April, Where Did You Go?

Wow, what a quick month! Our calendar was booked this month! I mean, only now am I getting around to sharing our Easter with you! Yikes!

Since Lyla turned 2, she celebrated her 3rd Easter, which to our family is mostly a strange welcoming of springtime that involves finding eggs filled with yummy treats, dying eggs, hunting eggs and eating egg-shaped candies. Oh, and something about a bunny...

Lyla's school had an egg-hunt for each class, which was adorable. I snapped a few pics, of course. These kids are so stinkin' cute! Lyla got duped on her egg-count, however, because she was more preoccupied with the contents of her first few eggs than in finding more.

Lyla hunted eggs at Ghea and Pap's house all by her lonesome self, since Faryn and Rain were across state lines visiting family, and the Wise cousins were busy, too. Grandma made sure to fill the plastic eggs with all kinds of yummy jelly beans, which Lyla promptly opened and consumed, forgetting about all the other "hidden" eggs to be found.

We also dyed eggs, which she found most exciting, apart from the incident when Mommy chased after her as she banged two hard-boiled eggs together like musical instruments.

At the Quattrochi home, it's tradition for the Easter Bunny to hide the Easter basket so that children demanding chocolate and jellybeans for breakfast have to first earn it through use of acute wicker-detection skills. Lyla's basket was very cleverly hidden behind the pillow on her favorite couch, located directly behind her favorite spot to practice potatoism. She initially sought out her goodies where they were when she fell asleep, beside her bed. When they weren't there, she sprinted toward Mommy's room to search, but paused beside the couch, spying the treat-filled container. Her eyes lit up and she gasped in the dramatic manner her Mama so often and skillfully models . It was quite adorable. She didn't care much about the Springtime book for her Leapfrog Tag Jr, or any other non-edible item for that matter. She very much liked the whole concept of finding treats and indulging in them first thing in the morning, and we got to hear about it pretty much all day long!

Papa Sam came to town the following weekend, and treated all his grandkids to a visit to Six Flags. Mama missed out on this one for a much needed Girls' Day with her buddies, but Daddy was good enough to get some photos and video of Little Miss Fearless.

We also celebrated Faryn's 6th birthday at Chuck E. Cheese, which Lyla loved, and Daddy's 28th birthday at home with the annual Meatball Day. Lyla is enjoying friends and family more and more. She was very cute asking the girls at Chuck E. to take her up in the playground, and I spied on her and Haydrienne playing at Daddy's party (and heard her yelling "Haydrienne!" when she wanted her to come back and play... bossy little thing!). It's a good thing I take so many photos, because she loves to relive these fun times and talk about what happened, who was there, etc.

We also went to Emory's 2nd birthday party - she's an adorable friend from Lyla's class. Those 2-year olds together are too cute! And! Aunt Shannon celebrated a birthday, too. So, April was filled with cake and "Happy Birthday to _____!" and lots of talk about cake and re-singing "Happy Birthday" (or Happy Day-Day) to the various friends and family who had a birthday.

May brings the sloooow wind-down of the school year, which is not quite as full of holidays, birthdays, and visitors, but sure to be fun-filled with outdoor activities, as the Texas sky is bluer and brighter every day! I know one little girl who can't wait to get into Pap's swimming pool!

See the rest of April here!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Lyla!

On March 19th, our baby girl turned 2!

Just one year ago...

...we were marveling at all she had learned to do in a year's time. While this year, the change isn't quite as drastic as the leap from gurgling, sleeping blob to walking, talking toddler, it's still remarkable.

Our two-year-old speaks in full sentences that anyone can understand, counts to 20, knows all her letters and most of her sounds, and can even read about 15 words! She loves jumping (as you will soon see evident), sweets, robots, reading, singing, watching Pixar movies while eating homemade popcorn, answering the door for the "pizza man," visiting "Gia" and "Pap-Pap" after school, standing on her head at random, wrestling Maya, carrying Ellie, playing outside, running into walls on purpose, dropping rocks into the creek, naming all her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, school friends and family friends in photos, singing BABY BELUGA at the top of her lungs, demanding to watch home videos of herself, and most recently, telling stories of her 2-year's worth of unique Lyla experiences and adventures. How amazing.

On her actual birthday, we had small celebration at home. I let her pick out a cake at the grocery store and Luke and I gave her a Wall-E robot toy made for much older children, but we knew she'd get a kick out of it, even if it was over-priced and over her head. We ordered pizza and had a carpet picnic in the living room (aka "home"). We sang "Happy Day-day" repeatedly because it was too much fun to blow out the candles just once! Lyla picked the red frosting off the cake and asked for more fire on the candles and more singing... It was a great day!

