9 months old, and Happy New Year!

I can hardly believe that Gianna is growing so fast.

She is quite comfortable sitting up and has mastered reaching and twisting while keeping her balance on her booty. She has started leaning forward on her little hands and rocking/dancing like she wants to GO!

And GO she does! Borrowing her friend Kyrsten's Jeep, she experienced her first walking toy.

She fell fast asleep while we were preparing her breakfast. Two minutes. Out. WTH??

She continues to puke. A lot. Whether it's rice, oatmeal, carrots, squash, apples, bananas, peas, green beans, peaches -- doesn't matter. Up it comes.

This month, Gianna started finger foods. Her pincher grasp has progressed so quickly and she is doing great! We have heard her say "mama," "dada," "go go." Late this month, we spotted two top teeth poking through. She is sleeping a bit better. Jeff and I finally looked at each other this month and said, "When was the last time her stomach hurt and she cried and cried?!" We couldn't think of one single time this month. YES!! Could her "colic" finally be over?


Brother. Sister. Friends.

P.S. Having New Year's plans for the first time in four years was quite exciting. But, alas, I'm home and blogging. Plan A, plan B, and plan c babysitters all fell through. So, flake we did. Hello Twenty Eleven!!

Who's the #1 Husband?

Mr. Wonderful threw me a fantastic birthday party last night, complete with great friends, awesome food and wine, and a personal chef and cooking class and demonstration. Dominic, you were fantastic!

Today, my actual birthday, was spent at the pediatrician's office getting antibiotics for Enzo's earache, which came on last night. Poor baby!

Christmas #1, #2 and #3

Good Christmas morning!

Foxy was the first one to check out what Santa had brought.

Family's first Christmas (with LOTS of bannister garland in the forefront.)

Enzo and Gianna say, "Merry Christmas. Now show me the goodies!" No, actually Enzo said "Baby Jesus get born?"

Santa Claus took out the reindeer cupcake, cookies and milk. And wrote a nice note, for the memories box.

It was like Gianna had done this before. She tore into the paper. And didn't even eat it. Much.

Enzo helped to show her the ropes.

Choo choo churain!

Enzo thanks Grandbob for the very first gifts under the tree!

Gotta love the camera timer.

After a nice and relaxing Christmas morning at home (between the coughs, runny noses and headaches), we travelled to Long Beach to my Aunt Mary Jo's house. Claire, Tim, Kayden and Enzo. (Oh, I just noticed silly Auntie Godmother in the background. Heh.)

Goof and Goofy. Enzo and Counsin Andrew.

Costume change. Thanks, Ma, for both outfits. Adorbs.

Christmas destination #3: Nana and Grumpy's. And our first meeting of Briana and Jared's brand new Jules. So teenie, quiet and presh.

Erika with Gianna and Enzo. Jared with new big brother, Lukas. (By now it's like 8 pm and dinner is starting. Sleeeeepy kiddos.)

Great Nana, Great Auntie Laura and pooped Baby G. By the time present opening commenced at around 10 pm, the kids were taking turns screaming and sleeping. Overstimulated. Overtired. Overdone. We felt really bad, but we loaded up the generous pile of unopen gifts, ran the kids through the pouring rain to the car and headed home.

(This is going to make my blog posts out of order, which will drive me crazy, but for ease, here goes.)

Day after Christmas: Mimi's house for Christmas brunch!! The fun never ends. Enzo and I drink some coffee in our new play tent. Notice the brand new grocery cart!! (Best of all, it's made from flexible plastic. My walls and furniture thank you, Ma.)

G's getting her money's worth from this Santa velour jammie ensemble.

Now, we all have Singamajigs! Eghem, I mean, the kids do.

As tradition has it, the youngest in the family places Baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas morning. Or the day after Christmas. Whatevs. This is after she stuck Jesus' head in her mouth.

I'm serious when I say that this year Christmas would never end. We spent my birthday morning on the 27th opening up a thousand Christmas gifts from Nana and Grumpy's house. It was immediately following this that I realized we'd need to spend the day at the pediatrician's. Coughs got worse, Enzo had a burning fever, and "Mama, my ears hurt!" became his mantra.

Despite being pretty sick and caring for two other sickies, I truly enjoyed being with family this Christmas. Merry Christmas!

