12 Months Old

Well my sweet little girl, you are no longer my little chubby baby.  Instead you are my beautiful little girl.  I look at pictures of you from just a few months ago and I can't believe how quickly you've grown.  I feel like this year just flew by without a second thought.  You are everything I hoped and prayed for in a daughter and I am excited about what your future holds.

You give me the best hugs and kisses.  You just wrap your arms around my neck and hold on tight and when you are feeling generous, you give the sweetest little kiss and then just giggle. One thing, just one of the many things, I adore is how you crinkle your nose when you laugh.  Just like me!  Your eyes are still blue and we are keeping our fingers crossed they stay that way.  I have always wanted light eyes so I'm so happy to see that you will have them!

You were a great sleeper but it seems you would rather snuggle with Mommy and Daddy in the mornings than stay in your own bed.  Michael has now decided that it is fun too so here we are, the four (really five) of us in Mommy and Daddy's bed.  I am so sore thanks to your kicking and your brother who thinks he has to be as close as possible.  I told your daddy that we have become those people.  BUT, I would not trade these moments for all the sleep in the world because I know that all too soon, they will be gone.

So what are you up to now that you are one year old? Well, you can walk now and it is the cutest thing ever.  You get so excited and proud when you walk that half the time you fall down.  You now know what bothers your brother and it seems you find a bit of joy in doing what you can to stress him out.  You kind of just laugh when he gets all bent out of shape.  I will be happy when you no longer sit next to him in the car because you like to throw things at him and kick him in the shoulder.  Such a little stinker!

You can't seem to rest without your lamb Rachel.  You just love and snuggle her like nothing else.  Michael had stuffed animals but he didn't hug and kiss them like you do.  Such a sweet girly thing!  So needless to say, we must wash Rachel regulary and make sure she is ready for nap and bedtime. 

So my love, you are growing up too fast but I am having so much fun watching you with your brother.  The two of you just make my heart grow more than I ever thought possible.  So here's to another year, each second more precious than the last.

Easter

Well last Easter I had just come home from the hospital with our new daughter Ava.  This Easter, I did come home from the hospital with Ava, but because she was a sick little girl.  I spent the morning in the ER with Ava because she was having breathing problems. Turns out, she had RSV and strep throat.  This from a baby that has never been sick before! Almost made it one year without a trip to the hospital so not that bad.

We had Easter at our home this year and it was surprisingly unstressful. We cooked turkeys the night before and my dad helped me juice a TON of key limes for my first ever homemade key lime pie. Everyone else brought yummy food and we were all set. 

Michael had two Easter egg hunts that day and I have to tell you he was quite the pro. That silly Easter bunny left eggs on the boat, the slide and all over the yard. And because Michael was such a big boy, the Easter bunny came back later with more eggs filled with goodies.  This time, he must have been hungry because he left half eaten carrots all over the yard.

I didn't like the start of our day because we missed the sunrise service, but I did enjoy spending time with our family, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  As an added bonus, we were able to share the good news that baby #3 is in fact a baby boy!  So come next fall Ava and I will be outnumbered.

Eleven Months Old

It has been another busy month at the DePalermo ranch.  Michael is definitely giving you a run for your money miss priss and I think you know just how to get him back.

• It seems you know exactly what to do to stress out Michael.  If he doesn't want you to mess with his trains, you will look at him, stick one finger on it, then look at him for a reaction. It drives him crazy and then I have to settle the situation.  You are such a stinker!  But, I have to say, I have been told I was the same way.
• You know have four teeth.  Two came in on your 11 month birthday!  So cute, like a little bunny. 
• You have branched out to new foods with caution.  You seem disappointed I'm not serving you mush anymore.
• You "cruise" down the couch and on chairs and the table. Basically this means you will walk holding onto something.  Michael walked at 13 months so its just a matter of time until you catch up with him.
• I now can put your hair in pony tails and you are much happier.  You cannot stand having your hair in your face and I can't bring myself to cut it! How can I?
• You are a bit of a Mommy's girl and don't like it if you think I am going to leave. I mean it is instant diva fit here.  If it looks like I am leaving you, the waterworks start instantaneously.

