2/23/08

Our neighbors across the street Xenia and Bill's daughter Silvia just turned 3. Carlo got invited to her birthday party at the bowling alley. Sophia's nap interfered with her social functions that day so she was unable to attend. He was so excited and wanted to bowl almost immediately. It seemed like everyone was having so much fun! The party had 2 lanes that had bumpers in the gutters and the balls were much smaller for the kids. I however forgot to tell Carlo the rules of bowling and in the excitement while I was talking to a friend, he ran down the lane after the ball! Well needless to say he learns fast and it didn't happen again. The kids all bowled really nicely together and took turns. Xenia made a picnic style lunch for everyone then we had cake and Silvia opened her presents. It was nice for Carlo and I to spend time alone too. It was definately a nice Saturday off!

Carlo setting up!






















Silvia, McKayla and
Carlo preparing their
strategies!
















Carlo explaining the
rules of bowling to
Silvia (ha-ha!)


















Kristian enjoying the
view!














Silvia blowing out her
candles. (and imagine
that, Carlo close by
to get one of the first
pieces of cake!)

2/21 /08

Well I have tried to avoid the stereotypical Barbie but have succumbed to the excitement from Sophia when she picked out a Barbie at Toys'R'Us. I had another one she had gotten from Grandmom for Christmas that I had put away because I thought she was too young for them. Evidently I was wrong! She makes them dance and play. She laughs and giggles when she's playing with them. Who could resist that little smile and laugh.

Sophia's new Barbie

2/20/08

Sophia loves getting new clothes and usually insists that she put them on right away. Well she waited to the next morning and found her new outfit from Aunt Sarah and Uncle Dan and insisted that she wear it. The outfit fit great and she loved the sweater. She kept pointing to the flowers and saying "flower" with a big old smile on her face.

Sophia modeling her

new outfit the next day

from Aunt Sarah and

Uncle Dan!

So pretty!

2/19/08

The kids had a fun day today. We decided to take them to Toys'R'Us to use some of their Christmas money and pick out what they wanted. They had so much fun and they did really well with picking out things they would definitely enjoy even after 1 day of playing with it. Carlo has been obsessed with GeoTrax (Fisher Price trains) and Sophia went the Barbie/dress-up route. Once we were home we found a package for the kids on the front porch from Uncle Dan and Aunt Sarah. Yes! More Christmas presents! They love getting packages and seeing what is inside. They loved all of their gifts and played with them for the rest of the afternoon with their purchases from Toys'R'Us.

Sophia modeling her
Island Princess Barbie
outfit complete with
peacock feathers! Oh,
and her very loud talking
"My Little Pony"-she sleeps
with this every night!

Carlo opening his GeoTrax,
the Grand Central Station
set!( He opened the box
by himself and took out
all the peices because he
was so excited!

Dress up clothes from
Uncle Dan and Aunt
Sarah!

Sophia all ready
to try on her dress up
shoes and begging me to
help her take off her
other shoes.

Dora lego set!
Sophia loves Dora!

Wow! A cool art
set that glows!

New duds too!
So handsome!

Carlo helping Sophia
put together her
Dora blocks.

2/18/08

A Day at the Maine Discovery Museum

Our friends Becca and Travers had some family in town this week. Travers' 2 sisters, their significant others and his older sister's children visited Bangor Maine for 1 week. They had so much fun and Carlo really liked Hannah's cousins Jack and Riley. So he was very excited to spend the day with them and at the museum none the less. Carlo has been a few times but he loves showing other people all of his favorite things at the museum. After the fun excursion to the museum we walked down the street to Bagel Central, which is a Jewish bakery and has awesome bagels.

Overall, the kids had a great time but after lunch Carlo was ready to head home and the boys went to a movie. Sophia did not go that day because we got there around 11:00 and she was very tired. So she stayed home with Daddy and Carlo spent time with Mommy which made him happy because he didn't have to share Mommy with Sophia!

Carlo and Hannah at

the water table. (As you

can see out the window
we were having an icky,

rainy day!)

Hannah's cousins Jack
and Reilly with Carlo'
at the water table.

Hannah and Allie
in the bird house.

Carlo and Hannah
making their way down
the birdhouse.

Sorry this picture is
rotated! Carlo riding
Wilbur in the Charlette's
Web room.

2/15/08

A Little Easel Time

Here we have Carlo, Hannah and Sophia drawing on the easel. This is one of Carlo's and Hannah's favorite things to do together. It takes a while to decide who gets what color crayons but I really think that they are starting to learn the meaning of sharing. Sophia on the other hand thinks that everything is "mines". Then again she not even 2

yet. They for the most part play very well together and try to include Sophia, when it's convenient for them of course! Sophia just runs around behind them trying to repeat everything they say and do. I think Carlo is a great big brother and will be a great role model for Sophia.

