An afternoon together

Today was really nice:  Chrissy, Te and Te's grandma on his father's side (mom mom) came for lunch and dinner in DC!  Te seemed really good, although had the cartoon network on the whole time so was pretty focused on the TV. 

 I made a lunch and we all just looked at albums- you know, because i have so FEW!

 

 Chrissy also came with me to Zara's sick visit at our doctor's office.  It turned out to be a great experience, all the nurses and Office Managers,were although, initially taken aback, very welcoming to Chrissy.   They told us that Zara looked like both of us, it was really cute of them, Chrissy told them unsolicited that I was the "real" mom.  

The good news is also that Zara had no infections, ear or strep; HOWEVER the bad news is 

SHE IS STILL  NOT 20 LBS!  

So i guess i jumped the gun in my haste and short-lived joy to report thinking she was 21 lbs!  

 Mom-Mom was a pleasure to have over, super cheerful and very nice.  She even told me that although Zara has Chrissy lips, she had my smile.  "I told her that's because you haven't seen Matt's smile"! 

This just in!

JILL had her baby boy today .. Cooper!   

We are so excited for the new and improved Stacey family!

Our Reunion

Chrissy & Devonte drove from Kansas to Chicago, and then another twelve hours to Maryland just to  see us!   Well.... more importantly to see munchie: Kathleen Zara- and to visit with Devonte's grandmother and his Dad that both live here too.  

Today was their first day!  

Zara & I drove up to Frederick to meet them at the Hampton Inn; where I checked them in and we spent some time together in their room.  Zara had been asleep in the car so was groggy and not interested in letting anyone hold her but me... 

but she warmed up and soon was off to the races.  

Chrissy played hip hop music on her phone and Zara wouldn't let it go!    We went to dinner together at Carrabba's which was funny- since that was Zara's first restaurant experience back in Kansas when she was maybe 3 days old!  

By the end of our time together, we were all doing so well- and to prove that point let me say that Chrissy allowed Zara play with her tongue piercing!  

Te was doing well despite not having seen his mom for a year.  He was in rare form, 

very funny, and very wired!

He also was very sweet & polite to our server.   Once Te learned that our server was training another he couldn't help himself telling the new trainee, "hey, good luck on your first day!"

At one point Te asked me if I liked mozzarella sticks, and when

 I responded, "sure!" 

he said, "yeah, who doesn't".  

Then he asked me curiously "What kind of people don't like dessert, I don't understand that?"  and of course I said "me neither; makes no sense to me at all!  

Chrissy looked great, she had reddish curly hair and blue contacts in over her very green eyes, so she was quite stunning!  She snapped pictures like crazy and so did I.  

She is driving down to see us in DC tomorrow, which is great since Matt didn't get to see them today and he really wanted to.  Also, I told Chrissy she was welcome to come to Zara's doctor appointment tomorrow.  She was thrilled and agreed to come along!

 So tomorrow is another story and naturally a ton more pictures!

Flurry of events and more to come

Above the replica of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.   Zara & Megan going in to see for themselves!   We had a great day and far too many pictures to display here, but i was so glad to go and see it for myself on a beautiful warm day!  

Even cherry blossoms were blooming up on the hill.  

Then i met up with my friend Jill who, believe it or not.. is having a baby tomorrow!  

She walked all the way from her home to the ice cream place AND as far as i am concerned i'm thinking she may just have that baby boy tonight!  (it had to be 2 miles roundtrip!)   

We walked past the new Bloomies and all the new condos they are building next to the metro station!  I couldn't resist taking this picture of the "changing" landscape from Gail and Megan's hotel room!

Tomorrow is another remarkable day!  

We are meeting up with Chrissie ( Zara's belly mom) who is back from GTMO, Cuba.  She drove here all the way from Kansas to see us and ALSO to see her son's, (Devonte's) Dad and grandparents who happen to live in Frederick!  I 'm getting excited to see her, it feels great to be there when Chrissie sees Zara- she is always overjoyed. 

 I hope to have some great photo's tomorrow of everyone together.

 

A special note to Aisha: Keep it up girl, you have the right attitude...we are thinking 

of you always.

