A great weekend . . .

We had a WONDERFUL time this past week starting with Mom's visit. She helped out so much with the kids and we had a ton of fun cooking and visiting. My baby shower was also planned for that week so mom got to enjoy that as well. :) Here is a picture of Gianna nursing her baby at the shower. She really wanted my nursing cover so I gave it to her while mom set her up with her baby. She loved it!







Little Peter is quite a bit
different than Gianna when she was this age. When mom came last time Gianna cried and cried . . . all the time! Peter is quite content being held and loved by us. I think he's going to be a pretty serious little boy. :) Gianna loves smothering him in kisses and tries to console him when he does cry, she's going to be a BIG help when she's a little older, she's very motherly.


So mom had NO idea that Robert and Elise were coming on Thursday. When they showed up I quickly asked mom to come down stairs to help me with the laundry. Of course she said yes right away and we went down there. Then Bobby started to walk down the stairs. (now Gianna can't do this on her own) and mom looked and started to say "wow" as if Gianna was doing it then she saw it was Bobby and was so surprised! It was fun to surprise her! It was so great to see Robert Elise and the kids, we had so much fun! Bobby was very good to Gianna, playing and including her in everything. And of course, Joyce is as cute as a button!














The good times just kept getting better! Pat and Anne showed up Friday shortly before dinner to stay with us for the weekend. What a blast we had!















They are now called Grandma Anne and Grandpa Pat. They are the kids' third set of grandparents! Friday night dad's plane was scheduled to get in at 1 am (4 am his time!) so Cyril, Robert and Pat went and watched the X-men movie at the theater and picked up Dad afterward. When I woke up in the morning Dad and Bobby were already playing outside with the croquet set so Gianna quickly joined them! It was so wonderful to see Dad and to see the grandbabies really enjoying his company.















Of course Gianna is not in this picture because she threw a fit! We spent all morning taking turns showering with our one bathroom and getting ready for the baptism. I do not have that many pictures of it all because my camera disappeared and most of the pictures are on Anna's camera. However, we did get a few with Mom's camera. Now for the big event!














I will be sure to post some of the actual baptism when I get them. :) Take a peek at the BEAUTIFUL gown that Mom made and the hat the Mary made for Peter:














The baptism was absolutely beautiful. Peter is now the closest soul to Christ! Not a stain or blemish can be found. :) There is no greater feeling as a parent than getting your little one baptized. We threw a BBQ lunch here afterward and really enjoyed ourselves. It was a little cold outside so Cyril, Dad, Robert and Pat went and got some whiskey and an axe to chop firewood. The rest of the evening we enjoyed the fire and yummy smore's. On Sunday we went to 9 am mass, took naps and relaxed the rest of the day. Robert and Elise took us all to Black Angus for dinner without the little kiddos. It was such a treat! We then went to a bar to play pool and after it closed we went bowling. It's been so long since we have all gotten to hang out like that, I enjoyed every minute. On Monday Mom left with Robert and Elise as they headed home to San Jose. I was so sad they left that I was practically in tears all day! (Adding to that the lack of sleep - it was not a good combination!) But Dad, Gianna, Peter and I went to the zoo as Cyril went back to work. After we got home Dad took Gianna for a two hour walk. :) It was so nice to enjoy some quiet time and Gianna really took to "bampa" that day. Dad left later that evening on a red eye back to Virginia.

All in all is was a wonderful week. It was entirely too short, but aren't all of our visits? I have comfort in knowing that our separation here on earth is only temporary and God willing we will all spend eternity together. Thank goodness for things like the telephone and this blog...it would be unbearable without them! I love you all so much!

"All the wealth in the world cannot be compared with the happiness of living together happily united." - Blessed Margaret