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June 23, 2009
Hey everyone, I have started a new blog spot at the following link: http://sanalila.blogspot.com/. Check it out! May 27, 2009
So Lily is watching Luke get a bath the other night and says "Look Mama! Luke has two belly buttons!" Yes, Honey, one is an innie, and one is definately an outie! :) HA! It's so funny because you just can't make this stuff up!! That's one for the baby book... May 12, 2009
Alfred calls me from his cell phone yesterday afternoon while taking Lily for a walk around the block and says "get the tub water running, we've had a poop explosion!". Poop was running down Lily's leg and Alfred was carrying her in SuperMan pose (to avoid getting poopage on himself) all the way home. We put her straight into the tub and Mommy gave her a speedy bath before dinner. Wowzers. Things you never dream would happen when you decide to start a family! I've never talked about poop so much in my life as these past two years...Speaking of poop, Luke has only pooped three times in the past 20 days or so. He's perfectly okay, but it's weird! Lily used to poop at least once a day, if not more often. Luke poops like once every 5-10 days. Crazy! Lily tidbit: She says "I love you" now, and really means it - more beautiful words have never been spoken :) Luke tidbit: He's smiling all the time and starting to giggle a little! :) April 27, 2009
Our little baby boy was Christened on Sunday during the 10am service at church. It was wonderful! He was asleep until the Pastor put the water on his head, so that startled him a little and he began to cry. Then Lily threw an all-out tantrum right in the middle of the ceremony...what do we expect? She is two years old, after all. The Pastor tried to wait for Lily to calm back down before moving forward, but when it was clear that wasn't going to happen immediately, he turned to the congregation and said "Let us pray" and I said (yes, out loud) "YES, PLEASE!". There were some chuckles, and we moved it along. Oh well, the video will be fun to watch :). Luke was a doll, actually he's like a big teddy bear. He's so cute and happy. We took a bunch of pictures in the church, then headed home for lunch and Lily's naptime. After Lily woke up, we headed to Gramma R's house for some cake in honor of Luke. I had to indulge in some for the occasion, so I hope Luke doesn't react too badly to my having dairy. Then we all headed back to our house for dinner. We recently poured more concrete in our backyard to make more of a patio for all the toys and seating we like, so it was fun to "Christen" that as well! :). We had a full house with both sets of Grandparents, Uncle Steve and both Godparents this time. That makes me so happy - Nenong Jason got to meet his Godchildren. Lily really came out of her shell and played nicely with everyone. Tia Sana was here too, of course, and our family was complete! We got a lot of nice pics to remember the day - I'll post them soon. Thank goodness April is coming to a close - too much going on in just one short month! Momma needs a rest!
April 18, 2009
So another year has come and gone already. Lily turned two years old on April 9th. I cannot believe I'm the mother of a two year old, let alone the mother of a second child!! Lily had a wonderful birthday. We practiced singing Happy Birthday and blowing out the candles several days before the party, so she would be ready, and boy was she ready! It's now her favorite song, and constantly asks to blow out candles (not to mention asking for more cupcakes). We started the day by getting portraits taken, which was adorable with her brother Luke. You can see those in the picture gallery. We then headed home for nap time (can't skip the nap!) and opened presents afterwards. Then it was off to Chuck E. Cheese's for a big party with family and all the cul-de-sac friends. Everyone we invited showed up, so it was a huge success. Lily couldn't have been any happier. Permanent smile plastered to her face. Just glowing. Which of course makes Mommy and Daddy glow as well. Seriously, what more could a kid ask for? She had an Elmo cupcake cake (and was allowed to eat TWO cupcakes), played games, opened gifts, and was pretty much allowed to do whatever she wanted. Joy of Joys. Happy Birthday, sweetheart! We love you!!
March 19, 2009
With so much energy in one little girl, and another month left of my maternity leave, I thought it would be nice mother-daughter time to join a gymnastics class with my Lily-bug. It's for 6 weeks, starting now and ending one week after my maternity leave ends. We went for the first time on Tuesday, and it was great! She loved it. I was afraid she would be the little one crying in the corner, but she was quite literally running circles around the instructor (who said it was okay!) and really came out of her shell. It's just a bunch of singing and tumbling and running around, but in a somewhat coordinated fashion. It's something that allows me to focus on Lily and only Lily for about an hour each week. Of course, I spend a lot more time than that with her, but with Luke by my side, it's a challenge to get some real one on one time with Lily lately. This is a nice morning for us. It ends right at lunchtime at a nice park, so next week we'll bring sandwiches and picnic before going home. Last week, we went to McD's which was also a fun treat for Lily. I'm looking forward to more of these types of activities - Lily is so much fun now!
March 10, 2009
Everyone is okay! Luke got his one-month check up last week and is now weighing in at almost 11 pounds and 22 inches tall. He's growing like a weed, so I guess Momma's milk is still doing the job well. He's smiling a lot now (he has been smiling since birth, but now it's more often and right at 'ya!). I have to go on a dairy-free diet though to help with the acid reflux and gas...oh my goodness is that hard! I am having "fun" exploring with Almond Milk and rice cakes...oh yum. Can't wait until he's about 4 months old - doc says that's about when he'll grow out of it, then I'm going to get the biggest possible cake from Publix covered with lots of buttercream frosting, and wash it down with a huge glass of milk :)
February 10, 2009
Hey everyone, it's been a few weeks since I've been able to get to the computer long enough to write an update, sorry about that. Luke is thriving, growing nice and chunky on momma's milk now. He eats about every three hours, sometimes stretching it to four, which is really nice for my sleep. I seem to be getting about 8 hours of sleep a day, it's just broken up into two hour chunks (about 6 during the dark hours, then another two if I'm lucky scattered somewhere during the day). He never cries, though he is a spitter. Lily is also thriving - still loving her baby brother to pieces. She's very good about giving him his blankie and pacifier, and wipes his spit-up clean with a washcloth. She's Mommy's little helper! Now that the weather has been warmer for the past week or so, we've been able to get outside a few times. Lily just loves to play in the cul-de-sac with all the neighborhood kids. They are all older than her, so she looks up to them and mimicks their behavior. She runs around, screaming at the top of her lungs, playing with all their toys (which is great, because it means we don't have to purchase an expensive "Power Wheels" toy; we'll just let her play with everyone else's~). Daddy bought her an Elmo kite for a buck at Wal-Mart that she really likes, so that's about our budget these days. Between that and bubbles in the bath, I think we've got a happy camper. Anyways, things are really good here at home. We are all enjoying our expanded family of four. We went to the mall together as a family last Saturday. First of all, let me say that the mall is not a place for an active toddler on a busy Saturday. We basically didn't go into any stores at all, just chased Lily all over the place. We should have just gone to the park! Anyways, Lily had a good time because we rode on this little indoor train, and she kept saying "chugga chugga choo CHOO!" and it was adorable. Of course, I was super-paranoid about all the people coughing and sneezing...yucky, please get away from my newborn! We left when it was time for Luke to eat again, and vowed that we would not be back at the mall as a family for a very long time. There are definitely better ways to spend our Saturdays, and we'll have to find them if we intend to keep our sanity (and health, apparently)! So far, so good!
January 31, 2009
Luke Ryan Sanalila was born on January 24th, 2009 at 12:28pm. He weighed in at 6lb, 8oz and 19" long. It all started at 4am. I started to feel a little sick to my stomach. Then I noticed the contractions starting. By 6am, I'm pretty sure they were about 10 minutes apart. At 8:30am, I woke up Alfred and said "hey, think you better get up - I'm having contractions." We timed them for one hour and called the doctor at 10am. My contractions were coming pretty consistently 4-8 minutes apart and getting stronger. Doc said to get to the hospital and she would meet me there. I called my Mom (who was going to take me for a mani/pedi that morning...sorry Mom, slight change of plans!). They came over to care for Lily and off we went. We were checked into the hospital at 11am. They said I was 3-4 centimeters dilated. She asked me to walk from this little triage room to a delivery room. Well, by the time I got to the delivery room 5 minutes later, I was 7 centimeters! Just that little walk pushed me over the edge. They started the IV and asked me about pain medicine. I said YES, I am such a wimp. Please give me the epidural!! I was begging. They took bloodwork and said they had to wait for that to come back before they could get the anestesia started. Well, Luke wanted out really bad, and I started pushing before they could even get the bloodwork back. I had a completely natural childbirth and Luke Ryan entered this world at 12:28pm. I can't believe I didn't have the epidural and lived to tell about it. I am seriously the weakest person when it comes to pain. I can't stand papercuts or stubbing my toe, so you can imagine the screams. Actually, Alfred was a fantastic coach and was reminding me to breathe. That helped tremendously in keeping me focused and getting through each contraction one by one. What a team we make. He really deserves a lot of credit for hanging in there with me. I know he'll tell you he was nobby-kneed, but he didn't show it. Thanks, Honey! Love you more than you know. :) So now our family is complete. One beautiful little girl, and one handsome little boy. Everyone healthy and happy, what more could we ask for?! Lily is so excited about her new baby brother. It's a joy to watch her with him. She wants to hold him all the time, and can't go to bed without a kiss. Luke is a happy, healthy little guy. He had his first doctor appt last Thursday and is so healthy that he doesn't need to go back until he's one month old! Way to go, Luke! :)
January 23, 2009
So we went to the baby doctor again yesterday for my 38 week check-up. She said she could induce me next Thursday if I wanted, which sort of threw me for a loop. I didn't think they would offer to induce until after my due date. Then, she said "Oh, I forgot, I could strip your membranes if you want to go into labor now!". She said both of these options with excitement and enthusiasm...Alfred wants to know if she's in some sort of baby delivery contest. I had no clue what she was talking about, but going into labor at that very moment by choice did not seem like something I was willing to do...so I made an appt to go back on Monday with my decisions. Ugh. I wish this little guy would just come out on his own! I had no idea how good I had it with Lily coming three weeks early. Decisions to interfere with God's plan is not my specialty! Although I must admit, I'm getting really crabby and uncomfortable...might be best for my sanity and the sanity of my family if we just go ahead and have the little guy already...guess we'll see what conclusions I come to by Monday. Two new events with Lily - she has been sleeping until almost 8am for the past four nights. Now, I'm not saying this is a new trend yet...I'm still in shock at my ability to wake up with the sun (instead of much, much before) but I have loved the past week of more sleep! Plus, she wakes up so much happier and has a much better day overall. It's adorable, really. I peek open her door when she wakes up and she says to me "Good Morning - No sleep no more!". How cute is that?! I hope she keeps this up! Daddy will be so happy because pretty soon, he will be the one getting up with her in the mornings as I tend to the newborn. The second "event" in Lily's life is her first haircut by Daddy Scissorhands. Now, apparently this was supposed to be a surprise for Mommy...and let's just say that it definitely was a surprise. He mangled her bangs. I mean, really short and uneven. I had to try to fix it, but then it just got to the point where I said let's just leave it alone to grow out. Daddy is never allowed near the baby with scissors again. So the funniest part is the next day at dinner, I said "so that's what all the crying was about in the bath last night, eh?" and he said "no, I gave her a lollipop and she got mad when I took it away!". So not only did he mangle my beautiful baby girl's hair, but he also pissed her off by giving her three licks of a lollipop right before bed! Wow. This story just gets better and better...I guess that's why it takes two parents to make a well-rounded kid. I'm sure I've done (and will continue to do) my fair share of mess-ups and will have Daddy to rescue me. :)
January 16, 2009
Went to the baby doctor today and I'm now 2cm dilated and 50% effaced. Baby has been head-down for a few weeks now, so everything is in place for a traditional normal delivery. Basically means I'm progressing, but slowly. I said to the doc "is there anything I can do to speed this up?" but she didn't want me to speed it up; she prefers he bakes for another week...okay, okay...I think he's just scared of all this cold weather! :)
January 13, 2009
I have such an amazing group of friends! Susana planned a surprise baby shower for me last Saturday at Cafe Intermezzo, which is this awesome little restaurant/dessert bar in Buckhead. I've been wanting to take her there since she moved in, and here she goes planning a party there! Well, I had no clue. My friend Shemika emails me last week and invites me to lunch. I said sure, you name the place and time. She says casually "how about Cafe Intermezzo, around 12 or 12:15?". Of course, I'm hooked, not only for the choice of restaurant, but also for the opportunity at a girls lunch out. So, I gladly accept and anticipate my lovely lunch all week. I meet Shemika out front, she helps me park, and then walks me into the restaurant. We initially grab a table for two by the window, then she says, why don't we move over here? I follow her and she leads me to a separate room where all my friends are waiting! How great is that?! It's pretty hard to surprise me, I usually catch on, but this was perfect. I really had no idea. It was wonderful. There were 9 of us total, including myself. It was intimate and lovely. Thanks for all the beautiful gifts as well, ladies! My nursery is now complete. My baby boy can join us at any time! :) Pics of the baby shower are posted on the "pictures" page.
