Lil Bella Blog

Lots of Pictures

2011-06-14T15:30:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone -

I have been horrible at posting about the happenings in the Cimineri Family. A lot has happened in the past few months but here are the highlights:
- Dominic turned 4 months (although by now we are almost closer to his 5 month birthday)
- Both kids have had play dates with our new friends, Vinny and Jack
- Dominic had his baptism! We were lucky to have great weather and amazing friends/family to join us!
- Installation of our new patio - amen because I am ready to have dinner and coffee on the patio.
- Mike has started training for the Rochester Marathon which will be in September (I will be an athletic supporter)
- Mike and I just had our 10 year college reunion and spent the past weekend enjoying St. Bonaventure all over again.

There are a bunch of pictures uploaded to the right! Enjoy them all and sorry for the delay.

3 Month Birthday & More

2011-05-09T08:16:00.003-04:00

Back to work!

That has been the theme over the past week or so. My 3 month maternity leave was up and it was time to get back into the work force - boooo! With one week under my belt, it isn't that bad but I'm thankful for the schedule that Mike and I have put together to ensure we don't forget our heads when we leave the house in the morning. One saving grace, Dominic is at the same daycare that Gianna is so they can visit each other throughout the day.

Right before I went back, Dominic turned 3 months! Unbelievable. Mike and I have really enjoyed looking at Gianna's 3 month pictures and comparing the kids. It's odd how much they look alike, except for Gianna's jet black hair.

Also, Gianna and I had a bonding afternoon going to see Sesame Street Live. I hadn't seen her so quiet for 1 1/2 hours since she was born. She had a massive chocolate chip cookie and walked out of the show with an Elmo hat and a Sesame Street Flag! We sang songs and imagined being in different places. It was definitely a ton of fun.

The weather has been getting better so we have been spending a bunch of time outside. We finally got our new lawn mower so we can now mow our 1 acre lot in 40 minutes vs 3 hours! Gianna has been chalking, playing with bubbles and running around outside! Definitely getting her required vitamin D!

Coming up soon: Dominic's Baptism!

Easter 2011

2011-05-02T13:24:00.004-04:00

I just posted the pictures of our Easter week. It was so much fun having Dominic involved in the pictures and watching Gianna hunt for eggs and get her Easter baskets.

Check out the link to the right to see all of the pictures!

Also, today is Dominic's 3 month birthday (stay tuned for the monthly picture) and my last day of maternity leave. I can't believe my 3 months are over...

First Firsts and Swimming

2011-04-12T13:49:00.013-04:00

Over the past week or so Dominic has been experiencing new things: first time in the bumbo and first trip in the baby bjorn. He has been been a trooper about everything. I'm waiting for the ground to dry up a little and then he is going to have his for time playing in the grass! He can now consistently roll from his stomach to his back and we are working on the other direction. Lastly, Dominic has started to watch the "My Baby Can Read" movies, although only for about 10 minutes. He stares at it and then see's his favorite thing -- the ceiling fan. In a battle between "My Baby Can Read" and the ceiling fan, the ceiling fan win's every time! Gianna has been battling her fear of swimming. We didn't actually think it existed considering she spent time with Daddy at the pool in Florida although last week at swim class she wouldn't let go of me at all. She wouldn't slide in the pool, play with the toys, hold the noodle, kick or blow bubbles. In an effort to make her more comfortable we took a family trip to the local indoor pool last night. By the end of the trip, she was able to run in the water (it was only 3 ft deep), we were dancing and holding onto each others hands, and going down the toddler water slide. I would consider it a success but we will see when she has swim class on Saturday! Keep your fingers crossed. Here are some recent pictures as well as my favorite one of the kids so far!

Happy 2 month birthday Dominic!!!

2011-04-04T08:42:00.009-04:00

We can't believe that 2 months have gone by! April 2nd was Dominic's 2 month birthday so we celebrated just like we did with Gianna - the birthday picture. He also recently went to the doctor for his 2 month checkup and first round of shots. Dominic was a trouper, only crying for a quick minute and then slept it off for the rest of the day.

2 month stats

height: 23 inches (50%)

weight: 11 lbs 2 oz (50%)

Also within the past week, Dominic has been sleeping anywhere from 5 1/2 - 7 hours at night, which is amazing for Mike and I. That being said, Gianna has started this new thing when she gets up 4-5 times just to be "tucked in". At this rate, we might never sleep thought the night again. Sleep - who needs it??

Enjoy the pictures!

Trips to NYC & Florida

2011-03-29T08:40:00.006-04:00

You might remember that we split the family a few weekends ago for some mother/son, father/daughter bonding. Gianna and Daddy went to Hollywood Florida to visit Nana and Poppie while Dominic and I went to Hoboken NJ to visit Aunt Monica and God-Father Bri Bri. Everyone had wonderful weather and the kids both got to experience new adventures. Gianna took her first airplane trip, saw Palm Trees/Coconuts for the first time, and experience the condo in Florida! Dominic took his first trip to many bar's and pizza joints and even experienced his first stroller ride down Washington Street. We all enjoyed our trips and here are some pictures.

Both Dominic and Gianna are growing and changing like crazy. Dominic can now roll over from his tummy to his back and can even hold his head up (virtually without support). He has really started to show his personality and loves when Gianna "plays" with him. Gianna is doing great in school and has learned how to answer and carry on a conversation on the phone. Beware when you call, she might answer -- although she is perfect when a telemarketer calls!

We are all looking forward to the weather getting warmer so we can go outside to play, explore the local hiking travels and so mommy/daddy can get running outdoors!

1 Month Birthday and More...

2011-03-13T19:11:00.005-04:00

My apologies on this being a little late but those of you with two kids understand. On March 2nd Dominic celebrated his 1 month birthday with a few family members from out of town, Aunt Monica and Uncle Brian. They were in town for a long weekend to meet Dominic, spend time with Gianna and celebrate Mom's birthday!! It was great having them. Here are some pictures of the past few weeks.

Upcoming:
- Mike and Gianna are headed to Florida to visit Nana and Poppie in Hollywood-- it will be Gianna's first plane ride -- good luck Daddy

- Dominic, Gigi and I are off on a road trip to Hoboken to spend time with Aunt Monica and Uncle Bri Bri. It feels like it has been forever since I have been to see them

- Dominic is all set for his baptism Memorial Day weekend and is super excited to have Kristan and Brian as godparents

Have a great St. Patricks Day!!

Family Bonding

2011-03-01T12:42:00.004-05:00

Here are some photo's over the past 2 weeks. Dominic got to meet his Great Grandma as well and have some quality time "playing" with Gianna. We can't believe that he is going to be 1 month tomorrow - man time flies! More photo's via the link to the right.

Family Photo Shoot

2011-02-27T12:25:00.004-05:00

I mentioned in my last post that we had a family friend come over a few weekends ago to take pictures of our new family. I finally had to time get all of the pictures posted and you can view them all using the link on the right -- but here are a few of my favorites!

Welcome Dominic Michael

2011-02-17T14:13:00.005-05:00

As most of you already know, on February 2, 2011, the Cimineri Family went from a family of 3 to a family of 4 - or - as Mike likes to say "the playing field is now level" with 2 boys and 2 girls. We welcomed Dominic Michael into our family at 4:20pm weighing in at 8lbs 5oz and 19 1/4 in long. Labor was...well...labor although not as difficult as Gianna.

Gianna has adapted quite well to having Dominic around, giving him kisses, hugs, holding him and letting us know that he is crying. Oh and she is also very good at letting us know if there is a "poopie" in his diaper!

We have been home for 2 weeks now and just got back from his 2 week doctor's appointment. Here are his latest stats:
Weight: 8lbs 12 oz (60th%)
Length: 20 3/4 (55%)

I have uploaded all of the pictures from the past 2 weeks on the right side although here are a few of our favorites. Stay tuned as we did a photo shot last weekend to capture our new family and those will be posted soon!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-09T12:20:00.005-05:00

I can't believe how quickly this holiday season came and went. We loved having our first Christmas in our new house! Gianna really enjoyed Christmas this year learning about "Patch" (Santa's Elf on a Shelf), decorating and taking care of Doug (our Christmas Tree), opening up her advent calendar each morning to enjoy a piece of chocolate, making Christmas cookies and gingerbread houses, singing Christmas songs and of course watching her favorite holiday movie - Frosty the Snowman.

We loved having Monica and Brian stay with us while they were in town and we were even able to make it out to Buffalo for a family Christmas party! Here are some of the highlights of our holiday but be sure to check them all out on the right.

Next up: Time for the arrival of Baby Brother!

Gianna at work

Sledding with Daddy

Making Moose Munch (aka White Trash)

Christmas morning with her new laptop

Gigi's favorite gift - the IPAD!

Bonding with Uncle BriBri

Death to Supermom

2010-11-01T12:40:00.002-04:00

I just got this from my cousin and I had to share it with anyone that follow's our blog! Amen!
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/killing-off-supermom.html

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T11:35:00.006-04:00

We have had a fun filled week of Halloween fun including hayrides, carving pumpkins, seeing Elmo and Cookie Monster, costume parties at school, parades, trick or treating and of course -- CANDY! There were sporadic moments of complete sugar high chaos but all in all the week was wonderful...

Our little Oreo Cookie!

Gianna with her friend Timmy

Her entire school

...even the snow that came on Halloween night!

2 year old photo shoot

2010-10-04T10:49:00.005-04:00

A few weekends ago we were lucky to have one of our family friends (Maura) take some fall pictures of Gianna, which worked out well because they were about 1 month after her 2nd birthday. Here is a sampling of what Maura did although you can see all of the pictures using the link on the left.

We were lucky enough of have wonderful weather which provided some great backdrops to get a perspective of Gianna's personality in print. We were completely surprised as to how much she was 'hamming' it up for the camera.

Enjoy!

Check out the links below of Gianna singing!

2010-09-30T13:00:00.001-04:00

At 2 years old, I think we have the next Barbra Streisand on our hand. We just have to work on her stage presence.

