Christmas Joy

What a difference a year makes! This year Callie seemed to understand Christmas, at least the Santa and presents part. We kept trying to explain and read to her about Baby Jesus, but I think it is a little over her head still. We did manage to get her to sing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus though!

December was filled with many Christmas' with different family members. Callie loves being with her family and talks about them all of the time when they aren't here!

We made the trip up to Canton for Christmas itself. It was so nice to be home for 10 days!!

We had just been home in November, but even in one short month, Cal had changed quite a bit. Her conversations are getting more advanced. Full sentences and never ending questions are a daily part of life-which is SO much fun!!

Callie spent most of her break playing with her cousin Jack and Auntie Kim!!

Callie was so excited that Santa came and brought her presents. She really got into opening presents. The problem was, once she opened a fun present she didn't want to open any more. She kept saying, "I don't want to open more presents, I want to play!"

Grammi and Papa Mike stayed at the Best Western, so Callie was able to enjoy time in the indoor pool. We were anxious to see if Callie would still love the water, and she certainly did!

We were contemplating doing another session of "Mommy and Me" swim lessons, but after seeing her comfort in the pool, we decided to enroll her in actual small group lessons. Callie started her lessons on Thursday. She is in a group with a 4 1/2 year old boy, and within 5 minutes of class starting, she was keeping up and doing everything the little boy was doing! It is so exciting to watch her do so well in the pool!

Kisses from cousin Jack!

Snuggling with Ma!

Happy time with Auntie Kim!!

Canton was FREEZING cold! One morning it was actually -12!! We did have snow and a white Christmas! Callie got to go sledding with Grampi, but actually had more fun on the snow covered slides at the school playground!

Dancing with Auntie Kim!

Kisses with Pa!

So now we are back to our routine! Callie is back to school and having fun with her friends. She keeps asking when we are going back to Canton! Hopefully soon!!

It has been awhile, so here is a picture post!

As always, life is crazy at the Costello house. Before the Holidays officially start, we wanted to update the blog with some recent pictures of Callie. We were lucky to have a lot of family time in Novemeber, so here are pictures from our trips to Canton, Burlington and Thanksgiving weekend!

Fall school picture!

Cal playing with Grandpa!

Cal with her Grams!

Cal and Pa snuggling!

Kisses with Great Grandpa Jones!

Great Grandma Jones and Callie!

Kisses with Grampi!

Puzzletime with Jack!

Watching Mickey Mouse with Auntie Kim!

Riding her horse Callamia!

Meeting Callamia!

Cal and her Grandma!

Cal and Pa!

Callie meeting Asher for the first time!

Cal reading to Ash!

and holding Ash! (he wasn't too thrilled!)

Callie playing outside with Uncle Alex!

Fishy faces with Mommom!

Cal and her Poppop!

Costello girls!

Callie and Oma walking Riley!

Playing with Aunt Brenna!

Upside down Callie!

Big girl Callie!!

World Prematurity Day

Today is the first ever World Prematurity Day. It is a day to raise awareness to the many babies around the world that are born too early. Lately, I have found myself reflecting more and more on how truly blessed we are to have Callie in our life. I keep searching for the strength to write about the emotions that were involved in her birth and the first year of her life, but I am not quite ready yet. I do know that she has defied the odds and continues to amaze everyone that knows her and her story. When Callie was born, she weighed only 1 lb 5.3 oz. She was so sick that the NICU didn't think she would make it through the night and we were brought in to say good-bye to our little girl. Then a few weeks later, after she suffered the worse grade brain bleed a baby can have, they said the likelihood of her ever walking or functioning normally were slim. We asked if we could have hope and they said "you can always have hope". Callie has endured 6 surgeries and has faught through more health scares then most people face in a lifetime. The strength she has shown amazes me.

Callie is now coming up on her third birthday in February and is thriving. She is doing well at school. Learning to be more assertive and communicate more effectively. Over the weekend, she was putting together a puzzle with her cousin Jack, and Jack kept trying to help her with the pieces. Callie leaned across, put her hand over the puzzle and said "Jack, I told you NO...I can do it myself." The clarity and tone in which she spoke was so appropriate and bold, that my Grandmother and I actually took a step back. She is doing the things a two year old should be doing and we couldn't be any more proud. Cal is a determined little girl and knows what she wants. I tell everyone I know this is why she survived. She is our little fighter through and through.

Halloween Pics!

Happy Halloween everyone!! Our little bumble bee had a great Halloween this year!

It started two weeks ago with the annual neighborhood Halloween parade. This year was a big change from last year!

Last year, we pulled Callie in a wagon and this year she walked with her friends!

Last year, we carried her around to see the different activities, this year she participated on her own! The picture above is her in a circle playing a creepy version of hot potato!

Last year, she would eat anything and this year she was digging through the candy basket for chocolate!!

At school, they talked about trick or treating and call Callie could talk about when she got home was going trick or treating!

Such a big girl walking out of the house on her own! She definitely was little miss independent this year. At one house, I grabbed her hand to help her down the step. She turned to me and said, "No Mommy, I do it myself!" And she proceeded to turn around, step back up the step and step down all by herself!!

And she was so excited running down the street exclaiming that she was going trick or treating!

Callie was so excited to run into her friends Sydney and Alyssa. I think it is cute that she bends down in the picture too!!

Callie's friend Riley was also dressed as a bee! I think Callie was more excited about Riley's dog barking inside the door!

And for the second year in a row, Callie and her friend Ashley went door to door together!

What a difference a year makes!