Keeping up with the Joneses

We Moved (Again)

2011-09-12T00:02:00.079-03:00

Hello family, friends and thousands of faithful worldwide followers (o.k. an exaggeration but one can dream). We moved... again! In case you're thinking, "Didn't those Joneses just move to Brazil? They moved again?" that would be YES! We moved to Brazil in July and just moved (again) to our PERMANENT HOME in São Paulo, sadly leaving behind our temporary flat smaller than an average American garage. We're presently in the thick of unpacking with a seemingly endless amount to go but don't mistake this comment as a complaint. I'm not complaining but rather rejoicing, largely because our container didn't sink in the middle of the Atlantic! I haven't seen some of our beloved stuff in more than 2 years (i.e. holiday decorations) because we left most of our possessions in Salt Lake City when we moved to Boston in 2009. Because of this unpacking feels like a mix between an awesome garage sale and Christmas morning. Also thank you Opa Davis for all the hand-me-downs, I'm confident you single-handedly furnished 75% of our home. Lucky for us you have good taste!

I L-O-V-E organizing so unpacking (not to be mistaken with cleaning) is fun for neurotic people like me. For the time being I'm taking a short hiatus from blogging to let my inner-OCD tendencies roam free organizing and getting settled into our new neighborhood. Happy unpacking and see you next month!

Stomatitis Strikes the Joneses

2011-09-04T22:45:00.050-03:00

Dear God: The next time I secretly wish for a decreased appetite please don't take me so seriously ...

You might recall in my last update that I briefly shared (make that over-shared) about our family's health since arriving in Brazil, in particular that our mouths hurt. It appears titling that post "the good, bad and ugly" wasn't far from the truth because Porter and I in fact both contracted a nasty and painful virus called stomatitis, estomatite in Portuguese. What an unattractive sounding word, it sounds like some kind of plague and there were moments I was convinced it was indeed just that. Also do not, I repeat DO NOT google image this condition! The pictures scared me to death and look absolutely nothing like what we experienced, in fact when we peeked inside our mouths nothing seemed amiss, it just hurt like h*ll. Let it also be known this virus is as common in the U.S. as it is in Brazil. You can get it anywhere, it's not a dramatic Amazonian jungle disease so don't panic if you live in Brazil or plan to visit. I do however recommend refraining from sharing our cups, utensils and toothbrushes. We probably shouldn't kiss mouth-to-mouth in the coming weeks either, sorry to disappoint.

Uplifting artwork compliments of Tea Cozy.
P.S. We DON'T have the plague, I'm just inappropriately sarcastic.

It started two weeks ago when Porter complained of having a bad case of canker sores. He hardly ate all week because of his discomfort but didn't think much of it because he and his siblings frequently get crankers. Sorry babe if this was a family secret. Then last weekend I noticed my mouth felt weird and cottony (is that a word?) but I blamed it on the salty feijoda we ate earlier that day (I'm usually dehydrated after eating out in São Paulo because there's no drink refills. Hate that!) The next day my tongue was very sensitive and by Tuesday there was significant pain and my mouth felt uncomfortably warm. Food had no flavor and was downright unenjoyable because of the discomfort in my mouth. Wednesday the intensity increased 10 times over and my mouth was on fire, like a jalapeño had been rubbed on the entire surface! Moving my tongue to drink, talk or even swallow was excruciatingly painful and eating was downright torture. My personal physician who's coincidentally my husband and the original family stomatitis suspect diagnosed my condition as a virus (what's funny is he still thought he only had cankers). He said unfortunately the only thing that heals a virus is time. Do nothing and wait until it goes away? Sounds like an enjoyable way to spend the next week!

I lamented about my ailing mouth with my dentist friend Fernanda and she instantly knew I had stomatitis (truthfully this was the first time I ever heard of this common virus). She recommended a medicated mouth wash to help alleviate some pain but confirmed that unfortunately there's no medication or cure. I went online to WebMD and every description of stomatosis matched my symptoms. Despite practically panting like a dog by day 4 (your welcome for the attractive mental image), I felt relieved that this uncomfortable party happening inside my mouth had a name and no dad, it's not jungle mouth nor is it contracted through bad water.

There's two types of stomatitis viruses, one is contagious and one is not. Porter and I swap spit on a daily basis so it's no surprise it passed between us and based on my limited reading it's more common in kids and people who suffer from cankers or suppressed immune systems. It appears little Po dodged the bullet and I plead daily in fervent prayer it stays that way--I shudder to imagine how a toddler would handle it. I continue boiling and sanitizing everything before it goes in his mouth and haven't kissed him all week. I miss kissing my baby.

Today is the best I've felt in a week and Porter still has a some minor discomfort but can almost taste food again. I think we're on the mends which is good because we'll need our energy this Thursday. Why? We're moving to our new apartment! The apartment contract was finally signed last Friday and the painters will finish on Tuesday thanks to an enticing bonus as added incentive. Wednesday is Brazil's National Independence Day so Thursday is THE DAY. After more than seven weeks in a hotel in addition to three weeks as vagabonds in Utah, we almost have a place to call home in Brazil.

6 Weeks: The Good, The Bad & the Ugly

2011-08-29T22:00:00.192-03:00

This previous weekend marked our 6-week anniversary moving to São Paulo (P.S. I'm really into milestones). Since the last update little Po and I survived one week ALONE when Porter went to the US and collectively all 3 of us have been sick since day 4. We're convinced our immune systems are acclimating to new Brazilian bugs because holy smokes, one of us is constantly sick! Right now little Po has no voice and both Porter and I have painful tiny bumps on our tongues. Sorry, TMI? Come to think our friends said, "always wash your produce in water treated with special chlorine drops and never plain tap water." Hmm, maybe that's why?

I sometimes feel slightly directionless living in a hotel but the good news is acclimating has been about 80% ups to 20% downs, however for little Po I think it's more 65/35 which tugs at my mommy heartstrings. He non-coincidentally morphed into a cuddler the moment we arrived (imagine our surprise, this kid abandoned cuddling when he went mobile at 8 months) and sadly there isn't the usual array of activities he enjoys. No playgrounds or day-to-day toddler friends to see (but he has new friends we go visit), just mom, some toys, cable tv and the ipad. It's not a good thing when your toddler is the household Angry Birds expert.

Initially little Po was his happy self but I think his little spark sometimes feels snuffed when he can't get his wiggles out. Don't misunderstand, we love São Paulo but it's not easy getting around or particularly safe so I'm hesitant tromping around alone without a car. We're working on that puzzle piece but in the interim I feel a tad like a caged bird. I'm not lazy, complaining or looking for pity, just stating facts. I hesitate sharing these minor hardships because I worry it makes Brazil sound scary and "Third World" (which it's NOT!) or makes Porter seem like the bad guy for bringing us here. He didn't offer bribes although looking back I should've seized the opportunity. It was a mutual decision and now he juggles a crazy schedule + a crazy wife. I feel guilty about the times I've been crabby, he deserves better. I think I've eased up lately? I hope so.

I smiled when a piece of Boston found me on my way to the US Embassy to file little Po's paperwork so he isn't deported. Good news, he can stay!

Allow me to stress that every expat's experiences moving to São Paulo drastically vary and contrary to what seems like "whoa is me" I truthfully feel grateful for our temporary albeit humble abode. I know expats in São Paulo who lived in flats for 2 months then moved into their permanent homes with rental furniture and waited for their containers another 4-6 months. Other expats we know moved directly into their apartments in July with only inflatable mattresses, no furniture or appliances and are still waiting for customs to release their containers. I don't actually know anyone whose container arrived in Brazil before them but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility if it's shipped early enough. Generally I've heard it takes 8-12 weeks to ship containers from the States but ours was both shipped and released from customs in only 6 weeks. Our shipping company is awesome! (No free-99 advertising here so contact me if you'd like more information).

So why after 6 weeks do we still live in a flat? Yes we both selected an apartment and our container is waiting in storage but bureaucracy rigamarole between our lawyer and the apartment owner Ricardo is keeping the contract in limbo. We're not in jeopardy of losing the apartment it's just a matter of WHEN we can move in. Initially we planned to move in August 15 and now September 1 but who knows, it could change again. Although it doesn't make the situation less annoying I expected roadblocks and am not surprised there's a hang up.

In the Interim ...
Experts say "embracing change and establishing a routine" are the keys to expat success! So I have, starting with scheduling in military time.
(P.S. I hate military time! I'm completely incapable of telling time in Brazil.)

7:00 - This was my workout time but the only treadmill at the hotel tragically broke 2 weeks ago with no apparent sign of being repaired. I check everyday, I miss you exercise ...
8:00 to 12:00 - Get Porter off to work, breakfast, playtime, ipad and undoubtedly some Disney Channel (in Portuguese, it makes me feel less guilty).
12:00 to 15:00 - Books, quiet time and glorious naps during which I write, read, and peruse my favorite websites, how I love NM Mid-Day Dash, Gilt, Ruelala & Zulily ... wait, that is IF the internet is working. I had better success getting an internet connection in India than São Paulo, one of the largest cities in the WORLD! What's up with that?
15:00 to 19:00 - Meet up with friends, go to the mall for treats and grocery shopping, play soccer in the hotel courtyard or when it's cold like last week, barricade ourselves inside with movies, treats and nerf balls.
19:00 to 21:00 - Porter comes home and I prepare dinner in my cold-war era kitchen where I've learned the true meaning of improvisation. Diapers as oven mitts, pot lids as baking sheets, forks as spatulas, no hot water or microwave plus the oven is so fabulous that I successfully both burned and undercooked a batch of brownies in the same pan. It's a little like camping.
21:00 - Nighty night little Po, sweet dreams.
21:00 to 22:30 - Adult time which generally results in watching a fascinating program about the assassination attempts on Hitler or making of Bugatti Veyrons. Couples with children are SO predictable!

Like my baking sheets? They're pot lids. Diapers also make excellent oven mitts but watch out, extreme heat burns through. Notice anything else? Porter brought me PAM from the US! That stuff is worth its' weight in gold, I can't fathom life without it.

TGIF: Thank Goodness it's Friday!

The beauty of our weekend routine is there ISN'T ONE! We do whatever, whenever and sometimes live on the edge and forego little Po's naps. I know, we're daredevils. Porter's job is demanding but fortunately his weekends are 100% free, which is typical in Brazil. Brazilians work long weekday hours and then totally unplug on weekends. The weekends are so much fun which is motivating when I get a little lonesome during the week.

I love going out on the weekends because restaurants are bustling with action and filled to capacity. Brazilians like reconnecting with family and friends on the weekends over festive meals and we meet up with friends or are invited to their family functions. There hasn't been a typical weekend other than some how it revolves around people and food--brunch, birthdays, wedding showers, charity benefits, family get-togethers and large meals involving lots of beef or pizza (São Paulo & NYC are the largest consumers of pizza in the world, even more than Rome. There are more than 6,000 pizzerias in São Paulo!) I also love walking with my boys to the Casablanca bakery near our flat for fresh breakfast rolls that we pair with salami and cremoso. Delisiosos!

Believe it or not these colorful pictures are from a children's cancer benefit at a brewpub in São Paulo last weekend. There were 500+ people, kids dancing to the live Samba band and more varieties of Feijoada than I knew existed--THE cultural dish of Brazil. It was tons of fun yet very significant because sweet Lorenzo (pictured below) is on the mends from Retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer that only strikes children under 5 (if you follow the Jazz or Lakers, it's the same cancer Derek Fisher's daughter had and Lorenzo was in fact treated by the same oncologists in NYC). Lorenzo is the son of our good friends Cristiane and Daniel (Porter works with Cris and they also live at our new condominio complex. They also have an adorable daughter named Karolina--Brazilian names are so pretty!) Lorenzo is possibly the most sweet natured baby I've met and after aggressive chemo is cancer free!!! Despite this difficult year they insisted on taking us under their wing and helped with so many logistics. I love this family and am thrilled to live near them very soon.

Big and little Po with Karolina and one of the sweet cancer patients honored at the benefit.

Happy 3rd Birthday to little Po's buddy Jack!

Despite its amateur appearance this picture was a significant challenge to capture.

Stephanie's 25th birthday brunch at Padaria Leticia with American expat friends, from left to right: Erin, me, Asialene, Erika and Stephanie (picture taken without permission from ThingsDaily.com, thanks Steph!)

