birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, oh my...

I am consistently amazed at how quickly time flies. For example, Gio's first year went by as quickly as one could say "It's a Boy" and today, I find it as equally hard to realize that we have been married for five years-and they said it wouldn't last ;) In looking at our wedding pictures we have scattered through the house that day, that weekend, feels like it was yesterday. I can just close my eyes and feel the love we felt from our family and friends and I can also feel the clouds making room for the sunshine as it peeked through the stained glass onto us as we shared our vows in the Basilica. (Thankfully, there was not the weather in South Bend on our beautiful fall day as there was today-12 inches-oh my-how would you have handled that mom?). November 22, 2003 is one of my favorite days-the day that made every day since then a little happier... Everyone celebrates anniversaries in different ways-big trips-big gifts-but to us those things would have equaled another thing-big debt- so we opted for the just as wonderful family day which included napping in the middle of the afternoon with Gio in my arms as he is refusing to take naps these days. We later wandered around our favorite places-The Galleria(and my personal favorite, Janie and Jack)and Babies R Us (an almost daily ritual for me). Yes, I admit it, we are two wild and crazy kids!! We were invited, and I would have loved to be home with my family, to celebrate a family wedding but today we celebrated more than one wedding, we celebrated Jason and Karen's wedding, our wedding, our marriage, and our bella vita here in Pittsburgh! Of course, every November 22, we also celebrate the feast of Santa Cecelia and my late great-aunt Cissy who was born on this day may we all share with others our smile as she always shared hers with me. Since Gio's birthday, we have had a few rough weeks because I think I have spoiled him rotten. I never knew the challenges of parenthood until i had a baby with never-ending ear infections. It breaks my heart to hear him scream when he goes down for a nap and I just don't have the strength to make him do it. It is such a fine line-do I pick him up-or do I let him cry? Well, I refuse to make him cry if he could potentially have another ear infection so it is off to the dr's office we go on Monday! Gosh, our doctors could probably go on vacation on our co-pays alone!!! I just want to make sure he is ok before we head home to Indiana for Thanksgiving. Although he isn't napping well and leaving me zero time to accomplish anything during the day, I do like seeing his sweet, innocent face breathing softly as he lays on me and takes his nap-sigh. Other than his ear infections, Gio is changing rapidly, I can hardly keep up! He has been taking his first steps and each day he becomes a little more confident in doing so. Our favorite thing right now is when we are making sure he doesn't go too quickly with his walker on the hardwood floors, we try to guide him along but he quickly shoves our hand away and gives us an "Ahhh". He isn't very verbal yet but we sure understand what he means. Some children start walking and never stop but this little boy is taking it one step at a time-literally. Not sure if we will have time later in the week to write but we wish to all a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday!!!

Wow, I can hardly believe that Gio's first birthday is here! With much joy we celebrated one of the last firsts that our little guy will celebrate this past week! In preparing for his big day I became mixed with much excitement and, honestly, some sadness that our little baby is now -sigh-a little boy! I certainly relived every moment(including the castor oil) of October 31-November 5, 2007 as we prepared to become parents, never knowing the crazy ride of our life were were about to begin. I can now understand why mothers call their children every year at the exact hour of their birth-it changed my life forever-why shouldn't I celebrate? Lucky for John Paul, his 8:23 pm is not too inconvenient of a time). I cannot believe how much he has developed since that day Carolyn (our midwife not my sister) told us "it's a boy"! I look at him today and see the baby I welcomed into my arms that day but I also see a little boy who has every day developed a little bit more, grown a little bit more, achieved a little bit more and made my heart grow a little bit more. In addition to his first, second, and third cupcakes, he had a wonderful Mickey Mouse birthday party that he will never remember but we have taken enough photos so he will never be able to forget. He has also officially taken his first steps. Now, I cannot say that he is officially walking but on Sunday after my dad took Carrie to the airport he took 1-2-3 itty bitty steps and you would have thought he won the Nobel Peace Prize I was so excited and so proud of him. It was fantastic because he did it for an audience and I'm glad others were able to be a part of this big moment. Before having him, I never knew how much this little boy could amaze me on a daily basis but it is true-there is no love like the love for your child.