3 LITTLE MONKEES

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY AJ!!!

2011-08-24T07:07:00.000-04:00

My Three Monkees - Part 2

2011-05-24T22:41:00.000-04:00

I needed a little push to get another post completed. Who better to push then my own mother! Is it because she loves my writing or because I don't visit as much as I should so this is her update? She is the only one that can answer that.

Now on with the show!

My numero two monkee......my sweet Gino.

I am amazed each day but how much my children learn. And even though each was is equal in my eyes, Gino has a certain love of learning that reminds me of myself. He may look like his father, talk like his father, even argue like his father. But that little brain of his is just like his mama's!

He has a love of dinosaurs now. I think this may be common in little boys. But he wants to know everything about them. Their names, what they eat, are they as big as our house. When asked, "what's your favorite dinosaur", he always replies "the peratacdle"......or in grown up terms, that is a Pterodactyl.

He is also a puzzle hound. We went from spending anywhere from $20-$30 a weekend on Thomas Trains, to $2.99 puzzles! Wish he liked these a long time ago. It would have saved us TONS!!! He will sit at the dinning room table for hours, doing his puzzles over and over. And if we are missing a piece, I will spend quite some time on hands and knees searching under couches and tables till I find that lonely corner piece to complete his puzzle. And minutes later, he tears it apart to start all over. But I love watching his little brain study each piece, flipping them over looking for the right one. He amazes me.

And as a 3 year old, he has impressed us with his knowledge of knowing his "right" from his "left". Driving in a car, he will instruct us of a red light, tell us to go at a green light and make sure I slow down at the yellow light.

He is my little Einstein!

If only he could wipe his own bum!

My Three Monkees - Part 1

2011-05-02T11:45:00.000-04:00

I apologize to all my followers for the lack of words on my blog. Life gets hectic, and if you are following me on my other blog, A Runner's Road, you know that I am training for my first 5K. But alas, I have found time to write about me little monkees.

My biggest monkee, Rene, just headed back to school from April vacation. As always, she packed her bags and became a nomad for the week. It's nice for her to get a little alone time from those 2 nagging boys she calls her brothers. And though they miss her, and I have to lie to them and tell them she'll be home soon, it is a much needed vacation for her. She spent a few nights with friends, but a mojority of her time was spent with her Yaya. You know that feeling you get when you grow up and move away from home? The one where you long to be back with mommy, for her to cook dinner and wait on you hand and foot? This is what she gets at Yaya's house. She lived there for 5 years so it's like going back to the childhood place. They watch movies, get's sher hair done, stays up late and sleeps in (past noon!). I can say I am jealous, but so happy that she gets that special time. 3rd quarter just finished up at school and she made the honor roll! I can honestly say I didn't expect it. 6th grade has proven difficult for her, but she buckled down and ROCKED IT! It's hard to believe she will be in 7th grade soon. I think I am in denial cause I'm pretty sure I had a boyfriend in 7th grade. I mean look at how gorgeous she is!

I will be back tomorrow with Part 2 - Mr. Gino!!!

A Day In Boston!

2011-04-20T19:47:00.000-04:00

Big Boy Haircuts!!!

2011-04-14T10:42:00.000-04:00

This boy has a lot of hair!!!!!! He is so good for our favorite barber, Brian!

Loving The Swing!!!

2011-04-14T10:41:00.000-04:00

Two Brothers @ The Park!

2011-04-12T13:34:00.000-04:00

New Pics (It's About Time)

2011-03-30T18:24:00.000-04:00

Mac N Cheese Face

Camping in the living room

So Happy

Taller then the counter!

Most beautiful smile in the world

Check-ups!

2011-03-25T15:55:00.000-04:00

So I ventured to the pediatrician with my boys yesterday (I know!!! What was I thinking taking both at the same time!) for the check-ups. Gino only has to go once a year, so this was his 3 yr check. Angelo on the other hand is going every 6 months, so it was the 18 month (I was a month late) check.

The appointment did not start off well, and went straight down hill. After waiting in the exam from for 20 minutes with 2 active toddlers, the Dr. finally graced us with her presence.

I have known for a while that Angelo has some sort of anxiety problem. He hates going new places. The minute we walk through the door he screams, kicks and holds onto me for dear life. I have seen it a few times and this appointment was the same. The minute we got in the elevator, he knew we were going someplace that he's hasn't been (in a while). He continued to scream until he saw the playhouses in the waiting room and Dora the Explorer was on TV.

Once we were called back to the exam room, the screaming commenced again. This would continue for the entire visit.

Gino on the other hand enjoys going to the Dr. He looks forward to the ~~chintzy toys~~ prizes that they give out, the latex gloves that are blown up the size of his head (and he has a big head), and pretending he is the Dr by looking into the real Dr's ears. He is a pro.

So after getting though the basics of looking in their ears, listening to their lungs and so on, the doctor proceeded to tell me her concerns:

Angelo does not have many words at 18 months and should see a speech therapist.

OK, so Angelo is a bit slow in the speech department. This does not worry me as his big brother did not start talking till he was 2. Full sentences were not comprehended till 2.5 years so I am thinking he is following his brother. Not to say that he doesn't speak at all, it is just lacking. But I understand him. The doctor also seems to think his lack of speech is contributing to his anxiety. He can't communicate therefor he gets upset.

Gino hasn't grown

OK, have you seen our family? We are all shortys!!! Rene is actually going to tower over all of us if she reaches 5'6"!!! However, I look at my Gino every single day, 365 days a year and can tell you he has grown. He wears size 3T clothing compared to 24 mo when he was last checked. The Dr wasn't overly concerned and seemed to think that they mis-measured him at his 2 yr checkup. So because of their mistake, they want to see him again in 3 months. Well, I am not taking him. They will charge me a $20 copay to see how tall he is?! I'll measure him myself and call in the reading. If he hasn't grown, they can see him. Otherwise, I'll just chalk up slow growth to being a family trait!

So after the checkups were through, we proceeded on to the vaccinations. Mr. Gino only required 1, while AJ needed 3. I prepped my big boy for the shot.

"Gino, the nurse is gonna come give you a shot. It's gonna feel like a pinch, like when AJ pinches you. But when we are done, you can get your sticker and band aid, OK?"

He was happy with this and readied himself for the shot.

Well, it didn't go as planned. The lovely nurse jabbed his arm and the look came across Gino's face. The look of "I can't believe you just did that to me and my mommy let you!" He jumped off the table, slapped the nurses bum and told her "You are a bad boy! You need a time out!" I am not sure where he got the "bad boy" thing as I always use the word fresh, but the point was taken. The nurse told him it was nice to hit and the shot would keep him from getting sick. Not a good enough answer for him. He was ready to leave.

The nurse then moved over to AJ (who was still ~~crying~~ screaming) and rolled up his sleeves. Shot 1, shot 2, shot 3!!!! The screaming stopped. Only because he stopped breathing from the shock of being pinched 3 times. Once he regained his breath, the screams were louder then ever.

I lowered my head and rushed them out of the office with promises of McDonald's and ice cream. Once we were in the car, the tears stopped flowing and the lull of the car put them fast asleep.

So their stats:

Gino
Height: 35 inches
Weight: 33lbs

AJ
Height: 25 inches
Weight: 23 lbs

Well look at that......10 pound/inch difference between the two.

Next appointment......1 kid per appointment!

Nightmares

2011-03-06T12:05:00.000-05:00

So I guess everyone's definition of a bad dream or "nightmare" is different. And I guess I never really sat back and thought about what a bad dream to my children is. Gino has had a few of them. They wake him up screaming and I have to talk him out of his dream and reassure him that all is well. The most common nightmare we have had was the "Bear" that was chasing him. The morning after having this dream, Gino is very angry with me that I didn't stop the bear. I try to explain that the bear is not real, and if it was I would most certainly beat that bear up! But I wonder, why in his dream did I not help him? Subconsciously does he think I wouldn't help him in a bad situation? Is it because I am a woman and he assumes that all fighting must be done by daddy? Daddy doesn't show up in this particular dream but Gino has told me that if there was a real bear, his daddy would give him a knuckle sandwhich!

But our most recent bad dream was not what I would consider bad. However, My little guy woke up crying, sweating and screaming. What could he have possibly been dreaming about that was so bad?

CHOCOLATE MILK!

Yes, my little guy loves chocolate milk. That is all he wants to drink. I have to force water and juice into him as I fear he would overdose on Vitamin D.

So in the middle of the night I was awoken to my little guy screaming in his sleep "NO!!!!! I wanna stir my chocolate milk". Tears were streaming down his cheeks as this is one of his favorite parts of making chocolate milk. I whispered in his ear calmly "buddy, when you wake up you can stir all the milk you want. This is just a dream". He finally quited down and rolled over.

When he woke up he couldn't remember his dream, but he did want a glass of chocolate milk!

Happy Birthday Papa!

2011-03-03T12:22:00.000-05:00

Hey friends....it's Gino! Today is a special day.....it's my Papa's birthday!!!

