Fun at the Doctor's Office

Who knew her 15 month visit yesterday would have a Christmas paradise in the waiting room?

Just Playing

(12/4/08)

The Puppet Show

Today Sarah and I went to a Christmas puppet show in our neighborhood. It was cute, and she was surprisingly attentive to it for the most part.

Updates

My dad got out of the hospital on Mon. Once he is done with his antibiotics (in about six weeks), we can address the cancer. I really don't want to discuss it on here, but will keep a short update from time to time. It is taking over my entire world right now...

The following updates on on Sarah, more for my personal record than for leisure so beware of the boring details...
Yesterday, Sarah started something new. She found her baby lotion, opened up the top, put her finger over the hole on top, and started wiping her legs down. How does she pick this up? She also brushes her hair a lot and has a big fascination with our space heater.
Her favorite words: ball, apple, pumpkin, bed, light, flower, dog, onion, nonna, mama, dada, cheese, hot, book, water, bye-bye, and a bunch of others I can't think of right now. She knows the route to nonna's house, heads to the bathroom when I say bath, and still loves to dance. She also likes to try to sing the ABC's and dances to that. Pointing to different body parts and naming them is a new game she enjoys and she knows them when I name them. Sarah hates getting her diaper changed (you'd think she's be used to it by now!) and usually fusses when putting on a coat and getting into the carseat. She still enjoys waving to people and hugs and kisses my stomach often. She was her cousins on Thanksgiving and again on Sunday and my heart melted when two of them would take each hand and walk around with her. She was so gitty with it. Chris has done a great job at training her to not go up stairs (something she would automatically do a million times a day before) and now she will just go to sit on the bottom step to play. Yesterday, I put her on the toilet, and she peed (TMI I know, but for my own records here). She has done this in the past too but I got lazy to try to potty train, though I do believe at this age they absorb so much. She also has been saying "all done" and "bye bye" so often that I think they are her mantras. I believe she understands most of what we are telling her.


Sarah and Mia at Thanksgiving dinner at my parents house (11/27/08)


Sarah right before she left for the Buzzard Thanksgiving on Friday 11/28/08. I unfortunately missed it, as I was at the hospital all day... this was the bad day we found out the news of my dad.


"Hey guys, Let's get this one!"
We went and picked out our Christmas tree today. Even though I am not really in the Christmas spirit, Chris has a magical way of putting it in me, even this year...

Him

I am completely overcome with grief. No one can prepare you for the diagnosis of cancer for your parent. My dad has been in the hospital with prostatitis again since Thanksgiving. Then, on Friday we heard the diagnosis I had been praying not to hear... cancer. It just takes the wind out of you. I thought the baby was just going to pop out of me as the doctor spoke, as it was like a stab in the stomach. He has been so ill it is indescribable. And this part is not related to the cancer. We can't even touch the topic of trying to treat the cancer until we get through this infection. To see a strong man be taken down by all this is all too disturbing. I think I lost ten years of life myself this past week. I know God is with us, but it is a lot to bear. I don't think I can say much more about it on here. It is all too emotional to share. Thank you for praying for him.

Ugh

Sorry no pics or updates lately.
Why?
-My dad's PSA is elevated - warning for prostate cancer. He will have a biopsy Mon. with results after that. (Please, please, please God, don't let it be cancer).
-Sarah has a virus, and it has not been pretty. Her lips have been swollen, and it looks like a bad botox injection.
-I am huge. As if I do not know it already, please universe of polite people, do not rub the belly and proceed to tell me how large I am, do not exclaim I must be having twins, and do not patronize the short girl that looks like a stuffed turkey.

This too shall pass.

Thankful for it all, bad and good... That I do have a wonderful man, a blessing of a daughter, the best dad in the universe, another little miracle on the way, and the abundance of beautiful gifts God has given me... Plus, I can't say that I minded snuggling under a blanket with my girl all week, and ignoring the cold and snow and world outside us.

A not so happy Sarah on Sun. as the week of illness begins...
Mid week, resting on her daddy trying to get some comfort... note the large lips....

Chris's new project that he started this week. He is painting and fixing up the bathooms. Bye bye blue bathroom...

Baby brother

I give kids less credit in terms of knowlege... Sometimes, I think of Sarah as a baby who doesn't understand everything yet... but it amazes me how some things she just seems to know. Out of nowhere. One of those things is to kiss and pat my belly when I say, "Where's your baby brother?" to her. I have no idea how she picked it up that he is in there, but I sure hope it is a sign that they will be close siblings!

