Grammar Lesson

Why did I think that I would get Italian grammar right when I struggle with English?  I don't know.  If it weren't for spell check, all of you would think I was illiterate.  Even with spell check my grammar is awful.  I am the ultimate comma splicer, just ask all my English teachers.

So I redid my blog header  recently and I liked the picture so much I posted it on my Facebook for all to see.  My MIL has a page and tells me yesterday that my grammar was wrong.  I titled my blog Mia Due Bambini with the intention of saying "My two boys".  Come to find out the proper way to say it is "I Miei Due Bambini".

So as you can see I fixed it.  I fell like such a schmuck for not at least going to her before I did my title in the past.  Of course my husband never pointed out I was wrong either, but then again I think his Italian grammar is a little rusty to begin with.

Other than my poor grammar Thanksgiving was busy but great.  I even got some great deals on Friday, my first ever time going shopping at 4 AM.  It was fun and not as busy as I expected.  I had fun strategizing with my friend and sister the night before and getting all the stuff we went out for.

*** When I hit the spell check I had 15 mistake...told you I suck!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  Here is my family that I am so thankful for and had a great time with!

My only girl.

In the midst of all the boys in this house there is one other female that endures it with me.  Pixel, is my sweet Tabby cat that has been through it all.  I usually can't get a shot of her because one of the boys is either in the way, chasing her, letting he out, trying to eat her fur, pulling her tail or giving her the whole jar of treats at once.

We got Pixel before we were married, rescued her from the pound.  She was there because the prior owners dog didn't like her, she had a few battle wounds to prove it.  We decided to call her pixel because she was small and it had a little techie ring to it (DH is a computer geek).  The years go by and she hasn't gotten much bigger than say 7-8 pounds, so the name Pixel really is appropriate.  

She has been through it all with us.  She had to shack up at my SIL's while we were in the midst of a 6 month limbo between our old house and new house.  She wasn't to fond of the big Tom Cat they had and spent a lot of time hiding.  Now she has two little boys to deal with and on occasion get left outside during the day (note to self, don't teach your 2 year old to let the cat in, he now lets her out too).

Today I was messing with my camera and no one else was around, Pixel decided to come over and check out what I was doing. I decided to snap a few shots and share.

She is a great cat and my only girl!

Best Shot Monday

He is just so still when he sleeps, actually that's the only time he is still.

For more best shots, head on over to Mother May I and see what every one else has to share!

Into a puddle on the floor.

In my last post I talked about my sweet baby Nicolo, this time you get to hear about my little boy.  Francesco is rapidly evolving  into such a little boy.  Yesterday, after his nap, he decided he wanted to sit on the floor and read books. 

Cesco bear then had the bed all to himself.

 

Francesco's book of choice to read was a story written and illustrated by my mom.  The story is is call "Uncle Rory and the Rutabaga "

It's actually and fitting story because it is about Thanksgiving and Family Traditions.  My mother was tickle to know that he had been asking to read it a lot lately.

Since we have read it many times he knows the story.  He proceeded to go through the pages and read it to me.

By the end my heart was in a puddle on the floor.  That was the first time he read me a book and told me the story well enough that I understood what he was saying.  He is growing up so fast, I swear I blinked and he turned into this little guy.

You melt my heart.

This little guy melts my heart.  He is such a sweet baby, I still can't get over it.  I really must have been good to get 2 beautiful healthy boys.

Niccolò is so different from his brother in many ways.  

He is already clapping his little hands (batta la manina).  He even tries to wave at you in his own little backwards way.  He feet are extensions of his hands.  I have never seen a baby use his feet the way he does to get things closer to him.  He also has a reach on him you couldn't believe.  If he wants something he finds a way to get it.  Francesco never did that, probably cause I always had everything at his reach and jumped to his ever beck and call.

He loves the Jumper Roo and really can get some height in there.  The little Leap Frog learning drum is his favorite toy, I hope he get his Daddy's musical talent.  Mango are his favorite fruit,  he has exotic taste for a little one.  Francesco liked the jumper but not with the enthusiasm that he has and Francesco was the Banana Baby (he was our monkey).

He thinks his big brother is the best thing in the world.  The look on his face when Francesco plays with him is priceless, it pure utter joy.  I get all tearing eyed just think about it.  I pray they continue to appreciate each other as they grow.

With the Thanksgiving Holiday approaching I felt the need to write about one of my most precious gifts that I am most thankful for.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Yesterday was my husband Birthday.  Even though it was a busy work day we still made a point to celebrate, cake and all.  Now that Francesco verbal skills have taken off he is really understanding all that is going all around him.  He couldn't wait to have "Berfday Cate", and as soon as I light the candle he started to sing "Happy Berfday to You".  I know that it really tickled my husband to see him so excited about the cake and candles.  You would have thought it was his birthday.  

The best gift my husband got this year was his little boy telling him, "Happy Berfday Daddy, I wuv you!" 

I did all these B&W because the colors we so off even with trying to fix the white balance they just looked odd. 

Bad Weather, Busy Job

Things here still have not settled down at work.  This is expected, crunch time for the project as we approach 6 months for Go Live.  Not to mention that the Holidays seem to bring on the crunch.  I am managing to just keep my head above water at work but a few things have gone to the wayside.  That would include, in no particular order, blogging, photography, cleaning, reading and laundry.

