How I Lost My Groove

...having somewhere between 2 to 4 men in my house daily arriving between the hours of 8:00 am (when they should be showing up) and 10:00 (when they usually end up showing up) and leaving between 4 pm and 6 pm.

They seem to always be where I want to be and I'm getting nothing done-no piano practice, no emails, no blogging. :( I am getting good at getting out of my house whenever I can. Luckily, the weather's been nice.

The whole thing's just frustrating. They're always showing up late or can't work because they have to "buy materials". Ugh. Not to mention that they are starting with the inside problems instead of the outside problems (despite the sunny weather), so, if it rains anytime soon (you can pretty much bet on it) it's going to be messed up again. But, what do I know? I'm just a stupid gringa.

Anyway, I'm still here, but barely. I've been playing a lot of tennis and doing a lot of field trips with Pedro. Here're a few random things that are going on:

Adventures in Potty Training

I would say Pedro's graduated from Potty Training 101; I don't have to ask him every 3 1/2 minutes if he has to go, he just tells me now. I can take him out without worrying about it and I don't even have to lug the baseball potty around any more, he'll accept his little seat you put on top of a regular toilet now or even just have me support him. He hasn't had an accident in a long time and he's almost always dry in the morning now. He even wakes up in the middle of the night to pee (that's fun for me). A couple of funny potty training things I want to remember:

1) The George Costanza Phase. Pedro wants to be buck neked when he goes to the bathroom. I try to discourage this practice as it lengthens the whole process. (remember that episode where George strips down to go?)

2) Pedro's Amazing Control. He is able to save up his #2 until nap time and bedtime and then, just as I'm leaving the room it's, "I've got to go, I've got to go." (kind of hard to say no to) He then proceeds to release rabbit size droppings for the next half hour while I go nuts waiting for him to finish. "I'm almost done mom," he tells me over and over. I've started setting the stop watch on my watch and I tell him when it rings, he's done.

Trying to Save The Holidays

Julio's got a kid in his class that doesn't celebrate any-thing. So, I discovered the day before Halloween that his class wasn't allowed to decorate for Halloween because of him. I Was.Not.Happy. They had a one hour Halloween activity (while the kid left the room) and then Halloween was OVER-not to be mentioned again. This is a private, American, international school with people from all over the world, all with different customs and religions, and why an exception is being made for one out of 24 students and ruining my kid's fun and American traditions that I work hard to preserve, I don't understand.

If you're against your child even seeing decorations of any kind or being educated about other people's cultures and traditions, then maybe.you.should.be.homeschooling.

I'm very grouchy about it, in case you couldn't tell. So, tomorrow I have a meeting with the principal to discuss. And, I've already ordered not one but two Thanksgiving projects to do with Julio's class.

What else? Well, speaking of Halloween, here's my crew, all dressed up before the school Halloween party (at least that wasn't canceled).

They all loved their costumes. Halloween's so fun.

I guess that's about it. Hope you're all having a great week.

Margarita's Beef with Brazilian Halloween

Here's Margarita dressed up for her school's Halloween party last Saturday (the 25th):

She doesn't look happy does she? I mean, I know she's a female vampire and all, but Bella was happy for the most part, right?

It's because she's been annoyed for much of the Halloween season this year because the students of her American international school (who are 90% Brazilian) don't know how to talk about Halloween correctly.

If I am understanding her right, they use the word "Halloween" much as we Americans would use the word "Prom".

Here are a few examples she gave me (when they say "Halloween", they are referring to the school's Halloween party),

"Are you going to Halloween this year?"

"Did you have fun at Halloween last year?"

"Halloween's on Saturday" (the 25th, not the 31st)

"See you at Halloween!"

Apparently they don't care that Halloween for us is a day, and that day is always October 31st. Halloween for them is whenever the school Halloween party is, and lasts just several hours.

She even made me go and see the signs that have been taunting her:

So, she's tried to explain to her friends the difference between "Halloween" and "Halloween Party" and they give her the ol' "that's what I said" or "what's the dif?"

(I have no gripe with how Brazilians celebrate Halloween-I don't know how to talk about their holidays, so why would they understand something so very American? And the party? It was one of the best family Halloween parties we've ever been to! I've just been amused watching Margarita getting so worked up defending Halloween)

Happy Halloween! (except that I'm afraid that you all missed it. Maybe next year!)

Pedro's (totally lame) First Halloween!

Poor Pedro has been gyped of his "First Halloween" experience. He had absolutely nowhere to go in his costume. Brazilians haven't embraced Halloween like Mexicans have, so we have no trick-or-treating tonight.

Check out his cutest-costume-ever (never mind that it's one of those fleecy, super warm costumes and it is currently in the 90's here. That's what we have air conditioners for.):


He had it on for a total of 2 minutes, just so I could take this picture to put in his baby book to document that he did, in fact, dress up for his first Halloween.

(And that would be me in my "Festive Halloween Mom" costume. It's some Halloween garland wrapped around my neck. I've got costume issues I tell you.)

Happy Halloween!

"Woman without Children"

We had to go to a Halloween party last weekend. I like Halloween, I really do. But the costume thing gets me every year. I always wait too long and then expect to just open my closet door and have cute, clever costume jump out at me.

It never happens. I usually end up going as a doctor because I have a set of scrubs and a jacket. Why you ask? Because once upon a time I was premed and I went on a study abroad program to Mexico to work in a hospital. I am not a doctor now. (It wasn't a total waste, I met Guapo on the trip and learned I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in a hospital.) Every time I wear it I feel like I have to explain WHY I have it and then it brings up all the old unfulfilled dreams/disappointing my family issues. I just feel kind of like a loser dressed up like what I wanted to be for a while. I'm fine with the not being a doctor-I realized I wanted to go to med school more that I wanted to actually be a doctor-but I just hate having to explain it.

(Like I'm doing right now)

So, I finally decided I will not be a doctor and put myself through it. But, that takes away my Halloween safety net.

Anyway, back to the party. I came up with what I thought was the perfect costume- "Woman without Children"

I would start my transformation in the beauty salon with:

1. A manicure
2. A pedicure
3. Highlights
4. Eyebrow wax and shape
5. My hair styled

In addition to my new groomed look, my costume would include:

1. A dress (instead of the mandatory skirt and top due to constant breastfeeding) that was slobber and spit-up free
2. High heals
3. Make up

I thought it was ingenious.

Guapo didn't like it. He told me I would feel dumb without a "costume". I tried to explain how it was a costume-I never look like "Woman without Children".

He suggested my doctor costume. I explained the baggage that goes with that costume. Then he had several other suggestions which included:

1. A Miner
2. A Pioneer
3. Raggedy-Ann
4. A Woman in Jammies
5. A Farmer (this would require my maternity overalls which I have sworn to never wear again)

This was a work party; I knew the type of women that would be going-beautiful Brazilian woman dressed like Samba dancers or swimsuit models. We are already quite the freaks drinking our Sprites-I don't need to be dressed like a farmer on top of it.

So we compromised. Here we are:


Dracula and Dracula's Girlfriend/Victim (see the blood on my neck???)

Best Halloween costume ever!!!