Little Lady Update

Well Julia and Genevieve are now 8 months old. It's amazing how much they change every day. They are starting to get opinions about what foods they like and which toys they prefer. They are starting to act more as playmates then just two random strangers. They like to take toys away from each other. They love to climb on daddy and pull their big sisters hair. They both get concerned if the other one is crying. But on the whole their personalities are very different.

Julia is more apt to smile at strangers however she is very attached and sometimes has a hard time going to unfamiliar people. She's crawling, cruising and standing unsupported. She's going to walk very soon. She loves to get into everything, her newest interest is taking the DVD's off the shelf. She says mama and up. Her favorite toys are whatever her sister is playing with and toppling any block tower Gabriella makes. She's not a big fan of eating and doesn't really have any favorite foods. She likes to give her snacks to the dog rather than eat them herself. She's doing well at sleeping through the night. Her tooth count is at 7.

Genevieve is more reserved, she likes to study a situation before entering into the fray. She's happy to let Julia go in first and once she sees it's something she's interested in she will follow. She loves to play with toys or explore small areas of the house. She's content to play with one toy for long stretches of time. She's crawling and starting to pull to a stand. She doesn't like to use her knees to crawl, preferring to use her feet. She likes the bouncy seat and the swing will always put her to sleep. She loves to watch my mouth when I talk or sing to her. Her favorite toy is Sophie the rubber giraffe and she's been known to sit on it in order to keep it away from her sister's grabby hands. She's an amazing eater, enjoying all types of food. She loves puffs and will shovel handfuls into her mouth at one time. Her favorite food is mashed banana with oatmeal. She sleeps well at night as long as her teeth aren't hurting but she does not like taking naps. Her tooth count is 4.

Julia and Genevieve are growing up so fast. Looking back at their baby pictures makes me long for those sleepless nights and endless feedings...NOT! They are moving forward and I'm more than happy to help them along with their milestones.

Sea World Adventure

We've gone to a lot of theme parks in the past few months. We went to Sea World on one of Greg's weekend days off. The park was crowded as it was a beautiful San Diego day. Gabriella and I went a lot when she was 3, we had a friend we met up with once every few weeks. We loved seeing the animals and playing in the kids area. This time some of the animal areas were under constructions but the play area was still a big hit. Gabriella scaled the rope bridges with ease, a big difference from her abilities at 3. We went to only one show, the Dolphin show. We were surprised and disappointed to see that it was more of a cirque de sole show than a dolphin show. Even Gabriella wondered where the animals were and I thought Greg's eyes were going to roll out of his head as each new performer appeared. Gabriella and Greg went on the ship wreck rapids ride and the Journey to Atlantis together while the twins and I watched. The little girls had the most fun in the wild arctic area, where they could watch the belugas slowly swimming by the window. It was a fun day, but I think we will put off buying any passes until the girls are older.

Life at the Beach

After our few days at Disney World our vacation took a slower turn. Our friends invited us to the family timeshare in Vero Beach. A small island on the coast of Florida it was a truly relaxing place to visit. We had a wonderful room and after figuring out the sleeping arrangements we settled in for a relaxing week visiting with old friends and making new ones. The beach was beautiful and the girls went to the pool every single day. Greg and Gabriella made the trek to see a Cardinal's preseason baseball game and while they were gone Miss Julia learned to pull herself up on the couch. Gabriella loved playing with her friends and spent a lot of time with them in the pool and on the playground. The adults spent time catching up and playing games. We had quite a few shared dinners which were all delicious. It was a wonderfully relaxing week but like all vacations it went to quickly. As we hugged our friends goodbye all I could think of was planning next years vacation. Maybe a cruise??

Stu Stu Studio

The last stop on our whirlwind resort tour was Disney Studios. It has changed a bit since we went on our honeymoon, it's more kid friendly and there were plenty of characters to visit. Julia and Genevieve couldn't get enough of Woody and Buzz. The kids loved playing on the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area where they could relive the adventures of a movie they've never seen. The highlight of the day was probably the Toy Story Mania ride, we all had a great time trying to beat each other's score. My favorite moment of the day was riding the Rock and Roll Roller coaster with Rachel. I don't know if her bangs will ever be the same, just kidding they looked great. The end of the day came too quickly and as we left the Disney property I couldn't help but give our family a huge star for an amazing vacation. Going to theme parks are hard, going with infants and a 5 year old is challenging, but we met those challenges with grace and an amazing sense of flexibility. The first half of our trip was a great success and we were looking forward to Vero Beach.

Hats Off

There is nothing better on a vacation than meeting missed friends. Our dear friends from Okinawa met us in Orlando for a couple of days at Disney World before heading together to Vero Beach. We anxiously awaited their arrival as we toured through the Magic Kingdom. We had a great time on our own but we were anxiously to see our friends. Gabriella saw her friends and her eyes lit up and she broke out into a run. The months of separation and distance evaporated with each step. I think she, Mallory and Zach talked nonstop the rest of the day. We played until everyone was asleep on their feet and the park had been closed for an hour. As we rode the bus back to the hotel Gabriella sleepily asked if we would see them again or if she should have given them more hugs. When I told her we'd meet them again in the morning she dutifully went to bed without another word.