Friday, May 28, 2010

Today is as good a day as any…

To start Blogging.  It’s not that I’ve really missed blogging.  It’s quite time consuming and I seem to have so little extra of that these days, that’s it’s been kinda nice having one less thing to do in my spare time.   What I miss the most is the updates on what is going on with my babies that seem to be growing up way too fast.  Here Bella is 14 months and I have yet to blog or write in her baby book about her 1 year old birthday and personal achievements.  My memory is not as good as I like to think it is, and to try to remember what Bella was doing at exactly 1 year would be less than accurate.  So instead I will just say what she’s doing now at 14 months.  Close enough right? 

She took her first steps on Mothers day.  I say steps, because prior to that she would take 1 step and then fall for about a week or so, then on Mothers day she took a few steps.  Now she is definitely walking, and walking rather fast too.  I have some video to share of her walking and falling which is really cute.  I will try to get that posted soon too. 

She has 2 bottom teeth which she has had for a while now, and we keep wondering when she might get some more, and just yesterday I noticed her two top teeth are starting to break through. 

Sleep routine:  this girl is a dream sleeper, I swear if sleep really gives you beauty, she will be a supemodel some day.  She sleeps 12 hours every night, sometimes more, and takes a 3 hour nap every afternoon.  No pacifier required for her, just her blankie and a bottle of warm milk.  (yeah I know it’s time to lose the bottle too, we are working on that.  It’s just so hard to let go of something that makes a child sleep well.)

Play:  She plays with Tony in the sandbox almost daily.  I feel like we live on the beach cause they are forever tracking sand in the house.  She has lots of dollies, but doesn’t seem super interested in them just yet.  She loves water, baths, shower, swim lessons at the Y, the beach…

Eating:  Very independent, likes to feed herself, but has not mastered silverware yet.  And she likes to throw her dishes on the floor, so she gets her food served directly on her highchair tray and I give her a spoon, but she only makes a mess with it.  She refuses to let me help her eat most of the time.  So she needs a good washing after every meal.  Her appetite is good and she is willing to try most things, which is total opposite of her brother.  Uses a sippy cup and can drink from a straw too. 

Talking:  Says “mama” and “uh oh”, and Waves hi and bye.

Okay, it’s late and I’m tired, so I’m gonna wrap up this first blog in a long time and end with a few pictures of Tony and Bella.

 

Bella watching Katya teach Carl tricks.DSC_0354

Tony can always find a toy wherever he goes.DSC_0357

Bella loves climbing on furniture and jumping. DSC_0351 The other day I was upstairs and Tony was downstairs.  I called down and asked him what he was doing and he said “cutting” so I ran downstairs as fast as I could and this is what I found.  He had climbed up on the counter, gotten out the package of oreo’s and cut the wrapper off with a knife.  That could have ended badly.  

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Bella’s not one for barrettes, so I cut a few bangs on her.DSC_0374

Look at those cute chubby little legs!DSC_0386

Playing in the fountain in downtown St. Joseph.DSC_0392

She loved every minute of it.  NO pics of Tony here cause he did not like it at all.

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DSC_0405Playing in mud puddles.

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Tony didn’t seem to like being muddy.DSC_0412

Playing in the sandbox.

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Tony helping Ben dig. 

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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter!

Opening up his Easter basket! He climbed up on the table and got into it all by himself while I was upstairs getting ready. I heard him saying "mama what's this?" and found him up on the kitchen table getting into his basket!

Bella was a little more patient and waited for me to give her her Easter basket.


Ooh, Chocolate!! Just for me?
Grandma and Grandpa got Easter presents for the kids too!


After lunch we had an Easter Egg Hunt and it started in the house when Francie hid eggs on Grandpa Russ while he was napping. Katya

Kristen (apparently 13 is not too old to enjoy a good ol Easter egg hunt!)

Ben

Jason helping Tony find some eggs

Every time he found a plastic egg he would crack it open and see what was inside.

Francie hid some eggs on the tractor too, I think she had picture taking in mind when she did that! Too bad Tony was so into the egg hunt that he would never stop to look at the camera.

Auntie Francie made sure Easter was really special for all the kids!

Lots and lots of candy in those eggs!


Todd playing in the grass with the kids!

Bella was so happy, what a fun day!


Out of the 97 pictures taken today, this is the only picture I got of me!

The cousins.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Chicago's Shed Aquarium = lots of fun

The Big Tank!


If you've never been to Chicago's Shed Aquarium your missing out. Todd and I took the kids this past Sunday and we enjoyed it so much that 2 days later I came back with my friend Michelle and her kids for another fun day. I did learn that going during the week is much more pleasant because it is less crowded.

Here are some pictures of the fun...

Dolphin

I bet it's not fun to clean this glass, look at all the dirty hand prints
Tony really enjoyed himselfBella had a pretty good time too
Lots of things for Bella to climb on
This was the Fantasea show from down below and that is a Baluga Whale

The Fantasea show from above


When we came back with my friend we opted to drive up the night before and stay in my in-laws condo in downtown Chicago. The kids had lots of fun sitting in the window from the 28th floor and watching all the cars below.

Michelle's kids Olivia and Sam are on the outside with Tony in the middle.

Tony thought this was the coolest cookie jar ever, and there weren't even cookies in it!
Water fun

Ooh, look at the Penguin!!!
Bella got to see one up close too!
Sam and Bella Penguin watching
Olivia and Sam in an Ice Cave

Sam
Tony

The Submarine was great fun for both Bella and Tony
So many buttons and switches to mess with


Tony and Bella in the ice cave, right before leaving, can you tell they are wearing out? It was a long day with no nap for them, but surprisingly they did quite well.

"Hey Bella, check out this baby Penguin!"

Such a sweet big brother!


All in all it was a very fun couple of days, and I think we will be going back a lot more. On the way home Tony kept saying, "go back!"