Movin' On Up... To Infant Room II

Today is a big day for baby girl! OK, maybe it is more of a big day for me. Saya baby is moving to the next infant room, Infant Room II, at her daycare this morning. She had progressed nicely the last few months so she was more than ready to make the move to the next room which usually is done around their first birthday. 

Her cousin, Sequoia, also made the move earlier than her 1st birthday. Since those two kiddies are so close to each other, the hubs and I believe that they "pushed" each other. When Sequoia was starting to walk, Saya was right behind her trying to do the same thing. Now, they will get that chance again since they have been separated for the last few weeks. The "new" teacher and us parents believe Saya & Sequoia are going to run that room. Watch out little babies... These girls are taken over! :)

I will say that I do know that Saya will miss her teachers, Miss Terri, Miss Tami and Miss Sue. She has grown quite fond of these women and rightfully so as she has spent the last 8 months of her life with them. Luckily, they are only a room away. One of the things that I love about this place was that teachers from the different rooms have introduced themselves to the children at some point which makes transitioning a little easier for the little ones. She also has spent a few days each week with the kids from the next room to get her acquainted on how things work.

I know this isn't kindergarten graduation or anything as big but this is another step for Mommy. My baby is growing up and I haven't been able to fully digest that idea yet. I just want her to stay a baby forever! Even last night the hubs and I were reminiscing about the little sounds and cries she used to make. There are so many of these little moments that I just cherish so much but on the other hand I do realize that there will be many more moments in the future to treasure.

So here's to what's in store for the future! Go Saya! Go!

PROJECT 365: 5.20.2011 - 5.26.2011

5.20.2011 - My Fav Shoes

5.21.2011 - Happy Bridal Shower Mari & Brian


 5.22.2011 - Nap time w/ Unicorn after long day

5.23.2011 - First Tornado Warning

5.24.2011 - I LOVE playing piano w/ my toes

5.25.2011 - Geaker's Tacos... Satisfaction!

5.26.2011 - My Commute :|

Saya - 11 Month Update

Happy 11 Months Saya Baby!

We are almost there! Saya's 1st birthday is just 1 month away! The next month I will be in full birthday party planning mode. Let's just hope that I can get this put together without going insane :)

Age: 11 Months
Weight: 20+ lbs (TBD @ next appt. end of June)
Height: 29 in +


Milestones:

• 1 day before her 10 month "birthday," Saya started walking full time and she hasn't stopped since. As if she wasn't already all over the place, she is even more now. She loves to walk in between rooms from the kitchen, dining room, living room and foyer. Her walk is just so adorable. We even came up with her nickname, Saya-Zilla, because it looks like she is stomping around.
• Saya's coordination is becoming more developed and stronger each day. She can lift up a ball and walk with it without falling, climb herself onto chairs or her riding toys (actually just about anything), "ride" her riding toys, tries to stack blocks, tries to strap herself into her booster seat, etc.
• She is paying attention more and trying to copy-cat whomever she is around from her talking to her actions. 
• Saya has FINALLY said Mama! It isn't as clear as "Dada" yet but she is getting there. You have no idea how it warms my heart to hear that little girl call for me. I am getting a little teary-eyed right now.
• Whatever she is saying, it seems as if she is saying it at the right time. For instance, when she sees someone, it sounds like she says "hello" or we are playing with her and we ask "again?" and it sounds like she tries to say the word "again".
• Saya is talking and singing more and more. She will babble to her toys as if she is carrying a conversation with them. Daycare has been reporting the same saying that she is talking and singing a lot, as if she is telling a story.
• She is eating more solid foods and less formula and also been drinking her formula out of her sippy cup throughout the day instead of the bottle. This is a requirement for when she moves to Infant Room II at her daycare, so we have been working hard on this.
• Speaking of her future move to the next room. Saya has developed pretty quickly and has become a little on the dangerous side for Infant Room I as she is climbing the toys and moving furniture around (even with kids in them), so they are moving her on May 31st instead of waiting for her 1st birthday to arrive.
• This really happened at least a month ago but Saya gave up her pacifier or Bobo (what we call it) on her own. One night she just didn't need it to soothe her. A month before then she was just using it as a teether.
• She is recognizing people that she has seen before especially her cousin Ayden. With some people, like her other cousin Sequoia she becomes ecstatic and screams in excitement when she sees her. Them two are like 2 peas in a pod. I am so thankful that she will grow up with her.
• Saya is starting to give out more kisses. They are open mouth but very cute none the less. She kind of forces them on you, lol.

