The New Adventures of the Collicki Family

Deliriously Delighted about Desi

2012-01-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

We just wanted to let the family know that on December 19th our little nephew Desmond (Desi) Locken Reich was born in Los Angeles, CA. This is one of those exciting events that makes us wish we held onto that private jet we got rid of back on '06. Can't wait to see you little man

Let The X-mas Craziness Begin

2012-01-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

This Christmas vacation was full of family and fun. The whole family had the whole week off together for the first time ever. Grammy made the beautiful candy cane dresses above.

If you were to pick a theme to this Christmas it would be dress-up. Colby scored some great dress-up clothes like the cool jester hat (above) and the pretty princess dress.

Vonny got some nice stuffed animals, including nemo. She also got these super cute jammies and the baby stella that she spent the day pushing around in her stroller.

Babies are kinda a tough read at this age, but I think that she had fun getting presents and playing with her big sister all day. The biggest hit by far for Colby was the Princess Dollies. It was really the only thing that she asked for, the rest was just her parents spoiling her as usual.

Grammy and Poppi came over to take part in the fun and see the aftermath of the presents (and of course contribute to it too). It was quite impressive.

After all the presents and an attempt at a nap, the family packed up and went over to the Stano's house to see what Santa brought them. Funny side story, a few nights before Christmas, the Stanos were over and Colby decided that she didn't want Santa to stop at her house. Something about a guy sneaking in the chimney when everyone was asleep didn't sit well with her. So said that she wanted to leave out a sign that said. "Santa, please skip our house and go to Elsa's." So at least she made sure that Santa wouldn't skip her best friend's house

We finished off the night with the arrival of Nennie and Grumpy for Chinese Food and a movie. Then it was a couple of stories and off to bed. We had to get our rest because Christmas was scheduled to happen again in a few days when the Casey-Sawickis arrived from Florida.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Happy Birthday Vonn!!

2011-12-17T08:33:00.000-08:00

Vonn turned the big 1! on Tuesday December 13th, 2011. We decided that the best thing to do was to bring the whole family to Red Robin so she could yell as loud as she wanted and make a big mess for someone else to clean up.

Vonn had her mommydaddy there, with her big sister Colby, Grammy, Poppi, Aunt Jen, Uncle Brandon, and her two best friends Elsa and Brighton. You can see her telling a story to Colby and Elsa above.

Did I mention you could yell as loud as you want? Well here is Vonn testing out that theory. I believe she is saying that she loves mac 'n' cheese.

Next it was time to sing happy birthday. Aunt Jen and Brighton had the best seat in the house for the fun.

Vonn and the other little ladies were the lucky ones who got cupcakes from Flavor in Bel Air, MD (winners of Cupcake Wars on the Food Network).

As you can see, the cupcakes were a big hit!!

Mom and Dad had a great time. They are so proud of their little girl. She is getting so big and will be ready to walk any day now since she is officially one.

Her birthday presents from Aunt Jen and Grammy/Poppi were a big hit too. We will tell you all about them in our next post. Oh man, gotta get that one out soon. Christmas craziness is almost here.

Santa's Little Helpers

2011-12-14T17:04:00.000-08:00

It's the holiday season, and whoop-de-do and dickery dah and don't forget where you pahked ya cah.

So the girls love Christmas time. Mommy allowed us to go out and get the tree without her, which is a huge deal. She said we did a good job, but I think that had a lot to do with the delivery girl.

Happy Holiday Wreath

The tree is huge! Compared to Colby.

Ms. Colby and Ms. Vonn helped mommy with the lights and decorations. Everyone wanted to know what to do first... But Vonny knew.

Deck the halls with energy efficient LED lights Y'all!!

Getting started.

Doing the Christmas light twist.

Checking out the Penguin tree topper.

Putting on the finishing touches. What do you think Vonn?

Decorating the Christmas tree is AWESOME!!

No Big Events, Just Having Fun Being a Family

2011-12-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks we have been doing all the normal family stuff. Going to school/work, eating, playing, sleeping. Colby has been having a lot of fun with her baby sister.

Vonn is eating up a storm. She no longer will let you feed her baby food. She wants to do it all by herself. So it is a banana, a multigrain bar, oatmeal, and milk for dinner when we get home. Then she yells at you until you give her your fingers and she walks circles around the house.

Colby has really been enjoying building houses and castles with her blocks and playing princesses. See the super cute video below.

Fall has come and you know that means... piles of leaves.

The new kitchen project is done for the most part. Just a little bit of paint left.
Colby is always ready to lend a hand.

Dress up is still a family favorite.

Colby the Princess.

Couple 'o Cowgirls

Hollywood Vonn

Oh, and we have to fit dad in here too.

Vonn has taken her first steps in the last few days. She still isn't too happy about it. She would much rather you help. We haven't been able to catch it on video yet, but we will post it as soon as we do.

We are really looking forward to the Christmas season. Nennie and Grumpy are coming down from NH. Auntie Kate, Uncle Barry, Arlo, and Ezra are coming up from Florida too. It is going to be so great to have the whole family around for a few days. We will fill you in on all the adventures after the new year.

Dress Up Anyone

2011-11-26T14:16:00.000-08:00

HEY!! Long time no see.

Well the fall brings Halloween and that is the perfect time to dress up as someone else. But just because Halloween is over, doesn't mean that dressing up is. Here are some great pictures of all the girls dressed up before, during, and after Halloween.

Happy cinco de November.

Vonny the Duck

The Halloween Princesses

Colby and Mr. Trevor Atkinson at Brighton's B-Day

More Princess fun at the Stano's

Vonn just chillin' on a Friday night. Cool as the other side of the pillow.

And last but not least is Super Martian Robot Colby.

See you again soon earthlings.

Wicked Busy Summer of 2011

2011-08-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

So we did a lot of stuff and had a lot of fun. Check it out!

Hanging out with Grammy and Poppi.

Big smile with Joseph at Colby's big 3rd Birthday!

Joseph and Vonny getting ready to hit the beach at the house at Pawleys Island, SC.

And here we all are, the continued family tradition!
McCollickanow family at the Palmetto House.

Another happy Collicki beach baby!

Laura and Colby catching the beachy moonlight on our last night at Pawleys.

And lots of art projects in the basement, where it was nice and cool.

Of course there were lots of stroller rides to the park and around the neighborhood.

And swinging at the park!

Colby and Vonny all suited up for a boat ride on the lake at Nennie and Grumpy's in NH.

Up at the top of the tower at Blue Job Mountain. No fear!

As usual, Princess Colby reading with Nennie.

Family fun on the lake.

Laura and Colby on the beach in Sea Isle, NJ.

Whole family shot on the beach at Sea Isle.

Colby trying on hat at Valerie's Cafe in Sea Isle.

Vonny and her Nanny Team :)

Colby digging holes and sand castles with Uncle Dave
and Aunt Carrie on the beach in Sea Isle.

Colby showing Uncle Dave her "Single Ladies" dance!

Colby helping her dad cut some slabs for the kitchen project. Safety first!

More pics to come!

Cutest Ever

2011-07-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

So there have been times this summer (all 4 weeks so far) that I have wanted to tear my hair out. And then this happens....

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

2011-06-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

I just want to say happy father's day to all the Fathers out there. I hope you have a wonderful day with your family. I just have to say, that no one has it as good as me. Check out the videos on Picasa for the proof.

The Happy Helper Continues! Part 37?

2011-06-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

Helping is so much fun. Colby likes helping and Vonn likes being helped. As we work on getting Vonn to eat semi-solids, we are also working on getting Colby to take over many of our parental duties. It has started with feeding Vonn. Next is babysitting?

And feel free to check out some other pics here.

Presents from Nennie and Grumpy

2011-06-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today presents came from Nennie and Grumpy. We love presents!!! Last week it was cool stuff from Florida. This time it was super pretty dresses for me and Vonn. Check them out!!

We had so much fun much fun hugging and playing and hamming it up for the camera, we could hardly contain ourselves.

Oh, I fell over. (Don't worry, Daddy got us before we hit the floor)

I think that we both look so pretty in our new dresses. Mom and Dad wouldn't let us wear them when we ate spagehetti though. I told Mom the we looked so good we could be models and we should be able to do whatever we want. Vonn even struck a pose to prove my point. To no avail.

Oh well, the dresses are still the best and can't wait for a fancy occasion to where them. Schools out in 2 weeks. Happy Summer everyone.
Love, Colby and Vonn

The Happy Helper Continues! Part Fifteen?

2011-05-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

I know we've posted a few under this title, but this one is true as well. Colby thought she would move Vonn so her Nennie could see better during a Skype session....You'll see how it turned out!

