Start the Birthday Celebrations!!!

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated... and that I am just now getting around to posting Bella's b-day pictures. Ours lives have been a crazy mess and our computer is packed in a trailer right now... so please forgive me!

Well, we have moved in with my wonderful parents until we find our 'WOW' house.... and the way it is going, we may live with them forever. They have assured me that they will be okay with that living situation but hopefully we can find a place of our own someday soon. After being lied to by our realtor and loosing our mineral rights at closing.... putting offers down on two homes.... loosing both... we are now looking for a new realtor and trying to stay positive! We have prayed a lot about our housing dilemma and know it will all work out in the end.

Enough about that... Bella had a wonderful first birthday and loved every minute of it!!!

Not so sure what to do with her HUGE cupcake...

She caught on quickly!

Feeding Dada...


A little clean up before presents....

Emily and her beau, Brian
Bella examining her new book.


Playing in her new tunnel/tent with Dada
Cousin Sarah and Bella
The end to a wonderful first birthday...

We're out!!!

It's official.... we SOLD our house... YEA!!! We close on the 30th but will be moving in with my parents on the 22nd. We have found a home we really like, put an offer on it and are now waiting. It is stressful and I am trying not to fall in love with it until it is ours... although I already have all the new paint colors picked out in my head! :) We have put it in God's hands and that's all we can do right now. I'll keep you updated!

Happy 4th!!!

Bella absolutely LOVED the 4th of July. Every year the Ft Worth symphony plays some great music and puts on a firework show in the Botanic Gardens. We were a little iffy as to how Bella would handle the heat, late night and fireworks.... but as usually she proved us all wrong and was a perfect angel. Not only did she not have a meltdown but she loved the fireworks. We all had so much fun!

Bella got VIP treatment and was wheeled in her new wagon to the show!

Pre-fireworks with Dada
The Castaldo Clan
Bella's favorite.... Cousin Katie!

She DEVOURERS watermelon!
Sisters... Em & me

Watching the fireworks w/ Mama

Bonaire

We had a wonderful time in Bonaire! The diving was great and other than cousin Ken's jellyfish incident.... there were no injuries!

Emily & Dave

The men sunning!

Our casa

Beautiful girls... Em & Momma

One of the beaches had strange structures built all over it for miles.... using the thousands of shoes and plastic bottles washed up from sea. So we decided to build one of our own.

Mom & Dad at dinner one night

Separation anxiety...

Marc and I are off to Bonaire tomorrow to go diving for SEVEN days with our family!!! I know we are going to have a wonderful time but it will be the longest we have ever been away from Bella. She is going to have a blast hanging out with Chery, Scott & Katie for the first few days and then her Nonna and PopPop for the last part of our trip.... I am sure she will not even know we are gone! Please send a quick prayer my way that I will only cry a few times while we are gone :) and that everyone traveling and at home will remain safe in God's hands!

Promise to post pics when we return!

Baby steps!

Bella has taken her first steps.... YEA!!! My wonderful husband was so patient with me last week when I woke him up early one morning (after he had gotten home from work at 4:30am and just falling asleep) to show him how Bella could step/tumble towards me. It was a big milestone and I knew he would not want to miss it. We are both relieved to witnessed the big event.... as I had been stressing we would miss it while on vacation in a few weeks. I think my cousin and in-laws (who will be watching Bella while we are gone) are equally relieved that they will not have to lie to us, as they were instructed to should she start walking while we are gone!

Flirting with cousin Katie at a family party.

Mommy's favorite face.

Just a naked bottom picture for fun.

Bella loves to crawl under & in things, so I made her a fort/cave in our living room with couch cushions. She drug all of her stuffed animals in with her so they could enjoy too.
Holding court with her stuffed animals.

Dallas World Aquarium

I can not believe I have lived in DFW for all my life and have never been to the Dallas World Aquarium.... it was amazing! Marc, Bella and I went last week and had a wonderful time. It is basically an indoor rain forest and is so authentic looking that I had to keep reminding myself I was inside a building in downtown Dallas. It is set up so none of the animals seems to be 'caged' or at a zoo. I told Marc that if I was a monkey, I would want to live there.

5 story waterfall ...

... that fed into a lagoon with turtles, manatees and lots of other fish. In the middle of the lagoon is an island with lot of different birds and monkeys.
Bella had a great time and loved looking at all the animals.



On the top level was a really good restaurant that over looked another waterfall. Bella has a lime in her mouth in the picture below. She loves limes and lemons.... I know, crazy!
Below the lagoon where you can see all the animals up close.

This tunnel reminded me of Jaws! There were all kinds of rays and sharks swimming around.

By far, Bella's favorites were the penguins... and they were equally fond of her!


This was our sign that it was time to go... rubbing Bunny-Bunny on her nose, but we had a great time!