Family Update

Why HI there everyone! Here's our updates! We rang in the New Years with me working and then coming home and we watched some rented movies and cheered on the ball drop. New Years Eve is kinda important to Canio and my history - you see, the first day we spent together (literally all day except 2 hrs when he went into his new job) was on New Years Eve 1999. We putz around his apartment, went to lunch at Wendy's (not my fave place but turned out to be one of his), then we went and rented a movie (the Godfather) and I distinctly remember thinking ewe yuck a really old movie... (esp. cuz I wanted to go do something for the dawning of the millinieum)...then we went to dinner at an italian place called Raggazzi's in hickory nc. We went back to his apt and we watched the Godfather (at opposite ends of his couch) and then watched the ball drop. And here we are 8 years later! The first tues of Jan it was 65 here and we hit the outdoors hard! We were at the park for 2 1/5 hrs, then we came home and drew on the sidewalk, took a walk with a neighbor and her son, and then came home and Emily tried to ride her trike with a different neighbor boy. Next came my birthday. I turned 31. I worked from 9-2:30 at Childrens Place and then from 5-7 at the ins. agency. My MIL came down with a cute purse and a card (and a some money which went to buy gas)... and Canio gave me a gift cert. to get my hair done, even though I told him I didnt really need anything. Emily sent me an email card with the help of daddy. I baked my first - from scratch- dark chocolate cake...and it was YUMMILIOUS. Emily started swim lessons again at the Y. WOW what a difference 6 mo. has made. We took a break (for financial reasons) and she did GREAT. She can go it alone now. Nana took her and had as much fun as Emily (because I had to work). I really miss doing that with her and I hate that I had to work. Then I got called and told to come in later so I ended up seeing her swim. That night some friends of ours watched the girls and we went to Longhorn for dinner (the first time we had been alone on a "date" since Canio's bday in July). We had a nice expensive dinner that will be reimbursed because I was a "secret shopper" for them. Sunday found me sick and asleep - and 4 gals from church came by with a cake and sang me happy belated birthday. A very nice gesture. Abby had a busy month so far. At the beginning of the month she started saying 'ssssss" for sissy (or Emily). On Sunday 1/20 she stood up for the first time for about 5 -10 sec alone. She repeated this a few times. Earlier in the week we got sick again after watching a friends kids. Its been a long week for little Abby. The first week of Jan she got another tooth and is working on 2 more. She has 5 total now. She eats ANYTHING...including cat food if you dont watch her. And she loves the water in the toilet. errrr. She is beautiful inside and out. I couldnt imagine life without her. Yes, it might be less stressful but I would miss her smile and her giggle that radiates through you and makes you smile too. Emily is STILL working on going #2 on the potty. She goes #1 great! She can now read the words: STOP, GO (and spell those two) and DORA (go figure) and MAP (again.. big surprise). We are working on writing letters now. We cant get past A... she makes "H"s and she likes to make "M"s too. Canio is still working alot and watches the kids alot because of my working. He is predicting the Giants will win the Superbowl in a close game. His dad is a big fan. Guess we will see... I HOPE they win... Not a big fan personally of NE. And we did a chili cookoff tonight at church. What FUN! After we ate we all played board games while the kids were watched. And the winner of the cookoff.... ME~! YIPPY. Ok gotta hand over the computer to Canio--- Pictures will follow as the girls are getting SOOOO BIG. xoxox.