CAROLINE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

Happy 2nd Birthday Caroline!
Gabriella crashed out in her red polka dot bikini

Caroline getting candy from the Dora pinata

Caroline jumping into the pool to Bapa (she did this about 50 times - she was WILD)

Here she comes to jump

Playing in the little pool at Bapa's RV spot

She loves this little plastic pool

Heading to the slide at the train park

Riding the carousel at the train park

We had a GREAT birthday party for Caroline yesterday at Lake Pleasant. We had lots of family and friends there to share in the celebration. Caroline had so much fun in the pool and running around. She loved all of her presents and all in all she had a wonderful 2nd birthday.

Gabriella of course slept through most of the day so I was unable to get a good shot of the girls in their matching bikini's but they sure did look cute. Hopefully we will get more wear out of them - Caroline's for sure but Gabby's is getting snug. That baby is growing like a weed.

In addition to the party yesterday we did some celebrating earlier in the week by taking Caroline to the train park in Scottsdale. This is usually her date place with Bapa but on Wednesday she went with mommy, daddy, Abuela, Nonnie, and Gabriella. It was an unseasonably cold day so we did not stay as long as we would have liked but long enough for a train ride and a few rides on the carousel.

Thanks to all who joined us in celebrating Caroline's birthday and to all those who sent cards and such in the mail. She is one lucky little girl.

Love,

Gretchen

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY SWEET CAROLINE

Caroline and her daddy
Our wild 2 year old

Family shot

Caroline and daddy

OMG, I love this pic

This one too - she is so sweet (don't let the face fool you)

2 years old but still not giving up her "baby"

Happy Birthday to our dear sweet Caroline. Since it is officially the 17th in Kyrgyzstan right now I thought it would be appropriate to post her birthday wish. I cannot believe that she is 2 years old tomorrow. I so vividly remember having her in my arms for the first time at 5 1/2 months old. Now she is such a grown up little girl and we are so very proud of her. She makes us laugh everyday. She is learning so much every day and you can't get anything past her - she sees something once and she has it down. She is our little Miss Independent which makes us both proud and a little frustrated at some times.

We are ready to celebrate her birthday all weekend with her Dora the Explorer themed party at the Lake on Saturday and a fun day at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival on Sunday. Tomorrow on her actual birthday we will wake up and I will make her pancakes and a special breakfast. We will play at the park and go out for yogurt late afternoon. We have some presents ready for tomorrow with more to come on Saturday. Tomorrow anything she wants she has - she is such a special 2 year old.

On Caroline's birthday my heart goes out to her birthmother. I hope that in her heart she is at peace and knows that the daughter she gave birth to is the daughter of my dreams. She is loved so very much and is such a happy little girl. Junior and I promise to give her every opportunity that we can and to be the best parents that she could wish for. We love her so very much and are so blessed that God has placed her in our arms to parent and love her for the rest of our lives.

Here are some pictures from today that were taken by a photographer friend who came over to do family pics and pictures of the girls. Gabby is 1 month old on Caroline's 2nd birthday. More pictures to follow after the weekend of festivities.

HAPPY EASTER

I love Easter baskets
Wow, look at all this stuff

Basket from Bapa & Nana

Caroline finding Easter eggs

Mommy, there's money inside these eggs (Caroline found $21 in eggs)

Hot pink - one of my favorite colors

Mommy helping me find eggs

Abuela helping me find eggs

Caroline coloring Easter eggs

Gabriella crashed out with the Easter bunny

Gabby trying to eat mommy's face

My 1st Easter

Get this stupid hat off me & quit taking pictures

We had a very nice Easter Sunday. Gabriella missed most of it - she slept through most of the day but Caroline had so much fun and loved finding the hidden Easter eggs at Grandpa's house.

Here are some pics from Caroline's 2nd Easter and Gabriella's 1st.

We love our little bunnies!

Gretchen & Junior

HOME TWO WEEKS

Snuggling with mommy
Snuggline with daddy

Peaceful sleeping

Glamour Girl

Glamour Girl - love it when she holds up her head

Glamour Girl

Little ball of love

Our girls! We love them so!

Mommy, Daddy & Gabby out for lunch

We've been home from the hospital 2 weeks today and are all settled in and happy. Gabriella is still an angel of a baby except for when she is hungry - that is the only time this child cries. She still has her days and nights backwards so that makes for a very tired mommy but that comes with a newborn (something I missed with Caroline). God must give new mothers some kind of newfound energy in order to function on very little sleep. It is the love that I feel for Gabby that gets me through the days and nights - I would do anything for this child.

She had her 2 week checkup this week and weighed 8lbs 6oz. Last week they had said she was 8lbs 11oz but the doctor said that must have been wrong - that would have been a very significant weight gain from her birth weight of 8lbs 1oz. Overall she looks great and the doctor gave her an A report card. She will go back at 2 months for the dreaded first round of shots.

Caroline is loving her little sister, wants to hold her and gives her about 100 kisses each day. She is present for as many diaper changes as possible (she is obsessed with diaper changes on her dolls and now her new baby sister). Each time the diaper comes off she goes "Ewwwwh" in this funny little voice. Especially if there is poop in the diaper. "Baby Poopo" is her favorite expression. Caroline is talking more and more each day and is now putting together 2 and 3 word sentences. It is so cute and communicating with her is so much easier. I can only imagine when she really starts talking - she will say some funny stuff.

Caroline's 2nd birthday is fast approaching - the 17th of April. I can't believe she is going to be two but just being in our house for one day reinforces the fact that she is a 2 year old. Oh what fun they are. She can throw some really good temper tantrums - especially each morning when it is time to get dressed. She wants to stay in her pj's all day - can't blame her I guess - I like to stay in mine all day too. We are having her birthday party out at the Lake at Papa's RV spot and the clubhouse. My dad rented the clubhouse for the party so we will cookout and swim at the pool and hopefully get some time on the lake. Dora is the theme for the party - she LOVES Dora. Junior and I went to Party City yeterday and bought all Dora stuff for the party including a pinata which I'm sure will be a big hit. I got the girls matching red and white polka dot bikini's for the party so be looking for pictures of the beauty queens after the 17th of April.

That is our update for the week. Here are some recent pics - we have been having some photo shoots around the house. We have a photographer coming over next week for newborn and family pics.

Love,

The Silverio's