Father Daughter Fishing

Andy took Stella fishing off the dock of one of his friends from work. Stella had a blast of course. Then she came home and helped her dad cook up their catch. She tool the first bite, smiled a huge smile, and said yummy... so we let her eat the whole thing. She was happy, and her Dad was proud!

All domestic and stuff...

I am turning into a real life house-wife/homemaker. I have now canned my own peaches, and loved it. I told Andy that canning was something I could see myself getting obbsessed with. We also went and picked our own blueberries, and suprise suprise, I had the tme of my life. Andy and Stella did also. (Stella's favorite food is Blueberries, so she ate and ate and ate the whole time we were there.) We picked, (if I can remember right) 8 pounds. They were only a dollar a pound. How rad is that.

The life of the party

We had a birthday party for Stella the week after her birthday. At first, I wasn't going to have one, because I figured she was maybe to young to have it be worth it, but then she started talking about her "friends" and how much fun she had with them every sunday after coming home from nursery, so I decided another excuse to have all of her nursery friends around wouldn't be a bad idea. Plus, my mom and sister were going to be in town, so it would be fun for them to be able to celebrate with her too. My friend Tammy was so sweet to let us have it at pine island, a private island for members only - she's a member - and Stella loves to swim. Plus I thought it would be fun because whole families could come and play, and having all those two year olds in my tiny apartment didn't seem to fun. People were out swimming, including Andy and Stella, when two of the guys - Brandon and Mike - decided to swim to the buoy. (Brandon is Karens oldest son, and mike is her brother who was visiting from Ohio) Once at the buoy, Mike told Brandon he didn't know if he could make it back. Brandon asked if he was serious, and Mike said - lets just go. About three strokes from the buoy, Mike asked Brandon to get Andy as he started going under. Brandon tried his best to keep Mike above water, while he yelled out to Andy. Andy first thought they were joking ( I think this probably happens way to much because people are always messing with their friends about stuff like this), but then saw Mikes blue/grey coloring, and handed Stella to one of the moms out there, and hurried over to help out. Some stranger also came over, and after failing to get Mike onto a float, they drug him up onto the sand. This is where I realized what was going on. From up by the picnic tables, I could tell it was Mike. I immediately start crying, yelling someone call 911 a couple of times, and pacing all over. I told Karen it was her brother, and she went down to see if she could help. Luckily, there were two first response guys there at the island with their families that day. As soon as he was pulled high enough on shore, they started CPR. Mikes body was in defense mode, and he had clenched his jaw, and his eyes were popping out of his head. He was blue grey from his waist up, and his belly was full of air, and Andy says - as hard as a rock. The doctors say he was flatlined for between 10-15 minutes. Finally they got him breathing on his own. Up by the picnic tables, I was freaking out - so worried. Poor little jeramia was up there with us praying for his uncle. Watching the CPR made me think - maybe this is it... maybe he wont make it. The thought made me feel so sick. I couldn't believe that it was actually happening. One moment we were all playing - celebrating a two year olds birthday, and the next, we were all praying and hoping for a miracle. It felt like forever before the ambulance finally arrived, but once they got there I felt so thankful. Mike says he doesn't remember anything from the time he told Brandon to get Andy - to when he woke up in the ambulance. Crazy. Turns out - our prayers for a miracle were answered the best way possible, and he was released from the hospital the next day with nothing wrong, minus some bruises on his chest from the compressions, and bloodshot eyes from them being popped out his head. I am so glad it all turned out ok. I would have felt so horrible had that not been the case. Once he was taken off in the ambulance, we still "celebrated" by singing and openeing presents, But I felt so weird. I was not in the mood to sing and clap - but we had to for all of the kids sake - to help them get the crazyness off of their minds. Stella seemed to be fine after the whole thing - but then a couple of days later while we were driving in the car she started to say things like - Scared, get him, swimming, hurry hurry, help him, get him... over and over and over again with this real concerned look on her face. She has forgotten by now, thank goodness, and we are so gratefull that everything worked out so well. The phrase - the life of the party will always have a different meaning for me now, and I will never forget Stella's second birthday party.

Stella's 2nd birthday

For Stella's birthday, we went to chuck e cheeses with the rozmus's. Stella loved the big tube you climb up through, and the slide, but the rest of it was overwhelming for her. She was kind of dazed, a little like she was on drugs. She also loved the big chuck e in his suit. Oh yeah, and the pizza. But it was a little much for her. Afterwards we came home and had cake - she was into it.



I decided to make Stella a zebra cake, because I always think of Zebra's when I think of her. She has a zebra stuffed animal that turns into a pillow that Karen gave her for christmas when she was 6 months. She has slept with it ever since, so I love to get her little sebra things because she loves it so much.

Stella and the real girl

Stella has a best friend. Her name is Kayla - stella named her halo after beyonces song, but we misunderstood and started calling her kayla - and it stuck. She goes everywhere Stella goes, and is as much a part of our family as is possible for a doll. Almost all I hear these days is, baby needs diaper, baby poo poo, baby milk, baby needs bandaid, baby night night... This baby needs something about every 3 minutes. It is more drama in our house then either of our actual kids. It is almost not worth all the drama it causes, but Stella loves her Kayla so much.

Stella wanted to feed Kayla while she was jumping. How thoughtful, she brought her pancakes ; ).

While going through security at the airport on the way out to California, Kayla was stopped in the x-ray machine because she slightly resembles a bomb. 6 TSA folks had to come check her out to make sure she could come with us on the plane. In the x-ray, she looks like a little box in the middle of her belly with wires going to her hands, feet, eyes, and mouth. Stella cried and cried, yelling out baby... Thank goodness she was finally cleared and could come with us. The man who finally gave the doll back asked, what does this doll do? Well, depending on what limb you push, she cries, or laughs, or blinks her eyes and sucks her bottle. Maybe Kayla will be checked for the flight back.

Standing Strong

We took this picture of Stella when she was 2 months old.

Sterling has a little more poundage to carry, so he is just now starting to be able to hold all of his weight, and balance it a little at the same time. I was excited to get pics of them doing the same thing though. Funny what moms find so cool.


Sterling thought he was pretty cool though. He was even smiling on his way down. (Don't worry, Andy caught him right after this pic was taken. And yes, he's wearing Christmas pj's. Hoping for a white Christmas already.)

Look at all the chub

Wait for it...

LOOK at those thighs!

Fat and happy! That's Sterling all right.

When Andy became a DAD...

Almost two weeks before Andy and I were married, he told me he couldn't wait to have kids with me. I thought that was the sweetest thing ever. Until I saw this...

He is such a good Father.


Happy Fathers Day...

To Andy... the best father ever to our children.

To my Dad... the best dad a girl could ask for.

And to my Dad in law- the one who raised the man of my dreams.

Love you all!

* *

More pics of her fun day to come!

Two years ago, I was in severe pain

So... Stella turns two in a little less than an hour and a half. I don't know how that could be possible. She is just my little girl, still a little baby, right? How am I gonna deal with her growing up, going to school, sleeping over at friends houses, having a boyfriend!!!??? This is not good!