January 6, 2009
My birthday was Dec 10 and we all went to the Georgia Aquarium for the first time. It was pretty cool, but Lily was a bit of a monster. She was overwhelmed I think, and melted down during lunch. But she soon fell asleep in her stroller and we enjoyed the rest of the fishes while she slept. Then, she was a lot of fun when she woke up. I guess we can all get that way! Have to know our limitations, or at least how to handle them. We did a few holiday treats this year: went to ride the Macy's Pink Pig at Lenox Square Mall - that was really fun. It's just a little train ride on the top of the Macy's parking garage, but it's a holiday tradition around Atlanta and Lily really enjoyed it. We also rode through Lake Lanier and saw their light show. Thousands of lights (and thousands of cars!) and a Santa's Workshop at the end. Lily didn't like sitting in the car that long, but it was fun and she really enjoyed running around the carnival area at Santa's Workshop. Christmas was awesome - Lily was such a cutie. She kept looking at our 10 ft Christmas tree all decked out in lights and ornaments with such amazement, saying "Wow, big tree!". She loved all the presents that everyone gave her. Her favs were a pair of little yellow duckie slippers that she refused to wear on her feet but carried around instead, and a new kitchen where the stove sizzles, the micro beeps, complete with a cell phone! She loves to make soup, and will even provide you with a cup and some ice. Santa brought her a new bike, but it rained for four days after Christmas so we had to hide it because she was getting so mad that she couldn't ride! We finally took her to the park last week and she loved it. She is talking like crazy now, finally said "Grandma" and "Grandpa" over the holidays. Lily has a new baby cousin, born Dec 26th! Isabella Ariel was born to Alfred's sister Noralynn the day after Christmas - mom and baby are doing very well. She was 6 lb 12 oz, 19.5" long, so a nice sized baby! I'm still waiting on more pics...but the ones we have are adorable. I'm officially an Auntie and I think Alfred is still in shock that he's an Uncle. Our baby boy is due on Feb 5th, but I'm pretty sure he's coming sooner. I'm already 1 cm dilated, and I can feel the contractions starting up. Not real labor contractions yet, but boy, he's working on it! I'm big and uncomfortable, a little ornery and a lot moody, but otherwise healthy. I have doctor appts every week now until the baby comes. My guess is he'll be here before the weekend...anyone wanna start a baby pool?! We are definitely ready for him - his nursery is all set and his clothes are all washed. My bags are packed (and so is his) so this time, we won't be caught off guard! I still have to finish Lily's baby book though...better get moving on that one! December 9, 2008
Oh my, where does the time go? Lily's second Halloween was really fun. She dressed us as Abby Cadabby, the magical fairy-in-training on Sesame Street. She was so cute (you can see all the pics at the Lily Pad). She seemed to enjoy the event of knocking on doors and asking for candy, though she didn't really seem to know what was going on. She held onto her friend Val's hand most of the way, which was just so adorable. We gave her a lollipop when she got home, and that entertained her for a good 15 minutes, although I'm still cleaning up stickiness... The new nursery is coming along nicely. We have a bunch of 15% off coupons for Babies R Us, so we're using them sparingly and on the bigger items we need for decorations. Everything is so expensive (champagne taste on a lemonade budget). You can see the pics that Alfred posted last month, not much has changed. We purchased a bassinett for our bedroom, because he'll be sleeping next to me for the first three months. We purchased Lily a new, softer coil mattress and gave the new baby her firm foam mattress. We were hoping this would make her sleep in until 9am, but alas she still wakes up at 6:30am. Bummer. So, next purchase for the new nursery is the crib ensemble, and maybe a lamp or a trash can...we have 2 more months to finish up, so we'll get there slowly but surely. The absolute MUST-DO for me is finishing up Lily's baby book before the new baby arrives! I'm about 90% done, so now that Christmas decor is out of the way, I think I can focus on finishing touches. This Mom thing is a lot of work! :) Speaking of a lot of work, we all got the stomach virus before Thanksgiving...talk about nasty. That's the first time I've had a truly sick baby. Lily actually has another cold right now, but there is nothing that compares to cleaning up baby puke. I mean REAL baby puke...not just spit up from when she was an infant...yuk. Glad that only lasted 24 hours! Lily is so amazing now. She's still fiesty, but her vocabulary has exploded in the last few weeks. She copy-cats everything we say and do. I can't even begin to tell how many words she knows now, but it's adorable. She labels everything. Her cutest phrase of the month is "oh no, I made a mess!", which unfortunately for us, comes along quite often... Oh, I almost forgot: GO GATORS!!
November 7, 2008
It?s official. My very pregnant wife is nesting. We?re preparing for the baby boy?s arrival more and more each week. Nursery #2 is now underway? walls painted and baby Crib and Dresser in place. Special thanks to Grandma Nora for the wonderful crib and Grammy Petra for the great matching dresser/changing table. A great start for our new little boy?s room. Here?s a link to see pictures of the new room:
Steph is working on updating the Lily pictures. As soon as we get those up, I?m sure she?ll also give an update of Lily?s 2nd Halloween. In the mean time, enjoy a preview:
October 29, 2008
I had a high glucose reading on the initial test and had to go back in for a second screening. This time, they made me fast the night before. Then I had to drink this intensely sugary drink (quickly) and every hour for four hours they drew blood. I couldn't eat or drink anything in that four hours. So, you can imagine: I'm seven months pregnant, haven't eaten since 10pm the night before, and the only thing in my stomach is this nasty sugar drink. I felt sick. Plus, now they are drawing blood every hour, which makes me feel weaker and weaker. Not a pleasant combination. I'll know more when the blood results come back from the lab, but this could be the end of my cookie and ice cream diet. Gestational Diabetes is nothing to play with, so I'll do whatever the doctor says to keep me and the baby healthy. To add to the medical issues in our household, Neko (my 12 year old cat) has been diagnosed with an overactive Thyroid, which basically means her engine is revving all day and all night. She eats constantly, and has more energy than a kitten. It's not good for her heart, though, so we have to take action. The best form of therapy is radioactive iodine treatment. I don't know all the details yet, but it sounds like I'm going to have a bionic cat. Well, I guess that's the price you pay for 12 healthy years.
