Sunday Snippets

Our Week in Review Jan. 7-13

• Derik gave me an android virgin mobile phone for Christmas, only we never activated it as a phone, I just used it as a internet tablet.  The kids love playing with my new phone (that's not really a phone at all) and it's always kind of fun to see the pictures they snap on it.  Alivia captured this photo of Isaac and I think it might be one of my favorite pictures of him.   They had it on some strange color mode of course and his face is blown out, but there is just something about this picture I love. 

• She of course than gave him control of the camera so he could grab a few glamor shots of her. 

• The Mr. and I took the kids to the Houston Museum of Natural History the day before school started back up.  Our kids were actually fairly well behaved and we all had a good time looking around at all the museum had to offer.  Dylan's favorite part of the museum was the Paleontology section (of course).

• Alivia's favorite part of the trip was our time spent in the butterfly garden.

• After we finished with the Museum we all went out to dinner at Luigi Pizza.  It's a little mom and pop pizza place in Downtown Houston.  Dylan, Derik and I ordered pizza slices and the kids shared fries, spaghetti with meatballs and bread sticks.  The pizza was pretty fantastic and it was fun to get out and try somewhere new.  
• We polished off the night with an ice cream cone from Sonic, which might I add was probably Isaac's favorite part of our entire adventure.

• The kids finally went back to school.  For some reason the Christmas break felt more like eternity than 2 weeks to me. 
• I decided to do a little "spring cleaning" once the kids were back at school.  So I set to work Wednesday afternoon.  I felt so happy to be able to get things cleaned up and organized.  What I didn't realize is that while I was scrubbing and vacuuming, my littlest child was entertaining himself by submerging my new "phone that isn't a phone" into a cup of water.   I of course was oblivious to his misdeeds.  Hours later I found my phone lying on the stairs.  I went to turn it on and it wouldn't.  I thought it strange since I had a full charge on it earlier, but chalked it up to the fact that Isaac must have burned through the charge playing with it.  So I plugged it in and charged it!  Bless my poor idiotic heart, I had no idea it was full of water in the inside.  Needless to say I no longer have a "phone, that's not a phone".  BOO!!!
• A sweet sister from my ward threw me a diaper and wipes shower.  I was totally taken back at how many sisters in the ward came and showered me with diapers and wipes.  What a blessing their generosity will be for our family.  The decorations for the shower were oh-so-cute and the food was delicious, I am so lucky to have such great friends and sisters.  I took my camera but had such a great time relaxing and socializing I forgot to take any pictures.  
• I had a growth ultrasound on Friday.  The last few ultrasounds have showed the baby being small (like in the 60th percentile).  I was taken a back when the ultrasound tech after a minute or two of observing the baby asked how big my other babies were?  There was something in her tone that made me wonder why she was asking, so I told her my last was 9 pounds 1 ounce.  She then told me the baby was measuring way ahead of schedule.  Her first measurements put the baby at 7 pounds 7 ounces, but her second set of measurements put the baby at 8 pounds 5 ounces.  She laughed and said she was going to stop measuring before things kept getting bigger.  I have heard that ultrasounds are really unreliable when your as far along as I am, but the tech seemed to think things were accurate, and so I'm trying to prepare myself to have a 10 pound baby. 
• I finally finished building my boys their new bed frames.  I painted them this weekend so now we just need to get the mattresses ordered so I can complete that project.  I'll be posting pictures of the beds on my personal blog.
• A very kind couple from our neighborhood had us over for dinner Saturday night.  The food was so good and they were really great hosts.  It was fun to get to know them.  I'm glad they reached out and invited us over.  They have a boy that is just a little younger than Dylan so it made it extra nice to get to know them all a little better. 

2012 Wrap Up

The kids have been home from school for two weeks now, and I'm waddling my way through my ninth month of pregnancy.  Between the two I don't have not accomplished much. 

• Our friends kindly invited us over Christmas eve night.  I'm glad they did, because the holidays feel so lonely out here with no one to share them with.  We had a great time and the kids got to act out the story of the birth of our savior.  When we got home the kids each got to open a new pair of Christmas jammies before heading off to bed.  

• Santa always does a superb job of surprising everyone and this year was no different.  My kids were spoiled rotten.   Christmas morning there was a room stuffed full of gifts and overflowing stockings.  
• Dylan finally got his dream Lego set (the Ninjago Dragon), he got books, a snazzy Sunday outfit, Nano Bugs, and a Wii Lego Batman game.

• Alivia got a "real fur" dog that she packs around everywhere, it barks and responds to being petted.  She got a huge and fancy barbie doll house, a new barbie, books, lots of things to color, her own girlie Lego set, and a my little pony.

• Isaac got a bouncing donkey that he can jump on, a basketball set (which he calls ball basket) a baseball bat and ball, a stuffed Perry, and wooden building blocks.

