Lent 2013

I reflect this day as I gaze as my bright pink tulips and out the window to our snow covered ground. Spring will come. The days of fasting will end. Joy and Hope DO prevail.

I've focused on moderation this Lent and it has left me peaceful and free from my chocolate sugar addiction.

Augustine and I made this Crown of Thorns and it has been a beautiful reminder for the whole family. As we put the thorns in he whole-hardily apologized to sweet Jesus for the pain he causes Jesus when he is disobedient and not loving.

He gets to take a thorn out every time he does something good or when he goes to church. It's a great reward to him and is bringing me back to the cross everyday.

We dyed Easter Eggs for the first time... and boy, if you want to get your kids to eat boiled eggs. Dye them!! Augustine went from not really liking eggs to LOVING THEM! Gianna, didn't get the memo. She does not enjoy boiled eggs. "Just give me peas, bananas, fruit, broccoli and buttered toast!"

I took Augustine to Holy Thursday mass last night and it was so wonderful. Just him and I reflecting on Jesus. He was SUCH a good boy! Stamped in my memory as one of my best Holy Thursday services EVER! I posted this on facebook that night...

---Holy Thursday mass with Augustine tonight was so SO wonderful! He is so eager to pray and understand the mass... As I was packing up our stuff he knelt in the aisle hands folded, "St. Augustine pray for us. St Gianna pray for us. St. Daddy pray for us. St Mommy pray for us. Mother Mary pray for us. Saint...Pope...Pope Frances pray for us. Father Son Holy Spirit. Amen. Ok, Let's go!"---

Our Passover Meal as a family...

...Augustine wanted to wash feet like Jesus did when we got home. So precious... and I sure hope this is a new family tradition. Watching Augustine grow in his faith is the high of my life right now... that and just having the blessing of the two most beautiful children!

Holy Week to all...

 

....and Happy Easter on the other side!

Gianna 9 Month's Old

 

This little girl rocks my world!

 

 

Stats:

18.8 lbs (about 1 pound more than when she was 6 months!)

28 inches

Less than 50%tile for head

Brown Eyes

Brown Hair

She can give you butterfly kisses from across the room with her lashes and her cheeks should require a restraining order... once you start squishing them with kisses who can stop?

 

 

 

She is average on the charts... so I guess telling her she was so chubby made her self-conscious? Going from rich mommy milk only to veggies thinned out my sweetie... but I still think she's chunky! She has the most beautiful thighs. (Remember that Gianna!)

 

 

 

She loves to dance and her body just MOOOOOVES when any type of music plays... she has a sort of spastic head shake think that cracks me up. But she does not like tummy time and is not interested in crawling.

 

 

 

She adores her brother and smiles and smiles and smiles! Augustine looks out for Gianna throughout the day... he reminds me to go get her when she cries and he asks for her every morning. He delights in her like I do and we both love to make her laugh and smile. He's kind of bossy (sorry Gianna) but almost in a sweet way and I love to watch their relationship grow!

 

 

 

Her food sensitivities seem to be getting better and since I just loaded up on free pancakes at IHOP and she didn't suffer I'm pretty much convinced she isn't affected from my milk as much.

 

 She picks up food with great ease and grace... even the slimy slippery bananas and avocado (her favorites!) She also enjoys: Peas, quinoa, applesauce, gluten free bread, cheerios, cantaloupe, kiwi, pureed green beans and broccoli. She is a huge fruit fan... and can be a little picky at times.

She can say:

Dadadadadada
Babababba
Lalalalala
Nanananana
and most recently (as in the last two days....)
MAMAmamamama

She has two super cute bottom teeth in, she loves nursing still but goes crazy over a bottle too, and she has been weaned from being swaddled (just this month!).

She has refused a paci for months and has no real comfort object...yet... although she really likes Augustine's special blankie. (Of all the things... THAT dirty thing?!?) He of course almost never shares it and snatches it from her if he sees her even glance at it longingly.

She's pretty patient when it comes to most things... I especially notice it because Augustine is so demanding "NOW" kind of kid and she usually gets taken care of last... I hope it teaches her virtue. How could it not?!

My dear peaches (yep that's what I like to call her) how lovely you are and how LOVED you are!

I bless you my child.

 

 

 

 



Christmas Joy 2012

Instead of reading all my favorite blogs I'm forcing myself to post myself. Its been too long and I at least need to get pictures up. There is a blog I follow and I admire the woman who writes it intensely anyway... she always writes about the little things and misses the big things because she says she wants it to be just perfect so she procrastinates. I realized --- that's me! That's why I STILL don't have Gianna's birth story up... or baptism pictures... After that major realization about my desire for perfection when I write about something big... I have decided to at the very least post pictures and realize something is better than nothing!

So Here are some fun Christmas pictures I got...

Gianna is so photogenic and Augustine is very much a moving target... but they are oh so cute! They love each other so much and it just melts my heart!

 Above: decorating cookies first time with my little family... this year they were gluten and dairy free for my new diet and they were YUMMY!

Nothing like a cozy bath... my little froggys after their evening baths.

 She is so trusting and he looks so suspicious... I just can't help but think he is going to get her into so much trouble! I have fond memories of getting into trouble with my brothers so its kind of a nostalgic thing but this time I'm the mom... "Hey you kids be good!"

"Who me?" (Angelic baby face)

Aunt Lisa gave her this dress and I meant for it to be Gianna's Christmas dress... but Gianna slept right up until it was time to go to Christmas Eve mass so... she just wore the dress I put her in for the day... but I got this cute pic for memories sake and it'll fit for her Easter dress! :-)

Such a handsome boy!

After mass we drove around looking at lights and enjoyed appetizers and drinks at

"Moscow on the Hill" what a memorable night!

Augustine danced and Gianna sat in awe of the accordion player. :-)

 

 A little Christmas music on Augustine's new guitar!



 Home-made Christmas apple pie! YUMMY! (I baked while Jeremy did all the cooking for the day... including a fabulous brunch and ham and potato supper!)

 

 Enjoying Christmas toys... Gianna's doll (not pictured) was a favorite.

It giggles and she loved to eat the baby dolls face!

 

 

Happy First Christmas Gianna and Stanbary's first whole Christmas in MN!