Boo!

Who knew Chris had talents in pumpkin carving? Sarah was so scared by our jack-o-latern that she cried time every she saw it. She liked it as a pumpkin - pointed to it often and tried her hardest to say "pump", but after Chris carved it, Sarah was spooked!



"Thanks Nonna for this cute shirt!"



"Thanks Aunt Mary, Uncle Tony, & Noah for my adorable outfit! Cousin Noah is getting so big, he is so handsome in his baseball uniform! We miss you much! California is too far away!"




"Buzz, Buzz... Does Grandma Buzzard have any pollen around here?!"




"Trick or treat?"

Sarah had her first trick-or-treat experience. She walked along the path of our neighborhood buzzing around in her bee costume. Since she has never seen candy before, she didn't know what to make of it. Most of our neighbors were sitting outside on their front porches with big bowls of candy. Instead of taking a piece of candy from the bowl, Sarah proceeded to give them a piece of candy.

Fall Frolicks

"Here Mama, let me help you sweep the leaves..." (10/20/08)


"I just love to smile!"
(10/21/08)

Raccoon State Park

(14 Oct. 2008)

Beautiful Day at the Park

The Ghost from Halloween Past

Yesterday we went to get formal pictures taken of Sarah. She thought she was a superstar... running all around the studio...the photographer had to act fast!

Baby in belly has been kicking the past few days... and I look like a BLIMP.

Since we are so close to Halloween, I can't help wanting to reminisce of Halloween's past...

Sarah's first Halloween last year found her in this very odd ensamble. Okay, okay don't ask me what it is. Part baby prisoner and part some sort of a disurbed baby pumpkin? Let's just say I was trying to incorporate all her baby Halloween gifts into one outfit, and it just didn't work for this little one and a half month old.
Here I am two years ago at a Halloween party. Yes, I am Snow White. Yes, that is the same costume I wore when I was eleven years old that my mom made for me! Yes, Kim is wearing a tutu!!! Take a good laugh at this one! Sarah in the middle is now expecting twins!


A very wierd pose for me here three years ago. What the heck kind of face am I making?! Kim and I were sexy policewoman and sexy nurse respectively. Chris killed me this day with suspense... as he never told me what he was going to be for the party... he showed up (met me there) and I didn't even recognize him! He was an "Information Monster", it was great! I wish I had a photo of it, but I don't. :(

First Ultrasound!

We saw our peanut #2 today!

We also found out the baby's gender. Sorry to those who have been asking... but we are keeping it to ourselves for a little while as we want to relish in our secret for just a wee bit.

I am so grateful to God that baby appears healthy!

Just hanging out

Playing is her specialty (9/9/08)
Sarah saying no to the mom paparazzi, after a trip to the Andy Warhol museum (9/16/08)
Sarah was the only one who didn't mind the two hour wait here at the doctor's office (9/17/08)
Feeling those new six teeth with that wiggly tounge has become a new habit (9/17/08)
Princess Sarah gracefully walking along during her playtime (9/20/08)
Bows don't stand a chance in her hair anymore, starting a few days ago. (9/24/08)










Updates: Sarah does not like the stoller or sitting in the shopping carts much these days! She is walking like a champ now. Still falling here and there, sometimes looking tipsy, but she can go the distance. She loves to play silly games and laugh. Chris has been sick this week. Even though I am only 18 weeks preggers, I look like I did at 7 months with Sarah! I started teaching CCD to first graders on Monday, first sonogram is next week... that's all for now!
p.s. Did you hear about the 6 day old baby who was killed in her crib by the family dog? Yep, very sad... http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/dog_bites_newborn_baby.html

Happy First Birthday, Sarah!

Chris surprised Sarah with balloons everywhere!


Looking in awe and wonder at the balloons...


Opening a gift from Daddy sure is fun.


Ahh.. zucchini, balloons, and being outside... what a great birthday!


Sarah did not like wearing her blinking birthday tiara.


Sarah's first birthday cake - made with love from Mommy..Daddy did the decorating.


Birthday girl with grandma.


Daddy had his own ideas of what kids should be blowing candles off of on their birthdays. He is convinced they all like bananas over cake much more.


Presents, presents everywhere!