A Couple Of Sunny Sundays

Last Sunday it took us a little while to realize it was daylights savings at which point haste was made and we all piled into the rusting caravan. It was Mateus' first day at hockey (I've already cancelled the class because 9am on a Sunday? Come on)  and naturally he rocked it. We headed over to the mat room where toddlers and preschoolers alike can let out their aggressions (plural) in a padded environment. There, I overheard a dialogue between mother and son which still makes me laugh. Mom: honey, two more minutes and we have to go. Kid: Aw, how come? Mom: because I'm BORED. 

Into the dented dodge once again and we were whole foods bound to take care of breakfast and grocery shopping in one blow. Then on to the trails near our house to take advantage of the rare sunshine. The stepping stones across the pond are a major attraction here. Mateus plays guide as he seeks out the trees with red dots that mark our trail. He has informed me that he, in particular, has a knack for spotting those markers due to all the carrots he eats.

Some other stuff happened that day but it was a week ago so you can't really expect me to remember.

Today, Sunday #2, began with the Cheesecake Factory where we had brunch... not cheesecake. We then went to the lake where Bianca experienced her first trike ride. Mateus was making good time on his Trek but Bianca had to stop and marvel at each passing doggy.... all 100 of them.

Serious Thought

Mateus has been giving serious thought to possible choices for halloween costumes, and rightly so! Being just 8 months away, halloween is fast approaching and everyone knows the careful consideration required in choosing the perfect costume. And the contestants are (drum role please)......a vampire, the incredible hulk, frodo, harry potter, a goblin (or as Mateus says, "a globin") a bad guy lion knight, pokemon (because Mateus likes that he wears fingerless gloves), batman, darth vader, or a skeleton. Bianca wants to be Elmo... again.

Clowns on Ice

How hard could ice skating be? Well the four of us clowns were about to find out. You see, Mateus has been begging me to take him ice skating for months. Ever since his Gym teacher praised his abilities in floor hockey, it's become his sport of choice.... and it didn't take him too long to figure out it's supposed to be played on ice. On top of that, his friend Aiden, who is almost a year older and therefor glorified as doer of all things cool, goes regularly. So Sunday afternoon we decided to appease his yearnings and just do it. "You been ice skating before right?" I asked Walderi. "Yeah, went once with Celso when I first came to New York, you?" "Sure, couple times. I went with some friends when I was in middle school. It probably won't be too hard to pick up again."
So the four of us show up at the rink, rent some skates and wobble towards the ice. As I'm approaching, it dawns on me that not only will I have to relearn how to ice skate after 18 years, but I will have to do it with a little person clenching on to me for support and looking up to me for guidance. A glance over at Walderi tells me the same thought has occurred to him. We exchange pitiful smiles and falter onto the ice. Now picture, if you will, a family of four, gripping, white knuckled onto the sides of the rink... legs going every witch way... 3 year olds speeding by them. After about 15 minutes we make it the 50 feet to the next exit and call it a day. That rink hasn't seen the last of us though, we'll be back...... some day.

The Rube Goldberg Machine

I have Jenna to thank for providing a name to our latest craze. Rube Goldberg "Machines"- complex devices that perform simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways. Ours aren't so much machines as they are paper towel tubes, train tracks, buckets and string. The one pictured above (the second in our series) is so Mateus can turn his bedroom light off without getting out of his bed. I have to admit I've always been fascinated by these contraptions but I've never really had an excuse to create one. Now I have an excited and adoring audience who think I'm genius.

Also pictured- Mateus "reading" to Bianca.... so cute.

Valentines Soiree

This so called "Valentines Soiree" is really just a child labor production line in disguise. Sure there are cute, little cupcakes topped with red sprinkles, sparkling juices and a red heart motif...... it's a facade..... a clever guise designed to make these unsuspecting tots do my dirty work. As usual, I am months behind on Christmas Thank You cards. I also do not have the creative energy it takes to make adorable little Valentines for friends and loved ones. Why not kill two birds with one stone without lifting a finger in the process. I say put the kids to work. Ok, so perhaps shopping for craft supplies and ingredients, making cupcakes, laying out a spread, preventing rambunctious children from gluing hearts onto each others foreheads, then cleaning up the sticky remnants sounds like work to some people.

An Instant Favorite

Saturday, after my Yoga class, I took the kids to the rock climbing wall again. This time Mateus was prepared with what, in his mind, qualified as the appropriate ensemble to climb in. The Saturday before we had gone, for the first time, with Krissy and her family. Mateus bonded immediately with that wall and clambered up it what must have been 20 times. So now it's found a permanent place in our Saturday mornings. Bianca prefers the role of spectator, provided that she is being properly fed and waited on.

