Daily Life in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Because You Asked: The Cost of Having A Baby in Brazil

Let me preface this post (which has been requested over and over again by MANY readers) by saying that these are prices for private healthcare in the Zona Sul of Rio. In other words, yes there are other options available, not all doctors are this expensive nor are all hospitals. However, this is the information that I have on what it cost for the particular birth experience I had in Rio. The Canadoca was delivered at Perinatal in Laranjeiras by an English speaking well renown OB/GYN who practices in Gavea. These prices are from a friend who had her baby in the past year, so should be still current.

Two night's stay at Perinatal:                        BR$4,302*
OB/GYN Birth fees:                                      BR$8,000
Support staff (anaesthesiologist + 4 others)  BR$7,500
                                                                 BR $19,802  

Pre-pregnancy costs:

9 OB/GYN Appointments (BR$340 x 9)   BR$3,060
Ultrasounds (R$180 x 7)                       BR$1,260
Bloodwork (Can depend but approx)      BR$3,000
                                                         BR $7,320

For the birth experience I outlined for you in many posts, you are looking at BR$27,122 or US$16,400.

*In our case, insurance took care of this part on the spot, and so we did not have to personally pay for it.

 

A day with the horsies

Last week we were lucky enough to be invited to the Sociedade Hipica Brasileira on the Lagoa, which is located between Hospital de Lagoa and Clube Militar. The club has hundreds of stables for horses, riding facilities, ponies, lessons for kids, a pool, tennis courts, a restaurant and I'm sure more that we didn't take in that day... very nice!

It was the Canadoca's first time up close with horses. Besides Petunia of course, who you met recently...

We learned a few things about that Canadocers that day. First, she likes her horses big and fast. Secondly, she prefers to obvserve them from a distance.

We tried to convince her that this one was Petunia but she wasn't buying it.

This little guy was having a lesson on a pony.

The staff all seemed fantastic and knowledgable, constantly trying to get her to interact with the horses in different ways.

A view of some of the facilities.

 

 

Petunia

Meet Petunia.

She's the Canadoca's new best friend. She traveled all the way from Canada via fedex during the holidays -  she was a gift from the Canadoca's Papa. (And for what the fedexing of a wooden horse and the import taxes ended up costing him, several more children could have had Petunia's of their own. But I digress...) Because every little girl needs a pony, or so I'm told. The Canadoca and I went to see some real horses recently as well, will post on that soon.

I'm not knocking Papa. Fedex was a good choice, seeing as how snail mail delivered not one but five new Christmas cards to my place in the past week. Just in time for Valentine's Day.

 

 

A Day At Rio Water Planet

A few weeks ago Mr. DRL and the Canadoca and I went to Recreio for a day at Rio Water Planet. We had a great time! Click here for the link to the official site.

There were attractions and water features for all ages. The Canadoca loved climbing in this water castle that is constantly flooding...

 

 

 

 

Random thoughts that crossed my mind during the day:

1) How funny it was to see that the park has used Disney's font for its signage.

2) How convenient Brazilian swimwear (minimalist bottoms, if you will) is for going fast on the slides (I remember as a kid we would give ourselves wedgies to go down the waterslides faster.... lovely visual, right).

3) How many people I saw that day who clearly did not use any sunscreen! (Burned Brazilians everywhere, kids!)

The wave pool was constantly packed.

The Canadoca loved the mini waterslides. Sooo cute.

There seemed to be a good selection of activities for every age and stage of child.

An oddly empty section of the lazy river

A popular spot: The SWIM UP BAR.

A post about the Brazilian water park would not be complete without the requisite photo of a Brazilian bumbum. Yes, there were also some sunga shots above!

There is a private club area as part of the facility as well. Groupon has offered some coupons for entry lately - we paid about R$90 per person for the day if I remember correctly.

I was impressed with the variety of food and drink available at the park - acai, fresh fruit, even a little churrascaria. A great way to entertain the family for the day!

Children's Dance Classes in English in Rio de Janeiro

My friend Nora is starting a dance class for 3-6 year olds :) I would enroll the Canadoca but she doesn't fall into the age group. Sounds like fun!

So, who's the blonde?

The other day while out for a lovely lunch at Resto with the Canarioca (that's right the Canadoca and Canarioca finally met), the Canadoca was obsessed with this photo:

Apparently I'm the smoker in the one piece and Mr. DRL (Dadd-EEEE!) is chatting up the blonde. Interesting....

It was lovely to finally meet the Canarioca, and she was ever so helpful with what ensued after lunch: the Canadoca's first full on public meltdown. In the streets of Ipanema in 36 degree weather. Not fun. Thanks for your help!! :)

 

A mouthfull

Every time the Canadoca sees this ad she starts making a "MMMMMMMMM!!" sound as though her mouth is taped shut and gets agitated. It's funny.

Brazilian Christmas Gift Idea for the Kids

The Canadoca has a CD of music in English that incorporates her name into each song, for example:

"Little Canadoca had a farm, EIEIO"

or

"Oh how I want to go to Canadoca's house..."

or

"If you're Canadoca and you know it, clap your hands!"

