New Site

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:39:01 -0600

I created a new website for Marissa and Alexis. You’ll find it in the tabs above titled “Little Wonders.” This is meant to be a more simplified site without all the crazy backgrounds or fancy pictures.

I realized in the effort to maintain a blog, I have been missing out on many of the little things the girls say and do since my record keeping has not been very great. Plus, I thought this would be more fun for the girls themselves to contribute on a more regular basis. And I’ve promised myself it won’t take a lot of extra time--it’s more a personal thing so they have a record they can look back on. Enjoy! (Yes, this site will also be private)

Finally, if you’re not interested in their daily experiences, simply ignore the site!

Get Into the Groove

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:30:49 -0600

Somehow I’ve lost it. I mean, there are still Christmas garlands hanging from our banisters, suitcases to be emptied, friends long overdue to contact, and I almost took a picture of the laundry room to show where we’re at in that department!

I just can’t seem to get back into the swing of things and enter a normal pattern of organization. Maybe I was spoiled in Utah where Jon and other relatives helped out so much with the girls; hence now I’m incapable of accomplishing things on my own. I don’t know--I have nothing to blog about, I’m eating horribly, feeling sluggish and wanting to sleep more often (to avoid laundry, other responsibilities), dreading gym workouts. It’s just not me.

Is it just winter? Laziness? Help me get back into my groove, please! Any suggestions or feedback are greatly appreciated...

Happy Birthday to my Wonderful Husband

Sun, 4 Jan 2009 00:46:11 -0600

I love you. Sorry you’ve been sick. Batayaki is waiting for you when you’re able to eat it!

Alexis is 10 Months Old!

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 22:49:41 -0600

Sometimes I look at her and still after all this time I can't believe she is actually mine! I fall in love with her more and more as every day goes by.

Ali is growing up too fast. Since she has the advantage of watching, listening and learning from her older sister, her development is speeding along. She still pees/poops on her potty (kept it up while in Utah) every day, and she even took her first step on December 28th! So far her signs, gestures and words are:

Signs: milk, more, music (singing), all done, bye-bye, light, eat, sleep

Gestures: clapping, dancing, bouncing a ball, waving, shaking her head no

Words: mama, baby, duck, dada, tickle, hi!, uh-oh, shh

I just want to eat her up! She is SO squishy! Her skin is beautiful rosy pink and fair, and soft as can be. No one beats her chunky thighs and fleshy feet either (21+ lb. is not too shabby!) I can’t believe she will be ONE in only two months now. You know time is going fast when you watch how quickly your kids grow!

Wine and Dine in 2009

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 22:27:13 -0600

Happy New Year! I just looked back at the resolutions I posted last year, and I failed miserably. So this year I don’t think I’ll post on the website, but I do have New Year’s resolutions and will be checking my list on a regular basis!

Something Jon and I have talked about over the holidays is some of the good friends we’ve made and the importance to us of maintaining those friendships. So we will do our best to keep in touch and perhaps take more time to “wine and dine” with friends this year. Look forward to great times ahead with the Mano clan!

Blog Neglect

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:05:35 -0600

I know, I am a slacker. I have nothing interesting to say on the blog right now, or perhaps I have just been too busy to think of anything catchy to share. But I hope I still have some loyal onlookers who will at least read our thoughts when we do come back strong in the New Year! For the time being, here are a few pictures of the things we have been up to:

Watching the snow (!!!) fall outside!

Reading books

Wearing warm, cute clothes

Spending time together as a family

Decorating the house

Putting up lights

And many, many more activities! Wishing you a Merry Christmas! (Just in case I don’t get around to blogging before then!)

Alexis is 9 Months Old!

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 14:37:22 -0600

You’re probably wondering when I’m going to stop announcing each additional month of Alexis’ life. I swear I’ll stop when she’s one year, but as our second child she deserves some special attention and a good record that she exists! I have talked to many parents who say the first child got all the pictures, clothes, etc. and with each successive child there was less and less. I think ours will in fact have more and more...more clothes (because I keep buying new ones so they have something of their “own”), more toys, a greater selection of bibs and sippy cups and hair accessories, etc.--you get the point.

Alexis has become her own little person this past month. She stands on her own for up to thirty seconds now, she still goes on the potty at least once every single day (she even follows my lead now--I show her the sign to poop while making a grunting noise and she copies me--wow!), she’s sleeping through the night again, she has a whopping SIX teeth and loves to eat table food and make silly faces with spoons in her mouth. Best of all, she is so content to play--with me, Jon, Marissa or by herself! She absolutely loves her toys and especially balls and babies. She “dances” and “sings” too!

