Graham's Four Month Fun Facts

Grahams' four month fun facts:

*According to Jason's digital fish scale, Graham weighs 14 lbs. exactly.
*We are so fortunate to have a happy baby!
*He sleeps through the night from roughly 9 p.m. until 6-6:30 a.m.
*He usually takes a morning nap and a short one in the afternoon.
*He is a little chatter bug when we ride in the car.
*He seems to prefer sucking on his middle two fingers at night instead of his pacifier.
*He has many admirers, especially in the grocery store and at church. (Too bad we cannot understand what they are telling Graham.) 
*He is quite ticklish.
*He likes to stand on his legs. 
*He loves to look at himself in the mirror--lol!
*We are still working on the tummy-time thing.  After about 10 minutes, he has enough.

  Jason and I are really loving this age.  Graham is quite a playful little one and is always smiling!

  Graham and I will make a quick trip home on Saturday for his check-up and shots and then leave out again the following Saturday.  Poor Jason is already getting sad about us leaving.  He plans to use our time away to catch up on some rig visits to help pass the time.  Hopefully the week will pass quickly for all of us!



Such a happy kid!

A few pictures by the beach





Shhh: Don't tell Jason, but he is a Momma's boy--ha!

 

Road Trippin' to Rio

  This past weekend we loaded up and headed south to Rio to celebrate Jason's birthday and escape the Macae monotony.  With Graham in tow, we managed to take in a few sights; stroll the beach; eats lots; and sip a few native spirits too! Oh Rio, you sure do know how to spoil us!


Christ the Redeemer Statue, Corcovado Mountain


One can't have too many pictures of this World Wonder, can they? Jason laughs at me each time we drive around Rio, because he says I am like the paparazzi with my camera and zoom lens ready to snap photos of the statue upon each passing glimpse.

  Copacabana Beach

  The Copacabana Palace Hotel, seen in the photo above, is the "Grande Dame" of hotels perched along Copacabana.  This hotel, which was built in 1923, has been the favored hotel for heads of states, royalty, musicians, and actors including: Teddy Roosevelt, Princess Diana, and the Rolling Stones.  It was here that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were first paired in the movie, "Flying Down to Rio".  A night's stay at this luxurious hotel is said to set you back a hefty R$1500 (There better be a tub for that price--ha, ha!).

Famous Portuguese Wave Pavement



Famous wave-patterned Portuguese pavement along Copacabana Beach

 

Sugar Loaf Mountain



Sugar Loaf Mountain is a mountain made of granite and quartz, which jets some 1,300 feet above the mouth of the Guanabara Bay in Rio.  According to historian Vieira Fazenda, the term "sugar loaf" originated during the 16th century heyday of sugar cane commerce in Brazil.  Blocks of sugar were placed in conical molds made of clay to be transported on ships. The shape given by these molds was similar to the peak, hence the name.

 

Spectacular views

 

  Thankfully, we had booked our excursion to Sugar Loaf Mountain through a tour guide; otherwise, our day wouldn't have been so pleasant. While others were stuck in longs lines to purchase tickets and baking in the sun waiting to board the cable car, our wait was minimal and cut even shorter thanks to Graham (the Brazilians are really accommodating when it comes to families with small children).

  I realize I am beginning to sound like a broken record, but the views of Rio were breathtaking! Sadly, this camera operator wasn't on her 'A' game and the quality of my photos don't quite do justice to the beautiful horizons and oceans.

(Note: if any of you plan to vacation in Rio, I highly recommend booking these English speaking tours through the website, viator.com)

 

Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro

  As part of our tour we had a brief stop off at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro or sometimes called the Cathedral of St. Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro, the patron saint of Rio.  Built between 1964-1979, this church is a baby compared to some of its' sister churches which pre-date the 1800's.  Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to say Mass for World Youth Day next year at the Cathedral, which has a capacity for nearly 20,000 people.  Something tells me capacity may be exceeded for that Papal Mass! 

Sambadrome 

Our tour guide said this strip is home to "the greatest show on Earth".  Hopefully we can witness it!

 

  So you may be thinking, what is so special about this strip??  This is the setting for "the greatest show on earth".  Sambadrome is the stage everyone around the world has seen in pictures of Brazilian Carnival.  This is the parade area in downtown Rio, where samba schools parade competitively each year during Carnival.

 

This is the scene during Carnival!  Can you imagine???  Help me to convince Jason that we must experience this!  You can purchase and reserve grandstand seats ahead of time.
photo source: photocommunity.com

 

Graham-Graham

Jason was so proud to "wear" Graham on his chest in the BabyBjorn.  I think that was the highlight of his birthday.  He is such a natural at being a dad and Graham is one lucky little boy!



