Our Not So Little Girl

We knew this day was fast approaching, but it finally happened.  On May 23, 2012 our little Isabella graduated from preschool!  This means that come the middle of August, she will begin kindergarten!  Grampa Mike and Gramma Nellie came out from Iowa for the big ceremony, and Grandma Becky was there to cheer her on!  Auntie Abby and Auntie Andrea came with Madalyn and Colt.  Aunt Betty and Janie wouldn't have missed it for anything.  We were also blessed to have our dear friends Nick, Christina, and Emily there to help Anthony and I wipe away our tears!  Thank you all for helping us celebrate!  We are so proud of our little (big) girl, and so excited for her!  Love you sweetheart!

Before the ceremony

Waiting with her classmates

The Graduate

Ms. Zeigler

Mrs. Blodgette

Our proud family

So sweet!

Thus Saith the Rina

Our little Rina (derived from Caterina) is talking all the time!  And I mean All. The. Time!  However, deciphering her two-year old code is a little tricky sometimes.

Let's see how you do:

1 - Pummy

2 - Peepers

3 - Ninner

4 - Tootie

5 - At-a-deuce

6 - Muck

Now, remember that there is not a lot of context to go along with many of these comments or demands, and her "little" Alvino temper has flared its ugly head more than once in frustration.  I know that as she gets more proficient in her speaking skills, we will know better how to meet her needs, but until then, welcome to my world!

Now for the answers: 1 - Tummy; 2 - Slippers; 3 - Dinner; 4 - Cookie; 5 - Apple Juice; 6 - Milk

Camp Out

So Lisa has made me a contributor to this blog. I think that is code for, "If you want this blog updated, do it yourself." So here goes...

Isabella has had this fascination of sorts with camping and sleeping bags. Who knows where she got it since we're not an outdoorsy type of family. On their last trip out to Colorado, Lisa's folks brought the tent Lisa used in college that they had been storing at their house. It has been set up in the basement for a while, and I told Isabella that we could sleep in it one night. Indoors, in the basement, running water, climate controlled, etc.

Labor day weekend rolled around so I decided Sunday night would be a good night since I didn't have to go to work the next day. Isabella got Lisa's sleeping bag and I got several blankets from throughout the house (mostly for padding). We brushed our teeth, grabbed the flashlight, picked out a book, got her Bible, and headed downstairs. Lisa took these pictures of the camp out.

We closed up the tent and turned on the flashlight and made shadow puppets. Then I decided it was time for bed. I had stalled long enough, but it was about 8:30. Late for her bedtime, but early for mine. Just part of this project I guess. We read her book and her Bible with the flashlight, I prayed, and then we laid down to sleep.

Isabella heard EVERY little noise in the basement: The water running down the pipes, Lisa walking upstairs, the creaking of the joists. She would shoot up from her sleeping bag and pillow and ask, "What was that!?" I'd explain what is was and she'd lay back down.

We had finally settled down, and I thought we were on our way to sleep until I hear, very sweetly I might add, "Dad, this is really cozy, but I was wondering, can we sleep in our own bed?"

Music to the ears of someone who's back was preemptively already starting to hurt, knowing what it would feel like in the morning after laying on the basement floor. But also a little bummed. And maybe even a little annoyed at the work it took to get this project off the ground - all for nothing.

So, we grabbed our pillows and headed upstairs. I tucked her in to her bed for the night. It was still early enough for Lisa and I to watch a movie before we went to sleep. I guess my little city girl isn't as cut out for "camping" as we thought - which is quite alright with this suburban dweller.

Here Comes the Sun

Isabella participated in her first graduation ceremony today with her preschool. Her class still has one more year of preschool, but our dear friends, Sophia and Ella graduated and were promoted up to kindergarten! I can't believe that my baby girl is almost 4 and has one year of preschool under her belt!

The theme for the ceremony was Sunshine, which is why all the kids wore yellow t-shirts and shades! Just to explain Isabella's posture, she was told to stand like a statue, and she did...

