Welcome the 3rd Christakis daughter: Anastasia

We're a growing family, that's for sure. Mommy and baba have been walking around the house looking pretty drained the last 24-hours. With good reason: there's three Christakis daughters!!

We welcomed baby Anastasia home yesterday. Actually, she welcomed us home (we were at school when she and mommy came home). 

She's so tiny. I, of course, am used to welcoming little sisters to our family. Victoria is still getting used to it, I think. 

Here's hoping Mommy and baba snap out of their sleepy phase and begin enjoying the ever expanding clan we've assembled (it might help if Anastasia begins sleeping through the night sooner versus later too!). 

(Belated) Happy New Year!

We know we're late - really late. But the same sentiment applies: we wish you a happy and health new year!

We're in the final days leading up to the arrival of the "third Christakis daughter." She's due on (or about) February 8th.

She'll likely quickly become a contributor to this blog., though if Victoria's entries are any indication...they won't come very frequently (and, likely, neither will mine with two sisters to keep occupied!).

Here's hoping you're staying warm this winter. Stay tuned for updates on "baby-watch 3.0."

Tree Time!

It's not even Thanksgiving yet, but given how late in November turkey day falls this year, we thought we'd begin some of our seasonal preparations early (or late, depending on how you view the calendar, I guess). 

So, we went tree shopping and picked out this adorable little tree (not quite as small as the one we're pictured with!). 

Leaves, leaves and more leaves...

Well, we certainly tried to do our part to help Baba get the yard ready for the onset of winter (not too soon, though; I mean, it was just Halloween!). 

We raked most of the day today. We're all pretty beat. But jumping in the leaves is so darn fun!!

Happy Halloween!!

I know; it's been way too long! What can I say? We've been busy. My fall season resolution is I'll try to be better with providing updates (or even just pictures - like this one of Victoria and with our carved pumpkins). Happy Halloween!! 

It's that time...

Hair done, check; lunch eaten, check; costume on, check; pictures taken, check. Off to the Palace Theater for my FIRST dance recital!! I'm so excited. Grandma's here too and Meghan and Joe are coming as well. This is so cool! Wish me luck!

Morning Ride

Well, there's no better way to exert some stress (energy) than taking a morning bike ride (on my Big Wheel).  My dance recital is this afternoon at Albany's historic Palace Theater. I'm excited. Baba just hopes I come out on stage for my performance. Don't worry, Ba, my performance will be memorable either way. 

Birthday Party...again!?

That's right. I had another birthday party today at school. It was a birthday picnic on the playground. Mommy and Baba brought in miniature cupcakes for my classmates and I. It was a lot of fun. Thanks to my friends Bella and Talia and my teacher Ms. Dorothy (all pictured here) for making my continuous birthday celebration so special. 

After my birthday picnic, I had my four-year-old doctors visit with Dr. Close. I think he was surprised with exactly how verbal I can be. I got a shot which sort of hurt, but the kind nurse gave me four (that's right FOUR!!) stickers for hanging tough. 

The weekend fun sets in tomorrow with dance practice AND swim lessons. Can't wait. 

Happy Fourth

And I don't mean our nation's independence, I mean another year under my belt. Today's my 4th birthday!!

It started in Rochester and ended in Albany.

I woke up to a Mickey Mouse shaped chocolate chip pancake that Baba made; we then headed over to the Strong Museum of Play (that's by far my most favorite museum in the world!!); then off to Albany where Baba and I picked up a pizza for dinner, my Curious George cake from the bakery and some milk from Stewarts before we headed back home to eat and open gifts.

My cake, for those who are curious, looked awesome and tasted even better. I wished for an umbrella - and I got it!! I also got a Cinderella dress, a princess backpack and some clothes (in addition to the plethora of gifts I received yesterday while we were in Rochester).

Baba told me last week that he doesn't want me to grow up too fast. Not entirely sure what he means. Then today as he was putting me to bed he told me that no matter how old I am, I'll always be his baby girl. I reminded him that Victoria is his baby girl. Silly Baba.

Thanks to everyone for their well-wishes. Here's to another great year.