Weekends with our Brazilian friends appropriately named the Pythons. Lunch at Bianca's mom's home, hot chocolate at Nopenhagen (the best!), little Po's first experience trying fresh coconut water and açaí pulp ice cream (David's favorite treat growing up in the Brazil, little Po loved it!) and in typical Brazilian fashion, some serious protein for dinner.

HBS Section-B Reunion

Jorge, David and Porter were sections mates at business school and it was great fun getting the gang together while Jorge was in São Paulo for business. We went to Fogo de Chão for dinner, voted the BEST churrascaria in São Paulo. It didn't disappoint--the best Pão de Queijo ever that were 3x's the size of ordinary Pão de Queijo! Obviously the meat was great but I'm all about carbs.

Thanks for "sticking" around 'til the end! Until next time I leave you with a tribute to Brazilian ingenuity.

Cultural Training 101

2011-08-24T12:00:00.020-03:00

International Business and Globalization of the Firm were my favorite classes during business school at Westminster College. I loved the content and professor, she had very interesting insight about different cultures and expatriation and because of her influence I have a huge soft spot for the Lost Boys of Sudan and still enjoy the Geert Hofstede website. I remember her stories working abroad in Asia, such as when as project manager she watched from the the sidelines while her team negotiated a contract with an Asian firm (I'm purposefully leaving the exact country unnamed). Normally she would do the talking but strategically placed her male team members at the center of the discussions. Why? Because these businessmen wouldn't take negotiations seriously coming from a woman, even an American woman where it's not only normal but expected. It's not fair but it's not America, it's "somewhere in Asia" and if you want to be effective there you need to think and act accordingly. Fortunately Brazil has very strong gender equality but my professor's experience reminds me Brazil isn't America (no duh Maike!) and sometimes I'll need to bite my careless American tongue when something happens that makes me want to shout, "Hey, that's not fair! That's not how we do it in America!"

Before moving to Brazil I was fairly confident in my cultural awareness and coping skills. I moved to Boston from Utah with a newborn, traveled to 25 countries and come from a broken family--kids with divorced parents have enviable copying mechanisms. We've lived in Brazil a whopping 5 weeks and sometimes I'm confident the adjustment is taking shape at a normal pace and other moments I feel directionless and wonder, "Have I accomplished an inch?" Jevan and Ryan, one of my favorite couples we met living in Boston sent us a thoughtful email that I found insightful. "Everything you're experiencing emotionally is completely normal - give yourself the space to both be excited about your new life and grieve the one you left behind." J&R were expats in China for 3+ years and I take their counsel to heart. (Side Note: Thank you everyone who recently sent kind cards and emails, I love you for it!)

There's been occasions I lack patience and find something annoying or perplexing, like when store clerks continue talking louder and slower after I said I don't understand Portuguese, as if by doing so I will absorb their words through osmosis. Or why people seem to stare when I'm out with little Po, generally after I open my mouth. Porter said it's because Brazilians find Americans interesting but I also learned culturally they don't think it's rude to stare. I'm unsure if there's anything more faux pas than staring at someone in the US! It's also a difficult landscape to navigate as a non-Portuguese speaker. NO ONE speaks English although there's a big push to teach English so this will change in 10-20 years. For these reasons I eagerly anticipated the Global Line culture training Einstein coordinated just for us, we are after all the organization's first and only expats. Wahoo to being first! I was really excited for a break from the ordinary but more so the topic at hand. It was like stepping back in time to business school only more pertinent this time around.

"It's not better, it's not worse, it's just different."

Our trainer's insight about comparing Brazilian cultural differences to our own. I concur!
The training was helpful but bear in mind the miniscule insight we learned was 100% generalized and this can sometimes be perceived as offensive. Personally I don't like being generalized, like all Utahns are like this or all mormon moms are like that (the later being a particular pet peeve). It's also difficult to generalize Americans, we're a melting pot and vary greatly depending on our upbringing, beliefs and where in the country we call home. Do all Americans love supersize portions? OK bad example. Do all Americans love baseball, television, apple pie, BBQ and muscle cars? Personally I dislike pie and prefer football. Let's get personal for added measure. All Utahns love jell-o, skiing and come from huge mormon families. I'm a terrible skier and an only-child--take that stereotypes! It's clear generalizing can often make one look like an a**, that said here's a tidbit of what I learned about Brazilian culture.

Brazilians Value:

People & Relationships (Americans value tasks. Brazilians are social and talk pleasantries before diving into business, Americans often find this unproductive)
Extended Family (Americans focus on nuclear family)

Need to Please--yes means yes/no/or maybe (Americans value honesty--yes means yes, no means no. Brazilians supposedly find this quality harsh and rude)

Expressing Emotion (think soccer matches!)
Nationalism (Americans are patriotic)

Interdependence (Americans are independent)
Collaboration & Collectiveness
Flexibilty

Brazilians Dislike:

Being called Latinos and collectively grouped with latin cultures

When Americans compare Brazil to America--I'm working on this but for clarity it couldn't be avoided in this post!

Directness--can seem aggressive and arrogant (Never say no, beat around the bush. However it's perfectly acceptable to offer constructive criticism if a friend or family member gained weight and needs to lay off the Pão de Queijo)
Conflict--Brazil is geographically isolated (ocean, amazon) and because of this has a relatively peaceful history with no wars. This doesn't mean they didn't have colonization similar to the US, they just never fought back.

Brazilian Cultural Qualities & Etiquette:

Pronounced class structure/hierarchy
Optimistic
Passive Decision-Makers
Lack of Planning--This stems from the warm climate and abundance of natural resources whereas colder regions culturally morphed into planners because of the need to prepare for winter.
Value beauty and pride themselves in their appearance, typically dress elegantly for all night functions (always err on being overdressed to make a good impression).
Typically Arrive Late--30 min. late for dinner and meetings, 60 min. late for larger gatherings and parties (Sorry it's absolutely true!) On the flip-hand prepare to stay for many, many hours, especially at extended family functions. We went to a wedding shower on a Sunday afternoon that lasted 7+ hours to which our cultural trainer said, "That's all?"

In the words of little Po Brazil is "SOOO BIG!" Geographically it's the 5th largest country in the world.

Just like the USA Brazil is huge, in fact every European country fits inside! Northern Brazilians are very different from southerners who are described as more patriotic and at one point wanted to become their own country ... hmm sounds familiar! São Paulo or "Paulistas" also have their own dynamic culture. They identify with NYC, are family-oriented and a heavily consumer driven city--think shopping, fashion and restaurants. São Paulo was voted World Capital of Gastronomy and has the largest private helicopter fleet in the world for all the big-wigs who are too important to wait in traffic. São Paulo is also massively diverse with the largest number of Japanese, Spanish, Lebanese, Italian and Portuguese descendants outside their respective countries.

The training focused heavily on the spouse because I'm the X-factor, only 25% of expats are defined as "successful" largely because the family doesn't adapt well. The working expat immediately walks into a network and routine whereas the spouse can feel isolated and perceive a loss of identity. This hasn't happened (yet) but I'll be in better shape when we're settled in our apartment and have a car, SP isn't a walking-friendly city (I'm not lazy, ask any Paulista!) I came away with some useful tools including my new "Point It" Dictionary and was encouraged to create an action plan--build a new routine, start postponed projects and be inquisitive, which I have been but can do more. Even though it's a lot to absorb I think the working expat doesn't get the credit they deserve. They have to deal with everything the spouse does PLUS adapt to a new work environment. That's a lot on one plate. Huge props to Porter who makes it looks so easy.

Love my Point It Dictionary! Never leave home without it or an iphone armed with Google Translate. NEVER!

House Hunters International: São Paulo

2011-08-17T22:15:00.032-03:00

Great news! After visiting a handful of apartments over the span of 3 weeks our search for a new apartment is over--our offer for the penthouse at Quintas do Morumbi was accepted last week! Funny enough we picked the first apartment Porter ever saw in June. Isn't that how it goes, after trying on dozens of dresses the bride always picks the first one? Fortunately the apartment search is over but finalizing the rental contract with the owner is moving unsurprisingly slow thanks to Brazilian bureaucracy. All apartment contracts must be 30 months minimum and can take up to a month to finalize. Oiy vay! It's highly possible a Brazilian high school student could qualify easier than us because we have no credit history in Brazil or a foreigner RNE number yet. Our RNE interview is scheduled next month after which we can open bank accounts, credit cards and buy cars from dealerships. Until then cash is king!

Although transiting from ordinary Americans to expats has had its share of nuisances, such as living in a hotel since July 16, overall we feel very fortunate. Customs released our container on Monday, only 6 weeks from when it was packed in Boston. In these parts that's lightning speed! Unfortunately it's now in storage for 2 weeks while the contract negotiation runs its course but it could be worse. We met two American expat families who won't have RNE's until October and are prohibited from shipping their containers because of it. We however shipped our container with only proof of a visa, no RNE, no questions asked (that I know of). These families won't have their containers until Christmas, imagine living without your belongings for 6 months! My theory is every foreigner receives a different application.

We hemmed and hawed between Quintas and other apartments in Panamby, a neighborhood we liked further from the hospital, but ultimately Quintas felt like the best place to plant our roots. One reason is we can practically wave to Porter at work from our deck! Quintas is less than 2km away from Einstein whereas Panamby is 5-7km. This doesn't sound far but in São Paulo every kilometer matters because traffic is insane. Avenida Giovanni Gronchi is the only main avenue in Morumbi that never touches a favela (ghettos), so it becomes a parking lot during traffic. Unfortunately Porter needs the Avenida to reach Panamby from the hospital, however to reach Quintas he can use less congested but safe roads. I'm not 100% positive it's necessary to always avoid the favelas but every Brazilian I know wouldn't fathom going within one block via car or foot, especially during non-daylight hours--never! Paranoid? Realistic? Possibly a little of both but we'll take their advice for now (I'll elaborate in more detail about favelas in the next post about our transition. It's a sad yet fascinating aspect of Brazilian cities).

The Winner, Quintas do Morumbi!

I'll post before and after pictures of the apartment after we unpack. Here's a peek until then.

Other reasons we love Quintas: It's a larger condominio complex with 11 towers and many expats and native Brazilians live there, including a great friend from Einstein and her family. São Paulo lacks many public parks so people largely use their residential grounds. This is why it's helpful to live in larger complexes, especially with kids. Quintas has playgrounds, pools, tennis courts, a gym, restaurant (they deliver!), hair and nail salon, and on-site lessons including swimming, soccer, tennis, martial arts and piano. Across the street are neighborhood bakeries, markets, a pharmacy, restaurants and Porto Seguro is close, the preschool we like for little Po. Convenience is a plus, especially since we'll share one car until next year and public transportation is terrible. Fortunately this is improving as Brazil prepares for the World Cup and Olympics.

Living room, kitchen, bathroom and private rooftop deck with churassco BBQ and small swimming pool.

The door by the stairs in the living room leads to the kitchen, laundry and maid's quarters. Kitchens and laundry rooms are always concealed in Brazilian homes because remember, everyone has a maid, very opposite than Americans where we love to show off those fancy kitchens with granite counter tops! The gal in the blue dress on the rooftop is Vilma, the home owner's maid. She's very sweet and we're going to interview her to possibly be our empregada and babá (maid/nanny). This is one aspect of Brazilian culture I'm very excited to embrace plus I think little Po will learn Portuguese faster interacting with a native speaker at home.

Ultimately we picked this penthouse because we love the bright and open layout when most Brazilian apartments tend to be segmented and choppy. It's on the 17th floor with completely unobstructed views of São Paulo, two levels and almost 3,000 sq. feet including 3 outdoor decks. We love the huge rooftop deck, big enough for dinner parties and little Po to get his wiggles out--we just wish we had known to bring patio furniture from the States (argh, that won't be cheap here!) The apartment is 4 bedrooms with a large open loft that makes it function like it has 5 bedrooms. I really wanted a guest room to welcome everyone who PROMISED to come visit. Ya'll better of not lied! I also can't get over how many bathrooms Brazilian homes have, this apartment being no exception. We have 6 bathrooms!!! Formal 1/2 bath for company, 2 master baths, 1 hallway full-bath, upstairs guest bath and maid's bath. No wonder everyone has a maid, I can't imagine cleaning that many bathrooms! I asked our realtors why Brazilians like bathrooms so much and they simply shrugged. I think they were equally perplexed that I found it odd because it's completely normal to them, you know, in case everyone needs to use the restroom at the exact same time. Although we obviously don't need 6 bathrooms, more bathrooms in general will be a welcomed change because all 4 of the homes we've lived in since 2003 only had one bathroom each. Yikes, this girl is ready for some counter space!