Challenges:

• As other children do, she puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. From fuzz to shoes, if it is on the floor or within reach, it will be in her mouth. I am definitely looking forward to the time where even a small piece of a paper towel will be safe to fall to the ground.
• Saya loves doors. Any door she finds, she becomes fully interested in it and wants to open and close. This is not so great for places outside the home where you can't baby proof.
• Stairs are a problem as well. She just loves to climb stairs and if you block the stairs, she will try to find other ways of climbing them. Again, how do you baby proof the baby proof?
• Diaper changing is almost impossible most of the time and this too has been going on for months now. She squirms and attempts to turn when we try to put her diaper on and not to mention she screams bloody murder. We've been told to put the diaper on while she stands or sits but this is pretty hard. Guess we are going to have to learn.
• No changes in the sleep department especially when she is sick. She woke up 3 times last night for food. Maybe a growth spurt? I hope so!
• She still doesn't prefer to eat any earlier than 10ish. She will nibble here and there but full meals are not accepted or at least in our house they aren't. Also, if she is surrounded by people especially ones she is not too familiar with you can forgo the food all together. She won't eat well at all. Not even drink either.
• Speaking of drinking. A lot of times when she takes a drink from her sippy cup, she will swish in her mouth and then immediately spit it out soaking any top she is wearing. Sure this is normal but can also be frustrating especially when she is dressed all cute.

Appearance:

• Her feet are definitely growing. They grew a half size in less than a month, so she is now a 4.5 in shoes.
• Her 12 month clothing fits perfectly and some 18 month clothing is starting to fit. With both sizes though, the length of things are still a little long. I am hoping she gets Papi's long legs and not my short stumpy ones.
• She is still pretty pale, her hair is lightening up a little and her eyes are still blue/gray/green. No real changes there. Her hair is obviously getting longer and filling in more.

My Eyes and Ears MUST Be Deceiving Me...

Within the last 24 hours I have seen and heard some really great and exciting news.

First things first.

THEO's GYROS is coming to Bethlehem!! My Pops called me last night to let me know that he saw a sign up saying "Theo's is coming." For those of you that don't know me or my obsession with this place, this is really big news. Theo's Gyros is only in Bethlehem one time of the year during the Musikfest, so at that time I tend to eat one of their gyros a day for dinner (or try to :)). Please spare me the "that can't be good for you lecture."  Last year was the only year that I couldn't make it to the fest to get one because of the extreme heat and my newborn at the time but my parents brought it to me on the last day. OMGoodness!

I stumbled upon these amazing gyros back in '98 when I was in high school and still to this date I haven't found a better gyro. Some like, Johnnie's Drive-in, have come close but still can't take that title in my opinion. So every chance I get, I try to introduce another newbie to it. My hubby was one of my victims a few years ago and he too has been in search for the better gyro and has failed.  I think the funny part of it, is that I have practically grown up with one of the cooks there. I don't know his name but I have seen him every year since '98, so he knows my ever changing face so well.  I just hope that this new place will not disappoint! Oh man, now I want one :|

I have even more exciting news...

I am not one to step on the scale often. It isn't a fear I have, it's just that I don't care. I think there is too much emphasis on the number when in all honesty your health is determined by many factors. Back when I was SUPER thin and in great shape, the scale still said 135 lbs, so you can imagine how the numbers can fool you. Now, let me state that I know I am overweight. This I won't deny but I am not going to stress myself out over my weight because I know when I start losing, it will be inches first and the number may or may not follow immediately.

Having said that, I decided to get on the scale, just to see where I was at. When I saw the number, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. I dropped another 3 pounds! In total, I am down 6 pounds. The funny part is that I haven't really changed much of my eating and I haven't worked out yet. It may be contributed to my nearly 2 month fasting of any soda, diet or not, and the fact that my daughter is walking around so I am chasing her more often. Plus, constantly carrying a 20+ lb. baby has to do something for me. This is exciting! Now if I can kill the last 44 pounds! Okay, did I just contradict myself? Ah, who cares! I know what I have to do, so I just have to suck it up and do it. Here's to completing this goal! I can't wait to wear my wedding rings again!