I have so many special people in my life, but I have to say next to my daddy, my Papa is my best friend. Sometimes I get really sad cause he moved to a place far away called Florida. Him and Nana go there for the winter time cause they don't like snow anymore (I LOVE the snow but I guess when you get older it's no fun!). But when Papa's birthday comes, I know that they will be home soon cause they come home in March, the same as Papa's birthday! So today is a special day cause my Papa will be home soon. Oh ya......and cause it's his birthday. I love birthdays. Maybe Papa will even have a birthday cake like mine. Do you think he likes Elmo? So for my Papa's birthday, here is a post from my old blog, Gino The Bambino, that I wrote about Papa on another birthday.

~~~HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA~~~

Bieber Fever......and Other Tween Celebrities

2011-02-28T12:20:00.001-05:00

Do you remember being a tween/teen and reading your favorite magazine? Seventeen, Tigerbeat, BOP.............all to just rip out a picture of your favorite celebrity? In my day it was NKOTB, Corey Feldman, Corey Haim and Michael Jackson. I would spend hours upon hours practicing the dance moves from Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation video.

Well, when we moved houses last year, I should have forgone painting my daughter's room. I could have saved a bit of money and just let her wallpaper it pictures of her "fave" people. I now go into her room and I am being watched by Justin Beiber, Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez. The posters are multiplying like 5th grade math!!! And forget running to the store for anything. It's always "can you pick me up a new magazine?' Does she even read them or just look for the tri-fold pull out poster of the heartthrob of the week? And when she is not looking for her future husband, she is singing to her favorite songs. And schooling me on them. "Mom, that song is so 2010!" Um, yeah.......I still listen to MJ's greatest hits (PYT has to be one of the greatest songs EVA!).

And then there are movies.........

No wonder Justin Beiber is so rich. They are charging me $12 a TICKET to see his life story in 3D!! With a $13,000,000.00 budget, his little movie has grossed $64,101.000 in just 3 weeks!! Girls everywhere are spending their allowance money to see this movie over and over. Miley Cyrus did it with her "Hannah Montana movie........raking in a whopping $155,545,000.00!!!! Seriously...I need to make a movie out of my life........and throw in some 3D glasses just for good measure.

Some days I wish I could be young again......my only worries would be if my mom would yell at me for putting so much tape on my walls!! Or for dancing too loudly in my room......to Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation:

♪Happy Birthday To ME!!!!!!♪

2011-02-25T14:36:00.000-05:00

Hey friends.....it's me, Gino! I know, it has been a really long time since I last wrote to you guys. Me is really busy. You know...playing, eating, sleeping, playing some more. And in between all that, I still find time to beat up my little brother AJ! So mommy has decided to let us kids start writing on this blog and she is starting her own blog! You will hear more from us now, not mommy's boring life.

So, on February 20th, me turned three! We celebrated all weekend long. On Friday I had ice cream cupcakes at daycare with Nana Auntie, AJ, William Thomas and JJ. Then, on Saturday we went to Anthony's for lunch (like every Saturday) and I had ANOTHER cake with Nana Alice, Gina and Justin, Auntie Mary, Auntie Alicia, Auntie Kristen, Paige and Kasey. Oh, and Mama, Dada and AJ! But the bestest day was Sunday, my actual birthday! Mommy and daddy took me to see Toy Story 3 on Ice!!! We took the big purple train from Yaya's house (she watched AJ cause it was MY special day). I got to see all the Toy Story characters and Mickey Mouse! We had popcorn, soda and cotton candy. And I got a really cool alien hat!

I got some really neat gifts too! Mama and daddy got me new Thomas trains, movies and books. Nana Donna got me a whole bunch of clothes, rain boots and a slicker and a book! But Auntie Kristen got be the best gift......a new big boy bike with training wheels (and a cool Spiderman helmet!) And I got some money from other people to put in the bank.

My birthday was great......and when Nana Donna and Papa come home from Florida next month, we are having another party so they can celebrate with me!

I love being 3!

Thank You 2010.....

2010-12-31T14:00:00.002-05:00

I know my writing.....I attempt to keep things short and sweet but when I write from my heart I tend to get long winded. My apologies because this is bound to be a long one.

2010........what made it what it was?

This will not be chronological as I am reliving this through memories and the ones that stand out are bound to be written about.

My Gino Bambino grew up in 2010. This year ushered in a new kid that I had never seen before. His vocabulary soared to the point that people could finally understand him. We went from one or two words to full sentences, singing our ABC's and counting to 10.

His first stick figure picture was drawn in 2010!

Our biggest event of this year......potty training. By August he was fully potty trained, day and night. All this before he was even 2 1/2!!!

He also learned that he like to swim......a lot! He couldn't get enough of it or of his auntie's hot tub!

Angelo turned the big "1" in 2010.

Just like his brother, he was walking at 8 months and enjoying table foods by 9 months.

Angelo was my boobie monster (we'll talk more about that later!) and nursed until October 2010......a whopping 15 months!!! I was so proud to have been able to do that.
His first words (Mama) were spoke this year though he really hasn't said much more. The strong silent type I guess!
He seems to follow his brother in everything, including his likes for certain cartoons and toys. He is always stealing Gino's toys!!!

Rene entered the world of middle school in 2010. She continued to impress us with fantastic grades. Her biggest accomplishment to me was finally learning to braid her own hair. This freed me from still doing her hair! She also found the world of "teen magazines". There are numerous magazine pages of teenage boys (and girls) hanging on her bedroom wall. As we would say in my day...."gag me with a spoon"!

2010 for me.......

It was the first year I have not been pregnant since 2007!!! A whole year without a belly, without morning sickness and the ability to imbibe as much as I liked (and I do like!).

I fell in love with photography ( and kinda fell out of love with it too) this past year also.

And that whole "Angelo was my boobie monster" left me feeling, well, deflated! So I ended my year with a boob job, that resulted in complications, that resulted in another surgery, that resulted in me being out of work till mid January 2011.

But 2010 left me more in love with my husband. After enduring countless hours of him working overtime, taking side jobs, caring for the kids while I was hospitalized and laid up, my heart grew ten fold for him just by seeing how much he cares for his family. "Our song" has always kinda been "The Sweetest Thing" by U2 (great song, even better band). Well, 2010 ushered in a new song for us.......

YOU & ME ...Dave Matthews Band (great song, greatest band)

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND - YOU & ME

Smokin' Hot Body

2010-12-08T12:19:00.000-05:00

So I wasn't quite sure if I was going to share this next journey with the world, but then I thought to myself "I've shared births, a miscarriage, sad times and the happiest of times". A decent writer writes from experience and this will be an experience to add to the books.

I've had 3 children......3 very wonderful children that are the most beautiful I've ever seen (I'm a bit partial!) and this is because they have each stolen a little bit from me.

Rewind 12 years......

It was 1998, I was all of 19 years old. I had a BODY!!! I am going to be a bit vane right now, but I will say that it was a smokin' hot body!!! My 1st pregnancy wasn't so bad....I bounced back pretty quickly which I attribute to being only 20 years old at the time.

Now, I meet my loving husband, get married and have this wild and crazy thought......"Let's have a kid and I'll start all over"! So at the age of 28 I had another kid....another c-section. This time around I thought I would do my motherly part and breastfeed. Made it a whole 5 months before getting pregnant again! This was my angel baby that I lost......but God decided to send me another little bean a few months later. In 2009 I gave birth, yet again via c-section (that makes 3). The doctor was nice enough to throw in a mini tummy tuck and took 2 additional inches of skin off my lower belly! Nice move Doc! My Angelo was breastfed for 13 months!!! I felt so wonderful for giving it my all and sticking with it. So let's pretend we are on Sesame Street and count.....

1.........2..........3 c-sections!

1.........2 breastfed babies!

That has taken a toll on my "smokin' hot body"!

So now you are asking yourself "what is this journey she is about to make"? I am making the exciting journey into the land of cosmetic surgery.

On December 1st at 11:30am, I will be given general anesthesia, rolled into an operating room and have silicone implants placed into the chest of this once "smokin' hot body"!

No, I am not preparing for a new job in the adult industry or even trying to compete with Heidi Montag. I just want the old me back. The one that looked good in a v-neck shirt, the one that wasn't afraid to put on a 2-piece bathing suit (or a 1-piece for that matter!) and the one that felt comfortable in front of my husband. For once, in a very long time, I am doing it for ME!

So, after telling my hubby that I was done having kids, it looks like this Wednesday I'll be giving birth to TWINS!

2010-11-16T11:48:00.000-05:00

After the famous words of one of my favorite characters.........Good Grief!

It has been far too long since I last updated the world on my 3 little monkees. We have been a busy family, as always, and trying to find the time to just sit down and write has proven to be quite difficult.

I'll start my post off on an update of my sweet Angelo (or as we call him around here, A.J.).

Our littlest monkee is becoming quite the handful. At just about 15 months, he is hands down our most active fellow. Some days I lift up his shirt looking for the on/off switch, and to my dismay my kids did not come with one of those!!! A.J. definitely has a future in rock climbing. He climbs EVERYTHING! Chairs must be moved (sometimes even placed on top of the table) and tables have become little mountains that he scales, then looks at me in such pride that he made it to the top. With a quick jump, he lands on the couch and tries to do it all over again.

He also is a human garbage disposal. He will and does, eat everything. No problems with his appetite. His favorite are hot dogs, a parents nightmare. He seems to gobble down 2 full, all beef hot dogs in record time. I think we may also have a "Nathan's Hot Dog" eating champ. But all in all, he will eat it if you put it in front of him.

His vocabulary is growing at a much faster rate then Gino's did. I really can't keep track of how many words he is saying as he is adding new ones everyday. We currently are saying: Mama, Dada, Nana, G (for Gino), Né Né, dog, hot, no, ball and a few others. He will tell you what the doggie says and can point to multiple body parts. And just for humor, if asked how his toes taste, he will put them in his mouth to check!

I am still breastfeeding but am down to 1 feeding a day....his bedtime feeding. Some nights we may have a middle of the night feeding but never more then 2 a day. I have ran through my mind the thought of weaning but alas, I am just not ready to take that little part of alone time away. So I have set myself up to wean my little guy at 18 months *February 2011*. I will divulge the reason for that later on in this blog.

So at A.J.'s 1 year appointment his stats were:
Weight: 22lbs
Height: 31 inches (wow!)

On to Mr. Gino..........

My little bambino has really become on of my best friends. As he grows older, he has become such a sweet polite mama's boy.

His vocabulary has grown to include Thank You's and Please's!!!

He LOVES Thomas the Tank Engine. His buddy that lives across the street introduced him to the world of Thomas and we haven't looked back since (nor has my wallet!) At last count, we were up to 26 trains, in which he can tell you the names of each. And I have found that since he likes them so much, I use them as bribery ALL.THE.TIME.

"Gino, can you please finish your dinner"
"NO Mama"!
"Well then, I am giving your trains to kids that don't have any"
He will then eat everything!

He also loves to sing.....theme songs just like his mother! I know my husband gets annoyed when I make him sit through the theme songs of some of my favorite shows just to sing along (Big Bang Theory) but I find it absolutely adorable that Gino's favorite part of his t.v. shows are the theme songs. And though he hasn't mastered all the words to "Little Einsteins" or " Mickey Mouse Clubhouse", he still likes to sing along.

But unlike his younger bro, Gino does not love to eat. He is a junk food junkie (yes, my fault) and has no desire to ever eat what I have made for dinner. I can say that he lives on Mac N Cheese 75% of the time, along with grilled cheese sandwiches, tator tots, hot dogs and pizza. Now, I make dinner at least 3 times a week (meat, vegetable, starch) and I have convinced him to eat two vegetables in 2 1/2 years. Broccoli (covered in cheese) and squash ( w/ butter and brown sugar). That is it. He currently thinks fish is chicken so at least he is getting his Omega-3s.

And I can honestly say he loves me more then anything. When caught giving his daddy a kiss or a hug, I am immediately belted with what ever toy he is holding and reprimanded with "No kissing daddy"! There is no PDAs in our house. I guess that is just his way of saying "NO MORE KIDS".

And then there was one.....................

Little Miss René!

I have to say some days are like she doesn't live with us! And most weekends she doesn't! She is a social butterfly. School dances, sleep overs.....the typical pre-teen/teen lifestyle.
I can say, unlike myself, God has blessed her with a beautiful voice. The girl can sing!! And some nights we can't get her to stop. She spends endless hours on YouTube© learning the words to her favorite songs just to sing along.

She is such a smart kid. 5th grade proved to be her shining star year, yielding all A's and B's. I am hoping (and praying) that 6th grade has continued this streak as report cards will be sent home next week.

And on to the parents............

Billy has finally made "1st Class" at work which means more $$, but more overtime. He can get called into work just about anytime, or forced to stay at work far beyond quitting time. Complaining is very easy for me to do, however I do bite my tongue when that paycheck comes in! And right now he is taking every stitch of overtime offered because.......................

WE ARE GOING TO LAS VEGAS!!!!!!

We have not gone away, just the 2 of us since I was pregnant with Gino. That was 3 years ago!!! And though the trip was fun (cruise to the Bahamas), I was pregnant. So that meant no drinking, non stop nausea from pregnancy and a rocking cruise ship and limited amounts of time in the sun.

We will be leaving our precious little treasures with our trusted babysitter for 4 nights, 5 days to take in all that is Las Vegas. At a super great rate, we are staying at the MGM Grand/Signature Suites. Our room..... a 1 bedroom suite with kitchen, 2 bathrooms, jacuzzi tub, king size bed, balcony and 24 hr room service. Our goal on this trip: eat like kings, take in some shows, drink like fish and win lots of $$$$ (the last one is unlikely but a dream none the less).

So that's the family in a nutshell.

I will try and update more frequently then every 2 months, I promise!

♥ Jenn

Well It's Official......

2010-09-20T12:22:00.000-04:00

I am absolutely in love with photography!!! I have really enjoyed it for the past year or so, but this weekend I fell head over heels for it.
I have tossed around the idea of making this more of a profession then just a hobby. That is a long way off, however I had the opportunity to shoot my first newborn this weekend and just fell.in.love!!!! Now, I have studied many books, spent countless hours online, taking free classes and tutorials. I have forced my children to endure countless hours of practice photographs. And it all led my to this past Sunday.

