Little Fatty

Her eyes alive and wandering.  New people, places, senses, bright lights illuminate, dark nights that hide.  She loves being outside gazing at the trees, leaves, sky and clouds, a brilliant smile covers her face every time we work our way out on the deck.  She is happy about almost everything.  Baths are the best she lights up, hair slicked back looking like little George Cloony. Drying off is the worst as she cries cries cries.  She hates when we rub the lotion the skin.  She sleeps in til 9 sometimes 9:30 then she starts to wake like she is communicating with spirits.  She twists she turns, her eyelids peel back she looks at me then back out.  She grunts even growls legs kicking arms reaching yawn yawn yawn eyes flap open then out again.  On and on and on for 2 3 4 5 6 10 minutes she squirms like a worm on asphalt.  We watch we laugh we wait and then she cries just a bit to let us know shits bout to get real.  She wakes up only once or twice a night, Luciana lets me sleep.  Momma so good to me and even better to her.  Emilia drinks formula that makes her stink and she smiles when she farts.  She is growing, morphed into a little fatty.  Sometimes she looks like Cloony or Brando with hair slicked back, other times Chris Farley with belly all fat.  She is tickeled all the time until she is hungry then it gets real again.  This time is the easiest part and I appreciate each moment that she is completely immobile.  She travels, we are instilling the wanderlust.  To the metropolis of Cordele and over to Mima’s house.  She loves the Mima.  She loves the Avo(her Brazilian Mimas).  She turns three months on Friday and we head to St. Louis in a few weeks.  More fatty to come.  I need to work on the nickname.

Brando

 Farley

All Smiles

pelo loco

FEED ME SEYMOUR!

 

Los Amigos Tres

Tonite was an ordinarily special nite. Movie nite for piglet and pee wee.   She slept thru High Fidelity then up and at it so we tuned into Jerry Macguire.  We watched the movie, watched each other and a new look caught my heart.  She is a firefly with intermittent sighs grunts whims and cries lighting up our family of three.  The three amigos will always go shotgun across the bench seat heading straight to the late night parties.  I’m amazed at how our life has changed but stayed the same.  So little not too sweet quite yet but that pirate face will melt your heart.  She only smiles when she farts and looks just like me too.  Her eyes are dark and inquisitive or misconstrued in temporary blindness.  My pride bellows and her mother is as smitten as every new mother could ever be.  Our life is great and she brings a wealth we could never find just the two of us.  It is and forever to be the three of us always. 

Six Five Fifteen

She says hello Emilia Clare, 9.1 lbs 20.5 in at 5:21 pm six five fifteen.  It's gotta be five o'clock somewhere   She arrived with a head full of hair and a cry that could fill an amphitheater, blessed I suppose.  I figured out diapers just after figuring out how to hold her bobblehead.  She burps sitting up, is unsure of day from night and seems to smile but I could just be biased...just a whole lotta love.  Momma relaxed because her mommas' here, daddy relaxed because no work for three weeks sooo nice.  She is a week old toady.  I slept on the floor at the hospital comfortably as the nurses carted her away each night but that didn't last. Once home shit turned upside down and she didn't want to go to sleep before 4.   Better schedule now as everyone is asleep at 11:22 pero vamos a ver.  She so cute, so pale so ornery.  The doctor said she had thin skin and I wanted to smack him.  All else said, she is perfect, perfecto un angel, mi vida so sweet and soooo little.  It's the best gift ever could be ya see, loving you wish I could take you to Bonnaroo.

Six Weeks

7/21/15

12:08 up late with Emilia Clare. She spent the evening out at Scout then a promenade through the streets of Nashville.  Her senses improve and the scents become more defined and real to her little pig nose.  The most exciting part of the past week, the slow uptick of the sides of her lips.  It seems she finally recognizes Daddy when before it was just Mom and her bountiful boobs.  We laugh now, we make animal noises and her eyes turn up like I’m looking into a mirror.  The past 10 days the most amazing and foreign so far and I expect every 10 days to bring more.  The family refines my soul bringing together the loose pieces of a life re-establishing the foundation scattered about after my parents divorced.  She is the rabbit out the hat, a little tinkerbell, the best prize at the county fair not like the giant bear but the oversized corndog funnel cake and cotton candy combined.  She is perfect, she is mine. 

