Thankful

Seeing my girls grow together makes it alllllllll worth it. I love these two more than I ever thought imaginable & am so THANKFUL to be their mommy!

Soooo Proud of my girl! 'Scuse me while I boast for a minute.

Yesterday I met with Kalina' 5th grade teacher for a parent-teacher conference. Kalina pretended like she was nervous - and was biting her nails wondering what her report card would look like. She is so silly because with all the time & hard work she puts in, there was only one option; Straight A's.

Well they dont give out A's in elementary school - But she did get lots of 4's & E's. I feel so lucky to have a daughter who already works so hard to excel at her 'job'. The teacher declared her as the best writer in the class and thanked her for her dedication. Kalina has been working as a Jr. Safety Patrol - walking kindergarteners to class and opening doors for parents dropping their children off. She also volunteered to tutor her peers. She is really loving her last year at the elementary school!

Brooklyns 1st Party!

Rockin' out

... thanks to Auntie Alexa, Uncle Derm, Kate & Jack! She loves her new guitar and tiara to match! Check it out:

Oldie but a Goodie

Have I posted this pic yet??? because I love it! Its from the reception at Buca di Beppos after her baptism back in June. What can I say - the girl loves her some 'sketti :)

What a difference a year makes ...

Looking Back: My List of 1st Year 'Must-Haves'

The first few months are all about doing whatever you can to get through without losing your mind while being mroe sleep-deprived than you ever thought was possible ... These are a few things that helped up all get a little extra peace & quiet with a newborn in the house:

• Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets: These were awesome for swaddling, for summer time blankets and for draping over the stroller during naps. The pack of 4 was all I needed.

• Baby Swing. We had the Graco Sweet Peace which was nice to have the first few months - especially because it comes equipped with a White Noise setup.

• The Boppy. We LOVED our Boppy. Moms seem to have mixed reviews and many prefer the Breast Friend but the boppy is a classic in our house.

• Happiest Baby on the Block DVD. David, Kalina and I practiced these techniques before Brooklyns arrival! The shushing proved very helpful some nights.

• Wrap/Sling. We used this Moby style carrier and it was a true lifesaver. I was able to get stuff done while Brooklyn slept. It was also great for traveling. Ive heard great things about the ring sling, ergo and the beco wrap.

• White Noise Machine or a fan in the room. We used a fan and it works wonders getting her to sleep longer stretches plus research shows it helps prevent SIDS.

• A Co-sleeper, Bassinet or moses basket. We used a moses basket because a friend passed it down to me and with our small house it was perfect. It was nice having her close for those 2am feedings and she slept well in it for the first couple months until transitioning to the crib.

• An awesome Diaper Bag.

• Mirror for the backseat. I got this as a gift and had no idea how awesome it would be.

• Tons of spit up rags - we bought these.

• The snap-n-go stroller was really nice to have - its small and convenient to use with the baby carrier. However, many of the nicer strollers have adapters so that you can hook the carseat onto them (I wish I had known this ---> Bugaboo has an adapter, the BOB has one, so does the city mini which we waited to buy until she was bigger)
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• Twin bed in the nursery - this was so nice to have some nights and helped us ALL get a little extra rest with a newborn in the house.
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• Gumdrop Paci - It was the only paci Brooklyn would take to and helped soothe her.

*** My silly disclaimer: These are just the items I used daily and wouldnt have wanted to do without - however this list doesnt include the basics necessities such as a CAR SEAT and bathtub (duh).