By the Way: Parabens Pra Daniel

March 11th--Daniel's One Month Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Litte Man!

With an idea from my friend Jessica,
I made a set of "birthday suits" for Daniel.
One for each month, 1-12.

To show what a big boy I am . . .

. . . I'm going to . . .

. . . lift my head.

Then, of course, there was the Birthday Party at Vovo Dora's house in Sao Francisco.

Dora, Helio, and family friend Nara.
(Nara was present at Cecilia's birth in Colorado.)

Flora with her nephew.

Three Wise Guys
Will, Helio, and (Joao's father) Fred

Maria Cecilia and Joao
with Daniel's Cake

We had another really good late summer mid-day meal al fresco.

Grilled Sardines

Potato Salad

Salsa

There were Black Beans with Sausage and Cornbread (that Dora requested I bring) to round out the menu.

Sardines Served

Sardines Grilled

Sardines Consumed

Will was in charge of fire-building, since he was from Texas, and ultimately qualified for barbecue?

Fortunately, fingers were not charred--only charcoaled.

With Fred and Helio's help, the Churasco Pit
was the perfect size.

Will also has won the award for
Best Pineapple Disection.

The table was set in the living room
with a view.

What's a churasco without a chicken potholder?!

Gratefully, our meal was aligned with a rare early afternoon nap for the guest of honor. We adults had a great time at the table--passing platters of food and volleying funny family tales as only grown siblings can do. You know those stories about one sibling walking straight into the moving wooden swing of another and raising a huge purple bump on a forehead? Yeah, every family has those. Dora, Cecilia, Helio, and Flora laughed with sparkly eyes through stories of their Dad. The entire family was present . . .

After the meal, Dora insisted on doing all the dishes, and her expression told us all that she meant business; so various activities ensued.

Cecilia and Will had a brief dance.

Board Game

Helio and Maria Cecilia had a new gamer.

The bananas and star fruit on the kitchen table

were replaced with Daniel's little cake.

Vovo Dora and cousin Joao
visited with Daniel and Cecilia
in the kitchen.
(There's always someone swinging on the refrigerator door, right?)

Flora did her best impression of Daniel.
Every time he's over a shoulder, he sucks on his arm
and opens his eyes really wide.

BTW--For those of you who were wondering about Q and Jewel--how they're getting along in their new home--here's some evidence.

As always, they like to come out at night.
That's not a shadowy Bat Signal--but Jewel's ears.

Blurry evidence that Jewel still does not like the stroller.

Jewel ran out the door to tell Q
that the screaming blanket had followed them
to their new tranquil home.

Q digests this news,
and is still filled with the green-eyed monster.

The two kitties are very happy in their new digs, and were very social. A Happily Ever After.

Meanwhile, the window of opportunity for Birthday Cake came and went several times over the next several hours. We enjoyed tasty desserts of Flan and fresh Pineapple while Daniel caught up on his milk intake since he slept for over an hour. That boy loves to eat!

When the planets were lined up (for Little Man to be both awake and not nursing) and the mosquitoes were appearing in the dusk, we gathered around the kitchen table and turned out the lights to sing to Daniel. With soft claps and inside voices, the family sang to our newest little love.