Sunday, December 28, 2008

Christmas Festivities!

I've finally got some pictures up from Christmas! While it's so hard to be away from our family during the holidays, we are so lucky to have such great friends here in Italy to spend the holidays with. Parker had a wonderful first Christmas and is oficially spoiled rotten! He got the hang of pulling the wrapping paper off gifts and loves to play with all his new toys and books :) Karl and I got him tons of stuff, but I really think that his favorite is the ball popper...he actually just likes to watch mommy and daddy run after the balls when the pop out all over the place! I think my favorite gift was the Wii from Karl- I'm super sore today after playing way too much tennis, boxing, and Dance Dance Revolution yesterday. Karl loved all the soccer stuff I got him and also a signed print of the marina here in Pozzuoli, Italy!
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Christmas Eve started all of the festivities. When Karl got home from a half day of work, we did a mini-Christmas celebration with our maid, Rosa, complete with Limoncello and gifts for Parker. Later that day, Karl, Parker, and I headed to a local Pasticceria (Pastry shop/coffee bar) to get dolce for Christmas Eve dinner at our landlord's house. We then headed home and made dozens of cookies with Parker...he even helped shape the sugar cookies and put sprinkles on them...such a little chef :) At nine at night, we headed over to Gennaro and Rosa's (our landlord and his wife) for Christmas Eve dinner...that's right...9 pm...Italians eat late! We had tons of food with the main meal being Spaghetti alla Vongole (spaghetti and clams) since they mainly eat fish that night. There was also a TON of wine that was made in our vineyard earlier in the year! We finally got home around midnight and headed to bed to wait for Santa...
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The plate of dolce we got for Christmas Eve dessert (and yes, it was as good as it looks).
All our loot (minus the boxes from my family that haven't arrived yet)...Christmas is going to last for weeks! Parker putting the last ornament on the advent calendar (my oldest sister actually made this for us last year!).
Ready for Parker's first Christmas!
Gennaro with Parker at Christmas Eve dinner.
Parker decorating the cookies!
Me and little chef :)
Parker on Christmas morning with his new soccer ball...Karl is trying to influence him I think...
Christmas was such a fun day! After opening (some) presents...it took two days to open all of them...I baked an amazing apple pie (I will toot my own horn on that one) and Amanda's famous MacNCheese and we headed next door to Lisa's for a great Christmas dinner with tons of friends!
It really couldn't have a been better couple of days and thank you to everyone who helped make it so very special!
Opening more gifts.
Parker in his Christmas bag :)
Opening the ball popper while my parents were watching on Skype from the laptop in front of us.
I think I could have just given Parker wrapping paper for Christmas and he would have been happy!
After a VERY long Christmas day :)

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Sunset

I was planning on posting all of our Christmas pics tonight, but it's just too late to wait around for my dinosaur slow internet to download. Instead, I'm leaving you with a pic Karl took Christmas Day from our house...our own little piece of heaven :)
I'll work on getting up those other Christmas pics in the next few days!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! Karl, Parker, and I have been enjoying a few days of great food and friends! I have many pictures to post and so many stories about how we spend Christmas here in Italia with all the different customs and traditions....but they will have to wait because I am completely exhausted after today and am going to head to bed in my new PJs :)

Sunday, December 21, 2008

New Pics

Just a few new pics like I promised!
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Yesterday was a huge milestone for Parker...his very first meal! His gourmet feast was some yummy rice cereal (most of it ended up on his face and hands though)! He did great and was even opening up his mouth for the spoon by the end of the meal :)
His very first bite of food ever! We love Santa's Little Helper!
Parker keeps jumping so much in his toy that he puts himself to sleep...so precious
Karl and Parker before going to the N35/Marine Corps Christmas Party...notice the game on in the background.
Ready for the party!
On his 4 month birthday...can't believe he growing up so fast!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Holiday Plans

I've been trying to upload some pictures all morning, but my internet is just to slow to handle it I guess, so I give up for now! I've had so many people ask where Karl and I plan to travel to and if we have plans for the holidays, so I thought I should let everyone know what we're up to! We'll be staying here at the house for Christmas so we can watch Parker open up his gifts (and probably try to eat the paper since EVERYTHING goes in his mouth nowadays). We'll also be here New Year's Eve- the hour and a half long fireworks show is too beautiful to miss- I'll try and take a video to upload. On New Year's Day, we're leaving for four days to Alberbello in the heel of Italy (we were planning a trip to Africa, but it's not safe enough for Parker). After returning from Alberbello, Karl will be gone for almost two months for training and such, but from March 14-18, we're going to Dublin, Ireland for St. Patrick's Day!!! I have always wanted to be in Ireland on St. Patrick's Day, so I guess my wish is coming true! This April we plan on heading to Venice with Chris and Jean when they come to visit and our final plan is a Mediterranean cruise in June. It should be a busy couple months! I'll keep trying to upload those pics :)

