A Christmas Miracle

Due to its true meaning, and its proximity to the New Year, the Christmas season is certainly a time for reflection. And oh, my...what a year it's been.

I read an article when Violet was much smaller :) that stressed the importance of writing down happenings and feelings from the first year of your child's life. Not only because they change and develop so quickly, but also for your child so they could one day read your remarks and feel a connectedness to their infancy. They recommended writing your baby a letter each month, detailing their milestones and what you love about them.

I whole heartedly agreed with this concept, however (as most of you know), I'm not one for setting aside time for crafty/keepsake tasks, regardless of their level of importance.

So, on this Christmas night, I thought I would reflect on a FEW things that I remember about Violet's first 9 months...and what I love about her:
1. Her first smile - the crooked one.
2. How she's always shown affection to her stuffed animals.
3. Her chubby legs.
4. The looong nights when we'd think she had finally fallen asleep, and we'd take 5 minutes to gently place her in her crib and the moment we'd removed our last pinky from underneath her she'd open those little baby blues and glare at us, as if to say, "Where the heck do you think you're going?".
5. Her big, drooly kisses.
6. How her shoulders bounce up and down when she giggles.
7. She makes the funniest faces (wonder where she got that from?).
8. When I insisted on swaddling her until she was 4 1/2 months old even though she consistently wiggled her left arm free and would be waving to greet me in the morning (not really).
9. How she happily wiggles her feet when she sits in the shopping cart at Wegmans and gives strangers a smile.
10. How cute she looks when she sucks her thumb.

OK, I'm just getting warmed up, but I'll save it for another day. ;)

Violet, we love you. You truly are our Christmas miracle.

Movie Night

A Very Viley Update

My husband has a knack for coming up with funny nicknames.

Some of his recent for Violet are:
- Viley Bag of Doughnuts
- V-bag
- Smiley Viley
- Bucket of baby cries (this is actually an oldie but a goodie)
- Chunky Chunkerson
- Damien (because he says she looks like the little boy in the movie 'The Omen')

Now that I've updated you on her nickname status, here are a few new things she's been entertaining us with:

- Meowing (or at least a very distorted rendition) at every cat, dog, teddy bear or stuffed bunny she sees.
- Pulling Hannah's fur out by the handfuls and yanking at her tail if she can catch it.
- Crying at every strange and familiar face she sees (it's the 'stranger danger' phase), and crying when I leave the room, drop her at the sitter's or when someone laughs too loudly. Does this phase pass quickly?
- Slowly waving her hands in the air when I sing to her before she goes to bed (haven't figured this one out yet, but it's pretty darn cute).
- Clapping her hands - upside down.
- High-fives! Kinda.
- Tugging toys out of her friend's hands and poking them in the eyes (since Rich taught her that it was a funny thing to do).
- Letting out one quick belly laugh for no particular reason while we're driving in the car.
- Consuming ENORMOUS amounts of tofu, apples, pears, bananas, peas, squash, cherrios and carrots.
- Giving hugs
- Enjoying 'playtime in the daytime' with daddy which involves playing with a titlest golf ball and an inflatable beach ball (I can usually hear her laughing from downstairs).

and...

- Saying Da Da (not necessarily in reference to her father - but she's almost there!)


Consider yourself officially up-to-date. ;)

Gobble Gobble

I'm thankful for...
Family
Precious moments
Aunt Shawnie
Abel
Sweet potatoes, friends, board books, my cat hannah and this cute dress Zaida sent me. ;)

Smiley Vi-lee

Dedication Day

Violet was dedicated on Sunday, November 11th. It was a special day for a special little lady. ;)

Proud parents realizing the breadth of their responsibility. Our girl - happy to be surrounded by her Grandparents, Nana and Monique, Aunts & Uncles {sadly, sans Uncle Scott} and first cousins.

Nana, save me! My mom will NOT leave me alone.

The Prodigy (check your volume)

Violet Thursdays

Since my friend Danyelle and I both work from home, we worked out a plan to swap childcare one afternoon a week so that we have a set time to schedule conference calls, meetings, etc. Violet spends most Thursday afternoons in her sunny house, napping in the guest room and playing with her pal, Mallory. It's been so fun to watch them grow and play together. Here are a few recent shots -- Danyelle took them during their time together.

BTW - Violet is 8 months old today. Unbelievable!

Wait - get a shot of my foot. It's really cute.
The mini-mowhawk
Mal and Vi - playing nicely!

Happy Halloween

Happy Holly Not so happy Violet

Violet was dressed as Holly Hobbie for her first Halloween. Sadly, I didn't get a good full length shot of her in her costume. She's so funny - she didn't mind her bonnet and happily stayed in her costume all day! We went for lunch at Auragen, stopped by to check out Abel's costume and then joined friends for a party. As the last picture depicts, Violet was tuckered out by the time the party rolled around and we had to replace her cute costume for pjs early on in the evening. She was obviously not digging the party...but she was smiling once I put her to bed soon after this shot was taken. ;)

Hopefully her Christmas picture doesn't look anything like this one...