You get the idea.

Turns out there's a Portuguese version too, of course. I can't stress enough how much Portuguese I've picked up from the Canadoca watching a bit of Xuxa every now and again. (By the way, Xuxa is the blonde grinning kids Brazilian pop star. The Canadoca loves her.) Portuguese teachers always told me to watch children's television to learn more Portuguese wbut before now I really couldn't handle it - I didn't really even like kids' tv when I was a kid, rather I would try to sneak to watch episodes of Another World with my parents ;)

Back to the topic at hand: what a cute gift, a personalized CD for the little Brasileiro or Brasileira in your life.  The site they provided on the card doesn't seem to be working but here is some contact info if you are interested: 

Leite Musica & Cia
2226-7289
or email [email protected]

in case the site works for you: www.leitemusicaecia.com.br

 

The New Face of the Police?

Rio's current situation in the favelas (Police Pacification) is an opportunity for the police foces here to reinvent themselves. Rio's police have been largely feared by the public for a number of reasons - the Tropa de Elite films tell some of the stories...

I hope that the police rise to the occassion and that a few bad apples don't manage to spoil the bunch.

There are signs of hope.

The other day, the Canadoca and I inadvertently walked through a large crowd of police officers with large guns setting up for some sort of exercise or operation. I was a bit nervous, then glanced over at one point to see the majority of them staring at my daughter with broad grins, waving frantically at her trying to get her attention with their huge, in some cases tattooed arms as their assault rifles dangled from their shoulders. What a photo that would have been... I chuckled to myself but noted that they must be looking for someone scary and we should get out of there..... then continued on to a main street to be met with more police pulling over vehicles, directly in front of me, an officer first just drew, then pointed his gun at a motorcyclist he was pulling over. I backed away, then the group of officers I'd just passed, noticing my hesitation, sent over the biggest representative to accompany the Canadoca and I through the situation, telling me I could pass and it was fine and perfectly safe. By this point the officer and the motorist he'd just pointed the gun out were old buddies, thumb's upping each other before the motorist was on his way....

I've become accustomed to seeing guns and big ones at that, but pointed guns still really creep me out.

Advent Calendar in Rio

Garcia & Rodrigues (Avenida Ataulfo de Paiva, 1251 PH: 3206-4100) has a tonne of gorgeous Christmas stuff. No one's surprised by this. They have advent calendars too! For a mere R$24.... ;) Helping to swallow that, well, just think if you buy it now you need to eat almost a week's worth of advent calendar chocolate in order to... catch up.

No, I don't think they put their gorgeous truffles in those bad boys, but if you go there you really should try them. Garcia & Rodrigues has the best chocolate in Rio, in my opinion.

The where-to-find's that you will only understand or appreciate if you LIVE here.

I went to Sendas last week for the first time in.... I'd say about a year, maybe more. I was hoping to hold out until it turns into a Pao de Acucar store but I needed frozen plain acai and couldn't find it anywhere else. Turned out I couldn't find it at Sendas either that day, but I did find some other interesting things! It smells slightly better than before and they really, truly do have several things that are difficult to source in this area.

First treasure I found was the Monica Soft Touch NIGHT TIME diapers. I thought the line had been discontinued as I haven't seen them elsewhere in months. Sendas still has them.

2nd special treasure - plain (meatless) cooked beans in packaging! One of the conveniences of home I miss is plain black beans in a can. They have them in plastic wrap at Sendas. You might not want to use them for those black bean brownies though, as there is a bit of onion in the ingredients. Have you tried the black bean brownies? They are AMAZING. 

Other fun finds around town - Castelinho - a baby store on At de Paiva in Leblon has a ton of things that used to be impossible to find in Brazil. Things like Munchkin snackholders, stroller fans, etc. Smart stuff, good brands. Prices, well... they don't list them, you have to ask. Never a good sign. But the stuff is available and that's an improvement!

Stroller liners are difficult to find back home, maybe a new concept? But every Brazilian baby in a buggy seems to have one in this area. I saw some really fun ones at Dona Chita this week (Visconde de Piraja 444 Galleria), really nice to have something cottony soft in this hotter summer weather for when babies sleep in strollers.

You Must be An Expat Mom in Rio When...

Just another day in the life, people, another day in the life...

- Your child get completely traumatized by a kid in a (very realistic looking, I'll admit) spiderman costume at the park. Yet, said child wasn't fazed by the gunfire you could hear in the distance a few minutes earlier. Yes, that would be my Canadoca, this morning.

- It takes a quarter of the useful life of a passport to get an appointment to renew said passport.(Canadoca's first Brazilian passport was only good for one year; our appointment to submit our documents to renew it is almost THREE MONTHS away). Don't ask, just be sure to make your renewal appointment early. Around the time you receive the child's passport in the first place is probably best. ;) Currently they are not even accepting bookings at two of the four locations in the city, they are so backed up. Lovely.

- Child receives ELITE status card in the mail from airline, along with several tickets for alcoholic beverages on board. They must figure momma will need a drink (or that we might need to make some friends at some point on the long flight)... either that or they figure if she has some wine, she'll sleep better on the flight?

