Mia Gianna: 2 1/2

First time on skis

Dear Gianna,
Today you are 2 1/2 years old.  You have grown a lot in these past 6 months.  You've learned a lot of things and changed in many ways. Many of these things I simply will not remember.  Here are a few things that I know about you today:

You (still)  love to eat.  You are (still) a big meat eater.  You love to eat steak, sausage, and bacon.  You love olives, pickles and cheese.  You have recently started eating toast and toasted English muffins.  Sometimes you bite off more than you can eat, and you simply gag and spit the food out on the table. This is something that you've done (and I've not discouraged) since you were a baby.  I think we are going to have to start working on this 'gag reflex' of yours and improve your table manners asap!  You also are very keen to eat what is on everyone else's plate.  You have no qualms about taking whatever food appeals to you off of someone else's plate. Occasionally, you will smile and ask, "Can I eat yours?" It is hard to say "no" to your sweet smiling face.  

You love to employ silly phrases in your conversations.  You will say, "No way, Jose!"  "One minute, por favor," and "See you later, alligator."

You love baby dolls. Your beloved "Hop-hop" is now called "Mommy" and s/he watches over your babies while you sleep.

You love Bode so much.  And he loves you. You two are best friends, built-in playmates.

You love the color pink, and picking out your own clothes (and won't choose anything that doesn't have some pink on it).  You love it when you get something new to wear.

You have not given up your beloved ba-ba.  And I have not done much to discourage this bottle use.    On the other hand, you've shown a lot of interest in potty training. You love going to the potty (on your time) and wearing underwear.  Soon, soon we will begin the work before us, Gianna. 

You like to listen to music in the car.  As a precursor to your teenage years, you will often whine from the backseat, "I can't hear it!" and you'll continue to say "I can't hear it!" until we actually turn up the volume for you.

Today, you skied for the first time.  Daddy put you on skis and you just took off. You walked awhile before falling.  And when you fell, you did not cry.  You simply tried to get up, and when you could not get up with the skis, you waited for Daddy to come help you. I think that this illustrates your personality right now perfectly. You love trying new things and you are always up for fun. And when things don't work out well,  you simply get up and move on. 

Tonight, when we were reading bedtime stories, Daddy announced that you were now officially 2 1/2, and we all said, "Happy 2 1/2, Gianna!"  You smiled and said, "Happy 2 1/2 to meeee!" 

Happy 2 1/2 to you indeed.

love,

Mommy

xo

Family Christmas 2012

Here are some shots taken by RWF.  I was upstairs feeding Nico.  (Ha!)  We had a great time seeing family, though it passed too quickly.

xo

Christmas 2012

I didn't take as many photos as I normally would have taken. Basically, I was busy with a baby, a 2 year old, and a 4 year old. We had a very nice Christmas.  We hope that you did, too.

Check out the sprinkles she added to this cookie! 

Me and Gianna, early Christmas morning

Checking out what Santa & his reindeer ate

A new cushy bed for Priscilla

His first Christmas and he's unimpressed

Typical Gianna

Another Christmas outfit and he's still not impressed

Building...something

Putting together a Lego helicopter

Happy Holidays!

xo

The Polar Express

The Polar Express was a hit.  I think it helped that we read the story over and over and over. Gianna was a bit too  young, but we figured that she should go along with Bode anyway. Who knows if this opportunity will be available next year.

I think the babies really enjoyed themselves.  And I really like that they got to experience this with RWF.  

Arriving at the North Pole

Santa Claus!

Gianna had no interest in Santa!  RWF said that she immediately got into RWF's lap and did not want to say "hi" or anything to Santa.  She was shy, or maybe even a little scared.

Happy Holidays!
xo

All aboard!

Tonight, the monkeys got to open an early Christmas present.  They were gifted Christmas pajamas.

But that's not all!  They were gifted early Christmas PJs that I pre washed so that they could wear them aboard The Polar Express!

Tonight, RWF took the two monkeys aboard The Polar Express to the North Pole! Hopefully they will get to meet Santa.

They were so excited. We've been reading the story, and I've hinted that maybe, just maybe they can ride a train to the North Pole some day.

I am so excited for them (and a tad envious!).  I can't wait to hear how everything went for them tonight. I hope that it was as magical as the story is, and as fun as I imagine.

We don't normally open gifts early.  Tonight was a special present to Bode and Gianna.  And the PJs were how we "gifted" the train ride, because children wear pajamas on the train.
Woo-woo!
xo

Nico: 3 months

Dear Nico,

Happy 3 months to my little love.

You are stretching. You are stretching your little mind and body in all directions.  You reach for things now, or extend your arms out as if to give a fist bump. Your arms wave about, like  a conductor. 

You crane your neck to see what your brother and sister are doing.  Like your brother, you do not like to be swaddled.  You will unwrap yourself as quickly as possible, kicking your feet until you are free from the confines of the blanket.  

Fist bump!

