Heading Home

So long, Brazil!  You and I had a pretty good visit, this time.  We won't talk about the other times.  Such a blot on our relationship.  Let's be more positive and remember the last three weeks instead!

How you graced me with cooler weather and rain.  And wind!  What a refreshing wind.  But you also gave me some sun so that we could hit the beach and drink coconut water right out of the coconut, and fresh squeezed sugar cane juice with lime.  The sand so powdery fine it would fall straight through a sifter.  It's much easier to walk miles on sand like that.  And push a stroller.  It's nice to see that more Brazilians are using strollers so I don't get as many weird looks as I used to.

How you fed me the most amazing food.  The food!  THE FOOD!  Cochinhas (a tear shaped chicken dumpling of sorts), pasteis (fried pastry stuffed with whatever you want), desert pizza, brigadeiro, rice and beans, fried yucca, cocada (soft coconut candy), the best bolachas ever (cookies).  Not to mention all the fabulous drinks.  Guarana flavored soda, grape keifer, fruit smoothies, BEER.  I have stuffed my gullet and have never been happier to be so bloated.

How Mason came here with only one tooth and seven binkies, and he's leaving with five teeth, three binkies (where DO they go?), the ability to get up to a standing position without holding onto anything and how to scream to get what he wants.  Though we're not so impressed with the last one.  And we're hoping that one of the things he gained here, the crazy striped poopy diapers from the banana overload, does not follow us home. 

How you finally, FINALLY, made it a law for kids to be in carseats.  I don't know if your law requires them to be buckled in, though, because we saw a lot that had the straps cut out of them.  My MIL still tried to get us to not use Mason's carseat, but I held firm.  Though if I didn't have the law on my side it would've been just like all the other times.  Oh yeah, we're not going to talk about the other times.  Sorry.

How fun it was to watch all the pantsuits and bloomers parade down the street.  They seem to have taken ladies' fashion by storm.  But seriously, how could you let that happen?  It's been my experience that whatever crazy fashion thing I see here, ends up in the States not too long after, and I don't know if I can handle pantsuits and bloomers. 

How you turn me into a girly girl, even if it's just while I'm here.  Pink fingernails, flowers on my toes, giant bows on my sandals, lots of jewelry, and SHAVED LEGS.  I only shave my legs for you, Brazil.  And how this God awful humidty is actually good for something- my skin looks amazing!

How clean my kids were, with the standard two baths a day.  Sometimes more.  And how my MIL totally took over bathing duty, which was fine by me because they don't have a bathtub and washing a baby in a shower when you're not in the shower can get really wet and messy. 

How good you are to families.  Brazilians love kids, and it's awesome that someone will gladly hold your baby and watch your six year old while you're getting your nails done.  And having a baby means getting to cut to the front of the line!  This will come in especially handy when we're at the airport, finally heading home. 

And most importantly, how my MIL actually held her cool most of the time.  And that it was Gilberto that ended up fighting with her this time, and not me.  (Yay!  Not me!)  She did do stuff like cut Gabi's hair without permission (though thank GOD it was only a trim and not the bob she had originally thought of doing), and would wake Mason up from naps if she thought he was sleeping too long, but all stuff I can let go. 

Brazil, thank you for a much better trip than usual!  You remind me every time that I can get through anything for three weeks, but this time it was more fun than not.  And now I say goodbye.  See you next year.  San Diego, see YOU soon!