Kayla's next meal is....pics of our tree

Votes came in as follows:
Pears-3
Squash- 6
Cheeze Whiz- 2

So Squash it is. I wanted to give her squash today for dinner, but this will be delayed a day. She still has a bit of carrots left. So tomorrow its Squash for this little princess! Of course I'll take pictures.

Here are pictures of Kayla and Daddy putting up the tree!

NEW BLOG!

Ok, so I know that my poll doesnt end until tomorrow..but i clearly got more "Yes" votes than "No" votes. 15 to 2.
So...here's my other blog!

http://michellespathofrecipes.blogspot.com/

Check it out!

Come out of hiding! Please?

Copy cat-ing some of my fellow bloggers by blogging this:

If your reading my blog, come out of hiding and introduce yourself. If I already know you, let me know you are stopping by. I like to know who thinks my life is interesting! Com' on....dont be shy! Join the blog commenters!

I have a blog tracker and I see readers from all over the country! But I have no idea who the heck you all are! Who are those who like to read about me and see pictures of my baby girl?

If your a reader and have any questions to ask me...anything at all, please feel to ask. Now is YOUR chance!

Oh, dont forget to vote on Kayla's next meal of Pears or Squash.
And dont forget my poll going on...the top right hand side of my blog. It ends very soon.

Ladies and Gents+vote on Kayla's next meal

I have wonderful news! Kayla only woke up once last night for a feeding! Nick and I watched a movie last night (The Forgotten) and she fell asleep at 7. I put her to bed at 8 and she slept until 2:45 a.m. I fed her and she was asleep again by 3 a.m. and was out until 6 a.m. This is the most sleep I have gotten in 1 night consecutivley since July 29th 2008! (I couldnt sleep at all the night before she was born)

Also, today is her 3rd day of carrots! One more day and we can move up to either pears or squash!

Lets take a vote.....which should she have next? Pears? Or Squash? These are the 2 I bought at the Commissary yesterday.

She will have whatever the most popular vote is within the next day or 2. So Com' on and vote!!!!!

Pics from Thanksgiving Day

Hope everyone had a great holiday. We did. We spent the day at our neighbor's house. The guys played Xbox. The girls and babes zonked out on the living floor after we all ate so much we couldnt move or eat again for 2 days. I love Thanksgiving. Especially when now Nick and I have someone new to be Thankful for. Kayla ate her first veggie on this day. While we all ate, I fed her carrots! At first she was confused, but never spit them out. And now she's eating them like she always was. (She might have tasted mashed potatoes from my plate and loved them too! Shhhh!)

The above pictures are from Thanksgiving Day.

Dont forget to vote on my poll. It ends Dec 1st.

stuffed

Its the day after and Im STILL stuffed.

This is dead on.

What Your Thanksgiving Meal Says About You

When it comes to the holidays, you follow and love the big traditions. You look forward to them every year. You see the holidays as a time to be close to loved ones. It's a good time to reconnect and make memories. You like the aspects of the holiday that remind you of your childhood - opening presents, treats, and old favorite foods. During the holidays, you are likely to feel generous. At your worst, you feel exhausted. You consider yourself a real red blooded American, and you're proud of it. You tend to spend your holidays doing everything and anything. You really get into the holiday spirit.

What Does Your Thanksgiving Meal Say About You?

Thank you shout out! Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you Tina for these precious hair clips for my precious baby!! We love them!

Happy Thanksgiving! Its Thanksgiving morning here, 8:17 am, which means for all of you it's Thanksgiving Eve at 5:17 pm. Im hoping each and everyone of you have a wonderful holiday!

Im wishing so many of you will have someone new to be thankful for next year, just like us.

Pictures

Yesterday we got a package from Grammy. This one is Kayla's favorite package so far! She got not just 1 new dolly, but TWO new dollies! And they both are her firsts! THANK YOU GRAMMY! We love you and miss you!

Yesterday I baked my Gingerbread cookies with the help of Kayla being the onlooker.

Right now, there is pumpkin pie in the over and it smells a-m-a-z-i-n-g and it also reminds me of my Great Grandmother. It's her recipe.

lots of things to talk about!

Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom, advice, concerns, tips...whatever it was that you offered me. I appreciate it a lot. Your words are very welcomed! Im a first time Mom, so at times your words are needed!

I will have you know that Nick and I so far feel very comfortable with Kayla starting "solids" now. Im not giving her full course meals or even a full jar of baby food. Just baby rice cereal mixed with a little applesauce, the number 1 foods, organic baby food in a jar to be exact.
In my book it says rice cereal can be started at 4 months old. Kayla will be 4 months old on Sunday, so yes Im a few days early but we are taking it slow.