I was a bit nervous, cause even though this was a free shoot, I still wanted to take the best possible pictures. I was a bit disappointed to wake up to partly cloudy skies. I had spent the night before planning my settings for 11am sunlight.....natural light. I am not a fan of using my speedlight (maybe because I have more of an eye for natural?) and prefer using natural sunlight, if possible. This was not going to be my option on such a cloudy day.

I spent Saturday morning at Hunt Photo picking up some new gear. I have not been too impressed with my kit lens that came with my Nikon D90 and based on feedback from a few ladies I know that do this for a living, I opted to buy a Nikkor 50mm 1.8. This is a pretty good lens for portraiture and would get a lot more use then the kit lens.

I also splurged on a Nikon Speedlight (SB-600) even though, like I said before I am more into natural light photography. A new filter for the lens, a lens bag and about $500.00 later and I was ready to go.

I spent a better part of Saturday night going over some poses and my setup.

By 11am Sunday morning , my newest customer arrived, fast asleep and ready to photograph. I had plugged in my heating pad under the baby bean bag for to keep the little guy warm. Set to low, I still wish I had a small space heater, but this would do.

Little Justin was a breeze to shoot. He slept 95% of the time. He woke once, to eat (this is after I had stripped him down for some "naked baby" pics) and went right back to sleep. I fully understand that not all babies are this cooperative. The shoot lasted 2 hours and fingers crossed, I got about 12 great pictures out of 326!!!

Now that the bug has bitten, I am thinking I might like to venture into building a home studio. Who knows where this will lead.....but I like it!!

I'm Not Cool Anymore..........

2010-09-09T15:45:00.000-04:00

There was a time in my life that I was cool. It was a brief moment in my life.

It was not when I was a teenager. I was a straight A/B student that actually enjoyed school. Yes, I skipped school, smoked cigarettes and dyed my hair 1001 different colors. But I also joined the band, enjoyed watching Star Trek and was pleased to pull in honor roll grades that impressed the family.

It was not in my early 20's. I never was a club girl. You would have found me at home on the couch watching a sappy romantic movie or reading one of my favorite Steven King books on a Friday night. I remember a day that I went into Boston just to go to the Boston Public library. Uncool.

After Rene was born, my cool period happened to come along when she was 4 or 5 years old. I was a cool mama. We were like two peas in a pod that went everywhere together. We camped, went to the movies, shopped at the mall and rented movies for our "girls" movie night.

Now, as my baby girl grows up, I have realized I am NOT cool anymore. Of course, she knows all the newest music, the best clothes and of course, all the current stars. I, on the other hand, have grown uncool.....or shall I use another word.......OLD! Okay, so 31 is not old, however to an 11 year old, I am ancient.

There was a time in my life that I guess I thought my own mother was uncool. When she would blast her "old music" on Saturday mornings to clean the house. When she would wear a handkerchief on her head after getting her hair set.

Oh how the tables have turned. That music that she played is now in my iPod. Pink Floyd, Creedence Clearwater, James Brown. Not old.......classic!

That handkerchief that she wore......I don't go out on the motorcycle without one!

So as I look at my own mother's uncoolness (or so I thought), she actually was the coolest mom I know.

My coolness may be gone for now, but one day it will return.

And René will be listening to Young MC on her iPod......

And it won't be old.......just classic!

♥ Jenn

Contest Whore!!!

2010-09-08T12:12:00.000-04:00

Ok, so here is a post about something OTHER then my kids (though I know you love hearing about them, even I need a break!)

Have you ever seen those ladies on Oprah or any of those other talk shows that enter a gazillion contests a month and live off of their winnings?

Hello, my name is Jenn and I am a contest whore! Well.....kinda.

About a week ago, I started spending my free time (or any down time at work) entering contests. Any and all contests. Big sweepstakes, daily prizes, cash prizes......you name it, I have entered it. It has now become a very addictive hobby. My 1st goal when I started was to enter 10 contests a day. That would equal 70 contests a week.

Weeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllll..........................This has now snowballed into alot more then 10. Try more like 40 a day!! This is today's count. As of 11:21a.m. EST, I have entered 40 contests. Some of them I had already entered and require you to log in everyday, some are brand new. I use a few different websites to find my contests and I have studied the ins and outs on how to win. I set up an entirely new email address just to track my winnings (and to keep the junk SPAM out of my regular in-box). I am HARDCORE!!!

So as of today, how many contests have I won? Well, I'll give you a hint.........it's more then a giant goose egg.

1......

I have won one contest. No, I will not be traveling the world on a cruise or driving around town in a new Porsche.

I will be BBQing my FREE package of Nathan's hotdogs!!!! Yup, you heard me right! Hotdogs!

Well, it's a start right. I figure, at 40 contests a day times 7 days a week.......that's close to 1,120 entries a month. At this rate, I'll have a new grill for my hotdogs by October. Just in time to put it away for the winter.

And to plug a friend of mine's blog.....I got a bit of my winning inspiration from Annie's Traverse Travels/Stowed Stuff Blog. Check out her blog entry here about her very lucky win she had.

♥ Jenn (a.k.a. Contest Whore!!)

A Big Boy Addiction.....

2010-09-01T12:27:00.000-04:00

Well, some people have shoe addictions (like myself) and some people have electronic addictions (like my husband). Well, my newly potty trained 2 year old (yes you read that right....2 years old and potty trained!!!) has a slight addiction to underwear!! OK, when I say slight, I mean he has over 30 pairs of underwear. Now, you say to yourself "well it's not an addiction if he's not buying them".

Wrong!

There is nothing that makes my son happier then a new package of big boy undies. So yes, I am contributing to his addiction, but it could be worse, right? He could be sniffing glue or eating household cleaners. Now those are serious addictions.

Our current selection of big boy undies includes: Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Elmo, random animals, and the plain old whitey tighty's.

I swear some days he has accidents on purpose just so he can change his underwear 2+ times a day.

Is there an "Underwear Anonymous"?

♥Jennifer

More Baby Wearing / Kangaroo Care

2010-08-31T16:19:00.001-04:00

Well, I never really get pictures of me wearing Angelo unless I take the picture. Thanks to my neighbor/friend June for taking a great picture of Angelo and I at a local park. Now that Angelo is a big boy, I love wearing him on my back and he loves being able to see the world (except in this picture, he is catching some midday Zzzzzzzz's!)

I also wanted to post this link to one of the most amazing stories I have read! Just goes to show that miracles do happen!!

Miracle Down Under - Kangaroo Care

Enjoy!

Middle School, Here We Come!!!!

2010-08-26T12:03:00.000-04:00

So back to school is just around the corner and René is off to middle school this year. It is a bit frightening for me as I can remember all the things I did in middle school, good and bad.

I felt like an adult for the first time. Switching classes, talking to boys and wearing makeup. I remember my first real boyfriend was in 6th grade! Yikes! I also remember taking the bus to the mall (Assembly Square Mall) with a group of friend after being told not to by my mom. And though we are a ways away from 8th grade, this was the 1st time I skipped school (and got caught, by the police none the less!!!).

Middle school was a whole new world of things. Boy/girl birthday parties, hanging at the park after school, lugging a zillion books from class to class.

My only advice that I would have for my new middle schooler is: Stay true to yourself. You are who you are and no one can change that. Do not follow but be a leader. Peer pressure is super tough and there are times when you may feel like you want to fit in. These are the times that you need to be a leader and let people follow you, let them fit into "your clic".

Times may get tough....new people, new teachers, new schoolwork. These are all challenges for the real world. You can pass these tests (and I know you will), you can do anything, be anything that you want.

So on your 1st day, hold your head high and pretend that you own the school. This is your education, and that is something YOU DO OWN.

You Are My Sunshine............

2010-08-24T10:29:00.000-04:00

My sweet, sweet Angelo. Where do I begin? I guess where everyone starts.......in the beginning.

You were conceived on Sunday, December 8th, 2008. At night. And I found out I was pregnant on December 16th. Your father was working away from home during the ice storms of 2008. Rather then calling him, I took a picture of the home pregnancy test and texted him! Surprise!!!!!

My pregnancy with you was just like Gino's.......not fun! Chasing a 1 year old around while pregnant was not on the top of my fun list. By 8 months pregnant I was having contractions daily and put on bed rest. Of course there was no such thing as bed rest chasing a 1 year old around.

Fast forward.......

The morning of August 24th was filled with anticipation. Of course, I could eat or drink anything after midnight so I was STARVING when I woke up. Your father had treated me to a fantastic meal at Bobby C's the night before, which included a wonderful glass of red wine. But it wasn't enough to hold me over to our 1:00pm scheduled c-section. We arrived at the hospital by 11:30ish. I remember being very anxious to meet you, but very calm about the procedure. By my 3rd c-section I knew exactly what to expect and probably could have talked the doctors through the surgery. I changed into my "oh so fabulous" hospital gown and climbed into bed. The nurses came in and "prepped" me for the procedure. I was hooked up to the monitor and got to hear your heartbeats one last time before your grand entrance. Your father thought it would be fun to take picture of me in my couture hospital attire! Thanks hun! As I waited, I updated my Facebook status from my crackberry, up until the last minute before I made the long walk to the OR. Hospital are always cold, so even with my little hospital slippers on, I shivered all the way down the hall. I looked back and kissed your father as it would be a good 15 minutes before I would see him again. I climbed on top of the OR table, took a deep breath and started my pre c-section ritual. I spoke the Lord's Prayer in my head, over and over until the spinal was complete. I don't know how many times I said it, but it was enough to take the edge off. The nurse laid me back and all the hustle and bustle began.

Dr. Richman entered the room, ready to do what he does best. If there was ever a man in my life that I loved, other then your father, this is the man. I swore I would stop having kids when he stopped practicing medicine.

I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the 15 minute journey of having my baby. Your father was brought into the room and sat next to my head. He caressed my hand and told me it was almost over. He has a terrible habit of looking over the drape and watching the surgery. He did it with Gino and he did it with you.

After a whole lot of tugging and a whole lot of pushing......just like they expected, you were born.......bum up in the air.

At exactly 1:23pm you made your grand entrance into this world and into my life........

Your father cried (as usual) and I waited to hear your first cries. How things have changed. Nowadays I comfort you when you cry but on that special day I longed to hear your voice.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!

Finally!!!!! You let the world know that you were here.

And while you felt like a small elephant living inside me, you weighed in at a whooping 6lbs, 10oz!! You were my smallest baby........my baby baby!

The hardest part of a c-section was the next 30 minutes. You were taken to the nursery and your father accompanied you there. I sat alone in the OR while they stitched me up. I longed to hold you, to nurse you, to get to know you. On your way to the nursery, you met your big sister René. She was a "pro" at being a big sister and couldn't wait to get a picture of you.

At the hospital that you were born in, when a baby is born there, there is a special button that they press to play a lullaby throughout the hospital. Your big sister got to press the button this time to let everyone know a baby was born.

They finished cleaning up my "war wound" and I was taken back to my recovery room. Once I was settled in, the nurse asked if she could get me anything.

"Only my baby", I replied.

Other then the doctors and nurses, I wanted to be the 1st to hold you. And I was. The minute I got you into my arms, I nursed you. And your nursed like a champ!!

Now, we didn't tell anyone your name before you were born. And to be honest, your name wasn't Angelo until the day before you were born. Your father and I agreed on Joseph Anthony, but for some reason I just wasn't feeling it. I had the name Angelo in my head my entire pregnancy.

Your name has a special meaning behind it (and of course I will tell this story over and over).

You see, I was pregnant before you with what would have been your big brother or sister. Unfortunately, God took that little baby to heaven cause it was so special he needed him/her there. So on August 28th, we said goodbye to our Angel. When I found out I was pregnant with you, your due date was August 28th! I believe in my heart that my angel baby saw how sad I was and sent me you.

I vowed to never forget my angel and in that promise, I named you Angelo.

And since the day you were born, you have been my angel. You were never colicky, you were (and still are) and champion nurser, a great sleeper and you have the most perfect temperament.

When all of my children are born, they each get a song that seems to calm them when fussy...... your song has always been "You are my sunshine".

And that you are.

A Word from Angelo

2010-08-18T10:04:00.000-04:00

Hello friends!! It has been a while since I last posted here on Mommy's blog. SO many fantastic things have been happening in my life. I am 6 days shy of my 1st birthday! Can you believe that I have been part of this wonderful family for almost a year now?! Feels life just yesterday I was floating around in mommy's belly, listening to my big brother scream and yell on the outside. Now he is screaming and yelling at me here! And throwing things, biting, hitting me......pretty much beating me up every second he gets. But then some days, he is really great. He shares his toys with me, hugs me, gives me kisses and even dances with me. I guess this is just what big brothers do.

I am officially a walker now. I have been going at it for 3 months now. I am a professional! I still fall down...... a lot! But I get right back up and keep going. And I love climbing stairs. Yesterday, someone forgot to put the gate up by the stairs. I made it 1/2 way up all by myself. And I made it all the way down by myself. But I tumbled down......which didn't feel too good on my head. Mom gave me a once over and determined that I was fine. I little scared but fine.

I have 4 teeth right now too. And I eat EVERYTHING!! I mean EVERYTHING! I love fish and tator tots! And cheese curls are my favorite snack (along with chocolate milk in the sippy cup).

I'm not really talking much right now. I say Mama, Dada and sometimes I try to say Nana, though mommy thinks I am saying Né Né. I do point at things a lot and I can shake my head "no". Mommy isn't too fond of that!

I really don't like playing with toys. I'd rather chase my 2 cats around or play with mommy and daddy. And I don't like t.v. Those Muppet people just aren't that funny. Gino seems to like them and watches t.v. a lot! I would rather climb and run.

So mommy is planning my 1st birthday party. She is gonna get me a Curious George cake, I think because she likes monkeys and calls us her "3 Little Monkees". Gino says they are gonna sing me a song and when they are done I get to stick my hand in the cake!! I love to make a mess so that sounds like fun.