Hungry for More?

2011-05-15T08:12:00.000-07:00

Click here for more pics than you could ever hope for! Eat your heart out.

And some more videos:

Eating squash! If by eating, you mean, shoveling food into a baby's mouth, hoping it will stay in and she will eat it!

Eating rice cereal! Vonn got gutsy and grabbed the bowl; she caught Daddy monologueing and made her move!

An older video of Vonn wearing the famous wig, the Donald. It looks more like Orphan Annie with a mullet. I put it on her head backwards by accident and it turns out, it still looks awesome!

Video of Vonn (courtesy of Poppi and Grammy)

2011-04-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

2011 is the new 2010: The Collins Family Christmas

2011-02-06T14:01:00.000-08:00

Oops! Another snag in the space-time continuum. Maybe we fell in a wormhole. Seriously though, Colby and Vonn got to see their GREAT relatives, like Great-Grandma, Great Aunt Sally, Great Uncle John, and the Great Baby (kidding!).

Not so many pictures here either, everyone was busy catching up and eating sandwiches. I think John got some good pictures, maybe some day I will hunt them down and post them. A girl can dream...

Great Aunt Sally snuggling with Vonn.
Sally was a big hit because she has Dora on-demand.
How can we compete with that?!

Here we have the girls in their Grammy-custom-made matching Christmas dresses.

Long Awaited.....Pictures!

2011-02-06T13:37:00.000-08:00

Hello! I finally gave myself more than 7 minutes to load photos, so album-lovers, check it out. I have selected the cutest pictures of our adorable babies during their first 2 months together. I will try to do this more often, I just prefer to blog and post a few pictures. But I aim to please!

So click here and see for yourself!

Nennie Comes to Town

2011-02-06T12:50:00.000-08:00

I know technically, this happened before the Mini-Blizzard, but I got excited and messed up the timeline. I am a new mother of two, cut me some slack. Ok! So Grandma Nennie came to visit Colby and to meet Vonn and we had a great time. Unfortunately, there are not many pictures, as we promptly put Nennie to work, playing with the girls, redesigning and sewing curtains and cooking us meatloaf and such. We love you, Nennie and can't wait for you to come back in March!

Here is Nennie, doing what she does best, reading with Colby.

Here are Nennie and Vonn.
They had fun getting to know one another and
Vonn was very happy to finally meet her Nennie!

Here is one of the few times Nennie was not busy helping Laura and Joe or burping Vonn (the girl is gassy!). She was able to have some down time and read a book for herself, not reading to a granddaughter :)

Mini-Blizzard 2011--January Edition

2011-02-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Just in case we get another one, this is the January Mini-Blizzard. But that doesn't mean that we didn't have tons of fun sledding and that our neighbors didn't dash out to dig out their cars and then fill the spot with a cheap plastic folding chair, adirondack chair, bucket or in some cases, a laundry basket. Snow days are fun, especially when you throw in Elsa, Aunt Jen and the Stano Sledding Park, complete with half pipe ;)

Getting ready to go...Colby not as enthused as Mommy, but what can you do?
Yes, those are leg warmers....jealous?

Sledding with Elsa!

Daddy and Vonn had fun too!
Especially Vonn....who is pictured here as the white hat coming out of Joe's coat...

The Happy Helper Continues!

2011-02-06T09:34:00.000-08:00

We have been a busy family doing lots of stuff together. Check out the fun things that we have done and see how Colby is such a good helper to her Mommy, Daddy and sister.

Here is Colby helping her Daddy and Uncle Brandon lay down tile in the kitchen.
To be fair, Brighton and Elsa helped as well, they are good helpers too! As always with Sawickis and Stanos, it was a group effort.

Here is Colby helping Mommy make delicious peanut butter chip chocolate cookies. Yes, that means peanut butter chips in chocolate batter, for you sticklers. Colby helps pour in ingredients and eat as many chips as she can before she gets removed from the task.

And here Colby is again, helping her little sister take her first in-the-tub bath!
Note: this video uses a courtesy towel to cover any unmentionables
and therefore, is suitable for showing on the interweb :)

And here is Vonn with her Mommy after a successful, tear-free bath.

And here Colby is again, keeping her sister entertained.
Plus, this is a video where Vonn is mostly conscious and talks a little--score!

Happy Christmas from the Collicki Family

2010-12-29T09:15:00.000-08:00

Happy Christmas from the Collicki Family! Vonn and Colby had a great time and cleaned up pretty nicely, as you can see below. Santa and Co. really outdid theirselves, maybe even overdid it, but who knows? Things can always be rewrapped for next year :) We hope you all had a lovely holiday season and please check out the pics below.

The Official Baby's First Christmas outfit from Grammy:

The Official Baby's First Christmas outfit from Nennie:

Another Baby's First Christmas outfit, but from a non-Grandma,
so no special distinction there...

Colby and Daddy playing in her Dora, Dora, Dora the Explorer
adventure hut and matching tunnel...

Hanging out in her brand-new swimsuit....in December....who cares? It works in this case!

Building a princess puzzle on the floor.

Every kid needs an Official First Teddy Bear.
Since Colby has taken a new interest in all of her toys and blankets, Vonn needed some :)

Colby introducing New Minnie (in pink) that she received in her stocking to
"Other Minnie" that she picked out in Disney World.

Kah-rah-tay with Buzz Light Year vs. Sponge Bob

Packed up and ready to go.

2010-12-16T16:01:00.000-08:00

Today we got to leave the hospital. Laura is healing wonderfully. Got her staples out this afternoon and just has to take it easy at home. Good thing I'll be able to be there with her to make sure that happens.

Vonn is doing well. Feeding great and sleeping a ton. She is a little jaundice so she has to go to the pediatrician on Saturday to check it out. Nothing to worry about just something to keep an eye on.

So we got her dressed and all packed up at the hospital and braved the first snow storm of the season. It was a Maryland Blizzard, 1-1.5 inches tops and the entire Baltimore metro area came to a stand still. But even with all that we made it home in 20 minutes safe and sound.

Now we are home relaxing and eating. Big shout out to Grammy and Poppi for watching Colby and bringing us a delicious dinner. Now we just have to figure out how a family with two beautiful little ladies works. More news to follow and more pictures for sure.

Vonn meets the family.

2010-12-15T05:29:00.000-08:00

Here is Vonn on day 2. Looking big.

At a little over a day old Vonn was ready to start meeting the family. She obviously had no idea what she was getting into. First Poppi came and got to hold his new grand daughter. She was happy to see him and they seemed to get along well. Vonn cried and Poppi wasn't phased a bit.

Next Aunt Jen came in. I made the mistake of telling her we were ready for vistors and she bolted out of work to come see Vonn. Vonn is very lucky to have such a nice Aunt.

After that was Aunt Carrie. She came all the way from California and man were her arms tired. Aunt Carrie and Vonn were like two peas in a pod. Must have something to do with her super baby nurse powers.

Next came the big event. COLBY came the see her little sister with Grammy. Colby was so sweet to her new little lady. They was a lot of soft hugs and back/head rubbing. She said, "Hi little Sister" when she came in. And lots of "Vonn's Crying." I told her that babies sleep, eat, cry, and poop. She immediately repeated, "Babies sleep, eat, cry, and poop." What a smart girl.

Mom is feeling a lot better. The pain is going down, she is up and around and looks really good. We should get to go home on Thursday, which is a day early!!

So we are very happy, very tired, and ready to get home and find out what the new normal Collicki family is all about.

Introducing Vonn Collins Sawicki

2010-12-13T13:07:00.000-08:00

Good evening everyone, this afternoon at 12:08pm Ms. Vonn Collins Sawicki was born at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC). She weighed in at 8 pounds 13.4 ounces. She is happy and healthy and both she and mom are doing well. The delivery was a C-section just like her big sister and the procedure went great. Vonn is gorgeous, a spitting image of her sister. I'll try to keep everyone up to date while we are here. But we are all kinda tired and the internet is pretty crummy.

Let's Catch Up before #2 arrives

2010-12-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

So things have been pretty busy in the Collicki household the last few months. Everyone is trying to juggle having fun and getting ready for our new little lady. This post will be a compilation of all the things that have gone on since you last heard from us.

First thing that we missed was halloween. Colby was dressed as Jesse from Toy Story and she got to wear her costume 3 days in a row. Friday was Halloween at day care, Saturday was just for fun, and Sunday was trick or treating. Here are some of our favorites from the weekend of candy.

Colby Excited to be Jesse.

Colby REALLY excited to be Jesse.

Taking a break to read.

