8 Months!

So much has happened the last few weeks.  I went back to work for the school year, Aislynn started as a freshman in high school, and Mikaela got FOUR teeth! However, today is her 8 month "birthday"! We can't believe how quickly the time is flying by.  Bob keeps saying that next thing we know it'll be Thanksgiving then Christmas then we'll be celebrating her first birthday.

Mikaela crawls all over and she thinks it's hysterical.  She giggles almost the entire time and occasionally stops to either sit up and smile and laugh up at one of us or she stops to push up to her knees on something.  I don't think the crawling will last long, she'll figure out how to walk sooner than we think, I'm quite sure. Earlier today I found her sitting up in her crib playing with the little dog she keeps in there.  Time to lower the mattress!  When Aislynn was about Mikaela's age, she pulled herself up, stepped on the bumper and flipped herself out of the crib.  I found her in her room crawling across the floor crying.  Scared the heck out of me! So hopefully, Mikaela won't do this to me, I don't know if I'm young enough to survive the scare at this point! haha

She "talks" a lot now.  Even gestures with her hands, palms up while she hollers.  I tell her "That's your Italian showing!" Sometimes it sounds like she's saying something specific so we answer in kind.  She just keeps on hollering and making her point known. We've had to stop our conversations sometimes because she gets so loud we can't hear what we are saying.  Someone better teach her some manners! haha

The one thing that has been a little frustrating until a few days ago when I decided not to worry about it anymore, is that she does not like baby food.  She won't even open her mouth for the spoon.  I've tried so many different foods, fruits, vegetables, cereals, everything to no avail.  The only time she opened her mouth for something willingly was chicken and gravy believe it or not.  Even then it was only a few times and that was it.  I think she may just not like the consistency.  So I bought her some finger foods and she does fine with them.  She's still sleeping through the night and gaining weight and growing so I'm not going to stress about it.  Since she has a few teeth now I may even start giving her little pieces of whatever we're having for dinner.

I feel sometimes like don't have enough time with her during the week because she wakes up around 5 or so and I get about 45 minutes to an hour with her before I have to get ready for work then drop her off at the babysitters before work.  By the time I get home it's after 4 and between getting her fed and bathed and cooking dinner, then it's around 7 and she's ready for bed.  This is the schedule she put herself on with bedtime.  I'm sure it'll change at some point, but this is fine for her for now.

8 Months <3

Ten years ago I was standing in the back of a classroom at Oakcrest High School, my second week as a teacher's aide, when suddenly the classroom door burst open to a colleague telling us we are under attack.  I had no idea what she meant, then she turned the classroom television on, raced out of the room to let the rest of those in the hallway know.  I stood there, watching and not truly understanding what was happening.  I saw the second plane fly into the second tower and the gravity of what was actually happening in New York City came to me.  I watched as the news casters tried to explain what was happening in trickling amounts of information.  I watched in horror, covering my mouth in shock, as the towers came crashing down, first one then the second, realizing that there were people in there still.  Workers, firefighters, emergency workers, police officers .... people with parents, spouses, children, grandchildren, friends just like me. When I got home from work that day, I let Aislynn play in the living room with her toys, some cartoons on, while I sat on the edge of the bed watching the news still going on, and I called to ask my husband if he heard what had happened. I remember just thinking this is so surreal.  For a few days we watched as they pulled survivors out, then it became bodies.  I found out that my cousins husband, a firefighter in North Jersey, had decided to go to Ground Zero to help.  To this day he won't speak of what he witnessed, only saying it was more horrible than anyone can imagine and that seeing it on television is nothing compared to seeing it in front of your eyes.  I lived with a fear that my own husband, a volunteer firefighter who had been put on stand by for possible request for help, might have to go there. Thankfully, he never had to go.  Three hundred forty three firefighters lost their lives that day, along with police officers, emergency workers, and thousands of people who worked in those buildings as well as the Pentagon, and that field in Shanksville, PA.  Today I'd just like to say Thank You to those people who willingly went into those buildings and saved lives ultimately losing their own.  Thank you for being the kind of person you were and watching your families speak is an honor.  May you all rest in peace and know you are not, and never will be, forgotten.

13 Years

Today at 12:30 pm was officially our 13th wedding anniversary.  Even though we've had our ups and downs, the one thing that has always sustained my relationship with my husband is that underneath it all, we love each other very much.  Sometimes it's so easy to pack it in and say I give up, but if you do the best you can to work through your problems and issues, most of the time, you will come out on the good side still together.  Too many people give up too easily.

So today I raise a glass to my husband and I.  We have a beautiful home, we work hard, we have two beautiful kids and at the end of the day we go to bed together (sometimes earlier than he claims he wants to go in lol) and we wake up together to face another day.

I love you honey, thank you for being my husband, lover, partner, best friend, biggest supporter, wonderful father and hardest working man I know. I don't know what I would do without you in my life.  I'm very proud to share my life with you.

August 8, 1998

6 Months

Dear Mikaela,

You are 6 months and one week now ... I can hardly believe it!  You're growing so fast and have a tooth finally popping out of your little gums.  So far teething is going alright, no fever, no real stuffiness or crankiness to speak of (thank goodnss!).

This weekend is your last weekend sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's room, you're moving on up to your bedroom tomorrow night.  I got clean sheets on your crib and went through your dresser (AGAIN!) to clean out the clothes that don't fit you anymore (growing like a weed!) so I know what I'm going to need to get you in the fall.

You are going to crawl any day now.  You push up to your hands and knees, rock a bit then fall forward (haha) so we haven't quite mastered how to move your legs and hands to move forward.  The first few times you did this you thought it was hysterical and just laughed and laughed.

You talk and sing all the time, of course none of it makes sense, but we have some great conversations with you. :)

A few weeks ago you started going to a new babysitter and Daddy and I are very happy with it.  She's got a few kids and the house is always in motion, so of course napping doesn't happen as much as it used to in the morning, but that's alright because you take a nice one when we get home and still go to bed around 8 or 8:30.  You seem to love Carolyn and the kids entertain you, that much is for sure!

You are still such a good baby, I can't believe the luck we have with both our kids, Aislynn was such a good baby and so are you!

Speaking of Aislynn, Daddy and I were looking at some of her baby pictures the other day and we are just amazed at the resemblance you have to her.  It's like you are the same baby.  Although your hair is a little darker than Aislynns, otherwise it's just uncanny.

This is Aislynn at around 10 months ... 

Mikaela at 5 1/2 months ... 

It's amazing to us how much you look alike!

One of the things that we remark on and many others is how your hands and feet are constantly in motion.  When you really start moving there will be no stopping you!  

We love you so much and are enjoying every second of you! 

xoxoxoxox

Mommy and Daddy 

The high chair and first feedings that aren't a bottle!

We still have Aislynn's old high chair in the basement so I didn't ask for one for Mikaela.  I realized over the last few weeks that Mikaela, while she isn't quite able to sit up by herself, she likes to be a part of what's going on, especially at dinner time.  So, today I drug the high chair up from the basement and cleaned it all up and plopped her into it.  She's still a little short and needs some extra padding on the sides, but she sits up there pretty well.  This is gonna come in handy because she's starting to have at least one meal a day of cereal and fruit of some kind from a spoon.  She's growing so fast!

hmmm cereal and peaches ... I just don't know

Ok no so bad!