Well, I don't have too much to say. I will be back next week with my birthday pics.

♥ Angelo

I Wanna Be Like Daddy!

2010-08-16T11:54:00.000-04:00

Silly Rides at the Mall!!!

2010-08-16T11:47:00.000-04:00

Peach Picking

2010-08-16T11:40:00.001-04:00

So I decided that even though we didn't have a family vacation planned this year, I took 1 week off from work and did some fun stuff around town. Gino and Angelo enjoyed the fact that I was home for a whole week. I think Gino really enjoyed peach picking. He wasn't too familiar with peaches so I kinda told him we were apple picking. He was surprised though that the "apples" were not red, but tasted pretty good! Now, doing this with 2 babies was not an easy task. Daddy had to work that day and René was at her cousins so it was just me and the boys. When we arrived, we were the only ones there! I guess everyone else thought 90 degrees was a bit hot to stand in the middle of an orchard and pick peaches. None the less, the boys had a blast. Thank goodness for my rugged Phil and Ted's carriage. The wheels on that were able to make it down a dusty dirt road and through the grass out to the orchard. I, of course was drenched in sweat and filthy cause I wore flip flops (not to self: sneakers are a must for apple picking next month). Angelo relaxed in the back of the carriage with his sippy of water and munched on peaches that Gino handed him. He was a bit unsure of the furry skin, but once he got to the flesh he slurped away at the juices! It must have been the very start of the season as there was not a single peach on the ground. I threw Gino up on my shoulders and picked away!!! It became a game of how fast could we fill up a bag. He picked every peach in site!! We left there with 1 bushel of peaches, more then we would ever eat! They had a cute little animal farm with chickens, pigs and even an emu! Gino got a kick out of the two pigs laying in the mud and even named them.....mama pig and dada pig!!! We hit up the farmers market on the way out and grabbed some tasty zucchini, squash and fresh honey. Would I do it again with 2 kids on my own? Heck no!! But the experience was worth it!!! Of course, being the brainless mommy, I forgot the camera. Thank goodness for my Blackberry though! I was able to catch one photo of my little guy going to town!

Just Have to Share This.....

2010-08-05T15:55:00.001-04:00

So I came across the most interesting blog in my own blogging career.

Adele is a mother to beautiful Mila, living in Finland. while on maternity leave she has started a blog called Mila's Daydreams. Everyday at naptime, she creates a scene on her living room floor, then moves her sleeping baby to the scene for a photo of her daily daydream! I saw this and thought it was the most creative idea yet to chronicle one's baby!

Check our her blog for yourself!!

MILA'S DAYDREAMS

♥ jennifer

In the Beginning....

2010-08-04T10:55:00.003-04:00

This is a story that I am sure you kids will hear for years to come. Your father and I like talking about our courtship cause.......it was pretty hilarious. This will be the only time that I tell this story as truthfully as possible cause well, when I tell it to your faces I will not be able to get into some detail for fear of self humiliation.

Your father and I grew up in the same neighborhood most of our lives, yet we never knew each other. I in fact, am 6 years younger then him so when you put it into perspective, I was in the 6th grade as your father graduated high school. Kinda gross back then, but it works now.

In 2004, Dad had just broken up with his ex-girlfriend (whom I won't name cause I really don't want to waste my writing on her). We first formally met at a Luau, coincidentally being held by his other ex-girlfriend, Tammy Smith. Luckily for daddy, I liked Tammy and still remain great friends with her. I was at this party with some friends and my boyfriend at the time. Your father was standing in the front of the house with some other guys, chit chatting. Also in the front of the house were a few motorcycles, Harley's to be exact. Now I had always had a thing for guys on bikes. Your Papa Bob had a motorcycle and would take me for rides when I was as young as 5 years old! And at the time I met your father, I was dating a guy that rode a "crotch rocket". So, after spotting the bikes, and spotting your father, I put on my best charm and said "I would love to go for a ride". Your father perked right up and said "Yeah? You wanna go for a ride?" The funny thing about it was, his bike wasn't even there!!! So, he asked another friend to borrow his bike and off we went! It wasn't a long ride, but enough to make small talk. When we got back, I made my way back into the party. Later on that night I went back out front but he was gone.

So a few weeks later, I was volunteering at a golf tournament and guess who happened to be playing? Yup! Your father. Since I was working (or should I say, driving a golf cart around and drinking!) I didn't see him much that day. But as we were leaving, I did run into him. I was in an area that I wasn't familiar with so I decided I would follow him home to avoid getting lost. Now, it must have been 90 degrees that day. It was HOT! As we pulled back into Malden, he pulled over beside me and asked if I would like to stop by his house cause he had air conditioning!!! What a pick up line!!! However, it worked. We hung out together for a few hours. And might I add, he tried to make a move on me but I wasn't having it! Ok, well maybe we kissed but that was it! We exchanged phone numbers and off I went. We spoke on occasion after that. I was dating someone so I really didn't have any interest in him, or so I thought.

We made plans to go out one night. Last minute, I gave him the blow off. I wasn't interested (or so I thought) and was invited out with some girlfriends. We headed to a local bar for drinks. Of course, I was dancing and drinking when all of a sudden who walks in!!! Yup!! Your father. Of course he made his rounds and said hello to everyone he knew, but avoided me like the plague. I didn't blame him. I was supposed to be home and here I was living it up.

After that, we didn't talk much. He would however seem to show up with different girls (all friends according to him) at my job. So when I really thought I wasn't interested.......I was jealous as heck!!!

Now fast forward a few months......around Christmas. We were both in relationships. Daddy was dating a girl that worked with Pammi, I was seeing a guy that I had been friends with since we were teenagers. Just a few days shy of New Years Eve, I was blown off by my boyfriend. I thought, "what am I gonna do for New Years". Then a light went off in my head.....call Billy. So I gave him a call. Just so happens that his date blew him off also. He belonged to a motorcycle club that was having a big party, to which he invited me.

New Years Eve rolls around and I meet your father at his apartment. We head to the party where I am impressed by his friends and the kinda parties they throw.

We celebrate our anniversary on 12/31 cause as your dad likes to say, this is the day that I became a "squatter" and wouldn't leave!!!

We hit it off, and started to get close. We did some weekend getaways and day trips, taking rides on the bike and enjoying some nice dinners. René and I moved into daddies apartment in August 2005. By March of 2006, your father proposed on one knee in our living room.....right after buying a new motorcycle!!! We didn't plan a huge wedding and were married 5 months later on August 4, 2006.

The rest is history!!

Some New Ideas.....

2010-08-03T13:51:00.000-04:00

So I am always thinking of ways to make sure we remember everything that has happened in our children's life. I am not great at baby books and honestly, unless you leave those things out, how do you remember all the things that happen? If I tried to update it once a week, I still can't remember what we had for dinner last night! So, when Gino was a little guy I started his Blog, "Gino the Bambino". Of course once Angelo came there was no way I could write 2 blogs!!! So I decided to start this "3 Little Monkees".

But of course, we all get busy and to be honest, it gets difficult writing every single day! I mean, not everyday is as exciting as the last. So I could bore you all and write about how Gino pooped on the floor or how Angelo has a diaper rash at the moment. Or better yet, how Rene has been traveling so much I haven't really seen her in a month (nothig to write about there!). Or, I could write only when something is that interesting and leave you with pictures to look at!!

So, starting on August 25th I will be doing a 365 Photo Blog of the kids! "What is this" you ask.

Well, for everyday of the year, I will post a picture that respresents that day. After 1 year has gone by, I will have 365 photos to look back on and remember what we did every single day of the year!

Stay tuned for more info!!!

♥ Jennifer

Rounding Home Base......

2010-07-30T14:18:00.001-04:00

Well kids, my Angelo will be turning 1 year old next month. The time has flown by. I remember laying on the OR table as they were delivering him like it was yesterday. I had a few obstacles nursing Gino so I swore I would try hard and do my best to breastfeed my newest edition till he was at least 1 year old. Well, we are rounding home base now, but still breastfeeding. I get the most awkward looks from people when they ask if I breastfed (like it's any one's business) and when I tell them that at 11 months, we still are, I get a look of horror. Or the occasional " you did it long enough, you can stop". I swore I would wean when my little guys was ready. I'll admit, at one point, I tried to do it on my terms but he wouldn't have it!! So who am I to force him to do something he doesn't want to. My work schedule is pretty hectic so around 10 months, I stopped pumping and started giving him 3 formula bottles while I am at work. After 5pm, I become Bessie the Cow again till the next morning. He enjoys his nightly feeding, when it is only him and I , cuddled on the couch. I twirl his hair around my fingers and sing little nursery rhymes to him as he drifts off to sleep.

If you had asked me 10 years ago what I thought of breastfeeding, my ignorance would have responded with something close to an "eewwwwww".

Now, I look at my Angelo and I couldn't have imagined doing it any other way.

So, as the big 1st birthday approaches, I wonder if our nightly nursing will become a thing of the past.

If so, I enjoyed every moment of it.

If not, It's all up to him....I'm just along for the ride!

♥jennifer

He's a Swimmer!!!

2010-07-06T22:55:00.000-04:00

Tiny Feet.......Big Steps

2010-06-22T12:07:00.000-04:00

The Spadafora household has been busy, busy, busy with 3 kids. As summer rolls in, it seems as though we have something going on every weekend. I am so very luck for Gino's daycare. All the stuff I wish I could do on weekends, he seems to do during the week. And his little brother has joined him there 1 day a week so there is fun all around. Swimming, trips to the park and zoo, and many, many friends. While Billy and I work our 8+ hour jobs, we have found a little place to relax after a long day of work. Our backyard has become our personal oasis. BBQ'ing and drinks are a nightly ritual while the kids look for bugs and such on the back deck.

Rene has officially graduated elementry school and is now in the world of 11+ year old kids in middle school. She made the honor roll, yet again, and continues to impress me with her independence. We have given her a bit more freedom, allowing her to walk to the ice cream shop on her own, or to the local school yard to hang with her friends. As always, I am sure she will be a busy little beaver this summer. She has already been invited on 2 family vacations with good friends and with our planned camping this summer, she will have alot to write about come September.

Gino is a comedian, as always. He loves to ham it up for the family and I swear, his goal in life is to get everyone around him to laugh. He has been quite the adventurous little tot lately. As of this past weekend, the kid has no fear of jumping from the diving board into my sister-in-laws pool!! At one point, he dove in WITHOUT his swimmie suit on!!! Sank to the bottom like a rock. Luckily daddy was right there to pool him up. Of course, Gino laughed about it and wasn't phased by it one bit! My little dare-devil!!! His vocabulary is stronger each day. This morning, his new word of the day was "hot tub"!! No, not because I run the water too warm for his nightly bath, but because he spent Father's Day swimming in his auntie's pool and lounging (sans-diaper) in her hot tub!! What a life!!

Angelo on the other hand is growing leaps and bounds! I named this post after him......Tiny Feet.....Big Steps!! My little guy started walking a few weeks ago. He started slow...2 steps....then fall to the ground. He has now advanced on to more then 5 steps at a time! Sometimes I think, he thinks he can run but he forgets to pick up his feet and falls flat on his face!! It is so hard to believe that just yesterday I was delivering him and now he is walking. He also follows Gino everywhere, which has me chasing him everywhere. Gino learned to go up and down our stairs very early and I hope the same goes for Angelo cause I am sick of gates all over my house!

As for us, life has busy. I am starting a side photography business. It's about time. When Billy bought my Nikon D90 a few years back, I was afraid to shoot with it. It seemed so "professional". Well, I did some reading and starting using it more to shoot the kids. And after a lond while of shooting in "Auto" mode, I took a leap of faith and ventured into "manual"!! My favorite shots are of the kiddos, mid day sun, shooting in a shutter priority mode (this may be foreign for a lot of you! It was to me for so very long). My dream is to start a business that can support the household and still allow me some time with the kids through the week. I am enjoying capturing their special moments.

So that's it for now. I have 800 pictures in my camera as we speak so expect some photo updates soon!!! And I will be launching my photo blog and a website real soon, so keep your eyes open!!!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!!!

2010-06-10T12:43:00.004-04:00

My sweet René turns 11 today. Where has the time gone? I remember laying in the hospital bed, breathing through contractions, waiting on my baby. I remember the doctors yelling that if they didn't get her out of me, we would lose her. I remember shaking uncontrollably on the OR table waiting to see her face. And I remember holding her for the first time, scared that I would break her somehow. She was so small, so perfect and all mine.

There are so many memories I have that I could not possible list them all, but here are a few special ones that come to mind:

*The first time she rode a bike: She fell off, scraped her chin and vowed to never ride a bike again. She still doesn't know how!!!

*Her first day at school: I was what you would call "momarazzi" snapping pictures like they were going out of style.

*My wedding: I wanted her to be my Maid of honor, but she opted to be a more beautiful flower girl. And the moment we said "I Do", she started calling Billy "dad".

*The day she was adopted by Billy: She had practiced spelling her new last name for months and was so excited to go to school and use it!!

*The day Gino entered the world: She was so happy to have a brother, but a bit sad to lose her "only child" status. Little did she realize, she would always be my baby.

There are so many special times I have shared with my baby girl. She is my co-pilot in life. If mommy and daddy have an argument, she's got my back! When a thunderstorm rolls through, she still climbs into bed like she was a little kid.

My wish is that she never changes. I hope she remains true to herself, confident in the choices she makes, and stays independent...relying on no one but herself.

This song sums up how I feel about my baby girl.

In my daughter's eyes I am a hero

I am strong and wise and I know no fear

But the truth is plain to see

She was sent to rescue me

I see who I want to be

In my daughter's eyes

Everyone is equal

Darkness turns to light

And the world is at peace

This miracle God gave to me

Gives me strength when I'm weak

I find reason to believe

In my daughter's eyes

And when she wraps her hand around my finger

Oh it puts a smile in my heart

Everything becomes a little clearer

