Established August 9, 2003

      Things have been busy here at the Sembello house.  Not that anything super exciting is going on, we just have been busy with two crazy girls!  Madeline is a little person now and has to do everything her big sister does.  It's cute but it sure is keeping us on our toes!  Right now, they love playing with their baby dolls, but even though we have about 5 or 6 dolls, they always want the exact same one, of course!  It is fun to watch them interact though.
     Madeline's vocabulary consists of just a few words.  Mommy, Daddy, mine, me, please.  She talks up a storm, but we can't understand everything she is saying.  Katarina loves to translate for us, which probably is part of the reason that Madeline isn't really talking - her big sister does it all for her!  She has fianlly started to enjoy books.  It only took 16 months!  Now before bed she lets us read her about 5 books.  Before she would just close the book right up.  Now she will actually bring one over to you to read to her.  She is also Miss Independent now and wants to do everything herself - put on pants, socks, shoes, etc.  She doesn't do a great job, but SHE wants to be the one that does it. 
     Katarina is a great big sister.  Too great sometimes!  She constantly wants to hug Madeline or help her out, but sometimes Madeline just doesn't her around.  Tonight, Madeline actually had to go into her first "time out" (which actually worked - she was having a major temper tantrum and the time out really calmed her down) and Katarina wanted to go sit in time out with her just to keep her company.  I had to explain to Katarina that Madeline had to have some alone time and as nice as that offer was, it was something she could not help her with! 
     Katarina is getting very excited for the upcoming couple of months.  She can't wait for Christmas and she is super excited for her birthday.  Even though she really wants to be 5 this year, not 4.  She is so excited about being 5 and going to kindergarten - I keep telling her that 4 will be just as fun!

      I cannot believe it is November already!  This year is flying by. Christmas is around the corner and Katarina is already making plans for her birthday. 
     Last weekend we went with the Lewis family to a pumpkin patch.  The girls had fun on the hayride and picking out pumpkins.  Since it was a relatively nice day we also went to Smithville and had lunch and walked around.  Just trying to enjoy the last of the nice weather!
     On Friday Katarina had a Halloween party at school so I took a half day at work and Nick & I went over for the party and parade.  It was fun to watch her with her friends at school, though she was shy with us being there.  Mrs. Passeri said she is never that quiet so I guess we had thrown her routine off!  She did have a grand time parading around in her snow princess costume and cried when it was time to leave (she had to go to Miss Barbara's house). 
     On Saturday we got ready and in the evening we had everyone over for a party.  Katarina's friends Riley, Alex and Jocelyn came over and Madeline's friend Samantha was here.  Jocelyn's older brother & sister Morgan and Danny were also here and they were helpful because they actually helped pass out candy and keep an eye on the kids when we were home from trick or treating.  Madeline was completely overwhelmed and shy and refused to be put down at all so I had to carry her the entire time we were out (and my arm is dead today), but Katarina had a blast with her friends.  After every house they had to announce what candy they had received and took off running for the next one. 
     Quite fun and now we have way too many goodies in our house so I will be slowly taking candy with me to share with everyone at work!  Speaking of work, Nick is starting to help do acupuncture/"set up systems" in an office in Clark.  He will be gone 2 nights a week so the girls & I will have to get into a new routine. 

      Well, we had planned to go to the pumpkin patch and get our pumpkins and then to a winery for an Oktoberfest and all sorts of fun stuff this weekend, but the weather has been dreary and miserable!  Completely ruined our plans, but luckily we still had a fun family weekend anyway.  :-)
     On Saturday I had to go to work for a bit in the morning so Nick & the girls came with me.  They loved seeing my new office and the residents were so excited to see my girls!  Everyone had to come say hello to them and make a fuss.  Of course, the girls were being shy, but at least there were being cute!  When I got back from doing what I needed to do, they had made themselves at home and were snacking and having a good time.  After my work duties, went to Cherry Hill.  We met Kate, Ava & Tommy at Chick-Fil-A.  The kids ran around the play area for awhile and had a great time.  Then we went over to the mall.  As a special treat Katarina got some clip on earrings because she has been really wanting them.  (She has decided when she is 5 she will be brave enough to actually get her ears pierced - we'll see.)
     Today Lotta & I had decided we would treat Riley & Katarina to a special "big girls' day" and we took them to get their nails painted.  They were so excited.  Katarina had a whole outfit planned out and picked out a neon pink color when we got there.  They loved it.  We were the only people in the salon so all the ladies made a fuss over them and they giggled the whole time.  After we were finished, we got lunch and then hit Target.  And finally met up with the daddies and babies at the Lewis' house.  The girls were good all day and had a few minor squabbles at Target but played very nicely the rest of the time. 
     As for what is new with sweet Madeline...she still isn't talking a whole lot.  She understands quite a bit, but doens't say much.  She can say "please" "me" "mine" and tries saying "milk" and some other words.  She is so sweet.  She plays very nicely by herself, but wants so much to be in the thick of things with the bigger kids.  Miss Barbara calls Madeline "her perfect little baby" when we drop her off.  The only time she really fusses is when she isn't feeling well, or Katarina is bothering her.  She is a little mimic and loves to copy what you are doing.  If we are eating a meal, she will start drinking from her sippy if she sees you drinking from your cup.  The other day she had Katarina's purse on her shoulder and she was coming over and making kissing noises and walking away - kind of like I do when I leave for work.  She has started tucking in babies and animals in under blankets just like Katarina does.  She is just as girly as her sister so Nick doesn't stand a chance.

      This past weekend was a nice weekend where we had not much on the agenda, which was a nice change of pace.  On Saturday we just ran errands as a family - the usual, Target, Costco.  Katarina & I got our haircut, that sort of thing.  It was nice just to spend the day together.  That evening, Amanda came over to watch the girls because we were heading to Fred & Dara's for their annual Tiki party.  Katarina was happy to see her pal Amanda, but Madeline was not thrilled with the turn of events and cried pretty hard before we left.  Made me sad!  Amanda said she calmed down shortly after we left though, thankfully.  We had a nice, child-free night hanging out with friends, which was a nice change of pace.
     On Sunday, it was a bit rainy to start off with and we had gone to bed late, etc. so basically we spent the day in our jammies, just playing.  Again, we haven't had a day like that in a long time so we took advantage. 

      I can say that our family really needed vacation badly this year.  Even before everything that happened the past month with Louise, we needed a break, but add the stress of the past month, and Nick & I were close to entering the loony bin.  On Friday night last week, we had Louise's "Celebration of Life" which was bittersweet.  It was great to hear funny Louise stories and spend time with family and friends, but it is still very hard to realize that she is gone.  Even this week, Katarina has broken into tears randomly and just started crying about how much she misses Mom-Mom.  It's hard so see her so sad. 
     On Saturday we left for our family vacation in Ocean City, NJ.  The first weekend was filled with visitors.  We had Jeff, Jen & Jack come down for the whole weekend.  The Lewis & Wilson families came by on Sunday.  At one point there were 8 kids running around the house.  It was complete chaos and craziness!  And the kids absolutely loved it!  The rest of the week was filled with trips to the boardwalk, bike rides, a trip to the park, playing on the beach, hanging out with family, and just basic running around.  Madeline spent the week sleeping in Oma & Opa's room and pretty much just being stuck to Opa's side.  Nick & I went out for a date one night to Ruth's Chris in Atlantic City and that was wonderful. 
     The pictures do a much better job telling the story of our vacation!!