She is truly fighting, everyday, for her sanity as a powerful cancer survivor

solja girl!   here is her blog http://birdsperch.blogspot.com 

Franciscan Monastery

Zara's hat & scarf that Auntie Megan actually knitted herself!  .. 

and below the "Flight to Egypt"... we went to the Franciscan Monastery here in DC which i confess i have never been to before!   We had breakfast with Gramma Rock and Megan at their hotel and then went to see the Franciscan friars...You could take as many pictures you you wanted and there were "replica's" of all the holy places in Jerusalem- all re-created exactly to the same measurements!  I found it pretty cool since i have faint memories of my trip from Cairo to Israel!

Suddenly so busy

little hip hop attitude Zara

We've been on a rampage of goings ons...

Great Birthday party for Lia-she turned one!  

Then we held a pansy planting party off our front porch, while the neighbors and I planted our flowers - evidently a sure sign of Spring fever!

Then a lovely invite to share St Patrick's day feast with Newlyweds Greg and Renee Rock- and it was a HUGE feast!

We've just had two perfect ays with Gramma Rock and Auntie Megan Rock as they came into the city to see DC in "almost cherry blossom time!"

Daring Zara

actually venturing away from "mamma" on her own

Chrissie home from Cuba

I had a long talk with Chrissie today, just home from her yearlong deployment at GTMO, Cuba.  She was thrilled to see her son, Te.  She said he has grown so big, and she texted me a pic of him as well!  She also bought a car, and is planning on driving to Chicago and then to Frederick Md, so Te can see his grandparents, and then come to DC to see us.   So if all goes well, i hope to have some pictures of Chrissie, Te and Zara soon.

Anthony and Becs are also back home from Zanzibar!  It sounds like that is one trip 

we should all take in our lifetimes!!!

...and here is the MUNCH pulling up flowers in the garden this morning.  

Zara's new love; her guitar

She certainly knows her ice cream and she certainly loves her bike rides with mommy!  She is wearing a gorgeous dress that Missy and her mom gave her!  Amazingly, the dress said it was sized for a 6 month old, but I am so excited it fits her still.

Cmon Spring!

Zara was very excited to learn that she has a new little girlfriend on our street, Baby L moved in less than a couple of months ago.  Baby L is only 7 weeks old and precious!   Marni - her mommy- took this photo and emailed it to me today!  

"The first notable snowfall of the season"!  

Today, however, was a winner hitting 65 degrees, and we are expecting the 70 degrees mark on the weekend!  So how great is that???

Ushering in Spring

Jammin Java Kiddie concert

Here is Florence, Sitina and Zara - at the MR DON concert at Jammin' java in Vienna!  It was a veritable rock concert that you just had to see to believe -- all at 10:30am.

Here we are with Mr Don himself-- good thing we had our sought after back stage passes!

The cutie in pink is Florence, Gabrielle's daughter.  We met Gabrielle at our pool last summer and have some great pictures of them back then.  Gabrielle is from Australia and Florence is originally from Guatemala!  We all agreed that is was really special getting the girls together and they all got along so well! 

This gives new meaning to the term " the mosh pit!"... the three girls loved it!  As you can see here, we like to call Missy the "baby whisperer", as they all piled onto her lap!

Bed time rountine

Zara is very particular about her good night stories and picks them all out herself.

Making the Weight

Even though it's not confirmed by the doctor's office, I am confident to finally report Zara has made weight. She has passed the 20 lbs mark 

(for those in kg -  that is 9 kgs)  

 Amazingly, we were just at the doctor's less than 3 weeks ago and she was only 19lbs 9 ounces, and now we think she is almost 21 lbs! 

 Here she is at her official weigh in .. 

right in our very official kitchen!  Yes.. the scale was approved by the US Dept of Weights and Measures and ... Yes i realise she is fully clothed..but as you can see the scale says 22, so i'm adjusting appropriately for shoes and the like!

SNOW on the 1st of March!

Strange few days, went from 60 plus degree weather and a long awaited bike ride to a 6 inch snowstorm and our first ride on my Bulgarian sled!  Never thought we'd be able to do that this winter- but she was great and motioned to me with her sign language that she wanted more!

   Actually i "mispoke", the kid's sled was purchased in Sofia by my parents when they lived there; BUT it was made in the former Soviet Union, it's so cool b/c it says "Made in the USSR" on it- well not in english!   

Anyway, its a great ride, and Zara was able to hold the steering wheel as i pulled her back up!

Hours before March 2009

March  of 2007 was an amazing month. 

It was the month in which we met Chrissy and her son Te (in person) for the first time, and it was the month we learned that Zara would be a girl! 

 That was two years ago!!!