Balance of Power

2010-09-25T12:47:00.008-04:00

There are many reasons to be thankful for the things that we have, but one of them is that the balance of power will now be restored in the Cimineri Household. We found out a few weeks ago that Gianna will have a little brother in February! Mike is thrilled to know that he will now have a partner in crime and Gianna keeps telling everyone that she is having a baby!

Since we have posted last, Monica and Brian had their wedding. The day was amazing, the bride and groom looked great and everything went off without a hitch. I have some pictures from the rehearsal dinner but I'm relying on the photographer for all of the pictures from the wedding. When they are online, I will post a link.

We have also been slowing painting and decorating the house (although we are in no rush). As I type, Mike & Poppie are painting the morning room -- I feel like I should be helping, ahhhh, maybe not :) .We recently went out on a great day to enjoy our new town, at the Celebrate Victor NY Festival. The weather was great and we are surprised as to how many cute little shops are in Victor that you never see when you are driving through.

Today Gianna had her first gymnastics class. It started a little rough as I didn't think she was going to do anything but with Daddy's help, she finally loved the trampoline, the balance beam and the bouncy balls!

Lastly, we are on the potty training train! Choo Choo! Yesterday we banashed diapers (while she is awake), gave her a ton of juice, and stickers/crackers as a reward. All day she only had 2 accidents and even told us that she had to go to the bathroom when we were out to dinner!! As of 1PM today - we are still going strong. I think we might be onto something.

Bonding with Baby Ella Hart!

Oh boy...has it been 2+ months

2010-08-04T15:05:00.008-04:00

I can't believe how time has flown and the last time I posted was June 17th! So much has been going on and the best way to capture it all would be quick bullet form (very efficient). So, here we go:

Bachelorette Party: Mom and I took a road trip to NYC in June to celebrate Monica's bachelorette weekend! We went to a place in Hoboken where you can make your own purses, had an awesome dinner on the river and then went into the city to Carnival. Picture a carnival, complete with games and prizes, for adults. It was a blast!
Birthdays: We have had a bunch of birthdays! Mine was on July 3rd - had a low key day with breakfast at the Log Cabin and then a surprise dinner with the whole family. Mike's birthday was August 1st which included breakfast at the Log Cabin (yes - we love that place) and a steak dinner. August 5th was Gianna's 2nd birthday and we had a little party at school and then had a family get together on Saturday (complete with bouncy house)!
Transition to the New House: As of July 10th, we are now the owners of a single family, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home on 1 acre. We have loved it so far and have been focusing on getting everything unpacked and trying to grow grass (it's harder then it looks).
Wedding Preparations: We are all gearing up for the wedding of the year on August 28th; The nuptials of Monica & Brian! Gianna and I just had our dress fitting yesterday, shoes have been ordered and the final details are being handled! We are all so excited and can't believe it is less then 2 weeks away!!
Lastly, as you can see in the pictures, Gianna's shirt says 'Big Sister'. Yes - we are pregnant due with our 2nd child in early February! Gianna is excited and understands that mommy has a baby in her tummy. It will be a busy fall and winter.

I've included a bunch of pictures below to highlight a few of the things that were named above and many more that weren't. I'm going to try to post more and not be so distant from our 'blog fan's'.

Bridal Shower Pictures

2010-06-17T08:48:00.004-04:00

As promised, I have uploaded the pictures from Monica's Bridal Shower. To see them all please go to the links on the right but here are some of the highlights.

Date: May 29, 2010
Location: Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano, Victor NY

The bridesmaids!!

The so-to-be DeAngelo's!

Next weekend the bridesmaids will be heading in to NJ/NYC for a crazy bachelorette party!! I'd say stay tuned for pictures, but I'm not sure if I will be able to post any ; )

So many updates

2010-06-05T13:55:00.007-04:00

Over the past few weeks we have been extremely busy.

There have been a bunch of changes to the house and we found out that it will be completed anywhere between July 1st - July 10th. Last week they finished the siding, some of the flooring, the first coat of paint and the lighting. This week is the crown molding and installing the cabinets. I can't believe that we are within a month from being in our new house!!

Also, Gianna started "school" (aka daycare) this past week going 3 days a week, all day. She is getting back into the routine that she was out of for the entire month of May while bonding with the grandparents. The good news is that each day we hear that she cries a little less.

At the end of May, Mike and I traveled back to Maryland for the last time to close on our house. It was definitely bitter sweet. We tried to hit up every restaurant that we loved and hung out with our closest friends!! It was odd leaving the house knowing that it is no longer ours, after 5 years of that being "home". I guess that means we're officially homeless, right? : )

Lastly, Aunt Monica and Bri Bri were in town last weekend for their bridal shower. It was great to see both of them and spend some QT time together. Who would believe that in less then 3 months they will be Mr. & Mrs. Brian DeAngelo?? Pictures of the event coming soon!

Mothers Day and 338 continuing to take shape

2010-05-17T19:58:00.003-04:00

I can’t believe that 2 weeks have passed since I’ve posted pictures; time is flying by! Our house is coming along extremely well and we have our mid-construction meeting at the end of this week to confirm all of the wiring/plumbing/heating/AC prior to the dry wall. We will also find out a 10 day window as to when we should be moving in.

We also had a wonderful Mothers Day split in Buffalo and in Rochester. We took a trip to Buffalo in the morning to see Great Grandma Anna and got to experience an amazing meal. In the afternoon we relaxed with Nana and Poppie enjoying some clam dip and pizza!

Exciting news to come in the next few weeks!

338 Developments

2010-05-05T20:13:00.005-04:00

We can not believe that in the span of 1 week, we went from just having a basement to have a cement floor to having walls. Man these guys move fast! It was amazing to watch them move the wood around like a puzzle, nail it into place and then move onto the next piece. Here are some pictures of the week.

Friday April 30th- sitting with Gianna on our garage floor

Monday May 3rd: the view from the front yard.

View through the front door

Standing in the garage, where Gianna and I were sitting in the first picture

I can't wait to show you the pictures of what the house looks like today. Stay tuned!

Don't forget to check out all of the pictures on the right.

We have a foundation!

2010-04-25T15:59:00.003-04:00

Mike and I were able to stop by the lot yesterday to see the progress from the week. We can't believe that we have a foundation and that the lumber should be in any day!

April 16th House Pictures

2010-04-17T19:50:00.004-04:00

Mike took the 'management team' to see the house on Saturday afternoon. They enjoyed looking at a big hole in the ground filled with water! :)

We have lift-off!

2010-04-16T08:39:00.003-04:00

We broke ground yesterday on our new house! Here is a picture that Mike took from his cell phone. How exciting!!

Easter Vacation

2010-04-12T15:33:00.005-04:00

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to post!

We were in NY for Easter and actually made it an extended vacation! The weather was amazing for NY in April (87!) and we had some great company / food. It got us all excited to finally be under the same roof, which should be happening very soon! The house is still on the market - we had a contract but it feel through, no fault of our own. We are keeping our fingers crossed that something will happen prior to April 30th for a 1st time home buyers.

Personally, spring in the DC area is my favorite time of year so we are enjoying not only the great weather, the tree's budding/blooming and cherry blossoms - but also POLLEN! My car was yellow the other day when I stepped outside.

Also, Gianna and I have been so lucky to have GG with us since Easter to lend a helping hand and give us someone to play with. She was supposed to go back to NY on Sunday, but then Gianna got sick with a bacterial ear infection + cold, so she decided to stay until next Sunday!!! We are so excited!!

A lot is happening with our new house as well. We had our pre-construction meeting and everything went smoothly. Rumor has it that they will start building on Wednesday (confirming this today) with an estimated move in date from June 15 - July 15th (I'm shooting for July 3 - wink wink). They were just waiting for the permit which they should have received late last week or today, which gives them the green light to start building. Mike has the camera so we will definitely have pictures posted during the progress.

Here are some pictures from our Easter vacation:

It was too hot for clothes so we just let her run around in bloomers!

This is as close as we got to the Easter Bunny. A lot of hype but no action on Gianna's part!

Here is my Easter dress - which took us 20 minutes to get on and then stop crying. She was not too excited to have to wear this but she looked SO cute!

Enjoying a cup of tea with 'Granpa'...

...now onto beer...

...and pondering life!

We finally put up our SOLD sign!

New Home Pictures

2010-03-24T19:52:00.004-04:00

When I was home a few weeks ago, we stopped by to take picture of our new property! Hard to see in the snow but it gives you a feel for what 1 acre looks like (bigger then we thought)!

Latest news: We break ground April 14th!

Recent Pictures

2010-03-24T19:51:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures from the past few weeks! Enjoy!

Yikes - almost a month

2010-03-21T20:12:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry that it's been almost a month since we have posted. I can't believe how quickly time flies and I've found that when Gianna goes to bed, all I want to do is read or relax in bed.

Well, let me bring you up to speed. Gianna and I were home the week of March 8th to spend time with Daddy and the grandparents. Mike and I spent the majority of the week working and networking, while Gianna was able to bond with both sets of grandparents, reminding them how much fun it is to have a toddler in the house. We really enjoyed being home and it got us excited to eventually be back there in our new house.

That Friday we went to look at a few daycare/preschools to determine what was available for Gianna and I was able to do a little pampering (nails and a massage). In the end, we found a daycare/preschool that is going to be perfect and they are extremely flexible with regards to a start date. A small registration fee and our spot is being held!

Gianna's latest developments:
- She has become a big fan of the music from Seussical the Musical, which she was able to attend while we were home. The Victor MS/HS was putting on the production and Grandpa Ralph was playing the guitar.
- She can sing her ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Row Row Row your boat
- She can count to 13 and is learning the days of the week
- She has taken to going to the bathroom on the toilet, sometimes.
** The hardest thing right now is learning colors!

This weekend Mike was in town and got to enjoy some 70 degree weather and the beginning of spring. Can't wait to see him again during Easter!

We have a bunch of pictures from our trip to NY which I hope to have posted this week - which all depends on how Gianna is feeling. She was up last night throwing up and now as a fever. Could be an interesting week!

338 Stonefield Lane

2010-02-27T14:06:00.006-05:00

That is the new address of casa de Cimineri! It's official, we are going to be building our dream home in Farmington, NY -- 15 minutes away from both sets of parents! If all goes as planned, we will be in mid-July. Mike has been taking the lead on that new venture getting everything lined up while Gianna and I have been holding down the fort in Germantown. So far this weekend we have had 7 showings in 2 days -- I'm feeling good!

