Two day getaway

Last week David and I snuck away for two days......

Ok, who am I kidding? When you have kids you can't really "sneak" anywhere, but we did manage to plan a two day getaway at a cute little beach place that we snagged with a 50% off Groupon-type deal. After almost six weeks of passing around various flu bugs, colds and infections within our family, it was great to get some down time, relax and recharge.

We dropped the kids off at Grandma's house on Tuesday morning and checked in to our little beach chalet that afternoon. It was a great place we'd been to before and we like it because you get your own little apartment with a fully equipped kitchen, a sitting room, two bathrooms and a loft style bedroom upstairs. It was kind of funny when I walked upstairs and saw a single bed and crib in addition to the double bed. It was already set up for our family, so I had a constant reminder of my kiddos. :) 

We didn't have anything planned except to rest and veg. We watched lots of TV shows, read books, played games and slept! I had all the food mostly prepped before hand and we enjoyed leisurely and late meals - something which never happens with kids! Here are a few shots from our trip:

Berty Ocas Apart Hotel - Bertioga, SP
(Only 45 minutes from our house!)

The entrance to our Chalet.

On the way to the beach armed with chairs and a big umbrella

A short walk to the beach.

Almost there...

Aaaaaaah.

Relaxing and reading. Can't remember the last time I had
more than 10 minutes to read a real book! 

Not all fun and games - this is the traffic I had to contend
with after picking up the kids from Grandma's house.

So there you have it - we really enjoyed our time away and the kids had fun at Grandma's house. We are planning one more trip to the beach with the kids next week. Should be fun!

The Magic Sleep Formula

Sleep. Aaaaah, wonderful, glorious sleep. Something we can't live without. Some need more than others - and I am definitely one of the some. My roommates at boarding school always laughed at me for being in bed before "lights out" and my college roommates couldn't believe how much I napped.

So I knew I was in for it when I started having kids. I regularly had naps before I was pregnant and definitely enjoyed more sleep during my first pregnancy. I was thrust into the sleepless nights right from the get-go with Lucas - my labor started at 6:00pm and my little darling was born at 6:45am - 12 hours awake straight through the night. Can you believe I was actually falling asleep in between contractions at the end? 

Now I have two little ones and I can't remember when I got an uninterrupted night of sleep. When Lucas was just about learning to sleep through the night I was so pregnant with Elena that I would have to get up three times at night just to pee.

All moms know all about bedtime routines and nap routines and hope that with a lot of hard work, patience and a dose of luck, the kidlets will learn to sleep through the night sooner rather than later. Of course, that doesn't account for colic, poopy diapers in the middle of the night, teething, sickness, and siblings! 

I had a handy chart that I used for nap/sleep reference and it told me how many naps the average child would take, for how long and how long they would sleep at night. Of course it's not as simple as 2 +2 = 4 and if I shorten one nap, another will be longer, and if I cut out all naps the night time sleep will be longer. If only! 

Some days I wish I had the magical sleep formula that would guarantee me at least 7 hours of sleep. But alas, it evades me and every night I go to sleep thinking, "tonight may be the night" - and it never is. Of course, I know veteran moms will tell me "this too shall pass" and I will long for the nights when my little boy comes crawling into bed to cuddle with me - but couldn't I just get one good night's sleep?

**disclaimer - my kids really are pretty good sleepers - we have just had about 6 weeks worth of sickness in the family and it's thrown them into a loop and mommy's sleep bank is depleted :)

The Start of Something New

In case you read this blog and aren't on Facebook - I've recently been posting about a new venture of mine, an Etsy shop! I had thought about opening one a while ago, and it kind of got put on hold (life and babies you know) and at the beginning of this year the idea began to take root again.

A few snippets of some of my PRINTLine designs

So, without further ado, here's how you can take a look at what I am starting on Etsy. As I've gotten back into graphic design I am seeing inspiration everywhere and have lots of ideas about new product lines to develop. I officially opened my shop on March 9th, 2012 with my first collection - The Bee Collection - featuring a boy and girl line of DIY Printable Party Products. There will be lots more to come! Check it out with the links below. 

My Etsy Shop

My Etsy Facebook Page

My PRINTLine Blog

(If you don't know about Etsy - it is an online store for handmade and vintage items. Since I live in Brazil, graphic design is something I can do that can be "shipped" worldwide.)

Multi-tasking Driver

You hope not to hear these two words in the same sentence.

After all, we did learn that to be a good driver you have to be a focused driver - checking your speed, keeping a safe distance from the car in front of you, using your peripheral vision and the side mirrors, being conscious of your blind spots, and of course, following all the traffic laws. 

So what happens when you have two toddlers safely buckled in the back seat who need attention and you are the only adult in the car?

