saying goodbye...

this past friday, my grandmother passed away. she was 90 and had lived a very long life which made her death a lot easier to accept then i guess it normally would be. still extremely tough because i was VERY close to her growing up and even now i was. the past year she had definitely gone downhill and one of the last times i saw her she was becoming confused but i brought gia and i got some pics of them and i am so glad i did.
i think the main thing my grandma dying did was make me realize how much i miss my mom. it's like, a year ago, i know my mom wasn't ok but she was still here at her house and i was able to call her and be with her and it was nice. now it's just... it sucks.
i am so sad that gia will probably never know her grandma and that i no longer have my mom. i hate that this damn disease is taking away this amazing, vibrant, funny, smart and independent woman and leaving me, my dad, drew and now gia without her in our lives. it's hard to sit and dwell on anything when you spend your days chasing around a 9 month old, but some days it is very tough. i hate that i can't call my mom to come babysit, or ask her how old i was when i reached certain milestones. sucks, it really sucks. i wish i could have just one day with her. 24 hours is all i ask. i could take a million pictures, ask a million questions and really just cherish every second.
i hope that in passing, my grandma can now be our special guardian angel and watch over us all, but especially my mom. maybe some sort of miracle could happen and she will get a little bit better.
i feel so bad that i grew up with 4 grandparents, and gia will only have two. i also hate that i never got to meet john's dad. i feel like i was robbed, he was an amazing man who accomplished so many things and was so smart. and of course taken from us way too soon.
so many people take having their parents around for granted... it is the one thing i hope and pray that me and john will get to have, what our parents don't, to grow old together...
i love you grandma and am so lucky that you got to see me graduate high school and college, get married and have a baby. you will always be in my thoughts <3

9 Months...

Well, I guess I can't stop time huh? Good news about that is, every time I think 'I love this age, it cannot get any better' each time it does! She is so stinking cute right now, crawling and standing and cruising like a maniac! Not to mention playing and mimicing and just being so amazing. She plays peekaboo by pulling clothes or towels or whatever over her face, or she hides behind me or someone and then looks at you. She babbles a ton of words, consonants, etc. Her newest one is UH OH, I am telling you, ultimate cuteness.
I truly love this lil munch more than words could ever say. Everyday I am so thankful that she is mine and I get to spend everyday with her.
I hope I always have such a great bond with you Gia, Mommy (and of course Daddy) LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!
acting serious ;)

 here come the giggles!!!

 she kept sitting like this, cracking me up!

 trying to crawl off the chair, EEK

 looks like she's saying, heyyyy

 clos-ups!

obvi I cannot pick just one... too damn cute!
Happy 9 Months!!!

Happy 60th Birthday Dad (Grandpa Wally)!!!

On April 4th my dad turned 60 (yikes!) so we had to throw him a surprise party. It was a great time and everyone was able to make it so it was awesome. He was SO surprised and I was really happy we were able do this for him...
Here are some pics from the day:
All set up!

 Me and miss G

 right before the...

 SURPRISE!!!

 haha he walked out!

 john and sal

 linda, gabriella and gia

 billy and leo

 daddy and gg

 here are some super cute pics of g after she woke up from her nap!

 cute face

 gia and gabriella, she LOVED her!

 yummy cake

 gia having some icing :)

 getting ready to blow out the candles!

 k, party's over LOL

playtime...

i just had to take these pics a week or so ago bc i truly can't take her cuteness!!!!
this is her just playing and doing her thang, she is so happy all the time, it's very contagious :)

 lol this face!

 little butt

 little feet

 had to get a shot of sadie, she looks super cute here.

 this is her favorite spot, she likes to stand and hold onto the bars.

 then put her face up to them like so...

 here's the breakdown...

i'm such a good mom taking pics while she cries. but the cry face is just SO dramatic.
love you munch!!!