October 14, 2008
Had back to back doctor appts this week, one for baby#2 and one for Lily's 18 month check-up. Baby#2 is growing very healthy and strong, and so is Lily. Lily now weighs 25 pounds and is 34 inches tall. She's in the 93% for height, but 63% for weight, so she's still tall and skinny. Yeah! That means she's eating well and growing fast. Just the way a toddler should. She got two shots, but took them like a trooper. She doesn't have to go back now until her 2 year birthday, and then it's every year afterward. Man, I remember when we were at that doctor once a week! Crazy how time flies. Well, we'll be back there soon enough with Baby Boy, so life just keeps moving along. The doctor asked Lily if she knew where the baby was, and she came over and pointed to my belly, and started to lift up my shirt. How smart is that? I just love everything about our growing family! October 14, 2008
There are many rites of passage that you have to go through in life, and we've hit a biggie. We are now the proud owners of a minivan. Yes, I said minivan. For those of you that know me well, this is not something I ever wanted or looked forward to. I never minded SUV's, but minivans were not my thing. However, when you have a toddler and another on the way, you quickly realize it's not about YOU anymore, and it's all about them and comfort for all. More like peace and quiet for all, really. We just bought a Toyota Sienna Limited. It should be called UNLIMITED. It has everything you could possibly imagine - it's practically a motorhome. I could live in this thing for at least a week, I think. It has regular outlets, like you could plug in your coffee maker! It has automatic everything, including doors that open and close on their own. It has seats that move, and heat, and recline. It has a sunroof, a video system, a DVD player, a reverse camera, and a navigation system. It has enough cupholders for a small soccer team. I never thought I'd say this, but I really like this thing! Now, let's hope our little Lily enjoys it as well. Because let's face it, she's the true test to our new purchase. In a few years, we'll know for sure - it has to pass the Disney test... On another note, Alfred finished painting the new nursery. It's a beautiful shade of light green, which seems to be very fitting of a calm and nurturing environment that we are going to fill with wild animals (not scary ones though). Now it's time to start buying the furniture! I'm getting really excited. We have so much leftover from Lily, but it's always fun to buy new stuff as well. This little boy is so lucky! He has the best big sister and the most wonderful loving family to come home to. We plan to make sure he knows it! :)
October 9, 2008
Today Lily is officially 1 1/2 years old. Before she turns two, she's going to become a big sister! What a life-changing event for all of us, but especially for our little baby girl. She won't be the baby anymore...but she'll always be the first! I say this all the time, but she's simply amazing. She says quite a few words now that we can actually understand: sit, up, cracker, duck, ball, backpack, bubble, baby - most of these words have several meanings, we've come to learn. She knows some colors, like blue and purple (and can say those too). She plays Peekaboo (she says peekoo), she knows all the signs for Itsy-Bitsy Spider. She twirls around with her hands in the air like a ballerina. She says names: mama, dada, Sana, Lala (that's her name, for now). She says the sounds of animals: moo, baa, grrrr (that's for the dog), meow. Her babbling stories all end with the word "duck". She draws on the chalkboard like a champ. She runs, she plays, she says "weeee" when going down a slide. She plays with a baby doll in a stroller, just like the big girls. We have video of Valerie and Lily playing in the street with "dueling strollers". She knows what she wants and can throw a lovely tantrum when she doesn't get it (and I mean immediately throws herself to the ground and thrashes around - if it wasn't so often, it would be kind of funny). She sleeps well through the night, asleep by 7:30 or 8pm, awake by 7am. She naps at 12:30pm, sometimes for an hour, sometimes longer. She eats very well, and healthy, and enjoys good snacks. She drinks only water, which she enjoys, so we haven't had to venture into juice yet...I'm sure that's right around the corner. She plays with her friend Valerie at least once a week for a few hours, which she really looks forward to. Valerie is 2 years old, and definitely the role model for Lily. Val likes to think of Lily as her little doll, I think. They get along famously - it's very cute to watch them hold hands and walk around. I think Lily is really going to enjoy having a sibling - she definitely needs a partner in crime! Speaking of the new baby, Alfred just bought paint for the new nursery. We are going with Christopher Robin green, which is a lovely shade of light green to match our green/brown animal theme. We are going to buy black furniture as soon as the room is ready, so that will be exciting as well. I already have so much clothes and things that we saved from Lily, so we are practically set right out of the gate! I've been garage-sale hunting for cheap cute clothing as well, so I've got a few new things, a few gently used, and a few from Lily that work for a boy as well. I'll be sure to take pics of Baby Boy in Lily's clothes so I can use them later... :) Baby Boy is growing nicely. The doctor said at the last ultrasound "It's definitely a boy, there's his weiner sticking out". So, there you have it folks. He's kicking and moving around just like he should. All is well! We are still trying to decide what Lily should be for Halloween. We have the cutest Polar Bear outfit from last year that was way too big and now would fit her well, but it was so hot that I think we need to go with something a little more dainty. Maybe a princess? Hmmm. This is harder than choosing what candy to give out! :) Alfred and I just celebrated our 6 year anniversary. We went to Charleston, SC for the weekend because we figured it would be the last time we would be able to get away for quite a long time. It was lovely. The weather was perfect. It's all seafood there, however, so that was a bit of a downer for me because I LOVE it but can't eat any right now! I guess we'll have to take the family back there some day. We took a horse carriage ride around town, explored some very good restaurants, and simply enjoyed some adult conversation together. It's always nice to come home, though. I missed Lily-bug like crazy!
August 27, 2008
Had another ultrasound today, and it's confirmed - we're having a bouncing baby boy! We are thrilled that he's healthy - the added benefit of him being a boy makes us jump for joy! Daddy is excited about raising his little man, and mommy is just plain excited about adding another Sanalila to the clan. Now that we know the gender, it's going to be full steam ahead in getting the new nursery ready. We've moved the guest room (aka Sana's room) to the downstairs bedroom. Next step: pick a paint color. We're thinking a nice warm green. Looks like I'll be getting rid of all that pink stuff...unless we have another someday...! Maybe I'll just keep a few of my favorite things, just in case :) Lily is doing fantastic. She's down to one nap a day, but it's not quite a restful sleep yet. We're getting there. She's so smart and funny - her personality is really developing now. It's amazing to watch this little creature become her own. Miss Independent! August 4, 2008
We took our first family car trip to Florida, July 23-27. We wanted Lily to experience the beach, plus it was a good time to visit Gramma, Grampa and Aunties in Jax. We brought everything except the kitchen sink. Our car was full before we had packed any clothing for ourselves! Toys, crib, stroller...you name it, we brought it. The 7 hour drive was actually a lot better than we thought. We left at 4am, hoping Lily would sleep until 7 or 8. Well, she fell asleep for an hour, but that was about all we got. The rest of the time she watched DVDs on a portable player we borrowed from a friend. What a lifesaver! She loved that thing. We ate at the same Cracker Barrel going and coming home, spent a good hour or so there letting her run around and burn some energy. Overall, she was really good in Jax too. She got comfortable very quickly, as we changed her Auntie Jolly's room into her nursery, complete with blackout curtains, video monitor and crib. Too bad we forgot to take pictures of that! Lily gave Gramma and Grampa some much needed hugs and attention, plus we had a nice afternoon as Lily explored the beach for the first time. It was definitely worth the trip. Not sure when our next vacation will be, though - with another one on the way, that could be a while! :)
Baby #2 News...
July 8, 2008
First glimpse
June 30, 2008
Yes, friends and family, you have read the headline correctly. We are looking for "I'm a Big Sister" t-shirts for our little Lily Mae. We are expecting another bundle of joy on or around February 5, 2009. Had our first ultrasound last Thursday, and there's one perfect little baby growing in there, steady and strong. Wow. Are we ready for another? Sure, why not?! Bring on the insanity, the sleepless nights, the sibling rivalry. With two babies under 2 years old, I'm sure we'll need therapy (or babysitting - any offers?).
May 20, 2008
We finally took our very first vacation away from Lily. We thought her turning one was the magic number in terms of leaving her behind with Grammy, and we thought right! Grammy and Lily strengthened their bond, while Mommy and Daddy strengthened their bank account. That's right - Alfred won the big jackpot at the slots! It's so ironic that he won where he did because he was constantly preaching to me that the slots by the women's bathroom pay out more because they are played more...as the men are awaiting their wives. Well, the cliche couldn't have been more true in our case! Our jackpot is almost enough to cover all the renovations that are needed to our rental property to get it ready to sell, so I honestly believe our prayers were answered. We had an amazing room at the Venetian, concierge level and all. We saw "O" and bought ourselves each something really special to remind us of the trip and the big win. The best part is, we took home most of the cash and deposited it in the bank! Not many winners in Vegas can say that... Now, for a Lily update: Our Lily-bug is officially a Toddler. I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but she no longer gets on her hands and knees. She's fully walking everywhere now! She's even swinging her arms by her sides like a true expert. She's babbling like crazy, definitely ready to say real words. She says "banana" and "bubbles", she growls when she hears a dog bark, and she meows when she sees a kitty cat. She can sign "milk", "more" and "all done", plus "itsy, bitsy spider", which is simply amazing to watch. She even tries to sing along! I just thought of something - I have to get that on video! Anyways, she's 13 months old now, and proving to us every day that she's the daughter of a stinkin' genius and one lucky dog! :) Tonight, as Lily was getting ready for bed, she didn't want to read anymore. She just grabbed her blankie and her little plush duck, walked over to me and rested her head on my chest for a good 10 minutes. We just layed there, cuddling. Wow. That is pure heaven. I seriously had tears running down my cheeks for the sheer overwhelming love I felt to and from my daughter at that moment. Unreal. I can't wait for more moments like that! God, how I love that little girl. As a very wise woman recently told me: always remember she is a blessing. Even when you are having a bad day, Mom - she is a gift. Truer words could not have been spoken.
April 15, 2008
Lily had her doctor appointment, complete with more shots today. She's 21 pounds, 4.4 ounces and 30 inches tall. She's meeting all the developmental and growth milestones on schedule, so we are very pleased and the doctor is also happy with her progress. She got the "all-clear" to eat anything except nuts and seafood, so now things will get fun (and messy). Lily did not appreciate the doctor's pokes and prods, but she did let him see her take a few steps. She was pretty upset with the shots as well, and rightfully so! She has little black-and-blue marks where they injected her now...my poor baby, I'd cry too! Next check-up: 15 months old.
April 12, 2008
Alfred has to share his special day with Lily today. We are throwing a big block party at our house for all the neighbors to come over and help us celebrate our little girl's first birthday. We rented a big bouncey-house for the older kids (and maybe for us adults once the kiddies are gone)...Grandma Nora and Grandpa Rey are also in town, along with Godmother Susana and Auntie Let. Wow, packed house and full hearts. We love you all!
April 9, 2008
Happy Birthday, Lily Mae! Oh my, I can't believe you are one already. How fast this year has flown by. You are so big, strong, and healthy. No one would ever guess you were a preemie. Almost walking, certainly talking and a precocious attitude that will serve you very well later in life. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you! Now, let's go take some portraits to remember this day, and then we'll celebrate with some cake and games at Chuck E. Cheese's!