In Heaven, it's Fall year-round

The fam went for a long walk this weekend. As my grandpa says, you can't hurt me on a day like this; leaves (the colors of a sugary fruit cereal) floating to the ground around us, crisp autumn air, Violet snuggled in her stroller. I'm trying to soak it all in so I can reflect on the good times when we are trudging through two feet of snow in mid-February. Don't ya love NY? Hmmm...only in the Fall.

A lovely home in my favorite neighborhood I like to call Narnia. Rich doesn't like to walk there because he says it's too 'farnia'. Violet loves to look up at all the leaves and hold one in her hand as we walk.
Rich and Violet in Narnia
Ms. Violet gearing up for a jaunt

Cheerioates

Did you know that Cheerioates cereal was the first ready-to-eat cereal marketed to 'we the people'? I didn't (care that is) until I tossed a few on Violet's highchair tray last week and began to think about the generations of Americans who have enjoyed these little, round, surprisingly healthy snacks. Cheerioates became Cheerios in 1945 when so many women were anticipating the return of their sons and husbands from war. I wonder if mothers listened to Cheerios advertisement interruptions on their radios as they cared for their children and waited to hear the latest updates from the front-lines.

Interesting how something so simple can tie us all together, generation after generation.

Violet just likes them because they fit perfectly between her pointer finger and thumb. And I guess eventually she'll think they taste good.

p.s. take a look at my first two teeth ;)

(you might need to click to enlarge)

Photomontage -- Part III

Hi everyone - long time no see... Violet is now sitting up unassisted

(the boppy is merely a precautionary measure)

Vi & Aunt T
Visiting the pumpkin patch
Um, this is kinda scary
I get my own chair now?
Oh, that's what this chair is for? It's my favorite place to be!
Vi & Grandma
Where is Violet?
There she is!
Is that a racoon on my plate?
Haha, this is the coolest plate I've ever seen. Thanks Abel!
Vi & Poppop
Happy girl in her violet dress

Hopefully the next post will include proof of Violet's first two pearly whites! They are on the verge of emerging...

Fun in Philly

Rich had a conference in Philly this weekend and we decided to make it a family event. We drove down Thursday night. It rained for 90% of the way. Not that sprinkley, dusting your windshield, lowest setting on the wipers kind of rain. It was a hard-core downpour. Surprisingly, Violet slept through the entire thing. We were weary travelers stumbling into our hotel room at 11pm.

On Friday Rich had his conference so Violet and I enjoyed a quiet day, walking to a near-by mall and dipping our feet in the hotel pool (I forgot our suits). Overall, Violet did exceptionally well with being away from home and sleeping in a pack n' play for a few naps and three nights of sleep. The only 'bump in the road' occurred when we attempted to go out for dinner to celebrate our 7th anniversary. It was only a Macaroni Grill and it was directly across the street from our hotel. What could go wrong?!?!

Well, we were the table getting all the attention at the Macaroni Grill that night. We wheeled V's stroller (fully stocked with entertainment) next to our table, ordered our appetizer and settled in for a quiet family dinner. Moments later, Violet gave us the sign that she was ready to sit on our laps. And only moments after that - she started to wail. She wailed and wailed and wailed through our lame attempts to distract her. The couple sitting across from us continually gave us the hairy eye-ball and we were forced to wolf down our fried calamari and apologetically ask the waitress for our dinners 'to-go'. Not sure what we were thinking. Violet was exhausted. And after that episode - so were we.

We can't complain though. She was a champ during our tromp through downtown Philly the next day. I think (and am hopeful!) Violet loves traveling as much as her parents.

The only other remarkable happening occurred as we were leaving our final stop in Manayunk (a cool town right outside of Philly). I was pushing Violet out of the restaurant we had just eaten at and a table of two were smiling at her as we passed. I overheard the gentleman ask his female companion if she wanted to have children (I assume it wasn't a first date!). "Sometimes I do," she replied, "Then I think I would really miss my old life." Interesting. I looked down at Violet and thought back to last year when Rich and I were visiting Philly - sitting at that same restaurant and walking up that same street without her.

I don't miss my old life - I love my new one.

This is the building where my independence was born? Sweet.
Violet enjoyed stetching her legs at the City Tavern Restaurant. This was the unofficial meeting place of the First Continental Congress in 1774. GW was known to have ordered a pint or two here.

This round's on me!

Yum, Geno's beats Pat's cheese steaks anyday.

Rich's favorite Founding Father.
Ben Franklin -'The First American'

Ben, who?

Violet preferred to read her Busy Bee book over critiquing 17th Century European paintings at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
First cab ride
Jeeesh...my dogs are barkin'.