Say Cheese!

... and that's exactly what he did! he's suddenly getting very good (on his own terms of course) at mimicking sounds and words... ever since the emergence of "buhh", we've gotten a lot of "da-da" (actually referring to dave!), "duh" (duck), a few "ah-wuh-woo"s (i love you), and just now while offering him some Colby Jack, "che"!! couldn't believe it. he's a budding genius! there's just something so amazing about language, and i'm sure there will be many more posts about it's debut through CAB! wuvvin it!

Everyday

My sis-in-law sent out an email today asking a bunch of people in the family to respond with our favorite day of the week, and why, for her girls' schoolwork assignment (they were plotting a graph). as i contemplated each day, i truly couldn't think of any day of the week i enjoy more than another right now. everyday is filled with new things, simple beauty, a growing awareness of love and life, and the coos and boos of cutest little munchkin in the world!! (yes, i'm totally and unashamedly biased)
i love saturdays as much as the next stay-at-home mom who may crave a little break or a little down time as a family, but i am so content with the time i do get to spend with my husband and baby, i don't feel like the weekends are this major catch up/rest time-- they are just an added blessing to my week! don't get me wrong-- i get excited about fridays, but not as much as i used to in the working world... i am just enjoying everyday as much as i possibly can-- once again realizing that they are passing quickly-- and i will never get them back!
so....... sorry about your graph, girls-- sometimes life can't be most accurately measured by statistics and lines-- but by the impressions that remain on our hearts...

a side you've never seen

i have very few talents. hidden or otherwise. my husband is an artist-- he paints, draws, and designs graphically for a living. he's a musician-- he's a composer, singer, and player, and can play just about any and every instrument in existance (except the udungu i brought him from africa...he still has to figure it out). he's an avid reader of the Bible-- in GREEK. he remembers every author (first and last name) of every book he's ever read (he tells me that's not a big deal, but hello, he even knows some of their MIDDLE names). he's got a mean poker face. and his repertoire of sports include tennis, volleyball, wakeboarding, and whatever you call it when you can do tricks on bikes. but only a few select people (in his current life) have ever seen him breakdance. this was only the 2nd time i've witnessed it, and it is pretty darn cool, if i do say so myself.
here are a few shots from the 80's party we attended yesterday, in honor of his friend Pat's 40th bday... not bad for a couple of old guys...


this is a headspin... not a headstand!

he totally rocked it!

bid D and lil C

the cool kids on the block

pat pounding christian with his scary mullet wig on

my dad's the coolest!

B is for "Buhh"

Well it's official. Christian's first word is BALL. . . or is it BUS... or BALLOON ... or BUBBY? Because i'm pretty sure he said all of those today. Any word he knows beginning with the letter B is now referred to as "Buhh". Sometimes he says it boldly and with great pride. Other times he whispers it under his breath-- a barely audible "buhh." Either way it's absolutely precious! and it's like a whole new level of communication -- an awesome sense of connection-- when you realize your baby is trying to communicate using the very words you've been trying to teach him for months on end without response. as i watch little lightbulbs go off in his head as to what things are and how they work, little lightbulbs go off in my head as to why the parent/child bond is so strong. i knew he could understand these words (and that in and of itself is fascinating and bonding...) but for him to begin speaking the simplest forms of our language is simply sublime. it's the little things in life that are sometimes the biggest!
i love my little Buhh-by.

eat your broccoli

my little health nut. i got out some broccoli yesterday to cook for dinner, and Christian decided that he wanted to taste it. I thought he'd take one "bite" and reject it, but he sucked on it as if it were a lollipop for a good 20 minutes, completely fascinated by every part of it; taste, texture, color, stalk and leaf. i then tried to give him a blanched piece, that might be easier to actually eat, but he wanted nothing to do with it. "only raw for me, ma!" i don't even know if babies are supposed to have broccoli yet-- but this one likes it!

all in a day's cuteness

today was a big day. first i got to see my great uncle grant. he's great, and great. i showed him all of my tricks and even shared my apple with him. then we went to visit daddy at work because the phillies' world series trophy was there for the day. daddy said it's for posterity that we get our picture with it. . . that someday i'll appreciate it. i just thought all the bright colors were neat, and i wanted to grab all of the little flags on top of the trophy.
we got to eat lunch in a room full of windows and all of daddy's coworkers seemed to love when i waved at them. i must be getting cuter every day!