1st Runner-Up, Ventana Panamby

Foreign real estate is fascinating to us Americans, hence why shows like House Hunters are so popular so I thought I'd share pictures of other apartments we considered. This gem is called Ventana Panamby. I saw it alone with our agent Claudia but Porter never saw it because the owner was unwilling to compromise on the overpriced rent. If rent was reasonable I'm still unsure if we would have selected it because of the distance from the hospital, but it definitely would have been something to consider. The apartment was brand new with the best kitchen of everything I saw. It was also in Panamby, the lovely upscale neighborhood that's incredibly popular because of its' close proximity to downtown São Paulo, quiet(er) neighborhoods and green space.

These are various views of the 10th floor apartment, including the large windowed in deck (many Brazilians convert their decks into sunrooms with sliding windows), kitchen, grounds and city views from the apartment which were really pretty. Little Po was incredibly fascinated watching the world outside, so much he had a massive tantrum when it was time to leave. Although I'm aware Quintas doesn't look as "sexy" as Ventana, overall I'm really glad we went with the penthouse because it has more to offer and is less expensive so there's extra cash for an empregada :)

2nd Runner-up, Laercio Corte

This apartment was nice, but the aerial views from the apartment, playground and pool significantly clouded my judgement. I went alone with Claudia and liked it so much we returned with Porter who hated it and bestowed its' nickname "the house of seven horrors." It wasn't that bad but he was right, it lacked some important fundamentals. First, the kitchen was practically non-existent with only one short row of counter space. Again, I blame my infatuation with the non-essentials that I failed to notice the kitchen, or rather lack thereof. However, the apartment got the evil nickname because of the flooring, it was different in literally every room and it wasn't because of a color-blind remodel. We looked at 4 additional apartments at the complex and indeed, they ALL had the same strange flooring selection. It was as if the builder couldn't make up their mind and decided to install all their favorites.

But this 26th floor apartment had many wonderful features. The complex was perched on a hill and had the most amazing views I've seen in São Paulo. I felt like a bird flying over the city, it was a tremendous wow-factor. The playground was also delightful and there was a group of little girls playing dollies with no parents or nannies in sight. You don't see this in Brazil, parents and mothers in particular are very overprotective so clearly this complex was very safe (it was a smaller complex with no roads, Quintas is larger with one small road). Finally the indoor pool felt like a hotel, but alas, these are things we can live without.

Typical Brazilian style closets, always constructed covering an entire wall (not ideal for furniture placement ...)

3rd Runner-Up, Diego de Castilho

Oh Diego, you had so many things going for you making it tragic you were missing one key item: a playground. No playground, not even a little dinky one, nothing! It's sad considering the apartment had so many positives, above all motivated owners who had already moved to Rio and priced it to rent quickly. Too bad they couldn't talk to management about the kid-unfriendly grounds. The neighborhood and views of Panamby were outstanding as well as the updated details like crown molding, windowed-in deck, hardwoods floors that stretched the entire space (no weird choppy-choppy floors) and little Po loved the yellow bedroom with Lightning McQueen wall borders. It was also spacious, clean and bright but after strong consideration we decided this complex wasn't right for our little Po.

4th Runner-Up, Fabio Lopes dos Santos Luz

This final apartment was fabulous with one small hiccup, it only had 3 bedrooms and the living/dining space was not large enough to incorporate an office so there was a dilehma--where to put a future baby Jones? (All the other apartments shown are 4 bedrooms). Although a baby isn't in the immediate forecast little Po will eventually be a big brother and then what, bunk beds? Moving is no fun that we decided to only do so when and a huge IF we buy an apartment in São Paulo. "Why not get a 4 bedroom in this complex?" you might ask. Two words: too expensive.

Hello brand new construction with gorgeous views of Panamby! How deliciously clean and perfect you are, with lovely swimming pools and exciting outdoor spaces sure to please your youngest residents. We liked so much about this complex, the outdoor spaces, indoor AND outdoor playgrounds and cleanliness of every square inch. Alas 3 bedrooms wasn't ideal long-term.

Thank you Claudia, Fabio and Erika, the three agents who patiently showed and sometimes re-showed us apartments. Especially Claudia P. with Imóveis no Morumbi who took us to 75% of the apartments including everything in this post but Quintas. Claudia was awesome and we not-so-secretly wish she had shown the penthouse at Quintas so she could receive the commission. If we ever actually buy an apartment in this city, I promise we'll call you!

You had me at "Hello"

2011-08-09T23:30:00.190-03:00

It was February 16, 2002 and the Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games were in full-swing. Every public university in Utah had the month off from school and students were dating up a storm. My sorority sister Ashley invited me on a blind-date with her friend from high school, a guy named Porter from Layton (Porter, cool name but Layton? The city girl in me thought anything north of Bountiful was practically farm country). But I gladly accepted and was excited to meet this dapper young man she claimed looked like Freddie Prinze, Jr., a Hollywood heartthrob at the time (remember She's All That?) Unbeknownst to me I was actually selected 3rd string as Ashley had already set Porter up with two different sorority sisters. Fortunately for me one date ended with no spark and the other girl abruptly left on vacation so Ashley needed a back-up plan. She finally thought of ME!

Ashley was casually dating Porter's friend so we went together to "podunk" Layton for the double-date (it's seriously funny I thought Layton was rural). We arrived at the Joneses home which to my surprise wasn't a barn, rang the bell and out came someone who made my heart skip a beat. My perfect version of tall, dark and handsome greeted us at the door with a warm smile and his excited 6-year-old brother sitting on his shoulders. This is Porter??? This is Porter!!! I barely contained my excitement that my date was not only freaking hot but looked incredibly nice (I don't know how someone "looks nice," it's just a positive impression when you meet I suppose).

Porter and his friend escorted us downstairs where a thoughtful white linen and candlelight pizza dinner waited for us. It was really cute and although I later learned Porter recycled this go-to date with a handful of girls (he promises only before we met, not after--yeah right!) I don't think it would've mattered in the least. It was a really thoughtful way to start what turned out to be the best blind AND first date of my life. We dined, played games, laughed and connected in a way I had never experienced. Not to get all Twilight on you but hugging Porter goodnight was magical and I could have stood there in his arms all night. Porter said he wanted to see me again, I suppose seeking some confirmation that the feeling was mutual. Uhhh YEAH!! But I tried to be a little less obvious. How could I be smitten after only one date? There was something special about Porter from Layton and everything inside me said, "go for it!" That night my college roommate Jess and I talked in the dark from our bunk beds as we did every night. When she asked about my date with Porter I said, and these truthfully are the words that came from my mouth, "I could marry a guy like him."

Fast forward nearly 10 years to today--our 8th Wedding Anniversary! I'm in shock 8 years can pass so quick proving one thing with certainty, time flies when you're having fun. I treasured our first 5 newlywed years--undergrad, summer in Europe, medical school, Gov's Office, business school and utilizing our flexibility to travel before having a family. I've also loved our 5-10 post-newlywed years--baby, HBS, Boston, more travel (who needs flexibility, just take the baby!) and post-school a.k.a. "real life" in Brazil. I never imagined a life so full of adventure and possibility and for this I have my husband to thank. You bring out the best in me, always encouraging me to reach outside my comfort zone and not stress the small stuff. Thank you for the adventure that is our life together. Thank you for always taking care of "techie things" that you know I simply dread. Thank you for always sharing your honest opinion but when it comes to stuff I really care about, you always let me have my way. Thank you for our son, the cutest little munchkin. Thank you for being you, my rock, my everything. I love you!

We went to Murambi Churrascaria for our anniversary dinner--the carnivore in Porter always loves a good Brazilian churrasco. We haven't found a nanny yet so little Po comes to all adult outings. His nap was a whopping 20 minutes so we expected an extra feisty Po at dinner. However I think it was purposely planned because little Po fell asleep in the taxi and slept 2 hours during dinner. It was his surprise anniversary gift, thank you bug! We loved our alone time.

This picture at dinner is funny to me. Notice little Po sleeping in the corner and the absence of any people besides us in the restaurant. Brazilians typically eat very small dinners because lunch is the main meal. This restaurant was probably filled to capacity at noon but come evening, it's empty. It certainly suits our American eating habits, we don't miss waiting for a table one bit!

The Other Anniversary ...

Today also marks another significant milestone, the 9th anniversary of when I was baptized a member of the LDS Church. What an immensely special day that was! I will never forget being baptized and confirmed by Brother Davenport and Porter. It was one of the most spiritual moments of my life, on par with my wedding day and meeting my son for the first time. The experience was deeply personal but I will say this, at that moment I knew putting God and my personal beliefs first will bring me a lifetime of happiness. It was worth every sacrifice asked of me and as a result blessed me with confidence, faith and an eternal family who make me happier than I ever dreamed. I know when you follow your convictions, whatever those convictions might be, rather than listening to what the world expects from you, you will find peace beyond measure. I certainly did.

Brazil, Our First Week!

2011-07-26T18:26:00.046-03:00

Warning: Entry morphed into a novel, however bear in mind intended audience is little Po's grandparents.
Moving to Brazil has been a whirlwind experience but WE MADE IT! Little Po and I left Boston for Utah on June 30 and Porter joined us that weekend after a quick work detour to São Paulo. Initially Porter's start date at Einstein Hospital was June 20 but our visas were delayed (big shock!) which set our schedule back a month. Once in Utah the visas cleared earlier than I hoped because I wanted to spend my 30th birthday in Utah, but my MBA professor Dr. Whiting always said this about working abroad, "be flexible or don't even bother." That said we're grateful for our time in Utah where we celebrated little Po's 2nd birthday, ate at Cafe Rio, the IV and the Crown (a lot), picked up last minute essentials for Brazil (like American mac n' cheese!) and enjoyed what my dad calls "smoking cigarettes for your skin." Yes, sunbathing poolside at Utah's best kept secret, the amazing Grand America. It totally recharged our batteries and we departed for our new home of São Paulo, Brazil, on July 15.

Bon voyage! Departing from Detroit on July 15 for our new home in São Paulo.

Truthfully I had no reservations about moving to Brazil, it sounded like a terrific idea, but as our departure loomed closer (specifically the night before), doubts began to surface and I shed some tears for the first time in the privacy of Uncle Greg's garage. Talk and actually putting wheels in motion felt very different and Brazil was now very real. This was MY FAMILY and we were moving very far away (plus if we ever moved outside the United States my vote was Europe!)

Bright and early and through some tears, we hugged family and left for the airport. My dad planned to come early with breakfast but called that morning and said he wasn't coming, it was too hard to say goodbye in person [insert tears].

At the airport we learned our initial flight to Detroit was canceled so Delta rerouted us to Detroit via Houston to catch an evening flight to São Paulo (we tried to explain Texas was the wrong way) ... talk about a long travel day, nearly 24 hours! I anticipated the worse but Little Po was a dream and had NO outbursts which isn't typical for him in confined spaces. Clearly someone called in a favor. I called my dad after we boarded our final flight to São Paulo ... boo, that was kind of hard.

9 hours later we landed in São Paulo where the hospital driver, Carlos, picked us up along with another car just for our humungous luggage. We must have looked like the Clampets with all belongings in tow. Carlos took us to our extended-stay hotel in Morumbi, the same neighborhood as Porter's work and where we hope to find an apartment. I won't lie, walking into our temporary abode was a little emotionally straining. It's not a roach motel but it's not the Four Seasons either, or even a Holiday Inn (no offense!) Porter was really understanding and let me mope a bit. We were exhausted so we crashed and later ventured out in search of groceries and dinner. For our first Brazilian meal we had feijoada at a nice mall called Jardim Sul. Feijoada is a very traditional Brazilian dish with rice, beans, meat and sprinkled bread crumb stuff. I've had it before and admit it's growing on me!

Home sweet home (sort of)--views from our temporary home in Morumbi. The scenic view is outstanding but kitchen view leaves something to be desired [insert more tears]. I will hug our microwave and what I used to think were crappy pots and pans when we're reunited next month.

Little Po's arch nemesis, boxed milk. My favorite diet drink EVER, Guarana Zero. The tiniest box of frosted flakes that cost more than the family size in the U.S.