The weather here in the northeast had been so dreary, wet and rainy.  With that means no sun, no natural light, no pictures.  I am trying to learn to use my flash, I just need time.  I swear I am already developing S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder).  It is killing me and Francesco that he is unable to play out side after school.  It is already dark by the time I pick them up from daycare. Having a spirited toddler not able to burn of his energy makes for a chaotic night.  I am not kidding when I say he is literally bouncing off the walls.

We are also dealing with the typical toddler eating issue.  I am flabbergasted when the daycare tells me that they give him his lunch and snack last, this is so he is not finished before the others even get their meals.  I am in disbelief because lately I can not get him to eat anything at home.  We have run the gammet of techniques.  We tried the "showdown", where Michael made him sit until he was finished, Francesco won that one.  We are now just going to let him decide if he is going to eat or not.  Last night he decided not, but the continued to ask for things afterwards.  We held our ground and did not give in.  He ate minimally at breakfast.  I did pack a large lunch, I figure if he eats good at school I'll make sure he gets what he needs there.  I would love any suggestions anyone could pass along.

Nicolo continues to be the coolest little guy.  He is clapping and waving.  He does so many things that Francesco never did.  I am so amazed at how different they are from each other.  I truly believe he will be my Zen toddler.  If he continues to have the same temperament as a toddler I will be so lucky.  He of course thinks that Francesco is the best thing in the world and so far they do get along well. It is so sweet to see Francesco get out his cherished trains and take one over to Nicolo and say "here, you try".  Melts my heart every time.

So as this busy time continues I decide to drop in for a little hello.   I will post a picture but they are not my best.  Like I said , I have a lot to learn about using the flash indoors.  I just thought the series of shot were cute.

Fun with Food

The ladies over at 5 Minutes For Mom  are having a cute photo contest.  The theme is FUN WITH FOOD, as you can see Francesco always has fun.  This is him a least a year ago.  It amazing to look back at some of his younger pictures and realize how much he has grown.

Head over and check out the other photo's.  I think they are great.  Wish me luck!

Just Don't

1. Don't teach your two year how to let the cat in and out of the house.

• He will let her out without your knowledge and she will get left out all day when it is raining outside.
  
• Thank God for nice neighbors who took her and an rescued her from the rain.

2. Don't believe your husband when he says he put ALL your bags in the car.

• You will get to work without a purse.
• That includes a wallet and your cell phone.

3. Don't get up from your desk for 2 seconds if you are waiting for a call back from the pediatrician

• They will call you back at that moment, then when you call them back less than a minute later they are all with patients and busy.
• The fact that you called back gets pushed to the back of the line 
• You then don't get a call back until the end of the day
• This would not have been a issue if you had your cell (see #2)

4. Don't expect to eat a nice quite (not to mention hot) meal on your anniversary.

• That will be the moment your two year actually admits he has to go potty and agrees to try it on the real thing.
• He will then require a 1/2 hour of book reading, not to mention the extensive clean up afterward.
• Beef a La Sichuan is not that good cold.

5.  Don't expect me to get the ton of work that was suddenly assigned to me after a position was vacated.

• I can't even begin to start the new stuff if we keep having meeting about the amount of work that needs to be done.
• Meeting about irrelevant stuff is not at all advantageous either.
• Not to mention I still have the prior stuff that I am tasked with finishing.

6. Don't think that all am I doing is complaining

• This is more of get it off your chest so you don't blow up at these said stupid meetings ;-)
  
• Plus...I passed my re-certification exam so there really is a silver lining in the clouds!

7. Don't think I am not adding a picture either.

• Here is my first attempt at taking a picture of flare.
• It is a SOOC: Aperture Priority, f/7.1, ISO 100, 50 mm prime lens, shutter 1/160
• I have no idea how to get rid of that bit of artifact in the photo. Is it my settings?
• I would love advise.
  

Trick or Treat

I have been so far behind in blogging that I don't even know what day it is.  Things like Best Shot Monday, Wordless Wednesday and Theme Thursday keep knowing what day of the week it is.  So far Halloween has come and gone, the time changed and I am completely swamped at work.

I had grandiose plans to have awesome Halloween pictures, that did not occur.  Nobody told me that a 2 1/2 year old would not be thrilled to wear a plastic Buzz Lightyear costume.  He did manage to get the Trick or Treating part done.  It sound more like he was say "Gimme my treat", and he always said Thank You.  

I did get the chance to hang out with Baked By Beanie to make some goods for the troops. We had a couple of issues but in the end we had a good number of cookies and treat to send.  We were trying to do the baking after our kids were down for the night and two  glasses of wine tired Mommies later we had left out an ingredient or two.  What is the saying... you live you learn. Next go round we bake in the morning (LOL). 

The time change has been nothing but a complete disaster for me.  Nobody informed my two kids that they could sleep later and go to bed later.  Instead they have been miserable in the evenings because they are so tired and up way before the crack of dawn.  Hopefully by the end of the week they will have adjusted.  I hope so for G sake, he will have the boys all to himself for 2 nights. (Grin)

With that I must return to the grindstone.  I really do love my job *wink*!

Here are a few of the shots I did get on Halloween.