In one more month you will be my big girl, no longer a baby.  I have to admit I am a bit sad to see you grow up so fast, you are and will be my only daughter.  But I am excited for all the girly things we will do together just us girls.

Ten Months Old

Ten Months Old, wow double digits baby! You had a monumental month and it was so much fun. You have grown so much in one month and I get more and more excited to see what you will do next!

• On your10 month birthday, you got your first tooth! You always give me kisses on the chin but this time, it felt a little different and sure enough, there was your tooth! 
• On January 25th, you started crawling.  We were sure at Christmas you would but I guess you wanted an extra month of being carried everywhere.  It is so cute to watch how slow you are. But I know once you get used to it, you will be like a lightening bolt!
• Not only are you crawling, but you pulled up on the couch!  You love to pull up and see what is going on. I can't help but wonder how long it will be until you take your first step, you are definitely trying to keep up with Michael.
• You are eating more foods, starting to have the diet of a toddler, not a baby.  When did that happen? You were supposed to stay my baby forever.

This month brought so many new things all at once, I can't believe that in two months you will be one year old.  Crazy, I swear that if I didn't have the pictures to prove it, I wouldn't believe that I was there.  So on to month 11, lets see what you have in store for us now my princess.

Nine Months Old

Well, it is May and Ava turned 9 months old in January but at least I am finally posting pictures. Ava, it has been a crazy month for us.  We moved into our new house and I settled into being a full time Mommy.  So here are the things you did as a 9 month old:

• The Sunday after we moved into our house, you started sitting up all by yourself!  You just rolled over on your tummy and sat right up!  It was so great to witness the first time you did it, you were very proud of yourself.
• You are my amazing sleeper, you sleep all night and I just sing a song, put you in your crib and you fall asleep on your own.  Thank you SO much for that.
• You are beginning to try new foods but without teeth, this becomes difficult. 
• You still laugh more for Michael than anyone else.
• It sounds like you are saying Dada, and according to your Daddy, this is your first word, however it just sounds like you are babbling.
• Your hair continues to amaze me and grow and grow.  I'm so glad you are so girly, now I just have to figure out what to do with it.

Nine months have flown by, just like the nine months of being pregnant with you.  You warm our hearts more and more each day, I cannot wait to see what lies ahead.

Brothers

“Of all the things I have to play, I’d choose my brother any day.” ~Unknown

I have always known the magic of having an older brother because of my brother Matt.  We are 3 years and 11 months apart.  I don’t have one childhood memory without him in it.  Building forts in the living room, turning the couches over and making obstacle courses and hiding friends in the pantry or laundry room when Dad came home for lunch. :)  I think one of my favorite memories is when Matt thought it would be a good idea to move the trampoline closer to the house and then jump off the roof and onto the trampoline.  I’ll never forget how my Dad pulled up in the driveway right as Matt was in mid air.  The only world I have ever known is a world with Matt in it.  I know that Ava will feel the exact same way about Michael when she grows up.  I love to see her smile and coo at him when he comes into the room.  I can imagine how I must have responded to Matt when I was her age and how my parents must have loved to see us playing together. Michael and Ava are exactly 22 months apart.  Michael is so sweet and gentle with her.  He loves to sing to her and “read” to her everyday.  He tries to get her to stop crying except during “Super Why”.  He has no patience when his show is on.  Ava was hungry one afternoon and I wasn’t fast enough so she started fussing.  Michael looked at her and said “Hush Ava!” and then he looked at me as if to say “Hurry up Mommy!”, silly boy. 

  Michael amazes me with his ability to count, his singing and his reading.  He has such a sweet spirit and is very sympathetic if someone is hurting.  I can honestly say that each day he teaches me patience and I find yet another reason to love him unconditionally.  I know that I am so blessed with such a beautiful (inside and out) son and Ava is so very fortunate that Michael is her big brother.  I can’t wait to see what things he will teach her and what secrets they will share.  I wish that I could freeze them and keep them this age forever.  There is this connection and bond that they share that is just so precious and loving. So I’m sure there will be many forts and friends hiding in our future and I couldn’t be more excited.  I know that Michael and Ava will be just as close as Matt and I have been.  Now if we could only live closer.