Three year olds...they are a hoot. Abby is definitely at the phase of talking nonstop (I can't imagine the phone bill during the teenage years), thinking quite independently, and needing consistent discipline. Sometimes, she will spout off the funniest thing and give us a good chuckle. Here are a few:
1. One day after picking her up from preschool, we were heading home and she wanted to hear the story of the 3 Little Pigs. I get to telling the story and get a bit carried away with actions and voice inflections in telling it. Towards the end, when I wind down and end the dramatic story saying that the three little pigs lived happily ever after...Abby was quiet for a second and then says, "AMEN!"
2. We have been talking with Abby about names and especially her full name, Abigail Elizabeth Chiodo. She's very proud that she can spell Abby.. "1 A, 2 B's, 1 Y." For one thing, she is quite interested in knowing EVERYONE's name. We'll be in line at the grocery store/post office/library and she'll say loudly, "Mama, what's her name?" She hasn't quite grasped that I don't know every single person around us. Well, for a few days recently she decided that her name wasn't Abigail, it was Elizabeth. So I took her to a tumbling class at the Shelton Community Center. After the class, the teacher says, "Is her name Abigail or Elizabeth?" I tell her it is Abby and she tells me that Abby insisted that her name was Elizabeth and not Abigail. Very confusing to the new teacher. So she got called Elizabeth through the whole class since Abby insisted on it.
3. Today we took a trip to Barnes & Noble with my mom for a few last minute Christmas presents. As we pull into the parking lot, Abby asked where we were going. I said we are going into this bookstore. She says, "What's the name of the bookstore?" I say, "It's called Barnes & Noble." She thinks for a second then says, "No, no, no, no" (like I'm stupid) and says, "It's not Barnes & Noble. It's Barnes & Books." Where do they come up with this stuff?!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The 2008 Chiodo Christmas Letter
December 2008
Dear Family and Friends,
Greetings from the Chiodo Family! We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season. Yes, I know there was no Chiodo letter or Top 10 list last year. We had a lot of new things (pregnancy, house, job) just starting to happen. But, we’re back on track, and we’d love to fill you in on the highlights of our year.
On July 22nd, we welcomed our son, Benjamin George Chiodo, into the world. He weighed 8 lbs, 14 ozs, & was 21 1/2 inches long. Our dear Ben came out BIG and with a head full of red hair. He is brimming with personality and keeps our days filled with his infectious belly laughs, his growing appetite, and his ever-increasing activity. Ben watches Abby quite adoringly, and she just loves to entertain him!
Abigail turned 3 on July 28th, and we entered the world of “I don’t want to!”, “Why?”, and “What are you doing?” She wants nothing to do with being a princess and is all about her toolbox, trains, and building blocks. She loves to do puzzles, spell out words, and help Mommy in the kitchen. She tells us often that she “wuvs her baby Ben and wants to keep him a wong, wong time.” Abby attends Susanna Wesley Nursery School two mornings a week and absolutely loves it. She has many friends and enjoys painting, singing, and playing on the playground.
Jason started a new job as a sales representative with BG Lubricare in January. BG is an automotive chemical company that services auto dealerships and independent garages. Basically, when you get your vehicle serviced, they usually put BG products in your car. He and his dad are also actively investing in real estate, and we just sold our first “flipped” house! Jason lost over 30 lbs. this year doing Weight Watchers, and he loves his daily newspaper subscription to Investors Business Daily.
I (Jenn) continue to work part-time at Yale-New Haven Hospital in the OR Recovery Room. The flexible evening hours and the insurance coverage it provides for the family work great for us. And I definitely don’t mind having some conversations with adults. In my few moments of free time, I love to scrapbook or read the latest book pick for book club.
This past year, we traveled to Las Vegas and Colorado for the weddings of both of Jenn’s brothers. We enjoyed a visit from our friends, Peter, Liz, Sierra, & PJ Lignos in February. And having our dear friend, Leslie, come out for a visit in June was quite fun. Jenn’s mom and stepdad also came in July for Ben’s birth and Abby’s 3rd birthday.
I also started to keep a blog of our family this year. It’s called “Chiodo Chuckles,” and the website is: http://thechiodofamily.blogspot.com. You’ll find some crazy stories on there…like when two guys tried to steal our car out of our driveway. They didn’t know the lady of the house was 8 months pregnant and got up to pee a lot at night! You’ll also read about the crazy naked couple duking it out on our front yard while we watched the evening news. We only thought we had moved to a nicer neighborhood! And there’s the story about the man who went into cardiac arrest in the nearby restaurant booth when Jason and I went out for a date night. (The man survived, and we got free steak for those good ol’ nursing skills). Oh yes…our year has had some adventures!
