Ferrara's in Florida

We took our family Christmas photos today, so much easier in October than cramming it in between Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. Our daughters just LOVE each other. This pic is so Sable & Ruby; that is, Sable mothering and Ruby consenting to it. This pic is one of my faves! The dresses are courtesy of Aunt Ginger, straight from France. Les soeurs ont tres belle!

There's this beautiful town 20 minutes north of Gainesville called High Springs. It's not Paris but it's become oen of my favorite local destinations. From a Sunday drive & dinner with my husband to a summer visit at the Springs with my in-laws, a weekend ladies' church retreat, and today a "field trip" to a friend's farm, High Springs offers a quiet reprieve from the (not-so) bustling life in the GNV (lol to my NYC friends).

Our little sweetness Ruby Simone fell shy during the singing of Happy Birthday. She became so bashful that she didn't even blow out her own candles. At age 2, that's what friends are for! They took care of her candles in a jiffy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QBYXoijPhM

Yesterday we took our girls to their first Gator tailgating party. They enjoyed it despite the intense swampy summer heat. They were so cute in their Gator dresses but Daddy was too hot to take a pic and by the time we got home, this was the only photo op we had. I want to go back with the girls next time, Daddy wants to go with just me...when the Tigers play the Gators.

Ruby Simone turned two on 9-2. We celebrated with Pops, Mimi, Ginger & Carrie at the condo a week earlier and again the day after her birthday at the pool with little friends. Our girly girl received lots of nail polish, lip gloss, costume jewelry and her very own embellished plastic high heels. Daddy took Ruby on a special date to Toys R Us where she picked out a baby doll. She named her Bibi JuJu (tranlsation: Baby Juliana after her big cousin). Bibi JuJu cries when her pacifier comes out and so does someone else...big sis Sable.

I have an official due date: Feb 4, 2011. How sweet that this great grandchild's due date falls on Grandmaw Ferrara's 94th birthday. Between 16-17 weeks: Preggo Update: First trimester was different than the first two pregnancies which were very similar to each other. I had morning sickness, major cravings although I could hardly eat for nearly seven weeks and lots of headaches. Second trimester has been better. This one is also different than the first two in one respect: I am showing alot sooner--at 18 weeks my friends can surely tell I'm pregnant and strangers might think I'm still carrying baby weight from a prior pregnancy. And...this pregnancy is flying by! 17 weeks with second pregnancy: P.S. I had my first ultrasound this week and I took the girls with me. As soon as we entered the room, Sable hopped on the table facing the TV screen and announced, "I'm ready to see our baby boy." The nurses thought I already knew the sex at that comment ...