Enchanted Island

Yesterday afternoon/evening, we met the Hoover Family at the Olive Garden where we kicked off one FUN evening. I wasn't to sure how dinner would go with 2 toddlers (they have a real lack of sitting still ya know! LOL) but, they were both GREAT!! They shared some penne pasta and steamed broccoli and they were super cute! After a YUMMY dinner we headed to Enchanted Island. We had never been there before but Michally and I had looked it up online and thought it looked/sounded cute and it was. We started the girls off in the water, splash area. Can I just say, I liked that this had mini walls around it and was all padded on the floor. It made it much easier for us parents to enjoy watching our children have fun. Desert Ridge on the other hand can be very tough with the splash pad being so open and what makes it worse is if your child runs outside of it there is a very good chance they would slip! It is the most slippery surface ever and it scares the crap out of me!
After the splash area we all rode the train which went all around Encanto Park and we got to see all the lakes and paddle boats. After the train we stopped for a little snack and the girls enjoyed some Churros (sorry Aunt Michally for all of the sugar on your pants!) We decided that the girls needed to run around so we went in the park area and found some ducks in a pond and so we decided to feed them. Uncle Eric feed them all of Bella's goldfish crackers, which they really seemed to like.
After we let them run for awhile we still had tickets left for the carousel. Although the whole family rode the train, it was just the mommy's and their girls on the carousel. At first, I got on the horse with Guiliana but I was told I had to get off and just hold her (okay???) so when I did that she freaked out and we had to get off before it started. Bella and Michally rode it and had a fun time. We all had such a good time we can't wait to get the girls together again.
OH!! I almost forgot!! We kept telling the girls to give kisses and eventually, every they would pass each other the would stop and give kisses. It was so sweet!
(and yes... as usual I took WAY TOO may pictures - I think about 82!! but I won't post them all!!)

2 years ago today...

2 years ago today Greg and I found out that we were pregnant. It came as a HUGE surprise to us and here is why...

Just a few months prior, May 13, 2007 to be exact we had suffered a miscarriage. Then about 2 months later I wasn't feeling like myself. For about 2wks before we found out, I had been feeling like I was pregnant but everytime I took a pregnancy test, it would come out negative. I thought that it was just my body trying to get back to normal. Now working for an OB/GYN, I have alot of resourses at my disposal so i decided to make an appt with my Doctor. She ran some blood tests to see what exactly was going on. A few days later she told me that I have Polysistic Ovarian Syndrome, which can make it very difficult to get pregnant (ie: we had not been using anything for 2 1/2 years and we never got pregnant). So my doctor had informed me that she thought it would a good idea to put me on some monthy medication to get my body back on track. She also had told me that I really needed to talk with Greg about whether or not we were going to try and get pregnant again, and the reason was this... this medication increases the chance of pregnany almost 100% so we needed to decide to get pregnant or if I was going on the pill. After talking for awhile we decided that we would wait a year and then start trying. We had only had our puppy Brooklyn for about 5 months and decided that she was enough work. So my doctor instructed that I start the pill the following Sunday along with the new monthly medication. Now, they always tell you to take a pregnancy test before starting birth control just to be sure.
So... it was a Sunday morning and I was making breakfast and enjoying a cup of coffee. I really had every intention of taking a test first thing that morning but for some reason it slipped my mind. So, I decided to drink some more coffee so I could go to the bathroom. I had eggs cooking on the stove (which I believe later burned) and had to use the restroom (which is right off the kitchen) and as clear as day that test turned postitive in an INSTANT!!! We couldn't believe it!! I hadn't even started that medicine yet! I got pregnant on my own without it so our thoughts... this was our little miracle. I have always felt this story was special and wanted to share it with our Guiliana. We want her to know what a special and unexpected blessing she is.

A sweet moment...

I cropped this picture so I could see Gules and I better because it was such a sweet moment. This was taken early Sunday Morning around 8:30am and her and I and Daddy were the only ones at the beach. Her and I were sitting & talking in the water. These are the moments that I cherish.

AZ Stay-cation 2009

This year the Tortora Family decided we would take a "stay-cation" here in AZ. Greg booked us a weekend at the Hyatt Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale,a resort has always been a favorite of ours. We celebrated our very first Valentines day there back in 1998 and have been back a few times since, but never actually stayed there. What we liked best about this resort is that they have the biggest beach in the state and a 2.5 acre water-play area which we thought would be great for Guiliana. This was also Guiliana's first time sleeping away from home and we think she did great!
Mommy was even lucky enough to get some "me" time at the adult pool while Gules was napping, Thanks to Daddy. It was a very nice family weekend for just the 3 of us. Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Paulie for taking care of Brooklyn for us. We know that she was in great hands and had a fun sleepover! Next year we are going to shoot for an out of state vacation, possibly to California so we can introduce Guiliana and our Brooklyn to the real beach.