Sorry it has been awhile since I've blogged but Mike was here for Valentine's Day weekend (see pictures below) and then Gianna/I drove home the follow weekend to narrow down some new house details. Seems like there is never a dull moment, which is good because otherwise we would get bored.

I can't believe that it is almost March 1st and that means Easter is just around the corner. It couldn't get here soon enough as I'm about to pull out all of my hair from my Lent project - giving up all candy, chocolate, cookies and cake. With all that is going on in my life, probably not the best time to give up candy but I'm doing well so far...Who knew that rice cakes and peanut butter could be so good?

Look what happened to my forhead at Ms Bina's!! Head meet floor, floor meet head.

New Feature

2010-02-11T11:06:00.002-05:00

To keep everyone updated with that latest news surrounding the move to NY, we have created a new feature on the right of the page "We're on the move!" Here you will find that latest information with regards to the transition to NY!

SuperSnow 2010

2010-02-08T13:17:00.008-05:00

Needless to say, it has been an eventful few days. They called for snow and for the first time they were right -- which mean that Mike didn't get to come down to visit. Here is our weekend in review:

First snow flakes: 10:40am Friday Feb 5th
# of times shoveled: 4 (and counting)
Batches of cookies made: 1
Videos of Elmo watched: 3
Games of memory played: 2
Skypes: 3
Time outs: 0 (amazing huh?)
Played in the snow: 2
Hours without cable: 36
Hours without electricity: 0 (phew)
Total snow accumulations: 29.8 (and counting)
Things I learned: Gianna likes pepperoni, she can bring the phone to me when it rings, food coloring doesn't come off your hands with soap and water

February 5th, 2010 at 8AM

February 5th, 2010 at 8PM

February 6th, 2010 at 8AM

Time to play outside!!

Yummy - cookie dough!

....and to think we are supposed to get another 6-8 inches Tuesday night! No matter what, Mike is coming for the weekend -- yeah!

**Check out all of the pictures via the link on the right**

1 1/2

2010-02-05T13:30:00.004-05:00

This seems to be our lucky number for the day...
...Gianna turned 1 1/2 today
AND
...we are supposed to get about 1 1/2 FEET of snow!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIANNA. I can't believe 18 months have already gone by -- and by our doctors appointment this morning, she is right on track. No shots this time around - yea!
Height: 33 1/4 inches (90-95%)
Weight: 24lb 6oz (50-75%)

If you have been watching the news, you are aware that the DC area is supposed to get some insane amount of snow between Noon on Friday until 8PM on Satureday -- 14-24 inches of snow is the latest forecast for our area. Apparently if we get 20 inches or more, this will be the 2nd largest snowfall DC has ever seen (the largest being back in 1858-1859 winter). We went grocery shopping after the doctors appointment this morning and not only was the parking lot chaos, but the store was ridiculous as well.

Stay tuned for a blog later this weekend showing before and after pictures!

1 Week Down

2010-02-01T12:55:00.003-05:00

Last week was crazy - to say the least.

It began with Gianna getting her first black eye after falling down a few stairs while in her stroller at the eye doctors (note first picture, you can see a black eye on her right eye). We had a wonderful dinner with some friends on Monday night and then it was back to daycare/work for Tuesday - Thursday. Aside from some showings, everything was pretty much back to normal. Friday, Aunt Mon ka came to keep us company over the weekend -- which was awesome. I'm not sure if she will ever want to come back with how hectic things are. We had 2 showing on Saturday, of which only 1 showed up because of a huge snow storm that we were getting (6 inches total). Everything culminated with a open house on Sunday from 1-4 and saying goodbye to Aunt Mon ka.

All I have to say is selling a house it stressful -- bring on another week (or better yet, some contracts so we can check this experience off my list).

Things we are looking forward to:

Gianna's 18m birthday on Friday!
Dada coming in this weekend for a visit
Gianna sprouting teeth like crazy

D-Day

2010-01-24T13:22:00.004-05:00

Well, today is the day. Mike left this morning at 8AM and we have tried to stay very busy since he left. I figure if we keep up with things to do over the next few days, we won't stop to think that "Dada is in NY". We are all very thankful for technology, specifically Skype!

Few things that we have to look forward to:
...that we already had a showing and we have another one at 2PM. Keep them coming! (This makes 8 for the week)
...that Aunt Mon-ka is coming next weekend
...that Valentine's Day will be here before we know it, when Dada comes back to visit!

I do have a few pictures to post but I will have to do that next time I blog!

2010: Year of Transition

2010-01-17T18:18:00.004-05:00

It's official - we are moving back to NY, Mike first with Gianna and I to follow.

By now many of you know that the Cimineri's are in transition. We have been planning for quite some time to move back to NY, especially before we have another child. Mike started looking for a job in the 4th quarter of last year and after about 2 months of searching, got a great job as a Pricing Manager at Global Crossing. He starts on Monday January 25th. Gianna and I will be in charge of all things related to selling our house in MD and will then be joining Mike in NY.

We are hoping that the house will sell ASAP as the time apart is going to seem like forever. Picture weekend trips, many play dates, dinners with friends and family to pass the time. We are both so excited about the move (as are the grand parents) and we are just keeping our "eyes on the prize": our single family home in NY, being close to our family and reconnecting with old friends while making many new ones!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-02T12:35:00.008-05:00

Christmas, with Gianna as a 17 month old, was amazing this year. It was so much fun to be able to help her open all of her gifts. It was also great for Mike and I to be with our family for the holidays.

Gianna made so many new memories: making cookies with both Grandma's, having lunch with Great Great, playing in the snow for the first time, talking to Santa on the phone, playing with all of the new toys, watching Sesame Street on the computer (specifically Elmo), learning to sing her "ABC's" (which goes like this...A..B..C..D..C..D..C..D -- she gets stuck), watching Nator work on her farm on face book, making Christmas dinner with Grandpa Ralph, and many more.

Here are a bunch of pictures from the holiday:

We can't believe that it is 2010 - - and that in another month, Gianna is going to be 1 1/2. Her vocabulary keeps growing as she repeats everything we say and she recently started to want to climb up the stairs, instead of crawling. Just this past week, she looked at Mike and I and said "Mommy, Daddy. Sit. Please". The hardest thing right now is to understand a lot of what she says. We just tell her to take our hand and show us what she would like.

Happy New Year!

Side Note: I'm going to try to post more over the next year. Sorry for the reduced frequency towards the end of the year.

Where has time gone?

2009-12-10T16:23:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it has been almost two weeks since we have done a blog post. It must mean it is the holidays.

Most of you know there has been a lot going on in the Cimineri household - not to mention the craziness of the holiday. We had snow in DC last weekend, which was nothing like we were used to in NY, but was still really pretty.

Gianna has been changing everyday and has a long list of new words which include Santa, ho ho ho, run, horse, snow, star, and bells. Mike and I were just commenting on how she is at the point where she will repeat everything that we say -- and says it quite well. She can now climb up on the kitchen chairs, the couch and our bed which causes us to be watching her every move to make sure she doesn't fall off. Just this morning she pushed our small Ottoman from the family room into the kitchen and next to the corner near our microwave. She then proceeded to stand up on the Ottoman so she could see what I was microwaving - - YIKES! Also, a few weeks ago we took down the baby gates so she can go wherever she wants in our 3 story townhouse. Crawling up and down the stairs is nothing for her now although she is trying to walk up them with the assistance of a hand or railing.

We are looking forward to this Christmas and spending time with family/friends. We hope that you all have a wonderful holiday as well!

Here is to 2010!

Thanksgiving Memories

2009-11-30T11:38:00.006-05:00

It feels just like yesterday that we were running around the house getting everything packed for our Thanksgiving vacation. Here we are, over a week later, and the vacation has disappeared before our eyes.

We have so much to be thankful for while remembering the past week...

...that everyone traveled safe

... that the Santa in the mall was extremely patient as Gianna was not thrilled to sit on his lap

...that the weather on Thanksgiving Day was the best I can remember, which allowed Gianna to play outside with Grandpa Ralph

...the "Please and Thank You Tea Set" (early Christmas gift) from Grandma Gertz

...all of the friends and family we were able to spend time with over the week

Let the official holiday season begin. Remember, eat, drink, and be merry!

Santa Came Early!

2009-11-14T19:47:00.005-05:00

Last weekend we decided to have a little toga party with Gianna. We figure you can never be too prepared to know how to wear a toga (especially if she is going to St. Bonaventure like Mama and Dada). Lesson 1: Papertowels make a great toga when you are 15 months old.

Also, Gianna was lucky enough to have a Christmas preview this past week. Grandma Gertz and Grandpa Ralph had their Christmas gift shipped directly to the house and Pottery Barn was extremely fast in their delivery time! We were going to wait to put it up until we were closer to Christmas but figured Gianna would love playing with it now. Thank you Grandma Gertz and Grandpa Ralph!!!

Drum roll please............

Now we are just getting ready for Thanksgiving! Bring on the TURKEY (and stuffing, and pie's, and shrimp, and gravy, and cranberry sauce, and...)

Halloween 2009

2009-11-02T14:55:00.005-05:00

We were so lucky to have Aunt Monica down for Gianna's first "official" Halloween and it was even better that it was on a weekend. The day started with a "Boo" cookie that dada got for her when he ran to the local bagel shop, continued onto lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, then onto a Halloween Party and finally - Trick or Treating!! The weather wasn't the best but we all had an amazing time. Enjoy the pictures below and thank you for all who voted for Gianna's Halloween costume - the strawberry outfit was priceless.

Fall Fun

2009-10-26T10:45:00.006-04:00

For those of you picture lovers - this post is for you. Over the past week we have had a lot of fall fun. It started with picking pumpkins on the best fall day we have seen in a long time, then continued onto a local petting zoo where we were able to play with baby ducks, bunnies, goats, pigs and more, and then finished with an evening of pumpkin carving last night.

The weather has been amazing which allowed us to get a bunch of great pictures. Here are a few highlights but check out the rest on photoworks - I took upwards of 180 pictures over the past 5 days! Enjoy!

