2012 - A Year in Review

Thought I'd do a little recap of the past year...and the highlights from each month...It's very hard to just pick one picture...and I'm sure I missed out on a bunch of stuff, so I apologize ahead of time if I forgot something but here we go -

In January we enjoyed some non-winter like, warm weather.  Jim loved every minute he was able to spend outside!

In February we all enjoyed a visit from Nanny & Papa...And it was Jim's last month being an only child...Here he is practicing being a big brother -

I think we all know the highlight from March - we became a family of 4!!!!  Benjamin was born -- Jim is a big brother!!!!  Lots of visitors this month - Grandma & Papa...Aunt Allison...Nanny & Papa...Uncle Robbie & Aunt Jenna...and Aunt Ashley!!!!  I started my new job as a Stay at Home Mom!!!!

April was another big month - Jim turned TWO!!!!!  Ben celebrated his first Easter!!!  We found out that Jim & Ben were going to be big cousins!!!!

We enjoyed the spring weather in May - and settled into our new life as a family of 4.  We had a wonderful 2 months of lots of visitors, and are always missing everyone!!!

Still enjoying the wonderful weather in June!!  Enjoyed a visit from Nanny, Papa, & Aunt Casey!!  Ben learns to roll over!  Loving life!  Jim is a great big brother - and Ben is such a happy, easy-going baby!

July is a busy month...We are without power for a couple of days because of the derecho that came through the area.  It was hot!!!  Ben's first 4th of July!!  Lots of fun outside, in their pool - Jim having a blast at the splash park!

In August we enjoyed a visit from Grandma & Papa - we love visitors!!!  Ben had his first try of food - not a fan of it (which is no longer the case at all!!!!)  Took a trip up to Albany for a wedding...and then went to Buffalo for the week...followed by a week in Castile!  Lots of fun up in NY - and great visiting with everyon!

Our trip up to NY ended in September - with Ben going to his first Syracuse football game!  Ben turns 1/2 a year - how is that possible already?!  Enjoying the fall weather - we love being outside!

October is another busy month with visitors!!  Grandma & Papa came back down to visit.  As did Aunt Ashley & Aunt Allison.  The 3 of us ran in the Wilson Bridge 1/2 marathon!  We missed Uncle Robbie & Aunt Jenna!  Ben's first Halloween - he was a dog, and Jim was a fire fighter...Lots of fun at pumpkin patches!!  Jim had a blast trick-or-treating this year!!!  Jim had fun doing jobs outside with Mark - jumping in leaves!!!!  Welcomed the newest member of the DiLoreto family - Blake Robert!

Still enjoying the fall weather in November.  Jim would spend every minute outside if he could.  Jim & Ben both got to vote!  Hehe :) We spent the week up in NY for Thanksgiving - 1/2 the time in Buffalo, the other 1/2 in Castile.  Got to meet Blake!!!

December was great!!  Jim is at the age where he's starting to get Christmas even more.  It was so much fun to have him help decorate the tree...Help with the Christmas cookies...help with the wrapping, etc. etc.  Had a great time up in NY for Christmas - even though it was a quick trip it was great spending it with the family!

2012 was a WONDERFUL year!!!!  We are very excited to see what 2013 has in store for us!!!  Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

We all had a wonderful time up in New York celebrating Christmas with the family!  We left bright and early Saturday morning and made our way to Castile.  Chris flew in from Guam Sunday afternoon, so that evening we were all home, celebrating Christmas together, exchanging gifts.  It was a short trip this year since Mark just started his new job and had no vacation time to use.  Luckily he had both Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day off!!  Monday morning we got up, and made our way to Buffalo.  Did our usual Christmas Eve traditions - 4:00 Church which both boys behaved themselves...A wonderful Christmas Eve dinner...and exchanging of Christmas Gifts.  Jim was into Christmas a little more this year, he had fun putting out cookies and milk for Santa.  And then in the morning Mark told him he had to wake up to see if Santa came, which Jim was pretty excited about!!!  Christmas morning was great, presents and a great breakfast.  And before we knew it, it was time to load up and get on the road to head home.  Both boys made out with presents this year - many thanks to everyone for everything!!!  That's a quick synopsis, and I will leave you with pictures!!  (As usual, there are lots!!!)

Cute picture of Ben standing...

Jim getting ready to go out in the snow!!!!

