May was a fun and busy month for the DiChiara family. Beware! Here contains many-o-picture & video of the many happenings!This post is what has been slowing me down in getting updated on this blog (hopefully it's all "downhill" from here...). Note to those getting this in email--make sure you go to the website link to view the videos!
The picture to the left and below are Levi & I on my first Mother's Day. I'm so happy to have a little boy!
(Note--the shirt and necklace I'm wearing are Mother's Day gifts from Dustin to me!)
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MIAMI!
I had a medical conference in Miami, FL to present some research just days before Levi's birthday (May 13-15th). I actually had won an all-expenses-paid trip after being named SGIM's (Society of General Medicine) Midwest Best Resident Presentation of the Year Award for my research (retrospective study) on Post-polypectomy Surveillance Colonoscopy. Since I knew that I would be specializing in Gastroenterology, I wasn't particularly interested in attending much of the conference. So, we decided to turn it into a little family vacation.
There was an empty seat next to us, so Levi took advantage, being a good, big boy!
Good morning, Miami! (from our personal balcony of our awesome room!)
We stayed at the Fountainebleu Resort, a premier resort in Miami. Here's the view from our balcony. It was perfect weather!Fun in the pool!
Levi had lots of fun playing in the water!
This is his modeling shot. To me, hilarious.
We spent most of our time at the pool and a little time at the beach. Although Levi loved his first time around at the beach, this second time, he wasn't so crazy about the sand.
Poor little boy; he didn't like how the sand stuck to his hand--it freaked him out.
My little boy, enjoying the beach a lot more when I'm holding him.
Levi was a little hesitant about the ocean itself, but he eventually warmed up to it and got use to the feel and the wet sand. He's having fun here with Daddy.
Pooped after a long day of fun-in-the-sun! If you can't tell from the pictures, he loves to wear his sunglasses! Such a cool boy! He turned many heads out there. :-)Some footage of Levi at the pool.
As you know from this blog, Levi has been delayed in his motor skill development, and being seen by a Physical Therapist, thanks to Hamilton County tax-payers. Just a couple days before turning One, Levi started pulling himself up to stand successfully. Here's one of the early times caught on video as he's trying to reach my coveted cell phone while on vacation.
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Happy First Birthday, Levi!!!!
May 16, 2009
We had a birthday party in our home for Levi on his actual birthday, since it fell on a Saturday. And, in case you were wondering how we did it, we left Miami Friday late morning on the 15th, flew into Cincinnati, went back to the airport a few hours later to pick up my mother-in-law, my mother drove in later that night, and we hosted a big party the next day! Talk about a whirl-wind! I am very grateful for all the help my mother-in-law and mother did in helping us clean up and get ready for the party.
(Note: I want to thank my friend, Amanda Laginess, and my brother-in-law, Michael, for the pictures of the party, featured here with only a couple from myself.)
The party was a balloon-themed birthday party. Levi LOVES balloons and balls and always points them out whenever we are out somewhere, usually followed by smiles and giggles. So, even though I guess balloons are party of a generic birthday party, I wanted to have a party centered around that theme.
Yay for Busken's cakes!
Birthday boy looking so grown-up!
I really like the above and below pictures because it looks like Levi is now "old enough" to play with the big boys, Caleb and Jackson.
The following pictures are of the decorations, etc.
(9 month old pics on the left, 6 months on the right)
Newborn pics in the background.
Unfortunately, I don't have this captured in picture, but I had also decorated the kitchen cabinets with representative pictures from birth/newborn-time and each month leading up to today. So, in one place, you could quickly see how much Levi has changed and grown up. I gave family a photo book of the same pictures as a memento.
Chick-fil-A catered for us. :-) (I don't think anyone was surprised)
Balloons!
Up-close on Levi's cake.
Levi just loves to eat. He often (today not excluding) would scoot up to someone and "beg" for some of the food they had on their plate. Here's silly Uncle Michael catching in action a photo of him feeding Levi.
Thanks, Velma, for helping set up!
Dustin and my Mom.
Dustin and his mom.
Aunt Megan and Uncle Ben came in town along with Grandpa and Grandma for the birthday party! Just a long drive for such a short time, but Levi (as well as Dustin & I) were so glad to see them!
Nana, Uncle Michael, and MaGe.BTW: Dustin's brother, Michael, decided to move to Cincinnati the end of April in hopes of working his way up through Chick-fil-A, using Dustin's connections. Until Michael found an apartment, he stayed with us, in the basement, the month of May. We really enjoyed his stay during this time. It's been so great to have a family member in the city! It's so good for Levi, and not to mention, the blessing it has been to us to have a (free) babysitter! :-)
Mama & Dada with our One-Year-Old boy! So hard to believe!
MaGe playing with Levi before our guests arrived. I don't think there will be anyone in our family who won't remember this singing balloon and its jazzy rendition of Happy Birthday. It stuck around for at least the next week and a half. Levi loved it, though, and would dance whenever it was played (usually more frequently that the adults would've liked).
Nana & Levi. :-)
Grandma is reading to Levi.CAKE TIME!!!
(really, what everyone was waiting for)
The "Before" picture.
Two angles (above & below) of Levi's first taste. Of course, focused on the red balloon. :-)
"Oh, yeah, this stuff is good!!"
