Thursday, April 28, 2011

Sometimes... and Always...

Dear Little Bibis -

Sometimes I wish I was a bettter mama
Sometimes I am not always there when you need me
Sometimes I get frustrated and don't know what to do
Sometimes I just want to pick you up and give you a squeeze while you are peacefully asleep

Always I will love you
Always I be there for you
Always I will try my best
Always I will be your mama

Friday, April 22, 2011

Baby on the Move!!!




It has been a while since a post has been dedicated specifically to E and all of her adventures. Here goes... She is crawling around the house like a mad woman. She gets into EVERYTHING... Little E loves to pull herself up even though she is not allowed to touch everything. I am having some issues with my home office aka our coffee table within her grasp but whatever. Lee and I have had to cover up the outlets!!! I freaked out when she got really close to sticking her finger in one and that was it. The covers are cheap enough at Wally-world.

In other news E is getting two more teeth-ies so she is in some pain. She has been a supertrooper at Church this week. Holy Week = Lots of church and late nights. I'll post some Easter pics sooner rather than later (hopefully).



Monday, April 18, 2011

Our Lady of Kibeho

If you are looking for an awesome quick read check this book out.





I heard the author speak a couple years back at Ignited By Truth. I'm working on another book now, but open to suggestions if you have any!!!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Missing You

My little bibis I left you for a short while.
Mama had to go and work, so you took a short vacation with Grammy and Grandpa Joe.
I thought of you when I could not squeeze you good bye - never ever wake a sleeping baby.
I thought of you sitting on the airplane.
I needed to hear you say "Ma-ma-ma-maaaaa"
I missed singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star before night-nights.
I needed to snuggle with you in the morning.
I told everyone all about you and even showed them a few pictures.
I talked to you on the phone even though you would have rather played with the receiver.
I was so excited to finally get home to see my little bibis.
I watched you count sheep and dream away.
I waited to give you a squeeze because mama got home late - never ever wake a sleeping baby.
Grammy brought you down the next morning
I couldn't wait to wrap you up in my arms!
I looked at you and said "Hi Hi Bibis"
You looked at me and then started looking for the doggie.



Excuse my poem. I just thought that was the best way to convey my feelings about missing my bibis and her reaction to seeing me for the first time in 3 days. I went to Dominican Republic for work. I was thrilled to go, but bummed about leaving E (and Lee too). My mom offered to watch her while I was gone because things are getting busy busy at Swimworld. By E's reaction I know that she had such a great time staying with Grammy and Grandpa Joe. They went to the park to swing, they went on walks, they got a new toy and took all the bowls, spoons, pots, pans and spatulas out to play with in the kitchen. So while I was disappointed E did not want to come up and give me a huge squeeze, I am glad she had a fun time and that she did not miss me half as much as I missed her.


Here is a pic from Sunday...


Monkeying around with Uncle Kev!!!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

One Whirlwind of a Journey

Good times in NJ

Bagels!!!

I have been a bad family member for not posting this earlier, but here goes. Some time last fall I had this brilliant idea that Lee and I should tie in going to see my grandparents (E's great-grandparents) into a work trip. Why you may ask?

1. E is the first and so far only great-grandchild to my grandparents (that we know about... just kidding!!!)
2. Who wouldn't want to take a 7 month old on a 9-11 hour car ride depending on traffic?
3. I failed to mention the destination - New Jersey. Clearly, NJ is a great state to drive through in the middle of January and they don't have problems with snow/ice at all.

 I am going to try and hit the highlights of this trip and not dwell on some of the more frustrating details - because I never do that. Here goes...

Its bagel time
The trips starts off with a bang. E and I went to check out a Mother's Morning Out (MMO) program before we got on the road. And of course, when we get home to pack up and head out lo and behold, she pee-ed through her diaper and clothes and her car seat is wet!!! Awesome-ness. So, first text/call is to my sister-in-law (of course) because she is the Queen of all thing Britax. After that minor mishap is dealt with, E and I get on the road with a super great friend of my mother-in-law (she knitted E this amazing blanket - I'll have to do a post on that. She is also helping me with the stocking). Me, E and V are headed up to DE - or Delaware - not to be confused with Dela-what and Dela-who. The trip in somewhat uneventful. E is a trooper in the car and when Mommy remembers that the horn does in fact wake her up, she is an excellent car sleeper. I have this really good habit of honking at bad drivers because I think it is a public service to tell people that they are being morons on the road and not only endangering their lives but mine too.

We make it to DE in record time (given we have the Beebster). No problems with roads, weather or traffic. It is frigid there though. Probably in the 'teens in terms of the temp and there are massive piles of snow. Lee and my mother-in-law are already at my mother-in-law's cousin's house. We have a nice time that night and everyone loves watching E and loving her up!

The next morning is is about and literally 10 degrees outside - I could feel my nose hairs freezing when I breathed in (TMI?). We packed up and headed out for NJ. Gotta love that Turnpike. No, seriously there are only 16 exits or something like that and the rest areas are in the middle of the highway so there is no question or any possible way to get lost. We make it up to the Wood with our trusting GPS and head to my grandparents house. Lee and I were talking and I think it had been 8 or 9 years since I had been up there last.

