New Year Holiday

I cannot think of anything we needed more than a break...escape the city, recharge the batteries, and reflect on one of the most eventful years of our lives.

Tidbits:
The under eye shadows are fading as our skin toasts brown.
Swing in the hammock, open a book, doze. I am remembering how to relax.
Georgia proves that she earned her medal in swimming class and jumping waves necessitate long afternoon naps.
Sebastian doesn't mind sea salty breast milk and looks like a mini lifeguard in his tank top onsies.
Grandparents and Aunts are the best babysitters.

2011 is looking absolutely promising...

Happy Happy New Year! xo

Santa's Elves

Wishing you and yours the loveliest holiday season ever!

December...

I haven't had the time (or internet) to post what has come out of the oven in the past few weeks. But a heartfelt Happy Birthday to Manon, Marina, Leona and Theo...
xo!

Christmas Treats

The first round of Christmas orders came out of the oven last week...

Over the Moon

The first bake off in my new kitchen (in the middle of many boxes!) was for João Pedro's 2nd Birthday.
Feliz Aniversário little astronaut!

Moving Day

foto

Tomorrow.
I can't really believe it myself.
I will miss my home and cherish the memories created here...but my dear family is growing.
And I need a bigger kitchen!

Stay tuned...

Little Man

My little man turned one month yesterday...

Só Love...

Livia, a lawyer, requested a little hippie style for her birthday: peace, daisies, butterflies....as they say in Brazil "só love!"

Happy Birthday Livia!

One on one...

Georgia and I spent some quality time together this morning...creating t-shirts.
Check it out at Minas de Ouro.

Have a lovely weekend!
xo

Starving Marvins

When Georgia and I are hungry, we like to call ourselves "Starving Marvins." And breastfeeding has given me a trucker's appetite. So my Mom and I made a batch of my favorite cookies this afternoon. They may not be the prettiest cookie around but this recipe renders them nice and chewy. You won't be able to eat just one.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raisins
(add nuts if you like)

Put the baking soda, flour, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and stir with a fork until well mixed. Set aside. With mixer, cream together flour, butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. Add in the dry mixture. Stir in (by hand) the oats and raisins. Form the cookies into small balls and bake at 180 C/350 for 10 - 15 minutes. They should be golden around the edges but still rather undercooked in the middle.

This recipe comes out best if you make the dough and refrigerate it overnight. The cookies are thicker and denser. But I couldn't wait today and just popped the balls on a cookie sheet and into the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. (I also made each ball 20 grams...yes I weighed each one. I like my cookies the same size...neurotic.) They were still great...but the shape was a little flatter than I like.

Let me know if you were able to eat just one!

Soccer Fan

I am cheating a little bit here as I did this order a few weeks back. But I am actually missing the "whirr" of my KitchenAid.

A birthday treat for a Palmeiras Futebal fan. Happy Birthday Alexis!

Weekend - No End

I am posting the weekend on Tuesday. As I cannot really tell the difference between the days that make up the work week and the days that do not. It has been a rather trying time at home.

I picked Georgia up from school to find her burning with fever on Friday. The subsequent days have rendered my already emotionally drained daughter needier than ever. "Colo, Mommy!" (Hold me!) And I did--all weekend long as she sweated deliriously through the fever. The nights were spent with one child or other in my arms and washing myself down with alcohol to try and keep the virus away from Sebastian--Georgia's frustration with her brother increasing by the hour. Why would I have him in my arms when she was sick? Why won't I let her hold him right now? It is difficult to explain the concept of spreading germs to a two year old with a new sibling that resembles a doll. And more difficult to console one when you have the other on your breast.

And as I re-hash the weekend spent entirely indoors. I realize that Monday and Tuesday have been exactly the same. No school for Georgia. No break for Mommy. Cabin Fever. Tears. Snot. Endless loads of soiled bedding. And little little sleep.

Perhaps a few positive points?

1. Grandma Deany made chicken soup to cure us all.
2. Vovó Vera delivered a homemade holiday doll.
3. Georgia declared her painting from school to be "like Jackson Pollock."
4. Sebastian remains a calm little guy.

Tomorrow is Wednesday. Perhaps by next weekend we will be back on track.

In spite of it all, I still love being a mother of two.

Big Sister

Georgia has been slowly adapting to her role as big sister. Her enthusiasm to hold Sebastian's hand (albeit a bit too tight) and eagerness to greet him when she arrives home from school, had made me believe that she was happy about having a sibling. But her more frequent meltdowns and temper tantrums have made it obvious that she is not completely pleased with the changes.

And I try to remain patient. As her anger is usually directed at me. Testing and testing...to see how far she can push me. But I try to remember what a wise person said to me during my pregnancy. "Imagine if your husband came home with another women and advised you that you would now be sharing him." Pretty awful thought. G has always been used to being the center of my universe.

Today, after a particularly difficult lunch (lots of whining, no eating and rice everywhere), I thought it better upon arriving at pre-school to warn her teacher that it was one of those days. Teacher Gabriela responded by telling me that Georgia has not been misbehaving at school. But that she had been wanting to talk to me. And she, quite simply, declared, "Georgia is sad." And I, quite simply, started to cry.

I was told that yesterday my outgoing little girl went and sat quietly in the corner and wept. "I want my Mommy." I thought I was doing a pretty good job as a new mother of two. And as I tearfully write this, I ask myself.

How can I do better?

A Weekend Lullaby

Sebastian is still confused. Day is night. Night is day. The quiet of the house and his eyes open bright. Just the two of us staring, eating and dozing...I love having a son.

And Georgia? Her first time sitting on Santa's lap. Eyes wide for her, too. The promise of Christmas helps her be a good girl. (works for me!)

Extra pajama time...we are a family of four. Everything takes longer...to get out the door.

Hectic, yes. But honestly?

I think it is the calmest weekend in a while.

Hermes

To sweeten the luxury brand's corporate meeting...

Merci beaucoup Alejandra! Hope everyone enjoyed...

Numa Boa!

My Mother always told me that God sends us the baby we are able to manage at that moment in our lives. And, for certain, He only sends us one collicky infant. And as sweet as Georgia can be, she was the quintessential collicky new-born. She cried for hours and hours on end. We paced the halls with her in our arms and tried every remedy to get her to sleep. I suppose she may have been hungry as my first attempts at breastfeeding were problematic. It seems I produced the skim variety. My doctor's visits were like puragatory. She was never gaining enough and I had to go back every other day for the dreaded weigh in. Bullheaded, I refused to supplement. And we made it through, again, albeit slowly.

And Sebastian? My Mother was right. He is the calm our agitated home needs (especially my husband). He is everything that Georgia (and I) are not. Easy-going. Laid back. I have yet to hear him cry. He is a hungry little guy. Breastfeeding is going smoothly. Naturally I chewed my nails as he was put on the scale at the pediatrican's office. The results: 100 grams gained the first week, the ultimate prize for me. I cried silent victory tears of relief in the doctor's office.

And our days are passing smoothly.

Our family is complete.