Her Sesame Street birthday party was scheduled for the next day, however, as Texas weather would have it, snow and icy-cold winds were imminent, so we postponed her bounce-house rental for the next day, upon which there was to be a complete turnaround in climate. However, as sure as Troy Dungan sports a dorky bow-tie to forecast the weather, Sunday proved to be even colder and windier. So, we moved it to the next weekend, much to our disappointment. But we still managed to make the most of it.

It was a good move, however. More friends and family could make it, and apart from the excessive wind, it was a beautiful day! Grandma and I spent the previous evening preparing (ie cupcake and cake duty), and even Uncle John pitched in once the cupcake characters started to wear me out. While we were up to our elbows in colored frosting, Lyla was rehearsing for her jumping debut.

The bounce house was a hit! The sack race was hilarious and adorable! Lyla was beside herself with joy all day long. As Mac put it, "I don't think she stopped smiling all day." With everyone she loved nearby, all the jumping and sliding she could handle, cake and sweets and presents... what more could our girl want? It turns out, she wished the bounce house could have stayed in Pap's yard permanently, but that wasn't really surprising.

Such a happy day for our happy girl made for some seriously happy parents! We are so thankful to have our Lyla in our lives, and grateful there are so many others that want to share in our love and be part of her life!

With that in mind, Luke and I are bracing ourselves for all the other "joys" that being two brings.

February Features (Part Two)

Today, we took Lyla to Cooks Children's for a bilateral myringotomy. Yes, I wanted to be fancy and use the medical term for "tubes in both ears." I had been fretting about it since we made the appointment, not sure if we were maybe making this decision too soon, but she has been sick an awful lot this year, and I don't think daycare is to blame 100%. Her consultation was last Monday with the ENT (ear, nose, throat) doctor, who recommended the procedure after reviewing her history. There was an opening just a week later, so we signed up and put her on another round of antibiotics to clear the ear infection she was just starting (only 2 days after being off antibiotics).

So, we arrived at the hospital at 6:45 and Lyla got dressed in a gown, did all her pre-op excitement, etc. After a short wait, I went back with her to get a squirt of sedative up her lil nose and within five minutes, she was relaxed and content. The nursing staff there were fabulous, obviously very experienced with trying to keep kids happy during scary ordeals like this; they blew bubbles for her while she was getting dopey and let her hold all the instruments they used. She had no problem riding the "choo choo" (aka the gurney) back to surgery. The actual procedure was only about ten minutes and Dr. Roberge came out to let me know she did well, however her ears were a complete mess (ah, reassurance that we truly needed to do this for her), and only two days after completing an antibiotic (once again).

After another ten minutes or so, we went back to recovery, where our girl was stirring and groggy. She had a Popsicle and some juice shortly afterward and when she was coherent and perky, we were sent on our way. Easy enough! We spent the day at Grandma and Grandpap's house "recovering" (me, mostly, from my lack of sleep - Lyla was back to normal within an hour). All in all a positive experience and hopefully this will help her stay healthy!!

Unfortunately, the only photos we got of Lyla during her surgery experience are on my phone, which can't be uploaded. I guess there are some occasions I don't tote my camera to!

February Features

Happy Valentine's Day!

Just like last year, this year we made some heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast to celebrate Valentine's Day. This is about all we do to "celebrate." This year, though, Lyla helped, which was a special treat for Momma. She loved stirring and attempted flipping (with some hand-over-hand assistance). Mostly, she just liked eating them, though. No surprises, there!

Next year, we may have to brainstorm a few more creative and eventful ideas since she'll really be catching on. Until then, though, Luke and I generally prefer to stick to the sidelines on this "holiday," and pancakes are harmless. We'd have eaten some anyway!

In addition to being our #1 sweetheart, she is blowing us away with how much her little sponge brain soaks up, and how adorable she can be, especially when she doesn't really think anyone is watching. Normally, she clams up when I get out the camera, or she stops doing her cute-thing because she wants to use the camera to watch previous footage. I discovered, though, that these rules don't apply in the bathtub. And so, friends and family, here is our dear Lyla uncut and being her typical self. Video is password protected due to nekkid babyness. For eyes of close friends and family only!

Fun in the Tub! from Emily Quattrochi on Vimeo.

Snow Day(s)!

This winter has been crazy! Just when we were blissfully bragging about the bright, sunny winter weather of late, we get hit with another snowstorm. This storm, however, has been much more welcome and pleasant than the icy mess of Christmas Eve. This storm has left us with beautiful piles of soft white snow, perfect for rolling into snowballs and snowmen!

