How did I ever survive

without my camera phone? Rewind about 2 years ago and it was time for me to get a new phone. By now we had moved from Florida to South Bend to Rome back to South Bend and just bought our home in Pittsburgh. We were sure that we wouldn't be moving for awhile and I finally had finally had a job with a real 40-hour a week paycheck so I felt like I could splurge. By splurge, I mean upgrade from the free phone options. I was just out of my first trimester at that time and felt like after those weeks of feeling horrible, I deserved something nice and shiny. Since jewelry wasn't in our budget, a new phone I could manage (even though bryan who receives his blackberry from work said that we'll have to tell our unborn child "I'm sorry, you cannot have braces, mom needed a new fancy phone"-he really cracks himself up). After much deliberation, I finally decided on the phone with an actual keyboard so that I could text with much more ease. Well, my 'fancy' (i take joy in the simple things in life) keyboard was soon outranked by the camera phone I had never used before November 5, 2007. After Gio's birth, I quickly learned the real reason camera phones were created. What a great way to immediately send pictures of our little guy to our family and friends across the country.

Now, as I am at home with Gio for the 12 or so hours Bryan is at work, I have the opportunity to take, well, a few pictures of the little guy. I don't think anyone who receives a picture understands how much time goes into getting just one cute picture when he doesn't come out looking like a large blur-it is quite humorous to watch me try, though. This wastes at least 4 minutes of my day, leaving a good 11 hours and 56 minutes for me to entertain him until Bryan comes home. I find it essential to have this camera in my back pocket at all times with the hopes of capturing a silly moment. I love that I have his first visit to Chic-fil-a captured on film (as does my chic-fil-a loving family), his first Pirates game (in white sox gear, of course), first time falling asleep in his high chair, smelling the flowers at the farmers market, and other pictures that help capture the joy he brings to my life daily. I love sending a picture to a family member who needs a smile during the day or an extra pick me up. I appreciate that I can do that and I think they do as well. Although I do my fair share of complaining about being away from family right now, I know for certain that down the road, I am going to miss these precious moments just the two of us, being silly, somehow finding a way to fill those hours during the day and loving just about every minute of it. I'm so grateful that technology helps this forgetful mom share these moments with those we love.

These pictures are from that first fancy cell phone i had which is now my son's play phone as he dropped it one too many times forcing me to buy a new one. This one, however, does not have the fancy keyboard like I once 'needed'. It does, however, have a great camera!

you can click on the slideshow and see the pictures larger with captions.

Happy Times

I am not a very organized individual. Don't get me wrong, I certainly put forth the effort but my results are often disappointing. I will make a list for the grocery store...only to arrive realizing that the list is on my kitchen table thus I forget several items which forces an unavoidable return to the store in the very near future (honey and peanut butter were the missing items just yesterday). I think Bry's favorite is the fact that more often than not, I will write the check and envelope for church, bring it upstairs, place it on the table and then...you guessed it...forget it. I will make new lists to help stay organized around the house and I am dedicated to staying on top of these to-do lists for at least 3 or 4 days....only to see that 5 or 6 days later I inadvertently did not check off anything on this list. I will, however, keep trying to improve upon about 75 things that I can do better but I'm sure I'll lose the list of these things, too. This all brings me to my blog topic, I have about 25 different things to write about but they are all floating around my head in disaray that I do not know where to begin. We have been quite busy and our little boy has been learning so many things that I am having a hard time keeping track of it all. I used to be so diligent about writing down even his smallest accomplishments (i.e. new foods or skills) but now I just tell myself that I will remember the day and that is just not the case. I was told that I can use the fact that I am a new mom as an excuse until he is two. I may need to push it to twenty-two. He is a little behind in his language development for his age and he had some great breakthroughs recently. He may not be able to enter the spelling bee quite yet but if the spelling bee was titled "words that start with the letter D" he would would definitely take the Gold! He has been saying "DaDa" for about 15 of his 16 months on this earth with "MaMa" no where in sight. However, is also learning "down", "duck" and "dog" and you would think that he recited Shakespeare by listening to his parents cheer for him. We are trying to increase his vocabulary by reading to him....a lot. I don't mean reading him The Fuzzy Duckling or Let's Go Irish once or twice a day, I mean, reading him The Fuzzy Duckling or Let's Go Irish about 30 times a day. I can't get over how he loves these two books. He will bring the book to me and then curl up in my lap and smile in anticipation for his favorite story to be read. How could any mom resist this preciousness? I'm fairly certain that he will say "Leprechaun" before he says "Mama" but as long as he continues enhancing those skills, that will be ok with me...at least that is what I am telling myself. We recently came across a tv show that I think I enjoy more than Gio called Yo Gabba Gabba. Of course, when he wants to watch it, he will say (with remote in hand) "ga ga" (Yes, i have noticed that he can say the name of his favorite show but not mine, no need to point that out). How can I resist turning on this crazy show? Here's a video of him getting ready to watch it.