uncle g. and silky c. (as he calls me)

hey dad, is that really shane victorino?

pleeeeease can i touch it???

a sweet introduction

this morning we slept in and daddy made french toast. it was sooo delicious. he also introduced me to Mrs. Butterworth... an old friend of his that he grew up with. he said we will have a lot of good times together in the years to come. she even talked to me (though it sounded a lot like daddy's voice, but higher). i have yet to taste of her sweetness they speak of, but she seemed nice enough.

a jazzy night out

Thanks to our family once again, this evening we enjoyed the privilege of a complimentary pair of tickets to the opening concert in Longwood Garden's Jazz Series... just for signing up for our yearlong pass! Gia watched Christian, and off we went (celebrating our Engage-aversary, which was last night). Dave really likes jazz. I don't. But I do really like Dave. So it was a fun night for both of us. Plus, there was a free dessert afterward with the musicians. And when Longwood does food, they do it to the max! Really good coffee, pound cake with fresh whipped cream and giant berries, chocolate dipped cookies, and a vast array of little tarts, eclairs and petits fours. And for me, that was worth sitting through the entire concert :) We also ran into some old friends of my family, so that was fun too. We will definitely be spending more time there-- they have so many neat things to see and do throughout the year! Being in the greenhouse again made me long for the warm weather to return... gotta love it!

a walk in the park!

Today Christian had his first playground experience. It was 65 degrees and sunny and breezy (a little taste of Spring, Thank you Lord!) -- so we met Grampy in the park for a stroll and a little playtime! of course it was a bit, shall we say, overwhelming for someone who's never experienced (to his recollection) a sunny day at the park. he wasn't sure what to think of all of the breezes, playground equipment, other children, and dogs running and making noise. he took everything in in his usual serious style... gracing us with a coaxed smile now and then. . . and of course, his signature wave. it was so fun to watch him explore -- the woodchips under his feet were especially interesting to his little senses. he kept bending over to try to touch them... and after a while his shoes got wet, and he didn't like that at all!

hi grampy!!

Weekend Adventures

Weekend Adventures:

-Christian discovers the joys of the salad spinner while going through the kitchen cupboards-- pressing the spinner part up and down, up and down. it was like a handheld merry-go-round -- instant entertainment! i just sat and watched him revel in the sheer delight of discovery. i'm making it a priority to try to do that as often as possible, as this first year slips quickly away.

- Due to the worst diaper rash ever (thanks to his antibiotic), he experiences his first bout with tubby freedom (a bath without his bath seat). a good soak, and a lot of cream overnight seemed to help a little. splashing around was the best part. every diaper change continues to leave us both in tears :(... i think we'll be headed back to the doctor tomorrow...

- He is suddenly very into eye contact-- it's like he understands everything we say-- or is at least trying really hard to! his eyes are so blue and sparkly with life, and i melt every time he looks at me and says "uhh!" as if to communicate something very important.

- He is starting to mimic sounds here and there-- and just now as i was nursing him before bed, he dozed off from a long hard day of diaper changes and pushing his cart around (which he can now do backward and forward). Dave walked in the room and stood over him. He opened his eyes, smiled sleepily with pure joy at his daddy and said with a giggle, "Da!". It was soooo precious, i don't think i'll ever forget it.

- We went out and purchased a Vick's vaporizer with one of my birthday gift cards (you know you're a mom when that kind of thing makes your day) to try to help the little guy breathe easier during these bronchialitis blues. all the reviews i read claimed to stop the night waking, sniffling, sneezing, stuffy head, aching, coughing of every child whose parents so dutifully purchased this miracle-working machine. our child woke up this morning with a steady stream of coughing (which he didn't even do before the purchase of the vaporizer). arrrgh!

- i took him out in the 50 degree sunshine yesterday and pulled him around in his sled before the snow melted. he rode around like a little prince, taking in everything he possibly could-- the snow, the sticks, the cars zooming by. you also know you're truly a mom when you run out of tissues so you wipe the runny nose with your fingers and then wipe it in the snow.