Kalo Pascha - Happy Easter

Yesterday was (Greek) Easter. Boy, did we go to church a lot last week. I'll be honest, it's hard to stay still for an hour and a half once a week, let alone five times in one week.

It was a great weekend, though. We were in Rochester visiting Yiayia and Papou. They hosted Easter dinner and everyone came over, including my cousin Marek, Aunt Aileen and Uncle Billy.

We ate, we ate some more and Yiayia even surprised me with a birthday cake (separate post coming on that next).

It really was a lot of fun. It always is!

Easter Preparations

Well, we're (those of us celebrating Greek Orthodox Easter) in store for a beautiful Easter Sunday. We colored Easter eggs all different colors earlier this week. It was lots of fun. Of course, we colored the traditional "red" eggs Thursday morning before we went to school. We're in Rochester visiting Yiayia and Papou now; cousin Marek is coming tomorrow to celebrate Easter. I can't wait!

X-rays

I had a little accident while playing (wrestling) with my friend Dylan yesterday which caused my two top front teeth to bleed (a lot). While I haven't lost them (yet), Mommy and Baba wanted to be sure everything was ok, so we visited my dentist Dr. Nancy today.

Dr. Nancy took a picture of my teeth (x-rays) and showed me that just above my baby teeth are my big kid teeth. It was pretty cool (picture above, my back is to you).

My teeth are still a little sore, so Dr. Nancy said that I need to try not to use my front teeth for a few weeks. So that basically means one thing - more ice cream for me (and Victoria).

Ordering My Cake

Hey folks! It's been a while.

Well, as many of you know I turn four a week from this Monday. So in the spirit of celebrating another wonderful year, Mommy and Baba took me to the bakery to pick out my birthday cake.

Baba has been kind enough to make my previous three cakes, but with my increasingly more sophisticated decorating expectation, he's agreed to defer to the experts. This year's cake has a Curious George theme. Super cool.

I'll be sure to upload a picture of the final product when we pick it up next week.

Hope you're ready to enjoy spring!! Now, outside to help Baba with some yard work.

Dining room table

The dining room table is my new favorite spot-not for eating though. It is fun for playing and hiding!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

Hope everyone had a happy holiday! We traveled up and down the NYS Thruway, spent time with family and friends. Victoria and I got a lot of gifts. I also got a watch from Santa (I wrote him a letter asking for it and he delivered - thanks big guy!).

For the new year, I had my friends Wilson, Caroline, Kaya and Herrick visit New Year's Eve. We made pizzas for everyone.

Here's wishing everyone nothing but the very best in the new year!

Cookie-Making!!

What better way to celebrate the season than by making Christmas cookies!! Gingerbread people, peanut butter drops and Italian meatball cookies. Yum, yum and YUM! Best part of helping bake - eating the dough (and the decorations!).

Digging Out (Sort Of)

We had a plan Saturday and it included going out and getting our Christmas tree. What we hadn't planned on was the snow! We woke to a lite winter snowfall. Perfect for the task at hand. I didn't sense that Baba and Mommy were as pleased by the arrival of the white stuff as me. Baba asked me to shovel the driveway so Mommy could take me to dance. I was happy to oblige. We ended up getting our Christmas tree as we planned. This morning, unfortunately, the snow was gone. It'll be back, though and when it returns, I'm gonna bust out my sled and hit the hill in the backyard!

Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted to say happy thanksgiving to everyone! We had a great time visiting with family. I really enjoyed the food this year!

Dance, dance, dance...

Baba took me to dance today. Normally Mommy takes me, but I wanted Baba to see the studio and meet my teachers. He was able to hang out with all of the other kids mommies. He seemed a bit out of his element - which was amusing to me. Thanks for coming Ba!

Halloween Recap

I dressed up, I trick-or-treated, I got candy, I ate candy. Yiayia and Papou came to school to watch Victoria and I march in the annual Halloween parade. It was really fun to go house to house with my friend Dylan to trick-or-treat. Baba was with me the entire time. I didn't go to some houses - way too scary (bats, spiders, skeletons - I wasn't feeling it). In those instances, I just went to the next house. Mommy even dressed up as a farmer. Baba had a sweatshirt on and said something about being a "college student" (whatever Ba - Mommy wins this costume contest).