From My Videos

As soon as I remember his other developments, I'll try to include those, too. But I'm sure you're not holding your breath.

all growed up

How did this happen so quickly? One day I am rocking my inconsolable little boy, trying to get him to sleep as he clings his sweet arms around my neck, and the next he is full of excitement and curiosity running to see the joy that awaits him outdoors on a crisp March day.

Milestones are around every corner right now, this week was no different. Our ritual for the past 10 months has been very much the same every night. Bryan walks in the door from his 12-hour work day and I punch my time clock letting him know that my shift is finished. Well, actually, my shift as 'mom' is over but my shift as 'gourmet chef and housekeeper' is just beginning! Okay, gourmet may be pushing it just a little but anything that is prepared on the stove and not the microwave is gourmet to us these days.

Bryan has always been the bath and bedtime guy and the three of us have grown to really love this ritual. I enjoy hearing the two of them laughing as Gio splashes and plays with his shark and Leap the frog singing the ABCs. I know Bryan loves the opportunity to unwind from a busy day by spending time with his son just as much as I love listening to them. As I listen to my guys, I prepare his room: dim lights-check, classical music-check, sippy hidden under the pillow so Gio doesn't see it too soon-check, a sweet kiss goodnight-check and it is back to father and son time with a rock in the chair before prayers and wishes for sweet dreams throughout the night.

Well, the day came where little by little he became less interested in the milk and more interested in jumping in the crib to catch some shuteye. We decided to just stop on Saturday and he has been sleeping soundly ever since. Bryan admitted last night what I had been thinking as well. "Wow, I'm a little sad he has outgrown his bottle before bed". I think that was the first moment I realized how quickly our little boy is changing right before our very eyes. I was so worried about stopping this ritual for the fear of how he would handle the change. I am so relieved that it was his choosing and he will not be scarred for life thinking that mom and dad took his bottle away before he was ready-oh, the therapy bills we have dodged for the time being!

Thankfully, as he turns 16 months old today, he still likes to be rocked when he is tired or hurt or just needs a hug and for that we are very grateful.

