Growing boy!

Some cute moments/expressions and just being Kaio:
- He used to always say 'dandao' (=grandao) when he saw something big, now he also says 'huuuuee' (=huge)
- He sings the last 3 words of 'the wheels on the bus'. (=all day looooooong) But does all the signs that go with the song (even some we have made up!)
- He sings 'hadadada totoooo' (=happy birthday to you)
- He loves to pretend he is cooking and serves us his food. He also goes to the trash and 'cleans' up after wards
- He prefers to eat apples over anything else!! (yes, even vanilla pudding, chocolate, cookies, etc)
- He went through a phase he was crying to go to bed at night because he wanted me in the room with him. (after our holidays in the US) I explained to him that mommy had to go eat with daddy when putting him in bed, so now, when I lay him in his bed, he always tells me (without crying) to go eat with daddy and that he (Kaio) is all done eating.
- He really enjoys music and knows the basic instruments. (piano, drum, guitar, trumpet, etc) When he hears a songs with a male singer playing a guitar he says - 'man guitar musica'
- He knows his colors really well and his favorite color is yellow.
- He recognizes Oma, Opa, titio, grandma and grandpa in pictures
- His motor skills are great. He runs really fast and when he trips he easily 'saves/recovers' himself without getting falling/getting hurt.
- Food is still not a priority or big interest. (with the exception of apples!)However he understands that if he does not eat his food when we tell him too, he will not get to play and tends to stuff his face to be able to go back to his toys.
- We've been working on numbers and counting. He still says dois (=two) when he sees more then one of anything. However, when he is counting he now says - 'dois,..., nine, ten'! We now need to work on the numbers in between!
- He came back from day care saying - 'you top it' = you stop it! (Cheeky monkey!)
- We are giving Kaio choices to make... what juice does he want to drink, what t-shirt he wants to wear, etc. Overall, he is really good and sticks with his choice. Sometimes he changes his mind... and then we need to stay firm and explain he has made a choice and we need to stick to it. Not sure if he really understands that concept yet!
- When we do something silly he says - 'mommy/daddy/titi tootie'
- He knows the animals really well, and the sounds they produce. He knows everything from owl, hippo, elephant, snake, squirrel, giraffe, butterfly, worm, sheep, bear, lion to the more simple once like cat, dog, rabbit and bird.
- He has moved to the toddler 2 room at daycare and has adapted really well.
- He continues to really adore babies and kisses and hugs my belly when I ask about 'mommy's baby'
- He says - 'he te to' (=here you go) when he gives us something

2 years!

Kaio turned 2!!!! We just can't believe this amazing little creature has been with us for so long (but still so little time compared to the rest of our lives without him). We had a FUN day. First of all, we all slept in until 8:30. Jason made pancakes for breakfast and played and danced before heading out to the park. We had a nice picnic, played in the playground, rented a boat and went around to look at the ducks and birds and had an ice cream. We went home to make some cupcakes. Kaio LOVED it, the whole process of making the batter (getting all messy) and then decorating them. Jason made home made pizza and we finished the day with singing happy birthday!
Some birthday pictures:
1) Kaio and daddy playing hide and seek (or run around after each other)
2) Kaio and mommy on the boat
3) Ice cream time
4) Kaio started the cupcake project being very neat and helpful...
5) .. soon he went on to trying to steel the dough from the spoon...
6) .. we finished with dough all over his face and loud giggles
7) Finished work

Pre-birthday festivities

Oma came to visit for 5 days and we had a great time. A couple of days before her arrival I started 'preparing' him for her visit and he was very excited about it (every time the front door bell would go or the phone would ring, he would say ' Oma?') On Wednesday when she arrived he went running to her arms and it didn't take much time for him to prefer her lap over mine.
Oma was here to celebrate his birthday (a week earlier as she needs to go back to Brazil). We had a very nice weekend and bought several gifts for Kaio, including a radio, which he carries around and tries to drag anyone to dance with him (it's mostly Oma that ends up jumping around with him). Oma was so amazed in how he is talking so much, repeating all the words we say and just so able to communicate with us so well. She is happy to see he continues giggling and being the happy baby/toddler she has known for 2 years!
On Saturday we met up with Jason's cousin John and his wife Steph, who were in London for a couple of days. They had last seen Kaio when he was 3 months and were amazed in how much he had grown and what a fun personality he has (he started shy, but after a couple of minutes was playing with them!)
1) Oma's favourite place - Starbucks!
2) Kaio loved his birthday balloons
3) 1st cake for his 2nd Birthday (Kaio was great in blowing out the candles!)
4) With John and Steph
5) Kaio playing with Vinny
6) Kaio had a fun weekend!

