End of the month

The last day of November already - where did this month go?! More importantly, how am I ever going to get everything done that I have planned for December?!?!?! I mean, it is Sofia's first Christmas and New Year's so it's a huge cause to celebrate every day of it. Each day really is cause to celebrate and cherish and because I love the holidays so much, it's all the more reason to make sure every day is extra special for our little family. I have a lot of things planned and there will be more pictures to come, so keep checking back on us!! Good-bye November - you were great!

I leave you with a few of my favorite pictures of the month which perfectly sums up our evenings now with Miss Sofia...she's the best is all I can say.

Out with the girls

Sofia and I had lunch today with Claudine and Ashley from my previous job at Staffing Plus, Inc. I miss the wonderful people there a lot but am glad that I have been able to maintain a relationship with them at the same time!

Sofia and Aunt Claudine

Who's the big 8-month-old?

We can't even believe 8 months have already flown by us. Sofia is getting so big and believe it or not, cuter by the second. She has a little tooth coming in and now when she's eating you can hear it scrape along the bottom of her spoon and she gnaws at the sippy cup spout with it too. Who knew a little tooth would be so exciting?!?
Attached is also a picture of the first time I was able to hold her...sniff, sniff.

"What's he doing up there"

Banana Bread

2 lonely and very ripe bananas were sitting in my fruit basket just looking sad and deformed, so I decided to bake up some banana bread last night. Anthony usually takes it with him to work in the morning, toasts it and spreads on a little butter. He says it's a perfect snack with his coffee on cold mornings. I, on the other hand, just enjoy mine plain.

I love the holidays and all my good intentions to get a lot of baking accomplished, so here's an easy little recipe for you to add to your collection!

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 medium ripe bananas (mashed)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt while in another bowl mix together the eggs, mashed bananas, oil, milk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir together until completely combined. Pour into a greased 9x5x3 loaf baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes. I make sure it's completely cooked by inserting a toothpick in the center to see if it comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and then remove from pan. Buon Appetito!!

Mommy and Daddy's lil'helper

We're already putting her to work and making her earn her keep!

"This is hard!"

"At least I'm still cute"

"Close enough"

Times like today, I wish I were a bird

Sofia and I had plans to go visit my good friend, Lauren, in North New Jersey today. It would have been the first opportunity for us to get together in awhile and I was so excited! I write "would have been" because we never made it there...

What was the beginning of a nice 2-hour drive turned into a 4.5 hour debacle. There were multiple accidents earlier in the morning on the PA Turnpike and that caused some nasty backup and eventually resulted in the entire highway being shutdown and drivers re-routed through a neighboring town. Imagine taking hundreds of motorists (cars, delivery trucks and big ol'18 wheelers) and maneuvering them through small towns and back roads, not a pretty picture. Would you like an example of how not pretty this actually was? How about taking 35 minutes to go 1.5 miles!?! Sofia was great during this whole ordeal and only complained a few times and it was around the time when she needed to eat, so who wouldn't complain?!

The drive home was torture as I decided to take an alternate route other than that explained to me by Anthony. I pretty much got lost on the way back, was stuck in more traffic and several times wound up in areas that didn't seem too safe. On a side note, there is a Dunkin Donuts about every mile or so in Philadelphia. Too bad their donuts stink.

Today's lesson kids: Always check the traffic before a road trip.

Few more pictures from our MD weekend

Playing with Nonno

Batti batti le manine

We had a gorgeous moon on the drive home

Thanksgiving Numero 2 Recap

No turkey this year for Sofia, only kisses

Hanging out with Nonna and Nonno

"I want pie!"

Sofia with the Pitocco kids (and yes, Antonio is almost as tall as me)

Scott showing me how to "properly" hold the wishbone

Me showing Scott how it's really done

Nonno taking Sofia for a walk

Pretty little flower for a pretty little baby girl

More kisses from Zio Scott


Thanksgiving was lots of fun...2 turkeys - one regular and one deep fried. First time for our family trying the deep fried version and it was very delicious!

Sofia had some firsts this weekend - she's begun clapping her hands which is beyond adorable and a little tooth is breaking through her bottom gum. She seems to be in ok spirits about it all, but I, on the other hand, can not believe how fast she is growing. She will be 8 months this week!

Sniffle...sniffle

After a great weekend down in MD it is always kinda sad to leave my family, but that is not the only reason that I am sniffling...I think I might be coming down with a little cold. Anthony had one last week and very nicely passed it down to me. It only took him a couple days to get better and I hope that the same is true for me.

Sofia was a doll this weekend (as usual) and her first tooth seems to be peeking though her gums. I will see if i can get a picture of it tomorrow.

Thanksgiving Turkeys

Thanksgiving numero 2 at my parent's house in Maryland and Sofia cannot wait to dig in.

Happy as a clam

She LOVES taking baths and is so giggly even once she gets out of the bath! After a long day of hardly napping (YIKES!) and being out for Thanksgiving, Sofia was still able to give us some smiles and laughs after taking a bath and getting ready for bed. Such an angel!

Sofia's first Thanksgiving

Dinner at La Locanda was delicious yesterday and Miss Sofia had a great time playing bartender and hanging out with the family!

We're off to MD today for Thanksgiving numero 2!

Happy little family

Helping the bartenders out

Sitting at the "adult's table"

Some hugging time from Nonno

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sofia's first Thanksgiving and 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' is no where to be found on TV, doesn't make sense to me. But thank goodness for the ever-faithful Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that was always on in the background at my parent's house growing up.



What The Palumbi's are thankful for this year:

Our health, our families and friends, being in love and happy, and most of all...SOFIA!

"Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving,' Charlie Brown."
~Marcie

Another perfect fall day...

Sofia loves taking walks and today was no exception...she "talked" to the passing squirrels, watched the leaves fall around her and then recited the alphabet in Italian! Just kidding, I was just seeing if you were paying attention...she actually said the alphabet in French.

Sleepy and still playing peek-a-boo

Sippy Cups - Not as Easy as it Looks

We just brought the sippy cup out and as far as first impressions go, I don't think Sofia is all that pleased with it...

Anthony and his little girl

This picture was taken at my sister-in-law's wedding back in September and it's just gorgeous!!! My two little peas!

Runs in the family...

My family knows I'm obsessed with putting Sofia's "hair" up in a scarf and just love how cute she looks! I guess it runs in the family...


My mom put me in one

My Nonna used to wear her hair in one too

Happy Feet

Honestly, if any of us could still touch our feet without breaking a sweat or ripping our pants, I think we would ALL still be playing on our backs, pulling at our toes and giggling like a maniac.

Eagles 17, Dolphins 7

Anthony and I would like to think that Sofia brought a little good luck to the Philadelphia Eagles today with their win this afternoon over the Miami Dolphins.




Happy Eagles Fans!!!