Ready or not, welcome to Brazil!

Brazil has lots of bureaucracy but it seems "painting while dangling by a thread" slipped through the cracks.

After a great night of ambien induced sleep we fortunately felt more like ourselves on Sunday. In fact, I only cried once on Sunday when we saw our Brazilian HBS friends David and Bianca Python, compared to the approximate 6 times the day prior. Seeing familiar faces felt very reassuring and they took us to a great Italian restaurant in the Itaim neighborhood for a hearty lunch (Brazilians enjoy large and festive meals with family and friends on weekends). I can't express how much that afternoon with the Pythons boosted my spirit. Not only are they wonderful friends but completely relate to how we feel because they also left everything familiar for graduate school in the U.S. Bianca related that she too cried uncontrollably after arriving in Boston. Whether it's true or just a sweet white lie, she made me feel less pathetic.

Lunch with the coolest Brazilians, David and Bianca. Little Po loves Bianca and calls her "Binka."

That evening we went to the Portal condominium complex to begin our search for a comfortable Brazilian apartment. Portal is a massive, gated complex in Morumbi where David and Bianca live as well as other American friends we met at B-school. Seeing comfortable apartment options also helped me feel more at peace with moving and since then all urges to cry or feel sorry for myself have vanished (I maybe had one small setback last night but am working through it!)

Apartment Hunting

Living/dining and kitchen in an apartment we considered at Portal. Brazilian kitchens are usually tucked away from the heart of the home and less updated than American kitchens. Why? Because who cares what the kitchen looks like when you have a maid. That's truthfully why, which leads to another major difference from the U.S., everyone with means has a full-time maid and more likely than not a nanny.

Monday, July 18 was a landmark day--it was Porter's first day at his first official grown-up job! His day was filled with truckloads of meetings and everything was conducted 100% in Portuguese. He loved his first week and is very excited about his future projects, including a business trip to Texas next week. Porter is thrilled about the opportunities at Einstein and so am I. Go Po!

Porter's First Day of Work

Porter leaving for his first day and later enjoying our "first week of work" celebration lunch at a churrasco called Baby Beef.

Hospital Albert Einstein

Porter's first week was part-time so we had afternoons to visit more apartments. We found two good contenders, one is an updated two-level penthouse close to the hospital at a complex called Quintas with on-site swimming lessons for little Po and a hair and nail salon--hollah! The other is called Villagio Panamby and has spectacular grounds in a neighborhood I instantly loved. The grounds remind me of Jurassic Park and the neighborhood feels like Miami, however the apartment is smaller than hoped and the playground is 90% nannies rather than mommies, which is a drawback. We're still on the hunt but are closing in on the perfect pad for a growing family with room for visitors (that means you Grammy & Granpy Jones and Opa Davis).

Views of the apartment we liked at Villagio Panamby.

The grounds at Villagio Panamby--Jurassic Park meets Miami. It was out of this world!

A sad reality in Brazil, nearby every neighborhood is a favela where the working class live. This is the favela behind Villagio Panamby.

Friday was another milestone--my 30th birthday! I never thought I'd spend my 30th in a foreign home of 6 days, but here we are and made the best of it! Porter was very thoughtful and planned the perfect party at a cosy Italian restaurant in Itaim. 20 people came to celebrate--I had no idea I knew that many people in Brazil! Celebrating with both friends new and old was awesome, thank you everyone who came to my party. Porter also gave me the sweetest gift that I'll treasure forever, my dream purse! It's the perfect mommy bag large enough to truck around little Po's gear yet still a little fancy, like me ... I loooove it, thank you big Po! Thanks as well to my dad who didn't give up and successfully communicated with the non-English speaking hotel receptionist. I loved hearing from you and appreciate your tremendously thoughtful birthday gifts!

July 22: My 30th Birthday Dinner

Front left to right: Kathy and Daniel (unfortunately cropped out by the waiter), Gustavo, Wendy, Kimball, Stephanie, McKay.

Back left to right: Rafael, Andrea, Bianca, David, me, Porter, Davis, Asialene and 5 non-pictured kids who were running amuck, including ours.

Taken around 11 p.m., poor little Makenna's expression is priceless.

This weekend our friend Gustavo, another HBS section-mate, invited us to spend Sunday together with his sister's family, Fernanda, Leonardo and their 3-year-old son Guilhermi (Portuguese for William). They call him Gui, pronounced "Gee." We had brunch in Itaim at Fruitata São Paulo, went to a great children's park and then Fernanda and Leo's home for a traditional Brazilian Sunday afternoon with a hearty lunch, relaxation and what else, soccer (specifically the Copa America finals!) What a great family, so kind and little Po had so much fun with Gui, who is little Po's first Brazilian buddy! Gui obviously speaks Portuguese and it was fascinating watching little Po pick up his verbal cues. Little Po already learned some Portuguese words and pointed to cars when Gui said, "caho!" I know Po will easily learn Portuguese by interacting with little Brazilians at the playground and preschool. It's not his language skills I'm worried about, it's mine.

New Friends

Roasted meat, polenta, fried eggplant, rice and salad at Fernanda and Leo's, followed by playtime. I tried getting Po and Gui to both look at the camera, but you know how that goes ...

Observations and Other Stuff ...

Without a car, cell phone, or ability to effectively communicate with locals, little Po and I have limited options but we're making the most of our downtime until our belongings arrive. We go on mommy + me dates to McDonald's for $11 happy meals and playground time. I also drag him to appointments with relators and Carrefour, a store similar to Target, where we research the astronomical prices of groceries and household goods. The rule of thumb is anything grown is cheap(er) and anything manufactured is expensive. I think Brazil is often viewed as slightly impoverished with cheap goods but in reality almost everything is extremely expensive due largely to taxes. Because of taxes cars cost about double and most goods are double to triple U.S. prices. It's a huge reality check and makes me question everything we buy. Is this bag of Doritos worth $7? Probably not but fortunately produce is reasonable. On the upside I think we've already shed some unwanted pounds! Little Po is also shedding his nasty diet soda addiction because momma's diet Dr. Pepper supply suddenly vanished. It's been replaced by Guarana Zero but he doesn't recognize it as "coke" because it's not brown. Let's hope it stays that way.

Other first impressions of São Paulo, the weather is fantastic! The city is below the equator so seasons are reversed and right now is winter, which isn't a thing like winter in Boston--hurray! Average winter temperatures are 60's to 70's and summer is warmer but not insanely uncomfortable, 80's to 90's. Because the weather is relatively mild buildings never have central heat and residential air conditioning is uncommon. Hopefully that won't be an issue? Another positive observation is healthy, normal people, and by that I mean no one is extremely under or overweight. I think Americans have some body issues and too many people are drastically thin or heavy, whereas here everyone is "normal" with the exception of Gisele Bündchen, who is featured on lots of magazines and billboards (similar to Yao Ming in China. In 2008 his face was everywhere!) I noticed this healthy physical commonality in Rio last year and I'm glad it seems to encompass Brazil as a whole.

As if the city wasn't big enough there is construction everywhere, especially in Morumbi and Itaim. When you reach high ground you realize just how huge the city is and similar to Manhattan, high rises stretch in every direction as far as the eye can see (São Paulo is in fact larger than Manhattan). People are friendly and treat foreigners kindly, especially when you try to speak Portuguese, and everything is expensive, especially cars, dining out, and anything manufactured, which is practically everything. Things Brazilians tell me that all Brazilians LOVE--yogurt, fresh squeezed juices, kids, soccer, the Gap, and above all, Abercrombie. Resale for imported A&F made me gasp, it's three to four times U.S. retail! [Note to self: buy Abercrombie to ebay in Brazil]. Because cars are unbelievably expensive, Honda, Hyundai, and Kia are super nice cars, on par with Lexus or Acura in the U.S. While perusing used cars we saw a 2010 BMW X5 for $R180,000, approximately $120,000 U.S. and about $45,000 more used in Brazil than new in the U.S. It's absolutely crazy!

I also notice a heightened concern for security and safety, not because I think violent crimes are astronomically higher but because the culture is more precautious (I think Americans are generally slightly less so). For example, every residential building is surrounded by impenetrable walls and many security guards. Getting in without permission from someone on the "inside" is 100% impossible, as we learned apartment hunting last weekend with our realtor. Every free standing home in middle class or wealthy neighborhoods is hidden by concrete walls and even what looks like an impoverished home has tall, albeit rusty, iron walls. Theft is more common and it's unadvised to go outside alone at night, but I think all the concrete hides a lot of a city's personality. Also, don't dream about hiring your neighbor's teenager to watch your kids on a Friday night. No respectable Brazilian would fathom leaving their kids with anyone except family or their highly trained and trusted nanny, which is really hard to find. Most people just bring their kids everywhere, which is why you'll see children zonked in their chairs at restaurants. What would Americans do without access to cheap babysitting?

Little Po is doing well and adapting from what we can see. He already learned some new words, such as "pohr" (por favor, please), "o-gaga" (obrigado, thank you), "cha" (chow-chow, bye-bye) and "ah-ho" (caho, car). I think he's aware this place is different because he's been more affectionate, which I don't mind one bit :) Just last week he learned how to climb out of his pack-n-play so bedtime is a new challenge but has one huge upside--every morning at sunrise he skillfully climbs out of his pack-n-play and into our bed to cuddle. I've been forcing my cuddle tendencies on him for years, it's finally paying off! Tantrums have been regular but that's mostly terrible two's and not necessarily because his beloved Disney channel characters now speak Portuguese. He doesn't like the boxed milk but overall is eating well and is still his sweet, excited self with us and other kids. We just love that little bug and without him Brazil, or anywhere for that matter, wouldn't be complete. This experience will be amazing for all us but especially little Po, who will have a very unique childhood that will help shape him into one very adaptable little boy.

Little Po representing the USA at my 30th dinner party!

Little Po also rendezvoused with Jack, his buddy from HBS. Those two love playing tag and often roughhouse until someone cries yet still have a great time. Jack's parents are Kimball and Wendy, American friends who also recently moved to São Paulo (we both lived in Utah, moved to Boston, then came to São Paulo unintentionally at the same time, what a coincidence.) The Thomases moved with some additional family we know and it's great having a piece of Utah nearby.

Overall we're getting used to the big change and happy we made this choice. Our container is scheduled to arrive the end of August which gives us one month to select an apartment and negotiate the contract. We also need to open a bank account, which unfortunately can't happen for 2 months because we need a certification number that's administered only after a personal interview at the police department, and they're booked until September. Next week I'm hopefully starting Portuguese lessons and Porter is getting our cell phones when he goes to Texas for work (a minor detail we overlooked, who knew Brazilians pay $1,000 for an iphone? Oh well, no one is calling us, well me. Porter actually needs a smart phone, I however really need a language tutor). I sorely miss non-stick cooking spray and locals say it doesn't exist in Brazil, but that's it food wise besides refrigerated milk. I've already learned you can live without almost every ordinary comfort aside from your family, and fortunately we can load up on cooking spray anytime we visit stateside.

Little Po is TWO!

2011-07-22T14:30:00.000-03:00

Happy 2nd Birthday little Po, you are "Sooo Big!" We love you!

1 Week. 1 Year. 2 Years!!

Growing up way too fast.

On July 3 our little Po turned 2, does that mean he's now an official toddler? Think I cried a lot moving from the States to Brazil? That was nothing, wait until you see a mother watch her baby's delicious chubbiness slowly melt away. Yes, sweet yet mischievous toddlers are absolutely adorable but the angel-like aura from babies is unlike anything I've experienced and like many parents, my heart ever so slightly mourns the gradual transformation of my baby into a little boy. But, I still call him baby and actually renamed this stage his baby-toddler hybrid phase. I have my coping mechanisms.

This year we celebrated little Po's birthday in his place of birth and first home for 3 short weeks, UTAH! We were excited to share his special day with family because last year we lived in Boston and future birthdays will be in Brazil for who knows how long, maybe forever. We took our energetic 2-year-old to Hogle Zoo on what turned out to be the hottest day in Salt Lake this year (notice little Po's sweat drenched hair).

Jordan, Tanner, Porter, birthday man Po, me and Ashley waiting for the choo-choo. Thanks you three for braving the epic heat to spend birthday time with your little nephew!