Have a great week my fab followers!!

XOXO

PROJECT 365

Found this awesome idea of documenting the next 365 days of my life via pictures that I take (thanks, Pink Sass!). It will be pictures of anything and everything that I want.

This is going to be fun! 

I do apologize in advance, these bad boys won't be of great quality.

Stay tuned!

:)

Things That...

Suck!

:(

Gas Prices... $40 for a half tank - Grrr

My Long Commute

Cancer

Auto Immune Diseases & Other incurable diseases

Fires...that destroy

Pants that are tight when you put on and are loose at the end of the day

LIARS

People who always have to criticize something

Cold weather

Being lactose intolerant

High cost of healthy & organic foods

Rainy weekends

Over aggressive + impatient drivers

2 - lane main highways in highly populated areas (I76 + I476)

Pot holes

Thieves

Short battery life

LONG meetings

Computer rebooting on its own

Hackers

People who think they are perfect




To Be Continued....

With everything going on, I needed to rant a little bit. Sorry! What are some things that you think suck?

ABC's of The Roddy Bride

Got this idea from one of my fav bloggers at the OMG I'm a Mom blog. Apparently everyone in the blog world is doing it...I definitely missed that memo!


A. Age: 29 
B. Bed size: Queen but with Saya co-sleeping, we desperately need a king size.
C. Chore you hate: ALL of them.  I hate folding laundry, doing dishes, cleaning the toilet and all that crap.
D. Dogs: Yes, we have Buddy BUT we swear that he will be our last. No more pets.
E. Essential start to your day: Checking my email, my blog and Facebook. 
F. Favorite color: Black
G. Gold or silver: both
H. Height: 5’4 1/4 (most definitely have to include that 1/4in when you have a 6'3" hubby
I. Instruments: Wish I could play the piano or drums
J. Job title: SQL Database Developer
K. Kids: Saya Baby, 10 months
L. Live: Pennsyl-tucky
M. Mom’s name: Gwendeline / Wendy
N. Nicknames: Gigi, Gigiboo, Gia, G
O. Overnight hospital stays: Having a baby and when I had pneumonia in the 5th grade
P. Pet peeve: Liars... hate 'em!
Q. Quote from a movie: "You're the cheese to my macaroni"
R. Right or left handed: Right
S. Siblings: 2 officially (1 sis and 1 bro)... at one time my ex-bro-in-law was kind of like the pain in the ass little bro
T. Time you wake up: 5:00 am sharp :(
U. Underwear: Only the hubs needs to know...ha!
V. Vegetables you dislike: Horseradish, yuck!
W. What makes you run late: when my hubs is QACers for his job (nearly once a week)
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Chest (pneumonia), foot, teeth
Y. Yummy food you make: my fav... Pastelillos or Meat Pockets as my hubby likes to call them
Z. Zoo- favorite animal: The baby animals although I wish they weren't locked up


Like to hear your responses...pick a letter (or two) and comment on what your answer would be.

Look Ma! I'm eating my lunch...

These were such cute pictures of Saya that I thought I should share them with you. It's her attempt at eating Mac 'n Cheese and Veggies. These were sent to me while I was working. I just love being able to see my Saya baby when I am away from her. Makes me miss her like crazy!


Pictures courtesy of the hubs...

PS: I have no idea what her bib says :)

Latest Addiction

Angry Birds

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Need I really say anything more? I know, I know I am so late with it but I just started playing it last week and I am already addicted. I knew what the game was as my hubby would lay in bed playing the game on his phone but never got my hands on it until my Nook Color was updated to the latest version which now accepted apps. As you can imagine, Angry Birds was the first app I downloaded and as of yet I have not regretted it.

For those who live in the dark, Angry Birds, is the #1 paid app in the US and in many other countries.

Below is a snippet from the website:

The survival of the Angry Birds is at stake. Dish out revenge on the green pigs who stole the Birds’ eggs. Use the unique destructive powers of the Angry Birds to lay waste to the pigs’ fortified castles.

Angry Birds features hours of gameplay, challenging physics-based castle demolition, and lots of replay value. Each of the 120 levels requires logic, skill, and brute force to crush the enemy. 