• The Mr was lucky enough to receive new socks and undies, a new razor, as well as an ironing board.  Isn't he just so lucky?  He also got a remote control helicopter that the kids all think is the coolest thing ever.  

• I specifically told Santa I didn't want gifts this year, since I am in the middle of a few expensive DIY projects and I'd rather spend the money that way, but he snuck a few gifts in for me anyways. 

• I also finally finished a project for the Mr that I started four years earlier.  First year ever I had a real and personal gift for him...How sad on my part.  I used my Silhouette machine to make labels for each and every marathon as well as the date and his finishing times.  It turned out pretty great I thought. Now he can hang his picture frame of accomplishments where ever he wants. 

• I also got a brand new niece Christmas day.  I'm so tickled for my brother and his wife, I only wish I was still just 20 minutes away from them all.

• Derik and I took the kids for one last trip out to sea world before our annual passes expired. We had two separate incidents where something from the road was thrown straight into our car, thankfully Derik was driving and didn't over react or over corrrect, (because I know I would have) and we arrived safe and sound, minus losing our front grill to a big chunk of flying tire.  The first time we went to Sea World last year, we focused on the animal shows, so this time around we tried to get as many rides in as possible.  We went to our 3 favorite shows and spent the rest of the time riding amusement ride.  Since I'm in no condition to be riding rides, Derik took the kids and I stood in lines for the show, it worked out pretty well and we got to do everything we wanted.  Winter decided to arrive here in Houston and I thought we were going to freeze to death come about 7:00.  The bitter cold wet winds bit right through our flimsy jackets.  But we all survived and had a great time. 

• I'm quite the holiday scrooge and New Years in no exception.  We watched a family movie and then I sent the kids to bed.  The Mr. and I retired to our beds as well.  I would have been fine sleeping through the new year but New Years in Texas is a BIG deal and everyone (and I literally mean everyone) shoots off fireworks for hours on end, and they aren't sparklers or whistling Pete's, but fireworks that pack some serious explosive power.  There were times I swore the neighbors were going to blow up our home or theirs. 

• 2012 was a good year.  Here's to hoping 2013 is even better. 

Sunday Snippets

Our Week in Review Dec 3-9 

• It's been a hot, hot week.  83 degrees in December is just way too hot! We listen to Christmas music and the hum of everyone's AC's running, it's crazy.
• Isaac loves to sing along to the little drummer boy.  It's so adorable to listen to him sing pa-rumpa-pum-pum. 
• We are all on the mend from being sick again.  Hopefully we'll stay well for the holidays.  
• I actually had to turn our sprinklers back on two nights ago after a month of high 70's low 80 temps and no rain, things were starting to look parched. 
• Dylan was finally able to bring a friend from school along with him to scouts, he was so excited.  The two boys get along really well (they even look like brothers) and they can't wait to go to scouts together again. 
• Alivia and I weeded out our front flower bed, it has been neglected for months now.  She is a fantastic helper.  Even though we were sweating and hot, I couldn't help but find delight in thinking it's almost mid December and all my flowers have blooms on them.  I like seeing flowers year round.  My begonias in the backyard  are like little bushes covered in hot pink flowers and they are beautiful.
• I don't know if it's dumb luck, or things just grow here like magic, but I had tomato plants spring up to life from seeds from rotten tomatoes I threw out to compost.  The pumpkin guts I threw out in the garden also sprouted a million shoots and now we have a pumpkin patch.  I have had spaghetti squash, tomatoes and pumpkins that all grew from seeds I threw out to compost and it's December, how awesome is that.  While I love the ease at which things grow here I'm still trying to get a hold on the bug situation, they destroy just about everything I have grown (accidentally or on purpose).  You win some and you lose some I guess!

365 Days Ago

The Mr. crossed all his T's and dotted all his I's and then signed our lives away in exchange for a set of keys and a home of our own. 
A year ago this very night I was shoving the last of what we owned into 3 small suitcases and was anxiously awaiting the reunion of our little family in Texas. 
Here I am now a year later sitting at my kitchen table remembering all the challenges that lead up to finding and buying this home.  I remember the absolute certainty I had that I was going to be so happy in Texas.  The anticipation of finally having our family together and in a place of our own was all I could think about.
I'm glad we are together as a family, being separated for 6 months was really was one of the hardest times of my life.  I love this house I really do.  I have so many plans and things I want to do with it. 
I'm glad we've been so blessed. 
The past two weeks Derik has been off and has been home to help me out and I have loved having him home.  How different my life was just one year ago.  How grateful I am to be on the other side of things. 
Texas is taking it's sweet time to grow on me, but with time I find myself being content with things the way they are.  Houston winters are pretty awesome (if you ask me) so it's easier for me to find joy in living here. 
All in all I'm a happy girl, happy to be a home owner, happy to be making it out here all on our own, happy we are together, happy to have a set of keys and a house of our own to make memories in.