One little boy was wiped out after all that sightseeing and just ready to get back on the big bus...

 When we first arrived in Brazil last year, Jason soon learned of a Brazilian rum called, cachaça and a Brazilian cocktail called, caipirinha from his Brazilian co-workers. (Cachaça is made from fermented and distilled sugarcane juice and a caipirinha is made with cachaça, sugar, and limes.) So this weekend we thought, why not give it a try? Saturday afternoon we ordered caipirinhas with our lunch and and it hit the spot!  I think I enjoyed mine more so than Jason.  Jason says he will stick to beer.  Anyways, at least we can now say that we have induldged in the national cocktail of Brazil.   I will bring a bottle or two of cachaça home for those that care to try it.
 

Happy Birthday Jason!


Saturday we topped the evening off with a great dinner along Copacabna Beach before retiring to our hotel to catch the LSU game on SlingBox.  We did manage to run into some fellow Tiger fans in Rio!

 
  It was another great weekend nonetheless!  Although, Jason insists that the only reason I like going to Rio is because the Marriott has a bath tub. (You may recall that our place in Macae and most places in Brazil do not.) While he may have a point there and that may have been the case when I was 6 1/2 months pregnant, rest assured that my growing affinity for Rio goes beyond a relaxing bath at a hotel--maybe its the European influence or white sandy beaches or urban charm. Maybe it is all of those things previously mentioned.   One thing is for sure though--reality surely bites us hard when we arrive back in Macae!  I am sure we will be seeing you again real soon, Rio.

Chow!

Buzios: Round 2

  You may recall Jason and I tried unsuccessfully back in January to take in the beautiful scenery in Buzios; but, Mother Nature had other plans for us.  So, we decided to venture back to this former  fishing town this past weekend to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary.  This time around the weather and scenery didn't disappoint!  And neither did the accommodations--Jason found the perfect hotel nestled along the Atlantic coast.  The Villa Rasa Marina is a cozy and rustic boutique hotel with amazing views of the emerald waters and a short drive to "Centro" (downtown), where we shopped and dined along the harbor.  Needless to say, it was a fabulous weekend and I am pretty sure this will be our go-to  place for future weekend getaways! 

Havaianas are the widely popular flip-flops made in Brazil and are sold along practically every street corner in Buzios.  It wouldn't surprise me if Havaianas are the national shoe of Brazil--ha!

  Friday is a holiday in Brazil, so we have plans to head to Rio for the weekend for more sight-seeing and to celebrate Jason's birthday on Saturday.  We are looking forward to another family adventure!

 

Have a great weekend!

Graham's Three Month Fun Facts

Grahams' three month fun facts:

*According to Jason's digital fish scale, Graham weighs 12 pounds and 5 ounces
*He has discovered his toes
*Sometimes he prefers double fists in his mouth rather than his pacifier
*When he does suck his pacifier, he can take his pacifier out of his mouth and put it back in his mouth
*He drools and blows bubbles and puts everything he touches in his mouth (we may have an early teether on our hands)
*He can roll over from his back to his stomach and vice versa
*He has been estate saling with his mom in New Orleans
*He has a visa and passport, flown on an airplane, and traveled to Brazil
*He has transitioned from his rock-n-play to his baby crib (we are still adjusting to our new environment in Brazil)
*He talks and chuckles more frequently
*He little personality is really developing

We couldn't imagine our lives without our little Graham-Graham!!

  

 

 

 

'Exceeding Expectations': Graham's First Flights

  Well I must admit:  Jason and I didn't know what to expect going into Sunday's extended flight back to Brazil with Graham.  Surprisingly little Graham-Graham did quite well during the 10-hour flight--'Exceeding Expectations' (Ensco's motto) of flying with an infant.  He slept the whole leg from New Orleans to Houston and again from Houston to Rio, waking only to feed and change in his diaper.  And he had plenty of admirers along the way! 

  Jason and I would be reminisced if we didn't share our sincere gratification to the Brazilian customs and immigrations officials for the accommodations and courtesies extended to us at the Rio airport.  Instead of waiting in lines, which zig-zagged for what seemed like miles,  officials gave us  preference because we were traveling with an infant, a courtesy we immensely appreciated!

Saying goodbye to Nanny C.  Hopefully she will come visit us??

One last family photo after checking-in our luggage and getting our flights squared away.

Graham's first flight!

He wasn't too interested in the sights...preferring too snooze and snore, I might add!

Our little world traveler mingling with another passenger as we waited to exit the plane in Rio

Before loading up in the van for the three-hour drive to Macae, our driver was holding this Ensco sign, 'Exceeding Expectations' as we walked out of customs.