Protect wildlife or play Angry Birds! --Rovio

What I love about the game is that it is challenging and thought provoking. Now you can get lucky with some of your shots especially in the earlier levels but as the levels go on, you have to really think about the best spots to aim your birds in order to be as destructive as possible but also annihilate those pesky green pigs. Oh and if you are unsuccessful, those pigs will poke fun at you give you this little smirk...Grrrr! :)

I also think the characters are so darn cute. When the birds hit an object they make the funniest little noises. My hubby and I crack up all the time. I think they are so cute, I would even think about picking up the plush toys. I know my little Saya would love them...or their noses really!

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At one point the app was (and may still be) FREE for Android users but for me it was $2.99. I am also not aware of the cost for other platforms. Check out the website for further details!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

I am Gianna...

I AM...

Child of God. Wife. Mother. Daughter. Sister. Step-Pawrent. 

Computer geek-ette. Blogger. Wannabe foodie. Crafty. 

Lover of Arts. Book worm. Sports fanatic. 

Dreamer. Motivated but Lazy. Timid.

Positive. Selfless. Humble.

Beautiful. Curvy.  

I HAVE...

An AMAZING family 

A very small set of close GREAT friends

Battle scars of life on my body, mind and heart

Struggled with my self-image my entire life...too skinny, too thick or too fat

A low self confidence even when I am confident I can do it

A conflicting relationship with my FIL and struggle daily with it

Been letting other's negative attitude affect my happiness

An insane memory but I wish I could press the delete button for nonsense

A tendency to worry about EVERYTHING

A hard time not caring about all things

OCD-like tendencies

I WANT...

To have more time with my family

Attention without being noticed

To feel appreciated

To be more motivating and less criticizing of myself and others

To be more in shape...physically, spiritually and emotionally

To complete my "101 in 1001" list

I PRAY...

I can balance my selflessness and still help myself

For eternal happiness, health, and love

I can let God take control

I can forgive and forget

I can continue to live the life I want to live

I can prevent other's negativity from chipping away at my happiness

I FEAR...

Not dying but dying alone

Losing myself

Losing the ones I love the most

My nightmares will come true

Whether you believe this to be true or not, this is my current self reflection. I have recently found that I needed to truthfully evaluate my life and all things in it. This is the good, the bad and the ugly but a work in progress!

Charity of the Month

This is not only related to task # 2 of my "101 in 1001" list but donating to a charity or a non-profit organization is something that I am passionate about. It is a way that I can help others even though it is of monetary nature. Prior to me knowing about this list, my hubby and I had discussed donating monthly to an organization in need. So this is my chance to do so.

The purpose of my "Charity of the Month" posts is not for me to ask you to donate (although, that would be quite generous of you) but to bring attention to these groups while providing high-level information on the charity or organization. In addition, I will give a little background as to why I chose them.

The first charity I chose is The Coco Foundation, in honor of Coco Lazaridis. 

Their mission statement:

"The Coco Foundation was founded in 2010 with the goal of providing resources and support to individuals, families, and friends impacted by pediatric cancer. Furthermore, the organization seeks to achieve three primary objectives:

• To help fund clinical research aimed at improved diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cancer
• To raise awareness about pediatric cancers and the important role of cord blood, bone marrow, and blood product donation in cancer treatment
• To provide personalized support and information for children and their families while dealing with pediatric cancer diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and related expenses

The Coco Foundation was founded by Coco’s mother, Ali Lazaridis, and a group of highly qualified board members who work tirelessly to ensure the smooth operation and success of the foundation on a daily basis. Learn more about the foundation’s Board of Directors." -- The Coco Foundation

Meet Coco:

"Coco Lazaridis was diagnosed with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) at age three months in November 2009. After intensive chemotherapy treatments and a successful cord blood transplant, she has been at home in remission for over seven months."

The reason I chose this charity is because little Miss Coco Lazaridis is the niece of one of my wonderful friends I had in high school. Besides my relationship with her Aunt, my family and her family have some history together. Because we all know each other, helping out this charity meant more to me and was a no brain-er. It is not an everyday where you get to meet those who will benefit greatly from a charity you donate to. I can be 100% sure that my contribution is actually going to be helping someone I personally know and all others who are affected by something as horrible as pediatric cancer.

