Here are pictures from our Disney vacation. We had a great time, despite the freezing cold weather and sick kids. Gianna had an ear infection and a cold that had not cleared up with the first round of antibiotics, so she started her second round of antibiotics the day before we left (antibiotics make her crazy, so that was fun to deal with in Disney). After about 24 hours of being in Florida, Ainsley broke out with a 102 fever and screaming ear pain. The pediatrician was kind enough to call in antibiotics without examining her and she improved within 24 hours.



The weather during the first week was in the 60s. I had to keep doing laundry since we only brought shorts and t-shirts. We even bought sweatshirts while we were in Disney. There were only 2 days at the end of our 10 day trip that were warm enough to go swimming, so Gianna was disappointed. And of course, we had to walk past the pool to get to our room.

New Video of Gianna Swimming

Gianna is making so much progress in her swimming lessons, even though she says she doesn't like it and fights me on going. Here's a video of her diving to the bottom of the pool to retrieve diving rings. It's only about a 3 foot pool, but nevertheless, I was impressed. The video is grainy and blurry since I took it with my cell phone.

Halloween

Gianna had fun Trick-or-treating, but she has no idea that I threw away all the candy...well, at least everything that didn't have chocolate and peanut butter!










Take a look at some more pictures from Halloween and the Pumpkin Patch.

Here are some miscellaneous pictures from October.

Gianna and Ainsley are best friends. I find them in Gianna's room reading books and listening to CDs together. Ainsley absolutely idolizes Gianna and copies everything she does...good and bad! Here are some pictures of them from today playing dress up together.

(Love Ainsley trying to put the necklace on her foot)

Ainsley's First Steps

Ainsley definately did not beat her sister's record of walking at 10 months, but exactly 1 week after her first birthday, she takes her first steps!! Yesterday she finally took her first step ever, and today she's walking across the room. Since I've been chasing her around for months, and she's been piling up toys to build a ladder to climb up on the table, the only difference between Ainsley crawling and Ainsley walking is dirty socks instead of dirty knees!!

Here is a video of Ainsley enjoying her birthday gift from her Godmother, Tara! On the flip side of comparing my kids, Gianna did not do nearly as well with the power wheels she got for her first birthday.

Ainsley's One!

AINSLEY IS ONE!!!



Here's some more pictures from Ainsley's birthday party.

Here are Ainsley's pictures from Kiddie Kandids.

Swimming Lessons

Gianna has been enrolled in swimming lessons since May. When we first started, I thought about pulling her out because it didn't go so well (kind of like dance school last year, only in a pool). During the first few lessons she was averaging about 5 minutes in the pool and spent the rest of the time kicking and screaming....hard to believe with Gianna, I know.

Now she is nearly swimming solo. She has a new swim teacher that has been very firm with her and Gianna has been receptive. Here's a few videos from her last swimming session.

Gianna's First Day of Dance

Gianna started dance class....again. I say again because we tried this last year and it was a disaster. She lasted three or four classes and everyone one of them involved Gianna laying on the floor kicking and screaming while all the kids danced over her. Hopefully this time will be different. It's a difference dance studio that is more relaxed and less competitive than the one she attended last year.

The teacher left the door open the first class, and I think Gianna felt comfortable knowing I was right there. However, next week the door will be closed, so we will see how she does.

Here are some pictures from the first day.

After the excitement of the summer in Avalon, we decided to take a little vacation to Ocean City, MD before Gianna goes back to school to relax and get Kevin far far away from work.



Here are a few highlights of our trip.

Gianna and Ainsley's first trip across the Delaware Bay on the Cape May Lewes Ferry.



Gianna and Ainsley with Daddy on the beach. The water was really rough in the days before Tropical Storm Hanna.


The Scarpa family's first Surrey ride. If you have plans to try out a surrey, DON'T! Unless it's snowing, because you'll sweat your butt off, and it's a lot of work and a little fun. Plus, Kevin was such a bad driver.


Gianna loved the pool at the hotel. She is getting very comfortable in the water, especially with her water wings. She's taking swimming lessons and getting really good at swimming underwater.


Gianna took her first solo roller coaster ride...literally. There was nobody at the park at that time, and she got to go on her first coaster without an adult. She was a little nervous and declined a second ride.


Click here to see more photos from Ocean City, MD.

Tennis Camp

Here is a video from Gianna's tennis camp.

Ainsley takes her first steps with the assistance of her walker.

Ainsley's debut

I just could not resist posting this video of Ainsley. Scroll down to the July 23,2008 post to see who Ainsley's musical influence is.

If you cannot see the video, click here..

http://www.clipshack.com/Clip.aspx?key=86A24645C5300F31

Summertime

Ainsley's first tooth just broke through...FINALLY! I was starting to think she was going to celebrate her first birthday toofless. It's not through enough to get a picture, but it's coming a little more each day.

Here are a few more pictures from our summer activities, including the boardwalk and waterpark with Tara and the gang. Gianna loves the rides this summer, and even went on a rollercoaster with Cayla. This is the first year she was willing to ride the kiddie rides without mom or dad (mostly dad) squeezing into them.

Gianna painting the seashells that she found on the beach.


Swinging on the tire swing at Raging Waters!





Ainsley playing in the sandbox.




Ainsley at the water park.


Here are some cute videos of Ainsley doing peek-a-boo and blowing kisses. Yes, the littlest things amuse me.




Check out the "Summertime" slideshow on the top right of the page for more pictures from the waterpark and the boardwalk.

What Language is that?

Gianna singing in some unknown foreign language.



Ainsley blowing kisses!

Here's a glimpse of Gianna and Ainsley's summer photo session. Gianna, once again, wanted to do her own thing. She is impossible to take for pictures anymore. And Ainsley, who is usually smiling ear to ear, was not a happy camper that day either. Gianna decided that she was going to sit on the ladder however SHE wanted to sit on the ladder, thus resulting in a crazy looking pose. She is also into that rediculous smile phase. Every time we go for pictures, I swear I will never take them again....but I do.

Beach Day

Gianna is going to arts and crafts camp 3 days a week, and she begged me to sign her up for tennis camp because the tennis instructor comes to pick up some of the other kids after arts and crafts. She loves it, and the instructor says she is doing great. The class is 4-7 year olds, but her preschool teacher is one of the arts and crafts instructors, so she pulls some weight over at the recreation department.

Here are some pictures of Ainsley's first day at the beach! There are more pictures from the beach and tennis in a slideshow on the right. Just click on the slideshow to enlarge it.

Here's a few videos from the beach!

June 2008

BIG NEWS! Gianna got her first big girl hair cut. Mommy was going to cry seeing all the beautiful curls hitting the floor! It doesn't seem like a lot, but her new hair cut is much more manageable and cool for the summer. Here's a before and after picture.



Here is a video of Gianna swimming, and another of Gianna pulling Ainsley in the wagon with her Power Wheels.





A slideshow of new pictures.

Look out Tiger Woods

Gianna's new favorite activity is miniature golf. The only problem with that is that the golf course down the street is $9.95 for a 3 year old!!! Isn't that outrageous! We did find a cheesy little course in Wildwood Crest that is remnant of the time before golf courses had waterfalls and caves and mist. This one just had fiberglass safari animals (that Gianna was afraid of).

In other news.....

Ainsley, now 8 1/2 months, is sitting up from a laying down position, and then pulling herself to her feet. I wonder if she will walk at 10 months like her sister did.