April 6, 2008
About two weeks ago, Lily decided she really wasn't into this nursing thing anymore. She's a big girl now, and big girls drink milk from a cup. Well, that left us in a bind - we still had three weeks before her first birthday, which is the magic date all pediatricians recommend for whole milk. Were we supposed to wean her onto formula for three weeks and then wean her on to whole milk? That just didn't make sense. So, I made the big decision and moved her on to whole milk a little early. She didn't really like it at first - it wasn't Mommy's milk and it wasn't water, so what was this crap?! Then, I warmed it up and mixed it with a little Mommy's milk (frozen stash) and all of a sudden, she would slurp it down like a Frappachino! I'm all out of frozen stock now, and I simply refuse to pump (my poor, tired boobies need a break!), so she's completely on the whole milk now. She's getting more and more used to it. I'm kind of glad, but I'm kind of sad. I've been her main source of nutrition for a whole year (a long and short year, depending on how much crying was involved on any particular day or memory)! It's definately a success story for us, I just wish she didn't write the ending so suddenly...She still nurses for a few minutes in the morning, and that's really more for me than for her. I'm sure we'll stop that trend very soon, as she becomes bigger and more impatient for her morning meal. As we approach her first birthday, I guess it was inevitable...more drastic changes to come! My baby girl is growing up. March 4, 2008
I just can't believe we are about to celebrate her first birthday. Where has the time gone? She's down to nursing only twice a day, and probably ready to completely wean from Mommy. While that saddens me, it also excites me because it means she's strong and healthy. She's decided this nursing gig all on her own - I'm just around to supply the boob. It's been an amazing experience, one I will certainly cherish for the rest of my life, and hopefully be able to experience again...God willing. For now, I'll enjoy the few minutes she still latches on as we gaze into each others eyes. She is just so beautiful! Sometimes I can't stop looking at her. Yes, she's cranky and fussy, but man are we lucky! I think about all the children that have physical and developmental issues, in and out of hospitals, and I thank God every second for our healthy, usually happy and certainly energetic baby girl. Summer is coming, and our street is filled with children ready to play outdoors. Lily is no exception! She still needs to get this walking thing down pat, but maybe the bigger kids will help motivate her to do so. She'll walk down the hall pushing her buggy, or holding my hand (trying to do only one hand now for balance), but she simply won't take those steps on her own. All in good time, I guess. She's talking like crazy, not saying much that we can understand besides mama and dada, although I'm pretty sure she's trying to say 'banana' during breakfast. She does the sign for 'milk' and 'more', which is just adorable. She gives big open-mouth kisses and waves bye-bye. She'll give you biggest hug if she wants to, and when she's sleepy she'll rest her head on my shoulder which puts me in this 'mother-trance' that I could just live in forever. There really is nothing like the feeling of your sleepy baby holding onto you, leaning her head on your shoulder, and just melting into you. She's so smart and determined. We've slowed down on the picture-taking because she's slowed down on the growing, but we'll vamp up again this spring/summer as we head to the pool and show off some cute bikini's and summer clothing (yet to be purchased, of course). Her day is pretty predictable now that we've fallen into a nice pattern - she wakes between 6:30a-7a and nurses. She has breakfast around 8am and then naptime at 9am-11am. We eat lunch at 12pm and then another nap at 2pm-3pm. Then it's time for an afternoon snack and the Backyardigans. She nurses again at 5pm. Dinner is at 6pm, then if it's a bath night, that's at 6:30pm. By 6:45pm she's in her crib as we read a few bedtime stories together, get our last kisses and cuddles in, then it's lights-out by 7pm. She sleeps all night long now, which gives us a nice evening to unwind. She's teething like crazy still - she has 6 teeth in, and two more about to break through the gums. Orajel is my new best friend, and seems to calm her down pretty quickly. We only use the pacifier at night and naptime, pretty soon we'll need to start weaning from that as well. She loves her little blankie for sleeping, which is so adorable to walk in on her clutching it close to her as she sleeps. She loves to read, which is defined at this age by grabbing a book off of her shelf and flipping through the pages. I honestly think books are her favorite toys right now - who could ask for anything more?! She does love food, though - snacks are a must when we are out and about. We can buy ourselves a good 20 minutes with some Cheerios or a cracker. She drinks water from a sippy cup already too. She's not a fan of the pureed food in a jar anymore, so we are trying to experiment with regular wholesome finger foods, which she seems to enjoy much more. Wow, our little girl is really growing up! Can't wait to see what the next few months hold for us. January 25, 2008
Well, what a start for 2008! Right after the New Year, Steph had to go out to San Diego for a week on business, leaving Lily and her Daddy by themselves again. Originally, we had hoped to make it a family trip, but soon realized that it would be quite a challenge for Lily and wouldn?t be much fun for anybody. Baby and I did well, but of coursed missed the mommy so! Though I?m starting to get the hang of it (being my third time caring for Lily by myself at home and all), Lily and I very much prefer to have her mother taking care of us. It?s great quality time for Lily and me, but it feels much better when all three of us are home together. My parents and sisters came back up for Lily?s Christening. Susana, Steph?s best friend, also made the trip from Florida to take her role as Godmother. My cousin Jason, couldn?t make the trip from California, but Uncle Steve proudly stood-in for him. So the Rogulski?s and Sanalila?s came together at our church to witness Lily get baptized. In her lovely dress, she captivated the whole congregation. She did great and she seemed to love the attention. Afterwards, we all gathered back at the house to celebrate. We were joined by a handful of friends and had a great time. Special thanks to Grandma Nora and Grandpa Rey for preparing the feast! So now Lily and I are home alone again. Steph is on a little three day cruise to the Bahamas with Susana. A friend of Susana is getting married on the ship and it was a great opportunity for Steph to let her hair down for a bit and maybe finally get some well deserved rest and relaxation. Luckily, Grammy Petra has been able to help out and watch Lily for a couple of afternoons. For the most part, Lily has taken it pretty easy on her Daddy so far (Thank God!). She?s definitely teething again. She has been practicing standing up on her own and walking with the aid of her little cart. I think she?ll be walking on her own soon! You can tell that she?s really working up to it. She?s getting more interested in her toys (finally!) and can be quite a chatter box. It?s truly a wonderful thing to watch my little Lily blossom. I am absolutely amazed by her on a daily basis. Now if I can only get her to say ?Da-Da?!
January 1, 2008Happy New Year! I'm not sure we can top 2007...it was a pretty darn good year all around. Alfred earned his GRI designation in Real Estate, Steph worked hard at not working so hard, and Lily came into our lives! Pretty hard to beat, but we'll aim even higher this year and see what kind of events we can stir up. For starters, Alfred won a trip to Las Vegas, so that will be our first 'adults only' vacation...I'm sure 3 days will be long enough for both of us away from our little girl. Lily will be Christened on January 20th, earning two amazing Godparents to help guide her faith. Lily will take her first steps this year, along with lots of other amazing firsts that we will share with you all. Lily will turn ONE year old this April, and we're already planning the party (Daddy wants a pony, Mommy wants a jumpy-house...Lily just wants the cake!). So, as you can see, we already have some amazing things to look forward to that will put 2008 to the challenge of being the best year ever! Hope you have equally as many great and exciting things to look forward to this coming year.
Dec 26, 2007Lucky Little Girl
I think the title says it all. Lily is by far the luckiest little girl on the planet. She had her entire family with her on Christmas morning to witness the mountain of gifts. Lily was surprisingly good about it all! I thought for sure she would be screaming after 10 minutes from being overwhelmed. But she moved from Grammy to Grandma, from Aunties to her Uncle and over to Grampa and Grampy for all the loving she could handle. We actually had to take a quick break in between opening all of her gifts so that she could eat! Oh, but she got the most beautiful clothing and fun toys (and a little cash to pad her 529 College Fund). Mom and Dad can't wait to play with Lily in the coming weeks, showing her all of her new gifts from Santa (wait, who needs Santa when you've got TWO Grammas?!). After the gift exchange, we moved the party to Grammy and Grampy's house for a Christmas feast. "Good Chow" was the common exclamation from the clan...a wonderful ending to a perfect day.
Dec 19, 2007All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth... My two front teeth, my TWO FRONT TEETH! Yes, that's right folks. Lily is getting her two front teeth (upper) just in time for Christmas. She's had a bad cold (runny nose, sneezing, coughing) for the past week, and two days ago I noticed the little white tips of two new teeth coming through. I don't know why teething brings on a cold, but so far we are batting two for two! Each cold brings with it two more teeth. She's feeling much better today, not much sneezing or coughing this morning so I think she's on the upswing. Plus, now that her teeth have broken through the gums, it's only a matter of time before we have to post pics of her new smile! Man, just goes to show you how important it is to take pictures every day - you just never know what the next day brings. But that's true in everything in life. Happy Holidays to all of our loved ones! May Santa bring you peace of mind, love in your heart, joy to share, and a little something special to put a smile on your face the whole year through! :)
Dec 11, 2007Creepy CRAWLER!! Watch out, we've got a mover and a shaker on our hands! Lily is finally starting to get the hang of this crawling gig. She used to belly-flop in order to inch-worm her way forward. Starting just a few days ago, she's now able to stay on her hands and knees and 'leap frog' her way forward. She's still working on coordinating her knees and hands, but she is all smiles!!
Dec 7, 2007Lily's Schedule
It seems that we've finally, after 7 long months, settled into a nice routine for naps and mealtimes. Lily's day usually goes something like this:
Dec 3, 2007First Word: "MAMA"! The past week or so, Lily has been babbling "bababababa" in a very sweet voice. We have had full conversations, back and forth, with this "bababa" gig. It's very cute. Then all of a sudden, she said "mama"! I said "That's ME!" Now, she says Mama all the time (usually it's a lot of mababamababamabamama - you gotta catch the "mama" in there somewhere). I think she just likes my reaction to her saying it, not sure if she really knows what it means yet. But hey, I'll take it! Sure makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Happy Birthday to me! (aka Mama!)
Nov 19, 2007Cuddle Bug Every morning, we bring Lily into our bed in hopes that she will let us get a little extra snooze. All we want is another 30 minutes or so - you know how it is! We have NEVER been successful in this attempt...until this morning! Just goes to show you that anything can be accomplished with a little perseverance. Lily got up earlier than usual - 5:45am. Pacifier didn't work to keep her quiet or put her back to the Land of Nod, so I whipped out the boob and fed her early. As you can imagine, I was still very sleepy (while listening to my loving husband snore away). So, as usual, I brought Lily into the bed and cuddled with her, hoping she would melt into the sheets and snuggle up for a brief snooze. It took a good 30 minutes, and a nice big cuddle from Dad to get her sleepy, then she actually fell asleep with us! If I wasn't so darn tired, I would have run down to get the camera! She was like an angel. For fear of waking her, we both closed our eyes and tried not to move an inch, but all the while, enjoying every minute of having her so close and snuggly!
Nov 4, 2007Typical Sunday I remember those days of the relaxing coffee and Sunday paper?they have been replaced with diaper changes, naptime, and crying fits. My Sunday coffee is now enjoyed in the car while my 7 month old and I drive around (don?t worry, only one of us is napping). The Sunday paper has been replaced by internet headlines, because that?s all I have time to read before she wakes up?speaking of the little angel, Gotta RUN!
Nov 1, 2007Lily's First Halloween Past couple of days, Lily has been thinking of what to be for halloween:
Oct 27, 2007It's a sad day in Gatorville Well, the Bulldogs have finally gotten another win...three in 18 years ain't much to brag about, but we'll let them gloat for this year anyways...Quick Lily update - she's started solid foods now. We've gotten through peas and carrots, next is bananas! YUMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy.
Oct 11, 2007The second bottom tooth has appeared! Now, let's hope we get a break from all the fussiness and drooling for a while...bring on the smiles!
Oct 9, 2007Put on your nice dress, it's picture time! There should be a law against new mothers going to photo studios alone with their beloved 6 month old for first pictures. I say this for many reasons, all of which I experienced today. First, I spent WAY too much money and have a veritable storehouse of pictures now...I'm taking requests, there are lots to go around. Of course, if you are on our Christmas card list, you'll probably get some anyways...Grampy Mel said we should start a wall of "stages" - there are two problems there, 1. I'll go broke. 2. it'll already be filled up just with the 6 month stage!! Second reason to bring moral support, Lily was a bit of a nightmare (although you would never have known that by seeing the pictures). She is teething something terrible right now, her second bottom tooth is breaking through and she's just miserable. Smiling was not her top priority today. Third, as I'm going through the 100's of pictures with the photographer of my absolutely phenomenally beautiful baby girl, Lily is wriggling and writhing out of my lap, which basically leads me to say more "yes" than "no" so I can hurry up and get out of there...cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching. So, in summary, I have no idea how this photographer was able to get a single smiling photo, but she did, and many of them. She probably deserves some sort of award for being so quick. Lily is so incredibly picture-perfect. I know every Mom thinks this, so it's just par for the course, but Lily Mae is by far the most beautiful baby in the whole wide world! I got a CD of all the pics as well, so I'll post my favs on Lily's page for you to enjoy.
