Friday, January 3, 2014

Eddie's Bday, Xmas Eve, Xmas Morning and New Year's Eve

Yes this is four posts in one! LOL I figured if I waited to post all four events separately, it would take forever. So get ready for lots of pictures and loads of info.

Eddie's Birthday
    Anyone who knows me can tell you that I make huge deals out of BIRTHDAYS! My hubby's bday is another one of those special events that I plan in the beginning of September….meanwhile his bday is December 11! The reason why the "so in advance planning" is because we go into NYC every year for his birthday for the weekend (just the two of us).  I started this tradition 16 years ago and we love getting away together. December is a very busy time of year and I like to make sure I have everything planned in advance or forget about a hotel room. Hotels book up quickly in NYC around the holidays. This year we stayed at the "W" Hotel is Union Square. We arrived in NYC early and of course went shopping on famous 5th Avenue. Later that evening, we met friends for drinks at a "Speak Easy" Lounge and then headed off to dinner at the wonderful "Blue Water Grill". We have such a great time time with our friends. Here are pics from another fabulous Birthday Weekend for my hubby!



Giving daddy his gifts


Daddy's favorite cake…Baskin Robbins

Celebrating in NYC

A group shot of all of us!

Just blew out his bday candle


CHRISTMAS EVE
     Christmas Eve we headed over to Eddie's parents house where we celebrated with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and great-grandma. Here are some pics from that evening…..

Eddie and I

Opening gifts

Lyla showing Great-grandma and Aunt Christine

Lyla holding her new baby cousin



Me and my girls (Emma got hit in the face with a ping pong ball)

Cousins watching tv



More presents!





My wonderful family



CHRISTMAS DAY
     Christmas this year was better than ever! The girls are at the perfect age to really enjoy it and Eddie and I love spoiling them rotten! They couldn't wait to get home from Xmas Eve and fall asleep so it could be morning! We left the cookies, the glass of milk, we sprinkled our reindeer food on the front lawn and we were set for Christmas to come. Here are pics from Xmas morning!


Our Family Room before the girls came down






Could it be?…….

Yes!!!! A phone…woohoo!!







Mini ipad for Emma (Lyla got one also)




Jewelry from daddy! (Lyla got matching earrings and necklace also)


Here is a charm I found….how awesome is this!!!


Eating Xmas brunch with Uncle Brucie, Aunt Michelle and Cousin Katie


NEW YEAR'S EVE
     We always celebrate New Year's Eve just Eddie and I but this year we decided to include the girls! Emma is at the age now where she wants to see the ball drop and our good friends were having a party at their house (right in our neighborhood). So The girls took a 3 hour nap in the afternoon so they could stay up to see the ball drop. I can't believe they made it to midnight! We had such a great New Year's and we decided we will celebrate with the girls every year from now on. Here are pics from that night...

This is what was left of the guests at the end of the night

Lyla and Emma before the ball dropped


Group shot of the kids


HAPPY 2014 Bloggers!!! I hope its a happy and healthy one! xoxo


Thursday, December 19, 2013

Holiday Happenings 2013!

Hello Blogging world.....I'm Back! I know it's been a few months but I wanted to give some updates on our family and what's going on in our lives.

First off let me say that I started this blog to give support and guidance to other parents and I still do this on a weekly and sometimes on a daily basis. People contact me from all over the world and I make time available to them because I know when we found out about Lyla I reached out to other parents and wanted the same thing..SUPPORT and GUIDANCE. It's difficult to blog as much as I'd like to. So I feel as long as I continue with a few posts every couple of months I can still stay in touch with my blogging buddies and keep everyone updated on our lives.

With that said I wanted to give an update on my girls.......

Emma is loving first grade and doing amazingly well. She loves school and is very bright. She does a lot of extracurricular activities such as: Hip Hop Dance, Gymnastics, Religion, and Mixed Martial Arts. She recently got her orange belt and was very excited about that. She is the BEST BIG SISTER ever! Her and Lyla get along so well and love being together. They are always giggling, playing games, eating snacks, watching tv and hanging out together. Its so nice to watch because I have a sister who I am close with and love to see my girls bonding like sisters do.

As far as Lyla she is HYSTERICAL......She has got to be the funniest 3 year old around. Her expressions and personality are priceless. She recently started preschool in September and is loving going to school. She goes twice a week for 2 1/2 hours. She does ballet and tap (dance class) and rocks those tutus. She is not shy and will participate, which I enjoy watching. She gets speech 3 times a week for 30 minutes and its truly helping. The girl is picking up so many words now. Her speech therapist comes to the house and Lyla loves her!

Now that Lyla is three years old I can honestly say that so far I have never heard or gotten any negative comments about her. People always want to come over and talk to her because her personality is AWESOME! People are constantly saying how adorable she is and how cute she is and NO ONE has ever said anything negative about her in my presence anytime. Even when they ask how old she is and SHE tells them....'I'm 3!" No one ever says anything about her size. They see what I see....the cutest 3 year old around and People say all the time how beautiful she is and how sweet she is. She has lots of friends and is excepted wherever she goes.

The month has been crazy busy and we are getting ready for Xmas. If you ask Lyla what she wants she says..."An iPad and a phone". This is what she told Santa and Everyone was hysterical! Emma wants a mini iPad and roller skates. I have a funny feeling the girls will get what they want!

Here are some updated photos of our holiday happenings! Happy Holidays to all my blogging buddies and Happy New Year too! (P.S. I will catch up on everyone's blog this week)

                                               
                                        Updated Pics of Emma and Lyla
Girls wearing matching dresses!

Emma and Lyla


             Visiting the Polar Express Trolley out in Southhold New York

Uncle Bruce, Aunt Michelle, Emma and Cousin Katie

The girls talking to an Elf

Group photo

The girls fooling around at a photo booth

Matching Xmas pajamas!

The elves playing games with the children

Santa!

North Fork Polar Express Trolley



Having Hot Cocoa and Cookies



Lyla warming up to Santa



                               At Emma's School for Gingerbread Trains



The three loves of my life!


After at Dunkin Donuts for some hot cocoa and donuts with some classmates


                                                    Lyla's Xmas Show


My "Ham"



Singing her heart out








Lyla and her Bestie... 'Jo Jo"