Colby is so happy with her lollipop, she forgets to take the candy.

OK, this picture isn't actually from Halloween. It is what Colby wore to lunch and the grocery store a few days later. She picked out the entire outfit herself.

Brighton's big 1st Birthday party was November 14th. We had a great time. Best party toy ever. Thanks Aunt Jen.Thanksgiving was a family affair. Our whole MD family was here; the Collins grandparents and the Stanos. Florida was here; Barry, Kate, Arlo, and Ezra. And so was NH; Nennie and Grumpy, or as Arlo likes to call him Dumpy AKA Bumpy (Colby).

We had a full house and did a ton of fun stuff. Mostly watching the kids play together. Arlo and Colby had a great time playing with each other and Colby was so sweet with Ezra. Hopefully a good sign of things to come. So here are more pictures.

Colby and Arlo sharing Rody.

Colby with her baby cousin Ezra.

Arlo and Colby hanging out in Baltimore

Arlo and Colby checking out the Inner Harbor from the Aquarium.

More fun on the bench.

Eating Thanksgiving dinner. We have so much to be thankful for.

Family portrait.

The rest of the time Laura has been growing a baby, Joe has been painting, cleaning and building, Colby has been talking to the Twoodles and getting ready to be a big sister. She is even practicing dressing Champers.

We are heading to the hospital on Monday to get the Twoodles. We will try to get pictures and blog up. I'll send out all the info to the right people so they can spread the word. Wish us luck. Next time you here from us, there will be one more Collicki to love. Happy Holidays.

Summer-Fall Pics

2010-10-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/Joseph.C.Sawicki/LA2010?feat=directlink

Return to L.A.: A Three Part Adventure

2010-10-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

ADVENTURE ONE: AUNT CARRIE AND UNCLE DAVID'S WEDDING.

An epic event. It was so much fun to see my Aunt Carrie and my Mom was really happy to see her sister and spend time with her.

Here I am, my official job was flower girl. I missed my nap that day, but I was able to make it down the aisle before I had to chill out with Daddy on the couch in the lounge area.

Here is my Mom making her co-Best Lady speech. There were some interruptions and obstacles to overcome, but I think she did a good job. She loves my Aunt Carrie, so it was easy for her to get up there and talk about it. She also loves my Uncle David and we are all excited to welcome him to the family.

It was the best part of our little vacation to L.A. Plus, we got to see all kinds of friends and family, including my Uncle-Cousins Craig and Andy.

ADVENTURE TWO: BASEBALL.

My Mom and Dad took me to Dodger Stadium, which we all loved. My Mom loved learning about the park and I had fun running around with my Dad and seeing all the baseball stuff.

Then, my Mom and Dad went to see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (full title to emphasize the ridiculous name) at Angel Stadium. They went with Uncle-Cousins Craig and Andy, as well as Aunt Jan and Mary. They did not take me.....Anyway.....BUT, I did get to go to the Oinkster with Grammy and Poppi and eat delicious beans and rice :)

My Mom said it was fun, but it was no Dodger Stadium.....

ADVENTURE THREE: DISNEYLAND.

How to I even begin to describe how fantastic of a time we all had at Disneyland. Check out the pics--it was non-stop family, feel-good fun.

Here I am riding the horses on the Merry-go-Round in Fantasyland with Mommy. I take my equestrianism very seriously....

Here I am meeting my equivalent of whichever famous people you want to meet:

Me with Mickey Mouse, THE mouse himself.

Me with Donald Duck.

Me with Pluto.

Me with my girlfriend, Minnie Mouse.

With my Mom and Dad on It's a Small World ride. My mom was really excited to go on this ride. At first I was like, "uh huh......" but then it got better and I enjoyed it. I know my Mom was happy too, she was smiling the whole time and pointing stuff out to me. So I strong-armed them and suggested a family photo!

This is me enjoying a Mickey Mouse ear ice cream bar in between dancing
during the daily Street Party Parade. Tons of fun!

Timestamp: 5:30pm. Being pushed out the gates of the Happiest Place on Earth (on the West Coast), aside from Carrie and Dave's house!! Still excited ;)

Surprise! Happy Birthday, Aunt Jen!

2010-10-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Grandma Daley, Uncle Brandon and my parents threw Aunt Jen a surprise 30th birthday party. Apparently it was a huge deal because Aunt Jen loves surprises, but loves planning, which I am told are conflicting interests. We surprised her, alright, she loved it! We had lots of fun guests from near and far, including Elsa's Pop-Pop and family and Meghan and Jon Delaney Berroya from D.C.! It was tons of fun. We watched a slide show, ate cupcakes, drank juice and hung out. AND, I got to wear my pretty, pretty party dress my Grandma Nennie gave me.

And here is another one of Mom and me in our cute dresses! My Mom said she needed to get some wear out of her party maternity dresses (whatever that means) and I had to see if my party dress would fit for Aunt Carrie and Uncle David's wedding. It was research, really.

Happy Birthday, Aunt Jen! We love you.

Art Projects and Helping in the Yard

2010-09-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hello! Colby here and boy are things getting crazy. We have a lot to cover, so let's get to it. My mom wanted to do an art project with me, so here we are painting a C-O-L-B-Y for my room. I am not sure what that spells--JUST KIDDING! I have been learning at home and at school that that is how to spell my name! Sometimes, I leave out the L, sometimes I throw in some extra letters, but I am slowly getting it :) These things take time! I am hoping my Mom and Dad put the letters up soon, is has been a few weeks and I have yet to see them in my room!!

Back to School

2010-08-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

Colby here! So my mom is back to school, so apparently that means I am back to school....The kicker is, I have never been to school. So I was not entirely pleased to be shipped off somewhere strange after spending 9 luxurious weeks with my mom. The upside is that Elsa goes to my school, so that is good. Needless to say, I was not in the most smiley mood when the photo above was taken. Maybe next year's will be cheerier?

You're On the Right Blog...

2010-08-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

I know, this is a picture of Colby and Brighton above, but you are not on the Stano blog, you are still on the Collicki Family. Just wanted to clear that up! So Colby and I watched Brighton for a few days while the daycare situation was handled in the Stano family. Why the daycare situation, you ask? Because Aunt Jen scored a fantastic new job at Towson University and needed some help with little B! Three cheers for Jennifer--you deserve it! We had a great time with Brighton, just like we did when we watched Elsa for a bit when she was little...very little!

Congratulations Kate and Rob

2010-08-24T16:06:00.001-07:00

Laura here again. Another wedding! I know, I know. We love wedding season and always seem to score a few invites over the summer. My cousin Kate got married on August 21st and we were so happy to help celebrate her big day with Rob. And! Special Guest Star Aunt Carrie was there to help make it even more fun, so we were able to get lots of fun family shots! And Colby was a dancing machine! And a special thank-you shout-out to Aunt Maggie for letting me borrow a lovely maternity dress!

Here is the Happy Couple during their first dance.

And the Happy Little Family.

All the pretty ladies.

A cute lady and her cute dad.

West side, get me pumped! So we had longer videos of her dancing,
but the choreography of this one is so on-point, we couldn't resist.

All the cousins!
Pictured: Matthew, Carrie, Kate, Laura and (new to the family officially!) Fuzzy.

And the world famous "Four Generations" photo!
Pictured: Great-grandma Marianne, Poppi, Laura and Colby (in generation order!).

Folkschool Reunion

2010-08-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking, "did they spend any time at home this summer?!" The answer is kind of no. We were busy little bees on the weekend. So why not go BACK to New Hampshire for the Folkschool 30th Reunion? We couldn't resist! Between Auntie Kate with her big belly, Arlo and his muscle-run and Uncle Barry's musical talent, not to mention all the Folkschoolers running amok--we had the best time.

Here we are in Nennie's garden, picking beans and other veggies for dinner. Btw, Uncle Barry made the most delicious sauce using garden tomatoes, herbs and a sad collection of leftover veggies from unmade salads.

Here is the only pic of the kids participating in one of the few true "Folkschool" lessons: rhythm class!

A commemorative photo of the Folkschool crewmembers who were able to attend (Michelle Rock--turn your head!! And we were worried about the kids misbehaving!!).

And, an obligatory photo of cute kids in a boat! Disregard the lack of life vests--it is a staged photo!

Helping Around the House

2010-08-24T15:41:00.001-07:00

Back to Colby stuff :)

Since I am too fat to sit in Colby's rocking chair, we needed to get a new one. All it took was taking multiple doors off hinges and then molding out of a simple doorway--no sweat.

**I understand that we have not fully addressed the fact that we are pregnant, but the opportunity has not seemed to present itself.....So here it is: we are pregnant! Due the week before Christmas! Woo-hoo! Oh, and it's a girl :) All are happy and excited.