Halloween in Rio

Halloween is not the most popular holiday here. Despite the fact that kids LOVE to dress up here in costumes (and do so for any and every occasion, not to mention many non-occasions), and that sugar and candy don't seem to have any sort of limitations. Hmmm maybe they just don't need a special day for Halloween when every day is halloween if any random Tuesday you can be found running around in a batman suit eating chocolate bars...

"Halloween e Satanismo" signs are out everywhere, reminding good Brazilians that Brazil is a Christian country and Halloween is badddd news.

If - despite this effective propaganda - you are in Rio de Janeiro, looking for something to do for Halloween, the American Society is organizing events for both children and adults on Saturday October 30th. Web site here for more info.

Our Recent Getaway

A couple of weeks ago, Mr. DRL, the Canadoca and I headed up to Porto de Galinhas, just outside of Recife, for a week's vacation.

We're not really go-to-a-resort-on-the-beach-for-a-week travelers. But we loved it. Mr. DRL really needed a break from work. The Canadoca and I had spent more than a month away in Canada, so some family time was just what we needed.

After doing some research, we ended up booking in at Ocapora. It's quite a big resort with several pools and a nice beachfront, the breakfast there was fantastic.

We initially wanted to stay at the Summerville Resort or The Village, but both were fully booked (we only booked about 10 days before leaving). If you are really looking to celebrate/splurge check out Nannai resort as well, it looks amazing, (as it should, for R$800 per night).

We wanted to stay somewhere where we could put the Canadoca to bed and go outside and hang out close by. Ocapora has little waterfront bungalows which were perfect.

 

Porto de Galinhas is known for its coral reefs and tidal pools which form when the tide goes out; it's really quite amazing. The sea is so calm when the tide is out, perfect for little kids to play. Educational for older kids as well. Such a family-friendly destination - highchairs in every restaurant, cabbies with carseats, it was perfect for us.

There were flowers for the Canadoca to pick for her lucky mama!

The Canadoca loved running around on the beach at dusk...

The natural pools were the highlight of the trip for sure... this first set is right out front of Ocapora at low tide in the sand. So perfect for the Canadoca to play independently in the warm, clear water. 

 

A few yards down the beach from the resort there was a huge set of pools at low tide, amazing for viewing and swimming with sea life...

There were two restaurants we loved in Porto de Galinhas - Beijupira (which also has a location in Olinda) and Domingo's. Here are some photos from Domingo's....

 

Baby Gear

Ok here is something that is very nice-to-have especially here in Rio where highchairs are scarce in some cases and rickety in others...

This thing is amazing. Soooo great for traveling and small enough to just stow in a stroller. I have used it with regular old fashioned highchairs that lack straps, with a combination of chair + booster seat, very versatile, very handy, very washable!

The Kid Loves ACAI

Brazilian by birth, and by tummy too I think. The Canadoca loves the spoils of Brazil. Carne, acai, fruit, did I mention rice & beans?

The acai is the funniest though. At breakfast she tells me she's all done, then I offer acai, suddenly she has room for an entire additional BOWL...  and yes I think it is probably the messiest food in existance.

You may be wondering what sort of acai I am feeding her, especially if you remember that I'm the super anal mom who didn't let her four month old baby eat cake. If not, click here for that story. What I do is buy the frozen plain acai from Zona Sul and mix it with the juice bar sweetened variety. You could avoid the sugar altogether by just mixing it with grape juice, banana, strawberry, or agave or something to sweeten it up (the pure stuff is pretty tart). I also mix in her vitamin drops, and am assured, as you can see below, that she takes in every drop....

 

Shoes, Shoes, more Shoes

It really amazes me how much traffic I get just for the shoe posts...

Well, I have a few things to make the shoe people happy today. If you don't care about shoes, you probably don't want to read this post, consider yourself warned.

First, a shot of the storefront of the Andrea Puglia store, the prices are pretty nice!

Next, some VERY cute Tory Burch knockoff shoes for KIDS - which I found at the always-cute kids shoe store Pé de Dragão, web site here, located in Shopping Leblon (Note that the Ipanema location recently closed down). When I was in Canada, we were out one day with a family friend and I was wearing my Tory Burch flats, the Canadoca was quite intrigued with the gold medallions on them, the friend kept saying "she needs her own pair"... well, looks like she'll get them now!

Ok speaking of Tory Burch shoes, they are made in Brazil, but I commented to a friend last week that despite this fact, I hadn't ever seen Tory Burch flats sold anywhere here in Brazil. Maybe department stores in Sao Paulo or something, but I have not seen them in Rio. Well, except for at Manufact, a very nice shoe store that has some knockoffs that are likely made at the same factory or something...

Anyway my friend told me that she had found Tory Burch shoes online here in Brazil from a site called Sapato Online - click here to link - where you can often find designer shoes heavily discounted before they even hit the states (a couple seasons ahead of schedule, folks). Bags too. You're welcome. Don't forget that your friend DRL sent you...

