Fun with cousins

Cayden playing in Gigi's bed

Zachary is such a sweet cousin he loves playing with Sammy and Sammy could not be happier. 

 I am not sure where it came from but when I say smile Gigi's head always goes to the side.

Friday's are one of my favorite days of the week because we always do something with Aunt Sara and the boys.  Yesterday we met up with a friend at the park for a couple hours,  then Sara and the boys came back to our house. After rest time the kids played in the house and had a great time. Sammy was right in the middle of it all and could not have been happier.

It has been fun to see Sammy's personality starting to come out.  He loves being with people and is so socially stimulated that he has trouble napping or eating.  Gigi is such a good big sister...she loves her Sammy, protects him, plays with him and is an amazing helper.  I love my kids more and more every day and yet there are days when I wish I could just put them away in the cupboard for a while.  Being a stay at home mom is by far the hardest job I have ever done and yet I wouldn't trade it.

Last week I started reading, Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist. It was recommended to me by my friend Annie who blogs at www.ourthugson.blogspot.com and I also saw it mentioned on my friend Corrina's blog www.embracetheday.com.   So far it's been a really great read and it's awaken a part of me that has been somewhat asleep for quite a few years.  I have been praying that God would show me how to connect with him and develop a type of communion with him.  I feel like I have been programed by the church to do things in a certain way and although they are good for many they leave me feeling like  a failure.  I am kind of in the midst of a new start of sorts where I live in grace not guilt.  I am just starting this journey but I am treasuring these moments of intimate prayer with my Savior.

My friend Diane recently went on a 10 day silent retreat and one of the things that she learned about was stoping the negative thoughts that often plague our minds. There are days when I wake up and feel depressed and often times I just live in that depression. But this week I chose to take those thoughts captive and instead of focusing on them I started to list all of the things I am thankful for. It was amazing how it turned my whole attitude around.  I want to live in the moment and choose to be grateful versus living thinking the grass is always greener.  Life is hard but those hard moments are what shape and form us into who God's wants us to be.

May you live in God's grace also:)

First Big Boy Bath

Sammy loves taking baths and he is even happier now that he get's to go in the big tub.

 Gigi had western day at preschool and this was the best shot I could get of her. That vest was from when I was little.  Sammy just got his two top teeth and battled his first cold.  Thankfully he is now healthy and back to being his happy little self.

Zoomars

Last week Sara, Mom and I took the kids to Zoomars petting zoo.  I had purchased a groupon that expired on the 31st so we had to make sure and use it. We had fun petting and feeding animals, riding the little train and playing on the playground outside zoomars. Sammy stayed home with Daddy and it was so nice to get some time with just Gigi.  

Grandma Gene feeding the Zedonkey

Gigi loved holding the guinea pigs and had fun trying to catch them. 

Sara found a bunny

Cayden wanted to ride in his own cart on the train ride

Zachary and GG were cracking up when we would yell, "Choo Choo" as they went by. 

Sleep Who Needs It?

Sleep is a mysterious thing when it comes to kids. Prior to being a mom I wouldn't have given kids and their sleep habits a second thought.  With Gianna we were spoiled by her amazing sleep habits. She was sleeping 10 hrs a night by 3 weeks and eventually slept 12 to 13 hours a night. Sammy is a wonderful baby but he wakes up once or twice a night still. I know a lot of people would let him cry it out but I am just can't do it. He is also teething pretty badly and I think he wakes up in pain.  I am okay with him waking up because I know that soon he will sleep thru the night.

Gianna on the other hand is now 3 yrs old and is going through a super tough phase...She is no longer napping which is fine but the problem is that no matter what time she goes to bed she wakes up between 4:30 and 5:30 every morning.  If I get to her to nap (which is a huge accomplishment these days) she stays up until around 9ish and then is up at the crack of dawn. So we have abandoned naps all together and just do a stay in your room and read books rest time. The lack of sleep and early waking has put a huge strain on our relationship and made life pretty unpleasant. I am already getting up with Sammy 1 or 2x a night so when I have G at my bedside at 4:30am it is not fun.  This has been going on for 3 weeks and I am really wiped out. Not to mention the fact that I miss my sweet girl and I am sure she misses her nice mom.   I know I am crabby when I don't get enough sleep and so is she. Every day that hubby works and I am on my own I feel like I have accomplished such a huge feet by making it to bed time.

Bedtime has also become a big drama.  Each night she comes out of her room and asks me about 10 different questions.  After trying so many different strategies I think the one that is really working is the super nanny tactic of no conversation just putting her back to bed.  Tonight will be the first true test because she took a nap at preschool and will have renewed energy (ahhhhhh!!!). There have been plenty of nights though where she has pushed me over the edge and I have not been proud of the way I have handled things. I guess G is getting to see how human mom really is and that I make many bad decisions also. I make her apologize when she does something wrong and I do the same when I mess up.

So lately I have been getting her to sleep around 5:15pm...I know that sounds early but she is not napping and wakes up super early. I am praying that this will let up soon and even wonder if any of it has a spiritual element to it. Man can Satan mess with your family by ruining sleep. I keep saying this too shall pass I am just wondering if it could come soon.

Gigi the breadmaker

Each Monday Gigi and Frank go to see Nonno Sam at the deli and Gigi helps him make bread.  She always says she has to go to work.  

Nonno even pays her $2 per week:)

Sammy got to come and see his sister in action

Sammy got his first taste of one of Nonno Sams buns 

Great teether

August

Sammy tried out some oatmeal but was not a huge fan.  I tried is again a couple days later and thought it was all going down the hatch only to later find it all over his back.  I guess it had slipped right down his chubby cheeks, around his neck and down his back. I am going to wait a bit and then start off with some avocado instead. 

Sammy recently figured out that he can grab both of his feet 

Here are some random scrunchy face pics of Gigi 

 We went to the San Diego Children's Museum and had a great time. Sammy took all his naps on the go.

Gigi loved the jumpy tunnel

We attempted to get a picture together:)

First Haircut

Gigi got her first haircut last week.  It wasn't too much of an event because it was only about an inch off the bottom. 

 She liked sitting in the little train while Sarah trimmed her hair. 

When it was all done we left with it wet because Gigi was a bit tired and did not want anything else done to it. So there is not really anything to show and we forgot to take a final picture. I know what were we thinking!!!!  The end result is that it looks a bit healthier and it has a tiny bit of shape.