My Happy Baby

For only being 2 months old, Sydney sure smiles a lot! She has a mild case of croup, but she's still happy as can be. We had to suction all the mucous out of her nose this morning, and in between wails of objection she would look up at us and smile! It almost broke my heart!

10 Birthdays

Bobby's birthday was on Sunday. It was a bit anti-climactic because Lillian and I were sick, but we tried to make the best of it anyway. I made Bobby's favorite pumpkin cake roll and we set it ablaze with candles! Then Lillian helped him open his present (she would have done it all by herself before Bobby got home if I didn't hide it from her)!

Every year when Bobby's birthday comes around I feel so grateful to his parents for not stopping at six kids. Heck, six would've been more than enough for me, but they decided to keep going and [lucky] number seven was Bobby. My world would be much different if their number seven never came along. Not to steal your thunder on your birthday, Bobby, but I think your mom deserves a party, too- thank you , BB!

As Bobby and I were getting ready for bed that night, we realized that we have been a part of each others' lives for his last ten birthdays. We tried to remember each one, and here's what we came up with:

2000 - 19^th birthday- I paid some friends to take Bobby out so I could sneak into his bedroom and decorate it to the hilt with balloons, streamers, and birthday signs.

2001 - 20^th birthday- Bobby was on his mission and I was a freshman at American University. I sent him 20 birthday cards (many of them hand-made because I was poor...whew, it was time consuming!)

2002 - 21^st birthday- Bobby was still on his mission. I was going through my less-frequent writing stage, but we’re pretty sure I still sent him a birthday card.

2003 - 22^nd birthday- Bobby was trying to rekindle our relationship. He made a lot of trips to DC to visit me, and this year we went to Bucca di Beppo for his birthday. It remains the best Bucca meal we’ve ever had (and a few months later I was baptized).

2004 - 23^rd birthday- We were engaged and scheduled to be married in June 2005 after I graduated AU. For Bobby’s birthday I gave him a paper chain count-down to the wedding. This caused an emotional break-down and we decided that we couldn’t wait that long. We moved the wedding up to January instead.

2005 - 24^th birthday- We had been married almost 1 year and were living in Newark. This was the year I made Bobby a birthday sign (the one I can’t find now). I hung it in the doorway between the living and dining rooms and took a picture of Bobby standing under it, pretending to hold it up (that's all we could remember).

2006 - 25^th birthday- Still living in Newark. Bobby was waiting to hear back from med schools (a few weeks later he got his acceptance to PCOM). This was also the month that we got pregnant with Lillian!

2007 - 26^th birthday- First year in med school. I brought Bobby out for lunch to Tommy Gun’s, a great BBQ place on Ridge Ave. They have the best fried mac and cheese in the world. I made an ice cream cake and we had friends over.

2008 - 27^th birthday- The weather was beautiful so we went for a walk along the Wissahickon. We got cheese steaks at Larry’s and ate them on the trail. This was the first year that I made a birthday pumpkin cake roll.

2009 - 28^th birthday- That brings us to this year!

Happy Birthday, Bobby!

From Philly to Seoul

I love technology! I have a friend who is working in Seoul, South Korea. Despite the fact that she is nearly 7,000 miles away, we just had a quick little chat online. It amazes me that information can travel so quickly and so efficiently (most of the time!), and yet I often take it for granted. So here's a big thank you to all the geniuses out there who came up with the idea of the internet and for the super geniuses who invented it and continue to make it faster and better. You rock.

The Simeone Foundation Museum - Vrrrooom!!

I don't know anything about cars, but this race car museum was awesome! Bobby, Nate and I went with Lillian and Sydney on Saturday. It's been in South Philly for about a year and a half and it's comprised of Dr. Fred Simeone's personal car collection. We actually got to meet Dr. Simeone and he's a really nice guy. His dad was a general practitioner who got through med school by fixing cars. He said his dad was his hero and he wanted to be just like him, so he started collecting race cars at a young age, mostly in the 70's, before anyone knew their worth and history. He said most of them are so valuable now that he wouldn't be able to afford them. He donated his collection to the Simeone Foundation so that the public could enjoy it. And enjoy it we did! There were lots of Ferrari's, a couple Aston Martin's, an Auston Healey, some Bugatti's, a few Stutz cars, a bunch of Alfa Romeo's (these must be Dr. Simeone's favorites), and many, many more. I've never heard of most of these cars before (please excuse my ignorance for all you car experts out there), but it was still fun to look at them all- especially the pretty, shiny ones! I highly recommend a visit, I know you'll have fun.


The museum is located at 6825 Norwitch Drive in South Philly, right off I-76 and Passyunk Ave. It's only $8 for students, $12 for adults, and kids under 8 are free. They also offer yearly memberships. Their website is www.simeonefoundation.org.

My favorite quote in the museum is right above the entrance door: "The first race was conceived when the second car was built." Thank you, Dr. Simeone for your generosity and time in constructing this museum! Vrroooom! :)

Survivng Lillian

Sydney is one tough cookie. Her big sister loves her, but sometimes her lovin' is a little rough. In her short 2 month, 3 day life, Sydney has thus far endured the following from her good-intentioned sister:

-countless pokes in the eye
-mach-speed pushes in her swing and bassinet
-heavy duty bouncing in the bouncy chair
-a few attempts to pick her up (to her mother's horror!)
-tight squeeze hugs
-runny nose kisses
-she's been stepped on, laid on, and rolled over

Despite the tough love, Lillian is a great big sister and a good little helper. She always gets me diapers and wipes for Sydney and she likes to inform me when Sydney has pooped or tooted (just in case I hadn't noticed). After Bobby gave Sydney a bath tonight, Lillian came running into the living room with a pair of pj's for her. She likes to make her smile and she thinks it's the coolest thing ever when Sydney holds onto her thumb. It looks like they're already becoming good friends. :)