Back to matching mom and kid shoes - yes there was a time I thought this was cheesy but now I am all about the matching bathing suits and shoes. So far I am drawing the line there. Maybe jewellery would be cute too.... focus, DRL.

New store in Ipanema has GORGEOUS matching mom and little-girl shoes. The store? Patricia Veiga, Ipanema 444, Loja 128. Web site here, but so far there is nothing on it so my terrible bb photos will have to suffice. Canadoca's feet are still slightly too small for these which bodes well for us finishing the year on budget ;)

A-MA-ZING.

 

 

 

New Carseat Law in Brazil

As of September 1st, in Brazil it is now mandatory for babies and children up to 7 years old traveling in private passenger vehicles to be strapped into carseats.  Previously use of carseats was simply a recommendation. It seems that taxis and buses are exempt.

Police in Rio began issuing fines on September 8th.

Those who disobey the rules will receive a fine of R $ 191.54 and seven points in the driver's license, plus the seizure of the vehicle until the deficiency is remedied. The new rule was initially to begin to be enforced in June, but was postponed because the seats themselves were in short supply. As it is, there are currently 3 month waiting lists at some stores to buy the seats. So, I am guessing that you could probably sell a carseat for a pretty penny here in Brazil these days! Especially considering they are about 4 x the price of the ones back home as it is!

One article I read estimated that previously just 32% of mothers in Brazil were using carseats to transport babies.

 

 

 

The Playground at Jardim Botanico

Though I had been to the Jardim Botanico on a number of occasions and had even taken the Canadoca there plenty, my first time at the playground there was just a couple of weeks ago. I'll be back soon! What a gorgeous park - and they have PROPER BABY SWINGS, people!!! Not something that you come across often in Rio.

As a funny little aside that struck me as typical - when I entered the park that particular day, a fellow approached me and asked if I would like to have a guided tour as he knew all about the park, it's history, he could really show me around, etc. Politely declining, I asked him if he might be so kind as to point me in the direction of the playground. He didn't know one existed! Eek! Glad I didn't take that tour...

Without further adieu, here are my photos of the playground at Jardim Botanico.

 

Brazilians of all ages LOVE babies - check out my friend getting swarmed by some older kids. Her baby IS adorable....

Follow up that playdate with lunch at Da Graca (typical Brazilian fare) on the other side of the Jardim - Rua Pacheco Le�o, 780 and you have a very nice little day on your hands!

 

10 Days Alone with the Canadoca

Mr. DRL returned yesterday from 10 days in the states on a course. I have a whole new respect for single parents! Though Mr. DRL does work a lot and there are days when he doesn't get to see our little pumpkin at all, we have fantastic weekends together and I had two full weekends on my own with her. She was an incredibly well behaved girl... but here are my top tips for 10 days alone with a busy toddler:

• Take everyone up on their offers to babysit or have you over. It gives you a break from each other, gives them more attention, and makes the time more fun! I had my regular babysitter come three times as opposed to the regular two.
• Use said babysitting services to plan a girl's night out. I recommend Venga for Sangria & Tapas. Nothing like starting 10 days alone with a toddler with a hangover ;) I survived.
• If it rains and it's Saturday, take them out for feijoada. This also helps with the hangover I mentioned above. Preferably somewhere with a samba band. The Canadoca was mesmerized for about a full hour watching the band and only stopped staring long enough to eat handfuls of beans or to glare at anyone or anything blocking her view.
• Go to the pool/beach/park as frequently as possible. The more fun you are both having, the better. The more fresh air, the better they sleep I think! Also, the less you are home, the fewer times you will need to put everything back in the tupperware cupboard.
• Take her to kilo restaurants as frequently as possible. It is a toddler's heaven, it's reasonably priced, it's an outing, it's entertaining, it's healthy, there's no cleanup...  seriously this one deserves a blog post of its own. The kilo concept ROCKS for kids. Give them a scoop of everything and they are bound to find something they like. I am so happy Fronterra is now in Leblon!
• If you are skyping your significant other who is AWOL, get them to install some software to make skype more interesting. Mr. DRL has this thing on his computer that puts frames around his face. One minute Daddy is in a spaceship, then a submarine, then in a tree with squirrels running around him. She thought it was quite hilarious. 
• Introduce some new fun activities or toys. In our case, we discovered BUBBLES this week. So much fun.
• Instead of feeling lonely and isolated in the evenings, use the time to watch/read/surf/sort what YOU want.
• If you live in RIo, use the buddy system a bit. As in, text a friend and let them know if you are heading out on your own somewhere and again when you return. Not the most pleasant topic but it dawned on me that with Mr. DRL gone if we were to go missing we may not be missed for a little while.... just sayin'! I also found myself using many more of our security features than we normally do. 
• Make sure you hint to your significant other on exactly what you'd like brought back for your trouble. As in .... shoes... Tory Burch, size 8, black ;)  Thanks Mr. DRL!
• Make sure your spouse knows how happy you are to have them back!

Where do I get a Monkey Cage?

I firmly believe that we get what we expect out of people. If we expect our mother in laws to say something off, they probably will. When I started to call the Canadoca my little monkey, she started monkey-ing around... and climbing... 