Oct 4, 2007Time to buy a TOOTHBRUSH! Well, we now know why she's been extra grumpy, drooling, and putting everything she can get her little hands on into her mouth...she's got a tooth! Her very first tooth just broke through this morning. I can feel the little sharp ridges and can barely see it coming up through the gums. Oh, our little girl is growing up!!! We've got to get her into the picture studio QUICK so we can get some photos before those toofies pop in! The bigger question for me is, how does this affect nursing? OUCH.
Oct 3, 2007Approaching the 6 month mark
Lily is getting so smart and very nimble. She found her hands this month and has been putting anything and everything into her mouth, including her toes! She's teething like crazy. She is getting one serving of Oatmeal cereal in the evenings now, and I'm sure that will soon increase. She laughs out loud and screeches an ear-piercing pitch, we call her our little birdie. Her favorite letter is "M" and she hums "mmmmmmm" a lot when she's tired/hungry/grumpy. Sometimes it sounds like she's saying "mum" (maybe she's British?) but I'm not convinced I've heard a full-fledged MOM or MAMA yet...so we'll keep listening. She's trying desperately to get on her knees now, so Alfred just mentioned this morning that we better get the baby gates ready! Lily is outgrowing her infant carseat, so we purchased a big-girl carseat to transition into. She had her first ride in it on Monday. She's outgrowing her clothes faster than she can wear them. I just can't believe my little premie baby is already 18+ lbs! Wow. She is so beautiful and so healthy. We are incredibly blessed. On her 6 month birthday, we will get professional photos taken (first time!) and hope to share them with you all very soon. We might have to start entering her in "beautiful baby" contests because I'm certain she's the most gorgeous baby on the planet...and I'm not biased ;)
Sept 17, 2007Lily Sits Up!
Playtime takes on a whole new meaning when your baby girl can sit up all on her own! Lily is sitting up now, using both hands to grab at her toys and play. It's so adorable to see her reach out and grab a toy, and she is just so proud of herself too! She has to be "placed" in the sitting position, of course - meaning she isn't going from laying down to sitting up yet...but I'm sure that's just around the corner.
Sept 13, 2007Quick update: All is well Mom has returned from her first trip away from baby Lily and everyone survived! Dad did a fantastic job, probably better than even HE expected. Daddy bonded with his baby girl during those four days without Mommy, proving he could do all sorts of fun stuff, like bathtime and bedtime (watch out Daddy, you are earning more responsibility!!). I was overly concerned for nothing - they had a great time without me...Luckily, Lily didn't forget about me though. I came home around 6:45pm, just in time to put Lily to bed on Friday night. She was very happy to see me, but overly tired and ready for sleep. This put her in just the right frame of mind to latch back onto the boob with no problems at all! I was so happy, and continue to nurse my little bundle of joy with ease. So, all that worrying for nothing (but I guess that's what makes me a Mommy!). My guess is this is just the beginning of my restless nights... Also, we had to take Lily to the doctor this past week for Eczema. He gave us some prescription-strength lotion for break-outs, and gave us some good recommendations for lotions and bath cream. We have been following doctors orders, and Lily is 100% better in just a few days! Oh, and the best part: Lily is starting to sit up all on her own! She's so proud of herself, and we are proud of her too. She is entering a whole new world now where she can play with her toys and sit like a big girl. My, she's growing up so fast!!! We'll try to get a video of her new skill posted soon.
August 30, 2007Don't leave me with the BABY! ...screams Daddy as Mommy leaves for a work trip next week. I'll be gone for three nights: no hubby, no baby, no hugs, no giggles, no cuddles, no smiles for Mommy. I'll be away from my beloved for 67 hours straight. I haven't been away for more than 6 hours yet, and never at night. I started feeling blue about this the minute I found out I had to go, and have been getting bluer each minute that passes. I'm getting neurotic about having enough breastmilk in the freezer for Lily, about prepping Alfred for everything that could come up, and all the daily rituals that Lily and I do. I'm freaking out about pumping enough while away, worried about my milk supply, but mostly concerned that Lily won't want to breastfeed when I return (having been bottle-fed for 67 hours straight)...oh, that would just break my heart into tiny little pieces. How I LOVE to cuddle her when we are sitting in our Lay-Z-Boy for nursing sessions. In my heart, I know this is a great bonding experience and confidence builder for Daddy Alfred. In my heart, I also know I'll be crying myself to sleep in that lonely hotel room. I'm sure I'll wake up every two hours, like I do now, wanting to check on her but not able to simply walk into the nursery to watch her sleep. I'll probably be logging into my own website just to view the videos over and over again...
August 25, 2007Steph has done a great job adding pictures of Lily to our site... and there's a lot more coming I'm sure! So I decided that our little girl should have her very own page. That way, all you family and freinds out there can get your Lily fix even easier. I've also added the latest pictures of Lily laying on her new play-mat in her new play-room! We've converted our formal dining room to the Lily Fun Zone where she can play and have a great time. Be sure to check it out in the new 'BABY LILY' area!
August 16, 20074 Month Check-up Lily went to the doctor today for her 4 month check-up. Of course, that includes a second round of immunization shots. She now weighs 16 pounds, 11.4 ounces and is 25 1/4 inches tall. She's officially over two feet, my little girl! Wow. We had to undress her down to her diaper for the nurse and doctor. After the nurse checked her out, she was a little chilly because it was cool in the office (especially with no clothes on) so Daddy warmed her up. She was talking and cooing and laughing at him like crazy! It was so cute. Of course, the minute I get the video camera out, it turns to pouting and crying. Ugh! I'll never catch those cute moments on tape, but they are sealed in my heart forever. God, I just love that little girl! She was a trooper with the shots as well. She took them in the thigh and started to cry, but was consoled and happy again before we even left the office. Now that she can interact better with us, we can distract her from the pain. Doctor said we can start her on rice cereal - we just bought her a big-girl high-chair, so we'll get to put it to good use very soon. All in all, we have a healthy, happy, growing little girl! So it bears repeating...life is GOOD!
August 12, 2007She's a Turn-Over! At midnight, noises come through the monitor that are not Lily's normal "I'm hungry" noises for the middle of the night. They are more like grunts and groans, then all of a sudden, a big squeal of delight. Mom runs to the nursery, and there is Miss Lily, on her TUMMY! Oh, she was so proud of herself. If it wasn't midnight, I would have thrown a party! She was all smiles and just glowing. What a beautiful moment for her (and me). She did it all by herself! Well, going back to sleep after that was a challenge, but she managed to fall asleep again by 1am. Then, 6:15am rolls around, and so does Lily!! Once again, on her tummy in her crib. She's not quite mastered it, but she's made it over a few times since then and continues to be very, very proud of her accomplishment each and every time!
August 1, 2007Lily is really coming into her own little personality now. She's so much fun to play with, and she is starting to squeal in delight. She is starting to enjoy tummy-time more since she can hold her head up and use her arms to support her upper body. She's getting so strong. It's almost time to roll over - maybe another few days and she'll have it down pat. Lily teased Mommy with sleeping through the night. She slept all night for about 10 days, and has now reverted to one middle-of-the-night feeding. She promised we would work together to elminate that feeding though...we both need a full night's rest! Either way, she wakes in the morning with a great big smile, so we're still pretty darn happy. We are starting to get her in a routine: wakes for the day around 7am, takes a nice, long nap between 8-11am, awake and playing for a few hours then if we are lucky, she'll take two afternoon naps. Then at 8pm we start our pre-bedtime routine of breastfeeding and reading together. Then it's usually lights out by 9pm. I'd love to back that asleep time to 8pm, so perhaps that will come with practice. So as long as we can work to cut out that 4am feeding, we'll have successfully put our baby on a schedule. And she's smiling 99% of the day now, even as she drifts off for a nap, it's just so adorable. Of course, she'll be teething soon and that will throw us completely into a whole new world...
July 13, 2007Lily Giggles!
Lily is so amazing. She is getting so big, so fast. She's 3.5 months old now, weighing in at 16 pounds! She has outgrown so much of her beautiful clothing already (but still has a closet FULL of more!). She has slept through the night on three occassions now, which I hope is a trend. She wakes up fully refreshed with a smile that melts my heart. She can hold up her head very well now, and is starting to strengthen her legs...pretty soon she'll be walking and talking. She's cooing like mad, and this morning she even giggled a little for Mommy! Only the most adorable sound EVER! I was giving her razberries on her tummy and she just loved it, so much that she laughed out loud :). Does life get much better than that? I can't believe this little bundle of joy. She changes every day, and watching her grow up is simply amazing. I'm breastfeeding, and every mealtime I'm still amazed that my body can create all the nutrients that she needs to grow and thrive. Mother Nature is unbelievable - we are so lucky to have this healthy and happy little girl in our lives. I can't even remember what my life was like before she was in it. A first time parent just has no idea how much BETTER life becomes with a child. It's something that no one can explain to you - mostly because there are no words to describe the overwhelming, all encompassing love you feel.
June 19, 20072 New Videos added today! Our baby girl is starting to show her personality more now. Take a look and enjoy!
June 4, 2007Lily smiled at Mommy today! Finally! I've been waiting for this day for 8 weeks now... Yes, Lily has been smiling for the past week or so, but you never really could tell if it was from gas or not, so we didn't really count it as her first smile - we wanted some emotion attached to the smile for it to mean something. Well, today she was crying in her crib, waking from a nap. When I entered her nursery and rubbed on her belly to let her know I was there, she turned to me, stopped crying immediately and gave me the biggest toothless grin I've seen. Melted my heart, I tell you! Makes all the sleepless nights totally worth every waking minute. :)
June 3, 2007Lily is 2 months old already Wow, I can't believe that it's been 8 weeks since I was still pregnant with Lily. Sometimes it seems like yesterday, sometimes it seems like a lifetime ago (perhaps that perspective depends on the amount of sleep I've gotten...). Anyways, we have been busy these past few weeks, getting out and about. Lily has been shopping more and more, seeing different stores and liking them all. She's a great shopper. Going to Gramma's is 'old hat' now, as we've been there together many times now. Gramma just bought a "pack and play" crib, so Lily will be able to spend even more time there, much to the excitement of Gram and Gramps, and Uncle Steve. During Memorial weekend, we had the entire Sanalila clan in Atlanta. Oh, did they love on their Lily-bug! Lily was a little cranky that weekend, I think her acid reflux was not doing well, plus the books say she was due for a growth spurt that week...sorry Gram, Gramp and Aunties...hopefully next time you come up, Lily will be on better behavior. We had a good time - Grandma and Grandpa cooked for us often, and the girls all went shopping together. It was so nice to have everyone here - it's important to bond early and often with babies. :) We can't wait for them to come back - by then she'll be smiling and playing, a little more interactive and fun. I had my first day away from Lily on Friday, June 1st. Lily stayed with Daddy while Mommy got a much needed massage. Then, Gramma offered to babysit while we went out to dinner together (imagine, eating together? not possible). Well, it took a lot of persuasion, but I was able to come to terms with leaving my baby with her Gramma and Grampa for a couple of hours. I fed her just before we left and gave Gramma a bottle, just in case. We were back in two hours and Lily slept the whole time! Lucky for them...and lucky for us because we had a lovely dinner at Mimi's Cafe, out on the patio, with some much-needed adult conversation. It's important to remember that Daddy and Mommy are also husband and wife :) Ginger has been terrific with the baby as well. So much so that we awarded her with a bath from Petsmart. She is shiny and clean, just in time for Alex and Susana to arrive. Ginger also went on a nice walk in the park with Gramma and Grampa, so they aren't forgetting about their "Grand-dogter" either. Thank goodness, because we really have no time or energy left for the poor dog. At least when Neko gets lonely, she can just hop into bed with me and cuddle up. On Saturday, Lily had her first visit to the pool. Our subdivision had a pool opening party cookout, so Gramma, Lily and I ventured up there for lunch. Afterwards, we headed out for more shopping. Oh, Momma is teaching that little girl well!