Baking, Engagement Party and More

2009-10-11T16:13:00.005-04:00

I made a promise and I want to keep it. Here is a blog of all pictures of the past few weeks - including the AWESOME engagement party that we went to this weekend for Monica and Brian. Congratulations you love birds!

So where are we now?

2009-10-06T18:09:00.004-04:00

I know it's been a while since we have posted but here is the end of the H1N1 story. To begin with, I learned that it is the H1N1 and not the N1H1 -- which is probably a good thing.

So - where did we end off?

On the Friday of Swine Flu week, Gianna was back to her old self. She hadn't had a fever since Thursday night at 10PM and had gone all day without any medication. At 7PM on Friday night, Mike and I decided that we were going to pack everything for the wedding that we were supposed to be at on Sunday (which if you remember we politely called and said we couldn't attend) in hopes that Gianna wouldn't have a fever on Saturday morning and we could drive up to NY for the weekends festivities.

Come Saturday morning (at 5:30am) we got Gianna up, she had no fever, so we put her and all of our stuff in the car and off to NY we went. 6 hours later we dropped Gianna off at the grandparents to babysit -- then another 1 1/2 hours in the car for Mike and I to get to Buffalo NY. Needless to say, we walked in the church with NO time to spare. Really though, we were the last people to be seated before the wedding started. The wedding was beautiful, the bride was gorgeous and the reception was amazing. Yes - you are thinking the same thing - we were Wedding Crashers.

Definitely a calculated risk that went in our favor.
H1N1: 1
Cimineri Family: 1
Bring it - H1N1 !!!

Next on this hit list is an upcoming weekend in NYC for my sister's Engagement Party! Yeah - you read it, she is engaged. (Whomever owes me money can sent it to...). Mr Brian popped the question and Monica said yes - so onto a year of wedding planning and excitement until the big day -- August 28, 2010. They are working on a blog as we speak and as soon as it is ready -- we will announce it here.

For those of you picture lovers - I'm sorry. We do have a few from when we had Cimineri Cookie Night (we all made mini-cookies - with Gianna's help) and this past weekend with my in-laws here although I haven't had time to get them on the computer. I'm going to wait until after this weekend and then I promise - a post with very little words and more pictures.

The Cimineri's versus N1H1

2009-09-25T14:27:00.001-04:00

The Cimineri's: 0
N1H1: 1

We have always heard that being a parent will change your life and we have definitely learned that lesson this week.

The week started off like any other, Mike at work on Monday, Gianna and I enjoying our day off together. By the end of the day, I noticed that Gianna was becoming very cranky and wanting to be held. Not thinking anything of it, we put her to bed a little early that night. We were all focusing on the excitement of the upcoming weekend which involved a trip home to NY for a family wedding as well as various other events.

Tuesday morning is when we realized something didn't seem right. She had a slight fever of 99.9 but we have been told various times that it isn't a fever unless it is above 101, so we shipped her off to day care. We explained to our day care provider what was going on and told her to call if she got worse. At 11:30, my phone rang and the caller ID had my day care providers number. I knew she wasn't calling to say hi. Gianna's temperature was up to 101 and she wasn't doing well. Mike left work to get her (of course I was in DC at an appointment) and put her down for a nap. When she woke up a 3 her temperature was up to 104. After a visit to the doctor confirming no ear infection, no respiratory issues, and no bladder infection, it was assumed she had the flu and she would start to feel better soon. We had to focus on liquids and provide medication ever 4 hours. Preliminary phone calls went out to let everyone know what was happening and of course, that we were now nervous about traveling for the wedding.

Wednesday morning brought promise of a new day - although it went down hill from there. Gianna had no fever until early afternoon and then it spiked to above 104 again. At dinner when she was lethargic and not eating, so we decided to take her to the emergency room. After 3 hours of minor tests (chest x-ray and blood work) all coming back negative and a saline drip to provide her some fluids, it was determined she has the flu, although this time of year it is known as the Swine Flu or H1N1. Treatment is the same for any flu, hydration, rest, and medication for the fever. We left the hospital with her temperature down to normal and thought maybe the worst was over. Our thoughts on the weekend: if she can get through Thursday without a fever, we are on the road first thing Friday morning.

Thursday...another day of optimism. Gianna had no fever when she woke up and was playing as normal...until 2:30 when her temperature rose to 102.7 and rounded off the evening to 103.3. Just like that our weekend plans had crumbled and we realized this flu was not letting up. After skipping the night bath and providing her more medication we put Gianna down early allowing her body some time to rest. Then, Mike and I drowned our sorrows in candy and gin and tonic's - which made us feel a little better.

So here we are. Friday early afternoon. No sign of a fever and she is playing as normal. I am on my 5th load of laundry, have wiped all play areas down, Lysol'd the house, taught Gianna how to "scrub scrub scrub" her hands and that antibacterial lotion is "magic soap". We have come to terms with the fact that this weekends plans will continue on without us. Now is the realization that we (Mike and I) could now be the ones who are the ticking time bombs - just waiting to get sick.

We have done the right thing by not traveling with Gianna while she is still fighting the flu. This is just the beginning of adjusting our plans when it comes to our children - and we are ok with it.

All I have to say is bring it on N1H1- we aren't going down without a fight!

New Photobook

2009-09-17T11:28:00.005-04:00

I finally completed Gianna's last photobook (via Photoworks) with pictures of her from May 5th - August 5th. We ordered a hard copy but here is a soft copy for everyone to look at.

Captured in this photobook include:
~ First trip to the zoo and beach
~ Mother's and Father's Day
~ Both 1st birthday party's (MD and NY)

Link: I'm One: May 5, 2009 - August 5, 2009

Enjoy!

And the votes are in...

2009-09-16T12:34:00.005-04:00

For Halloween this year Gianna will be a strawberry. Thank you to all who took the time to vote. Here is a picture of her costume. Stay tuned for pictures that I will post after Halloween!

Week of Vacation

2009-09-11T14:56:00.007-04:00

Mike and I both took last week off of work which allowed us to spend some quality time with Gianna, do a little home improvement, and take a trip to NYC.

First - we had our kitchen floor redone! Out with the linoleum and in with the ceramic tiles. We had to move everything out of the kitchen and it was so nice having the fridge right in the family room. We didn't have to travel far to get a beer! Here is are some pictures:

Mid-week we took a trip up to NYC to visit Aunt Monica and Uncle Bri Bri. We were so lucky to have awesome weather and definitely made the most of our trip. Some of the highlights include:

Gianna's first ferry ride

Gina walking Broadway from Ground Zero up to Time Square

Bridesmaid dress shopping with Monica

McAleers wings (With Gianna on our lap - long story)

Crumbs Cupcakes!

Eating in Little Italy

Playing Pictionary Man ( "Gina just draw a tiger" - Monica)

BBQ with the DeAngelo Clan

This morning, since it is raining out and very fall-like, I thought Gianna needed a little coat so I put on her jean jacket for the 1st time. She is styling!

Lastly - welcome Fall and Football!

Recipe for a healthy you

2009-09-11T09:57:00.004-04:00

I found this in a magazine and thought I would pass it on. Happy Friday!

~Recipe for a Healthy You~

Begin with an early rise.
Mix in a light two-mile walk.
Add a healthy breakfast.
Sprinkle in laughter, smiles, and good cheer.
Stir well.

Continue on medium.
Gradually mix in hard work and a sense of accomplishment.
Cool down frequently.

Add several servings of organic fruit, light protein, and carbohydrates.
Stir in brief meditation (optional).
Sprinkle in friends and family.
Cool again.
Flatten and let rest of eight hours.

Family Pictures

2009-08-31T10:17:00.003-04:00

This past weekend, we had Gianna's 1 year pictures taken down in Washington DC. Despite the clouds and a little bit of rain, we had a great time and got some great pictures!

Enjoy!

http://erinjphoto.com/slideshows/Cimineri_1yr/

We are excited about...

2009-08-27T10:02:00.005-04:00

...going to Muldoon's for dinner tonight
...having next week off from work
...going to NYC for a visit with Aunt Monica
...going to the outlets to get new fall clothes
...FALL!

(Here are some more pictures of the last few weeks)

Family & Farm Animals

2009-08-24T10:51:00.011-04:00

Besides Gianna's birthday party, we have had a lot of fun with Grandma Gertz, Grandpa Ralph, Auntie Monica and (soon to be) Uncle Bri Bri. Everyone was in town over the past week and it was great having the whole family for the first time at our place. We had lots of laughs, discussions of wedding planning, and definitely lots of drinks!

Gianna also has started breaking in her birthday toys - some of her favorites include the tunnel and her princess coupe car. Just this morning (at 7:30am) she was standing at the stairs saying "ca, ca" - so down we went, to ride in her car. She is so cute when she has her sunglasses on, honking the horn and saying "hi" to everyone!

Lastly, the fair was in town so we took Gianna after dinner last week to her first county fair. Of course we had to have some ice cream and enjoyed the company of some very big and loud animals.

MD Birthday Party

2009-08-24T10:45:00.003-04:00

I'm sorry it has taken me a little while to get these pictures posted but here are some great shots of Gianna's Maryland birthday party. Officially - the birthday express is over. We couldn't have asked for better weather or better company.

1 Year Appointment

2009-08-17T14:04:00.002-04:00

We just got back from Gianna's 12 month doctor's appointment. After a Popsicle, she is now down for a nap.

Here is the latest info:
Height - 31 1/4 in. (97%)
Weight - 21.4 lbs. (50%)

This appointment is a little bit longer than usual because they not only do an assessment of her physical attributes but they also check her against various fine/gross motor skills and her social ability.

The doctor said that she is doing extremely well and hitting all of her milestones for this age, he did say she was extremely active and social - doctor code for "Good luck". We go back in 3 months for her 15 month checkup and shots.

Also, we had Gianna's MD birthday party this weekend. I will probably post pictures from that party next week as we have Grandma Gertz and Grandpa in town right now with Aunt Monica and Brian coming on Friday.