Most apartments with kids + balconies in Rio are netted or wired in. I need such nets and wires. Who can help? Where do I find them?

How to Justify Airfare Home: The Price of Kids' Stuff in Brazil

Because it would only take buying a few items back home rather than here to pay for your airfare. No wonder so many Brazilians hit Miami for shopping... meu deus! Mr. DRL will be in the US and already has a ton of stuff waiting for him at the hotel that he is bringing back with him (yes I warned him and sent empty suitcases).

Lately there have been a number of articles and studies put out about the exorbitant cost of living here in Rio, these examples highlight it as well. If you are moving to Rio, these are things you need to think about. 

These are just a few things that I saw while out and about this week that I felt the need to price-compare as examples for you. By the way I'm not searching for the lowest prices online, I'm just using Amazon, and xe to convert today's exchange rate. I would also like to mention that it is significant that some of these items are even AVAILABLE here now, as many of them weren't as recently as a few months ago. 

Anyway - here we go:

 
 

At a drugstore - the MAM Bite & Brush teether. R$24.90. Today that's $14.08 US.

The same product on Amazon:

Next up:

 
This is a Fisher price Rainforest play mat - the price tag is pretty clear though $R329.50. Which is US $185.69 today. Or you could buy it on Amazon and save yourself ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS.....

At this rate you might even be able to justify first class airfare...

Next up, the bumbo chair.

 
See for yourself, it's R$212 here, which is US $114. Only triple the price in the states.

Sling:

 
The same Munchkin Jelly Bean sling... here it's US $112.70 today, or on Amazon below for less than a quarter of the price.

So, this is why it is always always always worth the extra $100 or so for an extra piece of luggage. It quickly pays for itself.

Ipanema's Baby Beach

Another great place to take your little one! In Ipanema, just past Posto 8.

This kiosk sells more things that Baixo Bebe (honestly I worry for them over there - how do they survive? Do they really sell enough agua do coco to make ends meet? By the way, seeing someone empty agua do coco directly from the coconut into a baby bottle is also a daily occurance here in Rio.) such as meals, etc. There is also a fellow enforcing a lot of "rules" such as no drinks in certain areas, etc. You know, keeping the riff raff in line. By riff raff I mean my friend, who was recently scolded ;) 

Like Baixo Bebe, this Itaipava Kiosk place offers toddlers and babies alike stunning views from plastic playhouses. In addition, this location offers a soft play area (see first photo, below), and shade!

 

Playgrounds in the Condo Common Area = Disneyland for my kid.

The Canadoca has a Grams down here, and at Grams' place, there is a fantastic play area which is basically a playground. Going to Grams' place is like going to Disneyland. There's a trampoline, a ball pit, tunnels to climb through, safe baby swings (most parks just have chair style swings which the Canadoca is too little for), playhouses, bikes and cars. Seriously, it's Disneyland. The point of this post is for people who are thinking of moving to Rio or planning to, to let them know that these buildings exist in case they want these amenities. Here are some shots of Grams' Disneyland...

For those who wanted to see an updated photo of the Canadoca:

The Good Life: Being a Kid in Rio

I plan to start a series on parks & playgrounds in this area - what they have to offer, where they are located...

The Canadoca and I have been doing some research on this, you know, going to the park and stuff.

It often occurs to me that she will look at her baby pictures and look not at her little tulip lips or deep blue eyes but at what's in the background and say, uh, mom, why did we leave? I want to go back! And likely the saudade will set in for me too...

Because when you have this view from the window in the playhouse at Baixo Bebe, why would you want to leave?

 

Baixo Bebe is a kiosk with fantastic toys for kids and a change area, located between Postsos 11 & 12 in Leblon on the beach.

Links

• How good is your sunscreen? Find out here - EWC's sunscreen ratings.
• Must-haves for babies at the beach.

Little old ladies and storeclerks in Rio, this one's for you!

So... even upon arriving back in Rio, I was tsk tsk ed by a couple of old ladies for having the Canadoca in the refrigerator aisle... right. Um, did I mention we saw snow in Canada? Or that we took her on a zodiak boat in Patagonia when she was 4 months old?

Now - I will unleash my secret weapon in shutting these people up. A precious gift from my grandmother:

In Canada, we call this a toque. If you see a kid rocking out this one in the freezer section of a grocery store while being carried in a baby bjorn, chances are you've spotted me. Come say hi! Tell me she's cold, I dare you! ;)

BTW - you may be wondering what it will take for me to not be irritated by these "she's cold" people. Well, put it this way, once I stop seeing much bigger atrocities happening to children in Rio I might agree that people should make ensuring the Canadoca's temperature is stable a priority... these are the same people who turn a blind eye to kids selling stuff on the street, being mistreated, not having enough to eat, living in favelas, not getting adequate education, living on the streets.

Instead, my wish is that they would spend that energy doing something about those kids, please.

Rio the Movie

I MUST see this when it comes out. (Though from what I found on the internet the release date is nearly a year away). Looks so cute from the preview and I love how realistic the mountains look!

Click here to watch the trailer.