Lazy sunday

Since the last couple of weeks have been so hectic and busy and we were all a bit struggling with the jet lag after our trip to LA, we decided not to plan anything this past weekend!
We had a great family weekend at home! Jason did some cooking, we all hanged out, watched TV, played, read books, took naps and really enjoyed 'recovering'.
To give you an idea how relaxed we were - Kaio still had his PJs on at 3pm on Sunday!
Baby nbr 2 is kicking away. He/she seems very active and it is so nice to see and feel all the movements. Kaio continues being super sweet and kisses my belly (=baby). He also is very sweet with other babies and always wants to hug and kiss them!

Los Angeles pictures

Some pictures from our trip to LA:
1) Kaio at Venice Beach
2) Daddy and Kaio watching a paddle game in Venice Beach.
3) Kaio trying out some Halloween costumes. The guitar was his favorite!
4) Us! (including baby nbr 2 - as you can clearly see the growing belly!)
5) Kaio and Grandma
6) Mommy and Kaio at Disney!
7) Everyone at one of the Disney rides (you can see Kaio looks a bit apprehensive)
8) Kaio was a bit afraid of the big characters at first...
9) Kaio making sure Mickey did not get too close to him.
10) Goofy! (Kaio was trying his best to get away from him!)
11) After a long and hot day at Disney...
12) Kaio and daddy in the pool
13) At the airport on our way back
14) Kaio had a great holiday in LA!

Becoming an American... in LA!

As you know, Kaio already has an American passport (due to being born to an American - Jason) However we finally have been able to get my American citizenship! To get this accomplished, we had to go to Los Angeles for an interview and oath ceremony. Initially I was a bit nervous about traveling with Kaio on a 11 hr flight to LA and being 6 months pregnant. I was also a bit apprehensive how the 8hr time zone difference would affect Kaio since we were only going for a week. However, Kaio was great on both flights and we had a great time in LA. We went to the beach, to Disneyland, saw grandma, caught up with some friends, played in the pool and really had a great family holiday! And we were able to get my citizenship in a week (it normally takes a couple of months)
Grandma flew out from Colorado and initially Kaio was a bit shy, but after a couple of gifts and play time he was very happy to be with 'tata' (=grandma).
The week after we got back I had a week long meeting and Jason had to deal with re-adjusting Kaio to the UK and his normal routine. It was hard due to the jet lag, me not being here and Kaio had gotten used to sleeping in the same room as us. However after a week we seem to have gotten back into a nice routine.
Kaio has started saying 2 - 3 word sentences. Like - "Hello, mommy/daddy/sun/lua (moon)!" (with a British accent = ADORABLE!), "open door", "Kaio comida" (Kaio's food), "Daddy stop it now!", etc. He continues doing really well with both languages.
Kaio really enjoys getting down from his pram and running around. He knows that it is either in his pram or walking (he had a phase he wanted to be held by us!). And although he is running around he is very good in staying close to us and does not just run off without keeping an eye on where we are.
We got a new camera and I have been unable to download the pictures, but hopefully Jason will do this for us!

Busy summer

It has been very hectic lately. But we are having a great summer.
A couple of weeks ago, our friend George was in town and that meant some fun days out and about in England. This included a day at the polo game. Kaio LOVED it! All the 'hohies' (=horses) and all the friends and attention. Although, when we approached a horse, Kaio was a bit reluctant in touching him!
The weekend after that we went for a long weekend to Bilbao (Spain) for Jason's birthday. Kaio did really well on the plane and during the entire time in Spain. Since dinner is late there and we were in Bilbao during a fun festival, we ended up putting Kaio to bed at 10:30pm! (we did have nice siestas every day!) He really had fun though. He is running so much and was just sprinting from one place to another all the time! He only panicked a bit when we saw large puppets (3 times the size of normal human beings). Just like with the horses and several other situations, he likes to 'check things out' and feel comfortable with certain situations before 'throwing himself' into the situation. A very 'cautious' boy!
We have been keeping Kaio up later this week to prepare him for our trip to Los Angeles this coming weekend. He seems to react well to it - he is sleeping in a bit later and he takes longer naps after lunch!
Kaio has been so funny, we have had him giggle so much by doing funny things (like putting a nappy on our head or splashing water in our face!) It is a true belly giggle and it is just the most adorable thing to see.
Kaio seems to be missing his Oma. When we were in Bilbao, he picked up the hotel phone and said 'Hi Oma' folllowed by 'Hi Opa'. He also saw a picture of a present and he said "Oma". (since she always brings wrapped presents for him!)
Latest pics:
1) Kaio cooking for Elmo
2) Kaio and daddy at the Polo game
3) Kaio watching the 'hohies'
4) Playing dress up!
Bilbao:
5) Kaio is really into going up stairs now that he has mastered it. He went all the way up at the Guggenheim museum.
6) Daddy and Kaio at the Guggenheim museum - we spend 3 hrs in there and Kaio was really interested and well behaved
7) Kaio getting refreshed
8) Kaio still loves his apples!
9) Daddy and Kaio enjoying churros!
10) Daddy and Kaio doing 'tchintchin'
11) These were the "tall people" Kaio was petrified of!
12) Daddy and Kaio having fun
13) Looking at the ducks