In my book it also says that "solids" can be started at 6 months old. I know we are ahead of the game on this one. This is why I took it very slow with this to see how she does. My neighbor who has a 13 month old started her baby on applesauce when she was 4 months old. Her baby is fine. Ive taken her advice on almost everything else and it has worked out.

So far Kayla is doing fantastic. Today is her 3rd full day of eating applesauce. Her bowel movements are still on schedule, she isnt burping or farting anymore than usual, so we are assuming her body is handling it just fine.
I will continue with the applesauce until Sunday and then start the veggies. I do now realize I should have started with the veggies first. But hey...Im a first time Mom, I didnt know.

Onto other things..
Our Christmas tree isnt the traditional pretty-ball-and-dangly-things-tree. Its a tree filled with mementos and special things from his childhood as well as mine. Nick and I, every year since we have been married, at Christmas time, we buy a special Chrstimas Tree ornamanet to add to the collection. Each item hung on the tree has a special meaning to it. Yesterday I found this year's special ornament to symbolize our first Christmas in paradise. Santa on the beach sleeping.

And last week I found Kayla's Baby's first Christmas ornament that will go on the tree. When she is old enough, we plan to pass on these ornaments to her just like our parents did for us.


And, speaking of Christmas...Yesterday I went to the BX to get a few odds and ends for Christmas. A couple stocking stuffers for Nick, a book for Kayla, a last minute gift for a friend, tape to wrap gifts, etc. I hadnt been to the BX in about a week or more. The store was filled with people Christmas shopping. The BX Christmas Tree was up glowing with lights. There were decorations all over the place. The store didnt have just a few Christmas isles, the store was flooded with toys and Christmas items, and the music was playing. The Christmas mood just hit me while I was in there.

And then, I paid for my items and left the store. And then, the heat hit me. Its Christmas time and its hot outside. I dont have to put on a coat, scarf, gloves to go outside. Instead, we go out in shorts, tank tops, flip flops, sunglasses and sweat. I drive with the AC on while listening to Christmas songs. Oh my gosh, I love it. As weird as it is being Christmas without the cold, I love it. But Im sure by the time our 4 years here is up, I will want to feel cold again. For now, I dont miss it for one second.

Also, take a look at the poll in running on my blog. Its at the top right hand corner. Its open until December 1st. Please vote! Comment if need be!

If you made it through this blog, congrats. I think it ended up quite boring.
Ok, Im off to help Kayla get rid of these pesky hiccups, take a shower and bake my Thanksgiving cookies now.

Weekend Milestones

So we had some really big weekend milestones in the Alessi household. At the sincere suggestion of Grammy and Daddy telling Mommy she's ready...Mommy gave Kayla rice cereal on Friday night. Mommy made the rice cereal to thin so Kayla didn't quite get that she could swoosh it around in her mouth and swallow it. It didn't go well but she didn't seem to mind the taste at all.

So Saturday night Mommy tried the rice cereal again but this time made it much thicker. Kayla ate her entire bowl! Earlier in the day Mommy and Kayla went to a baby shower for the neighbor and during a baby shower game Mommy had to taste baby food. After telling Daddy about this he suggested we try it.

So on Sunday Mommy and Kayla went to the commissary and bought her first baby food. Applesauce! For dinner Kayla ate half of a jar of this and loved it. She didn't even make a funny face after tasting it. She ate an entire bowl of this mixed with her cereal.

Later that night Mommy read in her "What To Expect The First Year" book that you shouldn't mix the baby food with the cereal because baby will then only want the cereal mixed with food. So before bed time Mommy gave Kayla some applesauce straight from the jar. Kayla almost finished the jar.

After Kayla went to bed, Mommy read some more of her book. And read that Veggies should be the first food of choice so baby doesn't develop a sweet tooth. Ooops!
I guess after the applesauce is gone we will do a couple of veggies before moving onto another fruit.

Monday morning (this morning) Kayla had a little bit of cereal and some applesauce. It was a hit!

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is Mommy and Kayla's cookie baking day for Thanksgiving. Gingerbread cookies of all shapes and No Bake cookies.

Wednesday is Pumpkin Pie baking and Christmas decorating.

On another note, check out my bestest blogger friend's new website. She has been trying for a very very long time to get her peanut here.

http:​/​/​ourpeanuttravels.​blogspot.​com/​


Mommy got tons of gifts wrapped during Kayla's nap time on Sunday so she's all ready to send packages! Yay!

