Leo and Aiden's Tale

Rainy Day=No Pumpkin Patch & Tootsie Roll Spiders

2011-10-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a rainy morning and Mrs. Kim had to cancel our trip to the pumpkin patch :(

I know, it was a bummer since Leo and all the kids were really excited to go. So, since Aiden was at Gammy's I decided to stay at Mrs. Kim's for a while and help the kids do a Halloween craft.

This little spider is so cute and fun to make. I ran to Wal-Mart and picked up the suckers and black pipe cleaners. Mrs. Kim had the googly eyes and glue.

We wrapped the pipe cleaners around the suckers and bent the legs to look spiderey....

Then, we glued the little eyes on the body.

They came out really cute and all the kids get to take one home today. It was fun to stay with Leo and help at his day care. I will have to remember this little craft for my students next October.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

Well, it never fails that we pick the hottest day in October to visit the pumpkin patch!! But, it was Saturday and Daddy was home so we decided to head out to Tom's Farms for some family fun! They really have a pretty little patch that is perfect for little kids. It was a gorgeous day even though it was HOT!

We tried to get Leo to sit here to get a picture but he is scared of everything these days and thought the scarecrow was a monster....so this childless picture will have to do....sigh. It would have been so cute!

Anyway, back to the pumpkins.....Leo LOVES anything to do with pumpkins right now. He is almost 3 and so excited for Halloween and Trick-Or-Treating!! He is going to be Buzz Lightyear this year and Aiden is going to be Woody. We watch Toy Story probably 2-3 times a week. We like Disney movies. They keep him occupied. Don't judge me......Anyway.....This is the pumpkin he picked out and that was fine with us because it was easy to carry and it was $1. He loves this little pumpkin and wanted to sleep with it for his nap that day, lol! But he settled for putting it on his dresser where he could see it while he was in bed. He's such a cutie! He just got his hair cute the day before too.

Poor Aiden was tired! He was a good boy though! He hung in there with us and smiled the whole time! I dressed him in overalls since we were going to the pumpkin patch and he looked the part! He is such a love!!!!

Another picture attempt.......

And another melt down because he didn't want his picture taken.

He was also afraid of more "monters", lol!!! Again...he's almost 3!

Leo is quite impressed by spiders these days so I had to get a picture of this harry fella that greeted us when we walked in.

After we got our lil' pumpkin, we walked around. It was so pretty there. We had to go see the water and the merry-go-round.

We didn't ride the merry-go-round but Leo and Daddy rode the choo choo train, of course. Leo plays choo choos every day , all day! Aiden was getting fussy so I took him to find a shady area and rest. The boys had fun on the train!

Little brother finally fell asleep and we were all hungry for lunch. So.....

We ended up here! We love Chick-Fil-A! It's good, it's clean, and the employees are super nice! Oh yeah, and they have Coke Zero (my fav)!!! We enjoyed our lunch and let Leo play in the play area for a while. It was a good day!

Of course this is just our first trip to the pumpkin patch this year. We are going with Mrs. Kim and the kids from day care in a few days! Stay tuned for that post. This is such a fun time in our lives! Happy Halloween everyone!!!!

And Baby Makes Four

2011-09-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Aiden,

You were born on July 1, 2011. It was a Friday. It was HOT! Mommy and Daddy were so excited to finally meet you and see your tiny face for the first time. The week before your birth Mommy was in and out of the hospital for blood pressure monitoring and to make sure you were o.k. Everything was fine of course and my c-section was scheduled for the following Friday. This was the Friday before The 4th of July so my doctor had several cancellations that day and so decided to move the c-section up a few hours. Daddy rushed to get his scrubs on and was so nervous, but he was mostly anxious about the surgery and wanted both of us to be o.k. We were. Here we are ready to go in to the operating room. Gammy, Papa, Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Nicole, and Auntie Lindsay weren't even at the hospital yet!

At 11:30 you were born and you were perfect! You weighed 8 lbs and 1 oz. We were so happy to hear your little cry and couldn't wait to see you. You looked just like your big brother and our family was forever blessed! Daddy and I were so happy to have you here!

Daddy stayed with you while the doctors took care of Mommy. The surgery went fine and we were headed to recovery.

Right from the start you were a perfect baby! You would eat and went right back to sleep. You liked being swaddled tight and laying on Mommy's chest. You hardly ever cried in the hospital. All the nurses thought you were a great baby! I was in love with you and couldn't stop staring at you. I missed Leo though. This was the first time ever I had spent the night away from him! I couldn't wait for him to meet you!