Sunday Snippets

Our Week in Review 

November 19-25

• Got a call from the school nurse saying Alivia had a fever of 101.  Apparently there is a bug flying around her school.  She's been lethargic all week.  She shared her germs with Isaac now I have two sick kids.
• Derik's car refused to start again.  Luckily his friend Ryan came over and they tinkered around and got it running again. 
• The kids and I put the Christmas trees up Friday afternoon.  I opted to go very simple this year.  Since most of our Christmas tree ornaments have been broken throughout the past 10 years and I refuse to buy more until I don't have toddlers, our trees are adorned with just a string or two of lights, but the kids love them just the same.  I often find Miss Alivia curled up under the front room tree.  She plugs in the lights and just lays there all day it's really sweet.

 

• I spent my weekend building a bed frame out of wood.  I'm just waiting for one more part to arrive in the mail, so that I can finish it up.  Dylan's friend came out in to the garage while I was sawing wood and asked my why I do all the hard work around the house.  It made me laugh.  I kindly tried to explain to him that I choose to do all the "hard stuff" because I think it's fun, not becasue Dylan's dad makes me! 
• Teeth are falling out all over the place here.  Alivia lost a tooth and has one that's on it's way out.  Dylan lost another tooth too. 
• The Mr. had the week off.  It's been nice to have him home, he and Isaac have had a ball playing catch, running around shooting each other with Nerf guns and getting slushies at Sonic. 
•  I had mentioned to Derik that I thought it was weird that I hadn't ever felt this baby hiccup.  Famous last words I guess, because it has been hiccuping like mad ever since. 
• I think it's to early to call it nesting, but I certainly have had the fire to get projects around the house done.  Now I need to really focus on freezing meals and actually preparing our home for another baby. 

3rd Annual Giovannoni Thanksgiving Thanks

Derik:

1. Employment
2. Family
3. Health

Michelle:

1. Family
2. Gospel
3. House

Dylan:

1. Family 
2. Legos
3. Pokemon

Alivia

1. Jesus
2. Food
3. Grandma's and Friends

Isaac:

1. Daddy
2. Hotdogs
3. Technology (the tablet)

Six Years Ago...

Somewhere around 7:30 in the morning I told Mr. Giovannoni to pack up our stuff, and that it was time to head closer to the hospital.  While I thought my labor was pretty intense at that point, I was going to be sure the hospital wasn't going to send me home like they did when I was in labor with Dylan.  So I huffed and puffed and we headed to my mothers home.  I can remember standing on my mothers doorsteps, when a whopper of a contraction hit.  I grabbed Derik's hand and I said "please please don't ever let me forget how much this hurts, and I never want to do it again! 
After a few more hours of doing my best to handle the pain, my mother convinced me to go to the hospital.  I was still somewhat certain they'd send me home, but I guess at that point I was praying I had actually made enough progress to be able to stay at the hospital.

I would have been pleasantly surprised (if that's even possible during labor) when they said I was 5 centimeters dilated and moving fast, but I was most definitely relieved to know I was nearing the end.  Just a few moments after lying in the hospital bed my water broke and I was told that if I wanted an epidural I'd need to get it now or else it would be to late.   Just a few moments after the epidural did it's magic I quietly fell asleep.  I remember being woke up and being told it was time to push.  I was totally elated to have slept through to the end and a couple of pushes later, the Mr. and I welcomed our daughter into the world. 

It's funny how in those first few moments of holding and looking at her I was mystified and in denial that she was my daughter.  She was totally not what I expected.
She was fair skinned, and no matter how many times I was told she looked like me, I just couldn't find anything in her face that I recognized as my own.  She was a screamer and I was totally unprepared for that.  I think the only thing I got right about her in the beginning was that I observed little kinks in her hair and I said look "she's going to have curls".
I can look back now six years later and smile at how she revealed herself to me back then, she is still that little girl who mystifies me, who challenges me and who has taught me that expectations and dreams you hold aren't always what's best for you or the person you hold those dreams for. 

Alivia is determined and stubborn.
She is passionate.
She has a very healthy sense of self and a great appreciation for who she is.  She believes she is beautiful and the center of the world.  She is indeed a princess in her mind and expects others to see that about her too. 
She can be your dearest kindest friend, but she also knows how to push every little button a person has if they do something that doesn't jive with her plans.
She has a mothering nature about her.
She is eager to please and works very hard.
She is affectionate and really enjoys hand holding and hugs and kisses.
She loves her daddy, (I think he just gets her on so many levels that I don't) and it makes my heart happy to see the bond they have.
She loves to color.
She's so girly...She loves nail polish and lip gloss and jewelry and purses.  She likes to coordinate and look her best. 

Happy Birthday Miss Alivia, we all love you.  You are such an important part of our family.  Thanks for coming here and showing me who's boss!