A Day at the Museum

Why we don't go to the Museum of Science more often I just can't say. A thoroughly enchanting time was had by all. Mateus and Bianca came prepared this time. With pennies in hand they headed strait for the T- Rex "roaring" machine (the roaring sound is really an alligator's growl played in slow-mo) and inserted their change so he would deliver the roar. Much to my delight, a mesmerizing half hour was spent staring at the "ball swooping machine", as I like to call it. It's an enormous contraption that lifts Q balls and propels them around like a chain reaction. It reminds me of that cool door opening system they had in the movie "Goonies" that involved a bowling ball..... ya know, right after Chunk did the Truffle Shuffle. Other favorites include the Dinosaur exhibit, the Space Shuttle (complete with count down) and the Discovery Center. Bianca especially enjoyed the baby watching. All those strollers and bottles and pacifiers were almost to much for her to resist. I thought she was going to start hugging random babies at any moment.

The Tale of the Cyclops T-Rex

Once upon a time there was a Cyclops T-Rex and he was so hungry. He went into a spooky cave because he wanted to eat lots of stuff like bats and scary ghosts. He went into an even bigger spooky cave to eat more stuff and he was so full and he had a tummy ache. He decided to go home to celebrate Christmas. He went out to go see Santa and his reindeer and to play with them. They hung out and ate grapes and alot of things. He was really tired so he went home. His tummy hurted again so he went to the triceratops hospital because it was closer.
The End

By Mateus Lima

Play-doh Revelations

There has always been strong evidence pointing to the fact that Bianca is a girly girl (her adoration of babies, both human and plastic, her habit of using my makeup more than I do), but none so indisputable as what was revealed while Mateus and Bianca were playing with play-doh today. Mateus made what I thought to be a very impressive snake out of some green play-doh. Bianca took one look at that thing and began to quiver. Almost crying she said "Eeeew, nooooo, hate snake, hate snake, noooooo". I've seen this behavior building. The last time we went to the zoo her usual enthusiasm was killed at times by her horror of all things small and slimy. What happened to the little girl who just last summer tried to eat a spider?

The Evolution of the Spider

Nothing has made me so proud as Mateus' recent artistic development. He can write his name and simple words such as Mommy, Bat and Mia (ofcourse), he can do basic addition and subtraction, he's an excellent little floor hockey player, he's gone up a belt in Kung Fu, and he's even a pretty awesome dancer.......... but just look at those pictures! They make me want to cry (with joy you assholes)! I should note, the second picture is of himself with Bianca and a Cyclops.

Coco, Hoco, Baby and Doggies Big Day (among other things)

Ohhhhh, It's cold outside. We're not going anywhere, but the energy, the energy is there and needs a direction. First up, fort building. The living room is torn apart in a matter of seconds. Every cushion, blanket and pillow plays a strategic part in our magnificent structure. Even Mateus' Astronaut helmet serves as a "chimney". Next up, pillow piling. Even Bianca manages to achieve a little air when flinging herself from the sofa onto the enormous mound. And finally(due to their current fixation with Birthday Parties) a birthday party for Coco, Hoco (who were named just for the occasion) Baby and Doggie, complete with balloons, tea and vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles.

Bianca the Grouch

I'm awoke from my slumber (as I am every morning) by a wee little voice "MAAAAAMAAAAAA, MAAAAAMAAAAA". I fetch the screaming Bianca from her baby jail and smother her with hugs and kisses..... it has, after all, been almost 12 hours since I had seen her last. I start down the stairs and she spots the folded laundry, particularly a pair of her favorite, far too small "baby jammies". Fine. I grab them. Why break the week long stretch of wearing pajamas. Well all it took was my reaching for a diaper (she likes to have her diaper changed on her terms) to set her off. "NOOOOOO" said with an octave change to achieve that truly annoying toddler whining sound. She slides off the couch and onto the floor. "Mmmmmmmmmm" again with the octave change to reach optimum annoyance. I try to look at her to see if she's alright. "Mmmmmmmmmmmm", how dare I look at her. She begins to struggle to get last night's jammies off. "Can I help you?" "Mmmmmmmmmm". This time I've clearly stepped over the line because she proceeds to bat things off the coffee table, but very slowly and deliberately, while glancing up between each item to make sure I'm watching. Alas, Super Elmo to the rescue.

The Zoo Revisited

We met Krissy and her fam at the Franklin Park Zoo again today. While there, I overheard one of the zookeepers tell an interesting little tale of how their lion came to be the lone, lion resident. Apparently there was a lovely lioness who was the sole proprietor a few years back. They wanted to find her someone to chum around with so they began their search for a compatible lion. The one they settled on was the most easygoing of the bunch, since the lioness was known to be a bit territorial. So during the course of their first few weeks together the lioness gave the lion a few good swats, one of which left a pretty bad wound. Well the fourth time she tried it he tore her apart right in front of crowds of zoo goers. Now he has the place to himself.