- i read today that baby fat reaches its peak around 9 months of age-- so we're trying to enjoy every ounce of chubbiness that we can, before those cheeks start thinning out :(. i looked at him a few times today and couldn't help but think he's gotten cuter this week. i didn't know that was possible!

- he's now (self initiated) giving me periodic kisses -- wide open, slobbery, aggressive ones! i didn't teach him how to do this. he just started showing affection (perhaps mimicking) when i nuzzle his cheeks or get my face too close to his.

- he's added cheese and strawberries to his repertoire of finger foods. a few weeks ago he couldn't stand the texture of cold or mushy things in his hands. today he suddenly loves them! go figure.

- i just can't imagine my life without him. and i can't imagine having another one someday-- knowing them just as intimately, memorizing every detail about them, having the same kind of bond...

it's just such a miracle, this ever-expanding and deepening love that just keeps flowing from our hearts!!

surprise, surprise

my husband is the most wonderful man in the entire universe-- and somehow that doesn't even describe the enormity of the love i feel for my beloved! he completely blew me away with a surprise party with 25 of my closest friends and family (well, those who are local) at Maggiano's Little Italy last night. he told me after we got back from Longwood that he was taking me out to dinner at a fun restaurant, his mom was babysitting, and we had reservations for 6:30, so i had about an hour to get ready! he told me to dress up a little, which made me think we were going somewhere fancy, dinner for two, etc, which is totally his style. he was cool as a cucumber (also his style) and tried to throw me off a few times on the way there by saying little things like, "i don't like to take that way to the city" when he got on 202 instead of staying on rt. 3. he asked if i liked "charlie browns" or "hibachi steak house" as he took the exit which led to both of them-- i said "both". he said "good". i said "liar". he said, "i am actually stopping at Barnes and Noble cuz i forgot the mints" (he had been eating mints in my car earlier, and he always likes to have them with him). i was confused, and in the back of my mind thought he was up to something, but he came back to the car with mints... so i just thought he was a little obsessed with having good breath.
the hostess played it off really well, getting 2 menus, scanning the restaurant for a table, and then taking us upstairs. i was floored when she opened the door to the banquet room and everyone was there, seated at 3 big tables-- friends who'd helped to throw me off --even jen, who i'd seen earlier that day and hadn't even mentioned my birthday -- i didn't think she even knew. toni, who had offered earlier in the week to babysit if we ended up going out on my bday. even gramma peg who had left me a birthday message on my phone that afternoon saying she'd give my gift to my mom since she didn't think she'd be seeing me!
there was a 'melissa trivia' game-- and the winner got.... a Barnes and Noble gift card ;)
there was an incredible cake that mom had ordered from a swedish bakery-- and gorgeous flowers, courtesy of kate! i felt like a princess-- so honored and bewildered at the love and gifts! and here i have always feared surprise parties (ever since my 16th bday when i cried after being scared by my hiding guests)--in fact i told dave that story that morning, and he just chuckled... :)
what a day!
what a guy!
what a wonderful life!



friends and fam

my girls!!!

my prince!!

"you did all this?!!"

My amazing cake! (and matching outfit) :)

the top'o'the cake

my family reps

the greenhouse affect

 

 

 

 

it was a bitter cold walk from the Longwood Welcome Center to the Conservatory/Greenhouse, but the moment we walked inside, it was suddenly a warm, tropical day in paradise! the flowers, palms, and fountains were instant mood boosters, and i couldn't stop smiling. it was a wonderful way to spend my birthday afternoon--with my 2 favorite guys and the heavenly sunshine! there was hardly anyone there, so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. christian was fascinated by every bright color and trickling sound, and was completely distracted from the fact that he had a fever and a case of "bronchialitis" (which i think sounds so cute--it's like baby bronchitis, or bronchitis "light", or perhaps a little baby dinosaur). looking at the pictures makes me long for summer, and the loss of my winter face-- but what a wonderful gift to be able to go there any time i need a fix (thanks to our yearlong pass from dave's family!)
walking back out into the cold didn't seem as depressing as it could have-- i still had my heartwarming loves by my side!