Lisbon Pediatricians

We met with Finn's new pediatrician, "Dr. Leonor" today. Besides LOVING how thoroughly she checked-over our baby, she also happens to be an exact replica of Orphan Annie (envision: tight pin curls) and wears an apron instead of a Doctor's Coat. To  check Finn's vision, she hovered three inches above Finn & slowly swung her (fiery red) head in a large counterclockwise circle, making sure his eyes tracked her movement. 

Maria our Portuguese landlady

Our landlady's personality can be defined by 3 examples taken from her (knowingly) shared dvd collection:

1. "Animal Instincts 3: the seduction" (soft core porn).

2. "Mulholland Drive", David Lynch. 

3. "My Fair lady", (Aubrey hep/ circa 1964)

I feel that I understand this woman SO COMPLETELY!

White trash mom in Sintra, Portugal

We set out walking to dinner in tonight's "cloudless skies" only to be SHIT ON by an angry rainstorm (4 min later). Ergo- baby'ing in-tow, we proceeded to sprint to refuge, and I felt like COMPLETE WHITE TRASH in realizing that Finn's legs were drenched. Nearing a "hormonal/ tearful episode", we barged into a restaurant FULL OF ONLY (mostly drunken) MEN. The waitress (a 20yr old) whisked the baby away and into a bundle of towels, as fast as she handed me a half liter of red wine (that cost 2.5 euro). The nearby "man party" refused to make eye contact with B. Finn, AND THE BABY HAS TURNED INTO AN ABSOLUTE HAM/ couldn't stop screaming and smiling at their unresponsiveness. 

Our waitress (Stephanie) taught us some Portuguese / and I can now announce: 

"The baby's cheeks are so fat"

"RED WINE"

"veal"

and....(most importantly) "men are annoying". 

We were driven home, AND I FREAKING LOVE IT HERE (the cheap half liter of vino also HELPS). 

We have moved to Sintra, Portugal

A gift from our landlady "Maria", who firmly instructed Joe that, "he will watch Mr. simpatico (Finn) tomorrow, and I will take Elizabeth to Pilates"! 

I explained i'de never tried Pilates, and she said, "you look good... Well, not so bad, you just gave birth. BUT YOU CAN LOok MUCH BETTER"! (I love this kind of bluntness).

Maria collects antiques and is a psychiatrist to "couples and to the old". Her ex- husband lives next door & her partner "comes over to play piano".

Sintra National palace

Sintra is beautifully overwhelming: 

Italian tourist's reaching fingers pinch Finn's fat cheeks as we pass by on narrow stairwells. My compulsive need to slather EVERYONE's hands with the "pathetically organic hand sanitizer" in my bag, is stifled with their squeals of, "BELLO!  belisimo!" 

Waitresses insist on holding Finn, and so many strange kisses are planted all over our spoiled baby's face. 

We show Finn a ceramic wall, and I'm crying. I see Joe showing Finn a statue, and I cry. I feel so very blessed to be here.