floppy forever but she seems to be running through that phase and I love it! Now she is getting tummy time, strength training, visual stimulation and a little alone time. Love this morning!

Tchau,
Sara