Rainy Days with Kids in Rio

Or - super hot days where you need to escape the heat. Either way - here is a great place to take your little one. It's in Ipanema, beside yogoberry - Despertar Baby. They have a soft play area, music classes, and a ton of different activities for older kids. A lot of these classes are drop-in, which is perfect for expats like me who are out of town or have routines constantly rattled by visitors. You can stay there with your baby or use their childcare "baba" services. Click here for their web site. Your first playtime or class is free!

Rua Visconde de Pirajá, 282 - Lojas E e F - Ipanema
Tel.: (21) 2287-7529 / 8550-3335 / [email protected]

Parabens!

Happy Birthday, Canadoca!

I can't believe my baby is one.... 

Okay my little love, you can finally have some CAKE.

Why it's best not to buy imported items in Brazil

Was checking out a toy store awhile back and came across this:

 

Pretty basic, a pail of stacking blocks. R$125. Assuming an exchange rate of 1.76 as it was when this was written, a cool US$71. For ten plastic stacking blocks.

Went home and went onto Toys R Us online and found the same toy for less than US$20:

I sure feel lucky that we go home as frequently as we do and I can bring things back.

My obsession with wooden toys continues

It seems that whenever I come across something once it is suddenly everywhere right in front of my face. Like wooden toys...

At Tok & Stok:

at the Hippie Fair:

For the little baby feet...

Now that the Canadoca has taken a few steps, we need to make sure her little tootsies are always protected when we set her on the loose while outdoors. Rubber boots were a tempting choice earlier this week!

Though baby shoes here are not exactly inexpensive with today's exchange rate (I could have bought two pairs of baby shoes back home for what I paid for these puppies), the Canadoca is sure to be always stylin' (as usual... the kid dresses way better than I do these days!) in her new sapatinhos:

As you can see in the photo, the store, Pe de Dragao is on Visconde de Piraja 444, loja 123 and also in Shopping Leblon. Tons of cute shoes for babies and kids!

Wooden Toys for Canadoca

Looking for reasonable wooden toys for kids in Brazil? Zeide & Zaza in Ipanema has fantastic stuff - this is Canadoca's favorite thing:

This is the action shot - the penguin waddles down the board. So cute!

Rua Visconde de Piraja 580 loja 206, Ipanema

Taken

The other day my mother told me that she thinks she's gullible. She said that after living in small towns most of her life she is super trusting even when she shouldn't be, and believes people. I thought to myself, well, it's a good thing I'm in the big city, you know, I'm tough, I'm not gullible... I see through BS.

Right.

Fast forward a few days, and the babysitter comes over. She's super cute. She loves the Canadoca. The Canadoca loves her. I like this. I want things to be good with her.

She asks me if we can talk for a few minutes, very formally, then proceeds to tell me that her mother has moved away and she is now stuck paying for their living expenses. She gets teary eyed. She doesn't ask me for more money, but rather if I could ask around to get her a few more hours babysitting for friends of mine. Absolutely!

I immediately send out an email and within a few hours she has two new clients. I'm elated that such a small action on my part could result in so much improvement in someone's life and have renewed faith in mankind and the power to make a difference...

The next day, I find out from one of her new clients (in other words, someone I recommended her services to) that the babysitter is in fact planning to go away for one year, traveling. Leaving rather soon.

I don't know that the situation she described with her mother/living expenses is a lie per se, but given the ENTIRE story, I definitely felt misled. Not to mention a bit embarrassed to have recommended such temporary services to people when they may have been looking for something more long term. Of course there is never any guarantee of anything, but I like full disclosure, if you know what I mean!

So I thought about what to do - and struggled with it a bit. Do I still leave the Canadoca with her even though she wasn't totally honest with me? Do I trust her? In the end, I decided that one doesn't have much to do with the other - she has shown herself to be honest with me about her care of the Canadoca (in little situations where she's fallen, etc.) and I think she's doing a great job. I think this is a cultural thing. I hate to make grand sweeping generalizations but the Brazilians I've encountered are not eager to share news that they think someone won't like.

In the end, I'm happy for her, what an opportunity. I just wish she'd told me the full story in the first place ;) 

So I guess my mom's not the only gullible one...

Quick Tips from DRL - Traveling and just generally BEING in Brazil

Just trying to make your life easier here!

• Beware overcast days in Brazil. Twice recently we've gone out on an overcast day and come home burnt. Well, ok, mostly Mr. DRL has been burned. Without realizing it AT ALL when out. As in burned to the point of looking like he acquired a hairy red pair of gloves with matching boots. I think I tan MORE on the overcast days, so be careful, that sun is STRONG!
• As I mentioned a couple posts ago, bringing ID (Not just your passport,I'm talking every piece you own...) is important when traveling out of Brazil, but also WITHIN Brazil. Friends of ours traveled to Bahia last weekend with their 18 month old. Upon arriving at the hotel they were informed that they could not check in with their exhausted daughter until they saw all of her ID including birth certificate, etc. Which they then proceeded to photocopy, and it had tp be inspected by higher-ups. This traveling with the birth certificate AND passport thing is obviously a big deal here.

