Antennas up

This may have been my longest stretch of not writing. So this is an update with LOTS of pictures.
It's been a crazy past few months. Since I've blogged, we had Adele's baby naming, and then the unexpected deaths of three of our grandmothers within a few weeks of each other: Nana Stromberg at the end of May, Bubby Sara Dembowski, on June 14, and grandma Rochelle Miller just three days later.

From left: Nana, Rochelle and Sara

So the day after Adele's baby naming in Warminster, Sean and I flew to Buffalo, NY for Nana's funeral. Bubby passed away about two weeks later, and then Grandma Rochelle three days after that. There really are no words for how to describe these past few weeks. My heart breaks for all of our families. We honor their legacies, we honor their names, we honor their lives. They all lived long and fulfilling lives. They all left so much love in their paths. Love that will be carried on and built upon. Nataline, Sara and Rochelle, we will miss you. Please rest in peace knowing the beautiful families you created.

Me and Bubby Sara at our wedding, March 31, 2012

Adele's baby naming was beautiful and we were so blessed to be surrounded by friends and family to share in our special day. Adele is doing BEAUTIFULLY! she walks now! Just as my love for her grows each day in new ways, my love for being a mother grows each day in new ways. The rewards are endless. She is such a PERSON.

This face!

"Partini" with Emily <3

Going for a walk in the park with Melissa and Brandon

I wish I could just list all of the ways in which she continues to grow, but it would be impossible. I try to savor each moment, soak it all in. This morning as I was getting her dressed, she was just walking around her room with her bottle, flipping through Amelia Bedelia (her new favorite book; she tries to say "Bedelia" and it is THE CUTEST THING EVER), and I just watched her toddle around with her chubby thighs, half dressed. (How many Weight Watchers activity points do you get for dressing a toddler? It should be a lot.) We weren't in a rush, so I just let her toddle around her room, looking at her toys, and I just watched her and talked to her and smiled at her. I am always in awe of her.

When in Chicago ...

When Sean and I get dressed in the morning we put her in her Pack N' Play in our bedroom so she can play with her toys and we can keep an eye on her without her roaming around. This morning I was putting on my makeup and I didn't hear anything from her in the next room (she always talks or sings really loudly) so I quietly peeked my head around the door and saw her leaning in to kiss her Violet (purple talking dog stuffed animal.) MY HEART LITERALLY EXPLODED. Just silently, she leaned over to give her lovey a kiss, without knowing I was watching.

A precious moment captured by Lloyd

Adele and Brandon

Joel, Adele and Avi, in Warminster, PA for Bubby's funeral

It's these tiny moments where my heart just feels so full. Like I can't believe this is my daughter.
Now when I'm getting dressed in the morning I take her into my closet. She likes to look at my clothes and try on my jewelry. She does whatever Mom does. She wants to brush her hair like I brush my hair.
She follows Campbell around trying to give him his bones. She looks at me before she reaches for something she's unsure if she's allowed to have, and I reassure her it's OK to pick it up, or no, it's not OK. She knows when to wash her hands when we enter her classroom. She knows how to turn on the faucet. She likes when I brush her teeth. She likes her Amoxicillin to the point where she asks for more when it's gone. I cannot believe this little person is my daughter. I am in AWE. Every single day.

Me and Sally! On left, when our friendship began in the 1st grade, on right, us in Chicago last weekend! Friends for 22 years is something special! :)

Chicago selfie!

With the joyous awe and amazement comes all new new-mom panicking as she's learning to walk and is taking more tumbles. She is pretty steady on her feet, and I am slowly learning how to let myself go into the next room while watching her toddle around. This morning I was washing something in the sink and watching her in the living room with her walker, and I didn't take my eyes off her curly little pigtails at the top of her head, which I saw just peeking over the couch. I knew if her pigtails were up, she was still standing. I'm learning to let her go a little more and not be literally on top of her every move. She is moving wonderfully, and I know, like all other things, this will take time for me to get used to. I'm getting there and she's getting there.
Sean and I have been busy with work and social plans and fundraising for Team Pink and Pearls. We've already had three successful fundraisers, and two more are on the horizon, including Yoga on the Mountain, which I'll include more about at another time - but you can find out more on the fundraising page on this blog!

Enjoying a night out in Chicago xo

Adele playing with Legos at Barnes and Noble

These pictures are from the last few weeks, including my weekend trip to Chicago to visit Sally (last weekend), some pics from when my mom and Lloyd came to visit and we took a trip to the Arboretum and story time at Barnes and Noble, and just some other odds and ends.
We are all healthy and happy. We are all OK.

Buckingham Fountain, Chicago

Adele's baby naming!

Storytime at Barnes and Noble

I want to give a HUGE congratulations to my best friend Karishma who recently got engaged! I am so excited for you and Mike and I CANNOT WAIT to begin the wedding/planning/festivities/OMG! And I want to wish Sean a happy second Father's Day. Sean: you also continue to amaze me. I am in awe of you as well. Every day I am blessed to see firsthand how much you love our family. How much you love and care for Adele, for me and for Campbell, and for your parents and siblings. You take care of us all. I see the way you look at Adele. It is the same way I look at her. I constantly think there is no way anyone could know my love for her, the way my heart feels when I see her face or hear her talk. But when I see you look at her, I know you know. You share that same feeling. Just as I am in awe of her, every little piece of her, so are you. Your love for Adele is palpable. It is bursting. The way mine is.

I am just in awe of it all. In awe of this life. I am, again, after these recent deaths, aware of how precious life is. Of how I already imagined my life as this fragile faberge egg, but now it feels even more fragile. With Adele walking and the recent deaths, my alerts (which were already pretty high), are on higher for now. And I know that's OK. My antennas are up more. I'm more on edge. I have a walking baby and we lost three family members. But I know things will settle back down to the "normal crazy." Until then I think it's OK I'm on high alert, I'm a little more sensitive, a little more panicky. More anxiety. It's OK. A lot is happening.

pink roses at the Arboretum

Change is the only constant in life.