Hut, Hut...Hike

One of the main reasons for our trip home was to take a trip to South Bend for the Notre Dame Michigan State game. We were worried for awhile that we might not make a game this year but we are so glad that we were able to make it. In our family, it isn't fall without a trip to South Bend. Thankfully, this year's journey was much more calm than last year's trip in the pouring down rain which turned into flooding in Northwest Indiana. We were blessed with absolutely perfect football weather, fantastic company and waaay too much good food.

Gio loved playing bean bags with the boys. Ok, he really loved taking the bean bags out and standing in the hole but he'll learn eventually!! He is now tall enough to reach any food on any table so we kept the veggies and chips within his reach but moved the cookies and brownies just a tad because I'm pretty sure he had 2 or 3 before 9 am!! He also enjoyed searching through the cold coolers and handing out beverages of choice. Aunt Carrie even put him to work passing out jello shots-thankfully he was not in the least bit interested in trying one of those tempting treats.

Bryan, John-Paul and my cousin Lauren and I enjoyed a walk onto campus, stopping by Bond Hall and the Basilica. We also saw the team walking from mass to the stadium and took a back path to avoid traffic and head back to the tailgate. While walking, I asked Bryan if the Coach walks because it is a long walk for someone with bad knees. Although Bryan didn't know the answer, I received my answer when just about a minute later, a 'bike cop' asked us to move over and we saw Coach Weis in a golf cart going to the stadium. Our favorite part of our encounter was when he waved to us, said hello, and apologized because we had to move out of his way. His coaching decisions some may questions, but his love for Notre Dame...I don't think they well-how classy. We wished him good luck and maybe that's what helped them squeak past Michigan State-we like to think so!!

Although some of our family went into the game, most of us just relaxed and enjoyed the fall weather (and again, more food). I am so grateful for everyone who helped chase after Gio because my bad back was taking its toll on me. My cousin Lauren's youthful energy was essential as she chased him up and down the sidewalk as he ran, ran, ran for what seemed to be hours. His favorite game was throwing his football at complete strangers, expecting them to play "Hut, Hut" with him. A few obliged and thankfully no one was hurt! My mom took him on a walk to the Grotto and I envisioned the two of them playing by the lake watching the ducks but when they returned, I learned that he slept the entire time!! Maybe next year.

Speaking of next year, it is hard to imagine that next fall he will be the big kid at the tailgate!! We are certainly starting to prepare for 'baby brother' and at the same time enjoying this beautiful fall season with our little boy!

There IS more than corn in Indiana

There are dairy farms, too!! We had a great trip visiting family in Indiana this past week. Everyone was amazed how much Gio has changed since our last trip in July. It is amazing what new white tennis shoes and speech therapy do for a little boy. Seriously, I think he looks older every time he wears his big boy shoes. We took what will probably be our last flight with him being a 'lap child' aka 'free child' and thankfully the flight was only a little more than an hour because it wasn't terribly comfortable for either of us since my stomach is growing bigger every day with baby brother. Gio was so excited to see his grandparents and great-aunts and uncles. Actually, he even saw his great-great aunt and great-great uncle-what a lucky boy. One of our favorite outings was the trip to Fair Oaks Dairy Farm. It is the perfect place to take a little boy who loves 1. trains 2. cars 3. mooooo's and 4. ice cream!! He had a blast the entire day from the bus tour to seeing the birth of a baby calf, from riding the john deer tractor to indulging in some homemade ice cream. As you can see from the pictures, he wasn't very interested in sharing with Gigi. Gio was so lucky to see all of his aunts from my side of the family (and Uncle Jay, too). For an entire day our entire family was together, which is a rare treat. Of course, we ate too much but laughed plenty and had a great time. Although he loves his family, he most loved his Aunt Marcy and Uncle Jay's beagle Penny. She is, by far, the sweetest, calmest dog we have ever met... a far change from our very sweet but not so calm Lucca! Penny was just the right size and he loved giving her plenty of hugs at every opportunity! Thanks to all for being so generous to our little boy who is loved beyond words by both sides of his family-what a lucky boy!

