Christmas 2014

Francesca & Julianna's First Christmas was very merry and busy! 3 kids + toys + christmas tree + presents + more toys = 1 stuffed townhouse! Mommy was still working off the maternity leave deficit, so we stayed put in Alexandria, VA this year. And although we sorely missed the Smith family, we LOVED not having to pack up and travel with kids + toys + presents + baby stuff ...well, you get the idea. This show is not exactly easy to take on the road!

Grandma and Grandpa Busso came down from Staten Island and we celebrated Christmas Eve at our house and Christmas Day at Auntie Christina & Uncle Marshall's house. Grandpa made his famous lasagna for a ready-to-go dinner after church on Christmas Eve. (Yum, thank you!) And Auntie Christina and Uncle Marshall hosted a delicious Christmas Day dinner of chateaubriand and all the fixins. We opened gifts, held babies, and toasted to a wonderful year past. Francesca and Julianna were adorable additions to our holiday fun and seemed to enjoy their First Christmas.

Nicholas was a STAR decorator this year - he loved hearing who gave us each ornament!

Getting snuggly on the couch

Can Francesca's eyes get any bigger? She's our little Bright Eyes!

"Look what I can do - the gecko pose!"

Check out Nico's tower!

We almost served toes instead of lasagna - they are so delicious!

Julianna's sittin' pretty on the way to the holiday photo shoot.

Nico looked for clues about what was in this gift with help from his doctor's kit! so cute and ingenious!

Grandpa Busso and Francesca

Uncle Marshall found Santa's Sleigh on NORAD Santa tracker.
Alexander and Nicholas were hooked!

Grandma and Auntie Christina witnesses some sibling
Christmas kisses - where's the mistletoe?

And hugs too!

Thank you, Auntie Colleen for the cute 1st Christmas bibs!

Alexander reads to Nicholas.

"We hope Santa comes tonight! We've been good, promise!"

Nicholas tore through the gifts this year - and seemed to like the
"Santa Sacks" mommy introduced (yay for no more wrapping!)

Julianna's first Christmas present

This lamp was a favorite for both the girls - thank you,
Aunt Cathie and Uncle Jerry!

Grandpa Busso and Julianna

Christmas Photo Shoot

The girls can't really sit up on their own yet, so this year was the most challenging to get a couple of good photos of the whole family and of just the kids. Our wonderful photographers (Mona Lisa Photography in Landmark Mall) tried their hardest and took over 300 shots! We got the following SIX keepers.  Many thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Busso for the adorable matching Christmas outfits for the children - don't they look picture perfect?

Frank, Julianna, Nicholas, Suzanne & Francesca

Look at those little cabbage patch kids!

Francesca, Nicholas, Julianna

Julianna: Such a happy little present!

Nicholas: Quite the little gentleman!

Francesca: Our cheeky little monkey!

Thanksgiving 2014

We spent Thanksgiving our home in Alexandria,VA and were joined by Auntie Christina, Uncle Marshall, and Cousins Caroline and Alexander. The girls made it through part of dinner and then it was off to bed! Nicholas enjoyed playing with his cousins and pigging out.  Unfortunately, I managed to give myself a pretty severe steam burn when checking the turkey, which not only was super painful, but meant there was one less hand to hold, feed, change, burp, wipe and rock babies. Plus finish cooking and clean up! Luckily, Daddy, Auntie Christina and Uncle Marshall stepped up to the challenge and helped out - a LOT. Thank you!

"Who you callin' little turkey?"

Because they are hard to see when worn - here are the girls' turkey day dresses!

Nico and Jules

All the Busso Cousins!

Just what are those boys cooking up?

Julianna has had enough!

Where's my turkey leg?

Proud big brother, Nicholas!

Happy Halloween!

Welcome to the Smusso Family Diner!

It's Francesca and Julianna's first Halloween and big brother Nicholas has orchestrated a wonderful and kooky family costume idea. It started when he decided that, due to his LOVE of cereal, he wanted to be Fruit Loops for Halloween. Simple enough - I repurposed a Fruit Loops box and the stackable baby rings and viola - costume is done! But then we needed ideas for the twins and for mom and dad. With a little thought and some swift Amazon.com ordering, we came up with Bacon and Eggs for the girls, and a waitress and line cook for mom and dad. Welcome to the Smusso Family Diner - serving up cuteness all day long!

Jules & Daddy: Egg & Line Cook

Frankie and Frank - Bacon & Line Cook

The whole gang: Elise, Bea, Drew, Tyler, Nora, Jack, Francesca, Nico, Julianna, Laurel, Patrick & Grace

Hmm...what is this nice man offering us?

Nico and LoLo negotiate a deal, while Bea plays the anxious look-out!

Alright guys, let's do this! PS - Don't worry family, it's just a bottle of Tic Tacs!

Frankie & Jules: 3 Months Old!

Francesca and Julianna are growing fast and really starting to develop little personalities.  Frankie is our social butterfly - full of smiles and giggles for anyone and everyone who will show her a little attention. Jules is also a very happy baby, but a little more reserved and sometimes makes you work for the smiles. Nicholas loves putting on a show for the girls and can get them both belly-laughing. Julianna has the temper to match her red-headed Irish roots, but she is a little better at shutting out the world and napping on the go. Francesca is way too nosey and social to nap much outside her darkened room and white noise machine.

Baptism: September 14, 2014

The girls were baptized on September 14th at Good Shepherd Catholic Church.  We are happy to share that Julianna's godparents are my brother, Mike Smith and our beloved daycare provider Christine Gabriel.  Francesca's godparents are my sister, Colleen Smith and our wonderful neighbor and family friend, John Piacentino. The girls were very well-behaved during the mass and ceremony and all the celebrating afterwards.  Their gorgeous baptismal gowns were custom-made from their Great Grandmother's (Frank's mom's mom) wedding dress, courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Busso. We really can't thank them enough - the gowns turned out beautiful and will live on as a family heirloom. Thank you! We were so happy to have lots of local and out-of-town family visiting for the big event - check out the pics below!

Francesca takes her religious vows seriously!

Julianna loves the soft satin and lace

Christine and big brother Nicholas

John, Colleen, Suzanne & Francesca, Frank & Julianna, Christine, Michael

Uncle Doug Smith & Julianna

Hosanna & Francesca

Grandma & Francesca

Cousin Jackie and Francesca

Aunt Trish, Jackie and Francesca

Jackie, Francesca  & Aunt Christina

Cousin lovin' - Caroline and Nicholas

The Busso Bunch

Add caption

All dolled up!

Christine bought each of the girls these gorgeous cross necklaces - thank you TiTi!!

Nicholas' First Trip to the Dentist:

Nicholas was a champ at his first visit to the dentist. He opened up wide and was inducted into the "No Cavities Club".  Yay!

Here are some additional great shots from the girls 3rd month of life:

Francesca's cutie toes!

Julianna's tootsies!

Cousin Traci was in town for business - we loved seeing her!

Auntie Coll-Coll got a few extra days with the girls!

Uncle Mike got his fill of baby time too!

Nico loves his baby sisters!