funny toddler

Kaio is starting to have the typical toddler comments/actions, which are so naive/honest but are just hilarious:
-We were leaving the grocery store and a large lady was coming into the store. We had to make way for her to pass by. Kaio then said 'dandao' (=grandao - very large in portuguese) which we previously were using to describe trucks, airplanes, our feet compared to his feet, etc
- When he sees a bird he says - booby. Sometimes he walks around saying "booby, booby, booby" when birds fly by!
- When we were at a friends barbecue, we were asked how Kaio was reacting to the fact that a new baby is on it's way. I asked Kaio - "where is mommy's baby?" He came over in my direction and pulled up my skirt to show everyone my belly! (and underwear)

Smart boy!

Yesterday was an usually warm day when I picked Kaio up at daycare. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt so I did not want to put his jacket on. However, Kaio really wanted it on. (he is used in always putting on a jacket when we go outside since it is, normally, jacket weather in the UK). After he whined for a while saying 'cacaco' repeatedly (=casaco = jacket in Portuguese), I decided to try to reason with him and got down to his level and showed that I had no jacket on and pointed out several people around us without a jacket. I could see it 'clicked' in his brain and was thinking: 'victory for mommy' (=no jacket, no further whining) however I suddenly saw a spark in his eyes, he pointed and said 'cacaco man, tim'. (jacket, man, yes!) Sure enough he found a man in the crowd that was wearing a casaco to proof his point! He clearly 'won' that one and I put his jacket on.
Today he found my flip flops and I decided to bring out some baby havaianas (brazilian flip flops) who are a bit small and several months ago he was not keen in using. Well, once again, he has changed and absolutely loves them now! It is so adorable seeing Kaio with the little flipflops!!! He only allowed us to take them off for bed time! (we got a flipflops from my dear friend Melissa when I was 8 months pregnant with Kaio)
Baby nbr 2 update: I have been feeling the baby kick for several weeks now, however last week Jason was able to feel it for the first time!

Future careers

Although Kaio is not yet 2 years, it is normal one dreams about his future and what he will be when he grows up!
Here are the careers I have already envisioned for him:
- A veterinarian: he loves animals and imitates their noises. He is always fascinated by the animals in books and on TV.
- A musician: he loves music and seems to have a good rhythm. He also 'sings' and adores music class. When I say we are going to Fruity Tunes (music class) he gets VERY excited! He also still loves his guitar and plays it almost daily (he has had it for more then 5 months and normally toys do not last that long!)
- A cook: he loves seeing us cook and help us. Lately he loves to sit on the counter and look at us mixing spices, chopping vegetables and stirring in the pots. He also started playing with our pot and pans cupboard. He takes everything out and pretends he is cooking. (and let's us taste his 'food')
- A dancer: he drops anything when he hears music and starts dancing. He also asks for us to turn on the radio and loves my ipod!
- A builder: he loves diggers and tractors and is completely fascinated by them.
- A cleaner: he just really continues enjoying the whole cleaning thing and knows where the cleaning materials are and helps me when I am cleaning. (I need to remove him from the house when our cleaner comes! As he wants to help and ends up being in the way)
- A gardener: he really enjoys digging in the plant pots in our garden and at daycare he also goes straight to the plant corner to dig in the sand.
- An athlete: he really likes running, kicking the ball around and swimming. He also has a perfect body shape, lean and muscular!