Trick or Treat

Toby and I enjoyed ourselves tonight. We went Trick or Treating with one of my best friends and her son. (I've known Des since six grade and her little boy Jay will be 5 in Dec) It was alot of fun and it only took Toby about 5 houses to get the whole routine down pat....climb the stairs, hold out the bag, listen to Mommy say Trick or Treat and Thank You, and walk on to the next house. About 45 minutes into T andT Toby decided he wanted carried in between the houses. Now Mommy is worn out too. Lol Here are some pictures from the evening, there aren't that many cause I was chasing after Toby the whole time. On the move

Hum, I wonder what I got?

Checking out his loot again just to make sure it's still there

Jay and Toby after our Trick or Treating had come to an end

Enjoying a yummy dinner of pork fried rice

My mom....The QUEEN Witch

The Mommy Tiger and her Cub

Zoo Boo

Today was one of those great fall days that was cool and crisp, so we packed up and headed to the Pittsburgh Zoo for the Halloween festivities. It was also a chance for Greg, since he's at a conference this week for Toby's first halloween home, to get to enjoy something halloween oriented. Toby wasn't thrilled at first to be in the costume and he wasn't really fond of all the dressed up people, but after about 10 mins he relaxed and let go of my hand and that was the end of his anxiety. He had a ball. Almost all of the animals were out and slightly more active than normal, plus because it was chilly the zoo wasn't overcrowed. All in all a GREAT afternoon!

Do I really have to wear this thing?

Fine, but I won't like it!

What are you looking at Mr. Tiger?

Watching the Monkeys

Hey Bears! Would you like a fee-sh?

Mommy, guess what fee-sh are made of....CHEESE!

Do I look cute?

Petting a Kangaroo

No more candy? What's up with that?

Chalk drawing

The newest addition to the zoo

I just love his tail

He's Grrrreat!

Posin with Daddy

Now it's Mommy's turn

A Tiger Tent

Family Foto

That was fun, let's do it again!

See Ya Family Court...

Hello PGN!!!! We are being entered to PGN on Monday. Please Dear God let our stay be short and sweet! I never thought I'd be so excited to enter PGN. It is the major step in Guatemala adoptions. When we exit PGN Liliana will be legally ours. After that it will take about 6 weeks to bring her home.

We received new measurements the other day here they are:
Weight: 13lbs, 11ozs
Length: 23.62 inches
No health concerns at this time.

Hopefully we'll have new pictures soon, so stayed tuned.

Christmas is Coming

And so is Toby's birthday! So here are the lists (since I keep getting bugged for them!) For both his birthday and Christmas we are asking for only those things that we know he will play with especially with Liliana coming home and having her things around the house too. Our house is OVERFLOWING with toys that he does not play with and we just do not have the space to continue that trend. I hate the idea of having to box up toys that were given to him because we just do not have the room. We are also asking for no stuffed animals. He just isn't interested in them. He loves his bear and a kitty cat that he has and that's it. The rest just take up space. I tried to find items that were at Target or Toys r US for everyone's convience. Once you have chosen an item to get him please let me know so that I can remove it from the list. Some of the items are expensive and nonrefundable and I would hate for you to waste your money buying something that has already been purchased. The list will also be placed in the sidebar so that after the next post you won't have to come looking for this one. I really hope this helps all of those family members that every year beg me for ideas.

Birthday List (we are trying to keep this smaller as christmas is only a month later):
1.Anything Wiggles (Books, DVDs, CDs)
We have the following CDs: Wiggly World, Yummy Yummy, Here comes the Big Red Car,
and Racing to the Rainbow.
We have the following DVDs: Dance Party, Wiggle Bay, Santa's Rockin, Toot Toot, Yummy Yummy, Woowho Wiggly Gremlins, Wiggle Play Time

2.Books: He likes board books, lift-the-flap books and books that you can touch or interact with (not musical ones though)

3. Clothes: He is in 18 months now. Look for pants with adjustable waists however, since my boy has no hips or butt to hold them up. He is also in size 5.5 shoes and quickly heading to size 6

4. He's getting into coloring now so large crayons and drawing paper would be great.


Christmas List:
1.Clothes (see above)

2. Books

3. Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium Family Membership

4. Megablocks (any set or sets will do)

5. Lifestyle Dream Kitchen with Maroon or

Green Countertops (PURCHASED)

6. Little People Racin Ramps Garage

7. Battat Farm House (we like this one because it doesn't make any noises so Toby can make his own

I hope these ideas help. Toby is really starting to develop his imaginative play and we want to encourage it, hence some of the bigger items to help him play with and explore his smaller toys that we already have. He also is fascinated by driving. I'm not sure what toys are out there for this obsession of his but you never know what you might find.

