Bikes and goats and rocking horses

Hi everybody! Let's start off with our newest transportation mechanism! For the past three weeks, Nina and I have been riding the bicycle to Stanford everyday. It is a leisurely 20-25 minute ride to campus. And so far we have lost only one shoe! Nina seems to enjoy the fresh air although I think she wishes she was big enough to pedal herself. She is even a good sport about the helmet. The first couple of times, putting it on was a bit traumatic, she was prepared to fight to the death not to wear it, but now no problem. "Nini hemmet!" she says.

Nina's next most favorite activity of late is helping to cook ("kuku" or something like that). Whenever we are in the kitchen, she wants to pull up her chair and help (i.e. make a mess). Actually, it is quite nice because it keeps her busy and allows me to get dinner on the table a little easier on those hectic weekday nights.


And speaking of hectic, boy, our life sure feels to be these days. This is the closest thing to a family portrait we have had in months:

Yep, Nina is growing up right before our eyes. Any day now she'll be ready to go off to college .... or at least to the frat parties! Chug! Chug! Chug!

Rancho San Antonio has always been one of our favorite spots to go for a hilly trail run, but some things you don't find out until you have kids - they also have a little farm! Nina was mesmerized by the animals.

They have chickens and sheep and pigs annnd goats!


In fact, I think Nina was remembering the goats when she tried this maneuver:


Or maybe she is just crazy!

Our Southern Friends

Marianna and Yorgos were in town last weekend, and Tim and Jane graciously hosted us for dinner. Yorgos is now a professor at LSU. It was wonderful to see them, and we even managed to have a bit of conversation in between wrangling the two toddlers!

Unfortunately, we didn't manage to pull out the camera until Nina was dead on her feet. When we put her in her pajamas (yes, Christmas pajamas, poor kid) for the ride home, she actually reached out for Hannah's crib.

'Pleeease, I just want to sleep..."

This is a lovely one of Marianna, plus you can see Nina's mass of curls continue to come in.

Much love, Marianna and Yorgos! Come back to see us soon!

Mischievious Girl

We're back! After a crazy month of traveling in April we're all glad to be back home - especially Nina!

Waiting for us at home was a fresh new package from Baka filled with all sorts of goodies! Thank you, Baka!

The girls try on their handmade goodies.

We are looking forward to the next several weekends of relaxing at the homestead. Of course these days no weekend is complete without a birthday party. Last weekend was Bobby's one year birthday bash!

The Birthday Boy. Love those baby blues!

The gang was all there.

Watching a baseball game. "When do you think we'll be old enough to play?"

Here is a fun little sequence. I can't figure out in the first picture if she is looking around for someone to help her or making sure no one is watching. Those are bottles of bubbles by the way.

Not even a challenge.

In other news, Nina's shoe fetish has continued unabated. In fact she has stepped it up a notch......

Watch the video!

Boston

Yay! Congrats Mirko!

Houston Part II: Nina and Lucia

While Bruno was sleeping it off, Nina and Lucia had things to do! There was great fun to be had with the bubbles.....

and the slide....

Although lest you think it was all wine and roses, the girls did get into an occasional tiff.

"Nooo Nina!"

All was quickly forgiven especially when bribed with a trip to the park.

"The park is this way"

Geronimo!

I think there is absolutely nothing cuter in the world than little children holding hands (and barefoot at that). So let's end a few more shots.

Houston Part I: Bruno!

Two weeks ago, Nina headed to Houston to visit her brand new baby cousin. Bruno Jackson DeLuca was born on March 7 weighing in at a solid 8 lb 13 oz! It was great fun to get the family together, and we even managed to get the cousins settled down for a few seconds for a group picture.

The affectionate Nina, the proud big sister Lucia and the baby burrito Bruno

Not surprisingly Nina was fascinated by Bruno. She loved patting him night-night (new word "nigh-nigh"!) and giving him kisses. She was infinitely helpful in feeding him his bottle and replacing his pacifier (after borrowing it for herself for just a minute or two). Actually, I was surprised that she was relatively gentle with him and seemed to know that he wasn't the same as a baby doll. But you definitely did have to watch her like a hawk. Turn your back for a second and the next thing you know there is a pillow on Bruno's face!

"Here, let me help you with that"

Bruno being just a few weeks old was a good sport about it. It fact he slept most of the time.

Blissful Baby

Quick, everybody look... Bruno is awake!

Oh, wait, he is asleep again.

There was no shortage of people to hold this little bundle. Here are proud grandparents for the third time.

Wow, the family is growing!

And finally, we had a special treat with a visit from great-aunt Rebeka (my mom's sister). She came down from Ohio to hold Bruno and of course shower the girls with presents. It was wonderful to see her!

Bay-be!

Spring is definitely here! Time to get out and enjoy the fresh air and flowers....



Here is a picture that illustrates one of Nina's new words:


Hat or more correctly "at!". But by far, her favorite word right now is "baby" usually "be-bee" but sometimes "bay-be" or more likely "bay-be! bay-be! bay-be!". Nina devotes many hours each day to her babies. Carrying them, feeding them, and putting them for night-night.


We look forward to her reaction to meeting little Bruno next week!

Pretend

Nina has been all about pretend play lately. Last weekend, she had a little 2-in plastic man and a kleenex, and for about a half hour she was putting him night-night. She wrapped him in the kleenex then put him face down patted his back. Too funny. She loves to pretend to drink from little tea cups. She brings the (empty) cup to her mouth and then smacks her lips.

Oh, and now she is in to baby dolls. They have a bunch of them at daycare, and one day I when I dropped her off, she took a little play bottle and was feeding the baby doll. I just about died. It was the most heartwarming sight in the entire universe. They said she carried around the baby doll for half the day.

On to this week's (er, uhmm month's?) pictures.....

California Eskimo

Supermodel. Work it girl!

Resting in daddy's lap

Taming the wild mop-top

Holding Hands

Let's start with the most adorable picture in the history of the universe! Last Saturday, Hannah and Jane came over for a playdate. We had lunch and went to the park. Then the girls walked home like this. We finally had to pry their little hands apart when we got to the door. Super-duper cute!


With some things though, Nina is Ms. Independent. For example, she is really into carrying her own lunch on the way to school in the morning. And heaven forbid if you should not realize she wants to carry it. I am not saying she throws tantrum, but she stops in her tracks, falls on her bottom, kicks her feet and crys with her arm outstretched. Oh boy, here we go!

And look at those chompers! You can't actually see it in this picture, but Nina has been getting in her molars. Three of them have broken through and one more is on the way (at least as far as I can tell, for some reason she doesn't like me fishing around in her mouth). So that makes 11 teeth so far. Update: that last molar is indeed in - make that an even twelve!

Happy Heart Day!

Nina's first Valentine.

Birthday Party!

It's about time to get these birthday party pictures up, wouldn't you say? We celebrated Nina's first birthday on Sunday, January 13 with a chaotic gathering of her little friends. Cake, ice cream, balloons, presents - it just doesn't get better than this!

The Birthday Princess is all cleaned up and ready to party!

The guests begin to arrive.

Tara contemplates her birthday next month.

Yes, the cake was just as delicious as it looks!

"Hey, what's everybody looking at?!"

"Not too shabby, beats that broccoli stuff."

Hannah Grace

No caption required.

Now we are making some real progress!

And finally a birthday video:

Happy Birthday to Nina Movie