Little Po loved riding the carousel (so long as we didn't actually sit on an animal) and the choo-choo. No surprise there, he adores trains and in particular "Tah-Tah," Po bear language for "Thomas." The actual zoo animals didn't garner much interest and the realistic dinosaurs throughout the park were sadly a source of major trauma, but made for a memorable birthday outing! He hated the dinosaurs and try as we may we couldn't escape, they were everywhere! I'm pretty sure I saw kids running in a frenzied panic after the life-size velociraptors hissed and spit water, what were you thinking Hogle Zoo? I don't want to pigeonhole his fledgling personality but I have a mother's inkling little Po is a cars/sports kid and not so much a dinosaur/science fiction kid. We'll see in time, maybe he'll grow into a child who likes all of the above!

Aww Popi, those mean dinosaurs seriously rained on your zoo day!

After the zoo we went for pizza at The Italian Village, a Jones family favorite and one of little's Po favorite foods. The IV (lovingly nicknamed by Porter) is a Salt Lake dive with a following of patrons who would riot if it ever closed its' doors for good. The Joneses have been among this legion of fans since the 80's and after hundreds of meals still have only ordered the #19. It took me 5 years to warm up to the IV and I only did so after Porter pleaded to go every time after my prenatal doctor visits nearby. Eating that much pizza while pregnant, it's no surprise that little Po also loves the #19.

Grammy, Grandpa and Opa also joined us for a lively pizza, birthday cake and gifts celebration. Little Po was totally into his party--screaming excitedly for his cake, blowing out candles, ripping off wrapping paper and cheering when he discovered the gifts inside. Seeing him so excited and happy was such a highlight, I had no idea he'd be that enthusiastic. He even wore the sports ball crown I made long enough to capture a few glorious pictures!

Porter² feasting on the soccer ball birthday cake.

Notice their shirts are opposite--blue/yellow, yellow/blue. I maybe intentionally planned it but Big Po didn't know and probably still doesn't. So sneaky, so cute!

Little Po loved his gifts and Lightning McQueen card from Shruti, our hallway neighbor when we lived at One Western. Why did you leave us Shruts? I could use a hallway friend like you right about now.

Meet Hunter, the 3-year-old who was sitting near us at the restaurant. He noticed all the birthday hubbub and apparently told his parents he wanted to give Po a birthday present. His parents gave him $1 and he personally approached Po to present the thoughtful gift. It was the sweetest display of kindness from a toddler! We gave Hunter a huge piece of birthday cake big enough to share.

The Best Birthday Gift a Boy Could Ask For ...

Before we moved from Boston (sniff sniff) little Po's big people friends from Section B surprised him with the coolest toy ever, a brand new Power Wheels Wrangler! He was literally shaking he was so excited when we opened the box. It was a totally unexpected and beyond thoughtful display of friendship that surprise, choked me up a tad. There I go, cryin' again!

Happy Birthday Kimball(s)!

2011-05-07T01:04:00.004-03:00

Happy birthday to our friend Kimball! Kimball hasn't been mentioned in our blog for some time now, not since this (it's understandable he went dark, Baby.com.br is keeping him busy!) But what do you know, today Kimball has a post of his very own! Why you may wonder? This post is to honor Kimball on this, a very special day, his 32nd birthday (30 is over-rated, everyone knows 32 is THE big deal).

We met Kimball nearly 2 years ago as young and starry-eyed HBS admits still living in the safe enclave known as Utah. We all sailed off to Boston with young boys in tow not sure what adventures awaited us but excited to get our hands dirty. Kimball jumped in head first into student life at HBS, quickly assimilating himself as a leader in section-F (Senator to be exact) and busy toiling his next multi-million billion dollar entrepreneurial venture. But what's a busy business student and doting husband + father to do with limited personal time to start another successful business? Look to your child for inspiration, that's what ... insert Baby.com.br, a fledgling start-up with early accolades that will transform the baby product industry in Brazil one dirty diaper at a time. Go ahead, call him the diaper man, he won't mind. In fact, it's a compliment because diapers ='s dollar$ baby!

Kimball, we wish you the very best birthday filled with all your favorite activities--brunch at Grafton with family and friends (hopefully Jack doesn't pull the fire alarm this time), quiet time with your mistress Lady Apple, an unlimited supply of O'douls while watching a rated-R movie (edited of course), and an ER-free friendly game of squash at Shad.

May you find two side-by-side parking spots so the X5 can straddle the line safely out of harms way.

Happy birthday friend!

Your HBS and soon-to-be Brazilian neighbors,

Porter, Maike & Little Po
P.S. Kimball, continue to follow the white rabbit here (FYI: Log on as "Wendy." Apparently the Smiths don't want us Joneses to access their personal blog. Weird? Must be some Wharton/Harvard rivalry thing?)

London Calling

2011-03-09T17:43:00.013-03:00

It's no secret we love to travel and spend nearly all our discretionary income (what little we have) on airfare rather than practical things, like saving for retirement and boring stuff like that. In typical Jones fashion, in lieu of presents we gifted ourselves a trip to India for Christmas that mother nature tried to derail with a curve ball. Although initially frustrating, the end result was a great surprise.
The northeast captured record snowfall days after Christmas 2010, sending holiday travelers in a tail-spin--us included. Originally we were scheduled to depart for India on December 27, leaving from Miami to Newark and ultimately onto Mumbai. One problem, Newark was practically shut-down and both our flights to Newark and Mumbai were canceled. Because thousands had the same problems, airline agents were unreachable via phone and the only way to be helped was in person at the airport. We waited in line for 3 hours and once face-to-face with an agent, spent another hour trying to get rerouted to Mumbai. Initially the agent said we couldn't get to Mumbai until January 2!! Come again, 5 days? That didn't fly, so we pushed and got a flight to London that evening with a 12-hour delay at Heathrow before connecting to Mumbai.
London? 12-hours? No problem!

Porter and I visited London in 2005 on our college graduation trip and like many students had pennies to our name. London was a harsh reality to our wallet because it was over and beyond expensive, plus we were in Europe for 2-months and needed to budget accordingly (budgets generally make me sad but ultimately it was a good learning experience). I recall the Tower of London cost $45/person just to go inside! (P.S. In 2005 the pound was at an all-time high while the dollar a record low, which didn't help our cause). So, we saw everything in London, but didn't go inside Westminster Abbey or the Tower--it was either that or admire from the outside and enjoy fish n' chips for dinner. We chose the latter, duh.

I wasn't aching to return to London until little Po is older, but certainly didn't mind when this brief visit fell into our laps. We had all day to romp around London and loved revisiting our favorite sights. We felt like young newlyweds again, no baby in-tow, just the two of us without a care in the world. Better yet, this time we could actually afford to go inside! Westminster Abbey was awesome, it was incredible standing in a place where so many historic events occurred, such as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I in 1559 (the famous daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn), Princess Diana's funeral and the forthcoming royal wedding. After a whirlwind day in London we made our way back to Heathrow to catch our red-eye flight to Mumbai. The capstone to our perfect day in London? Getting bumped to first class! Call it luck, call it karma ...
whatever it is, I am grateful!

Then & Now: Porter at the same phone booth in 2010 and 2005. Still handsome as ever!

Say hello to the Queen! Buckingham Palace hasn't changed in 5 years, thank goodness the same can't be said about my hair.

Parliament and BIG Ben. 5 years ago we expected Big Ben to be well, bigger, but he surprisingly seemed bigger this time. Can't say why, perhaps lowered expectations?

Keeping with tradition and kissing somewhere famous, this time at Westminster Abbey.

Porter navigating through Piccadilly Circus.

Rare pigeon sighting at Trafalgar Square.

Will Shed for Shoes

2011-03-05T00:25:00.017-03:00

There's nothing like a friendly wager to kick-start a resolution. For New Year's (which I realize is so 2-months ago) I made two resolutions, the first eradicating pissed and crap from my vocab. I absolutely HATE those words because it's so unladylike and well, ghetto, yet I said both off and on and cringed every time. Maybe it's proof of some lingering adolescent baggage but at any rate p&c must go--I'm turning 30 this year and what self-respecting 30-year-old says pissed and crap?! Examples: "I hate folding this crap [crap referring to laundry]" or "I'm pissed it's so cold." What a lady says, if she complains at all :) is "I don't like folding laundry" and "I'm upset it's so cold." Since NYE I've tackled this horrible habit and only slipped a handful of times. Mission nearly accomplished! Now if I could only do something about saying like ... maybe next year?

The second resolution is a fitness goal I want to accomplish by May 1st that had a start-date glitch. I'm ocd about starting goals on the first--the first day of the month, first day of the week, etc. Who starts a resolution on a Thursday? Not me. Being we were in India, it was a challenge starting this resolution on New Year's day because hello, it's India where e-coli lurks around every corner, hence I ate whatever edible item I found and wasn't so concerned about calories and carbs. Because of this, this resolution began February 1 when we returned to Boston, but that day came and went with me only so-so on board. What could I do to get motivated?

I've been obsessed, literally obsessed, with two pairs of shoes collectively for 3 years--the Stuart Weitzman "Jennifer Anniston" Alex wedge and the Marc Jacobs Mouse Ballerina (black please!) I can't get either out of my mind and daydream about them like I used to dream about pageant gowns. One sold-out at Neiman Marcus last year and I was devastated--not that I was going to buy it unless it went on sale--but devastated all the same. As I toiled about what would motivate me to get my butt in-shape (pun intended), I had an ah-ha moment. BUYING STUFF! More specifically, buying my dream SHOES!! Now I just had to get Porter on board (don't get me wrong, Porter is very generous with my indulgences but has more sensible price tag limits ... which is probably good for someone like me).

I collected my thoughts about how to rope him into my wager to get both shoes if when I accomplish the goal by May 1. Would he go for it with nothing at stake if he wins and I lose? (Which won't happen). The main selling point was that he likes a fit wife as much I like being a fit wife plus he knows that fabulous things motivate me. After a night of sleep to deliberate he agreed to the wager with one change--I can't pre-buy (I'm horrifically frightened the shoes will sell-out) but I can get one at the half-way mark, which is a fair compromise. At my current rate I should get my first-pair in 3 weeks and just can't decide which--the more expensive wedge or the ballerina I think is in higher jeopardy of selling out?

I encouraged Porter to join the fun with his own challenging but doable goal, such as lowering his blood pressure or cholesterol in exchange for something fabulous he wants, like Tumi luggage or Ferragamo loafers. However seeing him eat the last of his Valentine's candy as I write this post says he likes treats more than stuff. He might be on to something?

The Little Marc Jacobs Rainbow Mouse Ballerina--matching adorableness for our future princess!!! Unfortunately I'm not allowed to buy things for people who don't exist yet--i.e. little Po's future sister. This rule took effect when we learned little Po was a boy and therefore unable to wear all the girly clothes I'd collected since tying the knot. Marriage is about compromise so I conceded and haven't bought anymore girl stuff, no matter how adorable. I do however have lots of saved links :)

"Valentine, You Make My Heart "Beep!"

2011-02-16T14:18:00.103-02:00

Thank goodness for Valentine's Day, our cheerful highlight during this exceptionally polarizing winter. Our day of love was simple and sweet fastened around our favorite things--family, fun, and all things highly caloric. We celebrated with a family breakfast of heart-shaped eggs and toast (called a hole-in-one at our home) and roasted pears with ricotta and cinnamon (sounds fancy-ish but I assure it's anything but). Little Po delivered Valentines to his friends at the HBS Crimson Kids party where he also decorated cookies, attempted to have his face painted, and monkeyed around for hours in the ball-pit. He loves being around kids and nothing brings me greater joy than seeing him happy. That night after opening family Valentines, Porter took me on a date to Houston's for an amazing steak and sushi dinner while our awesome buddy Kareem tended little Po (Porter purchased Kareem's baby-sitting coupon at the Section B charity auction last year or else I don't think we would've scored a sitter!) Kareem is by far the most over-qualified babysitter and if the job-market is grim after graduation, I know little Po would welcome him back with open arms :)

Porter's constant request to little Po is "kisses on the lips!" and he'll lovingly plant his signature juicy kiss if he's in the mood. If not he shakes his head and says a defiant "no!"

We LOVE little Po's KISSES!

Porter and little Po with friends Chad and Audrey at the Valentines Party.

We're Moving to Brazil!

2011-02-07T18:48:00.002-02:00

Although we've been Bostonians for nearly 19 months, I swear it feels like we only left Utah and moved to Boston last week. AND, just as we've become settled and don't need our navigation (as much), it's time to prepare for another move in summer 2011 to
São Paulo, Brazil!

