Maya & Jonah's Great Adventures

While I'm at it...

2011-09-24T08:41:00.007-05:00

Maya!!! Holy crow. This little girl is going on 18. Or maybe 13. Hmmmm....

"Here I am on summer vacation, in New Hampshire."

"This is me, as Alice, at Storyland!"
"I even went on a water hike!"
"I can make silly faces, now."
"I was a little scared to be Miss Muffet, but I was awesome."
"Again. Funny faces with Daddums."
"Heehee."
"Eve had a Neverland party. Don't I look fab?"
"This is my seriously-loving-Mommy face."

Where have I been?

2011-09-24T08:34:00.003-05:00

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I have no excuses... but here are my sweeties. They have grown, just a tad, since my last post on May 10th... Sorry, guys. Just couldn't keep up. First of all, let's talk "Jonah." My little 19 month old is walking, talking, and acting all sorts of grown up. Check out his summer o' fun.

I Can't Keep Up.

2011-05-10T12:46:00.003-05:00

Seriously, I can't keep up with the blog, OR my kids! They are so active lately, and I am running out of gas. They are cute as can be, though, which makes it much easier. Maya is rounding out the school year, and has had a great stretch of wonderful days. She will be sad to leave her school, but we'll be going to pre-school much closer to home next year, so that's a bonus. Jonah is working on learning to walk, these days. He is cruising like a champ, crawling like a sprinter, and has no interest in learning to walk without assistance. Oh well. I am guessing he'll be able to walk, by the time he needs to catch the school bus, so I'm okay with it. Anyway, we are keeping busy, and loving that the weather is getting nicer. I got a new camera, but sadly, the pics aren't coming out so great. Sigh... I guess it's my fault, since I keep breaking them. I probably shouldn't have a stellar camera, right?

"Jonah and I played in the ball pit at 'My Gym.' Jonah had a blast, throwing all the balls out of the pit, and onto the floor. Oy."

"Look at us, on the see-saw!"
"This is our new bike trailer. Daddy loves to ride with us, but we are always fighting in the back."
"We went to visit Mo, Christie, and Eve, last week. Look at the pretty dress they gave me!"
"Look! Joney is on a baby trampoline!"

Technology.

2011-04-21T14:48:00.003-05:00

First, my camera broke, so I started using Kevin's gigantic camera. Then, I accidentally dropped my laptop on the floor, and it broke, too. So... here I am, with a new computer (a better one), and a new camera (a worse one), and all is well in the world. I know I've been a blog slacker, but those are my excuses. They're good ones, right? Anyway, we've been laying low in the past few weeks anyway, so I don't have much to report. Enjoy our pics. I'll be taking more, soon!

"I know how to pose, now."

"Look at us on our stools, at the island! Aren't we sweet?"

"Mommy and Daddy always say they love Joney's closed-mouth-smile."

"This is a picture from when my friends visited me at my house. Aren't we a nice trio?"

"Look at me! I'm a jammie princess!"

Happy Birthday, Miss Maya!

2011-03-28T12:52:00.013-05:00

We had a birthday bash for Maya yesterday (Sunday). I decided to hire a party planner for this party, because I have no clue how to entertain and feed 15 3-year-olds. The party was a huge hit. We had a "Teddy Bear Tea Party" theme, and the kids stuffed their own teddy bears, played games, and ate absurd amounts of tea party fare. It was totally adorable. I will let the photos speak for themselves. Happy birthday, my beautiful princess!

Maya Funny of the Day.

2011-03-16T07:44:00.004-05:00

I have no wonderful pics to accompany this post, but I needed to write this down, because it was so funny. We were in the bathroom just now...

Maya: You know guys, I think we should go back to Hockanum (our old apartment, where she loves to go swimming at the pool) when I get littler. Like on my birthday.

Me: Maya, on your birthday, you're actually going to get bigger.

Maya: But I don't want to get bigger.

Me: Why not?

Maya: Because I don't like giants.

Socialites.

2011-03-12T20:15:00.002-06:00

Maya and Jonah absolutely love visiting with friends and family. Last weekend, we had Vanessa and family over one evening, and Tyson and Leah and family over the next night. Maya was so excited, she could barely make it through Sunday, because we didn't have any visitors! It's only in the past couple of months, that Maya has really shown an interest in friends. I am loving it so much. Just the other day, she was leaving school, and she went up to this little boy and said, "I know you need to take a nap, but maybe I could come over after." Um, yeah Maya, that would be fine, if, (a) he had invited you, and if,(b) I knew who he was....

