Golf Lessons

Craig is a huge golfer and has been talking about teaching irina some putting moves. im all for them spending quality time together but i didnt think she would like golfing. apparently i was wrong, she not only LOVES it, she is actually pretty good according to craig.

Daddy's Girl

datty, irina & fred

datty kissing irina

irina "tissing" her datty

On Saturday mornings we usually put Irina in bed with us for a little while we (Craig & I) "really wake up". She tends to ignore me and loves on her Datty, she wakes up every morning asking for him- whats up with that? It is really sweet but sometimes I want to hear my name in the morning. On this particular day she was very much into her datty and baby doll named "Fred", FYI- all her dolls are named "Fred".

Craig watching Irina

what happened when craig watched irina the other day

Cinderella at Casa Manana

irina w her daddy and daddy-o

irina & mommy

on the set
at the very end (i snuck in a photo)

Last Friday we took Irina to Casa Manana for the showing of Cinderella. Last year we saw Santa Claus and she did a great job sitting and watching, so we thought she might enjoy another show. Her Daddy-O, and Daddy were there too, who I think enjoyed the play more than they like to admit :) I was so surprised how much Irina loved the singing and dancing! She clapped and cheered through out the whole thing! She wants a "princess" dress now and twirls around the room like Cinderella. Im so glad she enjoyed it! Next Month: Peter Pan!

23 WEEKS PREGGERS

23 weeks into gestation :)

feeling great! the baby is moving more and more, which i love! about 2 weeks ago craig was able to see and feel the baby move for the first time, HE is finally kicking much stronger. Just today we found out that we are expecting a baby BOY! we are very excited and are looking for names.

March Madness Not Over

i got it!

nothin' but net!

Here are some pics of Irina doing her thang. She loves playing basketball, especially when she slam dunks her "pee (pink) ball"

Loving Two

I walk along holding your 2-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: how could I ever love another child as I love you?

Then he is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you’ve never shared me before.

I hear you telling me in your own way, “Please love only me”. And I hear myself telling you in mine, “I can’t”, knowing, in fact, that I never can again.

You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again.

But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I’m afraid to let you see me enjoying him, as though I am betraying you.

But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection.

More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast.

But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times – only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other.

I watch how he adores you – as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of his new accomplish ments. And I begin to realize that I haven’t taken something from you, I’ve given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you.

I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you – only differently.

And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you’ll never share my love. There’s enough of that for both of you – you each have your own supply.

I love you – both. And I thank you both for blessing my life.
Author Unknown



This is something my neighbor Christal emailed me after I told her how I felt about being pregnant. We were of course trying for this pregnancy and were very excited that it happened so quickly. However, I was NOT expecting to feel sadness and guilt when the test turned positive. It took only seconds for me to realize that Irina and I would only have 9months left together as just the two of us. I talked to a few friends about my feelings and a couple said they understood my emotions, they said they would slowly go away. Im half way through my pregnancy and the feelings have faded but Im afraid they will never go away completely. I totally related to the first part of the poem, when I feel the baby kick, its an amazing feeling that is short lived because it reminds me that things with my daughter will never be the same. I am going to make the most of this summer with Irina- just me & her. At this point I can only hope that I feel the way the rest of the poem continues on.

Easter

re-purposed egg carton she used as her Easter egg basket

"dont touch"...

couldnt resist :)

opening her Easter surprise from Grandma Theresa & Papa Gene

she is very much into puzzles these days

all the way from NC!

CHEESE!

Irina had her Easter Party yesterday at school, she could not stop talking about it when I picked her up. I love listening to her tell me a story about something that happened to her. I would record it but it takes her like 30 minutes to get it all out. At school she made an Easter egg basket from an egg carton, wahoo- the school is re-using! She had a great time hunting for eggs! When we got home, we saw a big package at the front door and were excited to see what was inside. Grandma Theresa & Papa Gene sent her an Easter package full of fun and yummy treats. She was really excited about the wooden farm animal puzzle, its her favorite thing to do right now. I love watching her figure out the puzzles she works on, she is learning so much so quickly. She is my everything.

Craigs Birthday!

irina & mommy

cheese!

she wouldnt lick the spoon! weird!

but she licked her hands after squeezing fresh lemons!

mixing w/ daddy

measuring w/ daddy
craig started teaching her conversions! how many ounces in a cup??

I'm really late blogging about this but things have been super crazy around here!
Craig celebrated his 29th birthday two weeks ago, I wanted to have a small birthday party for him but he didn't want that. I need to mention that days before his birthday, Craigs car was broken into, the window was smashed and the CD player was stolen. Poor Craig, we knew exactly what to buy him..a CD player! Which we haven't eve done yet! The only thing he asked for was a pie, a lemon cooler pie that our friend Maria makes. So I got the recipe from her and went to work, Craig wanted to see Irina help so we started right before he came home from work. Irina did surprisingly well helping with the instructions I gave her, she loves to feel like a big girl. The lemon pie was a huge hit, it was perfectly sweetened and was light enough to where you wanted to eat two slices.