January 3, 2009

Happy New Year everyone!!! I've got lots of updates and pictures :)

2 weekends ago our friend Simone came over and visited us with her son Zachary. Zachary is two days older than Michael. Of course he was born full term and he is about twice the size of Mikey. They had a fun time and actually played really well together!!! I hope they come again soon!!!

Zachary and Simone visited us in Coral Springs, isn't he cute?
Friday, December 19, 2008 we went to the Dan Marino Center Christmas party. Mimi and Poppy went with us and we had a great time. They had bouncy houses, dancers, Santa and Mrs. Santa and Mikey got a gift :)

Mikey and Mommy are waiting in line to see Santa

Mommy, Poppy, Santa, Mikey, Mrs. Santa and Mimi

Mikey playing for the first time ever in a bouncy house. He loved it!!

There was a fire truck from FDNY for the bigger kids and it showed all the pictures of fire men who lost their lives on 9/11/01. Very impressive!!!

All Mikey wants to do is walk, walk, walk. It's amazing how far he has come even in the last 4 weeks since he started walking. He is basically running now :)

Poppy was chasing Mikey and Mimi :)

Mikey and Poppy were watching the youth tap dancers that were giving a show

On Sunday night, December 21, 2008 we went back to Weston to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. There was a celebration in the town center with the lighting of the first candle.

Jessie, Mimi, Mikey, Lesley, Nathali, Josh (who was working that night), Robert, David and Anna

Mikey loves to get attention and he gets lots of it when he is in crowds :)

He can see more on Daddy's shoulders.

Uncle David and Mikey were enjoying the bottle dancers

On Christmas day, Uncle Matthew and Aunt Mary arrived from Vermont. Mimi and Poppy picked them up from the airport and we had dinner at our house, together with our neighbor Michelle. We had a very fun night!! Matthew and Mary left with Mimi and Poppy and Robert and I were preparing the house and groceries for the next few days to prepare for our house warming/wedding party for Matthew and Mary on December 27, 2008

The party was so much fun!!! Matthew and Mary prepared pizza's and eggplant Parmesan and I made some salads and quiche. And we had lots of cheese, crackers, salsa (home made by Clarke) etc. etc.

I want to thank everyone for coming, especially Ron, Anne, Miles and Alexander who joined us from New Orleans. Some of our cousins had not seen Miles and Alexander since they were about 7 years old. So it was fun!! Aunt Anne brought with her a recipe from Robert's grand mother for a streusel. We should try and make that some day....

Matthew was preparing the pizza. It was so much fun to all work together in the kitchen

Mimi and Jessie at the party

Karen, Bethany and Lauren. Our friend Roberto took many more great pictures, but they are on Facebook and I don't know how to download those :) Thanks Roberto!!

Alexander, David and Miles

Lauren, Alan and Karen

Jessie, Mikey, Aunt Anne and Poppy

Uncle Ron, Miles, Mikey, Aunt Anne and Jessie

The three brothers, uncle Ron, Jules and Lionel. Aren't they handsome?

The wedding cake for Matthew and Mary. I hope they didn't think they were able to elope and not have a celebration?! :)

Poppy was giving a speech for Matthew and Mary

Aren't they the cutest couple? I am so glad they met :)

Lauren and Adam (brother and sister) were teasing each other

Me, Bethany and Mary. I am so glad Bethany was able to make it to our party. Thanks Bethany for coming and have Roberto take all those great pictures on Facebook!!!

I really really enjoyed the party. Thanks everyone for coming all the way to Coral Springs and celebrate with us. We had lots of family and also some friends. It was so much fun!!! We had about 35 people in a small space and Michael was walking between everybody as if he was used to it. Thanks Lesley, Rachel and Natalia for looking after him during the party!! That was a great help!!!

Our friend Natalia had some wonderful news. She is going to UPenn Hospital in Philadelphia to become a surgeon. I am so happy for her, but also sad that she and Jose are leaving Miami.

After the party, Matthew and Mary stayed overnight and the next few days they spent with Lesley and David. We all spent New Year's Eve together for dinner and the visit of Matthew and Mary went by way too fast. We hope to see them again soon!!!

Michael has been eating like a champ!! He has been eating pancakes, pizza, level 3 purees. We are actually thinking about going back to twice a week for feeding & swallowing therapy, which is good for me :)

4 times a week therapy takes a toll out of your week. But it's working and that's the main thing.

We haven't started with the teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, but hopefully she will be here next week.

Well, again: Happy New Year to everyone!!! May 2009 be a healthy year without any hospital visits :)