Oink

Watched Interstellar and in deserved hyperbed thoughts contrived from pride, excitement, anticipation and sorta IPA I looked into who I am, will be and could be for that little girl.   There is no greater feeling in my world than now, Luciana passed the ***out gone a quarter into the movie carrying that sweet baby.  36 weeks.  It's all you ladies, in indebted gratitude for what you do to make a relationship a family.  To be completely in love with not one but two beautiful beautiful girls.  She creates a sentiment that I'm  just beginning to feel, only now becoming real.  Real for me is so unlike real for Luciana, the belly the aches the patience the stress. 

I saw her face for the first time yesterday yawning and stretching a little pig nose that rises up starring you in the face.  Luciana so defensive when I oink at her but Emilia Clare shall be the prettiest piglet.  Mama's getting more tired, not wanting to finish revising her dissertation which she recently defended and is  a DOCTOR now...Dr. Prestes but feel free to call her Dr. Sanders.  She has fulfilled her dream and what will come next! Life growing fast.

The blog intermittent as it will be from now until Emilia is somewhere around three.   I will abide and  IPAs confide the story of family of love.  Soon the poopy diapers, the crying and sleep deprivation will draw out a new life and mood in the blog.  Lu's momma coming for a couple weeks to reprieve, then Bia's momma coming for months on end so help on the way.  For now though nothing better than knowing that in just a few short weeks I'll be a daddy and we'll have our little girl.

Preservation Luv

 

How did Luciana and I meet?  Perhaps church, a mutual friend, or better yet, at the grocery store? Luciana and I share so many similar interest and our boisterous personas collided at a bar, my favorite bar in Knoxville Tennessee- Preservation Pub. 

Oh Preservation Pub I love you so.  The quotes, smoke and music lured me in around 2005 with the Whiskey Scars on stage.  An instantaneous love affair began that cajoles the mischievous soul; a refuge for people of simple yet select values and a rabid relationship with alcohol.  The nights in the square always alive, people spilling out rich in conversations plotting capers, the meeting point for Sundown in the City, Rossini Festival, and Rhythm and Blooms.  The Pub it, beats like a heart with its blood red walls and funneling music that coldcocks as you walk through the door. 

So of course this is where I always assumed I’d find my wife, the mother to my children, the orange juice to my vodka.   I wandered into the bar as the magic of Little Iffy lit up the stage people dancing frantically.  For those non-Knoxvillians, Little Iffy is a local rapper who raps about Harry Potter.  Fact, look him up.  I walked toward the bar when I noticed a tall brown skinned diosa who seemed to smile at me.  She was so gorgeous with long black hair almost unapproachable, but the jean and chucks played to my swagger.   As I walked towards her she didn’t run away so I asked her if she’d like a drink.   White wine the reply looking away with a rich accent I couldn’t quite match.  I asked where she was from and when she said Brazil I smiled wide with Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Fernando Meirelles on my mind.  If you’ve never watched City of God or Almodovar’s Habla con Ella where Caetano Veloso sings Cucurrucucu it may be your ticket to landing a hot Brazilian wife.  We started to talk about traveling, music, movies, how Knoxville changed over the past five years and couldn’t stop.  We talked all night and ate sushi the next day as life took a new direction that has led us to week 32 of Emilia Clare’s little life. 

We now live in Nashville in our new home and a not so different life for another two months.  We patiently await getting back to Knoxville and only a matter of time before we move on and are back on the beach whether it be in Florida or Brazil.  Until then I guess we’ll just wait on Miss Emilia Clare. 

 

 

Veinte-Seis

Whoa Nelly, it’s getting turbulent.  Luciana is glowing red hot with sweet words like “Look what you did to me” and “Why am I the only one who has to feel like this.”  It is unfair my excitement excessive while she grows more and more uncomfortable…good job Luciana.