I realize what life is all about

It's hangin' on when your heart has had enough

It's givin' more when you feel like givin' up

I've seen the light

It's in my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes

I can see the future

A reflection of who I am

And what we'll be

And though she'll grow and someday leave

Maybe raise a family

When I'm goneI hope you'll see

How happy she made me

For I'll be there

In my daughter's eyes

A Post to Remember

2010-05-27T14:31:00.011-04:00

I started this blog as a way to tell my kids a story. A story of their life and the lives around them. So much happens in our day to day lives that it is difficult to remember each and every moment. And I am surely not able to write about every moment had, but I do try to catch the special ones. This post is for my boys, Angelo and Gino. As of today, they are 9 months and 27 months. I don't think they will remember the events of this past week but I hope this post retells it as passionately as it happened.

I hadn't known Papa Tony very long. Of the 5 years I had been with your father, I probably only knew Papa well for the 3 of those years. He was a gentle old man. He didn't smile often, only when you kids were around. He was a bit of a joker. He liked to get Nana Alice's stockings in a bunch. I often wondered if this was going to be your father and I in 50 years . I hoped so. Every morning Papa Tony would make his way to the Produce Market in Chelsea. This is were he would meet his old friends to share stories, new and old. Sunday's were spent at church. Every single Sunday. We would often spend an hour or so at Nana's house visiting till he arrived home. Some Sunday's were spent eating Nana's meatballs and sauce. From the kitchen you could hear the front door open, and sure enough it was Papa, home from mass. He would make his way into the kitchen, straight to the candy dish. Gino would follow right behind him knowing what was coming next. Papa would dig for a Dove chocolate or a Hershey's Kiss. Some days Gino would have it in his mouth before he got the wrapper off. Papa would then dig into his pocket and pull out a few dollar bills. "Rene, this is for you and your brothers. Make sure you share it" he would say. And Papa loved to joke with Rene. I think almost every Sunday he would ask her if he could keep her little brothers, to which she would answer "Noooooo"!

If we happened to visit on a warm summer day, you could find him in his lounge chair in the driveway soaking up the sun. Somedays we would tip toe past him as he slept, with the sunshine beating down on his wrinkles. If it was the middle of the winter you could find him in his back room, covered with blankets warming himself by the space heater. And the Catholic Channel was always playing on the T.V.

It was Thursday, May 20th when I got the phone call from your father. Papa Tony was in the hospital after minor sugery. He had taken a turn for the worse. Now I will not get into details about his illness, as it really doesn't matter. What mattered the most was that we were told Papa was going to die. It would happen quickly. The family arrived at the hospital one by one. Aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters and brothers. Young and old, friends and family. We were told he had 48-72 hours to live. I remember crying. I creid out of grief, but I think I cried more knowing that my boys wouldn't have much time or many memories of thier Papa Tony. I brought both of you to the hospital. It was more so Papa could see his little guys one last time. I wanted him to have your faces etched in his memories for eternity. I knew that Rene would always remember her Papa, but you boys would only have pictures and stories.

By Saturday night, Papa was not too far from heaven's doorstep. Though we hadn't seen him open his eyes in a while, I am sure he listened to everyone speak his name with love. By 10:00pm Papa went home to his maker, a place I truely believe he wanted to be.

The next few days we spent with family. You actually got to meet and love your cousins, aunts and uncles during this time. And as far as you guys knew, Papa was sleeping. I think he was looking down though smiling ear to ear knowing that his death brought a family together.

Tuesday rolled around and it was a heck of a day. The temperature hit 98 degrees and the humidity was unbearable. But dispite the weather.... friends, family and loved ones waited in line to see Papa one last time. To pay tribute to what I would like to think was a legend. I couldn't tell you how many hands I shook or cheeks I kissed. Too many to count. I had never known anyone that had that many fans. Some came through with stories. Other just bowed their heads and held back tears. But all came through with a heavy heart.

I had hoped that when I went to sleep Tuesday night, I would wake up and it would be Thursday. I was dreading Wednesday. Up until then I had held it together. I really didn't want to cry in front of Rene. But I knew the funeral would bring a waterfall of tears. We arrived at Anthony's around 8:15am. As we pulled in, the 1st of the motorcycle escorts were arriving. Lowell, Medford, Somerville.....just a few cities that sent their police representatives. We sat in the lounge waiting for the limo's to arrive. I had a knot in my stomach knowing this was it. You boys sat at daycare, playing and laughing, not knowing what was going on. I wish I could always hide you from all reality, to shield you from anything that hurts in life.

The limos arrived and we piled in, one by one, ready to start the slow journey to lay Papa to rest. Our first stop, the funeral home, to say one last good bye to the Patriarch of the family. Again, family and friends arrived and a small line formed. The tears began to flow, not just by me, but by almost every person there. After a prayer, everyone was asked to head to their cars with the exception of immediate family. We all huddled around the casket, pulling out our personal possestions to live with Papa. Pictures, letters and even some alcohol was placed in the little drawer in the casket. We touched his hands, kissed his forhead and said our last goodbyes. As we walked out the front door of the funeral home, I saw just about one of the most beautiful things. The Malden Police department had lined up in the street, blocking traffic, waiting for Papa's casket to be brought to the hearse. As he was wheeled out of the building, nothing could be heard except for the sharp yell "Present Arms"! Each police officer sharply saluted your grandfather, holding perfectly still as he was moved into the hearse. It was sunny out so my sunglasses were on, but I am sure you could see the steady stream of tears dripping off my cheek. I looked over at Nana and tried to imagine that through all her hurt and pain, the sense of pride she had as all those officers saluted your Papa Tony.

We then started our slow drive to the church. In a world were everyone is in such a rush to get somewhere, it was sort of peaceful to be going 7 miles an hour. We were in no rush to say goodbye.

As we pulled up to the church parking lot, we slowed to nearly a stop. The police escort pulled in front of the hearse and flower car, making their way to the front of the church. As we turned the corner to park, all you could see were police officers standing at attention next to the motorcycles. I then glanced to my right and was in awe. The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company were lining the steps to the church. Dressed in full uniform, they came to pay their respects to a fallen commerade. Your father made his way out of the limo. There were 6 Pallbearers......5 were grandchildren (Billy Jr., Craig, Albert Jr., Anthony III and David) and 1 great-grandchild (Jake). You boys were obviously too young, but what a sight, to see Papa's boys carrying him into his favorite place to be.

We made our way into the church and found our pews to begin the service. This part becomes a bit of a blur. I remember sitting there and praying in my head. I am not Catholic, but I do believe in G_D and prayer. Then the eulogys began. I was looking forward to something light hearted and funny, something to break the silence of the church. Your Auntie Kristen gave the first eulogy, remincing of times when she was a child, traveling with Papa and watching his good deeds be done. Your cousin Craig gave the second eulogy, speaking more about his younger years of traveling the world.

As the service ended, we stood to exit the pews, the only sound to be heard was the bagpipper on the front steps. Again, we made our way to the limos to begin our journey to Papa's final resting place. This would prove to be a long ride, a very long quiet ride. As we drove to the other side of Malden, we had a few stops to make. We turned onto Emerald Street, Papa's home for the past 50+ years. Neighbors stood on their front stoops, saying their final goodbyes. We came to the end of the street and turned onto Pearl Street. The old flower shop and Papa's birth place. This is where the legacy began. Flowers lined the front of the store, which was only fitting as that was what the building was originaly for.

Our next stop....Anthony's of Malden. Papa's business.......after family, friends and faith, this was his next love. Your father will one day tell you stories of Papa and his band of "cronies" otherwise known as the roundtable.

We ventured up Canel Street and came to a stop in front of the restaurant. What a sight it was. All of the employees that couldn't attend the funeral stood outside holding signs and american flags. The herse stopped in front of the doors and the driver excited. He then proceeded to pull out Papa's coffin, to let his people say their goodbyes and to let Papa say goodbye to them. This was our final stop before the cemetary.

We crept down Eastern Ave. Our final destination.....Holy Cross Cemetary. By time you boys read this blog, you will know Papa's gravesite very well. My hopes are to bring you by, once a month, to tell you stories of a great old man who loved you very much.

We turned off of Eastern Ave and onto Broadway, nearing the entrance to the cemetary. But something spectacular caught my eye. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. The picture I have in my head is imprinted there for life. Two Malden Fire ladder trucks parked on each side of the street. The ladders reached high into the sky. And drapped from each one was an american flag. I am not talking about a rinky dinky flag but a flag that could have measured 100x100. It was massive, beautiful, sad and breathtaking all at once.

We entered the cemetary and pulled up to our spot. The temperature must have been 95 degrees. It was hot. There was a small tent set up with chairs. As Papa's family took their seats, the priest led us in a prayer, the only prayer I know, the "Our Father". As the priest finished his paryers, TAPS was played. I stared at the grass below my feet, tears dripping off my face. This was Papa's final salute from the military. As TAPS ended, the Honor Guard began to fold the flag that drapped Papa's coffin. As the last fold was made, the Navy gentleman took the flag and presented it to Nana Alice saying this:

"On behalf of the President of the United States, a grateful nation, and a proud Navy, this flag is presented as a token of our appreciation for the honorable and faithful service rendered by your loved one to his / her country and Navy".

And that was it. I grabbed a rose and placed it on Papa's casket. I placed my hand on top and said goodbye. I told him I knew he was looking down on us, watching us. And somewhere in my heart, I knew he was smiling.

He will be missed, but in the long life he lived he did so much that we will never forget him. We should all strive to be like him. I will end this letter with one last quote, something that reminds me of Papa.

Great work is done by people who are not afraid to be great.

RIP Anthony Spadafora

10.20.1926 - 5.25.2010

A Day At The Park

2010-05-03T10:48:00.003-04:00

This will be a short post as life seems a bit hectic lately. I took my 3 little monkees to the park to play. This is one of Gino's favorite places, however it was also Angelo's first time at the park!! He loved it......and loved playing on the swings. Here is a brief video of my monkees having some fun (disregard my annoying voice in the backround!).

Ouchie!

2010-04-30T16:00:00.000-04:00

Being a parent has it's ups and downs. One of the biggest downers is when your child is sick and there is nothing you can do. This is how we spent last night with our Gino Bambino. He has been quite the little fuss bucket lately but that is nothing out of the ordinary. Like all of us, Gino has his days.

The hubby and I decided was needed a night out to ourselves for some "mental health" time and decided on a quick dinner without the kids. Nana Donna came to the house to watch the rugrats while we would partake in margaritas and mexican food. We were home by 8:30pm and the boys were fast asleep. We headed to bed and managed to get a few hours sleep before Gino would wake up, bawling his eyes out. I chalked it up to a potential bad dream and rubbed his back while he laid in bed with us. He proceeded to wake every 10 minutes or so and cry. Finally I asked him if he had a "boo boo", to which he replied "yes". "Can you show me where your boo boo is Gino?" I asked. He pulled on his right ear. Ah huh!!! So this makes complete sense. He hasn't been eating, been exceptionally fussy and very clingy. I ran to the medicine cabinet and got a dose of Tylenol (greatest invention EVER!). He fought me tooth and nail but I finally got it down. He drifted off to sleep but not for long. By 4:30am he was crying in pain again, however he was also asking to watch his new favorite movie, Toy Story. I picked my little guy up and off we went to the couch so Dada could get some sleep. I decided at that point that the Tylenol wasn't working (NOT the greatest invention ever) and got out the childrens Motrin (the greatest invention EVER!). Within 10 minutes of that dose he was fast asleep in my arms in a comfortable, medicated sleep. I managed to get an hour and a half of sleep before it was time to get up.

In the middle of the night, the hubby and I had decided that 1st thing in the morning we would take Gino to the CVS Minute Clinic. This would be our first time going. Usually I would call his pediatrician, however every time I call then can never see us till well into the afternoon. I was not waiting another 8 hours with a cranky, clearly in pain 2 year old. So off we went at 8am to the clinic. The nurse practitioner was wonderful, explaining that she had a small child herself and that when the little ones are sick, nighttime is the worst. I told her that we thought he may have an ear infection and after whipping out her little ear microscope thingy (clearly not the correct medical term) she confirmed that he has a DOUBLE ear infection!! Poor guy....and poor us!!! So with antibiotic in hand and instructions to give it to him 3x a day for 10 days (wowzers!!) we left the clinc feeling much better, and with hope that we both would get some sleep tonight.

Let's just pray he doesn't/hasn't shared his brotherly germs with Angelo!!

Fingers crossed!

Cowboy Gino!!

2010-04-28T14:36:00.003-04:00

Sorry If My House Is A Mess But..........

2010-04-27T13:12:00.003-04:00

Some houses try to hide the fact

that children shelter there;

Ours boasts of it quite openly,

the signs are everywhere.

for smears are on the windows,

little smudges on the doors:

I should apologize I guess

for toys strewn on the floor.

But I sat down with the children

and we played and laughed and read;

and if the doorbell doesn't shine

their eyes will shine instead.

for when at times I'm forced to choose

the one job or the other;

I want to be a housewife...
but first I'll be a mother.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth

empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
hang out the washing and butter the bread,
sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Houston.....We Have A Problem!

2010-04-26T15:05:00.000-04:00

And it comes in the form of an 8 month old baby! On April 24, 2010 at approx. 2:00pm, Angelo Joseph Spadafora started crawling! YIKES!!

A little slow to the get go, as Gino was a mere 6.5 months when he started crawling, however Angelo has just about mastered crawling in a matter of a day and is flying around the house. And since we are in a new house, I do NOT have any safety gates installed.