Cookies and packages

Wow. Thank you everyone for the comments on my 'Really?' blog. I had no idea so many people thought so strongly of me. You all make me feel so warm. So cared for, so cared about. The support you all offer me brings me to tears sometimes. We don't all agree with this dumb war that's going on, but you all support me and my husband with no question. You have no idea how much I am going to need your words of encouragement as this deployment approaches. I'm still on my pre-deployment emotional roller coaster. Nick has no idea. I hide it from him, every time. Especially this time. This is going to be hard on him and I don't want to make it any harder.

So, to drown out my roller coaster yesterday I made No Bake Cookies. These are bad. If you like chocolate, peanut butter, and oats, please be warned...don't make these and stay away from them. If you don't, you will eat every last one. Just like I almost have. They are super easy to make, which makes this cookie even worse.

4 oz butter, 1/2 cup milk, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, 3 tbs peanut butter, 3 cups old fashioned or quick oats, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Place Ch. chips, oats, vanilla in bowl. Combine sugar, butter, milk in saucepan. Bring to rolling boil for 1 minute. Combine hot mixture with oat mixture. Stir well. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. I added in just a tiny bit of crushed walnuts too. You can add just about anything into these cookies. Coconut, dried fruit, raisins, nuts, etc.

For Thanksgiving we are going next door to our neighbor's and good friend's house. Everyone attending is designated to bring something. I am in charge of desserts. So I'm making my Great Grandma's recipe for Impossible Pumpkin Pie, Gingerbread cookies and of course these God awful No Bake cookies.
The evil cookies:

Kayla laughing at Daddy after I made the cookies:


Yesterday, to my surprise we got an unexpected package. Which happens alot around here thanks to thoughtful, loving family members. But, this one was especially unexpected. A good friend of the family, who is considered to be part of the family sent a very special package. Bonnie sent us a framed picture. A picture that Nick's Grandfather, AKA Poppy drew in 1984 of a clown. This picture had been given to Bonnie when her teenager boys were little and it had been hung in both their rooms growing up. Nick opened this package, saw the picture, his mouth hit the floor, and he said, "Oh my God, I remember this picture! I remember seeing this picture hung in their house!" He was just elated. Here is the picture:
And Kayla in the package:


I am so Thankful for the supportive family members that we do have. The ones that care so much to take time out of their busy lives to send us a package. Weather it be as small as a care package for Kayla, a box filled with baby wipes and small toys, to packages as big and special as we got yesterday. I'm so thankful that they think of us and love us. It's hard being away from family at times, so these things are very special to us.

Really?

Is it really that time again?
Is he really going, again? Is MY husband really deploying again for 8 long months? For at least 282 more days? Is he really leaving before Kayla turns 6 months old and not coming back home until she is 14 months old? Really?

Each and every deployment that comes, I push to the back of my mind and I don't think about it until the very last minute. Today, I'm thinking about it a lot. Its not in the back of my mind. Is he really going to miss our daughter growing up? Will she remember him? Do I really have to be a single mother for 8 months while I'm hurting and missing my husband? Is it really only 2 1/2 months away?

The holidays are coming fast. Before I know it it will be Christmas and New Years. And then before I know it my husband will be walking out of our front door for 8 months and this time I don't have my Mother and Father in law to save me from the hurt.

Both of my neighbors are leaving to go back home for the duration of the deployment. Will I really be all alone? Just me and my little girl? Will I really have to stay strong, hide the pain, and not cry for my little girl? This time I cant fall the floor and cry after he leaves. This time I have to be strong, for Kayla. How do the spouses stay strong when left behind with their children? Especially with no one around to hold them up?

Ick, I feel sick in the very pit of my stomach.

pictures and adoption details

So here is the red and white dress Kayla was supposed to wear for her picture with Santa. A dress her Grandpa proudly picked out before she was born.







Yesterday we got the paper work from our Attorney's office that is the paper work that will be used in the adoption finalization court hearing. It brought me chills to read this paper that will be signed by the judge at the end of the hearing and to read the notice of telephonic hearing.

YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on Tuesday December 2, 2008, at 11:40 A.M. (EST) or as soon as thereafter a counsel may be heard, Petitioners shall call up for hearing before the Honorable (Judge's name) one of the Judges of the above-styled Court, in Chambers, (room #) in the (county name), (address), the petition for adoption.

ORDERED AND ADJUDGED:
The minor child born the 30th day of July 2008 at (City,and hospital name ) FL, is declared to be the legal child of the Adoptive Parents, Nicholas Alessi and Michelle Alessi, and is given the name of Kayla Nicole Alessi.
That the minor child shall hereafter be the legal child and legal heir of the Adoptive Parents, Nicholas Alessi and Michelle Alessi, and entitled to all rights and privileges and subject to all obligations of a child born of said Adoptive Parents in lawful wedlock.