We attended a 9 hour birthing class this past Saturday and all I can say is WOW.  Luciana was completely calm before watching those videos.  Nothing too extreme one birth I didn’t watch, one that slipped out so fast I did.  The full length mirror was an odd option and my vocabulary now includes mucous plug and episiotomy.  It was well worth it and as I planned I’ll be at the party, but won’t be watching the show.

Exercise routines changing.  Mine from none to some and Luciana’s from intense to less intense.  Body pump isn’t pumping the way it was, no more ab blaster.  Pray for patience is that what comes over the next 90 days?  She is working hard getting closer to so many things that will change her life, always proud this year full of hits !

Emilia Clare is moving around kicking and flipping much more often.  She likes when I hum on the belly and feed her ice cream.  What will she like to do, what will she want to say, how many times can she poop in 24 hours, just some things to think about.

Week 24

A Valentine’s Day filled with the love for each other, the love for our daughter and the love of our free time for another four months.  Our first Valentine’s Day married, with a gift she bears that can never be matched although the snoogle was a pretty close second.  Captain and Tennile playing in the background it is a good weekend with baby pending baby pending.  She’s as big as an ear of corn, quite southern, and about a pound and a half which is some ear of corn.  Her consciousness rises up listening to us, music, and all that is happening around her.    

Luciana is starting to feel the weight of Emilia Clare, no longer moving around like the roadrunner beep beep but more like a commercial truck with the backup alarm.  She’s doing well, spirits up as the belly grows and grows.   Sleep schedule shifts as I’m awakened around 4:30 a few times a week with a defiant “I can’t sleep.”  Luckily it takes only minutes to fall back asleep, for me that is but it’s all just a matter of time. 

Getting ready to expand the family not only with Emilia Clare, but her namesake Emilia Maria for a few weeks then Veronica and Naerte for a few months.  Life shall turn upside down full of family, food, new schedules and little sleep.  Luciana will be out of school for almost 4 months while I get my two weeks of paternity.  Not bad if I do say so.  With a full house and I being the only one working- from homef as well- I may have to keep the blog up to ensure you that I haven’t gone completely nuckin futs.     

Week 24 has about turned into week 25, the bi-weekly update seems to suit me well.   Fotos to come, les prometo!

Week 23

Emilia Clare is the size of a papaya today which looks like this:

Luciana recently redefined gas to be our little papaya swimming around , a memo  of hello I’m on my way get ready.  Reality about to shift like Luciana’s belly, rising like a harvest moon.  She is alive bright with wonder, excitement, and anticipation-both Lu and Emilia.  Grinning ear to ear her presence is felt like never before poking out a bit of personality.

Luciana feels great going to the gym and work work work to finish her dissertations.  Moving, marriage, citizenship, becoming a doctor (April 16^th dissertation date!!) buy house, move again then boom babytime.  I’ve had my part but kudos to Luciana the over achiever of the year in this family-she is a  roCK God!

Offer accepted today on a new house, Emilia Clare's room is violet with her own walk in closet.  The hits keep coming!

Week 21

Tomaaaahto, Tomhato, Potaaaahto, Pohtato, Amelia Clare, Emilia Clare.  I have to get my pronunciation down before June as Earhart is what keeps ringing out.   Rough weekend form Mama and the babe.  Luciana fell ill on Thursday, bedridden until today.  I don’t know anyone who’s escaped the flu or plague may it be destroying the best of weekends.  Luckily Moonstruck and Fried Green Tomatoes salvaged the nights challenging cold sweats and nausea.  Luciana was hot like summer asphalt in João Pessoa and that bun definitely feeling the oven heating up.   The fever finally broke this morning as they both prepare to head back to school tomorrow.   

