Friday, March 29, 2019

My baby turns 12!


Sofia Vincenza turns 12. My baby.

I blinked and here we are. The last year before we say we have a teenager. As much as I try to hold onto moments, they thankfully pile up, leaving our arms heavy and hearts full.


My first born, the first little voice to hear those precious syllables - mama. She made me a mom. I'm so fortunate. Fortunate to have been given this chance to look hard at myself, at the world and decide what's best for my little girl. For now.  I tried to hold her hand through a lot of things but some things she stood her ground and was able to walk ahead, lag behind or skip alongside.


She's been her own little person from the beginning. Showing us who she is through her singing and dancing, waddling around the house in her diapers to picking out own outfits and deciding she needed to wear the straw hat on her own when picking almonds.


She makes me proud with her love for nature and appreciating the beauty in the simple things that lay before us. Picking flowers, feeding birds and appreciating the sunrise right by my side makes me smile from the inside out.


She's brave but in her own time. No one will rush her before she's ready and she'll go kicking and screaming if she has to be heard. She sticks to her opinions and I'm proud to say she'll listen to someone else's point of view, but in her own time.


She has the best loud laugh, a laugh my nonna would love and would have wanted to hear. She can be so helpful and kind and loving and caring and ready to take on everything and anything all at once. She can try my patience. She gives the greatest hugs. She says "I love you mama" at just the right time. 


She is bright and when she puts her mind to something, she blows me away. She loves to read and it makes me proud that on a rainy day her favorite reading spot is my favorite reading spot too. 


She is lovely and she is mine. Buon Compleanno Sofia mia!


Wednesday, March 27, 2019

San Gabriele and Castelli for the day



Annual pilgrimage to San Gabriele and then to the mountaintop town of Castelli for the day. Always a fun day trip, the kids really enjoy the fresh mountain water from the fountains at San Gabriele and the walk through the tiny old town of Castelli.







Who would know we'd meet a future version of Chicco on this visit. It was a partly cloudy day, the town is becoming more deserted with fear of earthquakes, but it's always such a nice visit. Unfortunately, with the recent quakes, some shops have closed and townspeople have left. Not as many visitors to this once bustling town known for it's beautiful ceramics. 


My favorite photo to take each year on our visit.


My gorgeous bambini!



Monday, March 25, 2019

Blue skies in Bethany Beach


It's starting to feel like spring with a hint of summer on the horizon. 

Friday, March 22, 2019

Old McDonald had a farm!


The kids school does something very sweet each spring. A nearby farm brings over to the school for a 2 week period chicken eggs and allow the preschool children to observe and wait for them to hatch. Each day Mario came home in those two weeks, he would give me an update on the eggs.
"Not hatched yet mommy"
"They're still in the incubator getting warm" - the way he said "incubator" melted my heart

and then finally...
"Mommy, they hatched! There's baby chicks and they are cheeping"
"Mommy, they eat seeds and they poop"

Observant little five year old.


I asked to go in to take some photos of the class and the kids were so adorable with the chicks. There were 12 in total but only 3 came out at a time, smart teachers.

Loved seeing this after hearing about it every day when I picked him up.


Tuesday, March 19, 2019

all wrapped up for his movie


Mario is growing out of his afternoon nap.  I knew it was bound to happen but I am sad about it. There are some days I can tell he needs it and he'll still go down for his nap and will sleep but other days he stays around with me and we have a nice little routine going on those days that make me less sad about him not napping. A little lunch together, some playing and then he settles in for some movie time, some days it's only for 30 min and he will fall asleep and other days he's awake for the entire 30 min. 
All these milestones coming and going. I am going to miss the nap. 

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