baby morales

What a whirlwind of a couple of weeks we had had this month! Bryan and Gio enjoyed their visit to Arizona to spend some time with Bryan's parents in beautiful Flagstaff. Although it was rough for me at first, we all survived the seperation...some better than others :) Once they arrived back in Chicago, we packed up to come home to Pittsburgh but had an unexpected stay in Sandusky, Ohio with some car problems. Although we didn't have the opportunity to take in Cedar Point, we made it home in time for our ultrasound with baby #2! With Gio, Bryan wanted to find out the sex but I did not want to so I told him that he could find out for the next baby. So, for the past two years, bryan has had the time to weigh his decision. Bryan said he enjoyed not knowing so much with Gio, that he probably wouldn't want to know, and of course, I did!!! Although I was torn, I felt comfortable with whatever decision Bryan made. Well, the day before our ultrasound, he told me that he did not want to make the decision, that I could. ALthough very nice of him, that was way TOO MUCH PRESSURE!!!!! It would have been one thing if I had been given advance notice, but the night before? What was he thinking. Seriously, we were in the parking garage of the hospital when he told me he was not going to make a decision either way-oh, the stress. While in the waiting room, I suggested we flip a coin. Heads-we find out, Tails-we don't. It was tails. I think I said with some drama for added flair 'oooooh, it's tails' in the same tone that you would expect eyore to say it. I think that if our summer was a little less eventful than it has been, I would have been perfectly happy waiting for December to find out our baby's gender, but I was in the mood for some happy news! Once we walked into the room, we were still unsure and the tech said she could write it down for us if we chose to look at it later. Who are we kidding? If anyone reading this knows me just a little you would know that would be a waste of time, I would open it before we got to the car. So, we (err, I, with bryan's blessing) decided to find out the gender and we're so excited to welcome a baby BOY into our hearts and our home this winter!!!! In addition to being thrilled, there is some nervousness-two boys-yikes!! I thought having a girl might give me a break from the non-stop energy of boys. Maybe they will run around together so much, it might give me a break-yeah, right. I think that a houseful of boys gives me a perfect excuse for more frequent spa trips and girls weekend....I'm going to start convincing bryan of that now!! In all seriousness, we are just overjoyed to have been able to see pictures of our healthy baby boy and know that in about 20 weeks, our lives will be twice as blessed with his arrival.

Happy Birthday, America!

We are so excited to spend the 4th of July holiday with my parents and family in Munster. We arrived on Thursday and have been having fun relaxing, playing with the dogs, and trying to catch Gio before he puts another bruise on his forehead or his knees (i have lost track this week alone). Today brought back a flood of childhood memories as we took the little guy to his very first parade. This is the ideal parade to take a toddler to, it is at the end of the street and lasted about 10 minutes! The parade literally consisted of The Color Guard, 1 Boy Scout troop, 4 firetrucks, and about 60 neighborhood kids riding their decorated bikes. We had a blast when we were kids decorating our bikes with crepe paper and waving to our parents as they proudly watched from the sidewalk. So, today, it was so sweet for me to take my son to the parade that was such a big part of my childhood. It was also nice because all of the children other than Gio were actually IN the parade so he received full attention from the firemen and the kids in the parade. He was not phased by the loud noise and just loved the firetrucks. We have been reading him "Curious George goes to the Fire Station" every day for the past month so I'm sure he was looking for a curious little monkey to be on top of the truck! Some adorable kids even had their own stash of candy they threw him but we split up the tootsie rolls (a parade necessity) between the adults. Since he was not in the parade, he missed out on the juice box and Ho-Ho's at the end but he was worn out and ready for a nap! Although we had hoped the rain would stop for the afternoon parade as the weathermen suggested it would, they were of course wrong and the rain persisted. We braved more rain for the Munster parade and Gio loved watching the firetrucks,the big bands, and most importantly, Grandpa, marching in the parade! The rain didn't bother him, he did not want to leave and so enjoyed every aspect of the day! Bryan did make me cry at the parade (ok, first the Pearl Harbor survivors made me cry) because he commented that it is sad to think this is one of our last holidays with him as an only child. We are elated to welcome a new addition to our family but we are trying to make the most of every minute with our sweet little boy before he becomes a big brother in December. I look forward to many more occassions of celebrating holidays like this as a family of four, making their childhood memories and waving to them proudly from the sidewalk! We are truly blessed to live in this great country and I am so grateful for all the men and women who have fought to maintain our freedoms. I may go have another piece of cheesecake to celebrate just that:)

summer fun

Well, here we are at the end of June and it seems as though during the months of January through April, I long for this time of year and once it arrives, it goes by too, too quickly. Maybe this month has gone so quickly because some days we are so busy trying to keep up with our son that we don't know whether it is winter or summer. I'll never forget June 11, 2009 because this is the day that I woke up with a sadness in my heart. I just said to Bryan that he is not our baby anymore, he is a little boy. He just had that look to him and I think it happened overnight. I can't really explain what that look was but it seems as though he went to sleep a baby and woke up this little boy with so much personality, so much determination, and so much spirit!!! I think he is finally starting to put on a bit of weight (I know this because some of his pants actually fit him and don't fall around his bottom when he walks) I do what I think many parents do a lot-complain. I admit that I complain about the little things-him shrieking in the grocery store, him being a daddy's boy even though I'm the one who spends just about every waking hour with him- but I wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything. The hugs and the "mmmmmmwah" sound he makes when he gives you a kiss make up for it all. Gio is truly developing at a rapid pace and he is learning so much, so quickly. He started some speech therapy and has an appointment to see an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor since we are on ear infection #8...and counting. I don't want him to be in any pain and if tubes will help him be able to verbally express what he wants/needs, they would truly be a blessing. He is learning a few words "out" is his favorite, not to be outshined by "dada" and "more". I was a bit disappointed when even his speech therapist said it was odd that he doesn't say "mama" :( Whether he says mama, dada, or lucca, the most important thing is that we have a happy, healthy little boy and so, really, we have nothing to complain about! Gio loves to play outside and he is such a little boy. He walks around the track at the school down the street from our house and it is so much fun to see him watch the other runners and then start moving his arms and take off-he just loves it. He looks like he has lefty tendencies just like me, especially when he throws a ball and swings the bat. I'm amazed that he has the ability to even make contact! Here's a video of him running and playing on the deck a few weeks ago...he loves watching himself in the sliding glass door! Other than keeping up with the little man, bryan has been busy tending to his garden he built for this season. We are all excited that his hard work is starting to pay off. His project began in the fall when he built a stone wall into the hillside and continued this spring preparing for our harvest. I'm impressed to see the variety of vegetables that we have growing and cannot wait to make some friend zucchini in the coming weeks! Gio loves helping dad water, even though most of the water ends up on himself, it is one activity that keeps him busy for...minutes!

