About noon on Monday, Joao stopped by after school with backpack and skateboard in hand. In Portuguese, he told me he was planning a surprise for his grandmother. "How sweet," I thought. "He knows Dora is coming by, and wants to be here to surprise her." It didn't occur to me that something may have been lost in translation. So I went about early afternoon laundry duty (as opposed to morning laundry duty or late night laundry duty!) with the phone clipped to my britches, so that I could intercept calls during a rare time that Cecilia was actually able to sleep while Daniel napped. When C woke up, she phoned her mom.
The plan for Dora to stop by for a visit had been modified. (Maybe that's what Joao had told me earlier?) While Cecilia shared that the family was coming by for a birthday celebration, all I could think about was the fact that I had nothing prepared for a party. There was very little in the pantry to pull together anything special to honor Dora. And I had no gift or card to give my new friend. There was also little time to hunt and gather, as it was already after 3PM . . .
Cecilia and I talked about what we could do to make the night special for her mom and the family that was coming. If I walked quickly to Real Market and Beira Mar Bakery, I could get eggs and a couple of other ingredients; and we could pull together two special desserts. That, along with the pizza that Dora was to order, and the beer that someone was bringing, would hopefully make Dora feel celebrated. She is such a giving, loving person.
By the time C finished nursing Daniel and walked into the kitchen, I had recruited Joao to help me get a pan of Banana Bread--complete with chopped walnuts on top--in the oven. Dora really likes this recipe, which was new to her at C's Diaper Shower. I hoped she would feel the love when she saw and enjoyed my gift to her.
The party arrived--Helio, Maria Cecilia, Flora, Philipe, Nelsinho. Dora ordered the pizzas, which were delicious. Someone had chosen to play the DVD of a concert for George Harrison. The living/dining room spun with Eastern Indian sitars and vocalists, and two groups of animated conversation in Brazilian Portuguese. I was not in Kansas anymore, ToTo!
I put the Banana Bread Birthday Cake, decorated with sparkler candles, on the table.
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| Dora's Banan Bread Birthday |
Explaining to Dora that she could do whatever she wanted with her present, she decided to share with everyone, of course. Unlike the sparkler duds that didn't work on C's beautiful cake Friday, this 6 and 0 lit right away.
We sang the Birthday Song more heartily every time Dora blew out the relighting candles.
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| Make a wish! |
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| Joao helps his Vovo Dora. |
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| "I thought I just blew those out!?" |
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| So we sing again! |
Clapping and laughing in celebration of Dora's special day, we surrounded her with a circle of love which included the newest member of the family, 16 day-old Daniel.
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| Dora with Helio, Flora, Cecilia, and Daniel |
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| Dora gets the first piece of her cake. |
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| Dora with family friend Nelsinho. |
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| Helio and Will give their best impressions of Daniel. When Baby D is on a shoulder, he sucks on his arm and stares with his big eyes. |
The Concert for George continued. Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and others sang song after Beatles song that were very familiar to Dora and me. We were both born in 1949, and (though continents apart) shared the Beatles' zenith in our teens. Two old hippies, remembering. "Give me hope, help me cope with this heavy load. Trying to touch and reach you with heart and soul. Please take hold of my hand, that I might understand you."
Parabens, Dora!
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