February-by the numbers

wow-I am so glad that there are only 28 days in the month of February. It has been one of the longest months and I have been counting down the days until March arrives! 6: The Number of Super Bowl Championships that the Steelers now hold. We had a great time celebrating the Steelers victory and Gio was even able to celebrate with his cute cheerleading friends for the big game. Steeler fans are like nothing I have ever seen before and they sure did celebrate! We noticed that church was much more crowded that Super Bowl Sunday-coincidence? I think not. I thought about taking Gio to the celebratory parade but thought that the two of us in the crowd of hundreds of thousands of people in the cold would not be a great idea. We watched from inside instead. 2: Number of visitors we have had this month-thanks so much mom and dad. Dad was nice enough to bring the rest of Gio's Christmas loot(err, gifts) and some old high school and college memorabilia for me to spend hours looking through. Thanks for making me waste even more time not doing what I should be doing. 1: Missing Luna bar which was stolen via the United States Postal Service from my valentine's card from C-lyn. What the heak? Who opens a package, steals the luna bar, puts the empty wrapper back in the envelope and proceeds to process the envelope? 5: Number of teeth Gio has teethed this month, including two molars and two eye teeth. Although he has been waking up @ 5:30 as a result, he has truly been a trooper. I can't imagine how much pain he is in all the time. 3: Visits to the Dr.'s office. I'm fairly confident that our co-pays have paid for the new office remodeling. I think that they should prepare a plaque in honor of us "This office remodeling has been generously provided by the Morales family, particularly the overly concerned mother" 4: Days Gio had a fever. He was most kind to get sick while my mom was here and although her visit was not as adventurous as we would like, she was a rock when helping me take care of him. He, again, did his best to maintain his energetic personality but certainly fell short at times-specifically in the middle of the night. 1: More ARE test taken by Bryan for a total of 2 so far this year and 1 scheduled very soon. It is quite admirable how he focuses and studies after working 12 hour days. Do I like it that he is locked in the basement? No, but it is admirable...I cannot believe the hassle it is to become a licensed Architect. Seven years of school AND he still has to hit the books every night. I suppose after 5 years of required undergraduate studies, you really know that you love this profession and he wouldn't be doing this if he didn't. 10: Days Gio has to take his antibiotic for his sinus infection. Seriously? After all the teeth and the cold and the fever...he came down with a sinus infection. He was also a 10 at the Dr.s office. The dr. said he really made his day and he wishes all of his patients behaved as well as our little guy. Wow, what else could a mom hope to hear? Let's hope he keeps this up for the next 18 years-give or take. 6: Number of deer in our back yard this week. Gio loved looking at them and quietly watching them graze. Of course, it was not as exciting as watching Grandpa Pete feed the buck by hand in San Antonio but watching them through the window is just fine by me. The thought crossed my mind to throw them some lettuce or carrots but then quickly left when I knew that they would be interested in these when we actually grow them in our garden this spring--we'll see how well that goes. 0: Number of the above mentioned things that I would change. Every adventure we go on we experience as a family, and although challenging at times, they allow us to make memories and learn things along the way. Gio is growing and changing so much that so often I catch myself wanting him to do something new and reach the next milestone but the real milestone is the three of us being here...together...enjoying this day that has been given to us. Taking the time to enjoy that is the real challenge.

It's Paczki Day

Happy Paczki Day! (pronounced poon-ch-key)

We started our day by taking Bryan to the Party Cake Shop to pick up some Paczki for the office. As we waited in the car for him, every couple of minutes there were people walking out with paczki by the dozen. It was hard to not ask them for one but I was able to keep myself busy by singing along with Gio's cd (and yes, he was in the car). Finally,after what seemed like hours, bryan arrived in slow motion with the golden donuts. Oh my, I just wanted to eat mine in the car right there but I thought I could have some self-respect and wait until I was able to pair it with a cup of coffee. I mean, what would bryan think if I dropped him off at the "T" with sugar and chocolate all over my face and the steering wheel?

I paired my chocolate-filled paczki with a cup of joe and Gio paired his with a sippy cup of milk. Like with most new foods, it took him a few tries before he became accustomed to the taste but he eventually took a few bites. I'm pretty sure it was the sweetness of the sugar-covered donut filled with jam that shocked him a bit. He still preferred the banana to the paczki so there is hope that he takes after Bryan after all. And, no, he did not eat an entire days worth of calories in one paczki but just had a few nibbles after I scraped off most of the sugar and the jam....Yes, Yes, family, I know I am just a terribly mean mother. Don't worry, I didn't let any of it go to waste!! I love living this quiet life in Pittsburgh with Bryan and John-Paul but today is a day that I wish I was closer to my family. Although Bryan enjoys a good paczki once a year, these are certainly things that I enjoy sharing with my sister.. We are so obsessed with maintaining our Polish traditions (err, primarily those that involve food) that we do not judge, yet we embrace, our love for a glorified donut (or six) on Fat Tuesday. I've also included a few pictures of John-Paul's romp in the snow yesterday. I made the mistake of dressing him in his coat, snowpants and mittens first before getting myself ready. I will only make this mistake once. I felt so bad for him but also found it just a little bit humourous that he had to work so hard to stand up on his own. He has mastered walking but that extra padding made it extra tough for him to move around. He kept holding his hand out for me to help him walk-it was precious. I was glad to have a fun little activity for us to do since we had no plans to leave the house yesterday. Unfortunately, by the time we were opening the garage, I realized how foolish this mom can be at times (most). I thought to myself 'is it really the best idea to take a little boy out in the snow who is just getting over a cold?' hmmm...probably not. So, here are a few pictures of our 2 1/2 minutes (seriously, that's it) playing in the snow and playing in the dining room-which was just as fun!

