HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

I'm so excited that the photos of the baby and I were taken in full manual mode. Yippee (and I set them myself without the manual) Pardon the big nose shots, yucko...at least the babe looks good!

HERE'S PROOF SHE DISLIKES THE NEW CAMERA...BABY STOP PULLING YOUR HAIR OUT!

I simply can't believe it's a BRAND NEW YEAR!   Whew did this year fly by!  I keep saying that, but after going through a years worth of photos in the wee hours of the morning, I realized I missed too much this year and don't want a repeat in 2009.  I think I just have to sloooow down.  Guess always working at mach speed (on a professional level,  I never took the time to just relax and enjoy.  Or could it be when I said "I do, I didn't mean, EVERYTHING" 

Well I have a beautiful daughter now and I want to enjoy every day with her, now more than ever.  In less than a week we'll be celebrating a year home with Kira and I'm sure I'll be bawling my eyes out once again (what's up with all the crying these days) as we remember the amazing journey of my lifetime.  

So I thought that instead of resolutions (which I never keep anyway) I would make more time to do the things that make me (us) happy and reflect on how precious the gift of child rearing really is.

I would like to spend more: 

• Time to reflect on the wonderful memories of 2008
  
• Yes, more time with Kira and Dani
• Time to remember to keep those resolutions (did I really say that)!
• Time to hope for a wonderful future for our children.
• Time to be thankful for what we have and not what we want.
• Time to sit back and read a mindless book (not the Biography of A. Einstein).
• Find time, somewhere, and on some exercise device, to work my butt off (mopping floors doesn't count as caloric expenditure).
• Time doing good deeds for others, which includes local animal shelters.
• Time learning, observing and creating beautiful photos.
• More time to spend with family.
• Time to nurture friendships.
• More time to add to this list!

WE WISH EVERYONE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

Fun with Family and Friends

I always loved this song by the Eagles, but somehow it took on a new meaning for this post and the sweet photos of Kira.


ENJOYING THE ICING ON COUSIN'S SYDNI'S BIRTHDAY CAKE (HEY SYD, WHY NOT JOIN IN FOR A PHOTO?)  HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET NIECE!

MY SISTER, GOTTA LOVE HER, SHE'S SWINGING AROUND A 25LB BABY WITH 3 PLATES 18 SCREWS AND OTHER HARDWARE IN HER BACK.  PLUS SHE IS FINALLY RECOVERING FROM TWO SEVERELY SPRAINED ANKLES, OUCH!  DID YOU HAVE TOO MUCH CHOCOLATE TODAY TOO?
OOH KIRA GOT ELMO FOR HANUKKAH. SHE WAS SO EXCITED. THIS THINGS DANCES, SINGS, TELLS SILLY STORIES AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE! KIND OF CUTE THOUGH!
A TENDER MOMENT WITH MOM MOM
MY WONDERFUL PARENTS




SO LET'S BACKTRACK A BIT. LAST WEEKEND WE WENT TO DANI'S DAD'S HOUSE FOR BRUNCH. THEN ON THURSDAY WE WENT TO AUNT DARCY'S CHRISTMAS PARTY (DOWN THE JERSEY SHORE) WHERE WE ALSO CELEBRATED DANI'S BIRTHDAY! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANI! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE MY AGE? SO WE DROVE HOME AND THE NEXT DAY DECIDED WE WOULD TAKE A VERY LONG RIDE OUT TO LONGWOOD GARDENS. 

I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE, HAD NO IDEA WHERE IT WAS, BUT IT DID SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA. THERE WAS A 500,000 HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAY AND AN ICE SKATING SHOW WE BOUGHT TICKETS FOR. SO OFF WE WENT. ALMOST TWO HOURS LATER WE ARRIVED AT THE GATES FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR SHUTTLE BUS TO THE GARDENS. BY THIS TIME KIRA HAD THROWN UP ALL OVER THE CAR AND HERSELF. POOR BABY, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE HER HOME. SHE FELL ASLEEP FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE RIDE, BUT WHEN WE REALIZED HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO JUST GET IN, WE JUST HEADED BACK HOME.  NOW, ALMOST 5 HOURS IN THE CAR, TIRED, FRUSTRATED AND HUNGRY, I CHANGED KIRA AND WENT TO BED.  I WAS JUST GRATEFUL THAT KIRA MAYBE GOT A BIT CARSICK VERSUS GETTING SOME GI THING.  I WAS THE ONE WITH ALL THE INDIGESTION BY THAT POINT.  IF THERE ARE TWO THINGS I HAVE NO PATIENCE FOR IT'S WAITING IN LINE AND GETTING STUCK IN TRAFFIC!  BOTH OF WHICH WE DID DURING OUR 5 HOUR TRIP TO SEE ONE PRETTY TREE ALL LIT UP! 