On July 4th we were being discharged from the hospital and I was SO happy to be going home to our house and to my own bed!!! We had everything ready for you and Grandma and Grandpa were home with Leo. Daddy got you buckled in to your carrier and we got on the road. It was a beautiful hot day. After being in the hospital for 4 days, I was so happy to breathe in some fresh air.

We were on our way.......

When we got home, Leo was rediculously excited to have Mommy, Daddy, and you home! He wanted to hold you and look at you right away. He was suddenly a big brother after being the baby for 2 1/2 years, and he jumped right into it.

Daddy was and still is so proud of you and Leo. He loves you both and can't wait to teach you new things and make new memories with his two boys!

You are so dear to my heart and I love being your Mommy! You have made our family complete and I didn't know we weren't complete until God blessed us with you. For now and forever you will remain this way, close to my heart.

Always remember: "No one else will EVER know the strength of my LOVE for you. After all, you're the ONLY ONE who knows what my Heart sounds like from the inside......"

Welcome to the world sweet boy.

Love Always,

Mommy

xoxo

Waiting, Waiting.....

2011-06-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

We are (not so patiently) awaiting the arrival of little Aiden!!! It has been a long 9 &1/2 months and I'm ready to move on to the newborn stage. My C-section is scheduled for tomorrow July 1, 2011 at 12:00 pm. I think we are ready.....the Pack & Play is set up, the nursery is all ready, diapers & wipes are in abundant supply, & my bag is packed for the hospital. We cannot wait to see his little face and introduce Leo to his little brother! Sal is getting off work early today and going to my last doctor appointment with me. Leo is at Mrs. Kim's for the day (thank goodness for Mrs. Kim). Tomorrow will be a crazy, exciting, nerve racking, wonderful day. Gammy, Papa, Auntie Nicole, Auntie Lin, Grandma, & Grandpa will be there to meet Aiden when he arrives. We are praying for a smooth and speedy operation and can't wait to hear his little cry. Looking forward to all the wonderful moments to come and lots of pictures to post! Until then friends,

Ciao!!!! :)

Weekend Fun with Daddy

2011-02-21T19:27:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was so fun! Salvo had 4 days off, so we wanted to make he best of it but it was sooooooo cold, I mean unusually cold for So Cal!! There was snow on our local mountains behind our house.....that cold! So we did a few fun things close to home.

On Saturday morning we bundled up and went out to breakfast.......we never do this, I think I've taken Leo out to breakfast one time in his short life. Anyway, I had no groceries in the house and it rained all day Friday and I HATE going to the store in the rain, so the only way to feed my family was to bundle up the monkey (both of them) & head out to breakfast!!!

As you can see, we ended up here........

We only go here for breakfast and it has been a long time, so we decided to belly up to the sticky Denny's menus and tables....I had lots of wipes with me!

Leo ate little bits from our plates. He had pancakes,waffles, fruit, eggs, and bacon....a new experience for him because I don't buy bacon unless a recipe calls for it, but he loved all of it's crunchy salty goodness! I think his breakfast was better than ours!

Thank goodness for restaurants providing these crayons and coloring book things....it keeps him quiet for abut 6 minutes, but at least it's something and he's getting better at coloring now so he is interested in it!

On Sunday we decided to get out of the house and go to the park. It was surprisingly warmer and turned out to be a perfect day to play at the park! As you can see Monkey is in tow, LOL!

Daddy played with Leo for a long time at the park. He took him on the "big kids" play area and down the big slides.

He pushed him on the swings and made him laugh really hard because daddies are funny. Monkey liked the swing ride too!

While we were there, Leo discovered a new love for picking up the mulch that covers the play area and throwing it in the air and laughing hysterically....this is what he was doing in this pic!

It was a fun time at the park followed by a trip to Miguel's drive thru, perfect day!

Daddy took Monday off too, we were so lucky......and Mommy was so lucky to have help with the rambunctious toddler for four days in a row!!!

Leo got this Mickey Mouse tent as a Christmas gift from his Uncle Lenny and Auntie Kim. It is really cute and Daddy put it together on Monday. They had a ball paying in it and pretending like it was a house. Leo kept bringing different toys in and out and piling all he could into his little tent.......I think he might be a hoarder, lol!

While I made dinner (I'll blog that meal later) they played piggy back rides and did all that rough house stuff that daddies are so good at!! This one is really cute!

Little boys definitely need a daddy around to do all the fun stuff that mommies are too tired and pregnant to do! Thanks babe for a fun weekend & Leo thanks you too!