Back to the blog: here is a video of our version of Home Improvement!

Congratulations Amy and Dave!

2010-08-24T15:35:00.000-07:00

Laura here, and time to turn some attention to the adults in the lives of the Collicki family! Our near and dear friends Amy and Dave tied the knot on August 7th on a lovely day in Gibson Island. It was such a beautiful day and everyone looked great. And, this has to be mentioned, Mickey ended the ceremony with a rockin' rendition of Pachabel's Canon. It was a great time. Then, dinner, dancing and drinks (for some!). I danced so hard, I was sure I was going to do some damage to myself! Ok, ok--pictures!

And one of the other happy couple! I am drinking a club soda--parrrr-tay!

My Birthday--Part Two!

2010-07-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

I turned 2 this year, so naturally I needed 2 birthday celebrations! Yes, I had 2 parties last year as well, but that was different. People needed to see me! I was turning 1 for cryin' out loud! So after a lovely 11 hours in the car with my mom and dad, we decided to take it easy on my actual birthday, which was Sunday. My parents took me to the National Aquarium in Baltimore to see Nemo and Dory in person, among other sensational things, including the Dolphin Show--awesome! And then they took me to Uno's for lunch, where we sang and hung out before I passed out in the car :)

Eh-oh Pawleys!

2010-07-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

I love the beach. My mom loves the beach. My dad loves us. It is win-win-win ;) in this family! We took our annual family vacation to Pawleys Island, South Carolina (I know, I know, but the beaches are wonderful!) with the Stanos and McMorrows. I got to hang out with my bffs Elsa, Brighton and Tess. It was pretty sweet. Ok, ok, on with the show!

The happy family that stayed at the Palmetto Cottage. Thank you, Aladay family--your home is lovely.....We call dibs forever :)

My mom told me that this picture was selected to present as the official group shot of the "wild pack of girls" (Uncle Paul's words) because no one is actively crying and everyone's head is in clear view. And when was the last time you got 2 two year olds and 2 babies to sit still for "one simple photo?!" Take what you can get people!

So Dad thought it would be so fun to drag me around on a boogie board to show me a good time. Elsa got to play too. It was all fine and dandy until.....You'll see!

And what better way to end the week by celebrating my birthday?! Move over Jack Marsh--you've had 20, let me have a turn at the Pawleys birthday bonanza. True, we had one last year, but that was my FIRST birthday.....Kind of a big deal. As usual, my mom let Aunt Jen throw me a fabulous birthday party, complete with party-size pizza and funfetti cake. What more could a girl ask for? Can't wait until next year. Good thing my Aunt Jen already booked the house ;)

Crazy Fast Trip to NH and 4th of July

2010-07-23T10:44:00.001-07:00

As you know, this family loves 4th of July. My dad and Uncle Brandon also put on a mighty fine fireworks show, so this year was no different. Grumpy (Michael to those not in the know) and Grandma Nennie came down for Thanksgiving last year and were kind enough to drive up hundreds of dollars worth of fireworks back to their house with the idea that Daddy and Uncle Brandon would come up and set them off one fine day. Well, that day was the 3rd of July (we wanted to beat the rush!).

But before all the lovely fireworking, I went berry picking with Daddy and Grandma Nennie. It was a nice New Hampshire-y thing to do and I had a blast!

I also went swimming in the lake and got to practice all my swimming lesson moves in real life!

Escape to L.A.

2010-07-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Mommy and I ventured out to Los Angeles to visit my Aunt Carrie and Uncle David. We played at the playground and took walks in Echo Park, ate all types of delicious food and had a good time hanging out together. Uncle David even made up some silly songs to make me laugh. He is so entertaining!

This is Aunt Carrie and me walking around the lake at Echo Park.

Here I am playing at the playground, being so brave and making a few friends.

Here are Uncle David and me snuggling on the couch.

And then with Aunt Carrie!

We had a great time, I can't wait until September when Carrie and David get married and we get to come back! I can show my dad the ropes, since he didn't get to come with us. I am going to take him to a Dodgers game and to Disneyland! At least, that is what Mom said! I had a great time and was so happy to be able to visit my family.

Happy, Hoppy Girl

2010-07-07T15:42:00.000-07:00

This little lady is becoming such a little lady! We have not been taking pictures as much as shooting video. She is at that age where she is doing so much that pictures don't do her justice!

This first video is her "Happy Song" dance. Apparently, the good vibes from "Sesame Street" inspired this dance and song.

Memorial Day!

2010-07-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

So this next one is sparse, we took like no pictures, so these will have to do! Our friends, Maggie and Paul and Tess from Boston were in town, so we had a barbeque! Jen and Maggie have better pics I am sure, but here is one funny video. Colby, Elsa, Emma and Ella throw caution to the "Three Kids Maximum" rule and serve as quality control for the slide. And honestly, Emma and Ella are so light, if there is a weight capacity, I am sure between the four girls, it averages out just fine.

Note: there was one pic of Maggie, Tess, Brighton and Brandon, but it was not flattering, so I think we all would agree to omit it. You all can thank me later ;)

Cannonball Run to Gettysburg

2010-07-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

So I know that this does not make people feel better when we haven't blogged for 2 months and update the blog with something from May, but........We had a blast in Gettysburg! Colby and Elsa ran around, enjoyed the history, rolled down the big hill at Cemetery Hill and had an all around good time.

We also thought we'd treat the dearly departed to a peppy version of "Old MacDonald,"
we hope they enjoyed it!

Par-Tee

2010-05-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

So where the heck has Colby been? Well the weather is getting nicer and it is the start of party season.
Elsa started it off in March with the first and coolest 2nd Birthday party I have ever been to. She is my best friend, so of course I'm going to say that. I had to look my best for my best friend. Aunt Jen said the party was at high noon, so I assumed it was western themed. My mistake.

But I got to hang with my all my friends. So that was good.

A few weeks later it was the E's birthday. They have the same birthday...crazy. I mean they have 2 of everything else, why not the birthday? Sara and Danny throw a pretty good party. Thing were pretty crazy at their new house so I had to protect myself.

I went with the ninja look and no one asked any questions.

Yesterday it was Trevor's party. Yeah, I know, I'm getting tired just talking about all the parties. So again, tons of kids. Quite a few new ones here. I went in a new party dress. I know I've seen it somewhere before but it was new to me.

So here are all the new friends. See I told you there were a lot.

There were so many, there wasn't even enough toys for us to play with. So we all had to cram in the wagon together. I'm pretty sure that girl is on my foot!!

So that is all for now. If you started reading at this post, continue below. I have so much to catch you up on. Oh I didn't even mention Happy Mommy Day Mommy or Gettysburg. Jeez.

Yeah, it was Easter Too!!

2010-05-16T16:13:00.001-07:00

Right, the family came for Easter. It was so long ago, I forgot why they were even here. Here are some rapid fire pictures of our cute outfits and easter egg hunt.

Isn't my mom pretty.

Elsa blowing some bubbles. Pretty in pink.

Arlo with and egg in his hand and one on his forehead.

Me playing easter bunny.
So good to have family and friends around. What a lucky little lady I am.

First Hip Hop Album Cover

2010-05-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure what our band name will be but we already have the cover.

DC Family fun

2010-05-16T15:37:00.000-07:00

The whole family came to visit a while ago. It was so much fun having them all here from far and wide. My cousin Arlo came up all the way from Florida with Auntie Kate and Uncle Barry. This was the second time we got to play as big kids and we had a blast together.
We went to Washington DC for my first time. It was tons of fun. Road there on the train of course. High five for public transportation.

When we got there, we walked around and looked at all the pretty buildings and flowers. It was the cherry blossom festival. So there was a ton to look at. Here is the capital building and flowers all in one. That pretty much sums up the trip.

For some reason we went back a second day to see a museum that had tons of animals in it and see more flowers. It was a long day but this time Aunt Jen, Uncle Brandon, Elsa and Brighton came too, Oh yeah and Grammie and Grammy Lou. Plus Nene and Grumpy of course. Sheesh, how do you expect me to remember all these people. Any who, all the kids thought it would be best to just run around in the shade at the mall when the grandparents saw more flowers. We had a great time playing in the dirt and grass pushing around the stroller. But man, good thing we had Monday off from school because I was beat.

More on the visit to come.

Springtime is here!!

2010-03-27T12:17:00.001-07:00

There has been so much to do and so much to tell with the warm weather that has come our way. We may be in a bit of a cold snap right now, but the warm weather has peaked out its head and we are all hooked.
After the snow melted it was a little muddy. So I had to wear my boots outside to play.