LET'S SEE WHERE WAS I, HMMM, OKAY SO NOW IT'S SATURDAY AND WE'RE ALL PRETTY BEAT.  I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT WE DID.  SO ONTO SUNDAY WHERE WE WENT OVER TO AUNT MARY'S AND UNCLE ROB'S FOR AN INCREDIBLE BRUNCH AND THEN PILED IN THE CAR FOR A TRIP TO ATLANTIC CITY TO SEE MY PARENTS AND SISTER FOR THE HOLIDAY.  EVERYTHING WAS FABULOUS UNTIL THE TRIP HOME, WHERE KIRA JUST ABOUT HAD IT WITH BEING PUT IN HER CAR SEAT AND STRAPPED IN FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR MORE.  SO SHE SCREAMED THE ENTIRE WAY HOME WHILE I CRIED!  MY HEART WAS POURING OUT FOR HER BECAUSE SOMETHING INSIDE WAS TELLING ME THAT PERHAPS THIS BABY WAS RESTRAINED IN HER CRIB OR HIGHCHAIR FOR HOURS ON END WHEN SHE WAS IN HUNAN.  I DON'T KNOW,  AND WILL NEVER KNOW AND PERHAPS DON'T WANT TO KNOW, FOR IF SHE WAS, I'M SURE IT WAS FOR HER SAFETY.  

SO IN THAT PREVIOUS POST ABOUT HOW DRAINED WE ALL ARE...GUESS I NOW KNOW WHY!  I THOUGHT I WAS SUFFERING FROM HOSTESS GUILT (NOT HOSTING ANY PARTIES THIS YEAR), BUT INSTEAD IT WAS SIMPLY OVERLOAD!

I THINK WE WILL ALL ENJOY NEW YEAR'S FROM THE WARMTH OF OUR HOME!


MOMMA BOUGHT ME A NEW COAT BECAUSE I AM A BIG GIRL, BUT, THEN I THREW UP ALL OVER IT!  
OH, AUNT MARY JUST LOVES TO GIVE YOU KISSES!
KIRA GOT THIS ADORABLE CHINESE BABY DOLL FOR HANUKKAH.  IT LOOKS SO REAL THAT I THINK SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A BABY!

MAA, I'D RATHER PLAY BALL WITH POP POP THAN PLAY WITH DOLLS RIGHT NOW!

Kira is so easy to entertain.  A ball made out of wrapping paper had her giggling for an hour or more.

THEN WE HEADED TO THE JERSEY SHORE TO CELEBRATE DAD'S BIRTHDAY ON CHRISTMAS DAY.  GEE DID HE HAVE A LOT OF CANDLES TO BLOW OUT:))
DAD WITH HIS SISTER, AUNT LAURA
COUSIN MORGAN, SHE'S GOING TO THE STATE GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIP!  YOU GO GIRL!
DADDY'S OTHER SISTER, AUNT DARCY.  
COUSIN DOMINIC SHOWING KIRA THE BASICS OF THE KEYBOARD
KIRA SHOWING DOMINIC HER NEW SONG

I REALLY KNOW HOW TO PLAY PACHABEL BACKWARDS, BUT FOR NOW I'LL HUMOR THEM.
OH THIS IS SO SWEET.  AGENT J. W. SENT HOME BOOKS FOR KIRA.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!  MOMMA WILL READ THEM ALL TO ME!