Until next time friends........Ciao!!

xoxo

Playing Outside & Lunch with the Girls

2011-02-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

The weather has been cold here lately so we haven't had a lot of chances to play in the yard. But there comes a time when a toddler (and a mommy) get so tired of playing in the house and watching the same Little Einsteins episodes over and over that we start to go stir crazy..........so we decided to bundle up and go out to play in the backyard and boy oh boy, did Leo have a ball!!

He is really into throwing and kicking ANY kind of ball.........

He also sees his daddy planting things in the yard and digging holes, so he likes to pretend he is gardening as well. Here he is playing in the dirt/mud with his plastic gardening tools.

The flock of birds in the sky were very interesting......."Ook, Mommy! Birds in ky!"

FYI: He is wearing his Lightning 'Queen' (That's what he calls it) jacket that his friends Madison and Riley gave him for Christmas....you'll see them in the last part of this post.

Anyway.......

Leo's other love is ANY kind of toy car!!!! If it rolls, he'll play with it! He rediscovered these cars outside that have been sitting in his wagon for a few months now. They are the kind you pull back and let go.....he was occupied by this for a while! Oh yeah, he also likes to line up his cars like a choo choo. I think that is what he was doing here.....

Hmmmmm, what should I do next?

Actually at this point, Mommy was pretty cold so we went in for juice and a snack! It was fun playing in the backyard! I hope the weather gets warmer soon so we can play outside more often!!!

Ok, so on to lunch with the girls.......

Leo and I hosted a lunch/playdate for Gammy, Maryrose, Kristi, Madi & Riley...wow that's a lot of girls! Maryrose and Kristi also gave me those beautiful tulips at the top of my blog! They are so thoughtful!

Anyway, we try to get together with them every few months! The Pidgeons have known the Kelleys for a very long time and now that Kristi and I have kids around the same age, we are having fun getting together and letting them play. It also gives the moms a chance to chat and enjoy beverages and yummy treats.

Here is the table I set before we sat down to eat. I didn't take a lot of pictures as I was getting the kids set up with their lunches. The menu consisted of Mozzarella, Prosciutto & Basil Paninis with a yummy Pesto-Mayo spread, Italian Pasta Salad, chips, and Hefeweizens for our beverage (No, I didn't have any beer, I had lemonade people!)

Oh yeah, and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies for dessert :)

Leo was in his highchair while Madi and Riley sat at his little table to eat their lunch. The kids' lunch was grilled cheese sammiches, grapes, goldfish, and Juicy Juice. I think they enjoyed this gourmet treat!

As you can see, we ate in the Lion's Den (the playroom)......this is where all the mayhem, screaming, and playing happens! One day I will get this room looking like a real dining/living room, but right now it is serving its purpose.

After we ate, the three kiddos wanted to play on the piano.....this was really cute! Riley really thought she was reading the sheet music, lol, and Leo thought he was teaching them what to do!!

Another shot from the back!

Well, as you can see Leo and I have been busy since I've been on vacation! It is so nice to have a month off at a time to relax, play, and reconnect with friends! Such a blessed life!!!!

Ciao Friends!

Boy Crazy!

2011-02-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

Well, my little Leo will have a little brother in July! We found out yesterday that we will be welcoming our second son into our little family! This is the balloon I tied to Sal's chair when he got home from work. He didn't want me to tell him what we were having on the phone. I think he was happily surprised to see that it was not a girl (he really wanted two boys), but he would have been happy either way, as I would.

Of course this means I am now waaaaaayyyyy outnumbered in this household. But I have had about 17 hours to think about having two boys, and I am excited to see how they will interact with each other. I know Leo will be a great big brother and teach his lil' bro all kinds of cool things like how to throw a ball, ride a bike, and sing his ABC's. I'm sure he will also teach him things like how to get put in

"Time Out" and how to act cute like saying: "I sowy Mommy" to get out of a punishment, lol!

Anyway, here are a couple pics from the ultrasound yesterday. One is a profile view and the other is a look at his little face.

No name yet for this little guy! But until he has one, he will be my little peanut that I can't wait to meet in just 5 months! Hurry up and grow little guy so we can make our family of three a family of four!

XOXO

From, Your Mommy

Sugar & Spice or Snails & Puppy Dog Tails???

