Olivia Maria's First Holy Communion

Olivia celebrated her First Holy Communion yesterday and from beginning to end, it was a truly splendid day. My girl was just so happy and her cheeks must have ached last night from all the smiling she did all day long. 

I adore the details on the dress and she was so excited to wear it. Finally her turn she said. 

She took the celebration of mass so seriously and I watched her as she followed along in the readings and sang throughout the mass. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Which is probably why I cried during most of the mass. From seeing her walk in the entrance with her classmates and then my dad being a part of the ceremony...no dry eyes for an hour.

So happy my dad was able to be such a big part of her special day. He was announced by Monsignor that a relative of Olivia's would be lending a hand, he read the Gospel and he even was able to give Olivia her very first communion. Talk about special. 

After the mass we took about a hundred photos outside the church and then went on to party! 

Olivia has three Godparents...Uncle Jay, my cousin Daniel and one of my first friends I met in America, Aunt Katie who was at her nephew's communion the same day. She was with us in heart and spirit. 

I can't explain how much I just wanted the day to be special for Olivia. She is so kind, has such a good heart and always so sweet to everyone she meets. A perfect sunny day for my little ray of sunshine. 

olivia maria

My precious Olivia will celebrate her First Holy Communion tomorrow and I am so happy for her. It's her special day and she is so excited about this milestone. My beautiful and bright little girl is incredibly wonderful and I am so happy that we get to celebrate her tomorrow!

happiness is...

a young boy playing in water

primavera

and then Spring arrived

A visit to the park with my little man

I love Mario's days off from school. Next Fall he will go five mornings and I'm going to miss this time with him so much. Last week we ventured out on a almost Spring-like morning to one of our favorite parks, Ridley Creek State Park. I was hoping more would be in bloom but not quite yet. Still, there was plenty to see and do for a four year old boy and his mama.

Some baby koi fish to peek at and watch how they swim away when we got near...

A few colorful flowers dotting the grounds...

A snack break on the gorgeous, stone steps...

A run up the trail chasing a butterfly. Well, it was a moth but still very cool for Mario. 

Our camouflaged moth...

Thankful at the fun we have together. Love this guy so much!

Nonni

The kids with their Nonni - Palumbi and Pitocco. And their cugini - they are all getting so big!

Zoo with my little man

On a chilly morning last week, Mario and I went to the zoo. It pays to have a membership when you just want to be there for under 2 hours to see some animals. He had the best time and was so good, despite brisk winds and a number of field trips also visiting the zoo that day.

I think this guy might be one of my new favorite animals. I was mesmerized. Mario enjoyed the meerkats.

Always fun to see these pretty birds. They make me think of warmer weather, which I hope is on the way.

We just read Elmer and the Hippos from the library and so while it was too cold to see actual hippos, Mario was happy to post in front of the art just outside the zoo on the walk back to the car. With pretzels. You have to get pretzels as you're leaving the zoo for the ride home. So says the 4-year-old.

Earrings!

Before Sofia began Kindergarten, I scheduled an appointment for her to get her ears pierced. Being very much into jewelry and feminine, she was excited and couldn't wait to do it. The day before she told me she didn't want to do it anymore. Rather than just force her to go through with it which would have resulted in screaming on her part and exhaustion on my part to try and convince her, I said she could get them done when she was ready. 

6 years later...Sofia tells me in the Fall of her 5th grade year that for her 11th birthday she wants to get her ears pierced. She talks it up on occasion in the months leading up to her birthday month and lo and behold a week after turning 11, my girl gets her ears pierced. I never really gave my thought to one way or another truthfully, if she wanted her ears pierced fine and if not ever, that's fine too. But I guess what I do care about most is that she came to this realization that she wanted it done on her own. I didn't get her ears pierced as a baby where she would have had no say in the matter, I waited until I thought a good age and milestone (beginning Kindergarten) and no dice. Finally, on her own she decided she wanted it done and she did it. Didn't flinch, reminds me in the morning and night to help with turning her earrings and putting the cleaning solution on and voila! We have an ear-pierced gal in the house! 

adventures in DC

While in Maryland over the Easter weekend, we headed into DC for the day. So much fun and so great to be back in the city that gave me my first job out of college. Great memories and happy to have shared them and made more of them with my family.

The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool are one of my favorite must-sees while in DC and glad to have shown the kids this monument that is so important to American history.