How in the world has it been 6 months since my last post??

We're still here, still living life.

Not a lot to post but maybe an update or two. David and I have both been extremely busy with our careers and when we aren't working we are savoring every moment with Julia.

Now to Julia...

This week was her first week of the new school year at Four Seasons Academy. She is in kind of a Junior Pre-K class. It is meant for 2 year old's and is complete with curriculum. She loves her teachers and friends and recently took first place in their Little Caesar's fundraiser!

She turned 2.5 on August 2 -- and wears a 4T in clothes, 8.5-9 in shoes, measures 38.5 inches in height -- and I am sure is a decent weight too...but she won't stand still on the scale and thankfully we've not had to visit the Pediatrician for any reason lately.

Julia's new favorite past time is art. She loves to color, draw, trace and, of course, scribble. She prefers blank paper over coloring books. We bought her an easel as a prize for potty training (more on that later) and she is obsessed with it.

On the July 4th weekend we stopped using diapers cold turkey and I am happy to report that we are completely using the potty for pee pee and poopy! She asks when she needs to go, loves to celebrate her successes, enjoys a story or 3 when on the potty. She prefers the big toilet (with a seat insert) over the portable potty, but we do pull out the portable potty when we can tell she is too occupied to make the trip to the bathroom. Julia's teachers have been an integral part of her success and we are so grateful for their support.

Julia also speaks Spanish! Or at least that is what she will tell you. She learned to count to 10 in Spanish and when ever I say something about speaking Spanish -- she proudly tells us she also can speak Spanish and then follows it up with "Uno, Dos, Tres," etc.

She does great with her colors, shapes, ABC's, 123's, and animals. She L.O.V.E.S. to read books to us. Most she has memorized from us reading them to her and she does so well reading them back. Right now her favorites are The Big Green Monster, Where the Wild Things Are, Dora's Bedtime, Goodnight Gorilla, anything with Clifford in it and many Dr. Suess books. At this age I found (or I think someone tipped me off) that they First Look and Find books are a great way to encourage independent reading. She has Dora, Princess, Mickey Mouse and Elmo Look and Find Books -- and really loves them. Some have concepts to teach them things like potty training, brushing her teeth, school, etc. And some are just fun books.

Julia didn't go to swim lessons this summer, instead we thought we would see how it went with instruction from us -- and I am happy to report she is doing great. She floats, kicks, jumps off the side, and will swim across the pool with her floatation device. We like to have her swim back and forth between us without wearing a floatation device but we play more than swim so the device is on more than it is off.

A family friend recently gave birth 13 weeks early and I have been glued to her story. Little baby Allie is at UC Irvine and as of last I heard is quite the fighter and getting stronger every day. After a little hiccup (well, not so little, actually a horrible intestinal infection called NEC, and coincidentally the same infection Will passed away from) she had to have half her bowel removed and get put onto a ventilator. I am happy to say she is recovering well and off the vent. Prematurity seems like it is everywhere. Stephen Bowen, a Defensive End for the Washington Redskins, and his wife gave birth 16 weeks early to twins. After 10 days lost their little girl, while their son is still in the NICU with other health related issues. Prematurity does not discriminate. Young, old, rich, poor, celebrity or not...it is a problem that is rising.

We have almost reached 4 years since little Will was born and I can't believe is has been so long but it also seems like it was a lifetime ago. We miss him and think of him everyday. We are so grateful to be his Mommy and Daddy, to have spent everyday of his life by his side, we are so proud of the fight he fought while he was on this earth.

Birthday Party at School, Disney on Ice and more from 2011

This year sure has already started to fly by! January offered a warm and sunny weekend so we took full advantage by riding to the park, playing with sidewalk chalk and soaking in the sun!

February started off with a very Happy Birthday and a wonderful viewing of Disney on Ice. Julia teacher, Miss Stephanie, helped us to celebrate her birthday at school with her friends Gwynne, Abigail and Andrew. Complete with Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes for morning snack time and McDonald happy meals for lunch -- topped off with gifts! Julia had a great time.

We took Julia (on David's birthday weekend) to Disney on Ice at Stockton Arena. We decided to go all out and purchase front row seats -- and those seats were worth every penny!

Julia continues to completely blow us away with her vocabulary, her humor and her (ahem) persistence! She displays so many personality traits of both David and I while definitely having her own. Weighing in at 29.5 lbs and measuring 38 inches tall, she is proving to be a tall and slender little girl. Her hair is getting long and lighter than we ever imagined.

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She loves Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Barney and Kipper. Enjoys reading books, singing songs and playing with Lincoln Logs. Is sleeping in her toddler bed (or at least that is where she starts off), front facing in her car seat and refuses to use a high chair. Loves anything from Chipotle, Cheeseburger Happy Meals and Chocolate or Vanilla Milk. Insists on getting horsey rides from Daddy, playing piano and singing with her microphone and reading with her V-Tech V.Reader. Bath time is a favorite as is running around naked after. She is showing interest in potty training but it is a daily love-hate relationship so we are not pushing it but embracing it when she shows interest (1 M&M for pee pee and 2 M&M's for poopy).

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As went venture into the 2's -- we are ready, loving every minute of it and wishing Baby Will was with us here on earth to help pave the way.

Happy New Year!