Life has returned to (semi) normal

We are in our apartment, Charlotte is going to school, and Clara and I have gotten used to the routine or staying and home and running errands. Peter works a lot and typically goes to the factory every week for 2-3 days. (The factory is in Pernambuco, which is a 3 hr flight from here). 

This is before we got our air container, and the girls didn't have any bedding. :/  Thanks to our friends KaLee and Neal, the girls each had a sheet to sleep on.

Charlotte had her first playdate with a friend from school. It was with a sweet little Portuguese girl named Maria. It was funny to watch them play--Maria spoke Portuguese and Charlotte spoke English back but they didn't seem to mind. They just kept playing. The mom was really kind and let Clara and I come too. Clara was happy because there was lots of yummy food for lunch. All the other kids were playing and she was sitting at the table eating :).

Our apartment has a few pools, and this is the main one. During the week it is pretty empty other than sunbathers. The kids love having a pool that they can go to whenever they want. 

 We also have a couple of playground areas for the kids.  It is so great, there are tons of other kids and moms that come around 5 or 6 pm and Charlotte just loves having friends to play with. Most of our friends are expats from Latin countries, so we get a good mix of Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Most of the moms don't speak a lot of English, but they speak enough and my Portuguese is getting better, so it is fun for me too.
The other day Clara got bonked pretty good by the swing, and all the moms ran over and just fawned over her. Two went and got special cream and ice packs, and then one called me later to see how she was doing. I love the moms here!

Every Friday is dress up day at Charlotte's school, and she loves it! Her friends thought it was pretty neat that her hair looks just like Elsa's hair. Also, the sidewalk you see her on? Pretty typical. This is why the frame of my stroller snapped :/

Our complex also has an indoor playroom for rainy or cold days. 

One of my favorite words that I have learned lately is "Fofa." A lot of times Clara and I will be out running errands, and people will talk to her and call her Fofa. I finally asked my tutor what it means, and he said it is a mix of adorable, cute, and chubby. Pretty perfect for Clara, since her nickname at home is Squishy. So now we call her Fofa! (or Fofinha)