This week Emilia Clare is the size of a banana just monekying around.  I decided to start reading to her and resonate my voice so she won’t only listen to mommy. That’s how it works, they listen I assume.  Since no Mother Goose yet she’s becoming a Zepplin fan as we dive into When Giants Walked the Earth.  She flutters every time I say Bonham so perhaps we’ll have us a musician or simply a noisemaker.    She starts to taste food this week and her digestive track is forming, hopefully she’ll have my iron gut and not be finicky.  We should get back on track this week eating healthy ridding the sickness form the house.

Not all bad new this weekend as the first images of Emilia Clare arrived Thursday- simply amazed.  She’s growing fast and before we know it she’ll be turning our world upside down, can’t think of a better way to spend the summer. (Remind me I said this mid-July)  Goodnight from the Sanders home we are happy to share this time with you all.

20 weeks

Ay caramba that beautiful belly is growing like pumpkin straight out the patch!!  Luciana glowing like a firefly, feeling like a million bucks (most of the time), and not going completely mad like the tall tales of pregnant women.  It is time to purchase the almighty Snoogle-thank you Aunt Amanda for the tip- just wondering if they come in his and hers?? The house masseuse receives no breaks but I suppose that the real work isn’t being done by my hands.

Emilia Clare looks about like a mango, in size, sweetness and most surely color.  Growing in stature and flair she hasn’t quite started her samba steps but sure to come soon.  19, 20, 21 weeks- I have some catching up to do on this blog!   If I say I'm busy now what will it look like in early June?  We’ve started to accumulate gifts from her sweet cousin Kennedy, little Ella Burgess and when recently asked what color we’ll paint her room (Aunt Amanda again) I realized my office may soon be pretty in pink.  Too small to fit a family, we're looking for a new home to make our stand, build our fortress and make Nashville our own.  My heart still resides in Knoxville Tennessee but we are warming up a bit further west.  Wherever will we land next, perhaps it will be Emilia Clare who lead us.

Life is too good to look beyond these days, the curiosity, the anticipation, the bonding and family growing stronger as we soon become three.   Three has been said to be the noblest of all digits, the triad, the trinity, Larry, Moe, Curly.  A special time of togetherness for Luciana and I as she prepares to bring this tiny life into the world.    The sacrifice is hers as I contently write how wonderful it feels becoming a father without the tiniest bit of bodily change aside from the IPAs.  She is gracious, proud already a wonderful mother.

18 weeks

18 weeks almost 19 and I don't know where to start.  Thanks to my co-worker, friend and MSP confidant Kristen Addington who inspired this with her own blog chronicling the days leading up to the birth of her second child Declan.  Luciana and I as well honor Irish roots (and Brazilian!) with our precious daughter Emilia Clare-Emilia from her dear mother and Clare from County Clare Ireland, soils of the O'Mara's and the family's ancestry.  Luciana returns from Brazil this week after over four weeks away.  So many friends shaking their heads when told less than a week after our wedding we'd separate for over a month.  Time drug on like hangover...not that I was drinking heavily causing a muck.  Well darlin I've saved enough for the delivery as long as it is natural without anesthesia and we leave the hospital within 3 hours after the birth halleluiah!   Vamos a ver estimados.  Emilia Clare is about the size of a bell pepper, or as Luciana mentioned a chicken breast.  I prefer the veghead imagery..our little bell pepper!.. and the next appointment is on Jan 12.  Luciana is feeling great after a difficult first trimester.  Not accustomed to being sick or uneasy, survival hinged on ice cream and popsicles.  I believe the Brazilian Sun helped bring the good life back, although we both anticipate her return in just a few short days.  The original wedding plan included beach wedding in June, Paris in August and Emilia Clare in 2016 and somewhere along the way our paths got crossed.  Oh well as one may say, I don't think it could be any more perfect.  Luciana however continues to remind me I owe her Paris so please post if you're available to babysit for 2+ weeks in exchange for some extravagant souvenirs summer 2017.  It's an amazing feeling being married, making a promise to someone and living that promise each moment of each day.  I feel like the luckiest man, my beautiful wife Luciana and coming soon....Emilia Clare Sanders. or Emilia Clare Prestes Sanders. or perhaps just little E.  Happy New Year all!