Horses, elephants, and gorillas...oh my!

We are enjoying this beautiful Memorial Day weekend in Pittsburgh. Sunday we visited a new park (not so new to Gio and me but new to Bryan) for a family picnic, pint-sized fun on the playground, and meeting the horses. The county police horses are housed at a nearby park and the little guy loved them! He loved walking as close as he could to them and would have touched them if we let him. Oddly enough, as much as he loved the horses, he loved the sound of motorcycles even more. His face would light up every time he would hear/see one....I hope this doesn't mean he is going to be a rebel! Today we were joined by my dad for another fun outing, this time to the Pittsburgh Zoo. It is nice to have such a wonderful family zoo located to close to us. Unfortunately, it does not rank as high as Lincoln Park or the Phoenix zoo, both which were spectacular. I really don't think that Gio noticed the difference one bit, we all had a lovely day. The fools that we are went on Memorial Day afternoon and it was pretty crowded but the animals were still beautiful. Gio loved watching the flamingos, the elephants, and the gorillas. He even loved petting the cockroach, which I find disgusting but he seemed to enjoy it. Let me clarify that there were zoo employees holding a turtle, an iguana (or something that looked like an iguana), and a hissing cockroach. He laughed and turned away from the first two, but went right for the cockroach. He recently learned to say 'more' to accompany his sign for more and the entire time at the zoo, he continued to say 'more', 'more', 'more' and when I thought he wanted more crackers (of course, food is always on my mind), Bryan informed me that he wanted to see more animals-it was precious.

we're baaaack

wow, it seems like so much has happened since our family last updated the 5 people who check out our blog. We have been very busy traveling to Indiana for Easter, extending our visit because I threw out my back, and welcoming lots of visitors to Pittsburgh to help take care of Gio. I have always had minor back problems but never something so debilitating as this. Those who don't think it is important to bend from the knees when lifting 21 pounds about 21 times a day....I am living proof....bend with your knees!! Thank you, thank you, thank you again to everyone who helped us with our little peanut. Speaking of our little peanut, i have to find a new nickname for him now since we learned that he is allergic to peanuts. I suppose calling him 'peanut' is, well, mean. Thankfully he is a Class 2 on a level of 6 so it is not severe but serious enough that we have to see an allergist in June and carry an epi-pen on us at all times just in case. I had no idea that peanuts are in so many things that you wouldn't imagine. Pretzels, chocolate, and chic fil a are all off limits for now since they are produced in a facility that also produces peanuts or share machinery with peanuts. I'm having the most difficult time coming to terms with the fact that he will not be able to reese's peanut butter eggs at Easter...but I'm sure I'll get over it! Thankfully, the peanut butter i gave him, he didn't actually eat but he just played with it and then touched his face, which resulted in him breaking out in a rash on his face. The following day we had his 18-month well visit, which resulted in a double ear infection and blood work-what a lucky, lucky boy. When we have stressful weeks like this it is easy to overreact but it is important to remember that we have a wonderful, mostly healthy little boy and we are so very blessed if these are our biggest worries.

bored, bored, bored

I sit here on a Saturday night in Munster visiting my parents for an extended Easter and I am bored, bored, bored. My mom just took the little guy to mass but I was not able to go because I knew there was no way that I could sit in a pew for an hour. I have known for awhile now that my back was on the verge of going but, of course, I didn't do much to prevent it. I tote around my 21 lb boy often, probably more often than I should, because it is so much quicker than waiting for him sometimes. I'm sorry but sometimes I would rather just walk up to his room, put something away, and move on to the next task rather than waiting for him to pay attention to me, come with me, climb the stairs, and eventually decide to come into his room with me. Well, now, I am paying for it. I have had my fair share of back pain in my lifetime but nothing like this. Although frustrating, if it did have to happen, I am so glad that it happened here so I can have some help. Some help, I'm sorry, I mean more help than I could ever imagine! Thank you mom, dad, aunt mary, aunt bonnie, uncle eddie and lauren for taking care of Gio for me. There have been many times in the past 17 months that I have dreamed of sleeping in, having others wake up and feed my son so I could just get a little more sleep and now my time has come. Be careful what you wish for. Now, I'm so sad that I'm not the one seeing his handsome face in the morning or rocking him to sleep b.c. I can't pick him up or put him in his crib. Thankfully, although it has only been a couple of days, he still lights up when he sees me. I finally know what it feels like when bryan walks in the door after work and that little boy runs to his daddy. He just needed the chance to miss me.