Remember your ID!

As I posted, we recently went to Buenos Aires for a weekend. One thing I forgot to mention was that we were delayed slightly at the airport as we did not have the Canadoca's birth certificate with us. We had both of her passports, our passports, etc. but none of these documents verify that she is in fact our child. We managed to talk our way through it by demonstrating that we'd traveled together in the past (matching date stamps in various countries in our passports, etc.) and they looked us up in the Federal Police's system. All was well and we made our flight, but despite the enormous size of Canadoca's birth certificate, we won't again leave home without it.

When we arrived in Argentina we were greeted with a new reciprocal tax as well targeting Canadians, Australians and Americans - for us it's now US$70 per entry into Argentina. Americans pay US$168 and Australians US$100, but luckily for them once they've paid they are in the clear for the lifetime of their passport.  Currently the fees are only being collected from tourists landing in the international airport in Buenos Aires (EZE). More reason to fly Pluno into the downtown airport, though you might spend that $ on paying for your luggage to get there as it's per-kilo...

Canadoca didn't have to pay as she entered on her Brazilian passport. More shoes for her!

For more info on the reciprocity tax, click here.

I will post about our more recent trip tomorrow :)

The Walker

Sometimes the lack of rules and regulations and things being "up to code" works for you, and sometimes it works against you. Being that we're in an apartment without stairs, the lack of rules when it comes to baby walkers works in our (and Canadoca's) favour here in Brazil. (Back in Canada, baby walkers have been banned for a few years). 

That kid can really motor around in her walker now - there have been a couple of occasions where I've had to go find her! She's growing fast...

2009 Expat Survey Results: Escolas

I asked participants with kids in Rio (which by the way make up 48% of the participants) which school they send their kids to.

The overwhelming majority (74%) send their kids to the American school, EARJ. 17% send them to the British school, and the remainder send their kids to institutions such as:

• Rio International Christian School
• EAC
• Brazilian Creche
• Colegio Notre Dame
• Vilhena de Moraes
• Escola Parque
• Lady of Mercy

What Canadoca's Stroller is Rocking These Days...

This stroller fan from DreamBaby. It features foam blades (she can safely stick her fingers in there!) and psychedelic lights that seem to mesmerize her. I'm not saying this thing is the most powerful fan but it certainly makes a difference in this 35 degree heat...

Bought mine on Ebay, and no I haven't spotted anything like it here in RIo (and I was looking!).

Day in Barra part 3

Ok to make up for the scary dolls I had to take a photo of something cute.

Also at Via Parque, the cutest kids shoes EVER. Just gorgeous... Being that Canadoca still hates shoes, I was able to resist. Not sure I would be able to resist twice though...

The detail of the little flowers wasn't captured well by my camera, but you get the idea.

BIG DAY

My five month long fight with the federal police ordeal to get Canadoca's passport has come to an end!!!!!

Let them have CAKE?

I would like to preface this post by saying that when the incident I am about to write about occurred, I had NO intention of writing about it. However, in the few days since it occurred, in talking with other people, it occurred to me that this is anything but an isolated incident, so I think it's worth mentioning!

Last week a well-meaning acquaintance fed Canadoca some cake when she was being held by another friend. She is not quite 6 months old now, and hadn't previously been given anything other than breastmilk. Put it this way - according to the books I'm reading (and my pediatrician) there are a few foods recommended for babies this age, and cake is not one of them. Not to mention that I am a bit anal about these things (food) despite being a pretty relaxed mom about other things, like, you know, traveling. For example, the night before, my mom and I were analyzing what would be the best foods to first introduce to Canadoca based on what her blood type is. Silly us, cake is the obvious choice.

Suffice it to say I didn't anticipate her first food being CAKE, and I had kind of looked forward to being around when she first tried solids, to see her reaction, you know... I figure I've earned that you know with all the late night feedings, giving birth, gear schlepping and gazillion loads of laundry I've done. These first are the fun parts, the mommy rewards if you will.  But no.  I also have severe (anaphylactic) allergies to nuts and shellfish, so I will be very careful when introducing certain foods to Canadoca because of the family history, baking is something I have to be extremely careful with. Anyway, the person did not mean to cause her any harm of course, as she did not see any issue with giving a five month old cake. Apparently it was par for the course for her. Got it.

I thought I was the only one who could possibly have such a bizarre incident occur, until I read Eric & Emily's post on another well-meaning South American trying to give their daughter cake, saying it couldn't hurt. Then a friend told me about how every time she goes for coffee, the barristas stuff her 14 month old full of chocolate when she turns her back to pay. You often see babies with bottles of chocolate milk, or perhaps it's milk and coffee, as in the story in Emily's post.

I get that nutrition is about personal choices and opinions and that South Americans have a different view on it than North Americans in many cases (do you really need fries, rice and pasta with your beans and meat? Not to mention no vegetables besides the beans...sugar in EVERYTHING) but I am really not okay with people feeding things to my kid without asking me first, especially when it could be putting her at risk. I also get that this is something we will have to contend with back home with people wanting to give her treats, but I didn't expect this to start before she'd even started eating. For now, cake will be officially listed as her first solid food in the baby book, no long term effects, and heck she even seemed to enjoy it. But I'll be more careful next time...  