Thank you to Grandma Becky, Grandpa Vinny, Auntie Abby, Auntie Andrea, Uncle Jared, Aunt Betty, and Janie for helping us celebrate such a fun day. And, big congrats to Sophia and Ella. We love you!

Waiting for the program to begin - standing like a "statue"

Singing "You are my Sunshine"

Waiting and waiting...

Our favorite preschool angel teachers - Thank you Mrs. Rodriguez and Mrs. Engel. We love you!

BFFs - Ella, Madalyn, Sophia, and Isabella

Proud parents with our little graduate! Love you sweet Isabella. We are so proud of you.

The Day Catherine Dressed Herself

Catherine definitely has her own sense of style, and when left to her own devices, this is what she chose:

1. Pajamas
2. Tutu
3. Coat
4. Slippers
5. Hat from Bass Pro that says, "Future Hunting Princess"
6. Blankie

Watch out Carrie Bradshaw!

Potties, Panties, and Preschool...

...OH MY!!!

So, I admit it. I let the control-freak in me show just a little. It drove me CRAZY that Isabella was not potty-trained by the time she was 3. Our pediatrician assured us that one day she would just "do it". But what does he know? He's only practiced medicine for the last 40+ years. I thought perhaps a little incentive might do the trick. So off to Target we went. I let her pick anything she wanted. She picked a special baby that makes sounds and comes with 2 monitors. She was so excited for her Baby Emma! Once we got home, though, I explained that Baby Emma was only for a little girl who pee-peed in the potty. She was sad, but not distraught. So up on the fridge went Baby Emma.

I thought this was all Isabella would need, but the baby did not work the magic that I had anticipated.

And then, just like our doctor told us, one day, it just happened...sort of.

One Saturday morning Isabella was determined to go pee-pee in the potty. And she sat, and sat, and sat. I got frustrated and left. Anthony took over. And then I heard all of the excitement! She DID IT!!! I quickly got Baby Emma down and got her all ready for her new Big Girl Mama. Isabella was so excited to have her Baby Emma. And then, horrors of horrors, Isabella stood in the family room, holding her brand new baby, and peed all over the floor! WHAT???

So, back up on the fridge went Baby Emma.

But no worries. Grandma Becky and Grandpa Vinny came over that night and helped Isabella go on the potty twice. So, Isabella got her Baby Emma!

That Tuesday we visited one of the local preschools, and Isabella LOVED it! She got to sit with the kids and have a snack and participate in their opening circle and calendar time. She did not want to go home once she heard what the craft and centers would be, but we had not paid, so in the car we went.

And then last Thursday, Isabella officially became a preschool student! I was so proud of her! She marched right into her class, put her backpack away, found her name, took her teacher's hand, and off to the writing center she went. She didn't even look back. I wish I could say that the last 2 drop-offs were that smooth, but at least when I pick her up, she does not want to come home!

My apologies about the preschool picture. She would not look at me for a good picture. Shocking!

GO BRONCOS

Anthony and I remain committed to bringing up our girls the "right" way! Therefore, we continue to make the Denver Broncos a priority in our home. Regardless of the score, we are true blue (and orange) Broncos Fans! Isabella has taken it to the extreme, and no matter what teams are playing, even college, she always screams, "Go Broncos!" Or, as was the case the other night, "No go Broncos," meaning, stop watching football and play with me!

Here's to a better season next year!

Did Someone Say "Big Girl Bed"

Yesterday, during nap time, I was startled by a very loud THUD followed by horrific screaming! I put Catherine down as fast as I could and jumped up the stairs to find a scared little girl on the floor right next to her crib. After checking for bleeding, broken bones, and head trauma, I carried the little girl downstairs to comfort her and make sure she really was alright. Thankfully her physical body was fine, but she was in quite an emotional state...