NY Birthday Party

2009-08-10T10:06:00.008-04:00

We are back and in one piece. The weekend was awesome and the party was a success. We were so glad that the weather held off and Gianna was in such a good mood. It was great seeing everyone and Gianna received awesome gifts (she is going to look like one cute kid this fall)!

Here are a few of the pictures from the weekend and one of the lovely - ENGAGED - couple (my sister and her fiance Brian). Do I hear wedding bells??

There are many more pictures on photoworks so don't forget to click the link on the right.

What a year it has been!

2009-07-31T11:14:00.004-04:00

I can not believe that today is Gianna's 1st Birthday! It seems like yesterday the Dr. looked at me and said "It's a girl" at 3:22am!

We have been so blessed with a daughter who has such a wonderful personality, loves to laugh, and is a joy to be around.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us out over the past year with advice as there have been moments when we had no idea what to do and I'm sure there will be more.

So here is to the past year --- up next, it's toddler time!

It's been awhile old friends

2009-07-31T10:42:00.007-04:00

Sorry to all of our loyal fans, it has been a little while since we have posted any blogs about our latest events -- so we have a few things to catch you up on.

Tomorrow is Mike's 30th birthday! I will officially no longer be a Cougar (which is so sad) but I'm glad to have him in my club. Also, he has worked so hard for the past 4 months and has lost 25 lbs. What a great way to start your 30's! CONGRATULATIONS MIKE!
Wednesday is Gianna's first birthday! Last week one of her birthday gifts from Mike and I came -- which was her own personalized chair. As soon as we got it, Mike and I put it together and it has been a hit ever since. We are hoping that it will become her reading chair but right now, she just loves to climb all over it. We are going to be taking the LAST monthly birthday photo -- a tear comes to my eye -- but those of you coming to her party will see the birthday banner that I put together highlighting a monthly photo from the whole year.

Last weekend we gave Gianna her first tattoo (don't worry - it was just a flower). We took it off right before she went to bed (did you know you are only supposed to have those on for 6 hours) but it provided entertainment for at least 2 hours.

Gianna now has her own little toilet seat that she sits on right before we get into the bath. There were to many nights of us taking off her diaper and then her peeing on the way to the bath tub. Now we just sit her on there (and she reads) for just a minute before putting her in the tub. I figure one of these nights we might get lucky!

Can my baby read? One of Gianna's other birthday gifts was the set of "Your Baby Can Read" books, dvd's and flashcards. We just got the packet yesterday and Gianna is loving the DVD so far. I've seen commercials for this program and was extremely interested - now thanks to Grandma Gertz, Gianna has her own program. We are working on some basics: hi, wave, clap, Cat, Dog, Gorilla (not sure how that one got in there) and others. We'll keep you updated on her developments as I'm so curious to see if this works. I figure either way, it is educational!

Can't wait to see many of you over the next few weeks! Get ready to party!

Bethany Beach

2009-07-19T14:10:00.005-04:00

Last week, Gianna took her first trip to the beach with a few of her BFF's (Olivia and Tyler). She had fun playing at the beach but really didn't enjoy the sand. We were looking forward to taking her in the ocean but the water was so cold that even Mike and I wouldn't go in -- maybe next time.

Other exciting events:
~ We are going to be enjoying the next few weeks getting ready for Gianna's 1st and Mike's 30th birthday -- everyone is getting older!
~ Thank you to Grandma Gertz for the early birthday box of gifts - Gianna can't wait to celebrate "holy week"
~ Gianna has 4 teeth now - two on the bottom and two on the top and just learned how to drink out of a straw

What a busy two weeks!

2009-07-05T09:55:00.010-04:00

The past two weeks have been filled with a bunch of visitors and numerous holidays.

I have had both sets of grandparents come down for long weekends: Nator and Poppie came two weekends ago then Grandma Gertz and Grandpa Ralph surprised Mama for her 30th birthday this weekend. The weather was great for everyone, there were walks outside, meals on the deck, a few dinners out and of course, lots of smiles. Also this weekend was my 1st 4th of July, so Mama planned a BBQ with a bunch of friends and family in town (we had a little birthday cake for Mama as well). It was great getting to play with all of my friends - Olivia, Isabella, and Cousin Lucas. The cherry on the top is that today is my 11 month birthday and you know what that means --- Monthly Birthday Picture!

Since Photoworks no longer does the sharepage, I have included a new section to the right called "Photoworks Pictures". That is where you will be able to see (and purchase) all of the pictures that were taken whenever a new post is created.

Enjoy all of the pictures of the past few weeks.

It is official!

2009-06-22T14:13:00.007-04:00

GIANNA IS WALKING!

It has been touch and go for about 2 weeks now - 2 or 3 steps here and then she would sit down. About a week ago she did 8 steps (but who is counting) and then I can officially late last week she would just let go and would walk where she wanted. Even today as I was doing things in different rooms instead of crawling to me, she would walk. Unfortunately we got rid of the camera that would take little video's so we worked hard over the weekend to get a few shots of her walking.

Also Aunt Monica was here a few weeks ago so she got to spend some quality time with Gianna...

... walking

... riding her ladybug

... enjoying the deck (we were locked out - long story)

... going to Livi's 1st birthday party

This past weekend was a great one. Friday Mike and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary so Mike took the day off from work. We had another "Cimineri Family Fun Day" which started with taking Gianna to a 'Tumble Tunes' class at the local Romp & Roll, then we went to the pet store, took a walk outside and ended with a great BBQ on the deck. Saturday we got a babysitter to watch Gianna in the evening while we went out to dinner and a movie (The Hangover - it was pretty good). Also, it was no surprise that Gianna was no trouble for the babysitter. Sunday was Mike's first Fathers Day so we had a few gifts and surprised him with a WONDERFUL brunch at The Comus Inn. All in all - a wonderful weekend.

Coming up: Poppie and Nator are coming this weekend which means another date night for Mike & I!!!

**Photoworks Notice: As of June 25th, Photoworks will no longer offer the "Sharepage" feature that we use to post all of the pictures that have been taken (the blog is only a highlight of a few). I'm not sure of the work around yet but I will let you know what I come up with. In the mean time, if you want to see all of the pictures just send me an email and I can email you the photobook.

Pandas, Apes, and Elephants

2009-06-08T19:57:00.012-04:00

So much has happened within the past week or so. It seems like it has been months since we went to NYC but it was only 2 weeks ago. The great news is that Aunt Monica and Brian are coming this weekend and we are all looking forward to that!

Mike and I went out to a local Wine Festival with Mike's cousin, Stephanie and her husband. It was our first experience with a non-family member babysitter for Gianna. The weather was great, the wine was delicious, and the babysitter loved Gianna.

Gianna has become quite the little walker. She loves walking around the house from couch to couch or holding on to our hands. She has taken 4 - 5 steps on her own and then very carefully sits down. We can't believe how much balance she has and know it won't be long until she is walking everywhere. Still her fastest mode of transportation is crawling.

This weekend was a big one! Friday we celebrated Gianna's 10 month birthday and on Saturday had a play date with a bunch of the moms that I have been friends with since Gianna was born. We were all in the same Motherhood class. Needless to say, it was great to see all of the children as they are all within 3-4 weeks of Gianna. Unfortunately, for the group picture, guess who was crying...GIANNA! : )

Yesterday was another Cimineri Family Fun Day! Mike took a vacation day so we took Gianna to the Washington Zoo. The highlights were Pandas, Apes (complete with the new addition - a 5 month old baby girl), and Elephants. We were able to enjoy the wonderful weather and Gianna seemed to have a great time. The day ended with dinner at our favorite Mexican Restaurant and some playing in the family room. It was great having Dada home.

Here are some other pictures over the past few days!

(With distant cousin, Isabella)

Weekend in NYC

2009-05-26T14:51:00.006-04:00

Mike and I both agree, we just had the best weekend in NYC. It was Gianna's first trip to the big apple and based on some of the pictures below -- she loved it. The weekend was a perfect balance of seeing the sights and enjoying good company. We didn't pack every minute with things to do which made it feel like a mini-vacation.

Gianna's favorite memories:
~ Talking in her pack and play Friday morning from 12 - 2 am (after we got to Hoboken)
~ Seeing her first horse in central park
~ Having a picnic in central park
~ Buying Schwartz (her new panda) at FAO Schwartz
~ Bonding with Aunt Monica in the baby bjorn
~ A BBQ with Uncle Brian's family
~ Trying her first blueberry muffin and pancakes
~ Spending QT time with Dada
~ Playing with Aunt Monica's cats (Billy & Velma)
~ Her first trip to Patsy's Pizza and seeing cousin Sarah

Here are some pictures of the weekend but there are a lot (and I mean 180+) pictures on our photoworks page so these one's are just a few of our favorites.

Thanks again Monica for the wonderful weekend!!

Our Favorites

2009-05-17T10:14:00.003-04:00

Here are some of our favorite pictures from the past few days -- check out more on our photoworks page.

So many firsts...

2009-05-10T20:26:00.006-04:00

...first Mother's Day
...first Tooth
...first pictures with a new camera

It has been an amazing weekend. It started on Friday when Mike and I went to go get a new camera. We are finally to the point that taking pictures of Gianna have become extremely difficult because she moves so much. For every good picture we have, there are about 10 of the side or back of her head. With our new carmera, we can take pictures in a split second and it has caused us to wonder how we have made it this long without it. We took the camera everywhere this weekend I have have included a few of the best pictures but there are a TON more on our photoworks page, feel free to check it out.

This morning was my First Mother's Day which had a theme: Mama Princess Day! It came complete with a boa, crown, wand, and a whistle (if I needed anything). Gianna and Dada were up at 5 AM this morning decorating the house and getting everything ready. I had a wonderful day that included brunch at a local restaurant and going to a park to enjoy the beautiful weather. It was great just being able to spend the day together relaxing. THANK YOU MIKE & GIANNA!

Lastly - I wanted to Congratulate Grandpa Ralph for winning the tooth competition! He had picked May 15th and as of this morning, Gianna's first bottom right tooth had broken the surface! Grandpa Ralph - your gift will be in the mail shortly.
Enjoy all of the pictures!