Short of taking her first step or growing much hair, Ali seems too old for her young age. In fact, she had her 9-month well-visit today and her development is charted at that of a 13-month-old! Now I really don’t read much into the charts and standardized tests, but I do know that she is growing up way too fast! For example, she said her first word (besides Mama) yesterday--baby! And she weighs 20 lb. 8 oz. already!

Okay, enough with the facts. We absolutely love the huge spirit in this little girl that Alexis is becoming. She is headstrong but sweet, curious and smart, soft and cuddly (she gives real hugs!), mostly happy and wonderful. Parenthood is SO rewarding!

Getting the Hang of Photography

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:22:28 -0600

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 23:25:26 -0600

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! To Keith, Suzie, Sam, Audrey and Ben, we missed you (we will see you again soon, though)! And to Brad, Danielle, Leah, and Claire, we had a wonderful day with you and hope to be able to share more times like this together in the future! I wish we would have thought to take more pictures, but here are just a few:

The little girls’ table

Babies were at the heads of the dinner table

Alexis sure has a lot of food to herself!

Mmm...nothing like eating right off the bone!

Turkey time cupcakes!

We all have so much to be grateful for...as for me, I hope to remember my blessings and to show more gratitude every day.

1st Time Camping!

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:48:19 -0600

We went camping! Well, not really. We went to our ward campout for an hour last Friday night. The whole half hour it took to get to the campsite Marissa was saying, “I want to go camping!” I don’t think she really knew what camping meant, but whatever expectations she had in her mind, I think they were fulfilled.

We dressed in warm clothing, we brought gear (flashlight, lantern, camping chairs), food (KFC), we stomped in the leaves, looked at others’ tents, talked to friends and petted their dogs, and we sat by the wonderful fire enjoying delicious s’mores. Then we drove home!

Alexis is 8 Months Old!

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 09:03:44 -0600

As you can see, these photo shoots are becoming increasingly difficult--poor Lulu (the lamb)! Alexis is one busy girl. She likes to climb everywhere, put everything in her mouth, bounce, clap, and even sing! Her other little trick is pulling up on me to a stand and then letting go and balancing for a few seconds at a time! I tell you, this little girl is growing up way too fast, and not just in size (she weighs 20 pounds)! She seems way beyond her eight months in so many ways. I mean, a bow in her hair already?

We’ve experienced some cranky weeks and many interrupted nights as Ali now has both her top and bottom middle two teeth. But the payoff is that she really enjoys food, real table food! The downside to that, however, is the incredible mess she makes every time we feed her. Marissa was such a neat eater, but Ali, she needs a bath after every meal!

Alexis loves her big sister and follows her around, especially when Marissa is playing with a good toy. She also loves her daddy. When he comes home from work she hears his voice, flashes a huge smile and crawls across the entire room to be picked up by her favorite man. But I think she still loves her mommy the most because she provides Ali’s most favorite thing of all--milk. I wonder if she’ll ever lose her interest in that!

Ali has taken to becoming quite the social being. She babbles away, gives huge smiles to complete strangers at the mall and my favorite, entertaining people in the pew behind us at church every week with open mouthed stares, monster growls and beaming grins. She has so much personality. She knows exactly what she wants and doesn’t want and makes it clear to everyone how she’s feeling, for better or worse!

She loves her balls, she loves her toys, she loves being outside, and she loves her potty (she has been going on it every single day for almost two months now! I think it’s an obsession for me). And we love her. We can’t wait to share her and sister with family over Christmas! Below are a few additional pictures taken during the past month. Enjoy!

Moving On...

Sun, 2 Nov 2008 23:51:29 -0600

We have prepared for Halloween all month long with so many activities, and frankly I’m really glad it’s all over. It’s time to move on, away from all the treats, decorations, and costumes. But now that Halloween has come and gone, I guess I’ll have to leave one last update before it is all just a memory forgotten.

Halloween night was picture perfect! To start things off, our neighbors across the street rented a bounce house! So when Marissa awoke from her nap, we rushed over to jump! She had so much fun.

Costumes on and photo shoot, then off for trick-or-treating!
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect--70’s and clear skies.

The fun didn’t end there! The Heaton family came to our neighborhood with their kids, so Marissa was able to go out again for more candy while Jon stayed home and handed out candy with Ali. We wrapped up the night with Santa Fe soup (thanks, Mubeen!), caramel apples, and a good ole’ game of Yahtzee. What a great time had by all and one I won’t soon forget!