Here are some things I have accomplished while driving:

- taken off shoes/socks,

- retrieved toys/books/sippy cups/bottles from the floor of the car, 

- adjusted floppy heads of sleeping children,

- fed the kids (and myself) snacks and drinks, 

- removed sunshades from the back windows,

- found, cleaned and replaced missing pacifiers,

- pacified the baby with hand/fingers when there is no pacifier to be found,
- kept children from hitting/pushing/kicking each other, 

- sung endless rounds of "Old MacDonald"
- fished in the glove compartment for a CD to listen to after "Old MacDonald" got really old,
- made phone calls and sent text messages (oops)  

I was thinking of all these things as I was driving into São Paulo this morning with Lucas. I am sure some mothers out there can think of other things they've had to do to keep themselves sane while driving! Since Lucas has started on a round of antibiotics, they have to be given at specific times. So while I was planning to arrive in São Paulo in time for his meds, this morning we got stuck in traffic and I fed him his doctored up yogurt (thankfully I had packed it with a spoon in case this situation arose) while we stopped and started our way down the jam packed highway. 

Of course, we all know the best way to travel with kids...

Why I try to schedule all trips over 1 hour at nap time. 

One Child Home

There is a little ache in my heart and an odd feeling around home that something is just not right. There has been an unusual quietness and just a little less sunshine the past two days.

But let's go back a week or so - Lucas had a persistent fever for five days, and when it was clear it was just not going to go away with ibuprofen we took him to the hospital to get checked out. Due to some travel plans that couldn't be cancelled, we found ourselves packing up in the middle of the night (Elena sleeping and Lucas wailing) to make a one hour drive back to our town and the hospital that is close by. 

The time stamp on our queue slip was 1:00am on the dot. Thankfully Lucas had settled down and he and Elena were content to watch TV and munch on snacks while we waited to see the doctor. After examinations by three doctors, urine and blood tests and an x-ray over the span of 8 hours with two trips back home to try and rest a bit Lucas was diagnosed with an infection and prescribed antibiotics. It was a little scary as one doctor threw around words like "meningitis" and "lumbar puncture" and the sleep-deprived mind is certainly prone to wander towards worry in the early hours of the morning so we were relieved when the blood tests came back positive for a simple infection. 

Unsure of how Lucas would react to the antibiotics and being told to monitor him for continuing fever, my mother-in-law graciously offered to keep Elena at her place for a few nights so Lucas could recuperate at home. So I packed up a bag of clothes and sent her off with her aunt and uncle to be taken to Grandma's house. 

This is where we find ourselves now. Lucas is doing very well on the antibiotics, and has been fever free since his last dose of ibuprofen at the hospital. We are keeping it pretty low-key around here. But it is such a different experience having only one child at home - mostly, it is just so easy to only care for one. Most days with the two of them the majority of my time is observing them together and preventing them from hitting/slapping/pushing/fighting etc. So to have only one is a breeze! It also helps that Lucas is not a fussy sick boy and while tired, is clearly on the mend. This morning Lucas was able to help me make pancakes for breakfast, something that is just not possible with another toddler lurking around (the small size of our kitchen is also a factor). Lucas has enjoyed playing in peace and having mommy around to snuggle and cuddle with him. But there is this little ache, and I find myself wondering just what Elena is up to.

So while it has been nice to spend one-on-one time with Lucas and catch up on a little rest, tomorrow morning as soon as Lucas is up and fed and medicated for the day we'll be heading in to pick up my little angel, and our lives will return to that hectic, crazy, loud, busy, challenging, tiring, happy place - and I wouldn't change it for the world. 

Love you two kiddos!

Hope

I have an image stuck in my head; it is beautiful, bittersweet, tragic, and touching. It is something friends of mine have lived through and something I hope to never experience. It is a picture of a young girl, cuddled and cradled in her parent's arms, breathing her last and passing from the embrace of her earthly parents to the everlasting arms of her heavenly Father.

Her name is Hope. She was only five years old when cancer took over her body and away from this present reality. I met her once as a bright-eyed one year old, and have kept up with her journey only through updates that her parents sent out through Facebook. For the past three years this family has battled cancer and conquered it; only for Hope to relapse in the last year with untreatable tumors.

I don't know why their story has had such an impact on me in the past few weeks. I have read their news as they have struggled through radiation and transfusions and tests and scans and hospital stays. I don't even really know Ali and Bec personally, I have only been on the edge, watching and praying as they have traveled this hard and impossible road.

They have really inspired me in the way they dealt with this horrible reality, sharing details and being so raw and honest about everything that occurred along the way. They shared about the privilege it was to journey alongside Hope in her short life time and I really got a sense that they know she is a child of God. For Christians there is no fear or mystery surrounding death.

As I have followed their journey it has changed the way I look at my own young children. I have cherished more moments with them, and have held them more tightly even as I understand that they are a gift from God, and he holds them in His hands with a stronger grasp and a deeper love than I can ever know.

My heart breaks as I picture this image in my mind, but there is a greater one still. That of Hope in the arms of her heavenly Father, free from pain and suffering, enveloped in the overwhelming love of the one who gave her life.