Gina Cimineri Named 2009 Mother of the Year

2009-05-08T09:46:00.000-04:00

Watch it here:
http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=kFDYUQAUnLssLAgykX8yDDExMjc4MDg0&referred_by=15617595-cdcEXmx&p=moveon

9 Month Birthday

2009-05-05T08:46:00.006-04:00

I know it's been a while since we have posted pictures so this post is going to have a bunch of them. There have been new developments over the past few weeks. First we had Grandma Nator and Poppie in town for a long weekend to play and help us paint the deck. They even babysat so Mike and I could go out for 'date night'. Also, Gianna has learned where the stairs are and has started climbing them. A few weeks ago she even made it up the first 8 stairs to the first landing (which was caught on video). Gianna has mastered crawling and has starting to enjoy feeding herself, which makes meal times so much fun.

Lastly, today is Gianna's 9 month birthday so here are the birthday pictures. She doesn't sit still like she used to so we had 2 photo shoots -- the first was in her pj's and the second was in her birthday outfit (although she wouldn't let me put the hat back on her head). She has her 9 month doctor's appointment on Friday so I will post this weekend with her latest stats.

Cimineri Prefontaine

2009-04-30T15:09:00.004-04:00

This past Sunday, Mike and I both ran a local 10K (6.2 miles) call the Rockville Pikes Peak. It is a race that we have run for the past 3 years. This is a great race because...
1. It is at the beginning of spring so we have spring fever
2. The race is a fast pace, with the majority of it down hill
3. It's a great distance

We both set out to have personal best race times and we just found out that we both achieved those goals. Mike wanted to come in less then 63 minutes and he did it in 62.16 and Gina wanted to come in less then 60 minutes and she did it in 52.44. To see lovely action shots, click the links below:
Mike: http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=48063&PWD=&BIB=801
Gina: http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=48063&PWD=&BIB=800

Can't wait to see what next year has in store!

So much to catch you up on

2009-04-21T16:14:00.008-04:00

Over the past few weeks we have been extremely busy with visitors, holidays, and even a trip home.

Gianna's First Easter: We were so excited to have Great Aunt Nina and Cousin Anna travel down from Buffalo, NY to celebrate Gianna's first Easter with us. We had a beautiful Easter mass followed by a lovely Easter brunch. Gianna spent the entire day in her Easter dress and loved it.

Also, Gianna took her first metro ride and headed down to Washington DC with everyone for a little sight seeing - she was a trooper!

Trip to Rochester: This past weekend we went home to Rochester for a friends birthday party. While there, Gianna went to her first jazz concert to hear Grandpa Ralph play the guitar. Gianna was prepared as she brought her own guitar to the 'gig' as well (she also was lucky to see Great Aunt Dalinda - let's go Bona's!!!) . The majority of the weekend was spent crawling on the floor with Grandpa Ralph, being fed by Grandma Gertz, or chasing the Darwin and Django (the CATs). Gianna also had her first piano concert.

On Sunday, we had a family get together at Great Aunt Fee Fee's house. Gianna was so excited to see everyone, had a wonderful time and even met her cousin Sammy for the first time.

Latest Developments: Still no teeth - I know I know - we jumped the gun! Stay tuned though. I feel like they are coming any day now. (Let's put it this way, I know they are in there because we saw them on the ultrasound). Gianna is crawling every where, loves to play with plastic containers in the kitchen, and is pulling her self up on anything she can find. We feel it is just a matter of time until she is walking! Should we do a "Gianna's First Step Competition"?

Also, a congratulations are in order to Damian, Stephanie and Aidan Brant who welcomed their new family member on April 15th - Isabella Colleen Brant. Check out their blog for the latest pictures and Brant family events.

**There are a lot of additional pictures that I did not put in this post. Please visit our photoworks share page on the right to see everything from the past few weeks.

8 Month Pictures & More

2009-04-08T13:28:00.003-04:00

Bath time & Mr. Easter Bunny

2009-03-31T14:06:00.006-04:00

Cimineri Family Bonding Time!

The thing we look forward to the most is when we get ready for Gianna's bath. We take our time, get Gianna undressed, roll on the floor, play with some toys and do a little walking. Here are some pictures and a great video from bath time the other day.

This weekend was spent preparing for Gianna's first Easter. We went to the mall and got her Easter outfit (complete with bonnet) and took her to see the Easter bunny at the mall. It took her a little while for her to warm up to this big furry bunny (doesn't look like the pictures that Mama shows) but in the end we got some great pictures.

New Pictures and Movies!

2009-03-27T08:44:00.009-04:00

It's a little blurry but still cute.

Nothing like a little zucchini on my forehead!

Playing with my BFF Lucas

I can kneel at the piano all by myself

Bonding with Dada!

Hi Everyone!

A video of my first experience with Gerber Puffs...

...and of me standing up by myself at my play table.

It has begun: Separation Anxiety

2009-03-25T15:04:00.004-04:00

I actually started to think that we wouldn't get to this point. Gianna is exceptional right? She is different then all of the other 7 1/2 month olds. She has been the so easy going and hasn't had any of the typically new baby ailments. Why would she have separation anxiety?

Well - she does...and I feel like it is only the beginning.

It doesn't involve going to daycare, yet. When I take her to Ms. Bina's, she is fine and even smiles. There are so many friends and different toys there that I think most of the time she doesn't even realize that I had given her a kiss and left.

Her separation anxiety rears its ugly head at home, when we leave the room. Whether we are heading to the kitchen or the bathroom, she starts to cry. There have even been times when we put her down to do something and she cries. In some regards it flattering - that she loves us this much and finds us so much fun that she wants to cling to us all day long, but at some point Mama and Dada need to shower!

I'm reading it's going to get worse before it gets better. I've read to make it a game of peekaboo or keep talking to her while I'm in the other room. I've been using these tactics since she was a newborn and I think she is on to me. I know - this is a good thing. It means she is starting to learn that objects disappear and has to learn that they come back, but in the meantime her eye's are constantly puffy and Mama's ears are ringing. Any other advice?

GNO

2009-03-21T09:44:00.002-04:00

Guys Night Out (GNO): A night where guys go out, separate themselves from their responsibilities at home which involve spending time with their wife and children, who, by the way, they don't see much of during the week because they are at work. Topics of discussion for these events involve:
- who is winning in the March Madness Tournaments
- work related venting
- comparing who's child is hitting their developmental milestones first
- complaining how we (the wives) are always nagging that they don't do enough around the house. SIDE NOTE: sounds justified to me seeing as though the first night they all have free they all go out for a guys night instead of bonding

The evening usually ends after midnight with these smart men with various advanced degrees wondering how they are going to get themselves home from this grand event seeing as though they can't drive and us wives are home with their little children (who are asleep).

The next day begins with sleeping in until at least 10 (and for those of you know have young kids, you know us moms will be up at 7 with them), lots of water, headaches, Tylenol, and of course nagging from the wives as to how irresponsible they are for getting that drunk!

Mom's Night Out (MNO): A afternoon or dinner with the mom's at a local restaurant enjoying some wine and good company. Maybe getting together for a manicure or pedicure. Usually wraps up around 7:30 so we are home to put the children to bed because we aren't convinced the Dada's really know how to work the bottle warmer. Topics of discussion for these events involve:
- work/life balance struggles
- losing the baby weight
- celebrity gossip
- how the dads will step over pacifiers and a crying baby to get to the remote control to watch March Madness.

The evening ends with putting the little one down for bed, washing our face, 10 toners, 2 lotions (one for the eyes), a large glass of water, vitamins, and a little Greys Anatomy (TIVO'd from earlier in the week).

Guess which one is happening tonight?

Happy St. Patricks Day!

2009-03-17T14:53:00.003-04:00

Kiss me I'm Irish! (today)

On to meats!

2009-03-16T13:41:00.008-04:00

I love meat – so far. I have only tried a Chicken Casserole but it was delicious. It has chicken, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips all pureed together. Even Mama thought it tasted good. Recently I have also been trying to feed myself. It is quite difficult because I don’t always get the spoon in my mouth and my food ends up all over my lap. I also like to get it on my hands and then rub my head. Mama and Dada spend a lot of time cleaning me up after I eat.

I have also started playing with “unconventional” toys such as rice in Glad containers and hot mitts. Dada even let’s me sit up on the counter when I play with some of them to get a different view of the world. I like it on the counter.

Now that I am not sick anymore, I have able to get back to playing with Mama and Dada. (Mama still has a cold which I think I gave to her but I still let her play with me). I have learned that if I call out “Mama” that someone will respond to me. I also enjoy saying “lala” and “baba”. Once in awhile I just scream out to see if anyone will come.

Mama and Dada have been working on me crawling. I can get on all fours but haven’t been able to get all of them working in the same direction. I feel like it will happen within the next few weeks – but I figure what is the rush – I can travel everywhere by rolling!

I also made a fashion statement on Sunday by wearing my “Green is the new black” onesie (thanks Grandma Gertz!!). I may be young but my generation is going to change the world, one onesie at a time!

It’s been fun filling you in on my latest developments. Hope you enjoy the rest of the pictures.

Fun with my BFF Olivia

2009-03-11T13:48:00.001-04:00

Here are some of the great pictures of Gianna and Olivia. Go to our photoworks page on the right to see them all.

Snapshots of the past few weeks

2009-03-06T09:22:00.004-05:00

As requested -- pictures of the past few weeks. Yesterday was Gianna's 7 month birthday so we need to start with the monthly birthday photo. --- Enjoy!

I know - it's been awhile

2009-03-04T08:51:00.006-05:00

Sorry to all blog fans - it has definitely been a while since we have posted a blog. We have had a very busy past few weeks with visitors. First is was a long weekend with Aunt Monica while Mike was in CA, then Grandma Gertz came during her spring break for a week and then Poppie and Grandma Nator were here last week. It has been so much fun having everyone to play with Gianna and allow Mike and I to have a few date nights (I don't recommend "He's just not that into you" OR "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" -- sad but true, those were the movies we saw on our date nights).

During this time, Gianna has grown so much. She now rolls all over the floor - never staying in the place where we put her. She can sit up unassisted and tries to stand on her own, although her little legs aren't strong enough to hold her. She now reaches out for Mike and I, and loves to do things and look for our praise.

