Chopsticks Master

Tonight Zaiya mastered the art of the chopsticks! She’s pretty darn quick too. Next task is to catch a fly. Haha!
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Circles

Today we were drawing on the driveway with sidewalk chalk and Zaiya drew her first intentional circle. She told me to draw a circle then drew her own saying “circle, mais (more in Portuguese) circles.” I know this sounds small but it’s so cool watching my girl develop new skills. This is why I love being a stay at home mom so much. Every single one of these moments. Every smile, giggle and even tantrum. The good, bad and ugly are all mine and hers and I’d never trade it for anything.
We also hung out at the Guilford green with friends this morning.

Those kiddos crack me up!
We are LOVING the warm weather finally! We spent the afternoon running around and playing in our yard. Life is good!

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Dislocated elbow

At the beginning of Spanish class my poor munchkin fell forwards when she was standing up. It wasn’t super hard and she was overtired so I didn’t think too much of the extra tears. But then she kept crying and crying and saying “boo boo hand.”
After class we went home and I kept an eye on her. I moved her wrist around and no tears so I knew it wasn’t broken. She wasn’t using her hand to pick up anything and was crying when she moved it on her own though so I was starting to really worry.
I called the doctor and they said to bring her in right away. The thoughts of broken bones and x-rays crossed my mind and I felt sick to my stomach. Having my heart walk around outside of my body is hard enough. Seeing that heart crying with a boo boo that could be major and longer lasting is gut wrenching.
We got to the doctor and Zaiya had fallen asleep. She woke up to her bending her elbow up and back in place. That’s when we learned it wasn’t her wrist at all she had dislocated her elbow! I didn’t even think about the rest of her arm. Thank goodness we went in. We went to try to get her to play in the waiting room using that arm. It was still hurting her after 10 minutes so the doctor popped it back in one more time. That one seemed to do the trick. She’s doing a lot more with the arm. It’s definitely still tender but she should be better within a few hours. So that means she gets to watch baby tv and snuggle with mommy to lay low today.

She still has that beautiful smile and positive attitude. I love this girl SO much! Fingers crossed that by tomorrow she’s completely back to normal or we have to go back in. Crazy how things change in the blink of eye!
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Egg Hunt 2015

Today Zaiya took part in a super fun egg hunt at our friends house. I took better pictures with my “real” camera but am terrible at uploading them so I don’t know why I bother haha!

Zaiya had so much playing with new and old friends. I had such a great time catching up with friends and meeting new mommies too! Apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. 😄
Of course having our besties there made it all the more fun!

Check out this girls dress! She put it on herself this morning.

After a fun filled morning and afternoon we had our first mani pedi session of the season haha!

When time for bed came the new Dora underwear HAD to be worn under and over the pjs haha!

I love this girly so much! I’m super excited for Easter tomorrow! Every day brings more love, surprises and adventures.
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Where ya going?

Zaiya was riding her bike in the driveway when all the sudden she jumped off and started running through the yard. She was on a mission!!
When I finally got her to tell me where she was going she answered, “Pool Mommy!” She spotted the neighbors pool and wanted to go in it so badly. We got all the way to the edge of their yard so I could lift her and show her the water was frozen. She didn’t care. Instead I distracted w jumping in puddles and going for a walk haha!
She has asked a few times since and can’t WAIT for swimming season again.
Me too Zaiya. Me too ☀️☀️☀️☀️

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Library Time

On Wednesdays we go to the Guilford library for Tots and Tunes and then play afterwards.

Zaiya loves to sing and dance so this class is perfect for her.

It is a purple kinda day haha!

After playing a little we also stay for Book Nook time.

A super fun morning with my girl!

(She picks out her clothes every day. I was excited how much this matched. Don’t even get me started on my excitement over the headband! She wore it all day toooo!)
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Life is a beach (Peruibe Brazil)

Last weekend we stayed with friends at their beach house. Actually I went with Zaiya first because Ede had a fishing trip planned all day on Saturday and I didn’t want to be stuck home. I’m SO happy to have friends here! Most of them have been to visit us in the USA so Zaiya also knows them well and was in heaven there right away.

We spent most of the days in the pool which turns into bath water because it’s so hot very quickly. Then around 6pm when it’s not crazy hot we headed to the beach.

My girl LOVES the beach.

She gets it from both of us. I adore the beach and couldn’t ever live far from it.

The mountains around the beaches here are so breathtaking. The pictures don’t even do a little justice to the real thing.

I had no wifi and it was actually quite freeing and relaxing to go unplugged for a bit. We lounged around, chit chatted and ate yummy food. The life of the beach is the life for me haha!

On the last night there we headed to the beach again. This time with Ede.

Watching all the special father and daughter moments truly melted my heart.

This is what family and love is all about.

Our little family.

As I stood there breathing in the salty air I knew this would be a day I would remember forever. These moments on the beach. Hearing her squeal with happiness running in and out of the waves with her daddy, digging in the sand and showering us with kisses. Being away from home is HARD for 30 days but moments like these make it all worth it.

Thanks again to our friends for having us! It was fantastic.

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Pastel Tuesday

Every Tuesday there’s a farmers market right outside of Ede’s moms road. They make these super delicious pastels that I look forward to each week.

Zaiya LOVES them too! Along with it we also get Caldo de Cana which is pure sugar cane ground right in front of you. It’s to die for!!

Of course the whole family goes too!

Zaiya with all of her cousins is the cutest thing ever!!

A super fun morning!
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Future hairdresser?

She does mommy’s hair too!

And her own haha!

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Zaiya is 18months old!

I’m not sure how this happened! I swore not to blink! My itty bitty baby is now a year and a half. What an amazingly wonderful year and a half it’s been though.
My little peanut is still wearing 12 month clothes and weighing in around 19pds. I can only put leggings on you because everything falls off your booty haha!

Leggings are super cute though!!
You LOVE to talk. This we’ve known since you were really young but you have a ridiculously large vocabulary. The coolest part is that you are Quadrilingual. You understand and speak English,Spanish,Portuguese and sign language. It has not slowed you down a bit learning them all at once either.

You’ve been going on the potty since you were 10 months old. It definitely helped that you were on a schedule with it back then but you’ve continued on now signing when you have to go. You love reading books on the potty haha! I am so proud of you and your interest in going on the potty my big girl.

You love to paint and color and do anything creative. You are a true artist like mommy and daddy.

You’re a super silly goose. You know how to make us laugh and constantly do. You’re always sticking your tongue out in pictures because you know it’s silly. You often smell things then say ewwww and plug your nose giggling. Mostly daddy’s feet haha!

You’re my snuggle bug. You love giving hugs to anyone and everyone. Your heart is just so full of love and you spread that sunshine everywhere with you.
You love to read, build, sing and dance (samba is your new fav.) You’re such a mommy and love playing with your babies. You put them to sleep, feed them, rock them and push them in the stroller. You LOVE real babies too!

I am so thankful for every second I get to spend with you. You enrich my life every day.
Mommy and daddy love watching you grow and couldn’t be more proud of our big girl.

Happy 18 months Zaiya Mia!!
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