Technically Boston was only supposed to last 2-years, however in the back of my mind I thought we could stay longer because of the strong healthcare and biotech industries. It felt like somewhere Porter could start his career after graduation. However before business school we mutually agreed to being open-minded about moving abroad. Because Porter previously lived in Brazil and speaks Portuguese, naturally it was the strongest possibility.

Porter started talking with Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, the largest private hospital in South America, more than 1-year ago and accepted their offer when we were in Miami for Christmas! Although leaving everything familiar will be scary (mostly for me), we're thrilled to tackle this adventure together. I've always wanted our children to grow-up bilingual, and although I'll be a Portuguese klutz for years to come, am very excited to watch little Po and his siblings flourish in both English and Portuguese. Children's brains are so malleable, he'll probably be my language tutor before he reaches preschool. I'm equally excited that Porter found an industry and organization he's passionate about and thrilled to watch him grow into his career.

Fortunately we spent time in Rio de Janeiro last year so I have an idea what to anticipate. True, Rio is probably as similar to São Paulo as NYC is to LA, but hey, at least it's the same country! We loved Brazil and the warm weather and laid-back culture will be a nice change. I recently learned that our soon-to-be-home is the 7th largest metropolitan area in the world. Population: more than 11 million. Talk about being little fishes in a BIG pond.

While at HBS we've formed many great friendships and it's just our luck that some of these friends are also moving to São Paulo, including our good friends Wendy and Kimball and Porter's section mates Gus & Raffaella and David & Bianca. Yeah for already having friends in São Paulo! I start beginner Portuguese next month, giving me exactly 4 months to learn, pack, plan and most important, PRAY!

New Year's Eve in Mumbai

2011-02-01T01:30:00.015-02:00

How do you say, "Happy New Year!" in Hindi?
Answer: नये साल की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें
Pronunciation: Naye sāl kī hārdik śubhkāmnayeṅ

After Christmas Porter and I went to India for 3 weeks as our Christmas gift to each other. Everyone asks, "what about little Po?!" Have no fear, he was in good hands with Grandma and Grandpa Jones in New Mexico, who watched him as their Christmas gift to us--what would we do without them? There's so much to share about our incredible experience in India that it's a tad overwhelming. Let's start with New Year's Eve ...

NYE in Mumbai was the most outrageous and memorable New Year's party I've been to, even outshining parties from my days on greek row. We partied for 7+ hours at a private event at Indigo, a swanky restaurant and club next to the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in downtown Mumbai. I think Porter and I danced until at 3 a.m.!? It was a BLAST--unlimited virgin cocktails, a decadent buffet, lively dancing, and seemingly endless confetti (I found confetti in my girlfriend's ear days later!) However the best memory was partying with 12 radical HBS friends/fellow India travel companions.

Some of my favorite couples: Jevan & Ryan, Aaron & Kelly, me and Po.

Oh yes we did! A handful of us crashed the NYE party at our hotel. 7 1/2 years ago Porter wouldn't dance on our honeymoon cruise filled with only strangers. NOW look at him DANCING ON-STAGE! It was one of my proudest moments as a wife.

Crawling then walking, professional accolades and too many frequent flyer miles to count--2010 was a year filled with many milestones. Here's some of our highlights from 2010.

January - Jones family holiday celebrations in New Mexico.

February - Little Po crawled on Valentine's Day!

March - Little Po got his first passport for our first international trip as a family to Brazil,
Grandma Jones came to visit us in Boston.

April - Porter won the HBS Business Plan Contest, Maike and little Po visited NM and UT where he met his first cousin.

May - Porter completed his 1st year of business school, family road trip to Canada, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

June - Porter began his summer internship at Flagship Ventures in Cambridge, MA. Maike went to NYC, family Red Sox games and lots of outside time enjoying summer.

July - Little Po turned ONE and learned to walk on July 21!

August - Porter went to Tanzania to work on his start-up Urban Water Partners and went on safari in Uganda with HBS friends. Maike and little Po spent three weeks in NM, UT and FL where little Po held both a baby alligator and snake!

September - Porter turned 30 and had a HBS case written about him and his clean water start-up!

October - Trip to Germany and Hungary to spend time with Maike's extended family,
Grandma and Candace came to Boston for Halloween.

November - Thanksgiving in Boston with Opa Davis.

December - Christmas in Miami, little Po went to New Mexico with Grandma and Grandpa Jones while Maike and Porter went to India.

Have Yourself a Merry Miami Christmas

2011-01-20T00:15:00.081-02:00

After Porter's finals our little family shed our coats for swimsuits and escaped the New England winter for Christmas in Miami. We spent 10 days romping around South Beach, the Everglades and downtown Miami, as well as spent quality time with the Seevy family (Porter's BFF mission companion), HBS friends, and our beloved Joneses after they disembarked from a Caribbean cruise (we initially planned to join but decided little Po's age and schedule wouldn't blend well with all day excursions and cruise nightlife). Christmas Day was in the blissful 70's and we had a simple and sweet family celebration with gifts, a homemade Christmas feast, the Lakers vs. Heat game, and a stroll around Bayside which, much to our surprise, was hopping with activity. Our Christmas holiday in my favorite US city was picture-perfect and the only sad occasion was parting with little Po at the airport--he went home with Grandma and Grandpa Jones to New Mexico for three weeks, allowing us to visit India with HBS friends. Pictures and stories from our Indian adventure coming soon.

MERRY CHRISTMAS DAY!

Little Po semi-grasped the concept of unwrapping gifts and thanks to Santa, had many presents and goodies to practice the joy of unwrapping. His favorite presents were a basketball hoop and soccer, football and basketball to dunk (Santa pre-delivered in Boston), toy trucks and cars, Thomas the Engine electric toothbrush and toothpaste, and candy candy candy with the Mickey pez dispenser earning top honors (he devoured every pez candy before nap time!) Since Christmas only comes once a year we let little Po indulge and eat candy to his heart's content.

Little Po protested when some gifts revealed clothes rather than toys. I thought that wouldn't start until he was at least 8-years-old?

SOUTH BEACH BABIES
In lieu of a beach bucket and shovel, little Po dug around with kitchen utensils and measuring bowls. Same diff, right? We love South Beach, the perfect blend of beach + city.

THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES

Candace took little Po and me for our first visit to the Everglades in August--we had so much fun riding airboats and touring a gator farm and had to go back with Porter. There's something very special and almost spiritual about the Everglades, the way the sawgrass marshes delicately part as the airboat glides past massive gators nonchalantly peering from the shadows. The beauty of the Everglades is astounding because it's simply unlike any place on earth.

What's that I spy behind little Po and his Dada? A massive gator with surprisingly no gate standing between it and spectators!!! He must be a docile guy to earn such freedom?

TIME with the SEEVYS

Porter and Jake met 11 years ago as missionaries for the LDS Church in South America and have remained friends ever since. Jake along with his sweet wife Dana and children Madelyn, Catherine and unborn son (most likely a future Porter!) now live outside Miami. Dana was pregnant with Catherine the last time we saw each other, meaning it had been way too long! Jake is an elite SERE in the Air Force, which stands for survival, evasion, resistance and escape. His stories rescuing Haitian earthquake victims to standing on Saddam Hussein's collapsed statue in Baghdad are amazing and the sacrifice this family makes for our country makes us brim with respect. Love you Seevys!

Big Guns!

OUT & ABOUT in MIAMI with FAMILY & FRIENDS

Left: Jones time with Grandma, Grandpa, Candace, Allen and Tanner after returning from their Caribbean cruise.

Right: Cheering on the Miami Heat with friends from HBS.

Sampling apple-bananas off the tree at the exotic Fruit & Spice Park. Did you know bananas come in shades of pink and purple? Yum!

Pasta night!

Porter unfortunately became sick with the same stomach virus that afflicted little Po and me before we left Boston. Little Po was so sweet and cuddled with dada to help him feel better.

Mr. & Mrs. enjoying a romantic Christmas Eve date at Chop House Miami before returning home to help Santa drop off gifts for this little stud muffin.

The Baby-Toddler Hybrid ... 12 to Almost 18 Months

2010-12-21T16:35:00.018-02:00

Little Po is 17.5 months and everyone says is officially a toddler, but I disagree and not because I'm desperately clinging onto my baby. Well, maybe a little. Little Po is currently what I call a baby-toddler hybrid because yes, in many ways he's every bit a toddler, but let's not forget those lingering baby-like qualities, like those adorable thunder thighs and preference for being active more than formulating words (his pediatrician said most toddlers his age speak more than little Po, but our hybrid would much rather toss balls outside and climb jungle gyms than talk. We're not concerned--yet?) One thing's for certain--mothers desperately hold onto any shred of baby-like qualities in their growing children--so that's why he's a hybrid and NOT a toddler. We joke that home is the "no grow zone," but in typical ~~toddler~~ hybrid fashion little Po isn't listening and continues changing too quickly for mom and dad ...

Porter pointed out that little Po is nakies or in a diaper in most of my favorite pictures. Little bodies are so sweet! I can't help but whip out the camera every time his adorable body is on display.

A Snapshot of Little Po at 17.5 Months ...

Favorite Book: How Big? and Tails.

Favorite Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider--puts his fingers together like a spider and rubs his hands on his head and face when the spider is "washed out."

Favorite Foods: Little Po prefers drinking his calories and isn't an enthusiastic eater, especially avoiding fruits and veggies and recently anything cut into bite size pieces (hello, Dad's food isn't cut up). If he is in an eating mood, he gravitates towards eggs with cheese (this week at least), fettucini, ketchup, french toast, plain lunch meat, peanut butter, pretzels, cereal, graham crackers, corn on the cob, fruit snacks, and anything with sugar and/or carbonation. He loves drinks with straws, soda cans and anything he perceives as adult beverages.

Favorite Toys/Activities: Playing outside, being around children, playgrounds, balls (he cuddles them like a teddy bear), basketball hoops, power wheels and buggies/cars, baby doll stroller, soft blankies, peek-a-boo, hide-and-seek, bath time, small dogs, and bottles with screw-top lids.

Favorite TV Show: Elmo's World on Sesame Street, which he'll watch for 15 minutes and then personally turns off the TV. I didn't teach him this, he's just naturally knows what's good for him :)

Favorite People: DAD! Little Po adores his dad and follows him everywhere. Mom is acceptable if dad is gone. He has unique bonds with a handful of women on campus (listed in preferential order): Heidi, his babysitter Vanessa, Carolyn, and Wendy.

Words He Occasionally Says: Mo' (more), dada, mmmmmm (when he likes food), uh-oh (when he drops something) and GO! (sounds more like Guuuu!), the word momma is on hiatus and random jibber-jabbers are constant.
Words He Understands: Where's little Po? and where's your head? (touches his head), belly (touches his midsection--but you can't say "where's your belly," that's confused for "where's your head"), kisses, hug, one two three go!, dance or spin (then dances or spins on cue, so cute!), belly, ouchie bonk, yucky/dirty, eat, night-night, bonk (then we bonk forheads), bath time (runs to the tub when we say it), home, dada, momma, go and no.
New Pet Names: It's a Baby Ornament (Porter posts him on a wall like a little ornament and little Po thinks it's hysterical), His Royal Tininess, chubby-wubby, sweet pea, Po bear, angel baby or just angel (Oma in Germany called him angel and the name stuck).
Funny Tummy: Little Po rarely gets sick, however his winning streak ended in mid-December when he became violently ill and was vomiting all night. Porter sadly was on an international flight, so I was on my own consoling, cleaning, and bathing little Po. I felt so bad for my little angel, it was the most sick I've ever seen him. Although he had no appetite the next day, the worst of it fortunately only lasted 8 hours.

Recent Milestones: Grew out of his timid nature around large groups and no longer clings to us in public--preferring to run and explore, gives us open mouth kisses when we says "kisses!," learned how to open doors, mimics our gestures and jabbers (tries to comb and style his hair with hair wax, salt his food, put on chap stick, wash himself in the tub, and clip his toenails), leads us to things he wants by tugging our hand or clothes and points/grunts to communicate, gets in his stroller when he wants to leave (usually every hour, he gets stir crazy in our small apartment), can sign bird (looks more like he's stroking his cheek rather than forming a beak with his fingers--so cute!), growing 3-4 new teeth and has BIG chubby size 6 feet.
Upcoming Milestones: Time to wean from babas to sippys before naps and bedtime, which should hopefullbe a relatively easy transition because he already likes sippys. Personally I think parents are encouraged to wean babies from simple pleasures too young, so we decided the baba can stay in the picture a little longer. Speaking of simple pleasures, the binky won't go until he turns 2, mostly for selfish parental reasons.

