Thankful For So Much....

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of these "first" holidays with Mia...having a child makes you appreciate life so much and realize how much this little person depends on you for everything.  I am glad that we can provide everything she needs....for that I am thankful. 

We started our day off with the annual Run 4 the Pies 4 Miler in Tequesta...my second time running this race and Mia's first time cheering mommy on!  Knowing my lil pumpkin was waiting for me at the finish line made me pick up my pace a little and thankfully I did bring home a pie (I think they give them away to the first 900 finishers), so those calories that I burned off were put right back on (and then some!).

 Unfortunately since our families are both in Ohio, we didn't get to celebrate the holiday with them, but we are lucky to have my sister and her boyfriend, as well as terrific friends that are like family, down here.  So the five of us traveled up to Port St Lucie for a delicious meal, wonderful company, and great memories.  Again, for that I am thankful.

The ladies ~ Mommy, Mia and Aunt April

My baby girl is getting so big!

What are you doing to me silly lady?!

Love all her facial expressions :)

Mia got to taste turkey for the first time and I don't think she knew what to think about it.  She of course loved the mashed and sweet potatoes!  Her expression is priceless...she definitely doesn't hide her emotions! "What are you feeding me Ma-Ma!?"

"Playing" the piano with Daddy....I have a feeling our little girl is going to be musically talented just like her Dad.  At least let's hope she sticks with it unlike her Mom (I quit both the organ and flute, Yes, I was a band nerd!). 

 The Saturday after Thanksgiving, we went on our first family camping trip along with some great friends of ours, The Cangianos and The Millers.  We drove about an hour and a half north to Sebastian Inlet State Park and although the weather was a little dreary and overcast, we still managed to have a great time grilling, playing cornhole, taking turns playing with Mia, and hanging out around the campfire while the boys put on a concert and we all sang along. 

Mia slept AWESOME (which I was very concerned about since I knew we were going to be outside in a tent and it would probably be fairly loud, OK, very loud!).  I actually had to wake her up from her naps...must have been that salt air (you could see the inlet from our campsite)!  Here is my little sleeping beauty cuddling with her puppy in the pack n' play!

Daddy relaxing and enjoying a beer after setting up the tents and getting all our crap organized (and boy was there a lot of crap for a trip that lasted less than 24 hours, but when you are bringing an 8 month old and a dog, you have to be prepared for anything!).  Oh, and not to mention, our men like to eat and drink....a lot!

Tripp had a blast and was so worn out from all the activity of the day and evening....he loved curling up near the campfire and just being with all the adults.  My sweet little boy :)

Hubby and B jamming out on their guitars....we heard everything from Yellow to Keep On Rocking Me Baby to Yellow and then Yellow again...needless to say, I will be happy to not hear the song Yellow again for a long time!

Tripp also enjoyed toasting marshmellows....this is yummy Mom!!

And hanging out with the ladies....

The whole gang (including a very tired and passed out baby girl!).



Hope ya'll had a blessed Thanksgiving spent with family and friends....we are THANKFUL for each and every one of you!

So In Love....With My 8 Month Old!!

Those wide blue eyes, chubby cheeks, the drool, chunky thighs, her almost bald little head (she continues to get a little more peach fuzz each month!), and the sweet, laid back (for the most part) disposition....all these things and more make me run upstairs every morning to get her out of her crib and rush home from work Monday thru Friday to pick her up and squeeze her to pieces and play as much as we can before bedtime.....

Sweet baby girl, I love you more and more each day, which I didn't know could be possible, but believe me, it is!  Happy 8 Month Birthday....I can hardly believe that we are nearing the end of 2010 and that before I know it, you'll be a big girl turning 1.  Sigh, but I will refrain from the waterworks, at least until January!

Look at those chunky thighs!!!  Love 'em!!

 And those chubby cheeks...delish!!

Someone loves to stand up and hold on to anything and everything....furniture, the side of her crib, her music table, etc.  She can get half-way up, but needs a little help getting all that chubbiness to stand all the way!  She is also getting onto her hands and knees from the sitting position and rocking, as well as doing a little army crawling/rolling combo, but that's about the extent of her mobility at this point!

Yep, I'm getting pretty good at this standing thing....with a little more practice I'll be able to do it all on my own!

