Carnaval Light

We are just coming off of the high of a five day Carnaval weekend. We sent Sam off to hit things off first thing Friday morning at his Brazilian preschool, where they let the kids wear "fantasia" or costumes and had a party complete with music and confetti. Of our two costume choices, Sam chose Peter's sized 18 month old, Stegosaurus costume which fit, perfectly not at all. But, whatever I'm unsure of all I've seen of Carnaval that anything is really supposed to fit...or make sense. He practiced a little head-butting which is always necessary no matter the habits of the dinosaur.



"Rawred" and showed off his "dinosaur eggs" (pao de queijo).



...but did not jump into the car with Paul to head off for school until he had practiced walking like a dinosaur and falling on his head like a dinosaur.



We spent a lot of quality family time together and by Sam's request went to "a place I never been before," and ate at "restaurants I've never been to before." He always claims, "I need to see something different, I can't take this same old thing anymore." We have no idea where he might get this (ahem) but we are sure it will serve him well in our family.

Due to my current state of nine month pregnicity we were unable to be where we had hoped to be this year...on a romantic and wild get away to Rio to experience the real Carnaval. So instead we packed up the boys and rolled down to Parque da Cidade for kids Carnaval.

Neither Sam nor Pete knew quite what to think. While standing in line for an aerosol can of 'espuminha' or some kind of spray soap everyone was spraying festively into the air, an airhorn bleated nearby, and Pete burst into tears. We quickly exited the Baratinha and headed straight for Nicolandia, the amusement park oasis at the heart of Parque da Cidade.

Pete has yet to master moderation. His moods oscillate between euphoria and misery, though--thankfully--we have been getting more of the former than the later. It was a treat to see him genuinely thrilled. Beaming from ear to ear, he couldn't contain his glee. I had to physically restrain him as we waited in line for the rides, his tiny Crocs spinning in the dirt like a cartoon roadrunner.

We never really thought the boys looked alike, but Elise noticed that when they smile, one is a dead ringer for the other.

Pete, the little daredevil, showed the form of a natural in the saddle, one hand on the reins, the other on the horn. And, of course, he could not ride the caterpillar without examining the wheel and tracks, watching exactly how one engaged the other. Thank God he had a seat belt on (as it were) lest he tumble from the car and spill onto the tracks.

Spent, we headed home in front of the darkening skies. The streets were still quiet. The 'real' party wouldn't start until midnight and the lights in the Sambadrome wouldn't dim until dawn. It wasn't Rio or Salvador, but it everything one could expect or want from Carnaval given where we are. I had to promise Elise she would get a 'real' Carnaval in Rio someday, though I don't imagine she would trade for the one we had this year.

elise & paul