Inspiring Parents

Well, I think it's high time for a new blog post - considering we are already halfway though February and I haven't posted at all in 2012. Good thing I didn't make a New Year's resolution to blog more....

I'm not quite sure where the first half of January went. We had a little celebration for Lucas' 3rd birthday on the 3rd and he had a little party at school, but we were preparing for a big party later in the month when both sets of grandparents would be able to attend. The major highlight of January/February was my parent's three week visit. So I guess I spent the first few weeks of January trying to get our tiny apartment into a guest-worthy state. 

My parents arrived on Jan 17 and we had a great time together. Of course, one of the main reasons for their trip was to see the kids (in hindsight David and I should have taken more advantage of this and whisked ourselves away for a few days...)

Poppa reading to Lucas on the first night here. 

We enjoyed the first few days getting settled in and I recruited my parents to help with various projects in preparation for Lucas' third birthday party which was to be held on Saturday the 21st of January. In a last minute confusion we ended up having to switch the party to the 22nd and thankfully most people were still able to come and celebrate with us. It was nice for Lucas to be able to have both sets of grandparents there. Not sure how often that will happen!

We had pretty cool, grey and rainy weather the first week, but it didn't slow us down one bit!

Nana blowing bubbles on our balcony for Lucas and Elena. 

We took advantage of having two grandmas around and went with the kids to the Zoo in Sao Paulo. It was a great outing, but honestly the kids are still a little young to really appreciate it. Still we had a good time out and managed to avoid the rain.

The kids with both the grandmas. 

Lucas with Poppa. 

We also had a chance to spend some time away with Betty and Solano, Vovó, Grace and Andre, Danny, Aline and Sophia when we all went to Campos do Jordao for a weekend. We all stayed in a big house that is provided by Solano's University - as an employee retreat center. It was cool enough in this Swiss Colony town that we had the fire going in the fireplace and drank lots of hot chocolate, tea and coffee and cherished the fellowship together as family in Christ. Lots of stories were shared, songs sung and prayers prayed over our two families. And of course many memories made!

Solano brought his guitar and Lucas enjoyed playing with Poppa. 

Armed with a box of books to keep Elena happy. 

It has been somewhat of a Portela tradition to go out for a Fondue dinner when we stay at Campos do Jordao and this time was no exception. We ate a a place called Krocodillos, savoring the cheese, meat and (of course) chocolate fondue in between chasing the three kids (Lucas, Elena and cousin Sophia) around outside so they wouldn't go stir-crazy.

Elena with Nana and Poppa outside the restaurant.
Not sure what Crocodiles have to do with Fondue,
but it was GOOD!

After spending the weekend with the whole family we all returned to our respective homes on Sunday afternoon. We headed back to Mogi for only a day to repack for the beach. I had scored a super deal on Groupon and Lucas and Elena experienced their first beach trip ever with Nana and Poppa. While the place we stayed at was quite far from the beach, it had a playground, swimming pool and (David's favorite part) hammocks hung on each room's balcony. We had three nights and four days at the beach and the kids didn't get burnt at all. Can't say that about Poppa and Daddy though!

Nana showing Elena the ocean for the first time. 

Poppa swimming with Lucas at the pool.

We decided it's definitely best to have a ratio of 4 adults to 2 kids when traveling. It's so much easier and no one gets tired out. Not quite sure how my parents did it with the opposite ratio! 

Once we returned from the beach we had a few last days at home. In between our travels my parents helped a lot with the usual day to day activities that come with a house of toddlers; potty training Lucas, changing diapers, trips down to the playground, walks outside, dropping off/picking up Lucas from school, and the general up-keep. My dad helped us finish a lot of projects that we had on the back-burner.

Mom and I enjoyed a lot of coffee and chats together.
Here we are enjoying a sunny morning on our balcony.

The only way to keep Lucas occupied at a table - CARS! 

Lucas with Poppa at a Traditional Brazilian Cuisine restaurant.

Look how much food is on that table!
And check out Elena's cute expression. 

Now to the inspiring part. I learned so much from my parents on this short trip. The way that they took the initiative to help out with the kids, the dishes, the laundry, the projects - all with an attitude of gratefulness of just being able to be here. My dad jumped right into learning Portuguese, always carrying around his little book to write phrases in and taking every opportunity to practice. It was great having them here because I felt like my Portuguese was pretty good compared to them! Still it was a good reminder from my dad to keep pressing on and learning new things because even though I know and understand quite a lot of Portuguese I am far from fluent and it will take work to get there. And both of them inspired me to take more time reading and studying my bible. Each day they made it a priority to have times to read and study (my dad even reads the Bible in Bengali). What an encouragement and blessing they were to our little family. We are so thankful that they could be here and for the continuing impact they have on our family, and for the memories they could make with their grandkids. Now little Elena sees photos of Nana and Poppa and can recognize them and call them by name.

And now life returns to it's regular routine....