Our Weekend in Pictures

We had such a nice holiday weekend and the weather could not have been more beautiful. Although I have really been wishing for some cooler weather, it has been nice to enjoy the sunshine. On Sunday, Giulana attended her very first birthday party! It was for a 1 year-old and we went to a park and she loved watching all the kids running around and playing. It's hard to believe she will be swinging on swings and going down slides in no time. 

We also gave cereal a shot for the first time. It appears it is going to be a little bit of a messy adventure in the beginning. At first, she didn't really know what it was or how to eat it. Her tongue kept getting in the way and she was pushing the spoon out of her mouth, but after a few tries she started to get the hang of it. I'm sure this is a skill that won't take long to master.

After that we watched playoff football and then enjoyed the holiday on Monday with a walk and lunch. I love holiday weekends!

Some recent videos of our happy girl :)

 This is a glimpse of what is to come in regard to a hat for opening day at the races :)

 

Playing with Daddy's beard

 

 Nom Nom Nom!

Our usual walk to Starbucks

Mom and Dad date lunch at C Level...YUM

Month Four Favorites

As Giuliana gets older, we are discovering new amazing things! Take a look at our latest favorites for this month.

1. HALO Sleepsack Why I didn't  buy these sooner I will never know. But they are a MUST! Its basically a wearable blanket that zips them in like a potato sack. Clever. This way you're not staring at the baby monitor every second wondering if they are warm enough or if they are pulling a blanket over their face.

2. Conair Noise Machine Another item we should have purchased long ago. There are various sounds you can choose from and we keep it outside her bedroom door for white noise so every little sound doesn't startle her. We have very creaky floors so you can hear every step of someone walking down the hall.

3. Honeywell Deluxe Cool Touch Heater This space heater is perfect for a room because you can set the temperature instead of having one that runs constantly or that must be adjusted manually. It is very quiet and it oscillates.

4. Fisher Price My Little Lamb Deluxe Bouncer This has been another must have item from the beginning, but it is really nice to have now because she will be content sitting in it and watching us cook, clean, etc since she can be right up in the mix. She also loves to stare at the lambs now that she can focus on them.We are sure to strap her in because she likes to practice her sit ups while she's in it.

5. Motorola Video Monitor A baby monitor is a definite necessity and I especially love this one because of the big video screen and the fact that we can constantly stare at her and make sure she is ok. It has the temperature of the room and adjustments for volume, brightness, etc. You can even link it to more than one camera which makes it very convenient for having two stories and for when we have another baby.

The Ramblings of a 4 Month Old

So I know I mentioned we had a chatterbox on our hands but it is official now. The other night while getting her pajamas on for bed, Giuliana was half fussing, half rambling and in the midst of all that came a mother's favorite word. MAMA! Granted it was more like the sounds of ma-ma-ma-ma, but I will take it! And my mom was there and she heard it too because we looked right at each other--did she say what I think she said? So I think that counts :)

Have a wonderful weekend, I'm going to think about this moment over and over again until she says it officially! Until then, enjoy a couple of cute photos from this weekend so far, including her super cute Michael Kors shoes :)

Four Months Old!

Our little G is another month older as we enter into the new year. This is crazy! She is so curious now that she can follow movements and she loves walking around with us and taking in all the scenery. She's also a little chatterbox! Pretty sure once she starts talking, she isn't going to stop.

We went to the doctor yesterday for her checkup and another round of shots. :( (She survived, I am still recovering) Baby girl is healthy and we couldn't be more thankful for that. She weighed in at 12 pounds 7 ounces and is 25.5 inches long. She's in the 15th percentile for weight, and the 80th percentile for height.  Girl's gonna be tall! We also got the go ahead to start feeding her cereal anytime. Stay tuned for that messy little adventure!

Month four accomplishments--according to Mom & Dad

*She rolled over from her tummy to her back twice, but hasn't done it again since. She's very close to rolling over from her back to her tummy also, but I think she gets scared at the last second.

*She can fully hold her head up during tummy time and it is the cutest thing.

*Her sleep is getting better with her night time stretch lasting about 10 hours. She still has some moments where she doesn't go down that easy or wakes up in the middle of the night, but overall we are happy she is making great progress.

*Belly laughs are here! She can be quite the giggle monster at times.

*She LOVES to be naked! Every time we go to change her clothes or take off her clothes to put her in the bath, she immediately gets excited, smiles and starts talking up a storm.

Happy 4 month birthday to our little Giuliana!

 

 

New Year, New Resolutions

Each year, I find myself going back to the same New Year's resolutions I made the year before. Some are downright unattainable and some are generally a given. They typically include eating healthier, exercising more, and organizing, planning, and making endless to-do lists in an effort to simplify life. And although those are still on my list, I've added another for this year, a New Year's challenge if you will. I'm known for being a Type A, multitasking, always on the go kind of girl. And while it's one of my strengths it can also be my biggest weakness. Because in reality, I really can't do it all, at least not all at once. :) 

2013 was probably one of the busiest years we've experienced, which included becoming homeowners and becoming parents. I'm pretty sure those are two of the most stressful and joyful life altering events that we did in a matter of months. That being said, I'm looking forward to a new year and hoping it will be less eventful in the sense of major changes, but obviously so eventful as far as our family goes. This year, I want to stop and smell the roses so to speak. I want to take it easy (easier), and make sure I'm present and enjoying these great moments as they are happening and not realizing how special they were when they have passed. Being present is the most important resolution I am making this year. I'm really going to try and make a conscious effort to focus on today and not get too far ahead of myself and what the future (possibly) holds. Finding a healthy balance is essential to all these crazy puzzle pieces of life coming together and it's always my daily goal. I want to spend more time as a family and more time embracing  all of Giuliana's first experiences. If that means more days of not getting out of our pajamas, then I can't wait! Here's to 2014! 

Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2013, it's been quite a year and we can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us. I have to say that last night's New Year's festivities were one for the books. We had an amazing dinner with my parents at our house and then were in bed and asleep at 10:30. I can't even remember the last time I didn't stay up until midnight and watch the ball drop. Welcome to parenthood. That was definitely a first, but I must admit, it was nice waking up this morning without a hangover :) 

New Year's Day holds another special meaning to us other than a reminder of how fast time flies and preparing for a year full of new opportunities. On New Year's Day last year, Karl and I found out we were expecting our little baby Khoury. It had been several months since we started trying, so it was amazing to finally see the word "pregnant" on the test. I'll never forget the way I felt at that very moment. I was so shocked I screamed, ran out of the bathroom and woke Karl up to look and make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. Then we both just stared at each other. S*** just got real. We could not have been more thrilled and it made the first day of 2013 already off to a great start. Fast forward one year and we are PARENTS to a healthy and beautiful baby girl! Amazing what can happen in just one year. That being said, we are hopeful that 2014 will bring even more joy, happiness, and opportunities our way. Happy New Year from our family to yours!

Nothing says its party time like gold sparkly flats!

And our New Year's photo shoot continues, complete with a festive top and cute shoes!