May 20, 2007I'M OFFICIALLY AN MBA GRAD! Yesterday we celebrated my graduation from Mercer University's Graduate School of Business. I have had my diploma since December because I finished up my last class at that time and was technically done with my degree. However, yesterday made my diploma official and my experience complete. It was a beautiful day, 78 degrees and sunny. Lily behaved herself and was as good as a 5 week old can be expected to be when away from her Mommy for several hours (Daddy and Gramma took excellent care of her while I watched from the floor of the gymnasium). They said my name correctly as I walked across the stage (which is always a heart-pounding moment...) and I had a smile from ear to ear. I went to bed last night thinking how wonderful my life is: I have an amazing new daughter that I simply couldn't imagine my life without anymore. I have an incredibly supportive husband that nurtures me and my dreams. I have the best family ever to share my good times (and a few tough ones now and then...less of those, the better). I have loyal friends and nice neighbors. I have a beautiful home in a great neighborhood. I have an outstanding education and a pretty darn good job with a terrific boss and good benefits. I have no credit card debt, a modest retirement savings account, a hefty 401k, and a little pocket change for fun. I can?t think of many people right now that can say all of that. Celebrating events like yesterday?s graduation make me reflect on where I?ve been and where I?m going. ?My future?s so bright, I?ve gotta wear shades!?
May 17, 2007We have video!!! Alfred here... checking in. As required per the new parent handbook, we will be showing everyone videos of all the wonderful things that our precious daughter does. A bath may seem mundane and ordinary to most, but if it involves beautiful Lily, it becomes an event and worthy of being captured on video; to be shared with anyone and everyone willing to watch. Enjoy and stay tuned for more!
May 13, 2007HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I can't believe this is my first official Mother's Day! Ginger and Neko remembered too and got me a beautiful bouquet of roses. Lily told Daddy to get me a new camera so that we can better document all of her cute outfits!! Thanks, Daddy and Lily. Grandma R will be coming over soon to share the day with us, and then the rest of the clan will follow for a nice BBQ outdoors. It is our first in the new house, and the weather is beautiful today. My best wishes for all the Mom's out there - it's a lot of hard work, but it's worth every single minute (even the fussy and poopy ones...)!
May 12, 2007
Well, Lily certainly has kept me busy these past few weeks! She's got quite the personality now, sometimes not letting Mommy put her down even for a minute! Luckily, I have learned how to do most things with one hand... Had Lily's one month check-up yesterday. She is doing so well! She gained over 4 pounds since her last visit two weeks ago, which is fantastic for a premie. She now weighs 9 lbs, 15.4 oz!!! That's just amazing to me. She's 21 5/8 inches long now as well. She's already grown out of some of her newborn size clothing, and even some of the 0-3 month size! My doctor appt is next week for my 6-week post-partum check-up, and I'm sure everything will be fine. I'm feeling great, though my weight is stuck now...I'm going to have to ask about diet and exercise while breastfeeding (well, not literally WHILE breastfeeding because that would be really difficult for Lily...hehehe). Anyways, things are great here at home - just thought you would like the update. We'll continue to post more pictures - they are slower coming these days, but Mother's Day tomorrow is sure to stir up some cute photo ops! Cheers for now.
April 27, 2007Lily, Mom and Dad went to the mall today! It was our first official "fun" outing as a family. We had to time it just right with feedings, since she is eating every two hours. As soon as we got to the mall, we started at Nordstrom because of their lavish bathroom. They had a nice couch where I could breastfeed in comfort in the ladies room. I fed Lily right away, so that bought us two hours of shopping time. Wouldn't you know that two hours on the nose she started to get cranky, and we had luckily timed it so we were done shopping and back at Nordstrom again. I think that finding the "comfort zones" is definitely the trick to a successful and stress-free event for Mommy and baby. I think we can handle going to the mall again! We'll just have to go a little earlier in the day, because Mommy was pooped by dinner time (no naptime today)!
April 26, 2007Sad news today - my Opa died. He was 88 years old and lived a full and eventful life, surrounded by family and friends. He was such a kind and giving soul, always with good things to say about those he loved. I'm thankful that he will be meeting his Lilli again in heaven, and can share the joy of our new Lily with her! :) Mom and Dad will be going to Germany for the funeral next week, so Uncle Steve will be staying with us to get some Baby Lily time! Maybe I can teach him how to change a diaper...
April 26, 2007Had my first driving experience with Lily today. Gramma R went with me and Lily to a car-seat safety check. A nurse from the hospital was set up at the local library to check my infant car seat, helping to make sure we understood the safety hazards and the right way to install the carseat. It was very informative, actually. We had it about 80% correct, so we definitely learned how to make Lily even safer. That is very important in this crazy Atlanta traffic!! I'm not yet ready to drive on I-85 with her...need a little more sleep, or a little more time to adjust to the sleep deprivation first.
April 23, 2007To Grandmother's house we go~ On Sunday afternoon Lily and Mommy went to Gramma R's house to hang out. It was nice to get a change of atmosphere, yet have all the comforts of home. It's still a challenge for me to be away too long, because I'm still healing from the stitches. I'm also getting used to what needs to be in the diaper bag for longer outings, making sure I have enough diapers, changing cloths, etc. The good thing is I always have her food supply with me! :)
April 22, 2007
Lily had her first public appearance on Friday. After the doctor appt, we went to Target for a few things. First I had to feed her in the car before we went in, because it had been two hours since the last feeding. Then we had to gather all of our things and make it into the store. We started with Lily in the carseat propped in the cart. Once inside, we shopped quickly because Lily started to get fussy. Before we could make it out of the store, she was back in my arms to be consoled. Once back in the car, I had to feed her again because we knew we couldn't make the 20 minute ride back home without her crying if I didn't. So, all in all, it was quite the ordeal. I don't think I'll be trying that alone anytime soon! :)
April 20, 2007
We took Lily back to the doctor today for a weight check. They like to see newborns gain 2 ounces a day, and be back at their birthweight by 2 weeks. Well, Lily Mae is doing phenomenal! She left the hospital weighing 5 pounds 12 ounces, and today she is 6 pounds 14 ounces! That's 10 ounces above her birthweight at only 11 days old. Mommy must be feeding her very well! :)
April 18, 2007After delivery, Lily was taken upstairs to the nursery to get a bath and my parents went with her. Alfred stayed with me as we were moved to the second floor recovery room. We stayed there for two days and came home on April 11th. Alfred's birthday was very special as we celebrated this new life! We had to take Lily to the pediatrician right away on Friday because she left the hospital with high bilirubin levels, meaning she had a slight case of Jaundice. The doctor required a blood test for which we had to go back the hospital. We needed another on Saturday as well. Luckily, her bili levels stablized quickly and we didn't need any more bloodwork after Saturday. Ray (Alfred's Dad) arrived on Saturday. Initially he was planning on seeing Alfred and his pregnant daughter-in-law, but we had a surprise for him! He was overjoyed to see his new granddaughter. Lily had her first bath at home on Sunday and her umbilical cord fell off already on Monday. She actually found her thumb to suck on Monday as well, which I thought was amazingly early for a one-week-old. Wednesday was a breastfeeding support group at the hospital, so we attended to make sure we were doing everything right. I was able to get a new weight, and Lily is back to her birthweight and gaining strong! We must be doing something right...no more Jaundice, gaining weight like a champ...this baby thing is a breeze! :)
April 9, 2007Baby Girl Sanalila has arrived! Welcome to the world, Lily Mae!
Well, taking after dear Mom already, BG likes to be early... March 26th, 2007Nursery Update! The nursery is almost complete and we've posted some pictures to our picture pages. We have some blank walls, which we are working on filling up, but the basic furniture and essence of the room is complete. Please click on the picture page to view the new nursery! March 10th, 2007Pictures Posted! Be sure to check out the Pictures page on this site as I have now posted three separate links to baby shower pictures. (they were from three different cameras, hence why there are three different links!). Enjoy! Some are pretty darn funny. February 25th, 2007Surprise Baby Shower! From the blog: I thought this trip to FL was all about celebrating the birthdays of Mom/Pop Sanalila - turns out I got all the gifts!! Wow. I still don't have words for the amount of "stuff" that we got for our baby girl. Everyone was so incredibly generous, and the party was a ton of fun. The decorations were so cute (and PINK), the cake was beautiful and delicious, and the gifts were so creative! I was pretty overwhelmed with it all - but absolutely thrilled! If you were there, I hope you had as much fun as I did. If you weren't, you missed a fantastic celebration of the first Rogulski/Sanalila grandbaby! We'll post pics asap. I'm so excited to get it all home and start decorating our newly painted nursery! Daddy Alfred has finished painting the room "Pooh Bear Yellow", just a little touch up needed now, and the furniture will arrive in two weeks. Can't wait to get home and go through all the goodies!! Thanks to everyone that made our baby shower so special! We love you!! February 8th, 2007Baby Update Make sure you are checking our Baby Blog! Click on the "stork" in the left nav bar for weekly updates and some pics.
January 10th, 2007Steph's Professional Update
I had a very eventful week! Went to Orlando for my bi-annual company sales meeting. I usually dread these things, but this one turned out to be very fruitful! With a big belly and a smile, I went to greet all the folks I haven't seen since I started showing. Turns out I won "New Editor of the Year" and they presented me with a Fender guitar! Kinda strange award, I know, but our theme for the year was "Rock Star", so it's actually very fitting. Anyways, now I need to buy an amp and some lessons...