This photo isn't the best, but we were glad to finally be in Macae!

Keeping Perspective...

  As time in the motherland winds down for Graham and me, I am looking forward to being reunited with Jason, so our little family of three can be together again.  Jason's time away is always hard enough; but, it has been extremely difficult (especially for Jason) with Graham in our lives now.  The plan is for Jason to return to Louisiana within the next week or so in order to fly back to Brazil with Graham and me a week later.   Graham and I will return to Louisiana in late September and November for his 4 and 6 month immunizations.

  In the meantime, I have begun prepping for our return to Brazil, which usually consists of making long checklists of goods to bring with us and combing through pages of suggestive "What and What nots" on the Macae Expat Facebook page.  It is no secret that our lifestyle in Macae has been quite a humbling change from the luxuries we were so accustomed to in Singapore.  Recently, one Macae Expat, Catharina Laporte shared her "parting" perspective on life in Macae on the Macae Expatriate page--her post really hit home for me.  Needless to say, Catharina Laporte's musings have renewed my appreciation for the opportunity life abroad lends.  I  thought I would share her fitting posting with you.

Below is her post.   

Catharina Laporte

"Leaving again tomorrow…some parting thoughts…

I’ve been coming back and forth to Macaé for many years now – the first time I came the Hotel DuLac in Lagoa was the biggest and fanciest place to stay… and the road along Cavaleiros beach was a dirt road… and the kiosks at Lagoa were grass huts run by dope smoking hippies. My how things have changed… Here’s some lessons I have learned about this wonderful place that I want to share:

 • Even if you don’t think you have the body… buy a tiny bikini (or budgie smuggler if you’re a fella) and walk down the beach with pride… strut your stuff, head held high, love your body no matter what age or shape you are… wearing a bikini on the beach in Brazil is the MOST liberating feeling in the world. (Ok so this one is out of the question...lol!)

 • Anytime you are in the grocery or Horti-fruiti and you see a vegetable or fruit you don’t recognize --- BUY ONE and try it! This way you discover and experience the amazing flavors of Brazil: I discovered graviola (soursop), maracuja (amazing passion fruit), pinas (sugarsop or sugar apples) and some amazing leafy green vegetables this way --- broaden your horizons!

 • If you can’t find it in the store… make your own or grow it! We make yogurt, cheese, sourdough bread, bagels and crumpets… we also grow a lot of herbs ourselves… if I had the space I would also grow veggies. What a great opportunity to teach your kids where food comes from and the pleasures of gardening --- in the climate here everything grows!

 • Don’t pine and crave for those things you can’t have (which in my opinion are few and far between)… instead delight in those things you do have --- you are in a different culture, a different climate, a whole different world --- embrace the experience and use this time to experiment with the new flavors, the new culture, and the new ways of thinking.

• Be a good ambassador for your country but be respectful of the host country as well. You are their guest. If you have kids, this is a wonderful opportunity for them to learn how to be respectful multi-lingual global citizens.

 • The only way to learn the language is to get out and speak it --- every day! Be brave and fearless --- speak to anyone who will speak to you --- store keepers, people in the streets, bus drivers – everyone and anyone. Locals love it when you try. Turn on the subtitles on the TV and learn to read the language. Pick a tune you like on the radio and learn the words (Ivete Sangalo or Paula Fernando are excellent for this). Laugh at your mistakes and realize that there will be good days and bad days – but everyday you’ll be better.

 • Be streetwise and safe… because of the huge disparity in income we can expect crime. Dress down and don’t flaunt wealth. To put it in perspective: the guy sweeping the street probably supports his entire family for a month on less than you sometimes pay to have your hair cut and colored.

• Enjoy!"

How appropriate...

On a lighter note, here are some recent photos of our little Graham-Graham...growing way too fast I might add!

He didn't quite think he had the best seat in the house to watch the Olympics...

                                                                                  

I love bath time!

Graham even had an estate sale outing to New Orleans with my mom, aunt, sister and me this past weekend. 
Jason's mom made his little outfit.

Graham and his buddy Hayes Leitner

                                                                                                                                                                                        

Graham's Baptism

  Sunday was a very special day for our little family.  We celebrated Graham's baptism at St. Genevieve, the parish where I attended elementary school for eight years.  (Jason was able to make a quick trip back to the States on Saturday and left out Monday evening.)  It was a beautiful day; and we were fortunate to celebrate this special occasion with our family and friends before Graham and I travel back to Brazil in a few weeks.

Graham wore a christening gown that has been worn by my mom's family for three generations now. 

A special mommy-son moment!

With Deacon Simon-Peter

Graham with his godparents--Nanny CC and Parrain Josh