2011-02-03T09:12:00.000-08:00

Today we find out if lil' peanut is a girl or boy....hopefully! My ultra-sound is at 3:30, and I can't wait! I found out what I was having with Leo way before this. It seems like I've waited forever to get a peek at this lil' one. 18 weeks yesterday so, things should be visible :)

Will update when we know....fingers crossed for a healthy update, which is what really matters anyway!!

My 31st Birthday

2011-01-31T13:26:00.000-08:00

Well, another year has come and gone and since I am pregnant with baby #2, I guess I don't feel too old.....Yes, I am 31. Almost three years older than when I had Leo and I think I have learned some things since then....

1. No matter how much I love my job and want to make everything perfect for my students, Leo and Salvo are the most important people in my life and they WILL always come first.

2. I'm becoming more and more like my mom (D.P.) all the time, it's not a bad thing :)

3. I REALLY miss my sister Nicole especially when we have parties like this and there just seems to be something missing.....love you Skitch!

4. Life is what you make it & attitude IS everything (I know, a cliche' but soooooo true)

Anyway, enough about the lessons my 30's have brought me, back to the party. My mom and dad hosted and the house looked as charming as ever!

Mmmmmmm, yet one more of life's enjoyments off limits while pregnant.....oh well, 5 more months or so :)

These are my mom's Shrimp and Avocado Crostini!! They were DELISH and I was not hungry for dinner since I ate like 6 of them!

The hostess with the mostest!

The best part of the party of course was the people! Here are a few shots of the fam! The short one with the monkey is especially handsome!

Me and my Besties!

The Giacalone Men

The Ladies!

The Pidgeon Men & Ba June

Leo, Monkey, and Ba June reading a story....this one is precious!

My two boys! I love them!

Thanks to my mom and dad for hosting such a fun and relaxing evening for this old girl! I loved every second and feel so blessed. Here's to another year filled with family, fun and food of course, haha! Looking forward to baby #2 arriving this summer and all of the adventures having two kids brings....yikes!!

Ciao!! xoxo

2011-01-27T06:01:00.001-08:00

I promise to post my birthday party pics soon! Im trying to get through this week of tracking off at school. Next week I will have lots of time to blog. YAY!!!!!

Monkey Business at the Park

2011-01-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

This cute little monkey (the one in the front) is Leo's new best friend! He takes this monkey everywhere. It is an adorable little stuffed animal that giggles when you squeeze it and

Leo just loves it. He talks to it like a real person. Anyway, he had to take monkey up and down the slide, push him on the swings, and even feed him some of his PBJ sammich at our picnic today. Do you think he needs a little brother or sister to play with???

Here are a few more pics of our day at the park.....

You can tell by his red cheeks that it was warm today!

Fun day!!! By the time we were done, we were all ready for a nap!! Back to work for mommy tomorrow but I'll be off again in 2 weeks for my February break!!!

Back in the Blogging Saddle

2011-01-17T10:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know its been about 9 months since I last posted and I'm sure you all have given up on me!!! But I HATED my old dinosaur computer! It was soooooo slow and nothing was easy to to do on it. I couldn't even see my whole blog at one time because the screen was just too small. I put my blogging on hold and just concentrated on work & family. But now we have a brand spanking new iMac and it is AWESOME!!! The screen is huge and it is so easy to use. I just couldn't wait to get back to Leo's Tale! Here is a little preview of my lil' guy. He is so happy in this picture (now that he's 2, this is not always the case around here). There will be more to come soon. Right now we are getting ready for a picnic at the park. The weather has been so warm and gorgeous! Until next time friends.....Ciao!

Home Depot and Planting Herbs

2010-04-05T10:55:00.001-07:00

Whew!!! I feel like I haven't been able to blog in forever! Well, I haven't fallen off the planet friends, it's just been extremely busy at work and when I am home, my little Mr. Man wants all of my attention so, blogging gets put on the back burner.....but I am back with some great pictures and recent Giacalone family events! I hope you all enjoy! Miss my blogging buds!

A few weeks ago Salvo and I wanted to start our herb garden since Spring has sprung and we love fresh herbs to cook with! So we loaded up the Boo Boo and took a trip to my husband's favorite place, Home Dopot!

Leo loves going to any store because he loves to ride in the carts! It was kind of cold this day, so we bundled him up. They had a great selection! We got basil, parsley, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, and hot peppers (for Sal).

Man, Mommy and Daddy take a long time to shop! Are you almost done? It's almost lunch time!

I am glad that my husband has the "green thumb" in our household! I love having a pretty yard, but I don't want to be the "gardener". Thanks Babe! It's gorgeous!