Jim helping shovel the snow...

Play Dough with Nanny!

Opening presents...

Checking out all their wonderful gifts!

Jim helping Mark open up presents...

Playing with new toys!

How cute is this?!  Jim put his arm around Allison - best buds!

Not sure who has the biggest smile - love it!

Jim is pretty lucky!!!!!!

He loves it!!!!

I'd have to say this is a pretty good shot - Everyone's looking and happy!  We missed Rob, Jenna, and Blake!

Grandma & Ben -

Me & my boys.  (We also used Mom's camera when we were home - I think that one has a shot of Mark, me, and both boys...)

Just hanging out.

The boys Christmas morning.  I've given up on getting a picture of both of them looking at the camera...

Present time!

Merry Christmas all!!!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!!

Jim has had a lot of fun with Christmas stuff this year - and of course, so have I!!!!  Here are a bunch of pictures from yesterday's sugar cookie baking & decorating...

Yesterday AM we made sugar cookies...Jim loves to help get all the ingredients together, and then watch the mixer go around and around and around...

Here he is waiting patiently.  I would roll the dough into a ball, and then he would press it down -

Look at how handsome he is in his Christmas tie -

After nap time we got to frost and decorate the cookies.  Jim was super excited about this!!!

Such concentration -

Haha!  Can you find the cookie?!?!  Just a little bit of frosting and sprinkles on this one...

Now he has to test a cookie out.  He ate it all, so I think he approves!

Jim did a great job!!!!

Playing Catch-Up

It's been awhile since I last updated this (with the exception of Ben's 9 month post...)  So here are a bunch of pictures from the past month...

Jim was very excited to help 'make' our Christmas tree this year...He helped put all the branches together, and every time he put another branch in he said he was 'making our Christmas tree'.  Ben have fun watching us!

Here he is trying to put his car into the tree - he wanted his tree to be just like Grandma's.  The car was a little too big for our tree though...

Here he is helping with all the ornaments -

Ben isn't too happy that we had to put the baby gate up.  He wanted to be able to go up the stairs!!!

This picture cracks me up...we got home from a play date one day, and Ben was asleep, so I let Jim play outside for awhile.  Jim wasn't ready to go in when Ben woke up so I let Ben stay outside too.  He sat on the sidewalk for awhile, but then he decided he wanted to crawl...not the best idea when the ground was damp in some spots.  Poor guy got all wet and muddy!!!

A happy Ben in the morning enjoying his big boy breakfast!

Jim being cute one morning.  Thank you St. Nick for the puppies - he loves them!

My 2 handsome boys!!!  Love them!!!!

Jim & Mark having a lunch break...

Don't worry - the bottle was empty!!!!

Trying to get a picture of the 2 of them in front of the tree....It's a hard task!!!!

Just a cute picture of Ben -

Happy 9 Months Ben

It's hard to believe in 3 months Ben will be the big ONE!!  It's amazing how fast time flies!!  Ben learned how to do lots of things this month...

What Ben is up to at 9 Months:

- He's full out crawling now - not just the army crawl, but on his hands and knees.  It's amazing how each day he gets a little faster and faster!

- He's pulling up on everything.  He's much happier if he's standing up!  His crib is now lowered all the way down because of that...

- He cruises all over the place.  He thinks he can stand by himself, but that doesn't work out too well for him.    He'll be walking before we know it!

- He's going from laying to sitting to standing...and from standing to sitting...he's moving all over the place!!

- He knows how to use the stairs.  I was in the kitchen one morning getting breakfast ready, and I come back to the family room and Ben is a couple stairs on his way upstairs.  Had to put the baby gates back up!

- He's done with baby food - much happier if he's eating real food.

- He's a great eater.  He's still nursing - 5 times a day, and eats a breakfast, lunch, and dinner...loves bananas and clementines...green beans...waffles...cereal...yogurt...you name it, he pretty much eats it!

- Still a great sleeper - he goes down around 9:00...and then gets up around 4:30-5:30ish to eat, and then falls back asleep until 8:00 or so.

- He's into size 4 diapers...

- I've been getting out more 12 month clothes for him.

- Doesn't have his 9 month check-up until the beginning of the New Year, so I'll have to update his stats then. Thinking his 21 pounds or so...

- And as usual, here are his 9 month pictures which are getting harder and harder to take!