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love, The Chiodo Family (jjchiodo@yahoo.com)
Dear Family and Friends,
Greetings from the Chiodo Family! We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season. Yes, I know there was no Chiodo letter or Top 10 list last year. We had a lot of new things (pregnancy, house, job) just starting to happen. But, we’re back on track, and we’d love to fill you in on the highlights of our year.
On July 22nd, we welcomed our son, Benjamin George Chiodo, into the world. He weighed 8 lbs, 14 ozs, & was 21 1/2 inches long. Our dear Ben came out BIG and with a head full of red hair. He is brimming with personality and keeps our days filled with his infectious belly laughs, his growing appetite, and his ever-increasing activity. Ben watches Abby quite adoringly, and she just loves to entertain him!
Abigail turned 3 on July 28th, and we entered the world of “I don’t want to!”, “Why?”, and “What are you doing?” She wants nothing to do with being a princess and is all about her toolbox, trains, and building blocks. She loves to do puzzles, spell out words, and help Mommy in the kitchen. She tells us often that she “wuvs her baby Ben and wants to keep him a wong, wong time.” Abby attends Susanna Wesley Nursery School two mornings a week and absolutely loves it. She has many friends and enjoys painting, singing, and playing on the playground.
Jason started a new job as a sales representative with BG Lubricare in January. BG is an automotive chemical company that services auto dealerships and independent garages. Basically, when you get your vehicle serviced, they usually put BG products in your car. He and his dad are also actively investing in real estate, and we just sold our first “flipped” house! Jason lost over 30 lbs. this year doing Weight Watchers, and he loves his daily newspaper subscription to Investors Business Daily.
I (Jenn) continue to work part-time at Yale-New Haven Hospital in the OR Recovery Room. The flexible evening hours and the insurance coverage it provides for the family work great for us. And I definitely don’t mind having some conversations with adults. In my few moments of free time, I love to scrapbook or read the latest book pick for book club.
This past year, we traveled to Las Vegas and Colorado for the weddings of both of Jenn’s brothers. We enjoyed a visit from our friends, Peter, Liz, Sierra, & PJ Lignos in February. And having our dear friend, Leslie, come out for a visit in June was quite fun. Jenn’s mom and stepdad also came in July for Ben’s birth and Abby’s 3rd birthday.
I also started to keep a blog of our family this year. It’s called “Chiodo Chuckles,” and the website is: http://thechiodofamily.blogspot.com. You’ll find some crazy stories on there…like when two guys tried to steal our car out of our driveway. They didn’t know the lady of the house was 8 months pregnant and got up to pee a lot at night! You’ll also read about the crazy naked couple duking it out on our front yard while we watched the evening news. We only thought we had moved to a nicer neighborhood! And there’s the story about the man who went into cardiac arrest in the nearby restaurant booth when Jason and I went out for a date night. (The man survived, and we got free steak for those good ol’ nursing skills). Oh yes…our year has had some adventures!
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Love, The Chiodo Family (jjchiodo@yahoo.com)
The 4th Annual Chiodo's Top 10 Favorite Things
1. The Sleep Sheep: The best baby gift I got (thanks, Mom!) It’s a small, cute, & cuddly sheep that plays 4 types of white noise. It’s portable and straps right onto the carseat…a definite lifesaver with Ben.
2. Hamilton Beach Brewstation: I don’t know why…but Jason & I have gone through about a dozen glass coffee carafes throughout our marriage. Then I found this awesome coffeemaker where you make the coffee, then just put your mug up to the button and it fills the mug. No glass carafes to break and replace! We love it! It’s perfect for 2 people or even a party.
3. Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover: We’ve been his fans for years on how to manage your money. His new book is awesome, and we recommend it to everyone we know. It's life changing.
4. E-Mealz.Com: Speaking of Dave Ramsey, he recommends this website for busy moms who need quick and creative meals. For $5/month, it gives you a weekly menu and your grocery list. I get the WW Point menu for 2-4 people.
5. TomTomOne: JennJenn finally bought a TomTom. No more “I’m lost!” calls to Jason, no more paper maps. Best $99 deal I’ve found.
6. L.L. Bean Totes: These canvas totes are so big, sturdy, and practical. Get it monogrammed and in a variety of sizes and colors. Great gift for anyone. I use my large “Chiodo” red tote almost every day. It holds a ton of stuff-awesome for moms!
7. Tigi Curlz Rock Hair Amplifier: A big thanks to Heather (my fellow naturally curly haired friend) for introducing me to this amazing stuff. I have finally found “The One” for the hair.
8. Kim Bensen Bagels: Kim is a friend from church who lost over 200 lbs. on WW. She has such an inspirational story that has gained national attention. She started her own business making yummy 2 point bagels that are sold in all the surrounding grocery stores. Her new book is also coming out soon. (www.kimbensen.com)
9. Leapfrog ABC Fridge Magnets: Abby loves the ABC stuff that Leapfrog makes. These fridge magnets are a daily hit. We also have The Letter Factory DVD by Leapfrog that teaches letters and sounds. Great phonics stuff to build off of. We talk all the time about letters, their sounds, and words that start with a specific letter.
