Feels like summer

The weather's heating up, so the kids got to enjoy our whale slide pool. Much better than the bathtub!!

I think she's ready for swim lessons...

S C R E A M I N G with delight.


And, enjoying some post-swimming lunch.

The chameleon: chillin...

curious...

angry...

HAPPY!!

Today, we decided to head to Claremont to visit Josie (and her pool). After begging for two ponytails just like Sissy, I gave him what he wanted. Shrek-like ponytails. Haha.

Claire, Kayden and Gianna.

Auntie Godmother's excited to have company. :-)

Having some snacks.

Thumb's up for a fun, swimming day!

Cousins at the park

We spent a beautiful day together with Claire, Kayden and my mom at Bonelli Park for a long walk and a picnic by the lake. Here, we take a potty break for some silly-face photos. They all took turns for the silly face, but at least this shot had two out of three.

Mom and Max getting all tangled up!

Enzo taking a break from feeding the ducks.

Give her a cell phone and everyone can eat in peace.

Round, sunburned, happy faces.

Happy Easter!

What a wonderful Easter Sunday! After Church, we headed to the Patterson Ranch in Norco for some good 'ol family fun. We changed out of our Sunday best and into dirt-proof, grass-proof clothes and really let loose.


Here, Uncle Godfather, aka Unk, aka my Homie from Monrovie, was shocked and excited by what the Easter Bunny left for him during the HUNT.

Kayden taking a bumblebee break to taste the candy in his eggie.

Enzo the Frog amid the Easter basket carnage.

Gianna took to the bouncehouse for most of the day.

Talking it out with Mimi.

The boy cousins... Enzo, Avery, Kayden and Declan.

Jeff on 4-wheel wagon duty.

What a baller!

And, over the past two weekends, we have paid a few visits to a few Easter Bunnies. One in La Habra and one in San Dimas. Both involved egg hunts and candy, too!

How she's checking out

I think this is my all-time favorite picture of my little girl. It captures her innocence, her purity, her wide-eyed approach to the world and her eyes that smile. Our precious Gianna.

Little Miss Independent loves to cruise, moving from one piece of furniture to another. Reaching, stretching, taking some risks.

She is a mad crawler, and really has some wheels.

She's eager to walk. (Don't you just want to squeeze those thighs??)
And, here are her first steps, just last week!

Second favorite picture of Gianna.

At Gianna's 12-month checkup, here are her stats:
Height: 30 3/4 in. (74%)
Weight: 21 lbs, 14 oz. (74%)
Head circumference: 44.5 cm. (25%)

And she likes to eat (and teethe on) shoes. Pink ones.

She's out for a stroll.

In addition to all of Gianna's physical milestones, here are other updates:
* She's a great sleeper, most of the time. We start baths and teethbrushing at around 7:45 and she's asleep by 8:15 pm. She wakes between 8 and 8:30 am.
* When getting Gianna dressed, she enthusiastically punches her hands through the arm holes, like she knows what she's doing. She loves getting her hair brushed and is toughening up her scalp during the ponytail tying.
* Her vocabulary is continuing to develop and her repertoire includes: Mama, Dada, baby, light, dog, Amen, Papa, Nana, Mimi, Grandbob, (Gi)annnna, ruff, mohr (which means more), aye (which means yes), up, dowuuuun, hyyeeeiiiii, byeee byeee.
* She is very loving and likes to give hugs. She and Enzo exchange kisses after our nightly prayers each night.
* Gianna waves hello and bye bye and loves to blow kisses to everyone.
* She is a champion eater. She almost always finishes all her food, and can eat most of the food we eat together as a family. We affectionately call her our lil garbage disposal.
* Gianna loves her dollies. She is such a girlie girl. Hugs them, kisses them, and says "Babbbyyyy."

Gianna's Premiere - Happy 1 Year!!

Let's face it - Gianna's a star. So for her first birthday, we celebrated her Premiere party. This party was so much fun to throw. I only wish she would remember all the details. So, I took pictures in the hopes she'll let me repeat it for her 16th birthday party.

She LOVES hats, but cake.... not so much.

Our guests got to walk the red butcher paper -- I mean, carpet -- to the stage door.

.... that was two feet too short. Oops.

The paparazzi were everywhere.

... and I think they took some people off guard!

The fans came out in droves -- and shivered booties off all day. The sun umbrellas were sooo not needed. Windbreakers were.

This was the table whose occupants were bartering for neighboring table's movie candy. Seeing a bunch of adults hopped up on sugar was priceless. Hilarious.

Gianna had her turn walking the red carpet.

Then, signs autographs with her good pal Kyrsten.

Cousins Kayden and Avery and friend Kylan have a ball in the jumper. Lil Kayden got some air!

Folks warmed up with a movie buffet: hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, candy, soda. Don't tell Jamie Oliver.

The red curtain and stage brought to you by Mimi.

Gianna's actual birthday, March 31, fell in the middle of the week. So this is the star the day she turned 1!

And, this was taken during the photo shoot for the icing picture on her cake.

Gianna has been such a joy to our family. The year has flown by, really. We can hardly believe our little girl is one, and feel so blessed to be her parents. Her bright eyes, wonderful tooth-filled smile, warm hugs and sparkling spirit are sent from above. We thank God that she was sent to us on March 31, 2010. Here is a look back at Gianna's first year on earth...