I have a slide in the backyard that is so much fun to play on and in. He are some pictures of just how much fun you can have.

So go SPRING!! I love it!!! COME OUT AND PLAY!!!!

Eco Baby

2010-02-21T14:38:00.001-08:00

Look, down on the floor!
Is it trash?
Is it Recycling?
Da Da Da Da Da Da!
Ask Eco-Baby!!!

Colby loves to throw out trash, but she also cares for the environment and loves to recycle. So yeah, we are going to have the weird environmentally conscious kid, but I'm hoping it isn't going to be so weird in a few years.
So recycle all you can or Colby will come and capture you with her triangle lasso.

Blizzard '10!

2010-02-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

Well, Mother Nature sure buried us with snow this weekend! Did that stop us from hanging out and sledding--heck no!

Check out the good times we had on the Stano Half-Pipe:

Sledding all by myself!

Sledding with Mommy!

Sledding with Daddy!

The good times of course had to come to an end, in this case, with an angry nap :(

Dance Dance Revolution

2010-02-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

More footage from our lovely rendez-vous in NJ with Stanos and McMorrows.

I believe the video says it all.

These girls got some moves!!

Let me tell you about the beach in winter

2010-02-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Daddy and I went to New Jersey with the Stanos and McMorrows. We had so much fun, I just wanted to share some pictures and a little story about how much I love the beach. Above is a picture of me and Mommy walking to the beach. I am a good girl and hold hands when crossing the street. Then when we got to the beach, I was on my own. Below I am telling a story about how much I like the beach, even in the winter.

Last picture is me saying good bye to the beach. We had such a great time. Can't wait to see all my girls at the beach this summer.

The New Party Scene!

2010-01-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

More New Year's Highlights! Our friends, the Stanos and Becks came over for THE party of the year. We danced, ate and had a blast. 9pm is the new midnight--unless you're Elsa, in which you almost make it and then immediately crash on your mom! Here's to another year of happy and healthy memories!

That was soooo last year.......

2010-01-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

Blogging, I mean....Just kidding! Laura here, to update and get back on track!

Since Thanksgiving, lots has happened, so let us begin....
First, we had Elsa, Emma and Ella over to play with Colby and played "How Many Toddlers Can You Cram into the Front Hall before Someone Gets Hurt," which incidentally is 10 minutes, Ella took a spill and Colby took the corner of the door to the face--endless fun and danger :)

Christmas was hectic and crazy. We had Auntie Carrie and Uncle David in town to spend time with and be merry. Then, the we dashed off to NH to see Grandma Nennie, Grumpy, Kate and Barry and Arlo. THEN, on the way home from NH, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit Mommy Mags and Tess. Sorry Paul, we missed you! Now for the pics!

Snow Day: Colby imitates Randy from A Christmas Story.

Not a fan of the frigid cold and unappreciative of the lovely picturesque snow, Colby stayed for one photo op and then it was back inside the house.

Saag Aloo and some Garlic Naan, anyone? Colby helps Auntie Carrie and Uncle David order some delcious pre-Christmas take-out.

"Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg....." Colby played the piano on Christmas Eve to get the festivities going! On Colby: a Grammy Collins original. On Joe: clothes he usually wears for meetings ;) hence, his discomfort.

Hugs are good! Cousin Arlo, "the Snuggle-Bug" gives the cutest, cuddly hugs. Colby loved them. And so did Arlo's Auntie :)

Two smart cookies: Holiday Inmate #1 (Arlo is #2!) making gingerbread with her Grandma Nennie during Cooking Time.

Here are Colby and Arlo being pulled in a sled in the driveway of the October House. Arlo was assuming a more laid-back stance, while Colby tried to decide if she liked sledding or not....

Next is another Colby and Arlo picture. We were trying to get the "cute grandkids" shot, but this one was funny. I think they were looking at the upside down Christmas tree that Grandma and Grumpy rigged. Is it going to fall? It is suspended by magic--who knows?!

And here they are at the Dover Children's Museum. They had a blast. Colby is thinking, "Yes, we can share Cherrios, but I will be needing the snack cup back...."

And last but not least, here is the Collicki Family with the newest member to the McMorrow Family. Cute baby Tess, she was such a trooper, even when we made her Mom bundle her up like a sherpa to take us to the airport!

If you're noticing something strange....Yes, I have dyed my hair dark brown. I love it. Just wanted to mention it if it was on the tip of your tongue.

Lots to be Thankful for this Year!

2009-12-13T10:34:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was fantastic! We had lots of family over during the long weekend. Guest stars include, Grandma Nennie, Grumpy (Michael), Grammy and Poppi Collins, the Stanos with extra special guest star Brighton Sawyer Stano and of course, us Collickis.

Joe conducted arts and crafts, which lead to lots of crayon smears on the furniture and eaten paper. Fun all around!

And then Elsa and Colby had some fun at the new art table as well....

It was a great day had by all! Thank you to everyone who came to dinner and the lovely and tasty dishes you brought! This has been such a wonderful tradition. Carrie and David, you were missed greatly, we love you.

Mama's New Job

2009-12-13T10:13:00.000-08:00

Hello! It's Laura and I just wanted to again highlight that I am fully employed at Dulaney High School. I was not super specific in the Halloween post. I am a Paraeducator in the Special Education department, in a classroom with students with a variety of special needs, ranging from high functioning kids with mild MR and Downs to kids with ADHD and Autism. It is a great job and I love the classroom and staff. Plus, the school is right near where Colby goes to daycare and the hours are great, so it is win-win all around! So no more, "When I get a job....." that day is here! There will be no newsletter in the holiday card, so consider this your newsbreak!

*Side note: the title of this post is a shout-out to Grandma Locken, who had this book in her collection of the Berenstain Bears series!

Here is a picture of Colby, cheering for her mom's new job and sweet insurance plan! Go Pats :)

The Stano GIRLS :)

2009-11-26T06:43:00.000-08:00

So I know we are late to the party, but WELCOME BRIGHTON SAWYER STANO! Brighton was born on Monday, November 9th at 2:07pm with relative ease, stressful planning notwithstanding ;)
She has been here for just over two weeks, but those two weeks have been super busy! I (Laura) started my new job (full-time BCPS Employee, no more subbing--HOORAY!) at Dulaney High School working in the Special Education Department, but still found time to hang out with Elsa while her baby sister was being born. Here is one adorable pic that we took when Elsa was helping take care of Brighton. These girls are such cute little sisters, I hope Colby doesn't start asking for one! Actually, she burst into tears when Joe and I took turns holding Brighton, so I am pretty sure Colby is not ready to be a big sister. More soon!

Halloween is Fun!!!

2009-11-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

Halloween is the best holiday yet! First it is Daddy's Birthday the day before so the party starts early. He introduced me to the wonderful world of Pizza Hut pizza and the just as good next morning Pizza Hut pizza. Mom also got Dad this awesome cake. I didn't eat any, but it looked to cool to eat anyway.
The next cool thing is getting to hang out with your friends in funny costumes. For Halloween I played with my friends Emma and Ella. They were the best looking Bee and Ladybug on the block. I was a duck. We had so much fun showing off our costumes to the neighbors and our parents. Here are a few highlights.

After the trick or treating we played on the slide and had a dance party. Dad is working on the music video from the party. You will have to wait for that. That's all for now. Time for bed. Please give me some comments and let me know that you are doing well.

Boo at the Zoo!

2009-10-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Mom and Dad took me to the Maryland Zoo at Baltimore for the Zoo Boo Halloween event. My best friends Aunt Jen and Elsa were there, and also Uncle Brandon ;) We had such a good time! We saw birds, turtles, polar bears and farm animals, mostly goats and cows. It was delightful--I wore myself out. The minute we got in the car, I fell asleep!

When's the last time you saw Elvis and a duck riding a turtle?! Well, you have now!

This is me and Mom walking around the barnyard, just us girls....

Hanging out at Home

2009-10-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is my parents' attempt to control my crazy bangs. I smiled and loved the clip, but then forgot and pulled it out. Well worth the $5 for the 3 others that have never made it out of the pack...

I did NOT realize that by reading Katie's Coo and Dad's awesome Scottish accent meant that we were Scottish! I mean, I saw the flag at the Clark/Kimmet rematch and heard my Dad say, "If it's not Scottish, it's crap!" a lot, but I didn't know it meant that we were Scots....Just kidding, I am happy to be Scottish, I LOVE Katie's Coo. Thanks Auntie Elizabeth ;)

Here are me and Mom, hanging out at home. I decided Mom works hard and to give her a back massage. My hands are small and my skills are limited, but I think she enjoyed it.