This morning, like any other morning, I placed Angelo on the living room rug while I picked up the house. I totally forgot that he was crawling and went about my business. As I was standing in the kitchen packing up my work bag, a little body came up to my feet! "What the heck"? My super speedy crawler made it to the kitchen in about a minute! Yes, I fear we are in trouble now. If our house wasn't hectic enough. Now I have 2 kiddos on the move, which means twice the mess!!!

In other news, Gino has not only learned his newest word, but he also knows how to spell it. "Which word" you ask yourselves. Well, it just so happens to be the one that most parents dread the most...............N-O!!!!!!!! Now granted, I love the fact that he uses the word "no", as it makes my life easier. Trying to figure out what he wants can be time consuming. Now I can just ask a question and get an answer. However, the answer to everything lately is "no". I mean, if he leaned how to say "cocktail", would he run around using that word every chance that he got? Highly doubt it. But there is something oh so powerful about the word "no" that kids seem to cling to it like white on rice!!

He also favors the phrase "I don't know" (which sound more like "i doe mo"). But it is not the fact that he says it, but more the way he says it.

Example:
ME: "Gino, do you know where Angelo's paci is?"
Gino " I doe mo mama!"

All the while he rolls his eyes at me, as if he is thinking "Come on mama, it's not my paci. How should I know where it is'!

Yikes!

All Bandaged Up!!!

2010-04-20T12:27:00.002-04:00

Gino's 1st War Wound.......

2010-04-20T12:26:00.002-04:00

Our Not-So-Little Visitor......

2010-04-09T15:05:00.001-04:00

So a few near and dear friends decided to take a vacation, however they had no place to send their fur baby. So seeing that René has been hounding me (no pun intended) for a dog, I figured that dog sitting would be a nice way to teach her the responsibility that goes along with having a pet. Now, we already have 2 cats. Buddy, our oldest cat, was adopted in 2006 from the MSPCA. He is pretty large for a cat, weighing in at 17lbs. He is also a "Polydactyl Cat" or also known as a Hemingway Cat. This is because he has 6 toes on each paw (that equals 4 extra toes). We also have Suzy, our baby girl cat that was adopted in 2007 after an unfortunate accident that we had (long story short, we were riding on the motorcycle, ran over a cat and I felt terrible. The next day we adopted Suzy.) Of course, as most people know, cats are very easy to maintain. Feed them and clean their litter box....that's it. So apparently René is interested in something a little more personable.......hence her wanting a dog.

So as I said in the beginning, our friends were going away and I volunteered our pet sitting services. So on Thursday, our newest guest arrived. And to my chagrin.....he is larger then my 2 year old and weighs more them my husband!!

So without further ado, meet our newest tenant....... CLYDE!!!!

Yes, he is a big dog. An English Mastiff to be correct. He corrently weighs in at 210lbs, or the equivalent to a Heavyweight in boxing terms. And I am absolutley in love with him!!! So even though René was the one that wanted the dog, it looks like Clyde may have won over my heart already.

Stayed tuned for further details......

Doing My Part.....

2010-04-06T15:01:00.003-04:00

Some days I get those weird looks by my friends that question if I am still breastfeeding my son. Other days I get the approving nod, as to say "way to go"! From the day my son Gino was born, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I also knew I wanted more children. So when I got pregnant 5 months after having Gino, I stopped breastfeeding for fear that I would have a miscarriage. Well.....even though I wasn't breastfeeding, that pregnancy still ended in a miscarriage. I found myself looking at pregnancy 3 months later. I was ecstatic to be pregnant, but for some strong reason, I was even more excited that I would have the chance to breastfeed again.

I had problems nursing my Gino so I started reading early on to make sure those problems didn't arise. I knew that because I was having a c-section, I wouldn't be able to nurse my new little guy till I made it make to the recovery room. No sooner that I was rolled into recovery, I asked my nurse for my Angelo. Thus was the beginning of our breastfeeding relationship.

Fast forward........7.5 months later and we are going strong. Some days are more difficult then others. You see, because I work a 40 hour work week, I am forced to lug my breast pump to and from work everyday. I mysteriously disappear from my desk at 10:00am and 2:00pm to pump my little guys meals for the next day. If it is a stressful day, I may miss a session or I pump generally less then he needs. But it is all worth it. Do I think formula is poison? Of course not!! But I am proud to say that I think breastfeeding is best for baby. And best for us. It saves us money, it saves me time from having to make bottles, and it allows me to stop my hectic day and just relax and enjoy my son.

So for all of my friends out there (or just maybe some lurkers) here is a great article on the benefits of breastfeeding..........CLICK HERE.................and enjoy!!!

So Sleepy

2010-04-06T11:45:00.002-04:00

Coloring Easter Eggs

2010-04-06T11:44:00.002-04:00

EASTER 2009

2010-04-01T12:43:00.001-04:00

2009 EASTER STORY

Just Hanging Around!!!

2010-03-29T11:07:00.001-04:00

So I thought it only seemed fit that I post about one of my passions. It has been all over the news recently that using a sling, pouch, wrap, etc (babywearing) could be dangerous or even deadly. WRONG!!!! Let me say that again.........WRONG! I have been a proud babywearer for 2 years now. It has gotten me through some pretty rough times (Gino dealing with colic) and it's been a pure joy to have my children this close to me. I often find myself giving advice to new mommies about breastfeeding and babywearing (they kinda go hand in hand). People have been carrying their babies around for thousands of years.....from the Chinese to the Native Americans. Children were often "worn" so that their mothers could carry on with their daily chores.

I am one of those moms that owned an Infantino Sling Pouch that was recalled. Do you know how many times I used it? ONCE!! Yes, one time was all it took for me to realize that this was not the right sling for me. I received it as a shower gift when Gino was born. Honestly, it looked great in the package. I thought "wow, what's better then having my little guy next to me all the time". Well, nothing is better then that but this particular sling just didn't seem right for me. But that didn't stop me.

I had a Snugli that I really liked and still use till this day but my favorite baby carrying device is my MOBY WRAP. It is 5.5 feet of woven cloth that is wrapped around the body to form a pouch that your little one can sit in. There are so many different positions that they be in, including on the back and craddled. I ♥ my Moby!!!
I also just ordered an Ergo, which by the name explains the concept of this carrier. This has been on my wish list for a year or so and I finally found it on sale (I won't tell you the normal price!).

I will be adding to my collection an Infantino Wrap & Tie that I will be getting from the Sling pouch recall. This is one of the items offered if you had their Sling Pouch.

So here are a few pics of me wearing my little Angelo.

So Much to Say!!!

2010-03-23T14:31:00.004-04:00

Well, I THINK my little guy has said his 1st word. He spends a better part of the day babbling to whom ever will listen to him. However, of all the words that dance out of his mouth, there is one that I am 99% sure is a "real" word. And this is the same word that became Gino's 1st word................Da Da!!! It sounds more like "dadadadadadada" when he says it but in my book, that's a word, and his 1st one none the less. Like I said, this was Gino's 1st word also. Except he decided to blurt it out as we cruised through Victoria's Secret one sunny afternoon. After that, I knew that at one point my husband had gone to that store with my little man. Angelo on the other hand did not say it at Victoria's Secret. He sat on the couch next to me and babbled away while dada was in the kitchen. Out of the blue he started singing his "dada" song. Some days he makes the mouth movement as though he is saying it but nothing comes out. So of course, I have resorted to saying "mama" every chance I get but am disappointed to say that it really hasn't caught on. I thought that having 2 boys would ensure that one of them say mama 1st. Every other need they have I seem to provide to them however, daddy must be the fun one and gets the credit of having their 1st word be dada.

Gino on the other hand has had an explosion of words! It is pure music to my ears to finally hear my little guy ask for something. At the moment we have a few 2 word sentences.........nothing too difficult. My favorite so far is when I come home from work. He meets me at the door with a big smile and a "Hi Mama"!! He also likes pretending to be daddy by putting on his big, clunky work boots. As he stomps through the house he proclaims "dada's shoes"!!!

And Gino is also quiet the ham. We have had much trouble getting him to give up his bedtime bottle. His pediatrician suggested that it is harder now because he sees Angelo with one. So every night at bedtime our little guy asks for a "small baba", which is really a full 8oz bottle of milk. He lays quietly on the couch with his dada and enjoys his nightcap of milk as he relaxes for the evening. And when that last drop of milk is drunk, he climbs off of the couch and tosses the bottle under the couch, pretends that it accidentally rolled under there and cries for another!

What a scam!!!

2010-03-19T14:57:00.003-04:00

This letter was posted on my old blog (Gino the Bambino) and I thought it was time that I post it over here. Please enjoy........

This morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.
I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
I will laugh when I feel like crying and take a deep breath when the day and all the worries of the future feel too overwhelming.
I will smile every time your beautiful eyes look into mine, and every time you speak I will listen attentively, for your voice is music to my ears.
This afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.
I will jump in puddles with you and make mud pies until we are both covered in our creations.
I will not raise my voice or grumble under my breath as I try to focus your attention on the task at hand or call your name for the second time.
I will not worry about what you are going to do when you grow up, or second-guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.
This evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.
We will have a water fight at bath time until my clothes are completely soaked and our laughter is deafening.
I will hold you in my arms and tell you the story about how you were born and how much I loved you from the very beginning.
As I run my fingers through your hair, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given, and I will tell you over and over how much I love you.
I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their child's grave instead of their bedroom, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.
And when I kiss you good night, I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day..............

Nana's and Papa's Galore!!!

2010-03-19T14:39:00.002-04:00

If you ask Gino how many “nana’s and papa’s” he has, he probably couldn't count them on one hand. Then again, he’s 2 so he really can’t count! But none the less, our little guy has more grandparents then I think is even possible. Here is the breakdown:
Nana Donna – Billy’s Mom
Papa Bill – Billy’s Dad
Nana Alice – Billy’s Grandmother
Papa Tony – Billy’s Grandfather

Yaya – My Mother
Papa Bob- My Father
Papa – My Grandfather
Grandma – My Grandmother

Nana June – Gino’s daycare provider/neighbor/best friend's grandmother
Papa Bill2 – See above (Nana June’s Husband)

Ok, that equals 10 grandparents!!! And he is so lucky to have living sets of great-grandparents, both that are in their 80’s and love him to death.

But let me back up cause I have gotten off track with my post. Where I was going with this was the exciting news that Nana Donna and Papa Bill moved back to Boston last week. They are considered “Snowbirds”, so we miss their presence here for a few months, at the least. And as much as we miss them, I think Gino had missed them the most. You see, we tried to Skype but Gino thought that they were inside the computer. And when Billy pulled out the "Mystical Maverick", Gino instinctively said "Papa"! And a simple drive past the ice cream shoppe resorted in Gino yelling "papa" from the back seat. They are obviously a huge part in his life, for him to remember them so fondly while they are away for 5 months. He has such a special bond with each, no one else can replace it. When Nana Donna is around, all he wants to do is read. He will pull out every book he owns and point to every picture. His favorite: Barney! And he has taken a liken to Papa's phone, looking at all the pictures on the screen and making "very important" phone calls (probably to Elmo or Caillou). He does these things with no one else.

Each grandparent is special in some sort of way, each one of them spoiling him with gifts, but most of all:

L♥ve.........

Compliments Galore!!!

2010-03-11T12:29:00.004-05:00

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

“Honor your father and mother”

(this is the first commandment with a promise),

“that it may go well with you and that

you may live long in the land.”

—Ephesians 6:1-3

This bible scripture explains so much to me. This is the way that I was raised. R-E-S-P-E-C-T your parents. I have always had a healthy fear of my mother. I never wanted to disappoint her (which I thought I did many of times) and because of this, I can honestly say she is my best friend. I talk with her at least once a day. And if we don't talk, I get this knot in my stomach, like something could be wrong.

I am always getting compliments on how well behaved my children are. Of course, like any other child they are not perfect. No one is. They have their bad days, just like the rest of us. But 99.9% of the time, they are so obedient. And I like to think it is because they fear me. They love me, this I know. Miss Rene has to kiss each and every one of us before she goes to bed. When birthdays and Christmas roll around, she makes sure one of us take her shopping so she can buy that special gift. And when she travels without us she is sure to bring a little gift back for us and her brothers. She has a heart full of love, but her brain says "do not cross your parents". The more obedient you are, the more love will be showered on you. And I have so much love to give back to them.

My Gino, he likes to test my patience. Of course, what 2 year old doesn't? Every so often, that little chubby hand will raise high in the air and come down on me. He often hits when he needs attention. But the minute he sees mommy's "not so nice look", the tears start streaming. He "obediently" sits in his time-out chair for however long it takes to get the point across. And when his punishment is over, he gently strokes my face, as if to say "mommy, I am so sorry".

Little Angelo cannot be grouped into this discussion quite yet as he is not old enough to disobey. But I am sure he will be raised just the same as he watches his big sister and brother and how wonderful they are to their parents.

I take the compliments and enjoy them, but to me, my children are just being the way they should.................obedient.

Why Did I Ever Wonder?

2010-03-02T15:06:00.000-05:00

For a long time, I wished that my sweet Gino would talk. From 9 months or so, our little guy said only a handful of words.....usually just mama and dada. I longed for him to talk to me, to repeat my every word. "Oh why would I wish this" I ask myself now. I can't get this kid to keep quiet now!!! His vocabulary grows more and more everyday. We are at a rate of 3 words per week and have even started on 2 word sentences. Here are a few of Gino's newest sayings:

Bye Bye A.J.(or any other person that's around. i.e mama, dada, néné, Pam)
Elmo
Myem myem (this is what he calles his little friend Will, which kinda sounds like "William"
Hot
Kie (this is his word for coo-kie)
Hen (Henry, the next door neighbor's dog)
Suz (Suzie, our cat)
Bud (Buddy, our cat)
Pot (The potty, which he uses every morning!)