DONE AND ORDERED in (city) FL, this ______ day of December 2008.

Oh, and yesterday I've added a calendar to my blog. Its on the right hand side and the bottom of all my gadgets. If you would like something added to my calendar, let me know!

Santa and Pictures

So, we went to see Santa yesterday and as usual Kayla was an angel. She just sat on his lap and stared at everyone watching her. Looked like she was wondering what all the fuss was about. Everyone was just ooooohhhing and ahhhhhing and saying how cute she was. It was fun. I had originally had her in a real pretty red and white dress that Grandpa bought for her before she was born. Through the morning she slobbered all over it, and the red started running into the white areas of the dress and by the time it was time to go see Santa, we had a red white and pink dress. So, she ended up wearing a beachy orange and pink dress. Good thing is, before the dress got all slobbered, Kayla and Daddy had a photo session outside. Those pics are to come!

Also, Im behind on our "photoshoot' pictures. We have taken 2 the past few days. I wanted to capture this growth spurt shes going through. A few days ago she was going through 4 ounce bottles every 2 hours! I was just amazed at how much liquid this little body was able to take in.

Not much going on here. We didnt do anything this weekend but relax at home. I worked on my blog book. Im on page 179 and all caught up. Im not spell checking the book and creating pretty background pages. I just have to stay caught up on it through this month and next month. Then I can get it printed!

Oh, Sunday we did take a drive to Toyota. We sat in a Lexus IS350. We are thinking that by the time Nick gets back from deployment in November 2009, we are going to buy one. After sitting in it, we both really want one. From the extra money Nick gets being deployed and our tax return, plus a tiny bit of reimbursement from the adoption from the military, we should have all debts from adoption paid off and have some money to put down on it. Pretty exciting. :)

Pictures below of Kayla and Santa on Sunday and pictures from our photoshoot on Friday. Check out how long and thick her hair is getting!

new video

Here is a new video of Kayla from 2 days ago. She reached for her toy cow and put it in her mouth for the first time and I got it on video! I have a few more videos to come and lots of pictures!

Today we are taking her to sit on Santa's lap. Hopefully the line isnt too long!

I cant sleep

I cant sleep. My brain wont stop thinking. I hate that. I think about all sorts of various and totally random things while I'm laying in bed.

One thought I could live without thinking over and over is, "I cant wait to get my blog book done. I'm so excited to see the end result." Yada yada yada.

Another random thought I could live without is, "Is anyone else become addicted to kitchen appliances or is it just me? Is it because Ive become a stay at home mommy and have found ways to entertain myself, or am I being totally within reason? I wonder if anyone else is like this?" I think this because as I'm laying there, I'm thinking about my waffle maker and what other kinds of waffles I can come up with. I think about my crock pot and what other recipes I should try out next. I think about my rice cooker, and all the red rice I been eating. I wonder if there are any other neat kitchen gadgets Im missing out on.

Another thought that keeps me up is this stupid PROP 8 thing that went on in CA. Gay marriages are banned in CA? Really? Why? Because all you people that say the bible says marriage should be between man and woman? Because you want to follow what the bible says? Ya know what you people? What about the bible saying the God does not judge? What are you doing? Judging? Or is there some other "logical" reason in your brain? Go ahead, tell me.

And really...Why do you care how other people live? Isnt there better things to do in your life besides judge how people live? How about you get a life? As a woman who was trying to conceive, I have made many friends through chat rooms and other blogs. The majority of these friends are same sex couples either trying to have a family through the help of donor sperm, or trying to adopt, or who have adopted. And these friends are among the best because they know how I feel from personal experiences. And ya know what people? These same sex couples hurt the same way I hurt as a woman married to man. They live, laugh and grow just like me and my husband. They live, laugh, grow, breathe, smile, cry, eat, sleep, work, drive, love, dream, desire, wish, hope, pray and bleed the same color as every human being on this earth. So really...why do you care who they are in love with?
Seriously. Arent there better things to be opposed to? Like, animal abuse, neglect, cruelty? Pro-choice and Pro-life? War? Shouldnt you care more about things where actual living lives are at risk and a lot of times lost rather than a simple marriage between 2 people who are commited to each other and in love?

These are just a few things that keep me up at night. Anyone else want to share what keeps you up at night? Come on...you know you wanna.

court date and rice!

I havent been around the blog lately. I took the idea I was seriously considering and Im doing it. Im turning my blog into a book via this website...http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook
I been at it all day everyday in between attending to Kayla and I am now onto page 135! I cant wait to see the finished product! I been putting off everything on the computer minus this big project. I owe so many people emails and pictures and I owe my blog an update and I have laundry thats been sitting in the drier for 2 days. Oh well, I'll get to it when I get to it.