The finished product! Grow little plants, grow! They have actually grown a lot since we planted them a few weeks ago! Can't wait for that fresh basil again this summer! Happy Spring friends!!

A Trip to My Favorite Place!!!

2010-02-26T17:43:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know me know I looooooove Williams-Sonoma! It is a fabulous place that can inspire your inner domestic goddess! However it can also inspire you to spend lots of $$$$, so trips there are few and far between. Whenever I go there I kinda feel like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's when she is outside the store looking in and eating her croissant wishing she could afford all those diamonds and jewelry............

Anyway a few days ago, I called up Gammy and asked her to come with Leo and I to Victoria Gardens for a WS visit since Auntie Nicole gave me a gift card for Christmas (she know me so well).

This was taken on the bench outside......it was a gorgeous day in So. Cal! Ahhhhh, I can't wait to go in....

I'm loving the color yellow right now too! It reminds me of lemons and springtime!

Anyway, when we entered the store I had to drink in all of the new and wonderfully displayed items for Spring and Easter! I had to get some new kitchen towels since I love them and
they last forever! I also got these adorable measuring cups and spoons. They are flexible and you can squeeze them to pour liquids easily. I just think they are so sweet looking.

I'm not sure who gave me a gift set of WS hand soap and lotion for my bridal shower, but whoever it was got me hooked and I was so excited to get their newest scent Sicilian Orange, which smells heavenly and feels wonderful on "dishpan hands".

Well, it was a fun day and Leo behaved so well in the store! Gammy behaved o.k too! I will enjoy my new kitchen items and until next time, be well friends!!!

Don't Get Me Wrong....

2010-02-22T09:52:00.001-08:00

I love being a teacher! It is a very fulfilling job and I am never bored, not one minute, plus my students think I hang the moon .........but.......... this is the week I always dread whenever I am off track; the week before school starts again! I dread it because I have to spend it getting ready for work. When you work at a year-round school you have to share the classrooms, so that means every 3 months I am packing up my room and storing everything in the closets I am assigned while I am off track (which are getting rather full by the way). When it comes time to go back, I then have to take everything back out of the closets and start fresh in a new room. Setting up the room will take all of this weekend (thanks goodness we are going to Bon Jovi Saturday night) and I am not looking forward to it because I am a bit of perfectionist when it comes to my classroom. I don't know what it is, but I like things to be just right, especially my bulletin boards!

If it sounds like I am complaining it's probably because I am! I shouldn't be complaining because I am fortunate to have a job that I love! I just think I am a little sad that Leo has to go back to day care Monday and I won't be able to spend this much time with him for another 3 months.

A Good Day for 3-Point Blueberry Muffins...

2010-02-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

Wow, it feels like I haven't blogged in forever even though it's only been a few days! I am loving my new blog and I now think of every day activities like making muffins a noteworthy experience that everyone just has to read about! How funny! But I do love seeing all of your pictures and reading about your daily activities, so why not!

These muffins came out so yummy! Yes, I am on Weight Watchers and trying to be really good & stay on points. I found this recipe in an old WW cookbook and decided to try them out on this cold, dreary day. They are only 3 points because the recipe calls for yogurt and O.J. instead of oil and butter. I used fresh blueberries too!

Ooooooh, I love when the berries melt all over....I'm loving these baking pans from Williams-Sonoma I got for my wedding! They bake everything perfectly!

It's getting close to lunch time and Leo is due for a nap soon, I think I will have a muffin with my salad! Until we meet again friends, be well!

Bumps and Bruises....Oh Boy!

2010-02-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

I felt so bad for my poor little man today. After we went to the park with Gammy, I brought Leo home because I thought he needed a good nap. Well he DID NOT want to take a nap, so I let him play for a while in his playroom. I was in there with him but I guess I can't save him from everything. He was pulling his Valentine's balloon around the room and somehow got tangled in the ribbon and fell face first onto the rim of his plastic toy box.....it ripped the skin on top of his nose and I could see a bruise coming almost instantly.......oh the crying that took place.......here he is having lunch and thankfully he is still a happy munchkin! Oh baby, mama's sorry! It really looks worse in person.........He is standing right next to me as I type and I am thinking to myself "Oh my gosh Sal is going to think I'm a horrible Mommy!" Oh yeah, and a little while later he got his chubby little finger stuck in one of his toys and screamed bloody murder! Yeah, I felt like a great mom today!!

Gammy's Blog....

2010-02-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

My mom's blog address is:
www.GammysCoop.blogspot.com

She is frustrated with it though, I need to help her with pictures and layout!