Speaking of fall, did I mention that I also love leaves...They've been recognized by the FDA as an "excellent" source of iron and fiber for toddlers--take that, Gerber!

This shot is for the Locken side of the family--props for John Deere. I also listen to "All About John Deere" on my iPod so I can talk shop with my uncles next time I see them!

I Don't Mean to be a Bother, but I think the Phone's for You!

2009-09-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Here is Colby walking all over the place. She has been public for a while now, but we have not blogged in a while. Busy doing stuff!

It's Nice to Help!

2009-09-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

So here is Elsa helping feed Colby some mac 'n cheese. Elsa likes to help and Colby likes to eat mac 'n cheese, perfect!

Dancing and Walking

2009-08-29T11:23:00.001-07:00

These are two way different activities, so they need two different videos to display their awesomeness.
Here is Colby dancing and then realizing that she may not have all the necessary energy to do so. This also showcases her new surprised face...you'll see :)

And now for the walking....She can walk. She will walk around in spurts in the living room, her bedroom, in the kitchen, but does not seem to want to walk like a real person. So we're on to you, Noodles. We know you can walk....

Back to New Hampshire: The Clark/Kimmet Rematch

2009-08-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

Now you're probably wondering: what the heck is a rematch? That, my friends, is our version of a family reunion. We all went up to NH for the family reunion in Scituate, MA, but before that, we went to the October House and visited with Grandma Nennie, Grumpy, Uncle Barry, Auntie Kate and Arlo.
It was so much fun! Colby got to meet her cousin, Arlo. Actually, we all got to meet each other. Joe and I met Arlo for the first time and just fell in love with him. He is such a sweet, cuddly, determined little guy. And I know that Grandma Nennie was on cloud 9 with her beautiful grandbabies afoot (and afoot they were: Arlo, you with the crawling all over and Colby, you up and down the little kitchen stairs!).

Colby just realizing that Arlo is, indeed, there!

And Auntie Kate was a big hit with Colby, as Colby is a sea gull and Kate is a food-sharer: match made in heaven!
Colby was also trying to decide if she was willing to share her dad with Arlo and ultimately, was unable to...

And onto the actual reunion. It was a great time had by all. Here we are at Peggotty Beach in Scituate. Really, it should be called "Blanchard Beach," and Beach Baby was back in her element!

Arlo and Colby with their cousins, Callie and Ethan, along with Auntie Katie. And of course, me, Barry and Kate.

And then it was off to Somerville with Auntie Maggie and Uncle Paul. So for some reason, we didn't get any pics of that, so we will take a bunch when we go to Auntie Maggie's baby showe next month. It was great to see our friends and also great to eat brunch at Sunset. Awesome.

Ok, back to NH for a quick boat ride, where Colby and Arlo had a blast. And more photographic evidence of Grumpy acknowledging the grandkids!

And, true to her genes, Colby LOVED sailing. "I'm saiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiling! The power, the absolute POWER!"

Teeth Bite

2009-08-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of me and my BFF Elsa suffering through the teething process. We look miserable, I know. This picture was taken on July 29, 2009--Happy Anniversary Aunt Jen and Uncle Brandon!

A Tomato Grows in Parkville

2009-08-01T09:00:00.001-07:00

Hi, it's Laura, remember me? Colby's Mom. Anyway, so after living in apartments for years, it was nice to be able to grow and maintain a garden! Check out the lone red tomato, it reminded me of the one Christmas ball on Charlie Brown's pathetic little tree. But we have also grown and eaten some cucumbers, which was pretty exciting. It is very rewarding to plant something, watch it grow and then eat it :)

More on this later....

My Birthday--Part Two!

2009-08-01T07:57:00.001-07:00

My second birthday party was a week after my birthday, to give Mom and Dad some time to plan after our lovely beach vacation. Grandma Nennie came down for the party and that was quite a surprise, I had no idea! No one tells me anything....During my party, I needed a break, so Grandma Nennie took me outside to chill out in the garden. There were a lot of new people and I was feeling kind of stranger-anxious, so we took a break. I am still working through being away from my Mom and Dad, so we were taking it easy.

But anyway, the party was really special because it was also to congratulate my Aunt Carrie for graduating from Johns Hopkins Nursing School. I am excited to receive all kinds of free medical advice! We all had a great time. I can't wait for next year! I love cake.

AND, all my A-list friends were there! The whole LRV crew was there: Elsa "BFF" Stano, Emma and Ella "The E's" Beck, Trevor "T-bone" Atkinson--we had a blast! T-bone counts because he was born in LRV, even though he has since moved...

Oh, so I almost forgot, here is my glamour shot:

Who needs a photographer and lame fake backgrounds?!

This is my fabulous co-cake that I shared with my Aunt Carrie, check out her beautiful peridot engagement ring. Niiiiiiiice.

I still don't quite get presents and opening them, but I am sure that I will learn in due time....

Unless it's a book. I understand what a book is. I like them and I like receiving and reading them. Books I know!

THE AFTERMATH

Poor, poor tray.....

So thank you thank you thank you to everyone who made this wonderful day possible and all my special appearance guests from near and far! In no particular order: Mom and Dad, Grammy and Poppi, Aunt Carrie and Uncle David, Grandma Nennie, Aunt Jen and Uncle Brandon, The Reichs, Great Grandma Collins, the Philly Crew, the LRV neighbors, and so many more. Thanks and lots of love!

Unkey Dave is now Uncle David

2009-07-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

So it's official....My Unkey Dave is now going to be my Uncle David. David asked my Aunt Carrie to marry him and now they are engaged. I am not quite sure what that means, but my Mom and Dad are really happy about it. So woohoo! I like celebrating, so that makes me happy too!

Ok, so apparently, there were no photos of me and my Uncle David. Ok, let's not skirt the issue, I was having a tough day and the opportunity did not present itself. So here is one of my Aunt Carrie and Uncle David, who is sporting a handsome beard! I sometimes maybe thought he was my dad and became prone to staring....Sorry about that...

2009-07-20T17:42:00.001-07:00

Click here for MORE exciting photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/Joseph.C.Sawicki

A New Family Tradition

2009-07-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

It was a wonderful beach vacation had by all. Just what all of us needed. And just think, next year, we will have twice as many kids! (We're going to need a bigger boat...) Jen and Brandon's little lady in mid-November and Maggie and Paul's little lady around Thanksgiving. Can't wait. Here's to many more family vacations. Thanks and much love :)

July 17th: My Birthday--Part One

2009-07-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

So my actual birthday took place during the 10 hour car ride back from the beach, so to make it up to me, we celebrated the day before. Aunt Jen threw me a swinging party, which anyone who was anyone on Pawleys Island (the Daley Family) attended. Uncle Paul at the grill made some delicious burgers, Aunt Maggie supervised the careful spelling of my name on the cake and Aunt Jen and Uncle Brandon decorated our lovely beach house and really made me feel special.

At first I wasn't so sure.....I mean, it's like, you've got 15 people shouting a strange song to you and then after withholding cake for a year, they expect you to dive right in, with no catch? Come on people.....I may have been born at night, but not last night!

Then, I was like, YEAH! There seemed to be some discussion about chocolate versus yellow, but it was all cake to me. Cake--good! Frosting--good! What's left to ponder?

Thanks to everyone who made my first ever birthday party fantastic! Don't worry, there is a second chance to wish me Happy Birthday on July 25th at my house! Be there or be square ;)

The Beach, Baby!

2009-07-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

It was my first beach vacation to Pawleys Island in South Carolina. I went with Mom and Dad, Aunt Jen, Uncle Brandon and Elsa and Aunt Maggie and Uncle Paul for a luxurious week.

So I just gotta say it, I love the beach. I love the sand (I ate a ton), the ocean (I tried to swim like a fish) and the whole experience! Although, me and sunscreen had an adjustment period....but once my Mom rationalized that it could double as product, we were like peas and carrots!

It was like I was always meant to be a beach baby!

I can't wait until next year when me and my three girl friends will rule the beach. It will be legen-----wait for it----DARY!

I know it meant a lot to my Mom to have a beach baby. Aside from my health and well-being, I know my Mom secretly wished for me to be her little beach buddy. So I am glad it all worked out. Not to say that I didn't enjoy the down time with my Dad. A girl's gotta rest....unless you happen to be my Mom!

I was born to love fireworks!

2009-07-19T14:52:00.001-07:00

Apparently, I am destined to love fireworks. My parents love them, so do my Aunt Jen and Uncle Brandon, so it is only fitting that I love them also. We had a great time at the Dollar Tree parking lot watching the fireworks show that our neighborhood association puts on for July 4th. As you can see, Elsa LOVED the fireworks. Heehee.

