We got hit hard by a snow storm-actually a snow storm that forced me to cancel Max’s birthday party on December 19th but we had fun. I think Sam will truly enjoy the snow next year when she can walk. Max did love the snow last year but I think he really got it this year. Sam was just cold and had rosy cheeks but we did get some cute pics..

Then Max was playing and playing…

And Max could not stop with the shovel..

But baby Samantha just wanted to get in the fun too but she was confined to her little car..

All in all the snow is fun but it is tough when they are little. Maybe snow is really nice when the kids are 2 and above but right now-it is just hard because it makes us more home bound and for us, we can only make allergy free muffins so many times, do play doh, draw, paints and play with toys..Samantha just could not stay outside for long and did not want to wear her mittens. I also did not buy boots for her because she is just so young so I am sure her feet were cold in her little shoes. They did look so funny-almost like that movie, “The Christmas Story” where the kids were dressed so tight that they could barely move-this is how they both looked all last week. These pictures don”t even reflect how funny they looked the day is was snowing hard because they had so many layers that they could barely breathe. Adorable.

Dear Max,

Happy 3rd birthday. It has been a month of gifts. Hanukkah started last friday and since then there has been a gift a night not to mention the gifts that have arrived from family and friends. As you can see by the pic above, this is what you have  looked like everyday and it has not stopped. You asked for presents and gifts constantly and today I actually had to say that soon there will be no gifts for a year. I guess it is a tough concept to explain because then you cried for 40 mins. I guess today was not the day to say that or explain that you have it REALLY good.

Today is your official birthday and we celebrated with your family. We were supposed to have your big party at Bouncetown but the snow storm of 2009 wrecked our plans. So it snowed and you had a ton of fun yesterday playing in the snow, so I guess that was a pretty cool way to start the birthday weekend. As for me, I shed some tears because I had done all the planning and wanted you to have such a fun day but I let it go by 7:30 am and then just enjoyed the day. So in total we got about 22 inches or more and it was the first time you ever saw this much snow and thankfully I bought you snow gear this year-but forgot boots so you wore rain boots that your MIMI bought you. I am am mom and moms tend to forget at least one thing. You shoveled snow with your dad three times and we went sledding for as long as you and your sister could handle it..about 45 mins and then came inside and ate some muffins.

You are chatting up a storm and saying the funniest things. Your aunt told you the other day that you are handsome and you said, I KNOW! I cracked up laughing. You are still a jokester and love to make people laugh. You love to play games and play little tricks on people and then say..JUST KIDDING. You are funny and really enjoy being the center of attention when you are comfortable. You can now break dance or at least that is what we call  it-I guess you could also call it the happy dance. Daddy showed you the move at the end where you hold you arms across your body and almost hug yourself like all the break dancers did and you look so cute doing it.

You love school and you are learning so much being there. I am amazed daily. You told me NO THANK YOU the other day when i asked about if you wanted a burger for lunch. You are learning so much at Montessori school, basically how to be a good person in the world and how to love yourself and others.

You are still very tender and very loving. I am so lucky that you are this sweet. You are such an amazing big brother. You love to cuddle, snuggle, kiss, hug but you are also ALL boy. You love trucks, airplanes, trains, helicopters, balls, and anything that can crash into something. You love football and of course you love the EAGLES, Phillies home team. You are enjoying dressing up as  super heros these days and astronauts (our current costumes in the house). As of right now, Bob the Builder rules in your mind..Curious George still has a place in your heart and you sleep with a stuffed anaimal curious george but Bob is the best!

It has been an interesting month with doing the amy yasko protocol. I have been detoxing your gut and supplementing your organs to protect them from the detox. I am even giving you B12 shots in your butt and you are doing great. You are detoxing but you are still smiling. You speech teacher thinks you have 600 words, which is amazing since you said 0 words in March 2009. I just adore you and so does your Dad. You are loved by so many people and so many people say that you are so special and handsome of course. Just don’t ever stop exploring. I love that you always want to find out the answer. Don’t stop looking. I love you kiddo!

Love, Mommy

I cannot believe that 10 days have passed. So much is happening here. First off, I am doing school work and loving it so much. I am really enjoying following my passion in health. I feel lucky and fortunate but overwhelmed at times too. I am sure anyone would feel that way with school, life, kids, hubby etc.