Berry-Pecan Chicken Salad

2010-02-12T17:33:00.001-08:00

O.K. I don't have a picture of this salad, but trust me, it's delicious! I served it our Valentine's lunch today.....

Dressing:

3 Tbs. red wine vinegar

2 Tbs. seedless raspberry jam

1 tsp. dijon mustard

1/4 cup EVOO

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Salad:

1 bag mixed greens (5-6 oz.)

1/2 cup sugared pecans (sold in produce section of grocery store by the croutons)

1 cup blueberries

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 lb cooked chicken breasts (sliced into strips)

1 cup sugar snap peas (cut in half)

To Assemble:

Mix first three ingredients for dressing together in small bow. Then slowly whisk in EVOO and salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the salad, layer in chicken, pecans, blueberries, strawberries, and sugar snap peas. Toss with mixed greens. Then add dressing and toss to coat. Enjoy!!!!

P.S. I doubled the recipe to serve 4 and have some left over!

Hearts, Hefs, and Happy Mamas!

2010-02-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

Well, Leo and I had some great friends over for a little mommy-baby lunch today. It was so fun; but I was so busy hosting, tossing my salad, opening the hefs, and making heart-shaped grilled cheese sammies that I forgot to take pictures of the event, so hopefully my peeps can help me out and post some pictures from today on their blogs!

This is was what my table looked like before everyone got there! We had to eat in the playroom so the kidlets could run around like wild animals (man that cage comes in handy). At least you can't see the sea of toys that floods my living room every day.....

After Madison and Riley (Leo's Valentines) left, he did not waste any time getting his nap in! It's hard work being cute and keeping up with two little girls! Sleep tight little Valentine!

Needless to say, it was a great day! I will post my Berry-Pecan Salad recipe next!

And the Verdict....

2010-02-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

It was a fabulous soup! We all loved it! Leo liked the little meatballs and grilled cheese I made him. I forgot to add the ham to the paninis, but they were yummy without it. After dinner it was the "3 B's"for Leo.....bath, ba ba, and bed!! Then Sal and I watched our favorite show, Lost. What a relaxing, rainy night. Glad the sun is out today though!

Italian Wedding Soup...Yum!

2010-02-09T12:59:00.000-08:00

I am trying out this recipe tonight for dinner along with Ham, Prosciutto, and Provolone paninis! It seems like a good, cold day for soup and sammies!

I'll let you know how it turned out tomorrow!

http://www.recipezaar.com/Italian-Wedding-Soup-14061

Morning Play Time

2010-02-09T08:34:00.000-08:00

In the morning, Leo will play in his playroom for hours! This is a good thing because I have stuff to do around the house and he needs a place to be. He is so happy playing with his cars or sitting in his ball house eating some goldfish crackers. This morning I was looking through my recipes books and Leo decided he wanted to cook some pasta! He really liked Giada's recipes. I am teaching him to cook early!

Christmas 2009

2010-02-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

Even though this was Leo's second Christmas, (his first one doesn't really count because he was only 2 weeks old) it was the best Christmas I have ever had!!! Last year I was still recovering from a C-section and just learning how to take care of a little new born baby....I was exhausted not feeling like myself and Christmas was not at the top of my priority list.

This Christmas was totally different!! We (Auntie Lin, Gammy, and I) took Leo to see Santa at Victoria Gardens. He cried of course, but the pictures were precious! Watching him open presents and playing with the paper & boxes on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning was also so fun! We could have just given him empty boxes wrapped in paper and he would have been happy! The Christmas tree was a new wonder for Leo. He would stare at the lights and try to steal any ornament within his reach. He kept pointing to the tree and calling it "pitty". I loved seeing Christmas through his innocent eyes!

Salvo and I had the whole family (Giacalones and Pidgeons) over for a Christmas feast. The prime rib roast came out soooooo good and everyone had a great time (maybe it was because of the Christmas punch I made....hmmm....)

Well, this Christmas really was the best Christmas so far and we are truly blessed . Here's to an even better 2010!!!

Like Father, Like Son...

2010-02-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

See the resemblance??? Leo loves being with his daddy and Salvo is enamoured with his "boy". I guess I am lucky to have such handsome men in my life!

Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

2010-02-05T17:21:00.001-08:00

I can't believe Leo is almost 14 months old! He is turning into a little boy in front of my eyes. He likes to play with cars and make the "vroom" nosie. He also loves "reading" books, dancing to The Doors, and running around the living room. He is my little man!