December 25th, 2006MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
We must have been very good this year, because we got everything we wanted and more! We are now the proud owners of a camcorder, which means that we will quickly learn how to be those annoying parents that tape every detail and share it with everyone that is within viewing range at every possible chance we get...isn't that the joy of being a new parent?! At some point, we'll learn how to use the 101 functions. Perhaps we'll even post a cute video of Baby Girl Sanalila on the site after she's born (it will take at least that long for us to learn how to use it properly!). Be sure to check out our new Baby Blog on this site where Steph is posting weekly events of the pregnancy. (see home page for link, or click on the stork on the top of the navigation buttons) We will try to post pics soon of Steph's growing belly...I'm sure you are all dying to see her Tweety tatoo grow! :)
December 20th, 2006Happy Holidays!!! So much has happened since our last update that it's hard to know where to begin! Alfred continues to establish his Real Estate Business and has recently teamed up with a local builder to market a new neighborhood. New construction is a change of pace, but should be a great learning experience and round out his Real Estate expertise. With the new homes being his main focus, he continues to serve his past clients and their referred friends and family. As for Steph, I just received my MBA! I finished my last class on Dec 15th and my whole family was waiting in the wings (quite literally, they were in the hallway) as I exited my last class. They surprised me with noise makers, banners, flowers, and all the things that make graduation so much fun! It was a wonderful surprise to celebrate that moment with them there. Plus, Dad flew in from Indy specifically to help celebrate! Official graduation is in May 2007 (Mercer University only has one commencement per year on the Atlanta campus). Now, I finally get to relax and enjoy being pregnant! Speaking of baby... Being pregnant is by far the most exciting, crazy, strange thing that can happen to a woman (and I thought planning my wedding was a challenge!). My body is growing in places I didn't think it could grow. Much to my husband's pleasure, my breasts are overflowing...which was a shocker to both of us! (hehehe). Of course, my belly is the size of a basketball now, and just as tight. I have finally started to feel my little girl kick - wow, now that is an out of body experience. I turned on some music from my ipod, and off she went! I'd like to think she was dancing - perhaps an early talent? Hmmm... We have certainly had our share of changes and challenges this past year. I'd like to think we learned from them all and have grown because of them. Honestly, I don't think our lives could be headed in a more positive, exciting direction right now! I guess that's karma - sometimes you gotta take the bad just to get to the really, really good stuff! I hope this reaches you in good health and happiness. All the best for an outstanding 2007! Ours will certainly continue to make us smile. We'll share it with you along the way! Love, Steph and Alfred
November 2006On the Move In order to make room for baby, we've moved a few miles down the road. Now, we have a special room just for the nursery, plus we are on the golf course and in a cul-de-sac full of families with common interests. Be sure you have our new address in Dacula! Please email us at [email protected] if you didn't get our announcement.
October 2006The Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk is complete! Most of you know by now that I?m expecting my first child. I found out I was pregnant in August and decided it best for my health and the health of my baby to CREW this 3-Day adventure instead of walking. Because you were so generous to contribute to my walking-turned-crewing-adventure, I must tell my story? I walk for my Mom, 10+ year survivor of Breast Cancer. I was attending college as a Gator when my Mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I was so naive about cancer then. Now I celebrate her strength and cherish every moment we have together. I can't imagine my life without her. As commercials and stories abound about the 3-Day walk, I knew I wanted to join in. I was also eager to become more active in my Gator Alumni club here in Atlanta. Well, it must have been in the cards for me this year because the Gator Alumni group formed a team for the 3-Day walk, and ?Gators Walk for Awareness? was born. My teammates and fellow Gators were amazing. Hard core walkers with a mission and goal. No sweep vans for them! No sir, they were going to walk those 60 miles even if it meant straight to the hospital afterwards. Well, how ironic then that my CREW assignment was, in fact, to drive one of the SWEEP vans!! A Sweep van is a 15 passenger van that follows the walkers up and down the route all day long, picking up those that cannot walk another step, taking them to the next pit stop. Our van was the ?Candy Van? and we handed out candy and encouragement to the walkers for 3 days straight. I slept in a tent with my fellow Gator. I used porta-potties (about every hour, remember, I?m pregnant!!). I showered among 5 other women (thank goodness I?m not showing yet!) and slept in freezing cold temperatures and occasional rain shower. Quite the experience for this non-camper! The best part about the event was closing ceremonies. Wow. What a rush! We ended in Piedmont Park with a huge celebration with family and friends. I am now among 3000 people involved in this event who wear their finishers t-shirt proudly and can say I?ve done it! With all of your support, I raised a total of $3775 for Breast Cancer research and awareness. I am humbled by your contributions of love, hope and the almighty dollar. I guess there is a purpose to this life, and it is to experience events like this. Special thanks for your financial contribution to: Shemika Britt Monica Brown Samantha and Michael Cabaluna Cathy Coleman Kristin Cunningham Denise Geib on behalf of the Mckinney-Geib Foundation Pat and Jim Gregory Jessica Halsak Jason Hoffman Lisa Hughes Ernie Incorvati Rebecca Kildow Petra Rogulski Steve Rogulski Rey Sanalila Susana Sanchez The Scudamore Family Linda Starling Ashley Soliday Leah Thomson Fred and Carolyn Vandervort Thank you for supporting me as I took on this amazing journey in the fight against breast cancer! The Breast Cancer 3-Day is a 60-mile walk over the course of three days. Net proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Philanthropic Trust, funding important breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment. ---------------------------------------------- To view pictures of the event: www.shutterfly.com email address: [email protected] password: forawareness ----------------------------------------------- With all of my love, appreciation and humble gratitude, I thank you. Please continue to fight for a CURE! Stephanie
June 12, 2005Summertime!!!
Greetings family and friends! Alfred here with a quarterly update ( If the cruise in March wasn't enough, we recently decided to take the plunge and go against the conservative and predictable route... we bought motorcycles!!! Originally, we were planning and saving for a new car for Steph, since her little RAV4 is almost 10 years old and over 100,000 miles already. It's also way too small for us at times (as those of you who have visited and have been picked up at the airport via tha Ravioli know). Also, the ride is a bit too stiff for our dog Ginger, who tends to get a little sick riding in the back. It seemed as if another car for Steph was on the horizon and looked into perhaps getting a Toyota Highlander by the end of the year. Then one day, Steph decided that she wasn't totally ready to resign to the suburban life and proclaimed that she wanted to buy a motorcycle. We have been thinking about getting motorcycles for the past few years or so, but always decided to do the responsible thing and get everything else in order. But this time we said 'what the heck'. We figured that both our Toyotas are still running well and should be able to easily squeeze another year or so out of the Ravioli. So a couple of weeks later, Steph bought and rode home her new Suzuki GSX600F Katana. After much jealousy and several envious afternoons of Steph riding without me, I finally found a motorcycle for me... but up in Charlotte, NC. So, about three weeks ago, we're off to Charlotte, picked up and loaded the bike into the back of my truck, and drove the new toy home (Honda VFR800 Interceptor). Though we're pretty busy and see very little of one another during the week, we now have two motorcycles so that we can ride together and explore the many scenic country roads, beautiful mountain passes, and obscure little towns in the area. I've got one cool wife, don't I? Stay tuned for the continuing adventures of Alfred and Steph... Pictures of our new rides:
February 19th, 2005 (sort of)...Steph here. It's about 2am and I can't sleep (unbelievable, I know, for those of you who know me well enough to hate me because I'm twitching within seconds of my head hitting the pillow). It's been well over a year since we've updated this site. Our lives have been so incredibly busy lately. Here's the skinny: I'm still in Graduate School getting my MBA while still working at Thomson. Alfred is still working on his bachelor's degree and still working at Starbucks. Ginger and Neko still brings us joy each and every day. So, things are pretty much the same around here. I'm feeling like such a slacker that I just had to write something and we'll start from there, okay? Most of you should have received last year's Easter Letter, hence the very discrete and limited details on the Christmas card. By the way, if you aren't on our Christmas card list and are upset by that, please send us your address. Many of our friends are so transient that over time we lose you guys, Christmas cards get sent into oblivion and all that's left is an email address, if we're lucky. I've reposted the Easter Letter below, where you can read it to catch up on our lives. I'm thinking that next year, I might just send out my Christmas letter that way! The one thing I'm learning in Grad School is that TIME IS MONEY baby...you can't give up 5 minutes for something that isn't worth it!
Alfred and I are getting ready to embark on our first real VACATION! We both happen to have our Spring Break during the same week this year, and we are taking advantage of a 7 day cruise to the Caribbean! One of the highlights of the trip is that we embark in Ft. Lauderdale, minutes from Susana's front doorsteps. We'll get a chance to see her new pad and hang out a little while. I was able to see her while in Orlando in January and I've needed a month to recuperate my wallet! I'm thrilled to have seen her this much already this year, another day and a half, all before Easter, is almost too much excitement for me. Another bonus of this trip is that my Mom and Steve are coming to stay at our house while were gone, to care for our animals, our house, and just genuinely get away from it all. I'm really excited about that because not only do I get a vacation, I also get peace of mind that my furry friends are in the very best hands. Of course, my Mom and Steve will be staying for a while after our return, which is also fantastic and will just extend our escape from reality! Don't worry, we'll get you something nice for your trouble.
A couple of fun things that have already happened this year that are noteworthy:
Valentine's Day 2005We had to celebrate Valentine's Day a few days early this year - Monday's just aren't good for us. We decided to do something a little different this year, taking in the Atlanta area offerings. We booked a reservation at the local Botanical Gardens and enjoyed an evening of wine, chocolates and Orchids. It was very romantic. After touring the gardens, we went out for a nice dinner in Old Norcross. Always remember to celebrate your love.
Easter 2004Dear Family and Friends,
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy Birthday! Happy Easter! Happy Spring!