'Twas the night before Christmas...

This December hasn't brought us good health. With the exception of Jeff (who is the only one NOT to get a flu shot), we've all had the stomach flu, colds, bronchitis, fevers and coughs. Having to bail out of Christmas Eve birthday festivities with my dad and sisters, we laid low and took our cough medicine. As the afternoon turned to evening, the desire to bake overwhelmed Enzo and me.

He smeared his little germs all over that mixing utensil!

We cleared the hearth of toys, books and such because Santa needed a clear entry. I told Jeff that we - and by we I mean you - have to clean the fireplace so Santa doesn't track soot all over our freshly-cleaned carpets. Enzo helped.

This year, Enzo really dug the letter to Santa bit. He dictated what he wanted Jeff to write. And he drew some pictograms to accompany it.

Off to sleep for what I hope is a loooong winter's nap.

And Happy Birthday Dad!

Crackerhouse Making

Thank you, Kathy, for hosting our kids for the annual Gingerbread, actually graham cracker, house making party. How our children's creative juices have matured since last year!


The children took a break to rock out. And Gianna wanted to take a drive.

Enzo observed.

The finished product! Voila!

Decking our halls

It was a long road to this decision, but we finally opted for the artificial Christmas tree. I admit, I completely missed the trip to the tree lot and the hunt for the perfect tree, and the smell of authentic pine in the house, but I don't think I'll miss having to drop $70 each year on a dead tree only to have it turn crispy in a few short days.

Enzo really enjoyed helping me decorate our tree...

...and an unrelated pic of a cutie trying to imitate another cutie. Tongue out and all. Love the hand in the pocket. OK, back to Christmas prep.

I was delighted to see that the sign at the Brea Mall authentic Santa said that you COULD take pics with your own camera only if you purchased a package. At least for the past two years (since I never looked twice at the Santa's village pre-kids), the sign said NO CAMERAS allowed. I always got so peeved at the other moms who would snap away with their own point-and-shoots while I (rule follower) settled for the pic shot by the stoner behind the camera.

I said I'd buy the digital image ($30!), set Gianna on Santa's lap and started shooting away. This was the pic I wish I'd gotten when Enzo first met Santa.

Gianna is about to notice she's on some strange guy's lap. But not before I got this shot.

Gianna fell apart while Enzo politely folded his hands in his lap like "a good little boy." I think even Santa is impressed.

This was the "professional" shot. Gianna - swollen face and tear-stained cheeks - and Santa not looking so jolly. Enzo's recently-perfected shy-guy-I-swear-it-wasn't-me face.

And once Sissy was out of the way, he told Santa all about the choo-choo churain and truck and candy he wanted for Christmas. And flashed his very best fake smile.

Walking out of Santa's village and hoping I scored at least one picture I could use for our Christmas cards, I saw the back of the set with all kinds of presents and poinsettias. I backed that stroller up while u-turning it, ducked under the velvet ropes, shoved the plants out of the way and stuffed my kids up on the only small corner without the creepy full-sized reindeer dressed in vests and ties. I told Enzo to put his arm around Gianna and he refused, saying "kick back." And this pic ended up being the Christmas card.

8 months old

"Muuuah! Don't you love my little bow-like mouth?"

Little G is getting to be such a big girl! She sits up like a pro and has been getting into position like she's thinking about crawling.

"That milky looks like mom's! Give me some, Dada!"

This is another trick Gianna can do. Hold the sippy cup with one hand! The volume of water that comes out of the little spout still surprises her each time.

She still pukes often. Notice the puddle under her high chair. She's unfazed as usual.

She totally digs the Johnny Jump Up (thanks cousin Kayden for handing it down!) You can hear her from the other side of the house - "woeeek eeghr woeeek eeghr woeeek eeghr" - up and down and up and down. And a giggle and a squeal here and there.

"Do I really want the ball THAT much??!" This month, we started taking Gianna to Gymboree Play and Learn classes. She thinks it's great.

She is playing hard to get while trying to do crunches for her six-pack abs.

And I almost didn't post this one due to the kids' tub in desperate need of white caulk, but alas, it was just too momentous not to. Gianna's first bath in the big bathtub AND the kids' first bath together!!

Happy 8 months, sweetie!