And here is a sweet video clip of me loving the fireworks. And then it devolved into a "Where's Colby?" game. Let's face it, it is more fun to play a game about me then stare at fireworks, which I don't really understand.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-07-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

So for Dad's big day, I helped Mom get some stuff together. We had to celebrate Father's Day for Dad's first Father's Day and Poppi's first Father's Day as a Grandfather. Geez, can't these people do anything without consulting me?! It's cool, I like it. We had brunch, which I slept through, but it apparently, everyone had a good time!

I got a Swing!!!

2009-07-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we got Colby a swing. We will eventually set it up in the big tree in our back yard, but for now she is small enough that we can just hang it off the roof of the back porch. I think she likes it most of the time. Or at least she doesn't hate it. Check her out.

Speed Turtle

2009-06-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

Colby started crawling as last month as you know. Here is her latest music video.

Enjoy.

Eating all by myself

2009-06-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

So I knew I could do it, you knew I could do it and I knew that you knew that I could do it, so I just decided to do it. A few days ago I started feeding myself the bottle. I could do this for months now but would you feed yourself if someone else was going to hold the bottle like a sucker? (S0rry mom and dad). But I am a big girl now and it is time to do it on my own. So times I still let mom or dad hold me, sometimes I just hang on my own. Either way I get to eat with the family.
I also like eating out at restaurants. I have this new booster seat that lets me sit at the table in a real chair with everyone else. I even get to order off the menu.

Gentle Tug of War

2009-05-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

So my mom realized in retrospect that this may not have ended well, but my big brother was very nice and we played tug-o-war with his rope toy. There was some confusion about whose rope toy it was, mine or his, but he seems to have staked his claim. It's cool, he has more fun with it anyway.

LLB10

2009-05-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

So I know my mom and dad have not entered my stats each month, but I am 10 months old, so we're just going to go with that as the title.
My mom and I went to see Dr. Bogue yesterday and I am doing great, as per uge. I am long (29"), lean (20lbs, 11 oz) and bulbous (46 3/4cm head circumference). Sweet. This all means nothing to me, but I was glad to hear that I am growing "perfectly" as per the growth chart on my file. Whew.
And my mom also had to show me off like a circus animal, making me look up when she called my name, pick up stuff, say "dada" and babbly things, do push-ups, the whole shmoo. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the whole ordeal and took an angry nap when we got home.

I am wearing the shirt my Poppi bought me that says "Sometimes crabby, but always cute" (maybe he found out about the angry nap (not that he hasn't seen his share!) or the pain that my my third tooth has caused, it popped up over the weekend).

Who's This Guy?

2009-05-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

So my dad has the kind of job where he needs to be fitted for a respirator every once in a while. I have no idea what this means or entails, but apparently it requires that he not have any facial hair, as to not interfere with the seal of the respirator. And also, my mom has really gotten attached to the beard, so this was the agreed upon facial hair style until the beard is allowed to grow back in to its glorious state.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

Here I am, mugging* for my mom on Mother's Day. My dad and I served Mom some lox and cream cheese and had a good time. Then, we went to Grammy and Poppi's and had some more salmon and good times with Aunt Carrie. I was glad to see my mom so relaxed and having a special day, all because of me!

* This is my new smile I made up, I think of it as the "adorable troll baby" smile.

This is me crawling around before we had dinner with the family, wearing a ridiculously expensive and borderline weather-inappropriate dress. It was a clearance item and my mom bought it for me when I was two months old. And I do not think it will fit me in another month!

The Day Before Easter and then Actual Easter

2009-05-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Almost forgot this one. This was the day before Easter with my Great Grandma Collins. I think I may soon be too big for her to hold, since I am like 1/4 of her body weight--JK! But for real, I am getting to be big and solid, which can be a lot for her :) but we still had fun.

And here is the last photo of me in the infamous wig. Aunt Carrie and I were having a photo shoot on actual Easter. We had a delicious roast chicken that my Mom and Dad made. Good stuff.

Actual Footage: Crawling

2009-05-10T18:05:00.001-07:00

So after a slow start of hand, hand, foot, foot mixed with some baby yoga, I am now crawling. For real. I never quite scooted on my belly and never really rocked, but now I am off and running--look out.

Baby gates necessary and there are plenty of P.B.I.'s that I have yet to find ;)

Emily--if you are looking at this, yes, that is Chilly....Good thing I picked him out of the selections!

Grandma Nennie Comes to Town!

2009-05-10T17:25:00.000-07:00

This picture sums up my week with my Grandma Nennie. Blondes having some fun!

Grandma Nennie and Grumpy came to visit over April Vacation and we had a blast! We hung out and practiced crawling. Grandma was my substitute nanny for the week, so my Poppi got a break. Grandma and I had a lot of fun and I was sad when she had to go home.

I was the Garden Forewoman while Grandma and Daddy did garden work. They moved some day lilies and other plants from the back garden to the front where they would get some much-needed sunshine. I monitored their work from my blanket and took notes ;)

And here is photographic evidence that Grumpy HAS held me. You saw it here, this is not a hoax.

I can't wait to see them again at my birthday party when I turn the big O-N-E.

Happy Birthday Grandma Nennie

2009-03-29T18:54:00.001-07:00

Today is my Grandma Nennie's birthday!!! I'm not really sure what that means, but I heard they are awesome. I also heard that I have one coming up in a few months and I can't wait!! I was going to wish her happy birthday over the phone but she was out partying too late for this little girl. So here is your birthday picture. I love you Grandma Nennie.

So you think you can dance better than an 8 month old.

2009-03-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

This week Colby has her 8 month check up. We got all the new measurements. She has been sick for the last week and hasn't been eating much, so we think that her weight is probably down a little. But here are her stats for 3.26.09

Height: 28 1/4 inches (88th %)
Weight: 18 lbs 13 oz (73rd %)
Head: 45 cm (75th%)

Seems she is starting to grow into that head. That is a good thing. I was afraid we would have a lollipop head baby.

Here is a new dance video put out by Ms Colby Collins Sawicki. We hope that you enjoy it. Sorry it's a little choppy. I'm still trying to figure out how to use iMovie.

Beat that!!

And for my next trick, I will grow a head of hair!

2009-03-22T12:46:00.001-07:00

So my ever fashionable Aunt Carrie decided to help me out while my hair grows in properly. Now, I told her I was on it, but she said this would smooth the transition to real hair and that no one would notice......Can you tell I am wearing a wig? Be honest.....

My mom thinks I look like an extra from an adaptation of Oliver Twist or maybe a relative of my Auntie Maggie. I am supposed to look like Donald Trump! Duh.

Dancing, Dancing Baby Girl

2009-03-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

So one day Colby started wiggling and dancing, so I started singing "Dancing, Dancing, Baby Girl" to a made up tune and she kept wiggling. Now it is kind of a thing. Check it out, she is pretty cute (shameless Mom comment, I know!). Girl's got moves ;)

I got a case of the Scoots

2009-03-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

Colby has been working on tummy time for a while now. She has built up her arm muscles so she has no problems lifting herself up and rolling over. Now we are trying to get into crawling. She can spin in circles and scoot backwards but forward is still a mystery. Here is a video of her scooting backwards on the hardwood floors. It is much easier to go backwards on the smooth floor. We are still pushing for forward, but this is a start.

Friends are the best!

2009-03-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

As you all know, Elsa and I have been best friends since birth. She is so cool. She can crawl and walk and has the best toys. I love going over her house to play. She even share her toys that she just got for her birthday.

I have some new friends too, Emma and Ella. They live across the street and are both tons of fun. There is something a little strange about them, I can never tell them apart. But we hang out and have a good time.

We all get together on occasion to talk about new foods we have had, toys we like, clothes, and cool places we've been. You know, girl stuff. I think that I am very lucky to have all these beautiful ladies living so close by. We are going to have a blast growing up together.

I have a tooth. And it eats Ritz

2009-03-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

CAN YOU SEE IT? That little white thing in the lower left side. Well if you can't, you will just have to take my word for it. It is little half tooth and it hasn't come in all the way yet, but it is there. And it hurts too, jeez who's idea was teeth anyway? And I only get one at a time? MAN!

But teeth do have their perks I guess. They allow me to eat Ritz crackers. Why did no one tell me about them before? They are delicious!!

Off to Atlantic City

2009-02-22T16:21:00.000-08:00

EEK, We're going Where???