We were all exhausted from the zoo and while they were sleeping in the car, I was experiencing a sugar low. So I pulled in front of an ice cream store and waited for them to wake up.

Most adorable moments of the day.......

When Mateus was flopped on top of Bianca while asleep in the car.

Bianca saying "shit" when she dropped her bottle of water at the ice cream store. I beamed with pride.

The Anarchist and the Bread Winner

It was anarchy today at "Little Picasso's". Mateus seemed to be the only kid focusing on the very important task of of gluing paper and yarn onto construction paper (he made a monster ofcourse). I was able to hold Bianca's interest for about 5 minutes by gluing colored circles to form an Elmo head, then she began a series of mad dashes to the door with the intent of reaching a sink down the hall to participate in her favorite past time...... hand washing.

Bianca woke from her nap in a foul mood. She had been up most of last night (and, therefor, so had I) coughing. As much as I could do without the screaming and crying, I do love how cuddly she is when she's sick. She stayed wrapped around me for the entire viewing of "Elmo saves Christmas". I put her to bed early tonight and Mateus stayed up to earn some cold, hard, cash working for his Daddy in the apartment next door. He's saving up for a spiderman yo-yo.

Lazy Sunday

Sunday began with lots of snow and ended with lots of snow. Snow does not motivate the Lima family and so the day unfolded slowly, in a series of mellow activities. We painted with watercolors (which always morphs into fingerpainting, then body painting..... maybe mellow was the wrong word). We put on puppet shows, we chose lighting fixtures for the new apartment, we bird watched through our livingroom window, and finally when we could put it off no longer, we shoveled snow. Ok, Walderi and Mateus shoveled snow, but with the moral support of Bianca and I watching them through the window.

Mateus and the Mandrill

After meeting Jessica for some caffination at Hillary's coffee shop, we headed to the Franklin Park Zoo to meet Krissy and her clan. Operation "Indoor Tropical Forest" was in effect the moment we walked through the zoo gates due to the 20 degree temperature. There we spent quite a bit of time chillen' with the Gorilla's and playing on the stairs next to the fish and a couple of cockroach escapees. Mateus really bonded with a Mandrill, so much so that they spent a good 15 minutes holding there hands up to each other and imitating each other. I really think the Mandrill was sorry to see him go. Later he (Mateus, not the Mandrill) asked me to buy him a Mandrill costume so he could move in with the Mandrill and be his brother. I had to say no of course.

Snowy Birthday

Yesterday began as most Sundays do. Lot's of Pancakes. Bianca and Walderi like their pancakes dripping with syrup and peanut butter. If I had been thinking, I would have put Bianca's fantastic little party dress on after breakfast.

The snow was beckoning so we headed out to the driveway for some sledding. Because we are lazy and inexperienced New Englanders, our driveway had a thick layer of ice underneath the new snow which caused the sled to go particularly fast. Bianca was like "been there, done that" after about the third time down so I set up a lawn chair for her so she could watch our flailing ways in comfort. Mateus stayed to help Walderi shovel the walk with his mighty, plastic, beach shovel and Bianca and I took refuge in the house.

Later, while Bianca was napping, I made a gingerbread cake and Mateus helped me decorate for her Birthday Party. The theme was Elmo ofcourse. When she woke, we blasted some Elmo tunes, ate cake, had "kid wine" and opened presents. Angelita and Donizette came over and brought each of the kids a present and stayed to chat for a while.

Bianca's new words of the day: Baby bib, penis (I particularly like that one)

Playdates, Pirates and Helicopters

We started the day with breakfast at the Brazilian Bakery in Everett and then on to Krissy's house for some hang time. Aiden and Mateus are pretty tight and Bianca loves fussing over baby Violet. Back at home, Mateus and Walderi took the helicopter out for a spin. Then a spirited game of pirate (they clearly put their own spin on the pirate costumes). Bianca learned a new word today.....tattoo. Mateus' tattoo stash was raided and now Mateus has a huge skull and crossbones on his face and Bianca is branded with the Incredible Hulk.

All roads lead to dancing

10 am and Bianca finally wakes up. I've already planned my escape to Amy's house so I swoop up the kids and away we go down slippery, slushy steps to the frozen car. It's a rough start at Amy's. The kids are demanding reindeer costumes made from construction paper and tape. Amy and I put our artistic talents to work with lightening speed to prevent any blow ups because we can see it in there eyes..... they could go at any time. Things chill, Amy and I drink coffee and chat, the kids play noisily but happily. Jessica arrives on the scene and more coffee is made. Things begin to unravel. Tea is made. A full blown war ensues between Mateus and Miranda. Blood is drawn and Mateus is carried, screaming to the car. We drive around for about a half hour, partly to discuss the events that took place at Amy's while they're strapped down and partly to put them to sleep. When we get home their complete and utter crankiness can be solved only one way.........dance it out. (as seen above)