Gianna has also tried a bunch of different foods. I'm not sure if I told you but avocado, although great with margarita's and chips, was not one of her favorites. She deals with zucchini and would rather not eat cauliflower. It seems like her favorites are still butternut squash, apples, bananas, and sweet potatoes. I think I'm going to give her more fruit although I read that I can't give her strawberries?? I have to look more into that but we are also going to try meats in the next week or so. I'm not sure if I'm going to puree the meats myself or buy it from the store. Pureeing chicken and steak just seems...well....gross. Any advice?

This past weekend Gianna started her Waterbabies Swim Class. She is so cute in her little bathing suit and Mama had the honor of dunking her not once, but 3 times! She was such a trooper and didn't even cry. I am definitely looking forward to this weekends class when both Mama and Dada will be in the pool with her!

We also wanted to thank everyone who is participating in the Tooth Competition - - although there is still no sign of a tooth. Sounds like we really jumped the gun on this one.

Coming soon...PICTURES!

Weekend with Monica

2009-02-18T14:50:00.001-05:00

Here are some of the best pictures taken while Monica was in town

Monthly Pictures

2009-02-09T09:49:00.014-05:00

Thursday was Gianna's actual 6 month birthday which of course began with her monthly birthday picture. We figured because this was a bigger milestone, we would change up the outfit this month - pictures in her birthday suit!

Also, for those of you who didn't know, Mike had to go to California for work Thursday - Saturday so Aunt Monica came to 'play'. We had a relaxing cozy day on Friday staying in our PJ's until 2PM and enjoyed the great weather on Saturday by going to the mall (the temp. got up to 65). Aunt Monica took most of the pictures on her camera so once I get them, I will add a bunch to the blog.

Mini-updates:

6 month doctors appointment: Everything went great. Gianna is developing right on track. Her weight is 16lbs 1 oz (50%) and height is 27 1/2 inches (95%)
Solids: Gianna LOVES apples and butternut squash. She is learning to enjoy banana's but still doesn't really enjoy peas. You know what that means -- peas are up in the rotation very soon! Over the next few weeks she will get to try broccoli, cauliflower, avocado, and zucchini!
Teeth?: Nope!

Gianna's First Tooth Competition

2009-01-29T15:04:00.007-05:00

Mike and I thought that it would be fun for family and friends that read the blog to participate in a friendly competition: guessing the day that Gianna has her first tooth.

Gianna's First Tooth Competition
Rules: The person who comes closest to the day Gianna has her first tooth without going over wins a prize from Gianna. Each person can pick only 1 day and you can not pick a day that has already been chosen.
How to play: Please post a comment to this blog with the following information: Your name, email address, and which day you would like. I will keep track of everyones pick and will submit a post when the tooth comes in and who won. Verbal entries will not be taken. You must post to the blog to enter the competition so other people can see the dates that are no longer available.

For those who don't know how to post a comment, at the bottom of this blog you will see "Created by Cimineri Family at 3:04PM 0 comments". You will click "0 comments" which will bring you to a "Leave your comment" screen. Put your name, email and date you pick in the comment section. Then fill out the "Choose an Identity" information below. Click publish. I will approve your post and then it will be put on the blog.

Good Luck!

Carrots? Check

2009-01-28T16:35:00.007-05:00

Over the weekend Gianna experienced her first adult food - carrots. I had heard horror stories of baby's rejecting all different types of foods so we were ready for anything. To our pleasant surprise, there was NO DRAMA - what so ever (and she comes from a long line of drama queens). She just ate the carrots and kind of looked at us as if to say - what is the big deal and why is Dada taking so many pictures?

Sweet potatoes are going well - up next: Apples!

Side Note(s):

We are anticipating a tooth making its appearance any day now. We will keep you posted!
Gianna has rolled from her back to her stomach a few times now (you may remember she rolls from her stomach to her back all the time). Once she gets that down we are in a lot of trouble.
Fronk is starting to warm up to her - enough for them to share the same blanket for a nap
Gianna loves sitting up and playing with her toys. She loves playing Bach on her 'Baby Grand Piano'.

We're loving life

2009-01-21T17:17:00.001-05:00

Enjoy some pictures from the last few days!

Gianna's Favorite Things

2009-01-21T16:46:00.004-05:00

Gianna is so much fun to be around now. Here are some of her favorite things to do:

Smiling at Fronk and once in awhile getting to pet her
Playing with her piano (actually she eat's it but let's not get technical)
Eating Rice Cereal and Oatmeal
Sitting up, slightly unassisted
Kicking her feel like crazy in the bathtub
Sitting at the table with Mama and Dada when they eat dinner
Oh and how could we forget, everything is Dada (which make Mama feel wonderful)

6 Month Pictures

2009-01-18T19:08:00.004-05:00

Although Gianna hasn't hit her 'official' 6 month birthday, we had her professional pictures taken last week. The girl that does them is 8 1/2 months pregnant and wanted to make sure we had our photo shoot before she went into labor.

I feel like it was just yesterday she was at our house taking pictures of Gianna when was 8 days old.

We hope that you enjoy the slide show!
http://erinjphoto.com/slideshows/Gianna_6m/

Gianna's First Solids

2009-01-13T15:33:00.005-05:00

We are rounding the corner when Gianna is 'able' to start experiencing solid foods. I remember hearing that you should start solids at 6 months and it was always just a date in the future - although it's not too far out in the future anymore. Actually, it is only 3 weeks away!!! Time to get our welders masks on to protect our faces from flying food!

I also didn't realize that she should be eating cereal, not only rice but also single grain oatmeal, more regularly so yesterday we started giving it to her at lunch as well as dinner. She actually prefers the oatmeal to the rice cereal but before she knows it she will be having pureed potatoes, carrots, apples, and squash (which I don't even like).

We (and I use that term loosely) have decided that we (and I mean I) will make homemade foods for her just steaming and pureeing the fruit, vegetables, and meats at home. I have read a lot of great information on how to mass produce so that we have a bunch of food for a few weeks (rumor has it ice cube trays are the way to go). I've also learned that you need to introduce one fruit or vegetable every 3-5 days just in case there is an allergic reaction. We have decided to start with vegetables since those are the things that most kids don't like and then introduce some fruits (yeah sugar) into her diet. Mike and I are really excited and can't wait to see if she likes the same things we like although I look at some of the recipes I have for 6-8 months and I don't think you could pay me to eat some of this stuff. Oh and we can't forget her meats - which we can start anytime after 6 months as well. Nothing like pureed chicken - YUCK!

I do have a few books that are great like "First Meals" by Annabel Karmel and of course there is the Internet. I'm going to go out this weekend get another book by Annabel that goes along with "First Meals" called "First Meals Food Diary". This will assist me in keeping track of which foods/vegetables/meas she has tried, when, and in what combinations.

Do anyone else have other books, resources, or advice for us as we enter this next phase?

5 Month Birthday!

2009-01-07T15:55:00.009-05:00

January 5th was Gianna's 5 month birthday! For all of you blog fanatic's, you know what that means (say it together)

THE MONTHLY PICTURE

Small milestones this month. We were able to keep the birthday hat on straight although Gianna didn't want to look at the camera. Either way, they're great photos.

***********
Everyone is back to a regular schedule and the trip back to Ms Bina's was a little difficult. Apparently Gianna didn't take long naps so she was a little crabby later that night but we're hoping everything settles back into a pattern. This morning when I dropped her off she seemed much better and was even playing with her BFF Sarah.

She has been doing a lot better sitting up and aside from the face plant into one of her toys on Monday, she seems to be enjoying her new found view of the world.

Here are some extra pic's from the past few days and a video to make you smile! Enjoy!

We have a video!

2009-01-02T09:21:00.003-05:00

Here is a quick video of Gianna in her new jumper that Mike & I bought her for Christmas. She was having a ball laughing at Mama.

Christmas Pictures

2009-01-02T09:00:00.005-05:00

Here are some of the best pictures from our Christmas Vacation! Don't forget to see all of them on our Photoworks page.

Come here Mr Binki...get in my mouth!

Look what I pulled down all by myself.

I love you Mr Turtle.

Hey Grandpa - I got the wishbone. Thanks for my college education!

Christmas in Buffalo - with Great Grandma Anna

I'm in a gift coma.

Too many gifts - don't know what to do.

Reading "The Night before Christmas" on Christmas Eve

Opening gifts Christmas Eve at Grandma Nater & Poppies

I love my dada!

Just reading a book...

Thanks God-Father Kevin for my Dog!

My new play corner

One word...

2008-12-28T13:00:00.003-05:00

Norovirus!

We have arrived home for the holidays and we brought more then just gifts...we brought the norovirus (or at least that is our diagnosis).

What is the norovirus? A group of viruses that cause the “stomach flu,” or gastroenteritis, in people.

The good news is that it is a hard and fast illness. We think Gianna started it last Wednesday when she was home from day care because of vomiting. She recovered quickly and all was good until Friday night when Mike woke up sick. We weren't sure if it was food poisoning (we went out to dinner the night before) or possibly the flu. Not knowing exactly what it was and seeing as though I felt fine, we decided to hop in the car and head to out next destination. Half way there, I started to feel sick which typically wouldn't be a big deal but I was driving. By the time we arrived, Mike was driving (because he felt better) and every joint in my body was aching.

Fast forward 18 hours and I healed.
12 hours later - my mom had it (for 3 days).
12 hours later - my dad had it (for 1 day).
We were able to break the cycle with my sister - who lived with Lysol in her hands!

Oh and by the way, there are no antibiotics and just a few basic ways to avoid the norovirus such as washing hands and staying away from infected individuals.

'Tis the season to share with friends and family right?

Learn all about the norovirus on the CDC website.

35th Wedding Anniversary Memories

2008-12-27T13:52:00.002-05:00

Not only did we get to celebrate Christmas with our families but this week was also my parents 35th Wedding Anniversary! Every year we take them out for dinner for their anniversary but this year we wanted to try something different. We figured with Gianna it would be a little bit more difficult to manage her at a nice restaurant so we decided to bring in a personal chef.