It was at this moment that I realized our dreams of confining Isabella in her crib for another month or so were over. She was probably leaning over the side rail to open her bedroom door and leaned a little too far.

So, this morning, after we dropped her off at Grandma Becky's, Anthony got to work on converting the crib into a toddler bed. When Isabella came home, she was so excited! She totally knew that this is what big girls sleep in, and was beside herself!

She's taken a nap in her bed and hasn't fallen out yet. She also stayed in her bed and was waiting for us on her bed when we went in to get her after her nap. I'm sure that won't last....

FINALLY - Baby Catherine

I know, I know...

This is way late, but, as you can imagine, things have been a little busy!

I'll start from the beginning and fill you in on the details (but not all, of course...).

Tuesday, November 17th, I went in for my 39 week appointment. I was still only dilated one centimeter, so my doctor, Anthony, and I all agreed that going in for the induction that night made more sense, since I had a long way to go!

I came home, finished packing my bag, and off to the hospital I went. As soon as Anthony and I walked into my room, there was a familiar face! Our favorite "Angel" nurse, Emily, was there making my bed! She had been our nurse when Isabella was born, and was amazing! We have raved about her for the past two years, and it was a relief to see her.

The nurses got me all ready to go, and then the waiting began. This was around 4:00 pm on Tuesday afternoon. We were assured that this process would take awhile, so Anthony took off for his meeting at church, and I wondered how I was going to pass the long night. My dear friend say hi, and once she realized that my contractions were getting closer and closer together, she decided to stay until my mom came. My mom was able to stay until Anthony showed up, and by this time, the contractions were close and pretty intense.

The night was long, and finally around 3:00 am, I'd had enough, and threw in the towel. There was so much activity on the maternity floor that night that another anesthesiologist was called in. She gave me my epidural and around 4:00 am, I was able to doze in and out of sleep (the 15 minute blood pressure monitoring and oxygen mask were preventing a deep sleep.)

Things really started to move along around 5:30 am. My water had broken sometime during the night, and now we were close. It started going really fast, and not realizing how fast, Anthony ran to get some breakfast at 10 to 7. When he got back a little after 7:00 am, I had already started pushing with the nurses and was now "holding my legs together" and waiting for my doctor.

She showed up a few minutes later, and I only pushed for about 10 minutes before little Miss Catherine Marie was born at 7:22 am. She was 6 pounds, 6 ounces and was 19 inches long.


Although we had put our moms on alert, and they were both on their way, they both arrived after Catherine was born. Our families were able to come up and visit on Wednesday, and Isabella was not sure what to think about her new little sister.


But, we are so thankful that she is here. I'll fill you in on our miracle later. Thank you for your prayers throughout this pregnancy. We are definitely blessed with wonderful friends and family.

Baking Cookies

On a day like this


one might decide to bake some of these


with a helper like this


so you'll


and you'll


and she'll take "juss a bite" about 10 - 12 times!



After they've baked, and everyone's napped, it's time to decorate!


But one might forget that sprinkles require a lot of supervision...even after a demonstration


However, in the end, what's a few too many sprinkles?


(Notice the one red cookie. That was the demonstration...)



All in all, a fun day! I'm not sure when we'll bake again together, but at least I know it can be done!

Look Who's Two!

Isabella celebrated her second birthday on Sunday. It's amazing to think that she is already two years old! There are some days where it's hard to believe that two years have already passed, but, at the same time, it's hard to remember life without Isabella. Happy birthday, baby. We love you so much.

Her party was on Saturday, and I'll post pictures soon.

Go Rockies!!!

On Thursday we took Isabella to her very first Rockies Game!

We were set on buying a baseball cap for her trip to Coors Field, but found a great Tulowitzki t-shirt instead, which, as you can see from the pictures, is a little big for our little girl. They only had 3-Ts, but we figured she would be able to get good wear out of this $1.47 gem next year too!

So, all decked out in our Rockies gear, we set out for the game. Instead of grabbing hot dogs at the game, we settled for McDonald's on the road. This way we could enjoy ice cream when we got to the field.