Thursday, December 4, 2008

4 month check-up

Everything went great at Parker's 4 month visit- he's growing like a weed! He weighed in at 15.8 lbs and 25 inches! He's grown 5 inches in 2 months! The doctor said that he's very advanced in his motor skills, but then again he is the most intelligent and strongest baby ever :) Karl and I are working on planning a trip somewhere soon, but with his crazy travel schedule with work, who knows if we'll ever be able to go anywhere! My vote is to go to Greece the week between Christmas and New Years, but we'll just have to wait and see..it's so hard to be living in Italy and not travel constantly (but I guess everyday here is a mini-vacation). If anyone has a suggestion of somewhere to vacation in Europe (preferably somewhere moderately warm), I'd love to hear it!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Cute Parker Pics

Just thought I'd share some cute pictures of Parker from the past week. He'll be 4 months old tomorrow- doesn't hardly seem possible that he's that old already! We are going to his 4 month appt on Monday, so I'll let everyone know his weight/measurements next week! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving- I know we had a great time celebrating with our wonderful friends, Ed, Amanda, Amy, Scott, Chris, Caroline, Josh, and Lisa (plus a whole bunch of little ones!)- we're so lucky to have such great friends here!
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Parker showing off his Thanksgiving outfit.
Rub-a-dub-dub...time for the tub! He's such a happy baby!
Once again, here's an outfit that I think he'll hate me for later in life :)
My sleeping angel baby.
Parker looooves his Jumparoo and it's one of the only things that can wear him out at the end of the day.
I went to this awesome park in downtown Pozzouli (about 10 min from our house) with my neighbor, Ericka, and her three kids. There are tons of old ruins, a nice playground, orange trees EVERYWHERE, and neat fountains and ponds. This is Eve washing her orange in the fountain.
Parker and I in the park- he loves walking around in his sling, but I think he's getting a little too big for it because my back was killing me at the end of the day.
The entrance to the park.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Parker's Baptism

Once again, sorry it has taken so long for me to get these pics up and blog about Parker's baptism earlier this month, but Karl just got back from a week long trip and I rarely had a minute to myself when he was gone! Parker has been doing so many new things recently and is just so much fun to be around and play with! He has recently started sleeping from about 9 pm-7 am (roughly) each night, has been rolling over for about a month now, has been "boot-scooting" around the floor- basically crawling without using his hands!, and is obsessed with Sesame Street and Baby Einstein and will watch them in their entirety! I can't believe how fast he is growing up!
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On November 2, Parker was baptized in Virginia- he's official now! We were so excited to have so many friends and family there to help celebrate in such a memorable part of Parker's life.
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Parker and I before heading over to the church.
Getting dressed into his Christening gown- his gown was 96 years old- worn by all the first males in Karl's family (his grandfather in 1912, his father, himself, and now Parker)! He looked so cute!
Parker did not enjoy this part of his Baptism.
This is such a sweet pic- his godmother, Jean Gardner, was trying to get Parker to calm down and his godfather, Chris Gardner, was letting Parker hang onto his finger for comfort...awwww.
Our families at the Baptism.
Chris and Jean with their godson :)
Karl, Parker, and I with Rev. Baker.
After the Baptism at my parents house- Parker with Grandpa Schlegel. My mom hosted an amazing lunch after the service- thanks again mom!
Me cutting Parker's cake.
Thanks again to everyone who made Parker's Baptism so special!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Here are just a few of the pictures we have from our visit to the states! I'll keep updating the blog in the next couple days- I promise!
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Parker in his pumpkin :)
Doesn't he look happy?! Parker and Daddy on Halloween- a hatching chick and his farmer
chirp chirp
Going to trick-or-treat for the very first time!
Ready to go!
In Uncle Danny's Budweiser hat...Parker knows good beer!
Watching the Hokies play with Daddy- see him biting his finger in suspense?
GO HOKIES!!!
I love my boys!
Going out for a shopping trip with mommy
Parker will hate me one day for dressing him like this!