He is also quite the comedian. He will lay on the couch and pretend that he is sleeping by snoring very, very loudly!! He also reminds me everyday at bathtime that we have to wash the "bum". And speaking of bum, if he has a dirty diaper, he will proceed to point to it and say "Ewwweeee"! Well, yes Gino. That is very gross so please use the potty a little more often, please!

HAPPY 6 MONTHS ANGELO!

2010-02-24T15:07:00.003-05:00

Oh, my sweet Angelo. You have been on this earth for only a short while, yet it feels like you have been in my life forever. You just turned 6 months old and are doing so much lately. Dare I say, you are no longer an infant, but a little baby.

Everyday I watch as you explore the world around you.....especially with your mouth. Anything that you can get your hands on, including your own hands, goes straight to the mouth. We just started feeding you solid foods, which you LOVE!! You can't get enough of them. We skipped the cereal and went straight to fruits and vegetables. So far you are a fan of squash, sweet potatoes, peaches and bananas. You really love to sit in your highchair and Gino loves that you sit next to him at dinner time. It is quite the sight to see my family all around the dinner table at night, the way a family should be.

You have also mastered sitting up all by yourself. You have the most fun when I plop you down on your bedroom floor and let you play with all your toys. You could sit there for hours on end just playing and chewing on them.

You also love bath time, but then again, who doesn't like to soak in a nice warm tub! The minute your little feet hit the water, the splashing begins. I swear after 5 minutes we loose significant amounts of water due to your splashing!

6 months have come and gone! You, my babe, may be the last baby I get to experience this with. I soak it up like a ray of sunshine and enjoy every moment of it.

Love you my little angel.

♥Mommy

I'm Too Sexy For My Shirt.........

2010-02-24T12:55:00.001-05:00

"Too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts"

Alas, my little Angelo has been accepted by Model Club, Inc. to be a baby model. I never thought I would put any of my children in any sort of pagents or modeling. I wasn't going to become "that" mom. However, so may people told me how I should have him in some sort of modeling cause all he does is smile. I am serious....this child never cries, fusses or whines!! So after doing some research and looking for a reputable agency, we trekked into Boston to meet with an agent. They were looking for babies, specifically ones under the age of 9 months, that did not crawl but could sit on their own. Angelo met all the requirements, plus more. He is an engergetic baby that smiles A LOT!! He loves the camera and is very comfortable around strangers.

At the initial interview, we met with the head of the babies department. This was an open call, so their were other mothers there, however there was only one other baby. She was a cute little girl, all of 3 months old. Her pacifier never left her mouth and she managed to cry and whine practically the whole time. "Score" I thought to myself. If Angelo could be his usual happy self we would be a shoe in. At first, the woman explained what the company was about and whom they represented. They have a list of clients that are working on a few films here in Boston. After that, we were given a chance to ask any questions on anything she may not have touched upon. Finally, she wanted to see our babies.

This was Angelo's time to shine. He was dressed in a brand new outfit, direct from The Childrens Place. Cargo pants, a polo shirt and cute converse sneakers. I pulled my little guy out of his car seat and held him up. At that moment, he made me the proudest mommy. He looked directly at the agency rep and smiled ear to ear. He spent the next five minutes cooing and smiling at her. He is a charmer!! We were thanked for our time and sent on our way. They would decide that day is our child had made it and notify us by mail.

Fast forward 5 days till the day we receive our acceptance letter. It read much luck a collage acceptance letter. There were two sentences at the top:

We regret to inform you that your child has not been accepted

or

Congratulations! Your child has been accepted.

Our letter had a checkmark next to the 2nd sentence. So with that, we are to send in 3 photographs (babies do not have portfolios as they grow too quickly) so that the company can introduce their newest client. The jobs may not roll in very quick and the pay is minimal, but we look forward to possibley seeing our Angelo on the cover of some parenting magazine.

Angelo the Model.....

2010-02-16T22:59:00.000-05:00

Father & Son

2010-02-08T16:27:00.002-05:00

A Day in the Life of Mommy

2010-02-08T16:25:00.000-05:00

I get so many comments from friends and family, often wondering how I manage 3 kids or how I manage to raise 3 kids and make it look so easy. So I thought I would give everyone a bried look into my life with the 3 little monkees. Not all days are like this.....of course we have our good days when it all falls into place and we have are bad days, which are just down right.....BAD. Here is an example of a "middle of the road" kinda day.

5:30am - My sweet Angelo wakes for his 1st nursing session of the day. We usually ciddle peacefully in bed while I catch the early morning news. When he is done, he drifts back to sleep......oh the life!!!
6:00am - Billy wakes for work and I get outta bed
6:00-6:45am - Pick up the house, load the dishwasher, change over a load of laundry, lay out the kids clothes and pack backpacks
6:45am - Wake Rene (this has gotten easier as she has become quite the early bird
7:00am - Wake Gino (he is NOT an early bird....he could have played the part of Grumpy in Snow White)
7:10am - Shower (usually with Gino cause getting a shower alone hasn't really happened in 2 years!)
7:25am - Get dressed, get Gino dressed and do my hair
7:30am - pack up my pump (breastfeeding) while Gino munches on a banana, Rene is usually watching Angelo at this point.
7:35am - Get Angelo dressed
7:40am- Rene packs up the car with our bags while I get Gino in his coat and Angelo in his car seat
7:50am - OUT THE DOOR.....first to Dunkin Donuts then drop Rene off at school
8:00am - Gino is dropped off at daycare
8:05am - Drive to mom's house to drop of Angelo
8:45am - Catch the commuter rail to work
9am-5pm - WORK, WORK, WORK

5:15pm - Head home, with Angelo in tow after picking him up from mom's house
5:30pm - Home!! Start dinner (I should cut out this step and use my crock-pot more often)
6:00pm - Dinner
6:30pm - Start some laundry
7:00pm - Angelo bathtime
7:30pm - Rene Bathtime
8:00pm - Unpack everyone's bags from the day; run the dishwasher if need be
8:30pm - Fall onto the couch exhausted and nurse Angelo
9:00pm - Gino is "hopefully" ready for bed
9:30pm - I am definetley ready for bed!

Inbetween 6pm and 9pm there is also a lot of playing going on, usually it consists of Gino tearing apart the house while we try and chase him and you can almost guarantee that he gets a timeout somewhere in there!

It doesn't look that hectic when it is all written down, but lets just say I am not 110lbs because I go to the gym everyday *wink, wink*

Shady Character!!

2010-02-02T14:15:00.003-05:00

Baby Bear!!

2010-02-02T14:14:00.000-05:00

Where Has My Baby Girl Gone?

2010-02-02T13:53:00.001-05:00

It feels like just yesterday I was walking around the Fellsmere pond trying to jump start labor.......and now my baby girl is almost 11!!! She has grown into such a young lady, and remind me of myself at that age, though a little bit cooler and A LOT taller. Not many people know the story of Rene entering this wonderful world so I thought I would post it for all to read.....

I was young......too young in many peoples eyes to be having a baby. Nearly 20 years old and naive to what it would be like having a child, I found myself pregnant. But I swore I would take care of my baby the best I could. To be honest, I wanted a boy. I even had a name picked out......Michael Christian, as this was the name that my own mother was going to give to my baby brother that went to heaven before he was born. I was an only child growing up and knew nothing about little kids, only what I had learned from babysitting as a teen.

I was due on May 30th, 1999. The day came......and the day went. I walked, ate spicy food and went on long bumpy car rides. Then, on June 8th (a Tuesday) I decided to walk. And I walked and walked and walked till I felt.......something. It wasn't labor but it wasn't comfortable either. I went home to relax. That night, in the wee hours of the morning I was awoken to the most horrible pain I had ever felt. "I guess this is it" I said to myself. So off to Labor and Delivery I went. And to my surprise......I was no where close to having my baby. So back home I went......and waited. So the next day I wake up and go about my business, all the while still in pain, but apparently the pain would get worse. Worse enough that I would go back to Labor and Delivery early Wednesday morning and this is where I stayed. The Dr. started a Pitocin drip to jump start labor.........and that it did. The pain was unbearable, too much for me to handle. But THANK GOODNESS for Mark (I still remember his name) the lovely anesthesiologist that got me a wonderful thing called an epidural. But my baby girl couldn't handle the contractions. As each contraction occurred, her little skull was pushing against my "not-so-ready" cervix. Her heart rate dropped, dropped to low for her to survive. And in an instant they whisked me away to an OR as all the c-section room where taken. And on June 10th, 1999 at 7:42pm my baby girl, René Elizabeth entered the world.

I look back to that day often. I should have known that after making such a grand entrance, she would be nothing but a princess cause only royalty makes such an entrance.

My baby girl is growing up......but she will always be my baby girl ♥

Baby Led WHAT??????

2010-01-28T13:48:00.001-05:00

Baby Led Weaning........

This is what we plan to do with our Angelo. And I am sure many people that read this will think we are crazy, but to me, it all makes sense. Baby Led Weaning, in a nutshell is:

Baby-led weaning (often also referred to as BLW) is a method of gradually weaning a baby from a milk diet onto solid foods. It allows a baby to control his solid food intake by self-feeding from the very beginning of the weaning process.

Infants are offered a range of foods to provide a balanced diet from around 6 months. They often begin by picking up and licking the food, before progressing to eating. Babies typically begin self feeding around 6 months, although some will reach for food as early as 5 months and some will wait until 7 or 8. The intention of this process is that it is tailored to suit each particular baby and their personal development. The 6 month guideline provided by the World Health Organisation is based on research indicating the internal digestive system matures over the period 4-6 months. It seems reasonable to posit that the gut matures in tandem with the baby's external faculties to self feed.

Initial self-feeding attempts often result in very little food ingested as the baby explores textures and tastes, but the baby will soon start to swallow and digest what is offered. Breastfeeding is continued in conjunction with weaning and milk is always offered before solids in the first 12 months. Although breastfeeding is the ideal precursor to baby led weaning (as the baby has been exposed to different flavours via its mother's breast milk and the jaw action used during breastfeeding helps the baby learn to chew), it is also entirely possible to introduce a bottle-fed baby to solids using the BLW method. Bottle-fed babies can successfully wean using BLW, although it may take a little longer for the baby to get used to flavours and develop the ability to chew.

Baby Wearing

2010-01-25T15:04:00.002-05:00

One of the best things I do is wear Angelo.....and when I say wear, I mean keep him in a wrap attached to me. It makes life a little easier when it comes to getting dinner done...and laundry.....and chasing Gino!!! Here is a little picture of my baby fast asleep in his wrap.

Gino!! You Can't Fit in Angelo's Carseat!!

2010-01-22T15:53:00.002-05:00

Snow plowing with Daddy!!

2010-01-19T13:54:00.002-05:00

Bath time!!!!

2010-01-19T13:47:00.001-05:00

Big boy undies OVER his diaper

2010-01-19T13:41:00.001-05:00

Dear Angelo

2010-01-19T13:28:00.002-05:00

I thought it was about time that I write a letter just to you. It has been almost 5 months since you came into the world. As every day passes, you grow bigger and stronger. Not to mention, you get more handsome every day . You are still lacking hair, though I am sure those are your daddy's genes kicking in. You love to be spoken to. Your smile is ear to ear and your laughs come from deep within your belly. It has been almost 5 months of breastfeeding you and you are still going strong. I know I will be sad the day that you decide to be done with nursing so I try to cherish every moment of it now. As of lately you seem to want to sit up. You have rolled over a few times but that seemed to bore you and you haven't done it lately. I get a sense that when the time come for you to move your feet, you will be off and running. Probably running from your big brother who seems to like to torture you every so often. Though we tell him to watch out cause we do know that you will fight back one day.

Your name has a very special meaning to mean. I was pregnant with another baby before you. And for whatever reason, that baby had to go to heaven before we had a chance to meet it. I don't know if it was a girl or a boy, but it didn't matter. It was special in my heart. It was my "angel". It got it's wings to heaven on August 28th, 2008. So 3 months later I found out I was pregnant with you. And can you believe that my due date was August 28th!!! I knew right then that my angel baby was watching over us. So to remember your sister or brother, the angel, I decided that the name "Angelo" would be perfect. And since the day you were born you have been nothing but perfect.

So I look forward to the next 5 months, 5 years and 50 years that I have you as my child, cause you ARE my Angel.

Love you!
Mommy

2 Sets of Teeth......and a Few Cavities!

2010-01-19T13:08:00.000-05:00

Yikes!!

I think the hardest part of parenting has to be when your little one starts cutting a tooth. It seems like nothing really eases the pain. Thank goodness this happens as babies and they don't really remember it. At the current moment I have a nearly 5 month old with a mouth like a fountain and a just about 2 year old that can't keep his fingers out of his mouth cause the pain is so bad!! Not to mention a 10 year old that brushes her teeth but the caviteies still seem to find a place to live in her mouth!! It seems like our house has been taken over by teeth!!!

The Christmas Wrap-Up

2010-01-11T15:41:00.001-05:00

Pun intented!!!!

So the Spadafora household has been quite the busy place lately! There is so much to write about so let me start from the beginning.

December 2009 will be remembered as the month of sickness!! A big, nasty virus made it's way into our house and attacked each and every one of us. Gino was the worst. It started with a fever and a cough. We brought him to the pedi that suggested it may be H1N1 and they started him on Tamiflu. Well, we went home with hopes of it working and the complete opposite happened........uncontrollable vomiting due to and intolerance to Tamiflu. My poor guy was horrified by all that came out of his belly that night. So after a call to the pedi AGAIN, we were advised to not give him anymore Tamiflu and just "wait it out". Well, by the next day my little guy was worse. He could barely lift his head off a pillow. So where did we go? The pedi AGAIN! So after a look in the ears and a chest x-ray, my Gino had developed and ear infection and Pneumonia! At this point I don't think he was really loving his mama. After making him throw-up and get his first x-ray, the last thing he wanted was his mama. To add to the stress, we were set to move to the "new house on the hill" that Saturday. How was I to pack an entire house with a sick toddler? Super YaYa to the rescue. My mother (also known as YaYa) offered to keep my sick baby at her house the entire weekend so we could pack, move and unpack. All the while, Gino was able to stay snug as a bug in a rug at YaYa's house.

Now fast forward.......we moved on Saturday, snowstorm on Sunday, and picked up Gino Sunday night. He was a new man!!! No wheezing, sneezing or coughing. Just in-time for Nana and Papa to fly in for the holidays. And then BAM!!!!! Guess who is sick? You guessed it.......my mini me......ANGELO!

