UP

Freddie and I got to take Isabelle to see Disney/Pixar's new movie UP in 3D tonight. Auntie Jennipher stayed home with Calista. It was so fun to have some special time with just Isabelle. We all had a great time and the movie was awesome!! Isabelle stayed in her seat the entire time and did GREAT!! She loved the movie and asked us if we would get it for her one day. I think we will!! And I think you should go see it too!!

For Our Girls

Isabelle -

I love the way you ask me how my day went, when I come home from work. -Daddy

I love how YOU love me more than breakfast, and you remind me everyday! -Mommy

I love that you ask me each night if I have to work tomorrow, because I know you look forward to spending time with me and I look forward to spending time with you. - Daddy

I love that you can never have enough of my attention. -Mommy

Calista -

I love the way you smile at me. -Daddy

I love how you greet me every morning with the biggest smile! - Mommy

I love your laugh when I tickle or blow raspberries on your belly. Your laughter is contagious. -Daddy

I love how excited you get when you discover something new. -Mommy

Blame It On Mom!!

Seriously, I have no idea where she got this from... Last week while at Fairytale town, Isabelle fell and scrapped her knee. She came crying to me with a limp, very dramatic, pretending she couldn't stand. She said matter of factly, "Mom, if you would have put me in pants, I wouldn't have hurt myself." I laughed and all I could say was, "Your right Isabelle" She has since used that line on me two more times. She kills me! Where do they get this stuff?

My First Blog Book Is Here!

I ordered my first blurp blog book a few weeks ago, and it came today. I was so excited I could barley open the box!! It turned out great!! It looks just like I had imagined and designed it to look. Sort of like a yearbook. It is a hardback 8 1/2 by 11 inches, with the photos printed on the front and back and the pages are smooth. The pictures and colors look great! It is about an inch thick, and has 162 pages with every blog post and picture from the year 2008.

I am so glad I have a way to preserve my blog. It makes it all the more fun for me to post on here knowing that I will always have it recorded for my girls when they get older.

Here's how I did it....
It was so easy, all I did was log onto the blurb.com and told them where my blog was, they slurped up the information, that took about 5 minutes. Then I arranged the pictures a bit, that took me a couple of evenings maybe 2 hours total and then I uploaded it and sent it to print. I chose to leave the pictures the small size I uploaded to the blog, so I wouldn't have to spend hours trying to find the originals and upload those, but you can do that too. So the pictures in my book aren't huge but each post fits on one page with all the pictures with the exception of a few posts, and I absolutely love it. If you have a blog especially one you would love to preserve, I totally recommend doing it!! I am going to print one each year!

Summer Has Begun!

Tonight we set up the kiddie pool. It was Calista's very first time in the pool, she LOVED it! She enjoyed having such a big space to explore and splash around in. She was in there for a very long time and then was completely exhausted! Isabelle enjoyed playing too, but couldn't wait for Calista to get out so that she could put her slide in the pool and make BIG splashes.

Sugar & Spice

I love everything about these girls! Happy Friday!

Grandmama and Nana

Today we got a visit from my Grandma (Isabelle calls her Grandmama) and My Mom. My Grandma lives in Oregon and hasn't yet gotten to meet Calista. It was nice to have her here, even if it was a short visit! I miss her already!

Calista's Baby Dedication

Calista's dedication was this morning. We were surrounded by so many great friends and family, it was a bit overwhelming in a great way, to be supported and loved by our friends and family on such an important day.

Our friend Joel and bible study leader who is also the worship pastor at our church dedicated Calista. When he asked Isabelle if she was willing to be a great sister to Calista, she shyly said, "umm hmm" it was so sweet!

After the service we had a party at our home to celebrate. We had a yummy BBQ and visited as well as played a little rock band on Freddie's Xbox. It was a very fun and special day!

Thanks Amy for taking pictures during the dedication and Eathan for taking the video!!

Mother's Day!

I have only known you, Isabelle for 3 1/2 Years and Calista 9 Months, but if you took every memory, every moment, if you stretched them end to end, they would reach forever.

I am the luckiest Mom in the world to be blessed with two such amazing little girls!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's who read our blog! I hope you feel as blessed as I do today! And a very special Happy Mother's Day to my two Mom's Patty and Vicky! I love you both and appreciate you more than you will ever know!

Bath Time!

Isabelle has never really loved bath time. She hated it when she was a baby, in fact to this day she can't stand water on her at all! But Calista, she is a water baby for sure! Last night, she was rolling in the tub, splashing, screaming, having a blast, water was all over the place, all over her face and she couldn't have been happier. Maybe she will be our little fish. Swimming lessons for Calista for sure!

Isabelle and Calista 9 Month Photos

Isabelle 9 Months in April 2006

Calista 9 Months Old Today!

Caught!

This afternoon, I turned the corner to go into the kitchen, and I see Isabelle hurry and shut the refrigerator door and quickly stand pressed up against it.

I said, "What's going on?" She says, "um, nothing! But don't go in there!" I looked at her for a second and then I say, " I think I am going to have to look." She threw her arms across the doors and backed even more against the fridge and said, " I don't think you want to Mom." Nervously I opened the fridge to find a half eaten lollipop sitting on the shelf.

I asked her where she found the lollipop, the junk drawer, GROSS!

Where did she learn how to sneak around and hide things from me? at 3 1/2, really? Already? UGH!

Double Take

I took some pictures of Calista today for a photo our church needs for her dedication on Sunday, when I went through the clothes I had, I found this outfit that was Isabelle's I loved, so I took a few photos of Calista in it. When I went to find the photo of Isabelle I noticed I had taken one today almost the same, so I thought I would share them.

Isabelle 7 months old in 2006

Calista 8 3/4 months old today.

You're Invited!

Calista will be getting dedicated this Sunday May 11th at our church, First Baptist Church of Elk Grove at the 11:15 service.

A Baby Dedication is a ceremony where we will make a commitment before the Lord with our family and friends to submit our child to God's will and to raise our child according to God's Word and God's ways. This is a very important commitment to both Freddie and I. It is something we hold as important as the vows we made to each other on our wedding day.

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." 1 Samuel 1:26-28

If you would like to come support and celebrate with us we would love to have you join us. We will be serving lunch and cake at our home after the service. Email me if you would like to come so we can make sure we have enough food or if you need directions. deegallardo@sbcglobal.net

Favorite Things This Week

Isabelle and I read Welcome To Your World, Baby! By Brooke Shields last night. I love this book about a big sister welcoming her baby sister to the world. It has beautiful illustrations and a encourages imagination.

Last month I went to a photography seminar and feel in love with these custom made purses, so I ordered one and got mine in the mail last week, it is so cute, and I love the detail on the purse. I had never seen anything like it! There are photos on both sides.