Lyla was so excited to see flurries falling Thursday morning, and I was sad we all had to go to our separate ways for the day. Grandma picked Lyla up from school early, though, and informed me that her class went out in the snow to build a snowman, so I was happy she got to play in it. I didn't think it'd be around for long. I stand corrected, though, as the foot-deep of fluffy white still blankets our front yard and all of North Texas classes have been canceled. So, Lyla and I have been cozied up at home together, occasionally darting outside to play in the snow.

Last night, we built a snowman with Daddy (ie, I built a snowman while Mr. Gloveless and Miss Snoweater watched). Oh but how ill-prepared we were, with only a scarf at the ready and a mere baby carrot for a nose! Some pebbles and mulch pieces from the yard had to suffice for the eyes, mouth and buttons, and the poor guy had to go armless. BUT! For the first time in Q Household History, there is a snowman adorning our crispy white front lawn!

Hot chocolate immediately followed (of course), which greatly pleased our girl, who snuggled up to Daddy for her sweet treat, marshmallows included.

The next day (today) we went back out to play and saw that our snowman had grown a little overnight with the few inches more that fell while we were sleeping. Lyla got a kick out of the crunching beneath her feet as she plowed through the front yard, snow up to her thighs. She's too little to know just what to do, and has no context to pull from. So other than Mommy's snowman and the snowballs made and handed to her, the only other thing she could think to do with the snow was, well, eat it. And it turns out, she very much enjoyed that.

Monkeying Around!

Last month (yeah, yeah... so I should have posted this last month), Lyla and I took a special trip to the zoo with our good friends Joe and Michelle, and their little boy, Aidan. One might think January is an absurd time to visit the zoo, however, Texas weather is crazy... as we will discuss further in my post to follow this one.

It's almost been a year since Lyla's last trip to the zoo (on her first birthday!) and this time she was much more aware, informed and verbal. Her favorite part, just like mine, was the orangutans. We were able to watch them for awhile as we waited to meet up with our buddies. She loved watching them monkey around and continues to ask to watch the video we took of them that day.

We attempted to feed the birds in the aviary like last year, but we were less successful. They even warned us not to bother because the birds were full and disinterested. It was still cool for my girl to get up close to them, though.

She got to ride the zoo train this time, too, which may have been her (other) favorite part. If you're under age 8, I think trains may qualify as one of the neatest things ever.

We finished up our zoo tour with some ice cream and a little playtime. Lyla and Aidan flirted a little, finally warming up to each other. Of course, Lyla talked about Aidan and the zoo for weeks afterward, even though she hardly spoke a word to him while we were there. Silly, shy toddlers!

What a beautiful, relaxing and fun-filled day! If only every winter day were so warm and bright!
As always, the rest of the pics can be seen at my Picasa.

Season of Sickness

The other day, the nurse practitioner at Lyla's pediatrician's office said, "Never will she have a sicker year than the first year at daycare." No. Kidding. Luke and I think we could count the number of healthy weeks she's had since August on one hand. This Christmas, Lyla was ill the entire two weeks we had off and seemed healthy for just one measly day following the treatment of her double-ear / bacterial lung infection (ie: two rounds of painful broad-range antibiotic injections, breathing treatments four times a day, and harsh oral antibiotic medicine) before she was slammed with yet another viral infection.

Five trips to the doctor later, we are still battling "the crud."

The positives: 1. Lyla has become a pro at pointing out all the yellow fish in the waiting room aquarium, 2. She is no longer driven to tears of fear by the scale or forehead thermometer, 3. She is now able to (very) clearly communicate when she is ready to leave (bye-bye's? go? all done?), 4. Lots of snuggle time with Mommy, 5. Learning how well root beer, M&Ms and Elmo work as bribery tools, 6. A future in the medical field?

The drawbacks: 1. Copays, copays and copays, 2. Prescriptions, prescription refills, dosing medicine, bribery in exchange for consumption of said medicines, 3. An absurdly inappropriate amount of Elmo, 4. Dwindling sick days available at work, 5. Dwindling tolerance of lack of healthy sleep, 6. A whiny version of an otherwise joyful child who now cries immediately when not serviced with all her favorite toys, videos, snacks and affection, 7. A disgustingly cluttered and filthy house which is otherwise just "cluttered," 8. A grouchy Mommy, 9. A child who has come to expect her day to be filled with time spent "watching" [Elmo, herself] in front of a screen (TV or computer), 10. A sick little girl who just breaks your heart.

Clearly the drawbacks outnumber the positives.

She does manage to make "nebulizing" look slightly adorable, though...