For Greg and I (short and simple):

1. Bath Towels in Beige and Off-White/Cream

2. Queen size sheet sets

3. Gift Cards to buy new clothes with (Greg likes Kohls and JCPenneys, I like New York and Company, Kohls, Penneys, Old Navy)

4. Gift Cards for going out to eat or to the movies

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM and DAD

My parents have been married for 30 years today! What a milestone! They provided and excellent home life for my brother and I. They have ALWAYS been supportive of us, our activities, and our choices whether they have agreed or not. Our home was FULL of love, the love of our parents for us and the love they have for each other. The latter was always evident as we grew up and as an adult it caused me to seek out that same kind of love in my marriage. Our house was THE house for our friends to come to, my parents accepted all of our friends and most of them still call them Mom and Dad. Their love and marriage is the gold standard that the majority of couples never even rise to today. Mom and Dad I'd like to thank you for all the love that you have filled our home with over the years, the sacrifices you have made for us, and most of all the example you have set for us for what a relationship should look like. I love you both and wish you 30+ more years together, happy and in love!!!!


Sorry guys these are the only pictures I have of my parents on this computer. I have better ones but they are trapped on the other computer and it HATES me right now, so these will have to do. I wish I had a scanner cause I'd scan their wedding picture and since it's from the 70's it's great!

Together in Gatlinburg this summer

Another in Gatlinburg. This one was taken where Greg proposed to me.

With their grandson

I LOVE YOU MOMMY AND DADDY!!! HAVE A VERY BLESSED DAY!

Pitt Game

We actually won!!!! It's been a rough season. It was a terriffic fall day and we had a great time. Here are some pics from today. I got some FABULOUS pictures of him!

Our friends Dave and Stephanie all decked out in their matching Pitt gear

Watching the game

CHEESE!!

The background looks all fake but he was up on Daddy's shoulders

I was sooo focused on Toby's cuteness that I cut off his Daddy by accident. Oops!

What is Daddy doing??

Okay so here's what we are going to do....

Sleepy boy

Mom no more pictures pleeeeease

Okay Toby, I'll oblige you and post some more pictures of your cousin. Here is cutie putie Gabriella..... maybe later, blogger's being bitchy. Check back! Yeah, 4 hours later it finally let me post pictures, so here there are.

David holding Gabriella

A close-up

Sweet girl getting ready to go home. She is such a peanut that the 0-3 months outfits are too big.

All buckled up to head home for the first time. I had the great privledge to escort her and her Mommy home from the hospital.

Welcome to the World.... (edited to add pictures)

Gabriella Renee. She came into this world at 4:33pm weighing 7lbs, 11ozs, and 21 inches long. Her temperature was alittle low so they put her under the warmer for an hour and she perked right up. Mom and Dad (ugh, my little brother is a Dad!) and baby are all doing fine now. I was suppose to get to watch the birth, but I was a few minutes too late. Damn it! I did get to see my new niece right after she was born and watch the first moments between my brother and his daughter which were completely priceless. He never left her side the whole time she was in the warmer. He continued to comfort her through her uncomfortable screams. I have never seen my brother so in love. Cat had to watch from across the room cause her one leg was still numb from the epidural. Though I have some pictures they are of her under the warmer and naked, not really what I want to post. I am sure that I will have some better ones tomorrow. Here are a couple of the New daddy..... URGH, It won't let me upload pictures. Maybe later, so check back.

My brother comforting his new daughter

I love this one....that's David's hand holding hers

The first moments together with the new baby

Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday we took Toby to Soergals in Wexford for pumpkin picking. In the past Soergals has been my favorite place for pumpkins, and I don't know if it was the fact that it was soooo busy or if it was because we actually had a little one to take this time, but it was very chaotic. Toby had bunches of fun running through the pumpkin fields and playing in the Old Time Town that the owners had setup. We also had the pleasure of having Toby's NaNa (my mom) and Toby's Grandma and Grandpa (greg's parents) join us. My Daddy is sick so he missed this trip but there will be many others. Here are a few of the pics we took.

Still Sleepy from the nap in the car

Posin' for the camera

I think this is a good one

A "Squinty" Family Portrait

Ugh, not another picture. Maybe if I look uninterested she'll stop taking pictures.

These pumpkins make really good seats.

Yeah, I LOVE indian corn!

Eating the Indian Corn

I REALLY like this one. It looks slighty professional.

Peek -a- boo

Thanks for the Kettle Korn NaNa.

Ah, powder sugar. That's real good!

PS. All my family out there, Cat is being induce on the 17th at 8am. So sometime on the 17th we should get to meet Gabriella Renee. I will keep you posted and IF allowed I will post some pictures. I love you all.