Tale of Two Sisters & A New Brother

This weekend we were in Michigan visiting mommy's aunts, uncles and cousins! I drove up with Joey, Meggie, Patrick & Sydney and boy did we have fun chanting "Michigan, Michigan!" all 4.5 hours in the car! Everyone got to go on a boat except me & Jack (boo hoo) but I had fun swimming in the pool and playing with my cousins all weekend!

Oh and Happy Birthday Trinity!!

Today was my cousin Kyle's birthday party (his birthday is tomorrow) but I went to my Great Grandma and Great Pap Pap's house to celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary! I had lots of fun with my "great" aunts & uncles and Murphy the dog (too bad Pap Pap & Grammy weren't there!)

Boy my mom has really been slacking because she didn't add any stories about July until August! So go back and read what a busy month it was!

Mom's note:
July was certainly a fun month for us! Caileigh is talking all the time and saying something new every day. In the morning and at night its, "i wuv you" or "i miss you" and "god bless you" when we sneeze! She sings her prayer before dinner with a big "AMEN"! In church she loves to shake everyone's hand at the sign of peace - a little politician in the making. And every morning she asks me "daddy golfing?" or "daddy working?". And did you know that the tune to the "ABC" song is the same tune to "Twinkle Twinkle"? Well now you do and I hope its now in your head all the time too!!

We've definitely turned the corner on sleeping! Ever since we got Caileigh her own bed she's been a great sleeper. Sure we still have to lay down next to her until she falls asleep but we don't mind! We had alot of fun this month!

Daddy was golfing so mommy & I went to the children's museum and saw Clifford the Big Red Dog and Mr. Roger's neighborhood. But I especially liked the crooked house and the big slide - that was fun!

Today I went to the dr for a weight and height check. Even though mommy told me everything the doctor was going to do, I still cried and cried when she weighed and measured me! I am now 21 lbs, 8 ounces and 31 inches. Boy am I growing!!

My Great Grandma Duffy fell and is in the hospital so we went to see her. Great Aunt Sheila, Uncle Perry, Uncle Denny and cousin Meaghan were all there too. I sang "twinkle twinkle" for them and danced to make Grandma feel better!

Tonite I went to my first Pirate baseball game with mommy, daddy, Ms. Eda and Mr. Guy from Springfield Missouri! We sat really high up and cheered for the Pirates to score. The best part was eating ice cream out of a pirate hat!

Today we all went to the zoo in Chicago and met daddy's friends Brian & Brooke and their son Seamus. My mommy says Seamus is so cute and wouldn't we make a great pair (what does that mean?). Then we went back to aunt Franny's and played with play-doo, went swimming and ate pizza! I can't wait to see Megan and Madison again soon!

Mommy, daddy and I went on an airplane to Chicago for the weekend to visit mommy & daddy's friends. Mommy's friend Fran has twins Megan and Madison and boy did we have fun! They have so many neat toys and games to play. They even have a roller coaster car in their backyard! And we played dress up and had a PARTY - just the girls!

We went to the festival at St. Sebastian's tonite and I got to ride the merry-go-round and the helicopters! I rode with Trinity and held on really tight!

Today is my grandma's birthday so we went over my great grandma's house to celebrate and had cake & ice cream!

Today I got a big girl bed and slept on it all night long! I was sick of my crib, and daddy said I can't sleep on the floor forever so I got my own bed. And mom says I'm too much of a bed hog to sleep with she and daddy all the time. I even brought all my stuffed animals in bed with me!

Today is my Aunt Molly's birthday - yea!!

Well this past weekend it was just my daddy and me b/c my mommy was out of town on business. Friday, Grandma Erika & Grandpa Chuck took me to the zoo & we had a great time! I loved all the animals! Then Saturday Grammy came over and we played outside all day with my water table and she pushed me in the stroller too! Daddy was golfing all weekend with Pap Pap - lucky for him!

Well its been awhile since I updated on what I've been doing. Well, lets see, my favorite word to say now is "nooooo" in a cute little way of course. And please give me what I want or else I'll scream and cry and possibly puke! I love to ask for my "da-dee" as soon as I wake up in the morning and sometimes I'll ask for "mon-ee" too. Yes "mon-ee" is my way of saying "mommy" :)!!

Today I met Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore, Piglet & Mickey! We went to Magic Kingdom and took a ride on a train and a boat. We went on Pooh's adventure ride and I played in Pooh's house! Then we went to dinner and Pooh and all his friends were there. I danced and clapped when they sang during dinner! Boy was I tired when we got home! Hip Hip Hooray!

Boy its hot in Florida! I really like to dunk my head under water and blow bubbles in the pool! Mommy, Daddy & I eat outside on our deck and watch all the ducks swim by. Wish you were here!!

Today we went on an airplane to Florida for a vacation. I really didn't like flying that much so I slept most of the way. When we got to our condo we went swimming in the pool and it was a lot of fun!

I "ran" my 2nd Race for the Cure today in honor of my Grandma Burke and for all those courageous women and men fighting breast cancer. OK so mom pushed me in the stroller and we did the 1 mile fun walk (daddy ran the 5K!!) but we were there!! My sign was too little to list all the names but keep praying for my mom's cousin Mary Pat Krebs, daddy's friend Liz Cipola, aunt Mk's friend Mary Beth, and all the others who are still fighting !

And Happy Mother's Day to all those moms, grandmoms, and Godmothers !!