Happy Halloween

Halloween e Satanismo. You see signs around Rio saying this, year-round. That said, the expat community keeps Halloween going in Rio, the American Society is having a party on Saturday, and there are several other small parties as well. The playgroup I took Canadoca to this week also had a Halloween party (she was a ballerina, my sobrinho back home's idea!)

So, Halloween is here if you want to find it. But some people don't. Like my husband. I think that Mr. DRL may have even sealed the deal to come to Brazil upon hearing that Brazil offered beaches, outdoor activities, a good salary and no Halloween. The guy hates Halloween, I blame his sisters (who by the way both love the holiday) for teasing him mercilessly as a child when he had to get up for a school play and dress and make noises like a flute. I think his exact lines were "flutey flute flute flutey flute..." yeah he is scarred for life. But that DID make him a pretty easy target, wouldn't you say?  The only time I can recall him ever dressing up for Halloween in the 8 years I've known him was the time that he got drunk with his buddies back in Calgary and at the last minute, they decided to paint their bodies blue and go to the bar as smurfs... I think they ended up being in some beer commercial over the whole thing... So if it was one last kick at the can, why not end on a high note, right?

Recent Inquiries & Responses: 2

A new little series on Frequently Asked Questions from readers, featuring my responses.

Questions:

How long have you been in Rio?

I’m curious and more then a little afraid of our impending move to Rio for my husbands job.. We have 3 kids, and it frightens me a bit about how they will adjust. As for me, will I be more then lonely? I anticipate the adventure, but still I am worried.

Have you enjoyed all your time in Rio?

What sort of things would you think would be important for us to ask his work for in the moving package?

My Response:

I have been in Rio since March of 2008.
Coming to Rio is certainly an adventure.
I would definitely try to get your kids' schooling covered by the company. It is EXPENSIVE here and even private school education here is not up to par with public schooling we are accustomed to back home (Sad, I know!)

With kids you will probably also want a driver, large apartment and possibly some help around the house. Try to get this and your utilities all included in your package if possible. This is all quite standard for expats. Also either an allowance for household items or a shipment (although they take months to arrive/clear customs sometimes). Also most importantly of course - health insurance! Our plan was terrible when we first arrived - didn't even cover me having a baby (we quickly switched).

I doubt you will be lonely or bored here. There is a vibrant expat community, and SO MUCH to do.  You will definitely miss some of the comforts and I expect family/friends back home. Although the Canadians are eager to escape the cold and come visit, in my experience!

 I expected to make Brazilian friends as well, but that has not happened for me, but that said, people with kids seem to have more luck with this (parents of their kids' friends, etc.).

Recent Inquiries & Resposes: 1

I've been getting more and more emails from people coming to Rio. Which I figure is good because a lot of people have just LEFT US! We should be recruiting!

I figure if one person asks a question, the answer may be beneficial to others too. Since I am heading out on holidays I figured I would use some of these as easy blog posts over the next couple of weeks (sorry, I am getting worse with the upkeep of this blog by the day!

Question 1:

Now you are a mum, do you feel safe going about your daily business with your baby? We have an 18 month old, and that is my one concern. I’d be grateful if you could give me any insight into this.

My Response:

There is a baby & toddler group here in Rio that is organized through the INC (though you don't need to be a member!).

I feel pretty safe going about daily business with my baby, on foot, within Ipanema and Leblon. We get out everyday and so far have done so without incident. I do not like to travel with her in a car as carjackings are frequent, so I avoid this whenever possible. I do not drive with her alone under any circumstances, and someone is always in the back seat with her in case there is a need to get out of the car in a hurry. Enough said...

Something I think would be more challenging for you is that your child is mobile... traffic is crazy here and I already dread taking her out in the streets when one step (or slip) in the wrong direction could be very bad! You will sure have to be careful!

More Canadoca-wear

The Canadoca likes to flaunt her dual citizenship status by wearing articles of clothing from her two home countries. I've posted a couple of her Canada items in the past, but check out this dress:

 

It's seriously a great Rio piece...

 

She also has some cute "Gatinha Carioca" and "Ela e Carioca"  onesies - but I think the dress is the best!

Where to find it?

Parceria Carioca, which has locations in Jardim Botanico, Shopping da Gavea and Forum de Ipanema

Fraldario

The malls here in Brazil have little diaper change rooms complete with staff, supplies, chairs to breastfeed in, microwaves, high chairs... it's nice! A staff member puts down a fresh cover for the change area between each baby and offers any additional help you might need. It's nice!

Here are some photos from Sao Conrado Fashion Mall:

Above: supplies provided

Below: Canadoca ready for a change

 

Scary

This isn't a great photo but this little girl could not have been older than 10 years old, and was wearing makeup, little heels, a tanktop and miniskirt... plus a purse. wow.

No passport

So the wedding is tomorrow but we are still in Rio as we do not have Canadoca's Brazilian passport... it ended up being the cartorio that delayed the process so much.