Pure delight.Levi's approach to the cake was quite funny. He was quite methodical. He only used his right hand the whole time and kept his left hand clean the entire time. No head dives! He first ate all the red balloon icing, then went for the rest of the blue icing. Then, I helped break up the cake part for him, and he slowly and surely, kept shoveling in the yummy cake at a steady, constant pace. I wonder if this will be a reflection of his personality when he's older??
Gotta wash down all that sugar with some water!
"Mama, why have you been hiding this 'cake-thing' this whole time? I can get use to this!"
Proud parents of our big boy!
The other kiddos enjoyed the cake too. :-)
Here are most of the guests that came to the party (minus Jessica, who had to leave early. Sorry, Courtney, that I cut off your head!). So thankful for all the family that came in town!
Amanda's counter-picture as I'm setting up the camera from our loft balcony. Hehee, I look "sneaky" here...
Levi got this present from his Great Grandpa & Grandma Lear, who weren't able to make it. This was one of Levi's favorite toys. We caught on video him dancing to the music this toy makes. He started dancing/bopping to it right when he opened it up!
This talking, singing, rocking pony was another instant favorite of Levi's, from Great Aunt Carol. Here's Levi giving the pony a big hug. I can hear his joyful "haaaawww" while hugging it.Post-party fun with the family:
Such a sweet picture of Grandpa and Grandson.
Grandma knows that Levi loves being turned upside down!!
Clapping!! Levi was such a good birthday-boy and quickly discovered he got tons of attention and reciprocated clapping at the party when he clapped. He definitely loves being the center of attention! :-)
Thankful for my Dad's side of the family being able to drive up for the party only! (We were sad that Aunt Heather & Uncle Greg couldn't make it because of an important test Aunt Heather had to take!)
MaLu playing with Levi. It was so great to see MaLu and MaGe this weekend!
Levi found Nana's mouth.
"Bye, Bye! Thanks for coming to my party!"-------------------------------------------------------------
DUSTIN'S GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY
OF THE NEW FREE-STANDING CHICK-FIL-A UNIT THAT IS BEING BUILT IN
FLORENCE, KENTUCKY (20 min from our house).
This marked a happy, and momentous time for our family!!
OF THE NEW FREE-STANDING CHICK-FIL-A UNIT THAT IS BEING BUILT IN
FLORENCE, KENTUCKY (20 min from our house).
This marked a happy, and momentous time for our family!!
Dustin kicking off the ceremony.
I found a way to make it there too!
There was a good-sized crowd that was there to celebrate with Dustin, although you can't tell from these pictures. Dustin welcoming the guests and expressing his excitment.
This is the Mayor of Florence, Diane Whalen, also expressing her excitement of Nothern Kentucky's first free-standing Chick-fil-A store (and only current N. KY store!).
Ph0to-Op!(left-to-right:) Bruce Cameron (Dustin's Chick-fil-A consultant), Cow #1, Dustin, Mayor Whalen, Cow #2, Judge Moore (a Boone County judge).
Moving the first dirt!
Moving the first dirt!
Good shoveling, Judge! :-)
The DiChiara's digging with the Cow (Levi helping too!).
Velma, thankful, was able to be in town for this too, since it was just a couple days after Levi's birthday!
Levi's excited that the store is Opening Soon!-----------------------------------------------
The last segment of this MEGA-POST: Uncle Brian, Aunt Sara, and Cousin Isaiah come to visit the weekend after Levi's birthday! (Memorial Day Weekend)
Fun with bubbles in the park. Is there any kid that doesn't like bubbles?!
Isaiah was being very sweet and sharing the bubble wand with Levi. But we all know what was to happen next . . .
Yep. Wand in the mouth.
Levi loves the swings!
More bubbles:
Wow . . . Thank you, Aunt Sara!
Levi loves to wear Mama's sun glasses. Chillin' with Uncle Brian.
We all went to a Red's game that weekend too. It was fun to have all the DiChiara brothers together!:
So funny, each of the DiChiara men individually woke up Sunday morning wearing the same pajamas!
Isaiah is watching out for his cousin, making sure he had everything he needed for his meal.
Isaiah and Levi had such fun playing together. It was so precious to watch. They are just 10 months apart, and played so well together. It made me start wanting to have a sibling for Levi.
Here's a little video of them playing together. I never seem to get the best on video, but they had been doing this routine of Levi throwing down his cup and Isaiah giving it back to him for at least a solid 5 minutes prior to this.
There was an Italian Festival in Cincinnati which we went to. Levi is sportin' his "I Love My Italian Dad" shirt.
Levi's "basta face" (my personal favorite this far). Every good Italian child must have such pictures! Thanks, Uncle Michael, for some good basta!The above video is Levi signing "all done". We had been doing sign language with Levi since he was 5 months old. The only sign he really did was "fan" for the longest time. Just this month he started doing more signs consistently, such as more, all done, and eat.
Levi progressed pretty quickly these weeks in May in regards of his motor skills. May 18th, just 2 days after his birthday and about a week after just learning to pull himself up, he started cruising around the furniture! He continued to improve, and these pictures are just a couple weeks after his birthday.Check out his squatting action below!
Phew! Congrats on finishing reading this post! Hope you enjoyed catching up on our little family! If so, please comment and let me know!