My grandparents were super happy to see us and had tea and snacks ready. My grandma had one of my baby toys stashed away. I'll have to post a pic of it because I don't think I took a pictures of it while we were there. After snacks we headed over to my uncle's house who graciously hosted us for two night. Special thanks to my cousin who gave up his room - he slept in the basement which is strikingly similar to what my brother does when he is home.

Katie and E playing during the Jets game


Sunday we went hunting around for a Ukrainian church - only about fifteen minutes away (I wish our church was 15 minutes from our house). Temp when we left was about 5 degrees. I love it when older ladies come up to me and start speaking in Ukrainian - nod and smile, nod and smile. We also were treated to a trip to the Deli and got some Product (otherwise known as the best potato salad in the world). Dinner that night was AMAZING. My mom and all of her siblings are very talented in the kitchen. There was a small gathering to watch the Jets game - they lost but it was a good run for them. Also, my cousin who is my age made the trek in from NYC to see us. That was awesome and we got to meet her BF. We said our goodbyes before bed because between work and school everyone was gone when we left.

Me, E and Megan!!!


Only regret was not taking more pics. My grandparents were not in the picture taking mood so I did not get a pic with them and E - well not a good one.

On to Atlantic City for the Pool and Spa Show. Another 2.5 hour car ride which was a sleeper for E - and we made it. It was the first time I had been to AC and I don't think anything can really prepare you for it. We got situated our rooms without too many problems. There was a welcome party that night we we loaded E up in the Beco Baby carrier (lifesaver!!!). We get there and after the ridiculously long line the security guy says "No one under the age of 21 is allowed in." So I give him my ID but he was not talking about me - he was talking about the beebster. Really, really??? Clearly she is not going anywhere in the Beco, but I was not in the mood to argue so whatever. We had a horrible time finding a place to eat with a baby so we just ordered room service.



Next day we walked around the show with the bibis in her stroller which was great. It was interesting and E got to look at everything!!! Well as it turns out there was an impending snow storm the next morning - when I was planning on heading out so change of plans. Call up a super great friend of mine Mary in DC and see if E and I could crash at her place. Of course she said yes! E and I headed out mid afternoon for the 5 hour trek to DC --- in the hopes we would miss DC rush hour traffic.

Now GPSs are funny things! Whenever there is new construction this presents a huge problem for the driver and the GPS. Well GPS is not the most updated one and it took me on country roads for the first 90 minutes which was horribly frustrating. 4.5 hours later E and I make it to DC without a problem. She slept for some of the way. We get to Mary and Luighi's and E eats dinner and unwinds s bit and I put her in the pack and play for bed. No problem right? Yeah right!!! An hour later she is still howling. This was a problem for several reasons:

1. I have no idea how long she is going to do this.
2. I know Mary, Luighi and I will not sleep in there basement apartment with the noise
3. I don't want the upstairs guys to get annoyed with a screaming baby at 10:30

So what is the solution... pack everything back up and head home. This is the four place that E has been in 6 nights and she probably was not thrilled about it. I fuel up the car and get a Mountain Dew and Peanut Butter M&Ms for me and make the 4 hour ride home. We roll in at 2:30 AM and we crash... until about 7 when E decided it is time to wake up. That next day was a blur. It was a whirlwind of a trip but would definitely do it again!!!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Marti Gras!!

Captain Morgan's Private Stock + Coke = Vanilla Coke?
Auntie/ Anti-Lifeguard and E


The jesters
So now that we are officially half way through Lent I figured it would be good to remember how we got ready for Lent - clearly it was with a par-tay!!! My parents have been hosting Marti Gras parties for the past several years. The food was AMAZING - compliments of my mom, uncle and aunt (not to be confused with 'ant'). My favorite was the gumbo --- its all about the rue!!! Oh, Lee and I got our super great mask/hat down in NOLA when we were there for R&E's wedding.

Here are a few pics from this year....







And one year before....



Times are changing....

Saturday, April 2, 2011

The 12th Day of Christmas

I was thinking back on my posts and looking through our pics and I realized I totally forgot to post the pics from the 12th Day of Christmas - otherwise known at Epiphany or Theophany or January 6. Christmas in January, you ask! Well of course!!! The 12 days of Christmas are actually Christmas and the 11 days AFTER December 25th. Lee and I decided we needed to have our traditions for holidays so we decided on stockings on January 6th. The little beebster a little stocking - clearly she does not need and certainly has no concept of wanting something at the ripe age of 7 months. Hopefully I'll be done with the bibis stitched stocking by then. If not we'll have to use the short and stout stocking again!






 So excited about her first ornament.



Side note, the Papis has started calling the bibis "The One Who is Short and Stout." I am not horribly opposed. It is kind of cute because it is the first nickname that he has really decided on for the beebster. However, I don't think that Lee has a clue about what song that references but who cares!!!