Now that we're all caught up...Happy flowers blooming and birds chirping and lawn mowers humming! Spring has finally sprung, a season for which many of our northern friends and family have been impatiently counting down the calendar days. We wanted to start out by first saying Merry Christmas since our cards didn't make it out of their boxes or into yours this year...we are so thankful for everyone that remembered us this past Holiday season and we promise to be better at this card thing next year! (Talk about your New Year's resolution...) The main highlights are that the ol' Sanalila's have a house (E-I-E-I-O)! In that house we have a cat (Neko is loving all the space!), then a honk honk here (thanks Rey for the truck!) and a bark, bark there (Ginger is best dog EVER! OK, personal, very biased opinion), well, you get the picture. We thought you'd appreciate a little Farm humor given our new digs are in the city of Buford (Hey, we just live here). Atlanta is treating us better than expected - we absolutely love it! Home ownership is amazing and we really feel like we found the perfect match for us. Please come visit us! Alfred is enrolled full time at Perimeter College working on his core classes while trying to determine his career path. This semester he is enrolled in Survey to Engineering, English, Calculus and Religion. He is still bringin' home the beans at Starbucks three days a week and enjoying being a first-time homeowner and doggy-daddy. Steph is busy as usual traveling abroad with her job at Thomson. Just passed the four year mark, eat your heart out, Carmax!! Brag time: She's been to just about every major continent, including Australia (just returning from her second trip to Melbourne as you read this letter), Asia: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia just this past January, Canada (Toronto and Montreal several times), Europe: London (twice now - once in September and just this past February with Mom in tow) and of course just about every major city in the Good 'ol USA, New Orleans being the latest this past January. Neko and Ginger are getting along famously, at least as cats and dogs can. Ginger has grown from the 15 pound puppy that was abandoned at a nearby construction site to a 47 pound (and counting) beautiful German Shepherd. Neko continues to put Ginger in her place - evidence that attitude and spunk always win. We still aren't sure what we've been doing right all these years to deserve such wonderful gifts in our lives, but we are appreciating them each and every day! A few notables: Happy 18th Birthday, Noralynn (your Debut was amazing!); Congrats on your college graduation, Letty (good things are happening already!); Thanks for the wonderful time in London, Mom (memories - and pictures - last a lifetime; and we wish Tita Thelma all the best for a quick recovery - God Speed. We wish everyone a spectacular Spring, excellent Easter wishes, and a fabulous fun-filled year with hopes, dreams, and many happy returns!
November 11, 2003We adopted a puppy! There's a new addition to our household. Her name is Ginger and she's about 3 months old. She looks to be a German shepherd-lab mix. Apparently, she was abandoned at a construction site and taken in by one of our friends, hoping to find a good home for her. After much thought, we decided to take her home with us. Neko is slowly getting used to her new sister. Stay tuned for more puppy info! Until then, a picture of her is on our picture page.
August 31, 2003New House 3-Month Update
We have been so busy with life that we have been neglecting keeping all of our loved ones up to date on ours! Well, in the past three months we have managed to move in to our new home (with some excellent help from the Rogulski's and Sanalila's - thanks guys!) and obtain a new truck for Alfred (ok, a slightly used but very well taken care of Toyota Tacoma from none-other-than "Pop" Sanalila!). We have also managed to see both sets of in-laws, celebrate Noralynn's 18th Debutante Ball, and learn how to take care of our lawn. We have learned that the garbage man comes EARLY on Fridays (so we must put our can out the night before), that Neko does NOT like the new alarm system or the frequent thunder and lightening storms, but that she is excellent company for Steph when Alfred is working. We continue to learn the nuances of Atlanta-based driving, which often seems riskier than the stock market these days. DSL sucks compared to cable modem, but we are thankful for BellSouth's all-inclusive one-price payment for long distance, and so are the Rogulski's apparently ;)
August 23, 2003Neko the Calico Cat turns 7! Meow.
May 3, 2003Moving to Georgia! During Alfred's spring break from college, we took a trip to Atlanta for our Househunting. We stayed with Julian and Kim Wilburn (thanks guys for making us feel so welcome!) as we met with our realtor each day for a full day of searching for just that perfect home. Well, we were lucky and found it! We made an offer and after a bit of back-and-forth, they accepted and we began working on our mortgage. We are now in the home stretch! Everything is being verified, the appraisal is being done and our attorneys are guiding us through the closing procedures. My folks will be attending the closing for us (power of attorney) which will take place on May 27th. We will be leaving Monterey on June 6th, stopping in Colorado to see our best friends, then heading on to Atlanta to meet the movers with our belongings. So, life continues to move on, and so do we! You can see pictures of our new house on our Picture Page via link to Ofoto.com.
April 12, 2003Alfred turns 28! Enough said.
February 22, 2003Steph Goes Down Under! On a random Wednesday afternoon, I got a call from my manager asking me what came to mind when he mentioned "Crocodile Dundee", "Foster's Beer", and "Shrimp On the Barbie". Of course, I said "Spring Break"?...I mean, AUSTRALIA!! He then announced that I was chosen to attend the Australian sales conference! I had one week to prepare for my trip to Melbourne. I was to give a few presentations on behalf of my company, and enjoy the luxury of a Business Class flight! Wow!! I think I literally jumped up and down before saying "Yes, I will accept this task - No Worries, Mate!!" So off I went on the 14 hour flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne for my amazing 10 day journey to Australia. It was summer time there (since they are on the other side of the equator) so I enjoyed the warm summer sun. I was there for business, which went really well in my opinion, but I managed to tack on a few days at the end for some sight seeing. I booked a tour that my lovely assistant (aka Husband) found on the internet for me. It was a full day trip to Phillip Island to see Kangaroos, Koalas, and Penguins. Well, I was not disappointed! I've put a link to some of the pictures I took on our Picture Pages, so be sure and take a look. You'll see me with a Kangaroo! If you look really closely, you'll catch a glimpse of a Koala or two, a Wombat, a few fruit bats, and some really cute little Penguins. Enjoy!
January 24, 2003Back to the Real World Our Honeymoon was amazing! Kauai was beautiful and secluded, Honolulu was a bit too busy for our taste, sort of felt like we were in a mini-Japan...but hey, who's complaining?! You can check out pictures of the two islands on our picture page. So after our relaxing two week Honeymoon, we returned to California to unpack our tank tops and shorts and repack our sweaters and boots for Atlanta, GA. I (Steph) had a company sales meeting, so Alfred came with me to extend our Honeymoon -- no, wait, I mean, house-hunt --. While I was off working, Alfred was feverishly interviewing Real Estate agents and seeking out an area for us to call home. All in all, we wound up doing great! My department won the award for International Channel Partner of the Year for 2002 and Alfred and I settled on a real estate agent that we like. We're looking to purchase a home in a town called Flowery Branch, in the NE portion of Atlanta. I'll be continuing on with my company, working out of our Atlanta office. We're so looking forward to the move in June. For now, we're home and back to the grind, and Neko couldn't be happier!
December 14, 2002HONEYMOON Soon! Here we are in the home stretch before we leave for Hawaii. We wish everyone joy and happiness throughout this holiday season! Best wishes, and we'll have a Mai-Tai for you!! See you in 2003!! :)
December 10, 2002Steph turns 27! Enough said.
December 8, 2002We got a Christmas Tree! Since we are honeymooning over the holidays in Hawaii, we painfully decided against getting out the holiday decorations for our very small home. Now that I work from home, and our living room is also my office, it's impossible to find room for a six foot Christmas tree. Sooooo, a knock on the door brings a little elf with a two foot tall Christmas tree, all decorated with lights, ribbons and ornaments!! We couldn't believe it! We must have been REALLY good this year!! My Mom, Kris Kringle in the flesh, decided it would be far too unfestive for us not to have a Christmas tree, so she single-handedly took care of that problem for us! The tree is beautiful, and they say if we treat it nicely, we could plant it one day and have a nice big tree (perhaps in the yard of our first home). So if we weren't before, we certainly are now filled with the joy of Christmas! Thanks, Mom - We love you very much.
December 6, 2002St. Nick Day! (and our TWO month anniversary!) Last night we put our shoes in front of our door (it's supposed to be one shoe each, but Alfred got a little confused and put TWO...), and ol' St. Nick must have thought we had both been pretty good so far this year! Candy and goodies galore abound us!! Goodies before Christmas, AND we've made it as a married couple for two whole months - will wonders never cease?!
November 6, 2002Our One Month Anniversary! Go ahead and snicker, but we'll take any reason to celebrate! Alfred surprised me with a gorgeous bouquet of Calla Lillies and Irises. We had a romantic dinner at the Chart House, right on the Monterey Bay at sunset. When we returned, dessert was a freshly made cake - white cake with layers of strawberries - all created by Alfred! It was a beautiful evening to begin a lifetime of anniversaries to come!
October 6, 2002OUR WEDDING DAY!!!
We Tied the Knot, and it was by far the most perfect day of our lives! We had beautiful, blue skies for our garden ceremony and plenty of loved ones to share the moment.
The reception ran like clockwork and everyone left with a smile! We had a week full of partying with the rehearsal dinner on Friday, bachelor and bachelorette parties that night, a luncheon on Saturday and a brunch on Monday morning. Now we're home again and wondering where the party's at???
A heartfelt thank you to everyone that came to support us in person - it was an amazing experience to look around the Grand Ballroom and feel how much love filled the air! Please see our Wedding page on this site for a look back at our wonderful day!
September 6, 2002Oh My Goodness, One Month To Go!!!! I've had my first gown fitting, Alfred's fitted for his tux. The rings are purchased and engraved with our special sayings. The flowers are chosen, the centerpieces are ready, and the music has been decided. The ceremony site is paid for, and Pastor John is working on the readings for our special day. Can you see us standing at the altar together? YOU WILL!! Things are falling nicely into place, and I'm busy stressing myself out for no reason other than that's what Bride's are supposed to do! I've written lists, checked them twice. It's going to be the most perfect day! We can't wait to see everyone!
August 4, 2002
About two months to go until our Wedding Day!!! If the wedding planning wasn't keeping Steph busy enough, she has also been working hard and traveling for business. In the past two months, she's been in New Orleans, Montreal Canada, and just wrapped up a week long conference in San Francisco. All this while keeping all the wedding plans on track. Amazing! I've just finished my summer school class and finally feel pretty good about being back in school. I'm looking forward to a full load of classes this upcoming fall. April 15, 2002Last Friday, we celebrated my 27th Birthday!!! Had a great one! Steph took me out to a real nice lunch and surprised me with a trip to a professional masseuse. I sure am a lucky man :) Lots of thanks to all of you for the thoughts and birthday wishes. Friends and family definitely make Birthdays special. On the wedding front, we registered at Bed Bath and Beyond over the weekend. One of the fun things that goes along with the whole ??getting married?? experience. We??re also planning to register at Macy??s and Dillards. It does get a little tough, considering Steph and I have been living together for over two years ?V we??ve accumulated a lot of household goods already. But you don??t get to do all these wedding things too often, so we??re enjoying our time. New pictures on the site and the ??About Us?? section has been updated with some pictures of the past. Let us know what you think! March 26, 2002Well, we finally added a few more pictures. I know it's taken us some time to work on our website. Hope everybody enjoys the new additions. The wedding planning is starting to pick up momentum. Stephanie and her mother, Petra, have been working real hard on the details. They've stepped up to the challenge of coordinating our Florida wedding. Even more challenging with Steph being here in California and Petra in Cincinnati, Ohio. They're amazing!
Be sure to check out our wedding page on the
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I know... we should update more often... whatever...) Well, our cruise to the Caribbean in March was great and fun. I hope to post some pictures and more details of our trip on our picture pages soon. Hopefully before Christmas... just kidding. Soon, I promise! 