LOVES her music table and will bang on it endlessly....the keys, the shapes and all the other little gadgets, and turns the page of the 'book' herself.  Sometimes I get excited because it's playing a new song that I haven't heard for what seems like hours on end and then I realize it's set to Spanish mode and have to laugh to myself!

Still can't get enough of Tripp, who is always right next to her side....

Playtime in her nursery before tubby time is our favorite....

Playing with her 'friend' in the mirror....we're about to transition to the big tub for good as she is 1) getting too big for her infant tub and 2) she makes a complete mess and covers the counter, mirror, floor and me with water! 

Other exciting happenings this month were trying out both a Gymboree (10/15) and My Gym (11/6) class with Mommy!  We decided on My Gym since it offered a lot more activities and they change the classroom up each week, plus the instructors were great and went the extra step to include Mia, who was the youngest in the class.  I think it will be great for her to be around all of the 'older' kids (she loves to watch what they are doing), plus I'm excited that I get to take her every Saturday!

Gotta end with a pic of our little family all bundled up enjoying the Feast of Little Italy in Abacoa!

Mommy loves to give me kisses....geesh woman!! ;)

Not One, Two, or Three, but FOUR

TEETH!!  All at once that is!  Steve had Mia in giggling fits this morning and when he turned her upside down, we happened to spot her top teeth popping through the gums!!  I had no idea that they were coming in since she rarely lets me squeeze those chubby cheeks to get my finger up there to check out her gums.  Even when I'm brushing her little teeth with the baby toothbrush, I can never get a good enough feel to see if anything new is going on in there, but sure enough it is!  Poor baby girl!  However, she is still in good spirits considering the pain she must be experiencing....I know I wouldn't be happy! :( 

'Tis the season to spread holiday cheer....

And what better way is there than Christmas cards from your loved ones?  I have always loved spending time selecting the perfect card, writing a personal note to the individual(s) who will receive it, sealing, stamping and dropping off a stack of cards at the post office.  This was all done knowing that when the other person received the envelope, it would bring a smile to their face (and mine!).  But even better than finding the perfect box of pre-made cards....creating your own with photos of your family making memories together! 

Last year I sent out photo cards (much to hubby's dismay at first) of us in the Keys while I was about half-way through my pregnancy with Mia.  Now that our sweet baby girl is here and we will be enjoying our first holiday season as a family of three, I can already imagine the fun I will have making this year's Christmas card.  The only problem is....deciding which design I like best from Shutterfly's (http://www.shutterfly.com)

endless options....oh, and deciding which of the hundreds of photos of my little girl dressed in her holiday best will be used for the card.  Oh, the possibilities.....

Some of my favorites this year include the Sweet and Retro, Elegant Lace Snowflakes, and Starlight Snowflakes.  Of course if I can't decide on just ONE picture, then I would have to go with something like Modern Merry Squares, Cinnamon Candy Lace or get crazy with the Family Wall Red.  Although I do have a lot to say at times (me, really!?) and could go with the Christmas Letter...like I said, endless possibilities!!  Thankfully it is easy to upload (http://www.shutterfly.com/upload-pictures) all your pictures and then go to town with trying out all the different options, sizes, etc.  I know regardless of the lay-out that I choose, our family and friends will love receiving a beautiful card with our baby girl smiling back....and really, who can resist those big blue eyes? 

Check out this link (http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery) if you want to try one free 5x7 greeting or stationary card - a great chance to see it in person before sending it to all your loved ones!

Happy card making!! :)

Duck, Duck, Bumble Bee!

Mia enjoyed her first "major" holiday, Halloween, with lots of fun activities.....all the while dressed as a duck!  It wouldn't be a party if she wasn't with her partner in crime, Tripp, who loves wearing his bumble bee costume (no seriously, he goes crazy when I pull it out of the closet - he jumps around like a maniac until I put it on him!).   
 

The week started off with a trip to the "pumpkin patch" on Monday evening. Now I had the pleasure of growing up in the Midwest where we went to Whitehouse Farms to select great big pumpkins and were able to pick apples in the orchard, but unfortunately South Florida is a little different.....the front lawn of a church constitutes a patch, but we'll take what we can get! There is a trade-off for the year round fantastic weather and the true essence of fall is one of them. Since Mia knows nothing different, she went about picking out the perfect pumpkin, got measured next to the "How Tall This Fall" sign and enjoyed watching all the big kids run around!