Last night we went to the Harp and Fiddle for dinner and I met Grace (auntie Lynne's niece), her sister Teri and John (Grace's dad). Then today I went to the park with Grace and my cousins and went down the slides a million times! I was sooooo mad when mommy came and took me home - I screamed so loud mommy shut all the windows in the car and turned up the radio really loud! (kidding!)

My mom and dad say I am a talking machine now - I can say all my cousins names, pap pap, pop pop, nana, all kinds of colors (i think everything is yellow), and I'll try to say anything you ask - even please and thank you! But I still won't say grandma or grandpa so they may have to find a different name for me to say for awhile!!

I went to visit my great grandma Duffy today and Uncle Denny brought his big dog Murphy and he jumped all over me & mommy! I didn't like it at all at first but then I got used to him. I like to say "woof" alot.

Today my cousin Trinity made her first communion (yes I have alot of cousins!) and last night Grammy came over and watched me while mommy and daddy went to a wedding. Grammy brought a little table for me and princess plates, bowls and cups! I kept trying to get Grammy to sit on the chair with me but she shook her head no!

My cousin Ryan made his first communion today at St. James Church in Sewickley. Last night I slept over at Aunt Kelly's and had a great time with Trinity, Joey, Sydney & Jack!

Tonight we went to Magee Hospital for a dedication ceremony for the Emma T. Whalen Family Resource Center. I never knew Emma but her mom and dad are good friends with all my aunts & I know her sister Lizzy. Emmma Whalen was born in 2001 and died 24 days later. She was 3 months premature and weighed less than 2 pounds. Her mom and dad raised money for a library at the NICU at Magee to help other parents that have premature babies get information while their babies are staying in the hospital. Here is a link to the article about Emma Whelan... http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/rss/s_499582.html.

I asked Emma to watch over my brother Stephen in heaven.

Can you believe I'm 18 months old already? AND, I finally crossed the 20 pound mark (wahoo!), I'm 20lb 7 oz to be exact and 29 + inches. Mom says I'm hanging onto the 3rd percentile by my fingernails! But that's ok b/c I'm talking up a storm and too busy chasing my cousins to eat! Unless its ice cream or a popsicle :)

Oh I forgot to mention that the mark on my nose in the April pictures is from when I wiped out in the driveway! It hurt but I got back up and went on collecting rocks! I love to play "outshide"!

Today was a very sad day. My baby brother was born but he was too little so he became an angel and is watching over us in heaven. His name is Stephen Joseph and he was only 19 weeks old. My mommy and daddy are very sad so please keep us in your prayers.

"Some people only dream of angels, I held one in my arms"

Its Easter Sunday so I got dressed up in my new Easter dress and went to mass with all my cousins and aunts & uncles! Then we went to Great Grandma's house for brunch and then over to Aunt Bridget and Uncle Matt's for dinner! We had an easter egg hunt and I found lots of eggs. And my Grandma and Grandpa gave me two golf clubs and balls and I already made a hole in one!! Watch out Pap Pap, here I come!

I went on my first real easter egg hunt with Grammy and Pap Pap! I found alot of eggs but no one let me eat the candy inside of them - no fair! There was also a big horse there but I didn't want to ride him!! We had lots of fun and I ran around and played with my new friend Austin.

Today was so much fun! We went over my aunt Kelly's house and I ran around in the mud and got my pants, shirt and shoes all dirty! Then we went to the park and I slid down the slide over and over, and then I played with Brady and Dudley and! I really like the slide, but not the swings. I was so tired I fell asleep on the way home in the car!! I have two new teeth on the bottom too! They are called molars and are really big!

Oh boy, what a day!! My mom, dad & I went to look for a new house and mom slipped coming down the steps and broke her toe! So now she has a funny shoe to wear! My dad said he hopes I don't inherit her clumsiness (whatever that means!!).

My first St. Patrick's Day parade! It was really cold but we saw Irish dancers (my friend Julia was dancing!) and lots of bagpipers, Irish wolfhounds and bands. My great aunts and uncles were there and my daddy's cousins. I called Pap Pap later in the day and said "Pap Pap" to him !!

Yea! Finally some nice weather - I rode my new tricycle on Sunday (thanks Aunt Franny) and we went to the park and then played outside all day at Aunt Molly's house. Too bad its getting cold again!

Today was my last baby signs class with Beebo and my friend's Jesse and Joey! We learned signs for balloon, ice cream and cake!! I had lots of fun until mom wouldn't let me hold the cone by myself, then I got really mad!!

Wow, thank goodness February is over!! It wasn't the best month- let's hope March brings alot of nice weather and good health to everyone!! Did you see my picture - I'm going to be a big sister in September (or maybe late August!). I don't know what that means but I do know my mom has been sick alot and my dad is exhausted!

My great grandpa Matkovic died today. He was such a great grandfather and I'll miss him. Please keep my great Grandma and Grandma in your prayers.

Please keep my Great Grandpa Matkovich and Great Grandma Duffy in your prayers. Great Grandpa fell and suffered a stroke Saturday night and is in intensive care at the hospital. Great Grandma fell and broke her hip Sunday morning and had surgery yesterday and is also in the hospital.

Thanks everyone!

Today was Valentine's Day and daddy bought me my favorite foods like goldfish and animal crackers! I got all kinds of neat cards and I got $20 from my grandma and grandpa. No school again today so I went over Aunt Kelly's again and played outside. Boy was it cold!!

Yea! No school today for my cousins so I went to Aunt Kelly's house and played all day. We even went outside and played in the snow! I cried when we had to go inside! I hope there's no school tomorrow too!