Thanksgiving 2009

We had our annual Thanksgiving in Deland. We are so lucky to have our family all there to celebrate with us year after year. This year was particularly special because it was Aliya's First Thanksgiving and Moms first Thanksgiving after being diagnosed with breast cancer. We have so very much to be thankful for this year. We also celebrated my birthday. I got some wonderful gifts and warm wishes. I love birthdays!

My favorite part of Thanksgiving, other than the amazing food, is our bonfire! They really had it roaring this year! Adam and Sean played the camp side music, George and Noah roasted marshmallows. We ate roasted chestnuts and s'mores....heaven on earth!

Things that remained the same-

2 turkeys, 1 oven and 1 fried

All the fixin's - coconut corn, stuffing, rice, sweet potato gazpacho, 24 hr fruit salad

bonfire

family

pot roast

Adam playing guitar

s'mores

raspberry elegance cake

Things that were different-

Sean on guitar

mac and cheese

playing cards

oil temp going down

Aliya!!

asparagus

D-Day has arrived

Aliya is half a year old today!

Aliya is 6 months old today. She has started teething again so she has been a little fussy but as always she is still a sweetheart. We spent the day with Fui at the mall and had so much fun and scored some great deals, of course! For dinner we headed to the Martins where homemade pumpkin pie greeted us and makes you think whats the point of eating anything else ever again, for you have hit the peak of perfection in this single bite. Aliya loved it, too, along with her coldstone cupcakes, courtesy of Fui. Of course we had a great time, we were at Grandma Joan and Grandpa Georges house. They are always so hospitable and welcoming. Noah and Aliya took to each other like PB and J! It was super cute.

Some little known facts about Aliya:

Favorite song- Baby Beluga

Favorite toy- as of 2 days ago a toy sword Rob got from the dollar store but I think its only her favorite because her dad plays with her and makes her laugh. Since she started teething, it is the cold teether's Shelby got her, after I freeze them. She also loves her keys that she plays with every morning when she wakes up.

Favorite time of day-Aliya smiles the most in the morning and always flashes her pearly whites in the mirror after I get her dressed. She is such a good helper, she lifts her legs up when I change her diaper and opens her mouth when she sees her toothbrush.

Favorite Show- Sesame Street

Favorite pet- Madison, of course! She giggles sometimes just when she looks at Maddi. Other times she will just sit and watch Maddi as if Maddi is the most fascinating thing in the world, it is adorable.

Favorite Dad- Hers! She loves her dad and gets so excited when he comes home! She smiles and jumps in excitement. Nobody can make her laugh the way he does, its so fun to watch!

Least Favorites- She really does not like having her face washed in the morning. She isn't fond of her carseat or stroller, she'd rather be held. She isn't a big fan of bottles or babyfood. Mom is yummiest to her!

I love how her personality is stating to emerge and I am so looking forward to seeing her grow up! I am so proud of my little half year old!

Aliya got some great 1/2 year birthday gifts from her dad, nanimaa and adam mama! The music table is so fun! It is a little tall for her but she loves it.

I wish...

Aliya is 6 months old today, and I am 29. I wish time would stand still for a little while longer so I can savor this moment in its entirety.

My first 30th birthday gift

Okay so there is no avoiding the inevitable... I am a little over a week away from the dreaded thirtieth birthday....urgh! So I am pretty depressed about the big 3-0. On the plus side I get fun birthday gifts! Our new philosophy is all gifts should somehow revolve around Aliya. Now that she is a bit bigger and her crawling and walking is right around the corner we wanted a leather ottoman/coffee table. I have been looking for one on Craig's list for a month now and what shows up today at my doorstep...none other than the coveted leather ottoman! It is so beautiful! Chocolate brown leather with storage inside and the lid that has a great safety feature where the hinge keeps the lid open at any position so little finger can't get slammed in! It is awesome and I really love it! It looks so great in our living room! I think it is a perfect gift and I can't thank mom enough for it! I love you, mom! Aliya is going to love using it to learn to walk and stand! Thanks so much, its perfect!

p.s - Aliya is sporting her Bucs P.J.'s her Aunt Deb and Uncle Sean got her for my baby shower!

Partnership Walk 2009

Aliya had her first charity event! She helped me raise $500 for the Partnership walk! As a family we raised $1,000! We had so much fun! Lake Eola is one of my favorite places to be. My parents have been taking me there since I was a kid and I have always found peace walking around the lake. What a great venue for the walk! We had a fantastic time!
PartnershipsInAction is an initiative of Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) and its network
of volunteers across the U.S. to raise awareness and funds for innovative self-help programs that
create hope and opportunity for disadvantaged communities in the developing world.
PartnershipsInAction unite Americans as global citizens with communities in Africa and Asia to build bridges of hope and peace, reaching across boundaries of race, religion, age and gender through volunteerism, awareness raising and generous contributions. PartnershipsInAction engage participants in learning first-hand about the work of Aga Khan Foundation, through outreach events, interactive exhibitions and educational forums.Participants, sponsors, partners and volunteers of PartnershipsInAction are part of a worldwide movement, mobilizing around the universal Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), committed to cut extreme poverty and
hunger in half by 2015.
100% of donations to AKF USA and all funds raised from Partnership Walk go directly to projects supported by the Foundation.
Not a cent is spent on administration.

Improving lives abroad reduces the risk of humanitarian crisis worldwide. Just $50 per American per year above current government efforts could cut world hunger in half. With the right investments, we can create a real force for change in overcoming hunger and poverty, promoting democracy, protecting children, and advancing women’s rights, among many other positive results.
What your dollar can buy...

$35 - One month supply to the training material for education program in Kenya

$75- pair of goats in Tajikistan supplied to a poor family giving them a source of income

$100- Early education center in Pakistan
$125 -supplying an entire class of children in Kenya with school supplies for a year
$250- immunizing 15 children with vaccines protecting them for life from preventable diseases
$500- reconstructing a seismic-resistant home for a displaced family in rural Afghanistan
$1,000 -providing health supplies to 14 health care workers in India
$5,000 -purchasing and installing water pumps serving 6 villages in rural Kenya

Find out more or donate at http://www.partnershipinaction.org/

First Solid Food For Aliya

Every time we eat Aliya looks at us with pleading eyes begging for some of the yummy goodness we are consuming at that moment. Along with her constant nursing and teeth we figured it was time to indulge her requests and give the poor girl some chow. She first ate milk mixed with brown rice cereal otherwise known as cardboard... it was gross, Rob and I both tried it. She didn't like it much so we moved on to organic banana baby food. She isn't too crazy about it either but she liked it a whole lot more than cardboard flavored milk! She was super cute with food all over her face. Today I tried applesauce and she still is not convinced that baby food is for her. She sat with her lips pressed tight and threw her head back when I brought the spoon to her mouth. Maybe we will try again tomorrow. I still have carrots, peas, green beans and prunes for her, all organic and all natural and all step 1 baby food. (The prunes were Robs idea by the way)