Highlights from 15-16 Months ...
26.4 lbs., 31.75" tall, 19" head circumference, 75th% across the board, perfectly proportionate!
As little Po transitioned from two naps to one he also morphed into an opinionated and independent little boy (no matter how dangerous the consequences such as tumbling down the mall escalator--crisis avoided but not without tantrums and tears). Friends comment he looks like a little boy and no longer a baby :( He's completely comfortable moving his body (climbing, dancing, running, tumbling) and is now tackling communication. Within the same month he started leading us to things he wants, such as a door he wants opened, the fridge for a drink, his crib when he's tired, or my purse for a binky (darn binky, I dread the day we start weaning him off it). He also sometimes signs "eat" and "more" and tries to mimick the kids in his signing time video. Don't forget any and all things Dada, which is by far the word he uses most often. He regained his love for bath time, still refuses to taste veggies and gets very upset if someone is stern with him. He's very sad when dad leaves and chases him down the hall, then screams and cries when I bring him back home. Similarly, when he and I return home from errands, he starts walking faster chanting "Dada," then squeals with pure joy when they are reunited.

Highlights from 12-15 Months ...

Little Po is the sensitive child on the playground. If something is taken from him, be it a cell phone or insignificant wood chip by an adult or fellow toddler, little Po's starts crying/screaming/sobbing, often flayling his arms and collapsing to the ground. Usually it's pretty funny, but around 4 p.m. (after we've handled a dozen tantrums), the comic appeal dwindles. I try to remember my daily prayer "to be a good mom" counts most during the challenging moments, not when he's a cuddly angel. In 2.5 months of walking, he can now practically run but still trips a lot, learned how to climb chairs and ultimately on top of tables (where the laptop is waiting to be banged by chubby baby fingers). I think that was his motivation to learn how to climb. "The laptop is up there and I'm down here ... what to do?" Lastly had his first haircut, which he hated possibly more than the doctor's office.

Little Po age 13.5 months in UT with his cousin Kyran, age 5.5 months.

Back in Boston, Mack Daddy Little Po with his girlfriends Claire and Violet.

Thanksgiving & Autumn Outings

2010-12-03T15:00:00.010-02:00

My dad braced the airport crowds to spend Thanksgiving with us in Boston--thanks Opa! Our week together was uber relaxing and little Po loved running around with his energetic Opa. My dad is the most easy going house guest--family, a scenic running trail, and a comfortable couch to crash on are all he needs to be completely content. We also watched a lot of football (maybe too much?) and introduced him to new Boston eats, all of which he enjoyed with the exception of Korean barbecue. Opa even splurged on a Bartley's BEEF hamburger, something that only happens bi-annually! His healthy eating habits put ours to shame.

Thanks to our hostess Mrs. Wendy Thomas, Thanksgiving dinner was picture-perfect with Opa and the Thomas and Smith families. Everyone was coincidentally native Utahns with the most amazing jell-o pretzel salad as proof. The food, setting and especially company made it one I'll never forget. Personal highlights were the cliche but tender thankfulness circle, Wendy's unconventional pumpkin vases, and my red overalls clad rambunctious anti-eater who is life's best accessory. Despite his all about dad and semi anti-mom phase, Little Po's adorableness makes my heart swell. Who am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? Definitely these three special men.

Prettiest Thanksgiving table ever. Isn't Wendell creative!

Boston Hill Farm

We took little Po to Boston Hill Farm to see farm animals and pick pumpkins, a traditional New England autumn family outing. He was in heaven exploring the farm, eating treats and most of all studying the animals. Oh how he loves the outdoors. Fast forward two months and now we huddle indoors while I contemplate how to entertain his 17 month-old attention span. I'm usually only successful in 10 minute increments. I suppose that's when people have baby #2, when their toddler needs a playmate (I'm NOT making an announcement). Hmm, I wonder if his recent barrage of tantrums are toddlerisms or lack of fresh air? Probably both.

Little Po thoroughly enjoyed throwing the pumpkins like water balloons. Boys' obsessions with breaking stuff, how soon it starts.

Other Fun Stuff ...

Harvard vs. Yale

The annual football game is a deeply-rooted rivalry the likes of Michigan/Ohio St. or Utah/BYU, only with teams people don't notice. Harvard won!

Twinkle Toes

The Boston Ballet Nutcracker. Porter stayed awake the whole time, I was so proud :)

Tea, Anyone?

Tea party baby shower at Upstairs on the Square in honor of Jessie H.

Tiffany V., Wendy, me, Tiffany O., Michelle, Jessie, Kristin, Laura, Charlotte, Heidi and Summer (photos courtesy of Heidi Vetter).

(Left) Porter and Kimball chatting with Jeb Bush at a HKS breakfast (that's two swanky politicians in a month).

(Right) Sushi boat party while little Po ran rampant destroying the restaurant. Remind me to avoid Shabu Ya until they forget what we look like.

Autumn Splendor with Grandma & Aunt Sis

2010-11-21T16:12:00.014-02:00

Those of you who follow my sister-in-law Candace's blog (we call her Aunt Sissy) might find this post dull because she's more timely than yours truly and posted these pics weeks ago. One day after returning from Europe, Grandma and Aunt Sissy came to see us in Boston for a New England autumn retreat. We loved celebrating Halloween with them and exploring Harvard Square, Bunker Hill, Concord, and Newport, Rhode Island. We're so grateful they came to see us, especially because little Po's happiest moments are with his favorite playmates--family. The only drawback is his questioning gaze after everyone returns home saying, "Where did all my people go?" It breaks my heart! I said it once and I'll say it again, why must our favorite people live so far away?

Colorful autumn foliage on HBS campus.

Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, MA, site of the first major battle in the Revolutionary War.

The Alcott home in Concord, MA, where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set Little Women--one of my favorite childhood books.

Pre-Halloween celebrations in Salem, MA.

The consequences of Swedish fish Italian ice ...

Breathtaking Ocean Drive in Newport, Rhode Island. This place is truly paradise, I mean draw dropping I want to move here yesterday spectacular. Little Po escorted us on a girl's only trip to Newport where we savored the quaint yet luxurious seaside town. Newport is home to stunning mansions built by the who's who of American wealth at the turn of the century and is still a popular east coast destination for obvious reasons.

Breakers Mansion in Newport, RI.

Little Po was recovering from major jet-lag and as a result was the sweetest snuggle-bug when Grandma and Aunt Sis were here. His snuggle with Candace melts my heart (and makes me slightly jealous. Where's my snuggle hug?)

Dinner at Ye Olde Oyster House in Boston, the oldest restaurant in America.

I love little Po discretely reaching for candy. I wonder who he learned that from?

Trick-or-Treat!

There's no place like Beacon Hill on Halloween. The neighborhood becomes a trick-or-treating paradise and residents (including Senator John Kerry pictured with my two Po's) line their front porches to greet every costumed guest (some homes even serve pizza and wine!) Little Po hasn't completely grasped the trick-or-treating concept and was too busy exploring to collect more than a couple pieces of candy--dang it! As we walked around I heard countless passerbys say, "Look at that [beyond adorable] gingerbread man! He even waddles like one!"

"You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread man!"

Budapest, Hungary

2010-11-12T16:07:00.014-02:00

In Europe we took a trip within our trip for five days of family time exploring and eating our way through Hungary's capital city, Budapest. Although European escapades aren't high on little Po's wish list, I suspect family vacations will soon revolve around his interests and the window of opportunity for boring adult vacations is quickly waning. Nevertheless, he had fun chasing pigeons, eating kürtőskalács (explanation to come), and splashing in the famous Hungarian thermal baths.

Oddly our memorable trip began with the most unpleasant airport experience EVER when the ticket agent said Porter and little Po had tickets but not me. After tears (me, not Porter), cursing (again me, not Porter) and numerous phone calls, the agent shockingly discovered she was wrong. Had the flight not been delayed more than an hour, we would have missed our flight (if that isn't luck and/or good karma, I don't know what is). Remember the scene in Home Alone when the family is desperately sprinting down the airport terminal like deranged weirdoes trying to catch their flight? That was us.

In Budapest we established a leisurely routine of breakfast at the hotel buffet smorgasbord where little Po met countless friends from all over the globe, followed by swimming in the Hungarian thermal baths attached to our hotel, nap-time/reading/relaxation, and finally the reason we went in the first place, exploring Budapest. Traveling to Hungary was a bonding family experience, largely because we discovered little Po's jabbers aren't baby gibberish but in fact Hungarian!!! We still can't understand the majority of the phrases he mutters with such determination, but at least we know what language it is :)

In 1873 the two cities Buda and Pest, divided by the Danube River, were incorporated into one city that became--ding ding ding!--Budapest. Cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Budapest has the world's largest thermal water cave system that supplies the city's 80 natural baths (Euros love thermal baths because they believe it enhances health. Maybe they know something we don't?) In sharp contrast to the city's beauty is its somewhat tragic history of wars and communism, particularly WWII. On a side note, doesn't our little Po look overjoyed? He hates mittens and intentionally lost them by breaking the attachment ribbons, hence his new nickname little "Buda-pester."

Matthias Church, built 1015.

Hungarian Parliament, the largest Parliament in Europe.

The Royal Hungarian Palace where, unlike England, the royal family was booted ages ago.

Budapest Gellert Baths and Hotel (our digs for the week).

I'm loving little Po's swimsuit! Did you know the see-through white onesie is the latest Hungarian infant fashion trend? That or a lack of parental planning because had we done our homework we would've known Budapest is the European thermal bath mecca. Little Po loved the thermal baths and would probably still be there if he could.

Our little Budapester exploring Heroes Square.

St. Stephen's Basilica, the largest church in Budapest.

Hungarian food can be summarized in three words--goulash, paprika and sausage (or combine the later and you have paprika sausage, also a Hungarian specialty). Little Po especially loved kürtőskalács, the Hungarian version of funnel cake that's undoubtedly one of the best things my taste buds have savored. Hungarian goulash was also a thumbs up, while milky grits (those large dumpling meatball specimens with white sauce) were intriguing but ultimately a thumbs down.

An inside peek at how kürtőskalács are created and devoured ...

Great Market Hall in downtown Budapest, the place to discover every Hungarian delicacy.

Goulash and questionable food artifacts at the Great Market Hall.

Felvagott Szakuzlet! No idea what that means but it sounds mighty cheerful!

Schönes Deutschland

2010-11-08T10:58:00.009-02:00

We Joneses are spontaneous so when Porter had a break from school we said, "Let's go to Europe!" 24 hours later little Po and I were on a flight to Frankfurt and Porter came a few days later. The purpose of our visit was two-fold, family and travel. My Oma Renate lives in Alten-Buseck, a tiny village in Germany (close to Giessen) and little Po was introduced to her for the first time, as well as his great-great-Oma Elizabeth (who's 95!), great-uncle Werner and uncle Thomas. He loved getting to know his German heritage, especially pulling down every trinket and doily at Oma's house. It was very special taking him to a place I've visited every other year since I was a baby myself. Every time I go to Germany the people, sights and aromas never seem to change. It's like a breath of fresh air.

Meet my German family!

My great Oma Elizabeth is 95 years old and in amazing health. She takes no medication and still lives alone with her son Werner after her second husband Otto passed away 10 years ago. Otto was Werner's dad and my Oma Renate's step-dad (my real Opa sadly died during WWII in Russia). My Oma Renate is the cute gal with black hair, whose age we won't disclose because she'd be furious. She still lies about her age even to me, but I've crunched the numbers and know her secret :) The dashing gentleman is my great-uncle Werner, age 60 (an amazing age to reach for individuals with down syndrome). Being with Werner is like standing in the presence of a living angel. He is a very special person.

Everyone was born and raised in Alten-Buseck (with the exception of me) and my Oma and great-Oma have been neighbors their entire lives. Sometimes they fight like cats and dogs but ultimately they couldn't fathom living a part. Oma helps great-Oma with daily tasks such as cooking and minor cleaning and a nurse comes bi-weekly to help great-Oma and Werner with more strenuous tasks. My family has been blessed with the gift of longevity and I don't doubt that little Po's great-great-Oma will live long enough for us to visit her many more times.