We are in the thick of supplementing our household with the dr amy yasko protocol which is actually based on bypassing genetic mutations via supplementation also referred to as nutrigenomics. It is crazy. When I am not being a mom, wife or a student, I am researching for hours at night or in the morning. I am waking up each morning at 5 am just to have some time to research about gene mutations. Basically the body is run by a methylation cycle and if that cycle is not working properly then the body starts to have issues like allergies, speech, GI issues, fatigue issues etc. So it is amazing but overwhelming. I am compounding supplements weekly for the kids and putting out supplements for my husband and myself as well. We actually started doing B12 shots to get the cycle going and this morning was Max’s first shot. I have been doing them on and off for years, not even knowing that I needed B12 so desperately but now we are doing them every three days. I actually was changing Max’s diaper and then gave him a shot and told him that a bug bit his butt. I am not sure if I should have lied but I think holding him down and giving him a shot would be worse. I am also detoxing all of our guts and Max’s speech has already increased but I am also watching him detox pretty hard.

Max’s speech is amazing. The speech therapist think he has over 600 words and he is starting to use them in multiple sentences. It is amazing. I remember when he had his first session March 31st and did not even say one word at that time in his life. he has come so far and we are so proud of him. I know changing his diet had so much to do with it as well.

It has been a busy month already. We have had Chanukah, Sam’s b day party, Max’s b day party is tomorrow and well I think I will be happy when it is 2010. I love december because it is full of my kids b days but it is also tiring..I just think holidays are tiring in general.

As for samantha, she is on the protocol but no shots just supplements and she is doing much better with pooping. It is exciting to know that I am helping my kids and giving them a shot at having a better working body in the long run.

Samantha is standing up on her own and she is so proud. She is doing great. She is so funny and such a special little girl. I am sure all parents say that but she is just amazing. Sam is very chatty and loves to sing. She is just so sweet and loves to blow to kisses to pretty much anybody.

I promise to post more not only for the kiddos to read one day but for myself to have a place to let go..happy holidays!

Dear Samantha,

I look at this picture and it seemed like it was yesterday but ti was so long ago. You were 2 weeks old in the picture and now you are a little girl, a little girl who is one years old. You are not that baby anymore but you are still my baby girl.

You are full of life and full of personality. You love to dance and you love to sing. I find you often singing “The Wheels on the Bus” and making the SHHHH noise that the mom says and then saying RRROOUUU for the wheels on the bus go round. You love to splash in the tub. You actually splash so much that you tend to cough but it does not stop you..sometimes you even make your brother whine begging you to stop but that does not stop you. I guess that is a huge part of your personality-you are such a strong driving force. You are sweet and cuddly. You are tough and feisty. You are such a special girl.

Sometimes you are serious…and you have such a determined look

BUT MOST OF THE TIMES YOU ARE LAUGHING AND SMILING…

You are cruising everywhere and you can climb an entire set of stairs. You still don’t love foods but you do eat tons of squash and a lot of yogurt. You enjoy carrots and parsnips as well. You love your bottle and you love your crib. You are just such a sweet little girl. You always giggle and you love to play.

I remember the moment I met you. I had no idea that life with you would be so grand. I had no idea you would be so different than your bother in personality. I am so lucky to have you. I am so lucky to watch you grow. I am so lucky you are my little girl. You have taught me so much about myself and have forced me to be a better woman. I guess having a little girl has made me want to be a FULL woman full of self esteem and love for herself so that I can that to you. Thank you so much! You are loved so much by so many. happy Birthday Samantha!!

Love, Mommy

My little girl is almost turning ONE! Where has the time gone? We had a small family get together and it was a lot of fun. We ordered trays of food from our favorite Jewish deli in Philly called “The Famous 4th Street Deli” and it was so more food but so good. We made a fruit tray that was gobbled up by both the kids and the adults. My husband also bought cookies from them, which are too die for and I swear they must be about 700 calories each but damn they are good. Then we ordered a cake from the “Pink Pastry Shop” on 4th and Bainbridge and the cake was amazing. I had so many pieces of cake and could not stop eating it. I even ate cake for dinner one night-it was out of control.

We did it the Saturday after Thanksgiving so our family could be there and it was a nice way to end Thanksgiving. Baby Sam loved all the attention and she looked adorable in her pink and gray party outfit. She has these little leggings that had an adorable bubble skirt with poka dots. Adorable.

Samantha helped open her gifts, which included some first play with me dolls and some pajamas and a fun toy where balls went into a funnel and then you watched them travel across to another tunnel. Very cool stuff. Mostly it was fun just watching family together and celebrating our little girl.

Max enjoyed cake with his cousin Abigail (she is one he is also kissing in pictures at family celebrations-they adore each other).

I think Max was a little shocked that it was not his b day party but he got used to the idea-I guess having their birthdays one week apart can be confusing for a little guy but he got real happy soon when the cake came out!

Happy Soon to be birthday little girl in just 1 day!! !! We love you!!