NEXT STOP AUNT MARY AND UNCLE ROB'S HOUSE! YIPPEE THEY HAVE ELMO TOO!
LOVE THIS CAMERA, AT 4.5FPS I CAUGHT THIS GREAT SMILE OF HER WHILE SHE RAN AROUND LIKE A BUNNY ON STEROIDS
MY OTHER TWO "ADOPTED DAUGHTERS" our amazing neighbors...Danielle and sister Stephie
HERE'S THEIR REAL MOM, AUNT MARY (ALSO KNOWN AS ELMO'S MOMMY)

Some cool new pics

Okay, so I was itching to use this camera and when we were in Phila last week, I caught some of the city lights. It was the first time using the camera at night so I just went with auto mode and I can't complain! Pretty good considering I was rushing around the city looking for subjects of interest to post. So after this, my trepidation with this DSLR purchase slowly dissipated!

On the Avenue of the Arts in downtown Philadelphia, there atop is William Penn

Some cool building next to where we illegally parked our car so I could take photos.
Lighted snow globes in Rittenhouse Park

Almost a New Year

Whew, where did the time go?  The past few weeks have been so busy I hardly realized that it's the end of December.  I have not had any time to blog, talk on the phone or even get out all my holiday cards!  This has completely thrown my OCD into a tailspin of sorts.  I'm usually so organized.  So I've been pondering a few reasons for my inability to get anything done.

This has been a rather fun and also (unconconciously) subconsciously  emotional week for me.  I have no idea why, perhaps it's remembering this time last year when I was saying goodbye to my old life, a 28 year nursing career and co-workers as I was looking forward to new career as MOM and meeting my precious daughter!

• Perhaps it's the fact that I look at all the Christmas and Hannukah cards and think, how fortunate we are to be celebrating with new friends!
  

• Perhaps it's the immense love that I have for Kira and the realization of how big she has gotten.
  

• Perhaps it's because I've looked back on my life and all those that mean so much to me, that I know longer have contact with,  but are still close to my heart.
  

• Perhaps it's the constant voice of Elmo that has given me a chronic headache:))
  

• Or perhaps it's complete sleep deprivation!
  

I usually can write just about anything but this week,  lack of time and the ability to concentrate has kept me off the computer.  

So perhaps I needed a rest from blogging, better yet from THINKING!  Yep, that's what it was, a vacation from thinking, worrying, shopping, drinking way too much coffee...so my friends I think that with a good nights rest, no caffeine and a day at the spa, I should be back in form.

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT HOLIDAY!  

HOLIDAY GREETINGS EVERYONE

WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND A HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR 2009.

KIRA ISABELLA

SITTING PRETTY

LOOK WHAT I GOT MOM!

IS SOMEONE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE ME LAUGH OR WHAT?

NEW NIKON PHOTOS

I just had to play around with this beauty! For the most part the photos were in auto mode, but at some point I did try aperture priority. What I love so far is it truly captures vivid colors and doesn't seem to be effected by the yellow walls, which have given all my photos a different hue that I would have to manually edit in iPhoto. I didn't even realize how much distortion there was till I compared the photos.

So far, LOVE THIS CAMERA

LOOK WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL YESTERDAY

THANK YOU SO MUCH YOLI FOR SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY PRESENT FOR KIRA. YOU REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT WE SO APPRECIATE IT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT CAME FROM YOU AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. I SAW THE PACKAGE LATER IN THE EVENING AND MADE KIRA MODEL IT FOR US. SHE WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO PUT THIS OUTFIT ON! LOOKS SO PRETTY TOO!

HOW PRETTY IS THIS OUTFIT FROM AUNT YOLI, UNCLE JOSE, SALLY AND CAEL. KIRA LOVES IT AND AS YOU CAN SEE IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH FOR HER TO SMILE!
MOMMA, LOOK THIS IS THE COOLEST OUTFIT EVER, IT HAS WHITE SOFT POM POMS ON IT! (TWO OF HER NEW WORDS ARE BALLS AND APPLE) TOO FUNNY. TRIED TO CORRECT HER TELLING THEM THOSE ARE POM POMS, BUT SHE CAN'T SAY HER "P'S" YET.




THANK YOU AUNT YOLI AND UNCLE JOSE FOR THINKING OF ME DURING CHRISTMAS. THIS IS MY FAVORITE OUTFIT, it's warm, has soft little pom poms and I just love it!