Today is a milestone

Today I will be running in my 6th race of the year. While that is not a lot to some people, it makes me energized! I only did 2 races in all of last year, but, since I only started in Sept that makes sense.  I have no idea how many more I will do this year. Hopefully this race will be my leaping point into my healing and my training for more 1/2 marathons. Instead of doing 3 2 weeks apart, I think for my health benefit I should do 1 a month, that would still give me my 3. But, before I cross that bridge, I have to see how my 4 mile run goes today.
I have never run this race before, it is really close to me, and from running this trail myself, it is really flat. Flat is what I need right now, I was told to embrace hills a little later in my running, which is kinda hard living here, but I do what I can to avoid hills. Hopefully it won't be too hot out, but I will enjoy every moment of this running milestone for me. I know the first half was a HUGE milestone, and running 3 in 3 months will be another one, but today, is a mini milestone and I can't wait until how many more there will be.

Happy Birthday USA! Happy 4th of July to all of you! And no matter what you do, just do it and have fun!

18 months

I cannot believe that my sweet lil lady is 18 months old today! Where did time go?!?! So, while I took an unintended hiatus from blogging (I haven't been able to run, so I didn't feel the need to blog) I did take some pictures of my daughter. I really need to carry my camera around more so that I don't share all of my photos on fb and/or instagram before I post them here. I do have some running updates and will resume blogging normally tomorrow (hopefully) but, in the meantime, here are some pictures of my sleeping pumpkin, and not so sleeping pumpkin.

Yes, she is wearing Philadelphia sports swag, and no I didn't dress her, YES, her FATHER put her in this outift

Bath time is one of her favorite times...

Checking out flowers

This cover-up gets me EVERY single time

The tradition continues....but, I LOVE how she is checking out Uncle "Quack"

My favorite picture from Memorial Day, only MY kid will find a way to eat watermelon even when she is too tired to hold it.

While we are coming on this milestone in birthdays, I wanted to share some of the things that this lil one has begun to do. As we all know she runs around every where, sometimes like a wackaloon. She loves her Shae-Shae, Pop-Pop, and Nana as those are the first 3 people she calls when she wakes up EVERY single morning. She is starting to say Jo-Jo, and now has the meow of a cat down pat. She still loves the game of "What does____ animal say," and now she loves to try to name colors of things. She loves her bubbles, but loves to swim way more. She thinks it is awesome that I run, and every time we try to go somewhere she tries to give me my running shoes NO matter where we are going. She was excited over the potty training potty, but has since lost interest. It's ok, I am just not quite ready to let her grow up yet. She now can name some Disney characters (Daisy, Pete-Pete and Minnie) but while she can say hotdog, she won't say dog (it is a woof woof). She is still the love of my life, and goes nuts whenever she sees me. I have to say that I fall in love with her more and more every day (in a way I never thought was imaginable) and EVERY single things she does, she is growing to be more and more like me. She tries to be as independent as she can be, but when she can't she'll try to let you do as little as possible to assist her. She is growing more and more into a little lady and less and less like a baby.

M, mama loves you! Icontinue to enjoy every moment of our days with you and while I want you to slow down growning up, I am loving EVERY single thing you do and love how excited you get when you are able to do something on your own. I love you today, tomorrow and always! Happy half birthday!

10 month update

10 months! How on earth do I have a 10 month old! So many changes are going to happen here in the last 2 months of infancy, I don't know if I can handle it. Please someone hold me! Anyway, here are the monthly posed pictures from her actual 10 month old day!

Makayla,
Yay! Your first year is almost here. You are really trying to walk, but man, can you crawl!! You love getting into everything and exploring all around you. You made your first artwork ever in your life, and it is hanging on Nana Mousie's fridge. At school they have a pink shopping cart that you walk behind and run around pushing it. Your best friend Anthony won't take a nap at school until he sees you, and he loves giving you hugs and kisses as much as you love giving them back. Everyone at your school loves seeing you, you always have a smile on your face. I love how independent you are getting, and how FINALLY you have some hair growing. At Church today I noticed that your top 2 front teeth are coming in, and that explains all the crabbiness and lack of sleep. Hopefully those teeth will come in soon and we can get a break from this lack of sleep and we all can get some sleep. Your first school pictures are going to be in soon, and we cannot wait to see them.  Your first Halloween is coming up, and one of them soon we will have to go visit Joey for his birthday. You love to dance, and you cannot wait to shake your bootie!
Mommy and Daddy love you very much! Happy 10 months old!

9 months and 5 days later...

As you know, I always takea picture of my sweet on on her month birthday. Hopefully, one day, she will look back and see why I love her so much. Anyway, here is the picture from that day.