10. WeRMemoryKeepers: This year I organized my scrapbook system, and I love the result. I found these awesome 12x12 3 ring leather albums by WeRMemoryKeepers. They have a variety of beautiful colors. I use red albums for our family, yellow for Abby, and blue for Ben. LOVE them.
2. Hamilton Beach Brewstation: I don’t know why…but Jason & I have gone through about a dozen glass coffee carafes throughout our marriage. Then I found this awesome coffeemaker where you make the coffee, then just put your mug up to the button and it fills the mug. No glass carafes to break and replace! We love it! It’s perfect for 2 people or even a party.
3. Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover: We’ve been his fans for years on how to manage your money. His new book is awesome, and we recommend it to everyone we know. It's life changing.
4. E-Mealz.Com: Speaking of Dave Ramsey, he recommends this website for busy moms who need quick and creative meals. For $5/month, it gives you a weekly menu and your grocery list. I get the WW Point menu for 2-4 people.
5. TomTomOne: JennJenn finally bought a TomTom. No more “I’m lost!” calls to Jason, no more paper maps. Best $99 deal I’ve found.
6. L.L. Bean Totes: These canvas totes are so big, sturdy, and practical. Get it monogrammed and in a variety of sizes and colors. Great gift for anyone. I use my large “Chiodo” red tote almost every day. It holds a ton of stuff-awesome for moms!
7. Tigi Curlz Rock Hair Amplifier: A big thanks to Heather (my fellow naturally curly haired friend) for introducing me to this amazing stuff. I have finally found “The One” for the hair.
8. Kim Bensen Bagels: Kim is a friend from church who lost over 200 lbs. on WW. She has such an inspirational story that has gained national attention. She started her own business making yummy 2 point bagels that are sold in all the surrounding grocery stores. Her new book is also coming out soon. (www.kimbensen.com)
9. Leapfrog ABC Fridge Magnets: Abby loves the ABC stuff that Leapfrog makes. These fridge magnets are a daily hit. We also have The Letter Factory DVD by Leapfrog that teaches letters and sounds. Great phonics stuff to build off of. We talk all the time about letters, their sounds, and words that start with a specific letter.
10. WeRMemoryKeepers: This year I organized my scrapbook system, and I love the result. I found these awesome 12x12 3 ring leather albums by WeRMemoryKeepers. They have a variety of beautiful colors. I use red albums for our family, yellow for Abby, and blue for Ben. LOVE them.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Here's Lookin' At You, Kid.
Last night while playing with the kids, Abby looks at me and (being silly) give me this look. How the heck did this child learn to do this?!? Keep one eyeball straight while the other is cross-eyed? Freaked me out! We were half laughing, half grossed out, and half telling her to not do that again (but not before I got a picture). And here's a few of Ben for good measure.
Ben's Dedication at Church
Last Sunday we had Ben dedicated at church. As long as he didn't spit up all over Pastor Dave, I would consider it a success. And we had no spit up and Ben even smiled for everyone a few times. Yes, I did all that color coordinating myself. I was hoping to get our family 'Christmas card' picture too that day. Yeah...that was a no go. But we had a great breakfast with Jason's family afterwards, and it was a nice relaxing day.
Leave It to Abigail
This girl is loving leaves this year. Three year olds and leaves are just one big pile of fun waiting to happen. After a neighborhood walk one afternoon, I thought the two of us could be productive and rake/bag leaves while Ben napped. Silly Jenn. After many unsuccessful attempts to get Abby to help and then realizing I didn't have any yard bags anyway...I said 'to hell with it' and we had a blast.
Our Day with Thomas the Train
This was a big deal in the Chiodo household. Abigail LOVES Thomas the Train. Personally, I find the TV show to be a little dry. I don't understand how it entertains kids, but somehow it does. Well, Veronica found tickets for Thomas the Train coming to the Essex Steam Train Station. When the day finally arrived, the weather was gorgeous, the lunches were packed, the tickets were bought, and we were LATE!!! Yes, Jason and I enjoyed one too many cups of coffee that morning and found ourselves driving like a complete nutjob trying to get to the 10:30 train on time. When we finally got there, the 10:30 train was loaded and I was running with elbows out and a "get out of my way" look on my face. We made it to the gate only to have the station master tell us it was full. We pleaded and begged to get on while Abby had this horrified look and instantly burst into tears. We must have done something right because the guy told us to come back for the 11:00 train and he would make an exception and let us on. I told Jason, "We suck sometimes at this parenting thing." But...it all worked out fine. We took the later train and caught up with Dennis & Veronica and Ole & Dawn and the girls for lunch. The day was quite enjoyable and a fun experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)