By the time we got to our seats, the game had started. Much to our chagrin, we hit traffic on the way thanks to 2 accidents on the interstate. This put a little damper on the day, as did the fact that all of the Rock Pile tickets were sold out by the time we got there. Instead of an $8 day it ended up being a $24 day...

To make matters worse, our sunscreen was confiscated. A word to the wise, don't bring canned sunscreen to the ball park. It is not permitted.

Our seats were on the 3rd deck, but not too high. We had a pretty good view of the field, minus what was happening in center field. I could have done without the school group that randomly parked themselves in our section and proceeded to throw peanuts and harass the vendors. Anthony was none too happy when the rain came through with lightening strikes that threatened the game, but no worries. After taking cover for 10 minutes from the rain, Isabella and I rejoined the game and had a great time! The cloud cover prevented it from getting too hot, and the rain and wind helped as well.

She really had a great time. She cheered at all the right times and loved the music! We dined on Dippin' Dots and played in the empty seats. She watched the people and kept looking for the "bah" (ball).

By the end of the game, she was worn out! She slept almost all the way home and woke up talking about the "bah".

Lessons were learned, according to Anthony, but I think overall, it was a success! Fun was had by all, and the Rockies won, 10 - 1!

GO ROCKIES!!!

Who Needs Diamonds...

When you've got "beadth" (beads).






Anthony took some time off and headed out to Broncos Training Camp. Two years ago when he went, he came home with a little pink football for Isabella. This year he showed up with a Broncos bear for Catherine and pink and white beads with the Broncos logo for Isabella.

She has barely taken them off since he showed them to her. She is continually putting her "beadth" on and taking them off, just to put them on again. Isabella is definitely a "girly-girl" and loves "pretties." I think Anthony may have purchased all of these treasures as "collectibles," but just because he never played with his toys doesn't mean our girls will deprive themselves of the fun!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...

...That's what little GIRLS are made of!!!

(We never got any 4-D pictures with Isabella, but that's all we got today. Personally I think it's a little creepy, but there she is! Just like her big sister, I think she's sucking her thumb.)

We found out today that we are having another little girl. Although my heart was set on a boy, we both knew it was a girl.

So, little Miss Catherine Marie will be joining our family in November!

Sisters, Sisters
by Irving Berlin

Sisters, sisters
There were never such devoted sisters,
Never had to have a chaperone, no sir,
I’m there to keep my eye on her
Caring, sharing
Every little thing that we are wearing
When a certain gentleman arrived from Rome
She wore the dress, and I stayed home
All kinds of weather, we stick together
The same in the rain and sun
Two different faces, but in tight places
We think and we act as one
Those who’ve seen us
Know that not a thing could come between us
Many men have tried to split us up, but no one can
Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister
And lord help the sister, who comes between me and my man

Tats and Bruises

Isabella and I celebrated a three-year old's birthday last weekend. She was so excited to go, and as she was running to the car, Isabella slipped on some sand in the garage and fell - right on her head.


There were tears and silent crying, but nothing that Kitty (Meow) couldn't console. By the time we walked upstairs to get Kitty and back down Isabella was ready to get in the car and go to the birthday party.

The bonus was when we got to the party. My dear friend had stick-on tattoos for everyone! Isabella chose a sparkly pink butterfly. I too partook and choose a pink flower for my ankle. Both of our tattoos have since washed off, but they were fun while they lasted.


Needless to say, Anthony was a little concerned when he came home to a bruised and tattooed little girl...

Girl Gone Wild...

WARNING:

The following images contain nudity.

Anthony, on two separate occasions, found his sweet baby girl, in her bed, in the following ways.

We've got to keep our eye on this one!!!

We we fortunate that there were only wet spots on her bed. Anthony learned a very important lesson on this day - never put Isabella down for a nap without something covering her bottom. Lesson learned!