You do not have much of a schedule, as your brother and sister are so active.  Their noise and activity keeps you awake. I think you are so interested in what they are doing, taking mental notes on what it is that you would like to do. But when you finally grab some sleep, I am so happy.  It allows me "alone time" with Bode and Gianna.  And it allows me time to get some things done (namely, dinner).  Night time is tricky, because you do not sleep as much as you did as a newborn.  So Bode and Gianna's bedtime routine is now a part of your routine. I give you a bath while Gianna and Bode are bathing. We all read in bed together.  And then, we all walk upstairs for goodnight kisses and tucking in.  Sometimes you're not game, you don't want to go along for the ride, you want your own time to go to bed - you cry a lot because you just want to nurse yourself to sleep, right when I need to get Bode and Gianna tucked in.  This stresses me out. I have a hard time being calm trying to get Bode and Gianna into bed (amid requests for "potty," "brush mah teeth" and "ba-ba") while you're wailing away. But, I'm learning to just go with it.  I will lay you down on whoever's bed is available, tuck Bode and Gianna in (or say "yes" to all requests of potty, tooth brushing and refills), and then pick your screaming/crying self up and walk you back downstairs for our own bedtime routine. This is the time when I wish I had help.  But once Bode and Gianna are in bed, you get over things quickly and we settle down  for a quiet time together.  I enjoy our quiet time together because I can look at you for as long as I want,  and kiss and squish you as much as I want, without interruptions by anyone. 

You face looks weird in the reflection because the mirror is smudged!

Your daddy said, "Hi, Baldy" one day when he saw you and I had to laugh out loud. You don't have that much hair on your head. You are our most 'bald' baby. But you do have long eye lashes.  They are fair, though, so not that visible in photos.  I'm curious, are you going to be blonde like Gianna?

This past weekend, I left you for the first time.  I went to get my hair done, so I was gone for over 3 hours.  I left you in the swing, and had 2 bottles of milk waiting for you.  I kept texting your daddy for updates, but he only replied that you were sleeping.  When I left the salon, Daddy texted that you were still sleeping!  Our "plan" was for Daddy to get you to take a bottle while I was out.  So I decided to do a little shopping downtown, so that you'd have to take a bottle when you woke up.  Our "plan" didn't work.  I came home an hour later, and from where I stood taking my boots off in the garage, I could hear you crying. I rushed in and Daddy was holding you, with a bottle of milk in his hand. You were not happy.  I took you out of Daddy's arms and held you. It made me so sad to hear you cry.  Daddy assured me that you were fine, that you were not crying that hard. It is hard for me to leave you, but I know that we're going to have to get you on a bottle very soon.  (Get ready! You may even like it.)

You are a good baby, and I'm enjoying you so much.  I love your smiles and coos. These months have flown by quickly, and I know the next months will as well.  I am here for you, my little squishy. 

Love,

Mommy

xo

Everybody hurts

There is nothing we can say that would convey the loss and grief experienced by those families who lost  their children on Friday.  Words are not adequate.  But we all feel it.

Everybody hurts.

Let's be kind to each other and love one another during this time. Keep everyone in Newtown in your hearts and prayers. And let us not forget how precious and fragile life truly is as we move forward.
xo

Christmas time is near

High five, everyone! It is Friday!  It is almost Christmas!  It is a beautiful, sunny day! It's time to don your holiday garb and jingle those bells! Eat those cookies! Fa la la la...LA!

Did you do anything special on December 12, 2012? You know, 12/12/12?  We put the tree up in the living room. We have lost (?) one big box of ornaments and decorations. So the tree is kind of sparsely decorated this year.  But that doesn't stop these monkeys from rearranging the ornaments, taking the ornaments down, and asking to eat the candy canes (the answer is always: No).

And, because we are low on ornaments, I went to the store for a quick ornament dash.  And  not only that, but I took all 3 (One. Two.Three.) kiddos with me! Oh, yes I did.  HIGH FIVE! And now I will always remember what I did on 12/12/12: I took all 3 babies - for the very first time- into a store. And, I survived.

Last night, Bode wanted a ponytail in his hair.  And then Gianna wanted one, too.  The result being this:

My little twinkies then sat and read Christmas stories with me before bed.  I am always forgetting that there is 2 years between them.  These two are so close, and do everything together.  Whatever Bode does, Gianna does...and she does it just fine, as if she were the 4 year old, not  her brother. It's got to be tough sometimes trying to hang with with a 4 year old when you are just 2. Gianna was absolutely exhausted last night, as evidenced by these photos.

And that must mean that Nico is going to be working double-time just to keep up with his sibs!  This morning, I witnessed him peering up at the mobile attached to his swing. And then he reached up, trying to touch a little birdy on the mobile!  I wanted to scream, "STOP!"  He needs to slow down on the developments. I want to enjoy his little baby self for as long as possible.

Looking wise beyond his years months

Today is about sunshine, some last-minute online shopping (ugh) and hopefully...just maybe...baking cookies or a holiday craft. This means that I need to take my "sanity shower" and get moving.  Bode and Gianna like to chant, "I like to move it, move it." (This is the chant that Bode learned in ski school and it comes in handy during those slooow times.)

Happy Friday, friends.

xo