So off to the pedi again (we are now up to $80 in co-payments). My baby Angelo has been affected by this awful virus and has bronchiolitis. So we are sent home with a nebulizer and instructions to do treatments every 3 hours. Can I just say that I have the happiest baby in the world? He smiled though every treatment!!!

So as the sickness clears, Santa makes his way to our new (but disastrous) house for Christmas. Might I say it was extra special having my in-laws there to watch the kids open their presents. Rene got her laptop that she asked for (since early 2009), Gino's favorite toys are tied between the Little People Play House and the Harley Davidson Trike (thank you auntie Pammy) and Angelo looks exceptionally cute in all his new clothes.

So with healthy kids and Christmas out of the way, we are now focusing on making our new house "livable". By this I mean unpacked, with pictures on the walls, curtains in the windows and possibly some new furniture.

It will take some time I guess.

All Ready for Santa!!!!

2009-12-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Sleeping, Bananas and Report Cards

2009-12-03T16:34:00.001-05:00

Well, Mr. Angelo has officially started sleeping through the night. I can't remember the last time he woke up in the middle of the night, and to be honest.....I miss it. It was like our special time together. But I have to admit he is such a happy baby. This boy never cries!!! He has the biggest gummy smile that I will be sure to miss when he gets some teeth. I am sure that the teeth are on their way cause his fist is in his mouth 24/7!!! You would think that I coated it in sugar or something. Up until recently I really never put a bib on him. Now he lives in them or else his clothes are soaked in 3 minutes flat!

My sweet, sweet Gino has started talking finally!! Though I have never been overly concerned I have longed for the day that he would talk to me. His newest words include "more" and "banana" though banana sounds more like "a-nana". And though I am sure Nana Donna would say he was calling her name he was actually pointing to a banana when he said it....sorry nana!! He also says Bye Bye and says it very reassuringly, with a strong wave of the hand. He likes to call Buddy, our cat, "bud" and will tell you that the baseboard heat is "haw"....that means "hot". He mastered the word "mama" a long time ago, along with "dada" and if Papa Bill was around he would call his name "pa-pa". So at this point, it looks like we can expect a new word every week. And though I am anxious for him to talk, I am happy that he hasn't learned the one word I dread.........NO! But I am sure that will come soon enough.

Rene has been a very busy little bee when it comes to her school work. Last year (4th grade) proved to be a difficult year. Her grades were not what "we" expected from her and I am sure this frustrated her also. But come to find out, our little girl was doing poorly because she needed glasses!!! Who'd a thought?! So with the new school year upon us, she proceeded to bring home lots of difficult school work but in the end she surprised us with a fabulous report card!!! All A's and B's, with 1 lonely C (in math). Of course we always strive to do our best and she told us she gave it her all. I hope to see 1 less C on her next report card but we are happy parents none the less.

Thanksgiving......

2009-11-27T15:49:00.000-05:00

I want his hat mommy!!!!!

How you doin'?

Sooo pretty!

Growing Up!

Mini-mafia!!!

Yaya and her boys!

Whatchu looking at?

New Things

2009-11-27T15:38:00.000-05:00

So I found this software that allows me to remove the color from pictures and selectively add it back in!!! Here are a few practice pictures.....what do you think?

Christmas Lists.....

2009-11-19T13:42:00.000-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year.......oh, wait....that's back to school time!!!! It's the 2nd most wonderful time of the year.....Christmas!!! I love the holidays. I always have. I have a fond memory of when Billy and I had our 1st Christmas together. We had just moved in together and Rene was 6 years old. We bought a real christmas tree (the last one that we have had) and were pulling out the decorations. The drinks were flowing and Rene was dancing around the living room to music from the Nutcracker. These are the memories that I will treasure forever. I am not one that gets excited over gifts, but rather that thought of my children giddy with anticipation that that large, jolly fellow will be visiting in the wee hours of the night bringing them the gifts that they longed for the entire year. Pictures of them sitting on Santa's lap, dressed in their matching attire. I love the smell of fresh holiday cookies and decorative lights on all the houses. And for one month a year everyone seems to be a bit happier then the other 11 months of the year. People are a bit more generous.

So as the holidays arrive, the family starts coming out of the woodwork wondering what my children want or need for Christmas. Well....to be honest...they want it ALL! But to make it easir on everyone I have deceided to post sizes and particular items that they may love. This may guarentee that you give them that item that they have wanted "all year long". Here it goes:

Rene Elizabeth - 10yrs old
Pants- Sz 10
Shirts - Large (10-12)
Shoes - Sz 4

Rene is really into fashion and electronics this year. She loves anything from Abercrombie, Aeropostle, Justice and Hollister. She is rthe accessory queen so you are sure to wine her over with scarves, earrings and necklaces. She also loves Nintendo DS games, iPod gift cards and books(!!).

Gino William - 21 Months
Pants - 24 months
Shirts - 24 months
Shoes - 6.5 WIDE (Can you say yabba dabba do!)

Gino is all about building things. He loves his giant legos. He is also in love with Spiderman.....actually any super hero. He really wants a cape so he can "fly". At the moment he is using an old bib to accomplish that! He is also an intellectual and loves to read. His choices include: Thomas the Tank Engine, Barney, Caillou and Clifford the Big Red Dog. Like every other child in America, he is a big Sesame Street fan so angthing associated with that is a fan favorite.

Angelo Joseph - 3 months
Pants - 6-9 months
Shirts - 6-9 months
Shoes - Robeez 0-12 months

Currently, Angelo likes to put his fist in his mouth so teething toys are a great option. Also, he likes visual things so anything from the Learning Curve Lamaze toy section is a big hit.

We Are Family.....

2009-11-14T15:46:00.000-05:00

So Precious....

2009-11-14T15:45:00.000-05:00

Splish Splash I Was Taking a Bath!

2009-11-14T15:42:00.000-05:00

Mr. Personality

2009-11-09T16:38:00.000-05:00

The Spadafora's have been one busy family lately...between work, raising kids and redecorating the new house, I feel like there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. But somehow we manage.....and this includes spending time with the "mini-me's". In the past week or so, Angelo has ready sprouted up. He is now wearing 3-6 month clothing and he is just 11 weeks old. He may have gotten his looks from the Spadaforas but I am not quite sure where the height came from!!! But what is really exciting is he is starting to laugh and talk. You could honestly talk to him in any language and he will laugh and smile and attempt to babble a few words back at you. It is just so hard to believe that less then 3 months ago this little guy was living inside me. Now he is his own person. He slept through the night ONE night and that is about it. I don't mind getting up to dream feed him. It is our own personal time together. The house is quiet......we are the only ones awake. The sound of him gulping in the silence is like listening to angels sing. Billy had said something to me when Gino was born that has always stuck with me........."this will be the only day in their life that they will be this age". I carry that saying with me everyday and enjoy every moment possible.

Gino has become quite the little man lately. He really is a copy cat. Every morning he climbs on top of the toilet and hangs over the sink. He brushes his little teeth and even pretends to spit. He really has nothing to spit out as he likes to swallow the toothpaste even more. No worries though....we buy baby toothpaste that you can swallow. And even though he is not much of a talker, he can recite many of the ABCs and the sounds that they make. I find this amazing....and it just goes to show that if he really wanted to talk, he would. He just happens to be the strong, silent type! Chicks dig that!!!

Princess Rene

2009-11-06T15:53:00.000-05:00

What's Up?

I'm a big sister....AGAIN!!!

Mr. Angelo....

2009-11-06T15:48:00.000-05:00

My Little Chili Pepper!!!

I crack myself up!!!!

Big Brown Eyes......

Little Man......

Gino being Gino

2009-11-06T15:45:00.000-05:00

OK Mom....these socks have got to go!!!

Me and my Pa Pa!!!!

Playing Hide and Go Seek....where am I mommy?

My First Post

2009-11-04T11:47:00.000-05:00

A post by Angelo......

Hello friends and family. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Angelo Joseph. I was born into this world on August 24th, 2009 at 1:16pm. I weighed in at a whopping 6lbs 10oz and was 20.75 inches long. The 9 month journey I spent in mama's tummy was a long one......but it was oh so comfy. I miss those days of just floating freely, listening to the outside world. I knew everyone before I even got here. I listened to my big brother yell and through tantrums. I looked forward to Rene saying goodnight, everynight. Daddy would rub mommy's tummy and whisper to me and mommy would sing her favorite song, "You are my Sunshine". She still sings it to me everyday. Since my arrival I have learned so much!!! I love when people talk to me. And now I smile at everything, especially when the little monkeys on my chair sing and swing. I still do a lot of sleeping, and when i'm not doing that you can find me attached to mommy's boob!!! I love my mommy milk. She says it will make me big and strong. And daddy says it saves up close to $60.00 a week in formula!!! Glad I can do my part!! There has been so much going on since I made my big debut. Just last weekend mommy and daddy dressed me up as a Chili Pepper for this thing called Halloween!!! It was comfy....like my pj's! And I was so sleepy the other night that I slept all night long. Mommy gave me a bunch of hugs and kisses after I did that!! It didn't last long though cause I woke up last night at 4am. I really like those early morning tv shows that she watches with me.

Well, I will be sure to keep everyone up-to-date on all that happens in my life!

BYE!
♥

Christmas is Next Month!!!!!

2009-11-02T12:50:00.000-05:00

Written by Gino........

Well my friends, it is that time of the year again!! Snow will start falling, mommy will be using the crockpot thingy, and Santa Claus will be coming to visit!!! I can't believe that Christmas is next month. All year long I waited for Santa to come and now it is almost here. This will be little Angelo's 1st Christmas. He is going to be so excited to find out that the fat guy is coming to bring us lots of surprises!!! I hope this year we can get a real tree. Last year mommy and daddy put up the fake one cause I was so small and they thought I would try and eat it. Yuck!!!! I like real food, not trees silly!!! I bet you mommy is gonna try and take me to see that scary guy that "pretends" to be Santa at the mall. I can competely tell that that guy is an imposter!!! His beard is so fake. Santa is too busy making my presents to sit at the mall.

My nana and papa are getting ready to move to Florida. We went there when I was 1 years old. It was so much fun. They are gonna love it there, but I am going to miss them soooo much. Mommy and daddy bought this camera thing that puts them on the computer so I can see them AND talk to them. It is pretty neat but it won't be the same. I hope that we can go visit them. They are coming home for Christmas so atleast I can show them all my presents. But they will miss my birthday party this year. That means they will miss Elmo cause mommy is gonna invite him!!! Hopefully he can come cause I heard Bob the Builder and Barney are gonna be on vacation then.

Well, Halloween has come and gone. I went trick or treating with mommy, daddy, René and Angelo. Well, Angelo didn't trick or treat, he just sat in his carriage. Mommy dressed him up like a Chili Pepper. He looked funny!! And René was a princess, again!!!! She needs to come up with some new ideas. The best costume was mine.....I was SpiderMan!!!!! He is so cool. Daddy dressed up like himself (Ahhhhh....so scary!! ) and mommy just put on some makeup. She's always pretty though (hahaha) but even prettier with makeup on.

Well my friends, it's time to me to sign off. I'll be back later this week. Bye Bye!

Playing Catch Up

2009-10-29T16:23:00.000-04:00

Life as a mother of three has been quite the thrill the past 2 months!!! Let me start by saying Angelo is the sweetest, easiest baby in the world. Our days go something like this: eat, sleep, poop, smile, sleep, eat, smile somemore, eat and cuddle!!! He is already a whopping 11 lbs 6 oz and 24 inches long!!! I can attribute the wonderful weight gain to his love of my boobs!!! He is a typical male!!! From day 1 he has been a champion nurser. And I am proud that I have been able to stick with it. At times it was difficult as Gino has become a very demanding toddler. He has no jealousy towards Angelo, however he wants my attention 24/7. But he has been pretty resonable when it comes time for me to feed his little brother. We usually sit on the couch and read a book, or he'll show me ALL his toys. And when I am not nursing, he loves to hold his little brother. He actually cries when I try to take him away!!! Is this the start of brothers becoming best friends? I hope so.

So Gino was evaluated by Early Intervention for his speech, or lack there of. Of course, when the specialist came to our home, they not only evauated his speech but all other skills as well. We came to the conclusion that Gino is a "non-verbal genius"!!! He passed and exceeded every test given to him. But he can't say anything beyond Ma Ma and Da Da!
Gino has also taken a liking to Caillou. This is a cartoon of a 4 yr old boy with a little sister and a cat. He goes to "play school" and has a variety of friends. Most episodes consist of Caillou learning something about life from his mom and dad. Life's lessons learned........from a whiney 4 yr old. The show drives me nuts, however Gino will watch this all day if I let him. And some days that's all he wants to do.

And I can not forget my darling daughter René. She has become a little mommy since Angelo arrived. She does baths with Gino, feeds him, plays with him....everything. She'll give Angelo an occasional bottle or grab me a drink while I nurse him. She is my wing man.....I am Maverick and she is Goose. And she is starting to come into her own.....especially when it comes to boys. There is one boy, that I won't name (Josh) that has become the object of her 10 yr old affection. It is cute puppy love......but be sure that I have a box of bullets with his name on one of them!!! She is my baby, my little girl and my BFF!!!

So that is a little update on my 3 Little Monkees......be sure to stay tuned for there is more to come!!

Wordless Wednesday - Back In The Day

2009-10-28T16:36:00.000-04:00

In The Beginning.......

2009-10-27T14:03:00.000-04:00

So I have managed to blog through 2 pregnancies and 1 infant/toddler. At times it was tough. Not having much to talk about or simply rambling on about nothing. The task of keeping everyone up-to-date on our ever-expanding brood fell on my journalistic shoulders and honestly, was a bit much to bear. So I have decided to end my previous blogs and start chronicling the adventures of all 3 kids. Angelo will benefit from this as he is the newest. I will hopefully spend a better part of his childhood writing about his first steps, first foods and first time using the potty. Gino graced us with his own blog (CLICK HERE) until the birth of his little bro. Rene was born before there were blogs so we don't have much written about her, however I am sure we will look forward to reading about her first boyfriend, first kiss and many late nights of giving me heart failure.

I hope to one day be able to print a copy of this blog and hand it to each child. I picture them sitting back somewhere and reading about there journey through childhood, their misadventures and the love AND grief that was bestowed upon them. And I welcome our friends and family to leave comments along the way.