Liam nods and says "Mama"

Liam is doing so many new things lately!  Most recently he said "Mama" on August 19th, and then on the 25th he was nodding yes!  I am so impressed with his new ability to communicate.

Here he is saying "Mama" :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLbnjUvwwLo

And here's his nod:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKugYjRv_gw

Will was also impressed because Liam wanted to play with Dioji the other day--he is VERY interested in the dog (poor Dioji, LOL).  He actually picked up one of Dioji's toys and began waving it at the dog in order to get him to play.  We thought that was very smart!

Our little boy is getting SO big SO fast!

A Rainy Day Adventure

Emily's school has a policy that they do not release students in the event of severe weather, heavy rain, or lightning.  Today was an "early release" day and I was supposed to be able to get her from the bus stop at 2:25.  I arrived to the stop at 2:12 (they want us to be there 10 minutes before the bus is due).  It was raining but not too hard, although there was some lightning.  Bailey was watching Dora and Liam was content, so I decided to just sit in the car and wait.  Well, I waited and I waited.  After a little while, Liam got fussy so I moved to the back to play with him.  Then Bailey announced that she had to go potty.  I couldn't just leave, and besides it was raining, so I offered her a pull-up.  She declined the pull-up and said she could wait until we got home.  But then another fifteen minutes ticked by, and she started looking desperate. So I said, "Bailey, let me give you a pull-up and you can pee-pee in that, okay?"  She agreed.  I had to get out in the rain to get the diaper bag from the back, and you guessed it, there were NO PULL-UPS in there.  So I improvised and grabbed one of Liam's diapers instead.  Now I knew it wasn't going to fit her but I thought it would probably work. I jumped back into the van and poor Bailey was waiting for me.  I held the diaper around her and told her to go.  Now a three-year-old can make a lot more pee than a 7-month-old, so shockingly, the diaper did not absorb all of the pee!  Luckily I did have extra clothes so we were able to clean up Bailey and the mess, too.  Meanwhile, Liam was screaming because I had put him back into his carseat, and, unbeknownst to me, there was a triagular-shaped block wedged under him.  I strapped him in because he's so wiggly I was afraid he might fall, and in the process caused the block to press into his back.  I thought he was just mad but then I realized it was a pain cry, took him out of the seat, and found the block.  FINALLY, at 3:00, the bus showed up.  By the time I got everyone loaded in the car and seatbelts on, of course the rain had stopped.  What a day!

Sweet Liam

Yesterday I heard Liam playing in his crib after his nap, so I went in to get him.  He was laying on his right side, looking towards the door.  When I opened his door, he smiled and started waving at me!  SO CUTE!!  He is such a sweetie!

First Day of Kindergarten!

We just got home from taking Emily to the bus stop for her first day of school!  She was so excited this morning.  She asked for chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast:

Then she did a great job of getting herself ready for school.  Mommy helped with her hair.  Since Emily is going to a charter school, the bus stop is at Publix.  The whole family took her to the bus stop today.

When we got there, Emily and Isabella posed for a picture:

Then they got on the bus, which was a bit of a process because they take roll on the bus and of course Emily had to tell the bus driver her whole life story, LOL.  They also have assigned seats and it looked like the driver had paired an older kid with each kindergartener, which I think was a good plan.  Will and I laughed because we just know Emily talked her seatmate's ear off the whole way to school.

Here is the video of the girls getting on the bus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh8N-kH6BQw

When Will, Bailey, Liam, and I got home, Bailey says, "Daddy, I going to be a good big sister." Then she walks into Emily's room and says, "Is this gonna be my room now?" LOL!! Like we just put Emmy on the bus and said "see ya!" :)

I can't believe my little girl is off to kindergarten!

"Winkles"

Bailey recently noticed the two HUGE wrinkles I have across my forehead--I have very expressive eyebrows, LOL.  Anyway, she was running her finger back and forth and she asked, "Mommy, what this?"

"Oh, that's just a wrinkle."

"A WINKLE?  Oh, no!  You can't have a winkle!  You won't be boo-full anymore!"

On a lighter note...

Just some quick funnies that the girls have said lately:

Bailey, referring to her navel: "Mommy, this 'babin' toot' shows my Bailey button!"

Emily saw Liam without his diaper and wanted to know what his testicles were for.  Instead of getting into it, I just said, "That's just something that boys need."  She goes, "Oh! It's like a little clubhouse for his pee-pee to hang out in!"

Conversation between Will and Bailey:
"Mommy is very tired today.  So I need you to stay in your room during quiet time and let her get a nap, okay?  Don't let me down."

"I not gonna let you down, Daddy. I gonna let you up."

And finally, yesterday Bailey gave me a big hug and said, "Mommy, you're so beautiful and comfy." :)

Pop-Pop

Well, I haven't been on here in a while--things have been really out of whack this past month.  At the beginning of July, my grandfather, whom we affectionately call Pop-Pop, got sick.  He was admitted to the hospital with low blood sugar on July 3, and things just went downhill from there.  The next week he had a scan done which showed "masses" all over his body.  The biopsy came back that these masses were lymphoma.  The doctor thought it was treatable BUT the treatment would have been very difficult and by that point, Pop-Pop wasn't really eating and was very, very weak.  He was transferred to a nursing home for rest and physical therapy, with the goal of getting him strong enough to try the chemo/radiation.  Unfortunately, after a week there, he became unresponsive and was taken back to the ER on July 24th.  He passed away at 12:12 am, July 25th.

Mom noticed some interesting numbers: Pop-Pop was born in (19)22.  He died in (20)11 at 12:12.  He was 88.

We are all deeply saddened by his loss but I personally am also glad that he did not go through the chemo only to die anyway.  I am so grateful that he moved to Florida all those years ago and I got to spend lots of time with him.  And it was so wonderful to meet his many, many friends and neighbors who all had nothing but good things to say about him.  Although it was difficult, I feel blessed that I was able to attend his funeral services both locally and in New York and see him laid to rest.  What an honor it was to have such a wonderful grandfather.

The Orlando Sentinel did a beautiful piece on Pop-Pop after he passed: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-obit-lou-figliuolo-20110728,0,7183646.story

You may also read and sign his guestbook here: http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/news-journalonline/guestbook.aspx?n=louis-figliuolo&pid=152772636&cid=gbsrchres