Next up on the Halloween circuit was Mommy's book club, which of course was fall-themed. Since this was Mia's first time attending a meeting, she got to lead the discussion about this month's book, Elmo's Monster Mash :) The next night we were supposed to attend a Halloween party, but since I'm usually beat by the end of the work week, we decided to stay in and have a family dinner on the patio, where Mia enjoyed her first taste of real food, sweet potatoes, and loved them!

The Beautiful Babes Book Club....where lots of eating, drinking and chatting (not about the book) takes place!

The rest of the weekend was jam-packed with fun parties and get togethers with Mia's friends! We spent Saturday with Pebbles (Aunt April) and the Lemasneys at their neighborhood Halloween block party and Sunday we went trick-or-treating with a bunch of our friends in The Heights. Although Mia didn't bring home any loot this year, she did try to steal Zachary's sippy cup and thoroughly enjoyed the wagon ride around the neighborhood with all her little friends! Next year Mommy looks forward to you filling an orange pumpkin with lots of her favorite treats....that she will of course check thoroughly :)

The cutest little duckling around!

 With her boyfriend, Brogan as Frankenstein, and his big sister, Carrigan as a ladybug

 Family photo op - Wilma, Pebbles, and ducky (next year Mia will be Pebbles and Tripp will be Dino so we all go together!)

Enjoying the beautiful weather outside during the Halloween block party

Mia's 1st Halloween and pumpkin :)

This little ducky is learning to fly with a little help from Daddy!

Ready to go in the wagon....

Hmmmm...not a big fan of my sippy cup at home, but I think I might want this one!  I'll take it now that the lion isn't looking....

Staring intently at Zachary, the lion

Daddy and his co-worker with me and my new friend, Jude

Now that all the festivities are done, this pooped little cowgirl is ready to ride off into the sunset....

I Survived....

Or I should say, WE all survived....my first trip away from Mia that is!  I went to a conference in San Antonio, Texas for 3 1/2 days (I'm sure I could give you the hours and minutes if you wanted because they were some of the longest minutes of my life!) and Steve was home with Mia by himself, which is a long stretch of time to be a single parent.  Now I am used to having her all day when he is on shift or when I take her to the sitter's, then head off to work for the day, only to pick her up and get home to take care of her and Tripp by myself until bed time, which is when I finally get to eat dinner and sit down for the first time all day (not that I'm complaining, but it is A LOT to do by yourself and I couldn't imagine doing that every day!).  So I think the hubby has a new appreciation for what I do when he is gone....and how you really can't get anything done when you are home by yourself. 

I don't think it helped that she was up a good portion of the night on Saturday before I left bright and early the next morning.  I tried to rock her, but she would scream when I tried to lay her back down, so hubby came to the rescue and slept on the couch for roughly 3 hours with her so I could get some sleep.  It wasn't fun for any of us, but thankfully she slept fairly well the time I was away (or at least hubby sugar-coated it so I wouldn't feel any worse that I already did!). 

So after landing at PBI and getting my luggage, finding the car in the parking garage and making it home in record time, baby girl was down for her nap....sigh!  I think she must have known that mommy was back because she wasn't asleep yet when I walked in the door.  After some time of staring at the monitor, Steve gave me the OK to go up and get her (he is very regimented about her napping schedule since he is home with her most days) and when I walked into her nursery and that sweet little bald head popped up, I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear!  As I picked her up, she started giggling, stroked my face and looked right into my eyes, as if to say, "I missed you momma and am so glad you are back!  I don't know where you went, but you are back where you belong, thank you!"  Melt.My.Heart!!!

Three and a half days was a long time in her world (mine too!) and in that short time, I feel like she grew up on me!  She started kneeling and is now pretty much pulling up to standing in her crib, so that night we lowered the mattress down to the next level.  I am not ready for her to be a "big girl," but I guess it is inevitable....

Back in the old days when the mattress was all the way up....I love how she would pop her head up immediately when she heard the door open and you could see her smiling at you over the top of the rail!

Why are you guys doing this to me?  Now I have to pull myself up so I can see out of my crib!