Nick woke up this morning at 5 am to the phone ringing. At that time of morning, Im deep asleep. I heard the phone ring but wasnt aware of anything after that. After he came home from PT he told me the attorney called. We should be getting in the mail the documents that he will be using in court for Kayla's finalization on.............DECEMBER 2nd! The adoption will be finalized on December 2nd! 3 days before Nick's birthday. He said court is that day and it will be final on the same day. We will have to be on the phone during the hearing just in case there are any questions. With us being 15 hours ahead of United States east coast time, that will be the middle of the night for us, but that is A-OK with us!!!!!!

One other thing....
The locals here eat Red Rice. Its rice, that is red obviously. I cant get enough of it. Since we got here I been eating it like crazy. I love it. Red Rice to the Chamorros is like pizza to Americans. I guess that would be a good comparison? You will not go to any function here without it being served. It is served in all the village festivals, parties, BBQ's, at all the resturants, at the mall...pretty much any place that has food and people you can find it...and in massive amounts. Anyhow, I went to the handy dandy internet and serched how to make this rice. And I might have to brag, that it turned out fantastic....along with the finideni sauce that they serve on top of it.

Finideni sauce...1/4 cup soy souce, 1/4 cup white vinigar, crushed red pepper flakes, and finely chopped onion. Serve a couple spoon fulls on top of rice. YUM.
Here is the rice. Ingredients- 2 cups of rice, 2 cups of water, 4 oz of Anatto seeds soaked in the 2 cups of water for atleast 30 minutes, bacon and onion.

Here is what the soaking seeds look like. They will make the water turn red.

Saute onion and bacon.

Strain seeds. Put rice and red water, onion and bacon into rice cooker. And you get this when its done..

I have made this rice with and without the onion and bacon. Its great both ways but the bacon gives it a nice flavor.

Ok, Im going to try to catch up with everyone's blogs now.

Oh, and Kayla has learned how to reach for toys!!!!!! I have a video I will share as soon as I get to upload it.

What we did yesterday

What we did yesterday, Saturday...took the cheesiest family Christmas picture, ever.

Im thinking about doing this..
http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook

How cool would this be for Kayla? For her to have a book, one for each year of my blog to read when she is older. Im seriously considering doing this.

Just a tease

Yesterday was great. Not only because we could celebrate knowing each other for 9 years, but because a very near and dear friend was in town for a day. Most of my family and good friends know of the Williams family that grew in our hearts for 3 years while we lived in Aviano, Italy from 2002-2005. Dawn and Chuck and 5 kiddos became not just friends, but they are our family. The saying, "You cant pick your family" runs false for Nick and I.

I first saw Dawn and her expanding belly at the BWI airport while waiting for my flight to Germany. The flight was delayed for hours. I was newly married and only 18. Scared crapless at the airport alone having no idea what was in store for me ahead as a wife of a military man in a foreign country.

I remember clearly sitting at the terminal, seeing this young pretty blonde haired pregnant lady walking with 4 little girls trailing behind her, all holding hands in a single file line like little blonde haired ducks. I thought to myself, "Wow, pregnant and with 4 girls, crazy." I had no clue that this lady and these 5 children would totally change my life.

I miss them. I miss them so much it hurts. The place they each hold in my heart it just empty. And with Chuck being in town for just 1 day, and being able to only spend 3 hours with him, was just a big tease. Of course it was wonderful and I am thankful for the time we got to spend with him, but afterwards, Nick and I were left speechless and teased. It took all I had not to cry more than the few tears I did cry on the way home.

We havent seen them since September 2005. Normally, after this much time being passed between old friends and then meeting up again for a brief time, you would think that it would be different. You would think that you would grow apart, become different people than what you remember. But it wasnt. For those 3 hours it was like we were never apart. The friendship was still there, as it was before, like nothing ever happened.

I only wish that Chuck could have stuffed Dawn and the lovely kiddos in his suitcase. I would have loved to see them hold Kayla as well. The little baby they prayed and dreamed of and hurt for right along with us.

Chuck is off to Palau for 6 months. He was here on Guam for 1 day for safety briefings before heading there. He wont return to his beautiful family until June 2009. He will miss 4 birthdays and a wedding anniversary, as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, Easter, and Labor Day...or is it Memorial Day? I cant get those 2 holidays right. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts. Thank God he isnt deploying to a war zone. Maybe that will ease the hearts of his precious babes, even just a little bit more.

I wish I could be there to help them get through it, like the good old times.