Alten Buseck and Giessen

Germans take their meat almost as seriously as their beer. Check out the monster schnitzel and meat display at the Metzgerei (butcher). I'm a total German foodie and can't get enough of it when I visit. Deutsche schokolade (german chocolate), kuchen (cake), wurst (sausage), schnitzel, sauerkraut, brot (bread) and molkerei (dairy), especially german milk (weird I know), yogurt and quark (something you can't find in the U.S., a cross between sour cream, greek yogurt and cream cheese that Europeans usually spread on bread and bake with). Oh how I love German food, so much that it's in my best interest it isn't ordinarily at my disposal.

Downtown Giessen with Oma Renate.

Heidelberg

In Germany we did our three favorite things to do on vacation--explore, eat and relax. Our explorations took us to Heidelberg and Rüdesheim (as well as Hungary, separate post to come). I went to Heidelberg as a teenager and wanted to return with Porter because it's the prettiest city with the historic Schloss (castle) towering on the hillside over the Altstadt (old town). I love old stuff, I mean really love it, so Heidelberg is just up my alley.

Heidelberg Castle and Altstadt

Rüdesheim am Rhein

Rüdesheim is a quintessential German winemaking town located in the heart of Rheinland and we gobbled it up, it's adorable! Rüdesheim is classic Germany and filled with tourists for good reason. The traditional old-world German architecture, cobblestone streets and miles of vineyards are too perfect for words, not to mention the Bratwurst and Käsekuchen (German cheesecake--secret ingredient is quark--that's heaven on a plate).

Oma's boyfriend Klaus was kind to be our guide. Oma is what most Americans call a cougar :)

Riding the open-air tram over the vineyards with a birds eye view of Rüdesheim and beautiful Rheinland with my little animal, who quickly developed a love/hate relationship with that hat. I'm still amazed it's in our possession after 2 weeks in Europe. He tried with all his might to ditch it time and again but too many generous Europeans returned it to its rightful owner. Sorry little Po!

Look Who's 30!

2010-10-01T23:03:00.016-03:00

Someone turned 30, who could it be?!

Porter's 30th birthday was the most memorable and festive celebration I can recall--by far my favorite birthday ever and it wasn't even mine! The birthday boy started his day with homemade blueberry pancakes followed by obligatory school classes with a memorable birthday cold call in MITI thanks to his buddy Kimball. That afternoon the wife swept him off for a day of Beantown-theme indulgences including lunch at B&G Oysters in South Boston (deservingly voted best lobster roll in America) and a matinee showing of The Town (coincidentally set in the same Boston suburb, Charlestown, as the official birthday party later that night).

Afterwards the wife whisked the birthday boy to Figs in Charlestown and celebrated with 35 of their dearest HBS friends in true birthday fashion with endless drinks, appetizers, gourmet rustic pizzas and a "movie popcorn" cake fit for a king (movie popcorn is the birthday boy's absolute favorite treat). The birthday boy was serenaded with a robust "Happy Birthday" that could've shattered a window pane, as well as a heartfelt toast by his wife and lighthearted roast by Kyle Welch. It was an extraordinary day thanks to friends and family who helped make it supremely special for the birthday boy.

THE PARTY HAT

Because every birthday boy needs a birthday crown.

THE SCENE

Countless friends, a private dining room, embarrassing childhood photos and popcorn party favors filled with Porter's favorite treats.

THE FOOD

Calarmari, greek salad, tuscan antipasto, and gourmet pizzas such as baked eggplant and chicken sausage with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and arugula. Yum!

THE PEOPLE

What really made the night memorable--boisterous conversations shared between friends in high birthday spirits.

THE CAKE

Layers of red velvet, carrot and marble cake created by the talented fairies at Sweet Tooth Boston. As if I had the time or talents to make it myself.

THE GRAND FINALE

The birthday boy took care of business and blew out all 30 of his candles. Happy birthday dearest Po, we love you!

Summer Wrap-up

2010-09-26T23:55:00.001-03:00

I'm always slightly bummed to bid farewell to summertime, but not overly sad because I adore autumn--Halloween and the holidays are freaking fantastic. Who doesn't love dressing up and bedecking your home in glittered decorations while consuming inordinate amounts of candy? I DO! In fact the main reason I'm slightly fearful of the colder months--besides returning to my pale vampire-like complexion--is finding amusement for little Po. What will we do when the playground is covered in 4 feet of snow?

There's lots I haven't shared about our final summer memories so relax and enjoy the show.

Mr. & Mrs. Jones

7 Years of Wedded Bliss ...

Thoughts you might currently be thinking. "Who is that well-dressed bearded man Maike is kissing?"

Answer: Bearded dude is Porter! Or should I say was Porter because I have since then made him shave. Seven wonderful years ago I married my best friend in the entire world and it was, along with little Po's birth, the happiest day of my life. Sadly Porter was in Africa on our anniversary (that's where he grew that crazy beard), so we celebrated at Maggiano's when we both returned to Boston at the end of August (Maggiano's is a fantastic restaurant I discovered at little Po's fairy godmother's rehearsal dinner). We had a terrific date and most of all were overjoyed to be together after 3 long weeks of separation. I LOVE YOU original Po, you are the apple of my eye. P.S. I highly recommend that scrumptious dessert you see before us, toasted pound cake with caramelized bananas. It is THAT good. P.S.S. Thanks fellow dinner patron in the background for your enthusiasm in our one and only picture.

Portsmouth, NH

One benefit of east coast living is everything is so close! One hour in the car and you're in another state or major city, whereas it takes at least half-a-day to get anywhere interesting from Salt Lake (stop your gripping you outdoorsmen, it's just one woman's opinion). To curb our travel bug we took a day-trip with Komal and Indy to Portsmouth, a lovely seaside town on New Hampshire's short but sweet 18-mile coastline. Together we explored the quaint town, paused for a lobster bake lunch, and of course found the local candy and ice cream stores. Little Po's teeth will probably all sugar-rot before he has the chance to exchange them for money with the tooth fairy ...

Gotta LOVE the store hours at the candy store ...

NOTE: "No child was harmed in the making of this picture." He actually rather enjoyed himself :)

Splish Splash

Little Po loved, I mean LOVED, the kiddie water park across the bridge in Cambridge. It's only a couple sprinklers on a kid-friendly soft surface, but this park brought him hours of enjoyment during the humid summer days. Here little Po met dozens of new friends and conquered his fear of water (although large bodies of water such as swimming pools and bath tubs are still a little scary). By the grace of good luck or good genes, he never once burned even though he refused to wear a hat. Perhaps it was the constant mist of sun screen mom obsessively sprayed on top of his adorable noggin'?

Back to School

It's our, gasp, last official year as students--FOREVER. Fortunately starting the last year wasn't so bad, not when you have clambakes and countless parties to get you back in the groove. I've never been a part of any organization that sponsors so many socials, thanks HBS :) It's made our time at b-school our favorite educational endeavor by far.

Section B friends at the Labor day clambake (left to right): Little Po, me, Chad, Ashly, Jon, Robin and Porter.

HBS Welcome Back Reception at the Boston Aquarium. Miami tan, how I adore thee.

Official TWIT crew ... TROPHY WIVES IN TRAINING.

You know it's funny :)

Section B Masquerade Charity Auction

Speaking of school sponsored parties (I really wasn't exaggerating), each HBS section host annual charity auctions where students provide the prizes to be auctioned (this happened in May but pictures only recently appeared on Facebook. Artistic credit goes to Ling Tan, the same creative person behind little Po's birthday pics). Anywho, my husband never remembers a camera and I was in Utah. Porter said it was loads of fun and his personal auction item, an afternoon with little Po to use him as a chick-magnet, went for a staggering $50! Some call it babysitting, we call it genius. Not only did we succor someone to pay to babysit, we also personally purchased 4 hours of babysitting services for $10! Other items for sale included a personal tennis match against a former CEO of Fidelty, the opportunity to shoot more than a dozen different military grade guns, personal shopping for fine men's attire with the best-dressed HBS professor and an assortment of home cooked meals delivered during finals week. In total section B raised more than $20,000 for local charities by buying each other's crap and mindless services! Now that's something to celebrate.

The masqueraders of section B ... I swear I'm always out-of-town during the dress-up parties.

Family Pictures, an Annual Tradition!

2010-09-20T19:31:00.000-03:00

Once upon a time when I wasn't pouring my soul into planning the perfect 30th birthday party, I had time to update our blog at a reasonable pace (mind you I'm the only one with an unhealthy obsession with perfection, not the actual birthday boy). Porter's party that I plotted for months has come and gone (pictures coming soon) so I now have some free time to spare.

In July--yes that long ago--we took family pictures with Macy Robison to commemorate little Po's first birthday as well as our current home, Boston. We went downtown to the Boston Public Gardens, so naturally my favorites are those with the swan boats because they are so quintessential Boston. Little Po started walking a week later so all his pictures are grounded, hence the muddy knees. My little trooper almost lasted the duration of our time with Macy, only starting to crumble halfway through his solo photo shoot (his sad moments crack me up because he looks so gosh darn depressed!) I just love that kid, he can make me laugh doing anything. Also, don't get me started how long I scoured for the most timeless yet non-dorky outfit for little Po. Sometimes I worry about myself. If only I spent that much time on things that actual matter, I'd be a mighty well-read individual.

If you care to see the rest (let's be honest this only applies to family members and really, really close friends) go here. My personal email address is the password.

"Hair" Today, Gone Tomorrow

2010-09-11T13:57:00.000-03:00

Last week little Po had his FIRST HAIRCUT! I've trimmed a few stragglers here and there but this was his first official visit to a professional "hair stylist," whom it's safe to say he hates more than his pediatrician, the man he associates with needles (I suppose scissors aren't exactly a comforting object). This poor girl, she was a good sport and we heavily tipped her in case we ever dare take him back.

"He's only 14 months old, why a haircut?" some asked. It's true, we adored his sweet curly wisps but the back of his head was growing into a fuzzy bed-head paradise. He's my baby and I find him adorable no matter what his hair looks like, but I do think he looks so scrumptious with his new 'do.

"Momma, save me from the lady with scissors!"

BEFORE

My little raggamuffin in Castle Valley, UT where there was 0% humidity to fluff his side curls (August 2010).

AFTER

At the playground a few days post recovery.

Pinky Power

2010-09-10T11:41:00.014-03:00

Ask me what are the most common dangers to infants and last week I'd have said fatigued mommies, playground pitfalls, wall sockets and possibly starvation since eating isn't high on little Po's priority list. Courtesy of an article featured on Parenting.com, CNN compiled a list that is way better than mine, which I found really helpful after a scary incident. You probably already know this as a responsible parent/person, and I do too (but obviously not well enough).

Bad Stuff for Babies:
Falling
Suffocation & Choking
Drowning
Fire & Burns

Just when I think I'm getting good at this mommy stuff, something bad happens to tell me, "You're learning, but you're not there yet sister, so keep practicing ... like, forever." On Monday I prepared breakfast for my boys just like any morning and gave little Po some oranges to munch on while his cream of wheat cooled. Oranges are his favorite and although I know it should be chopped into bite-size pieces, didn't because he's never had a problem eating this fruit.

Suddenly little Po started to gag, not a coughing gag (which isn't that uncommon), an "I can't breath" gag! In a flash Porter, the best unpaid live-in doctor ever, swept his pinky finger in little Po's mouth and pulled out the orange membrane that was logged in his throat and blocking his airway. Little Po was freaked, probably because he couldn't breath and then had the uncomfortable ordeal of his dad's pinky finger jabbed down his throat, but after some love and cuddles was as good as new. I learned a lot from this experience and can't thank my lucky stars enough that it was just that, a learning experience. First, never give babies whole pieces of food, particularly food that is difficult to chew. Second, if a baby is choking, initially sweep your pinky finger in their mouth and if necessary, down their throat. There's obviously a lot more critical information to infant CPR that I'm not even remotely equipped to teach so when in doubt, take a CPR class or just marry a doctor.

The culprit: the massive orange membrane--it's size makes me feel like a crummy mom.

The brave survivor: After screaming at us for putting him through a very unpleasant experience, Little Po was unscathed and had a delightful time smearing cream of wheat everywhere in celebration. Please note the puffy eye and nose booboo are injuries sustained from a separate accident. Thank heavens children are resilient.

All better!