It's ironic really. I was just telling my new girlfriends yesterday how when I get super nervous or anxious about something I start laughing. Not just your normal laughter either. We're talking a full on body convulsion with tears streaming from the eyes. Crazy person laughter. TOTALLY inappropriate at times and yet I don't seem to have enough control over myself to stop it when it starts. We're working on that...
Yesterday was supposed to be easy. My girlfriend showed up at 9:30am to watch the two younger babes while I took the two older to school orientation. First official day of school in Brazil was today. I may or may not have shed a few tears (NOT accompanied by laughter). Orientation went superbly well! I adore both Miss B and Sir H's teachers.
DEFINITELY the highlight of the day meeting the two of them! :)
Afterwards I went back to the apartment and after a play date I drove my girlfriend home. Technically this should have been a 20 minute drive. An hour and a half later we finally arrived at her flat. Sao Paulo traffic is splendid I tell you. Splendid. After a brief visit and potty breaks at their place (apparently I need to tell my son AGAIN that bidets are NOT urinals!) we took off, set to be home by about 6:30-7:00ish which was later than I had originally planned what with their big day and all today, but still workable. We had a lovely view of the bumpers of other cars, STOPPED might I add, throughout the entire drive. They have these crazy motorcycle riders out here that zoom through the cars at ridiculous speeds. No shocker that 470 died in Sao Paulo alone just last year! The locals call them "crazy dogs" and now I know why.. one of the suckers completely side swiped our car while we were at a standstill leaving a beautiful scrape from tail to nose. The best part is he turned around (thereby acknowledging that he knew it happened.. not sure how anyone could have missed it really) and took off in a flash! We passed two motorcycle-to-car crashes on the way home which is the reason I assume for us not reaching home plate until 9:10pm. Despite my annoyance with the "crazy dog" who took out the side of my vehicle, NO I did not wish either rider was him.
Upon arrival at home the kids and I were excited to get inside and cook dinner and get some zzz's. Sadly enough our excitement turned to disbelief when I realized my house key (which I gave to my friend when she had to make a run up to my apartment earlier), I neglected to get back... Hubby had a LOONG day at the office and was just heading home so we were stuck in our entry way. We all nestled down for a "party" while we waited for daddy to come home, when the motion censored lights turned off. For the next while until he showed up everyone in our building was treated to periodic screams followed by hysterical laughter as we kept trying to move around the tiny space to keep the lights on.
Then, my knight in shining pant suit arrived to let us inside. It was now 9:30pm and we were itching to get the kids in bed before our bright and early day this morning. I told him to strip the kids and get them in the shower while I made a super easy dinner (instant oatmeal). So strip he did. (The kids I mean.. get your mind out of the gutter!) One little foot reached into the shower when suddenly the water turned off. "Honey?! What did you do to the water??" Whatever. I brace myself for a "Just kidding, I couldn't help myself!".. but it never comes. He heads downstairs to talk to the maintenance staff only to be told that they are working on it and it'll be back in 3 hours. WHAT?! At this point we just start laughing. Hysterically. With tears streaming down my face I am brought into reflections from that Mary Poppins scene when everyone is floating up by the ceiling. I think each one of those sounds passed my lips at one point or another as I tried to regain control of my being. Wow. So off the kids went to bed at 10:00pm. Dirty. Tired. And anything but ready to wake up at 6:30am this morning for their first day of school.
But alas, miracles DO happen as I woke my kids up today by handing their naked selves to my hubby in the shower and they somehow came out with smiles on their faces! Thank you adrenaline for getting us all through this very unique and unanticipated first day of school. ;P
We had to give him SOMETHING to start the day off right.. he was ecstatic to see more cars to play with!
When he mentioned a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, I was all over it as chocolate is in short supply here! So we happily broke into our "emergency supply" that we brought over from the states. :) 
Then it was time for the unwrapping of the gifts.. accept since we don't have any wrapping paper yet we were forced to get creative and made due with blankets. :) He didn't seem to mind.. lets be honest, it's what's in them that his sights were set on! He was spoiled with books, popsicle molds, "orange" clothes (it's the color of the year you know!), and giant soft play dinosaurs. All this made for one HAPPY birthday boy!!!
Of course he got the family hook up too while we were visiting in Utah last month. He asked for a specific party for the first time so of course we HAD to do it! The theme was... ORANGE. Orange cake, orange balloons, orange, food, even "orange water". Of course we also added the world's largest orange silly string fight (36 cans of silly string!), and an orange water balloon fight too! It was great to see everyone, and Mr H got spoiled royally! :)
Miss B and Grandma R at the orange buffet table :) It was hard coming up with an orange menu.. we had macaroni & cheese, chicken nuggets, carrots and dip, cheese balls, cantaloupe & tang.
Grandma R made the fantastic orange dinosaur cake! THANKS GRANDMA!!! :)
There was plenty of love to go around :) 
All in all, I think it's safe to say he had a GREAT birthday! I am so thankful for this little man in my life. Always ready to give a compliment, a kiss, and a flower, he will someday make one special lady VERY happy.. right now I'm just happy that lady is me! :) LOVE YOU BUD!!!