Makayla,
I can't believe you are 9 months old already! I have had so much fun with you! We took your first family vacation to LBI (last year you were in Mommy's belly) and I know you had a great time! You went on a Whale watch with the family and while we didn't see any whales, we saw A LOT of dolphins!  You loved spending every minute of the day with your cousins Shae and Joey, and you miss them a lot now. You have gotten super fast in crawling, and you have even started going to "school" I think you like it, all the teachers there LOVE you! You are getting better at walking with help, and you are even starting to walk while only holding on with one hand!! Yesterday you said MAMA for the first time, and I nearly cried! You miss Aunt Jaime and her magic sleep whisperer self, but we are managing trying to get you to stay asleep. You LOVE to eat, and thankfully you aren't a picky eater like your father. There isn't a food you don't like, although we still haven't tried red meat, fish, or strawberries yet. You make me so proud of the little girl you are becoming, and I am starting to panic over how fast you are growing up. There are so many firsts coming up so fast, first school pictures next week, first trip to pick apples, to the pumpkin patch. We also have your first Halloween. Just know that mama loves you very much and I cannot imagine my life without you in it. Keep growing sweet baby. Mama loves you!

XOXOXOXO
MAMA

Sleepy time

Makayla has the sniffles, and therefore isn't sleeping the best. She sleeps, but she does wake up more than normal. She is also going to bed earlier which I think accounts for the early wake ups. Anyway, today, she was up at 6:30. She had breakfast around 7, and was wide awake playing. She started her "I'm sleepy" routine, rubbing her eyes, laying down, but since Joe was still home she thought it was time to play. SO, I thought we would go for a walk...they put her to sleep instantly. I put her in the exersaucer, just so I could get dressed. This is what I came out of the room all dressed for a walk to...

She was so tired, she fell asleep in the exersaucer. I am ok with that. I picked her up and carried her to her crib. I am hoping to get her on an earlier nap schedule so that she naps with the other kiddos at daycare. Which, I think she likes. They all tell me how happy she is, but...we already knew that. Anyway, I think I will get some stuff done while she sleeps. Happy Tuesday! 4 days until Vacation!

Hurricane Irene

In case you missed it, we had a Hurricane this past weekend. Well, yesterday, once it passed we ventured out of the house. We went to noon mass where the Priest talked about it being a farewell to irene service. Anyway, we went to my parents house like we normally do, and hung out with Aunt Steph who was up because she got evacuated from the beach. Anyway, she took us to Buffalo Wild Wings, which is great because I had always wanted to try it. Well, the babes, she had a sweet time too. She even got to wear a crown...

She knows she's Mommy's Princess

Then today, we went to visit with a friend who we haven't seen in a while. Of course, she was asleep before we even turned off of their street.

Happy Monday! 5 days until more beach pictures!!

Crawling

I finally figured out how to get this video off of my smart phone. Maybe, I will save and get a flip videocamera and then you won't have to see anymore videos sideways. But, my sister J said that a week without seeing my babes makes one weak, I thought I would post something. Really, I have no reason for not posting, I just need to organize my day better. Like now, now is a great time because it is nap time. AM nap time. Finally, the babes is back on a schedule where she at least naps in the am. The afternoon one is hit or miss depending on how long the am nap is. But I am working on it, and she loves sleeping. Anyway, on with the show.

7 months

This time 7 months ago I had already been in the hospital almost 9 hours. I was admitted at midnight to start the induction process. Little did I know I had a long day a head of me. I still have about another 2 until I got the epidural. It still seems like yesterday, but it wasn't. It was 7 months ago. This post isn't about me, or the birthing process, this is about the sweet babes.

Makayla,
You are 7 months old already! Mommy cannot believe it. It seems like yesterday I brought you home from the hospital and here you are turning into a sweet little lady. You are always smiling, even when it is way past nap time. You make everyone around you have a better day. You now have 2 bottom teeth, and are starting to crawl EVERY WHERE. You are so determined, if you can't get some place fast enough by crawling, you get there by rolling. You love your dogs so much, you laugh whenever they are playing. You love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and are even starting to dance to the music.  You got baptized 2 weeks ago, and as always you made momma so proud. Your cousin Autumn got you this ladybug and you love it. It is definitely coming to come with us on vacation, it helps you sleep. You also love swimming. I know you could stay all day in the pool if I let you and I am not looking forward to summer ending and you not being able to swim anymore! I guess we will have to do swim lessons in the fall/winter. I am sure I have shared this picture before, but how can you resist this face?

In less than 2 months we will be going on our first vacation to the beach. I have NO idea how you will do, the sand worries me more than the ocean. But, I know we will have a blast, we do EVERY DAY! I just wanted to let you know that I fall in love with you more and more everyday and your laugh melts my heart. You complete me. I love you! Happy 7 months! Here's to many many more months and lots and lots of memories!

I love you more than all the grains of sand in the ocean.
Love,
Mommy

Today is a Big Day for such a sweet girl

(Matthew 28:19) 19 Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Today, Makayla will be baptized into the Catholic Church. While I don't have any pictures to show you just yet of the big day, I do have a picture of the CAKE. Let me just tell you how awesome this cake is.

This picture does NOT do it justice. My cousin Megan and her girlfriend Jessy made this cake, and I don't think I will have to go anywhere else to find my cakemaker.
Please if you have time today, say a little prayer for my sweet baby girl.
Hope you are having a great Sunday.

Growing up...

My little girl is growing up way too fast if you ask me. But you didn't, so I will share with you some pictures from yesterday. This was breakfast. And yes, she is eating her cereal off of the spoon.

Now, all I need to do is buy her some kids plates and bowls...and breakfast will be totally kid friendly ;)