Happy early birthday to Maribeth---who, as luck would have it, celebrates her birthday on Ash Wednesday. So, Bets, go ahead, eat that extra paczki!

visitors galore!

Wow! 2009 has been off to a fantastic start for us here in Pittsburgh! The Steelers are Superbowl Champions and we have been blessed with a houseful of visitors to help us celebrate the New Year (and the victory)!! When Bryan and I moved to Pittsburgh, we never imagined how generous family and friends would be with their time and plan many wonderful visits to keep us company and keep us connected! I cannot even count the number of times my sister Carrie has been out this year alone! We had a wonderful, relaxing time ringing in the new year with Carrie and Chris, relaxing and laughing with Heather and Lindsay, becoming true Steelers fans at the Strip District with Maribeth and reading stories with Grandpa John. My mom also arrives this week and we hope that Bryan's mom will be able to make a visit this March as well. I need to get better about visiting others as well...maybe when it is warmer and I feel less like a hermit! John-Paul has been growing and changing daily and it is such a joy to see him develop. Yesterday Bryan and I just loved teaching him 'Ring around the Rosie' because he looked like he loved every second of it. He walked around in a circle holding our hands and fell down and giggled-it was precious. We need to take some video for sure!! He is really enjoying being read to right now which is just wonderful. He will bring you a book and sit in your lap and actually listen to an entire story. In the past you would be lucky to read a sentence before he was off to play with something else (usually that playing would include tearing every book off of his bookshelves). He hasn't quite caught on to talking too much yet--he must take after his quiet daddy. Everything he wants is 'dhat' . Cookie =dhat. Book = dhat. Shoe = dhat. there is one exception to his 'dhat' rule and that is dada. Dada is always dada and momma is always dada as well! ah, one day he will start saying momma and I will probably give him lots of hugs and kisses for doing so. For now, I will just give him lots of hugs and kisses for being my sweet, wonderful little boy!

Happy 2009!

looking back...looking forward

Why does this time of year go by so very quickly? We plan and plan and plan some more and then I procrastinate, procrastinate, and procrastinate some more and before I know it-it is over. It is such a beautiful time of year that we all love so much and it is so sad to see it come to an end. This year, I must admit, was a little bit different. I didn't rush around in a buying frenzy and I still haven't shipped all of my presents to my family in Indiana (sorry about that guys). I wasn't necessarily in the Christmas spirit this season as I usually am but when I was, I just wanted to spend time listening to music with my little boy and relaxing at home. We had it easy this year because Gio doesn't quite understand Santa so we have another freebie year and will definitely have to be better about being prepared next year. However, we so badly want to try and celebrate the true reason for the season and not let ourselves get too wrapped up in the commercial aspect of Christmas. I'm sure that is most parents' goal, but when you want to give your child the very best of everything, that goal can easily go by the wayside. Check back with us in December and we'll see how it is going.... 2008 was a great year for our family and we are so blessed to have witnessed this little boy grow and develop into such an amazing little toddler. I can't believe in just a year he went from being our little baby to our little boy-it truly is a miracle. I know that 2009 will be filled with much more laughter and many more big accomplishments for Gio. I am confident that our family's guardian angel will protect us and bring us daily smiles and we look forward to this new year and can't wait to see what 2009 has to offer us. We wish all of our familiy and friends the very best that life has to offer this year. May each day be a new beginning full of hope. May you always know that you are cared about. May you grow from each challenge you face. May you be surrounded by the love of family and friends always.