Brenda Monahan, owner of My Thyme, Your Place - blmcmp@rit.edu, came over to make an amazing dinner for everyone. With Brenda's help, we personalized a menu that we knew my parents would like which included an appetizer, a salad, a main course with two sides, and dessert. Brenda made ample portions and we have a bunch of left overs for a second meal. She was very personable and the meal was amazing. Thanks Brenda.

Our first sick day

2008-12-17T10:31:00.002-05:00

It all began yesterday with some vomitting after Gianna's morning feeding. Ok, I can't lie, it wasn't some vomitting -- it was a lot of vomitting. After I dried both of us off, I took her temperature and she didn't have a fever. I figured it was just something I ate the night before, the fact that I had a hard morning workout, or a side effect of the shots she got the day before. I mentioned it to Bina so she could keep me posted if she kept vomiting.

I spoke to Bina around noon and all was good!

Then at 4:30 my cell rang and "Bina" popped up on the caller ID. (Talk about your heart stopping because I knew she wasn't calling to say hi). She wanted to let me know that Gianna has been sleeping a ton and just threw up her 3:45 feeding. She thought I should call the doctor just to make sure everything was ok.

After leaving two messages for the on-call doctor and waiting an hour and a half, I finally got a return call.

The diagnosis (so far): .a small stomach bug.
The solution: keep her home from Bina's, smaller feedings more frequently, alternating breast milk and Pedialyte.

Since she woke up this morning, we have had two small feedings with very little spit up and she's down for her second cat nap. Keep your fingers crossed.

From a work perspective, I'm going to see if I can keep some of my afternoon conference calls but am willing to move them if I need to. Only problem is that if I need to reschedule I wouldn't be able to meet again until middle of January as my schedule is booked. It's a good problem to have but I feel bad for the people I might need to move. Flexibility is my middle name.

Chunky Applesauce Recipe

2008-12-15T09:14:00.004-05:00

At our Christmakkah party this weekend, I brought the Famous DeBergalis Family Homemade Chunky Applesauce. It was such a hit that I was asked to post the recipe on the blog - so here it is...

Ingredients:
4 apples, washed, peeled and cut into pieces
2/3 c water
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c raisins
1 packet Splenda

Directions:
In saucepan, combine apples and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes until tender. Use a fork to mash undrained cooked apples. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins and Splenda. Keep on low until served. Serves 4.

Christmakkah Party and Rice Cereal

2008-12-14T14:11:00.009-05:00

Now, some of you are probably either trying to pronounce the title of this blog or if you can say it, you're probably wondering what it means. Well "Christmakkah" (Christ-mah-ka) is the combined celebration of Christmas and Hanukkah, picture Santa Claus and dreidals . So last night we were invited to a Christmakkah party with a bunch of friends and here are some pictures. By the way, don't you love her Christmas outfit?? Mike now knows what bloomers are!

My eye's are still blue!

I'm sitting up like a Big Girl.

My BFF's Olivia and Tyler

Daddy, Can I have some of your beer?

Also the Doctor has given us the OK to start Gianna on rice cereal. So far so good -- we have cereal on her face, cereal on her bib, cereal on her seat although I'm not sure how much cereal is going down her throat. Oh well, at least we're having fun.

Gianna's 4 Month Birthday

2008-12-08T10:27:00.009-05:00

Another month has passed and we have new stats.

Of course there are the 4 month birthday pictures -- can't forget the birthday hat. I wanted to take this picture in her 'birthday suit' but Mike wouldn't allow it. Maybe for her 6 month : ).

Along with the 4 month pictures was a 4 month doctors visit. She was supposed to have another round of shots but with her cold, we decided to hold off a week. We got the go ahead to start introducing rice cereal with a spoon to get her used to feeling a spoon in her mouth. Once she is good with that we can do Stage I foods, but only 1 per week so we can track any allergies. We have all of her updated stats. She is right on track for her age.

Height 25 in (75%)
Weight 14.1 lbs (75%)

Over the weekend, although Gianna had a horrible cold, she was still in a wonderful mood. Mike started to get Gianna's cold on Sunday so he was banned from touching her. In order to entertain her, he would do funny things to make her smile. One of the things that she really loved was his Bullwinkle interpretation. She was laughing so hard and we were able to capture some of it. This video makes our day...Enjoy!

Online Coupons

2008-12-08T10:12:00.004-05:00

My latest thing is trying to find online coupons not only for shopping online but also for grocery's. Mike and I don't get the paper daily (or even on weekends) so I have resorted to the Internet to find printable coupons to take to the store. Even today, there was a segment on the Today Show that recommended some different sites to use. I've taken a look at those sites as well as other's that I have found and here are some of my favorites. (The site that I used a lot in the past was retailmenot.com although it appears as if companies have learned about this site and are no longer allowing codes to be posted. )

*FAVORITE* coupons.com - Love this site because you put in your zip code and they personalize the main page for coupons in your area. To print them out, you check the box and when you're done all of the coupons you checked are on one printable page

ebates.com - This site has a lot of information and is difficult to navigate but is still use full

cellfire.com - This is a unique site. This is a online coupon site for your cell phone or PDA. You download the program (for free) to your cell or PDA. Then you browse the coupons that are valid in your area. When you find one you like, you save it and then when ready to use it, show the code to the cashier. No paper coupons required. It is still brand new but I definitely think it will catch on.

In a quest for knowledge sharing, which online coupon sites do you love?

Thanksgiving vacation - in pictures

2008-12-02T19:30:00.008-05:00

~The tallest with the smallest~

~Cousin Francesca & I~

~Me on my butterfly mat~

~4 generations of DeBergalis/Cimineri's~

~4 generations of Gurowicz/DeBergalis/Cimineri's~

~4 generations of Cimineri's~

Teething and a new job?

2008-11-30T14:04:00.003-05:00

Just this week Gianna started to lick and chew everything she can get her hands on - and she doesn't discriminate. She has sucked on Grandma Nator's face, rings that dangle from her play mat, her sheep named Fleece, her bibs, her burp cloths and a few fingers. We don't see any teeth coming through yet but either our daughter is part dog or she is definitely teething. We have some teething rings that are too big for her to hold so Mike and I went to Target yesterday to buy some that she can hold and chew on. She has been loving those and slept with one in the crib last night. We have her 4 month doctor's appointment next Monday so I'm going to check with the Dr to see what he says. Can you believe that she will be 4 months old on Friday? You know what that means - new monthly birthday picture and new stats from the Dr.

Also some of you might already know but Mike has taken a new job with Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) as a finance manager and starts December 8th. This new job is a great move as it is a promotion and will look good on the resume. Unfortunately instead of being 4 miles from home, he will now be down in DC which is an hour commute, each way. That means the great schedule we have for dropping off and picking up Gianna will be changing. It will definitely take some getting used to but is the best thing given this job environment. The great thing is that there is a facility 5 minutes away from our house that his department it looking to move there in the near future.

Oh, by the way, I'm posting this from the car on our way back home to Maryland. Greetings from the middle of no where PA.

Pictures from Thanksgiving coming tomorrow - hopefully.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

It's Turkey Day

2008-11-27T19:19:00.004-05:00

Hi Everyone! I bet you thought that we wouldn't post but I thought I would surprise you with some pictures of the week. First to catch you up on everything, the ride home was amazing. Gianna slept 4 1/2 out of the 6 hours which meant that mom was squished in the back seat for no reason. The weather was great traveling home and we made great time. We have been having a wonderful time at Grandma Nator and Poppies house. Gianna has logged a lot of great bonding time on her butterfly mat, sleeping on Grandma Nator, and "dancing" with Poppie. She easily adjusted to the new bed (the antique crib that my husband slept in-- sorry Nator -- had to say it), the new bath tub and all of the great toys. We are so lucky that our daughter has such a great temperament (we're not sure who she got that from) and adjusts to just about anything. She has had a consistent stream of great visitors coming over to say hello and she has loved every minute of it. We already made one quick trip to the mall but tomorrow we are going to experience BLACK FRIDAY!! Gianna will be in her baby bjorn and Mike & I will be armed with a smokin' credit card and some serious coupons. Based on the paper this morning, we should be able to get some great deals.

Here are just a few pictures from the week so far...

oh those baby blue's

laughing with daddy

I love my rocking chair

Gianna & Great Grandpa Joe

Gianna & Great Grandma Anna

I love hanging out with everyone

No - I'm NOT the turkey

We hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Gianna is excited about...

2008-11-17T15:27:00.005-05:00

...her first road trip to Rochester NY and spending 6+ hours in the car, bonding with Mommy and Daddy
...staying in her new room at Grandma Nater and Poppie's house
...meeting Great Grandma Anna and Great Grandpa Joe
...her first Thanksgiving Feast
...her first Macy's Day Parade
...BLACK FRIDAY in the Baby Bjorn
...meeting Darwin and Django (cats)
...meeting all of the neighbors
...being able to listen to Christmas music (officially)

*********************************************
Just to catch you up on a few things...

Gianna has become increasingly interactive within the past few weeks. Just this morning she had a whole conversation with Aunt Monica on the phone. We've heard a few little giggles within the past few days with the best little smile, it makes your heart melt.
Gianna had her first shower this past weekend with Daddy. Although she didn't smile during it, she wasn't crying either. We want to her enjoy the water so we made sure to put her face in it twice and she did great. Incidentally, we are signing up for Aquababies through the local indoor pool which starts in January. (We can't wait to buy her a bathing suit).

Again - for you picture fanatics, sorry! There will be a bunch after the Thanksgiving holiday.

We're rolling over!!

2008-11-11T19:37:00.005-05:00

It has been a wonderful past few days. Gianna started rolling over last week and we were able to capture it on video. We can't believe it!

Also, Grandma Gertz and Grandpa Ralph were here for the holiday weekend and Gianna had a wonderful time. Grandma Gertz showed Gianna how to file her nails, Grandpa Ralph is an expert in putting Gianna to sleep humming jazz music and both made great babysitters when Mike and I went out for a date night.

Sunday we were able to spend some time with our BFF Luke and meet cousin Suzanne.

Lastly, we're into our second week back to work and only a few tears were shed when I dropped off Gianna at Bina's. She smiled when we walked in the door and seems to be enjoying all of the other kids.