This weekend was Uncle Brandon's 30th birthday. Auntie Jen planned a great weekend getaway to Atlantic City for some fun. We rented a big beach house and Matt and Courtney, Cousins Serena and Scott, and Maggie and Paul all came along to play. We had a great time visiting and seeing the lovely sites of AC.

The beach was a little cold but we had to go out and get the family picture. We did the brewpub and the casino Saturday night. I came out the big winner managing to take home $143. Laura and Jen took the babies home so the wouldn't have to deal with the smoke and smell that is an Atlantic City casino. Elsa and Colby had a great time playing together. It was quite an enjoyable family trip. I hope Brandon had fun even though he got cleaned out at roulette and craps.

Last thing. Colby has never seen dad's hair so long and has learned that she loves to give it a good pull. Time for a haircut I think. Although I am enjoying how ridiculous I look with long hair.

A Trip to Washington, D.C.

2009-02-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

So we went to D.C. the other weekend. Not to show Colby and Elsa the many splendors of our Nation's capital, but to enjoy the most delicious chicken salad and curried couscous I have had in ages! Meghan and Jon Delany Berroya braved a day with babies and had us over for lunch and chitchatting. It was wonderful. And here's the proof that Colby LOVED Meghan ;)

Goodbye to Winter (at least for now)

2009-02-08T06:20:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been beautiful. Temperatures in the 50's and lows in the forties overnight. We walked to a friends house for dinner last night and it wasn't even cold when we walked Colby home around 11pm. I love it! It is a nice break from the cold winter we have had. On Thursday I was out working in below freezing temperatures.
But Colby has been OK with the winter. She stays inside when it is really cold. But Mom did get her outside one day for her first snow storm.

Winter also means that your cool auntie Emily knits you an awesome hat that you get to wear. Thanks Em, we love it!

I love three things: Coughing, Jumping and Carrots. (Maybe not Carrots)

2009-02-05T16:33:00.000-08:00

Colby has really been getting into the new food we have been making her. She LOVES butternut squash, likes sweet potatoes and is learning to tolerate carrots. The first time with carrots didn't go so well as you can see below.

Colby has also learned to love her jumper. She really understands the point of the whole thing and likes to inform us of her enjoyment.

That's it for now. We will try to be back more often. And for anyone who might be interested, she is decked out in full Northeastern University sweats. Go Huskies!

Rice Cereal--You're Fired

2009-01-27T05:52:00.000-08:00

We tried for a week. Horrendous gas. Bye bye bye to rice cereal. Oatmeal is next, but we are going to wait a day to help get all the rice cereal outta there. On a positive note, Colby loved the butternut squash that her Mom and Dad made for her! Yum yum :)
UPDATE: All cereal has been let go, tough times, I am sure you will find another baby to torture with your pernicious gas!

Half Birthday--6 Months!

2009-01-21T05:16:00.001-08:00

So we couldn't label this post as LLB6, as Colby is not quite so bulbous as before! I took her to the doctor for her 6 month check-up and found out that while still being long and lean, Colby is only 75% bulbous. That is nothing like being up there in the upper echelons of the 90+%, so we will just hope that her head is leveling out :)

We were also given the green light for rice cereal, which caused me to dash out and buy a bunch of accessories, naturally! So Colby thoroughly enjoyed eating the rice cereal and promptly joined the Clean Bowl Club. It was really cute. BUT, we did not enjoy the insane gas she had all night. So rice cereal, you are on notice, you get three days and then we are calling in for your replacement: Oatmeal. Oatmeal, you are on deck!

And a special shout out to the Baltimore Ravens, Colby enjoyed cheering them on in the play-offs with her Grammy (in the sweet muscle tee!), despite the outcome. See you next year, thanks for the good times!

Sick Baby

2009-01-13T05:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend both Colby and Laura got sick. This is the first time Colby has been sick except for a little cold. I just have to say first off that she is the best baby ever. I went in to check on her Sunday night a few times because she was fussing. Each time I checked on her she was in a big wet spot. It took me a few times in that late night haze to realize it was vomit. Each time I would move clean her face and move her to a dry spot. Then when it finally kicked in at 2am that she was sick and vomiting I could no longer sleep. I told Laura, who had been sick during the day Sunday, and we didn't sleep for the rest of the night fearing that she would choke in her sleep. So after an hour or so we took her into the bed so we could make sure she was breathing whenever we wanted.

She threw up one more time when we were in bed and it was really scary for her and sad for me. He eyes got so big with fear because she was vomiting and could breath normally. It was really awful seeing fear in such a happy baby's eyes. She was fine and went right back to sleep after that but jeez.

That morning we took her to the doctor because we just wanted to make sure what we need to do to rehydrate her or keep her hydrated. Colby was fine, it was her parents that were a mess. No sleep and worried. Colby was her normal self, smiling and talking to the doctor. Sitting up on her own on the examining table. Such a big girl and what a trooper. The doctor said that the vomiting shouldn't last long but the diarrhea could last for up to 5 days.

Colby is not a fan of diarrhea. I stayed home to take care of my sick girls yesterday. Colby has some of the stinkiest diapers I have ever seen. She cries now when we change her because it hurts down there. It is really heartbreaking to see your little girl like this. But when we are not getting changed or feeling gassy, Colby is the same little girl. Smiling, playing and laughing with her parents. She has been so good through all this. Much better than I would be if I were in the same situation.

She slept pretty good last night. No vomiting so I am happy about that. Laura and I slept a little better because of it. We hope she is on the mend. This is something she won't remember anyway.

For obvious reasons, there are not pictures. But here is one from earlier this month so no one forgets just how cute this girl is.

The Little Bean is here!

2009-01-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

So the newest member to the Casey-Collins-Sawicki-Cavanagh Family has arrived! Arlo, formerly known as "The Bean," decided to come out this morning. Little man is an early starter--was born at 2:35 THIS MORNING. Our strong and feisty little lady, Kate, and Barry "Cool as a cucumber" Sawicki are doing great.

He is a featherweight compared to his meatloaf cousin, Colby; Arlo weighed in at 6lbs, 14 ozs. We are freaking out excited for this addition to the family, we could not be happier. I stole these pictures from their blog. What a little cutie in the hat mom made for him.

The Christmas Blog

2009-01-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

Well, the first Christmas went off without a hitch. Cobly got a pretty Christmas dress to wear to all the family events.

For Christmas Eve we went to church for our annual visit. Colby was very well behaved and really loved all the singing of Christmas songs. We went to the kids service so there were a bunch of little ones that did a skit and sang songs. It was really cute.

On Christmas we spent the morning at home, just the 4 of us and unwrapped all the presents. Colby's favorite gift was the wrapping paper of course, followed closely by the glow worm from Mom.

In the afternoon we went up to see the Philly family. Had lunch and did more presents. Colby learned quickly how to unwrap stuff.

During the day Grandma Nennie and Grumpy were making their way down from MA. They met us back at home around dinner time. Then there were more unwrapping of gifts. Grandma Nennie brought the best gift of all, a beautiful quilt that she made for Colby and her big girl bed. Now all Colby needs to do is be a big girl. But we are in no rush for that.

We had a great day! I really think Colby had fun because she got to see her family from near and far. She loves being passed around and held by all the different people. We had a great time and were very lucky to see everyone.

For more pictures of the fun, check out our web gallary at http://picasaweb.google.com/Joseph.C.Sawicki/ColbySFirstChristmas

Writing a blog is hard

2008-12-10T15:02:00.000-08:00

So I have found it that writing the blog can be kind of difficult with a full time job and a baby.But that is what the fans are here for--baby updates. So I am going to give you some good updates of the last few weeks.
We had thanksgiving a while ago, remember that? The local family came to our house along with some friends and we had a nice dinner. Colby was a peach the entire time and really enjoyed the theme.

Now we are getting ready for christmas. Time really flies. We have our tree up and lit. It is really nice. Colby is looking forward to playing with all the boxes and paper I am getting her for her first Christmas. Her mom also blew the bank on buying books totally to advanced for her, but moms can't control themselves--especially when it comes to books! We did get her the cutest little christmas dress, or maybe she makes it cute because she is in it. Who knows.

We all hope that everyone is having a great holiday season and hope to hear from you soon.

LLB3

2008-11-23T13:54:00.000-08:00

Colby had her 4 month check up this week and she is healthy as a horse. She is continuing to grow in the long, lean, and bulbous categories. The new stats are below.
Long: 26 Inches (97th %)
Lean: 14 Lbs 12oz (75th %)
Bulbous: 43cm (98th %)

We finally got and put together her new jumper toy. My work got us a baby present and this is what we got. She is still trying to workout the jumping part, but she will get the hang of it soon enough.