What to wear?

Well, the latest manner Oli has shown us her independence is by her dress style. I really would not know how to describe it, if I had to I'd say "layering". She just starts putting clothes on and keeps going. For instance, she will often put on an undershirt, long sleeved shirt (always long sleeves), a skirt, tights, a dress and a sweater on top. To top it off she was often insisting on putting on her nicer clothes that we save for special occasions. I decided it was not worth the arguments we had begun having so one morning I woke up at 6am and while she slept in my bed I rearranged her closet, moving rods and shelves until everything that she could put on was at her level and the better things were further up. This solved the wearing the nice clothes issue, and I have decided to let her dress herself as she wants, (I figured I should keep quiet until I really need her to wear what I want), although she does get some strange looks when we are out! Fortunately, she goes to a creative, artsy pre-school so they are OK with her wearing just about anything. We'll see what happens when the days start to get hotter!

Disco Fever

What a fabulous time we had last night. My mom took Oli to sleep at her house and we had 3 other couples over for a Murder Mystery Dinner. We had borrowed a mirrored disco ball and really decorated the place up, served Mac & Cheese with meatloaf on TV dinner trays and listeened and danced to Disco music all night long. . . .

Sick, sick sick!

The 3 of us have been out of comission for a few days now. Oli started with fever last Saturday, wound up with 103.5 on Sunday night. We had to put her in the tub with warm water and she was not a happy camper! After waiting for 2 1/2 (yes, TWO AND A HALF) hours at the drs on Monday morning he said it was just a viral infection and fortunately her lungs were clear so all we had to do was keep her hydrated. Of course Anthony and I proceeded to get sick right after that . I have not been so ill for a few years with a fever for 3 days and lots of coughing. I think (HOPE) the worst is behind us especially because we have our Murder Mystery Dinner to celebrate my B day this coming Saturday. I am SO looking forward to it. This year the theme is 70s Disco, which is my all time favorite era so I am even more psyched about it than usual. I'll be sure to post pictures soon! Anthony and I are going as Sonny and Cher!

Miami picnic

This past Saturday we had a fantastic picnic (thanks Sandy for organizing it!) with a few families that had adopted from Colombia in 2005. What a great time the kids had! It was a spectacular day and everyone had a good time. Hope to see you all soon again. A special holler goes to the Santos family who came all the way from Tampa to be with us (as well as the Velez family). Josh was the king of the day amongst all the girls (Liv, Francesca, Isabella, Victoria and Oli).

Truly Scrumptuous

from the mouths of babes

This morning when Oli woke up the first thing she asked me was "Did Gianluca arrive?" (we will name the baby Gianluca if it's a boy, Valentina if it's a girl). I told her "Not yet, sweetie, why do you ask", and she proceeded to say she had dreamt that she was holding him in her arms . . . .

so sweet. . . .

I truly believe children have a special connection with God, angels and spirits, and I always tell Oli how she was an angel in heaven before she was born looking down at all the people who want to be moms and dads and that she picked us to be her parents.

At night before going to sleep we pray and I always ask her to talk to her baby brother or sister and let him/her know we are waiting for then to come join our family. I guess she really did so last night.

Long Day

THIS IS A COPY OF AN EMAIL I SENT TO SOME FRIENDS FOR THANKSGIVING. I WANTED TO POST IT SO I REMEMBER THAT DAY WHEN I TURN THIS BLOG INTO A BOOK !

What a long 24 hours I have had! First of all I woke up at 5am to take a 7am flight, I spent the whole day in Tampa for work. I got home at 11pm at night and there were friends of there family that are visiting from Italy waiting to see me so I could not go to bed until about 12:3o am.

A couple of hours later Oli climbs into bed with us and a while after that she starts coughing, making strange noises and proceeds to throw up. So off I go, wash Oli up, change her and myself (how come Anthony did not get thrown up on?) and while she dozes off on the little couch in our room we change all the sheets. Finally we are ready to sleep. We all head to bed and get about 3 minutes of rest until. . . .

she throws up again. Yes, that's what I said, let me repeat it just in case any of you missed it, she threw up again. And this time it was more, no one was saved. I wound up having to give her a bath at 3:45am, dry her hair, change her and us and replacing the sheets one more time.. . . . what a night.

This morning, the truth came out, Anthony admitted to giving her all kinds of junk yesterday afternoon and into the evening. And that, my friends is what happens when you go out of town. . . LOL

I wish you all the best Thanksgiving and remember. . . . even in the worst moments how fortunate we are to have these little blessing throwing up all over us.

Love,

Zita and family