White's Funny

She's a girl and she discovered Disney Princesses...enough said.

Our Little Soccer Stud

Well, it was inevitable. With Bill's passion for soccer and Anna's tall and long physique, it was always pretty obvious Anna would be good at some sport, specifically soccer. What we didn't know is how much she loves it at such an early age. We enrolled Anna into a well-known soccer program for "Tots" called Lil Kickers and it is so much fun (for me and Anna). Every Tuesday, Anna and I do "big kicks" and jump around in the jump house...what more could a toddler ask for. I'm not sure where this soccer thing will go, but we're going to ride the wave while it lasts.

Marco Island 2011

This year in Marco was especially special because Bill and I finally owned our own place...it's ours! Another reason is because it was the first year Anna really understood where she was, who she was with and how much fun she had. Although the weather was not great (a little on the cool side), we had a wonderful time. However, no one had more fun than Anna. She absolutely loved being with all of her cousins. I could tell how close she felt to them. She even started talking more and doing things so she could be just like them. Anna also really discovered her love for water and disdain for sand. She is a natural in the water - jumping off the side of the pool, diving under water and swimming with her floaties. On the otherhand, she was not a fan of sand or the beach. The only way we could even get her on to the beach was to put shoes and socks on her so her feet wouldn't touch the sand. As she put it, "sand yucky." I've posted some great pictures and a video of Anna and Billy swimming together. BTW...that large sand structure was built by the cousins as "their" sand castle. The adults later turned it into the perfect sitting area/bar for happy hour! :)

Christmas Dance...Priceless

Anna's First Snow Angel

Had to post this video and photos of a beautiful, wintery day in Chicago. Anna made her first snow angel with the help of Billy.

The Holidays (Santa Comes for the First Time)

The Holidays and our annual trip to Marco Island have come and gone. As with most families (with or without children) it's a whirlwind couple of weeks/months. The same goes for our family. However, it's an exciting chaos. For the first time, Anna really understood what was happening around her. She got it all. From Santa and his reindeers to Frosty, she really participated unlike years prior. What she really discovered a love for this holiday season were two distinct, but very important parts of her life - Baby Jesus and Disney Princesses. Wow, is she obsessed with both. Santa made a stop at our house this year and he gave Anna books, a new laptop (toddler) and a fake puppy dog (the closest she'll ever get to having one of her own). We opened some of the gifts from the family Christmas Eve with Gaga, Bapa, Gigi and JJ, and then opened Santa's gifts Christmas morning before we left for the airport. It was a blast and I must say, Anna is really getting the hang of wripping open presents. :) I've included some photos and video of the 2010 holiday season. My next post will be dedicated to our trip to Marco. Enjoy...