The Summer Wind

Summer is wrapping up and I am preparing like crazy. September brings a lot of big changes for Gabriel and I, as I start a new career (working as the Media Specialist for Oak Street Elementary School in Lakewood) and Gabriel starts daycare and being away from me for the first time for more then an hour or two. He just turned 9 months old on Sunday and although he still is a little peanut and has no teeth, he started trying to talk, standing more, pulling himself up, almost crawling, and using his hands better then ever! Every development makes us smile and he brings joy to everything we do. I hope he continues to grow as strong in daycare and that the time we have together doesn't feel rushed or limited in anyway. Hoping for the best...

If I could save time in a bottle...

Where does the time go? Here it is July 18th and I have been enjoying every minute of every day with my little peanut, Gabriel! BUT, it'll be back to the drawing board very soon, as I will be returning to work this September and I can't even think about just how very close that actually is. Gabriel was baptized in May on Mother's Day, we had some great pictures taken of him at Target that month, and we went to Grounds For Sculpture on my birthday. We went upstate to Gabriel's Nonna and Nonno's house twice, including Father's Day, and my mother came to visit for Gabriel's first Fourth of July. We had a few trips to the Beach in Sea Girt and Gabriel has been enjoying the pool at Paul and Jen's and Julie's with his friend Aidan. We don't want the Summer to end! I am hoping Gabriel will enjoy making new friends at Daycare in the fall, but it'll be very hard nonetheless.

Gabriel's 1st Easter!

Happy Easter Gabriel! I know you won't yet understand the joy of Easter, Easter baskets, the Easter Bunny, and all that Easter means, but being that you smile everyday, I'm sure you'll enjoy it just the same. We are so truly blessed to have you in our lives and I love you more then these words could ever sum up. We'll be spending Easter at your Nonna and Nonno's house in Staten Island. Your first visit to the city where Daddy is from. Then we move on to May. Isabella and Annabella (a.k.a. Girlies) are making their first Holy Communion next weekend and then the following weekend is Baptism time! We've chosen your Uncle Paul and Aunt Jen as your God Parents, and I know they will be there for you to turn to anytime you need to. May is also Mother's Day, my birthday, and the month your dad and I got married. But with you now in my life this will be the best May ever!

Happy Easter!

Boppy and Bumbo

Just had to post these...

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb...

Here we are in March already! If I was planning to return to my job at Rutgers, I'd be going back already. I can't imagine leaving Gabriel with strangers so soon, which is one of the reasons why we are going to bite the bullet and have me stay home with him until I find a job in the library field. I will be hoping to return to work in September. In the meantime, we'll be poor, but it's worth every second I spend with my son. My mother is coming to visit this month again, Isabella and Annabella turn 8 (a reminder of how fast time goes by), and if the Groundhog got it right last month, the weather should begin to warm up soon enough to spend more time outdoors. Gabriel has been great during our trips shopping and to the park, which makes me look forward to taking him out more and more. He's still sleeping through the night, smiling all the time, and getting strong enough to hold his head up more. He amazes us every second of every day.

Beautiful Boy

"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children."

~Charles R. Swindoll, The Strong Family

Gabriel will be 3 months old on Valentine's Day! He recently started sleeping through most of the night and smiles at us constantly. His reflux is far from gone or over, but is getting better and I am planning to begin venturing out with him real soon. Being the control freak that I am, it will take a lot of letting go and just allowing and accepting what will happen. He's in control now, so I have to let go. We've been couped up in the house due to his size, fear of germs, and of course the torturous winter weather we've had this year. But, it's supposed to be a bit warmer this week so first Carmine and I will give it a shot together by heading to the mall or some place like that and then later in the week I'll pick a place for just Gabriel and I to go. He's a little over 9 pounds now, which is quite an accomplishment from the 4 pounds he came home at 3 months ago. I'm so proud of him...already.

My son still amazes me every time I look at him, he's beautiful, he's perfect, and he's mine!