Saturday:





















Sunday:

15 Month Check-up cont... TEETH!!

I forgot to mention in the last post that Guiliana seems to have quite a mouth full of teeth! The current count is 12! She has 8 in the front... 4 on the top and 4 on the bottom. She also has 4 in the back... 2 on the top and 2 on the bottom. I think we have some popping through, she is trying to chew on everything, even her shirts!!!

15 Month Check-up

Yesterday was Guiliana's 15 month check-up (a few weeks late). We have had a nice break not having to go back to the doctor every 2 weeks like we had done for the past 6-8 months!
Here are the highlights of her visit:
weight: 27.09 lbs (94th percentile)
height: 32.48 in (96th percentile)

Dr. A checked her tubes and said that they are perfectly in place and seem to be doing their job, which we couldn't be happier about!!

I asked the doctor for a print out of her growth chart so I could document it. Now, they took her height/weight every time we went, even for her ear infections. I counted, and we have been there 19 TIMES since she was 5 days old!!! That is awful!! I can't believe it!

Here is a few stats from our Guiliana over the past year:
Weight:
5 days old = 6.81 lbs (her birth weight was 7.3)
1 month = 9.7 lbs
3 months = 16.05
6 months = 20.46
9 months = 23.48
1 year = 24.87

Height:
5 days old = 20.87 in
1 month = 21.26 in (she actually dropped down to 52 percentile)
3 months = 24.61
6 months = 26.38
9 months = 28.94
1 year = 30.31

Our little Fashionista!!
I am proud to say that our baby girl is a real "girly-girl". We were down the shoe isle at Walmart and she kept pointing with a huge smile on her face saying... "shoes, shoes!" She also is very much into jewelry. Her current obsession is with my bangle bracelets and big beaded necklaces. She walks around with her little arm full of them and thinks she is miss thing! She even is starting to get some "play" jewelry of her own. She also is into what she is wearing. When I put a shirt/dress on her she pulls it up from her chest and looks at it and smiles and will comment on the color if she knowsit. She loves to put on mommy's shoes and try and walk!!

Here are some other things Gules is doing at 15 months:
*She loves to watch WALL-E. She will sit and watch almost the whole thing.
*She plays with blocks
*She is becoming very independent, she does not want anyone's help, BUT still wants Mommy to hold her!
*She knows colors: White, purple, yellow, blue, pink
*If we count to 7, she will say 8,9,10.
*She knows how to point out, Tinkerbell, Belle, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White.
*She gets crazy/nuts over the intro song to Spongebob Squarepants.
*She loves to push her baby doll in her little stroller. She rocks her little baby doll and gives her kisses.
*Her favorite song (that she will sing some parts to) is The Wheels on the Bus.
*She will stop and dance to any music that she hears. At school she attends music class on Mondays and I swear that is the favorite part of her week!!
*She knows where Grandma and Grandpa live. If either of us has her in the car, she knows when we pull in the driveway and she lights up with excitement!!
*She gives kisses and hugs to other little kids at school.
*She is obsessed with water. She would play in the sink if we let her (which we do! :)
*After bath time, she will put a squirt of lotion on her hand and rub her little hands together (think its from our nightly after bath routine...she must be really catching on)
*She thinks its funny to take something that she knows she shouldn't have, wait for you to notice, and then run and wanting you to chase her!
*She still is VERY MUCH a mommy's girl! If I am in the room... she wants to be with me.
*She blows kisses.
*She still very much likes to sneak food to the dog.
*No more bottles since about 8 weeks ago
*If we chant "Lets Go METS", she laughs and claps her hands.
*If you are sitting on the floor she insists sitting in your lap. She will get close to your legs, turn around, back-up, and sit down.

Here is some of her vocabulary:
Now, Guiliana runs her mouth ALL DAY LONG, which I find adorable. Here are some of the words that we can understand.
*One that we are NOT proud of... "Oh, Shit!" for when she drops something. We have since switched it to "Oh shoot!"
*Waaawaaa = water
*Milk (when she wants it)
*More
*No Mine!
*baby
*here you go (she hands you her sippy cup when she is done)
*please
*dadda
*puppy
*go, go, go
*snack
*Here you go (when giving us something)
*Bye-Bye (and waves)
*cookie
*Where'd it do (when looking for her pacifier)
*Keys
*Car
*Elmo
*down
*Book
*Again (when she wants me to play something again, ie: her Hokey Pokey Elmo doll)

Watching her grow-up has been and will continue to be an amazing sight. Having this little girl in our lives makes everything we do worthwhile. She gives us purpose in life!