2/14/08

Happy Valentine's Day!

Carlo wore his red shirt and sweater vest to school and Sophia had a special outfit for the day from Nana and Pop (sooo cute!) Carlo made his own valentine's with glitter glue which he loved. And we made heart shaped, pink candies for his class. He decorated heart keychains for his teachers with his glitter glue too! He loves doing arts and crafts. I worked the 13th so we had everything ready for the next day before I went to work. When I got up from a short nap before Carl left for work I was surprised with chocolates, flowers and cards from the kids and Carl! It was so nice to wake up to my loving family. We just spent the rest of the day relaxing. It was a great day!

Carlo all ready for
school dressed for
Valentine's Day
















Sophia showing her
cute smile for Valentine's
Day

















Carlo and Sophia
pretending to hug.
They love to hug but
he wanted to leave for
school!














My pretty flowers!

2/10/08

Another Big Snow Storm

Well we knew we were getting this storm but it was surprising how white out it got when you looked out the window. And it was very windy that evening too. We only got about 4-5 inches but it seemed like more and it later became ice so getting to and from work was slippery. Before it became ice Carl said it was the perfect snow ball snow ! I actually have gotten used to slowing down and taking it slow so it tends not to be too big of a hassle. The kids always love to look out the window at the snow and Carlo loves catching snowflakes on his tongue.

The big snowflakes!

Carlo and Hannah
enjoying the perfect
snow ball snow!

After the storm, and adding
to the mounds of snow.

I still think it is so
pretty!

2/04/08

Fun at the "open gym" at the Bangor Rec Center

Everyday from 9:30-11 Bangor Parks and Recreation have "open gym" for free for all ages. They have hula hoops, balls, slides, large foam building blocks and kid friendly trollies. When Carlo is in school, I sometimes take Sophia for a change of pace and she loves it. She has so much fun with her friend McKayla and runs practically the whole time we are there. I get to have an adult conversation too and I get to have fun hanging out with Christine. They have this program all winter when it's too cold to play outside, great for all the stay at home moms!

Sophia and McKayla
having a ball!













Christine pulling the
girls on the trollies.
A open gym favorite!













Sophia using a
hula hoop.













Sophia has gotten so
good at going up and
down the slide, and she has
so much fun!

2/3/08

SuperBowl Sunday

The guys all conveined at our neighbor Adam's house for SuperBowl Sunday. So the ladies and the kids had dinner and a movie at our house. We made an easy crowd pleaser of spaghetti and the kids watched a movie while the moms chatted. It was a really nice time and the kids played so well together.

Dinner at the coffee table
with all the kids.












Mmmm spaghetti!














All cleaned up and
ready for a movie.

2/2/08

Our Trip to the Maine Discovery Museum

The Maine Discovery Museum is about 5 minutes from our house on Main St. right in town. This was my first visit but Carlo had been before. This place is really cool and educational. It was even great for Sophia because everything is hands on. We went with our friend Keith and his daughter McKayla and the kids had soooo much fun! It's great because there is so much to see and the kids can go back over and over without getting bored. They can play dress up, put on a puppet show, learn about science, and just pretend. It was a great first visit!

Carlo putting on a
puppet show!

This was really crazy,
but it was like a water
gun to shoot at food in
a very large, pretend
stomach.

A magnetic fishing
hole to catch all
different kinds of
fish!

Sophia using the
big light bright
board.

Carlo, McKayla and
Sophia playing doctor's
office with "DR.
CARLO"

Carlo, McKayla and
Sophia playing at the
water tables.

McKayla and
Carlo in the tree
house.

The family in the Charlette's
Web room. (on Wilbur!)

Sophia riding her
Harley!

Carlo in the waterlands
riding the huge tortoise!

2/2/08

Christmas Gifts from Grandmom & Grandpop Mazzarelli and Aunt Carol!

A musical tea set
from Aunt Carol!











Helping Mom and
Dad open their gifts!
Sophia with her new baby
doll from Grandmom and
Grandpop Mazzarelli.













A Thomas art set from
Aunt Carol!

1/29/08

Sophia Opening Her Christmas Gifts from

Nana and Pop, and Aunt Beth and Uncle Mike!

A present from Aunt Beth

and Uncle Mike!

(a cool dress up doll)

A stroller!

Now I can take

my babies for a

walk!

A new baby doll
for my stroller!