Unfortunately, I have not had the privilege to meet Miss Coco in person as of yet. At her first annual walk, she was not well enough to attend but at the previous LLS "Light the Night" walk, my sister had the pleasure of meeting her. From afar, I can see how darn cute she was but could also see that she has fought quite the battle. Seeing her walk around was a huge blessing as just weeks before the walk she was still at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) which was her home for many months of her young life. Essentially that is where she grew up. With obviously the work of the medical staff but with all the love and support of her family, friends and followers (Coco's Angels), Coco can now start to live a semi-normal kind of life and live a long and prosperous life as well.

If you wish to contribute to The Coco Foundation, you can do so by clicking HERE or you can also donate by mail at:

The Coco Foundation PO Box 375 Bethlehem, PA 18016-0375

If you are in the LV, you could also register to walk in the "Miles for Coco" annual walk on May 28, 2011 or participate in the Tee Time for Coco golf tournament on October 1, 2011.

If nothing else, please keep little Miss Coco in your thoughts and prayers!


Also, I am still looking for suggestions for other charities or organizations that I can donate to. Please send me a message with the charity or organization name and a little information on it. Please help me complete this task!

Fab Find

+

This find is about the sister sites, Diapers.com and Soap.com. My MIL and I use Diapers.com for all things baby and I am starting to use Soap.com for household and personal items.

Here are some of the great features of these two sites:

• Competitive prices
• Great sales and instant coupons
• Free shipping with a minimum amount purchased:
• Diapers.com - Free 2 day shipping on orders over $49 but add any item from Soap.com and order ships free at $39.
• Soap.com - Free 1 -2 day shipping on orders of $39 or over.
• They accept manufacturer's coupons!
• Share the Savings program:
• If you get friends to join and they use your personalized code, you get credits you can use towards your own purchases. 
• Click HERE for more details on the program.

Want to know one of my favorite things about these sites? Your order will arrive within 48 hours if ordered by 6pm. Most of the items I have (or my MIL) has ordered has arrived the very next day to my door step. Without sounding too much like a teenager, how cool is that?

Don't let the names fool you. Diapers.com is not just for diapers and Soap.com is not just for soap. Each site has a variety of products to fulfill your many needs including natural and organic products.

We personally use Diapers.com often for Saya's diapers, formula and wipes but on occasion will buy other products as needed. Just yesterday my MIL ordered a few gates to baby proof the house which we already received this morning. We will have the house all set-up for the weekend. Just what Mommy and Papi needed! 

As mentioned earlier, I haven't used Soap.com as much but I will be using them more often. It is just so much easier to point + click and have the product delivered to me the next day to my doorstep versus getting Saya and a diaper bag ready and in the van to go to a store. There is just too much involved. It is like you have to plan a whole day for a small trip (exaggerating of course), even just to buy one product. Too much hassle. Mommy really likes this!

As for the customer service, I have only had to call them once for a question and they were great. Thus far making my experience with these websites a great one.

My best advice for you is to shop around. I am always looking at the prices between these sites, Amazon and Babies 'R Us in order to save us money. These two sites have saved us and my MIL so much money and I am so thankful we found them. Maybe they will be beneficial to you too!

To get in on the savings, you can click any one of the ads located to the left of my website or enter my savings code (GNAL1113) at the checkout screen.

Happy Shopping!!

PS: After I had written this post, I received an email from Soap.com that they went mobile! With their new mobile app, you can:

• Reorder your mylists essentials in minutes
• Browse and buy anytime and anywhere
• Scan and save
• Easy one cart checkout

Now, how cool is that? WTG, Soap.com!

{image sources: www.diapers.com & www.soap.com}

Sign of the Week

Per task # 63, I am to learn a new sign word every week. Well as you can see, I am slacking BIG time. So today I am revealing what I will learn this week and probably a couple of extra weeks. 

The reason I put this on my list is because my daughter's daycare will be teaching her how to sign as she develops. In order to better understand her and build my own skill set, I wanted to learn too. Sign language is a unique but beautiful way to communicate with others. Call me weird, but I always found it fascinating when I would watch people sign on TV as interpreters for the hearing impaired.

I am being realistic when I say that I won't be able to learn the entire language but some key words or phrases may come handy in life.

This week I will focus on the Alphabet or Manual Alphabet used to Finger Spell. Here is a poster from HowStuffWorks.com

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