Birthday in Photos

Sesimbra and Praia da Foz

We have dinner guests arriving in half an hour and I have the straightening iron heating up, which gives me just enough time to put up one picture and add the rest later. 

08/08-  now for all of the photos from Pai's Blackberry 

We came across Praia da Foz by accident while winding our way back from the Cabo Espichel,

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igreja_de_Nossa_Senhora_do_Cabo_(Sesimbra) 

English link: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabo_Espichel

which we also came across by accident while looking for a different beach. I was completely surprised by this area since the Sesimbra I remembered was quite built up. This part was rugged, well preserved, and with an impressive rocky coast line that simply can't be captured on an old Blackberry. 

I was enamored by the course sand; it doesn't stick, and kept Seb in a zen-like sensory state for our entire time at the beach. He couldn't get enough. 

It was 7:30pm when this was taken in case you are wondering why he is bundled. 

Moojie is in the foreground with Zita to his right. I'm there holding Seb in the pink capris ( hello 2001) taking in the sight of those majestic cliffs. 

Freddy at the sanctuary with an uneaten portion of hot churro. The deal of 6 churros for 5 euros would be reason alone to visit. The last churro I had was certainly at Great America in the early 90s. 

I don't know what this was, but I was too scared to venture near it. The people sitting on that wall were giving me a heart attack with a sheer drop behind them. 

This area is a good 45 minute drive from our house so it won't become our go-to beach destination, but we'll be back to explore more beaches, and visit the castle that we passed a few times in a "Big Ben Houses of Parliament" type scenario. 

Any Sesimbra beach tips from those in the know? 

No Camera, No Phone

My camera is somewhere over the Atlantic, or perhaps at a mail processing point in Portugal, but it should arrive any day now. 

My phone, aka my second camera, and my primary blogging tool these days, died. It won't turn on and won't charge. I have Seb's 40 week pictures on my phone, and nothing to document his first days as a nine month old. 

Here are some blurry shots that I took this morning while trying to get this wiggle-worm escape artist dressed. He is one fast baby! 

He is so tall and bouncy and strong that I can no longer leave him alone in his crib. He looks like he'll topple out head first like an Olympic trampoliner. 

We've added pretty much everything but honey and red meat to his diet, but cheese, mango, yogurt, and cheerios have emerged as favorites. 

Here are a few more pictures from our trip since I don't have anything new to share. 

4 person slip n' slide

Zita is never one to refuse some good hotel time. 

City Time

Quinta Weekend: Part II

Flash Back Friday

Today I'm revisiting Summer 2006. I'm in a Summer mood and always love a good flash back on Friday. 

This was taken on Moojie's 8th birthday, so Zita is 3 and a half and Freddy is 3 months. He looks about the size that Seb is now at 6.5 months. 

I wonder which child helped with the frosting. 

Freddy at 7 months. Seb now plays in this contraption known as an excersaucer every morning while I empty the dishwasher and make sandwiches. 

I don't know how old Freddy is here, but Sebby also loves the cheek-to-cheek squish. Who doesn't? It's one of the best parts of baby love.

Sweet little Zita. 

I know; I'm dying too at the site of Moojie as an 8 year old. We were apparently establishing the cheek-to-cheek squish from early on.

This was the year that he started jumping. He did his first jump when I was in the hospital having Freddy. As much as I'm embracing this new Rugby phase, I miss seeing Mooj up on a horse week after week. 

We went to Porto Covo that Summer when Freddy was 3  months. I don't want to say that I long for "the good ol' days" because the days are still so good to us, and golden beyond compare.

Filled to the Brim

That's how this lead up to the end of the year feels. I'm throwing this mish mash up while Freddy brushes his teeth and Seb tears apart a magazine. Mooj is strumming away on the guitar, and Zita is sprawled out after a packed day.
I hope I never forget the details of these ordinary days.
If I can get on the computer tomorrow, I'll get captions on these photos.

Okay- Seb is all squared way playing with Zita on the floor.
The kids tennis coach couldn't make it last week, so Mooj came fresh off the beach and hit balls with them. They are starting to reach the point where they will accept some of Moojie's pointers, and Moojie is scaling back the criticism helpful hints just enough to make a rally feasible.

Freddy snapped this of me just before we got Sebby down for the night. 

Zita has been to the dentist twice in the past week. The first time for a cleaning/flouride and sealants, and the second time to fill cavities.  We had gone in see about braces and came out with lots of brushing samples and instructions. Thankfully they were so small that it was easy and fast to fix them. What one can't see in this picture, is that the view from the dental chair is nothing but palms trees and the ocean. 

I'm how many years into motherhood and still without a birthday party gift cupboard? Too many. This is Zita on the way home from yet another birthday party where they had a crazy hair station. The green spray actually makes her green eyes pop. 

Half a bottle of conditioner and a lot of tugging with a thick comb got her back to normal. 

Friday Photo Dump

I have such a jumble of photos on my phone.

Moojie comes home tomorrow
and we are counting down the hours!