"Mommy says I really try to be the boss of all the playing, but really, I just want to make sure we play everything the way I want to play it..."

"This is my princess friend Vanessa, and Princess Me!"

"Jonah thought he was in trouble for playing with Leah in her car seat."

"When Joney realized he hadn't woken Leah, he was really happy."

She Loves Her Shows.

2011-03-06T13:04:00.002-06:00

Gotta love Maya's disappointment, when she realizes this DVD is scratched. And then there's her "itch..." Hmph. I've never found tushy scratching so cute...

Another Cool Daddy?

2011-03-02T12:59:00.004-06:00

We had dinner with our friends, Lauren and Lee (and Vanessa) last Friday. Before we went home to put the kids to bed, we decided to have a quick sing-along. Lee whipped out his ukulele and his sheet music, and played a bunch of songs for the kids. Maya LOVED it. She sang songs, and helped Lee play his little guitar. It was really hard to tear her away. Jonah enjoyed it, but not like Maya. I think we have a little musician on our hands...

"At first I was scared of the ukulele."

"Then, I got over it."
"Lee, can I touch it?"
"Look at Vanessa's awesome tutu dress!"

"I love to hug my friends. Oh, and pose for pictures."

The Food Court.

2011-02-26T09:27:00.003-06:00

We went to Long Island last week, for Cousin Alex's first birthday party. We didn't get all that many pics of the party, but here's a snap of the cousins and mommies.

I'm not sure why I love this series of pictures (below). We were on our way to Long Island, and we stopped at the mall in Stamford, to meet our friend, Aaron, and eat some lunch. There were no high chairs, so Jonah sat with Kevin and ate his nuggets and fries. Kev chatted with Aaron, while Jonah quietly and happily ate at the table. It was really sweet to watch them together, so I started snapping photos.

"Jonah, you can't drink soda!"

"Joney loves fries, just like me!"

"Joney, you're eating all my nuggies!"

"Only Mommies and Daddies can drink the soda."

"Good sharing, Bobo."

Big Weekend...

2011-02-16T14:04:00.003-06:00

Jonah had his big birthday party, this past weekend, and guess who forgot to take photos? Well, I took a few, but definitely not enough. So... since I haven't yet downloaded them, here are some random, but sweet photos of my babes. They are such a cute couple. Jonah has a whopping 6 teeth now - 4 on top, and 2 on the bottom! Maya is chatting up a storm, and has recently started saying, "That sounds awesome! That's amazing!" She also has a few other interesting words, but I'm not sure they are blog appropriate. In any case, I love my little ones.

"Like our jammies? Jonah is wearing Mickey, and I'm wearing Minnie! Joney's sleeper is too big, and he woke up with both legs stuck in one leg hole, so Mommy says he can't wear them again. Boo."

"Look at Joey, on Nana's bed! Silly boy!"

"Did you know that Jonah can eat peannut butter, now? Lucky boy! He loves it!"

"This is my family. We used the timer on the camera. Like it?"

ONE!

2011-02-11T08:24:00.002-06:00

I can't believe my little baby is one. I'm pretty sure I just had him yesterday... Right? Anyway, we had a 4-person celebration, last Friday, on his actual birthday. It was all fun and games, until Miss Maya blew out Jonah's candle, and hot wax spattered all over Jonah's sweet face. He literally had little drops of dried wax ALL over his cheeks. He was a tad upset, and Maya didn't understand at all. Bummer. After that, Jonah had no interest in his cake. Oh well. Happy birthday, my sweet baby boy! I love you, with your 4 teeth, yummy dimple, and sweet little crawling legs. You have been the most delicious baby brother we could ask for!

"This is my one-year-old baby brother. Sweet, huh?"

"Look at that giant cuppy cake! Daddy and I shared a HUGE piece."

"At first, Joney loved his birthday."

"Oops. Momma says I blew wax at his face, but it was just an accident, and I said 'Sorry,' so Jonah forgave me, and I got to eat his cake."

Lesson Learned... Well, maybe.

2011-02-02T19:42:00.004-06:00

Why can't I just realize, that when I let Maya or Jonah play with my camera, it's going to break?! Well, my camera did break a couple of weeks ago, and I had to send it away to get fixed. I just got it back, this past weekend, so these photos of Aryella's birthday party are pretty old. She's been 3 for a whopping 3 weeks now! She had an amazing princess themed party, and Maya had a blast. She got to dress and act like a princess for a whopping 2 hours, plus, there was cake and chocolate covered pretzels. What could be better?

"Look at Aryella and her cake! She was the queen of the party!"

"I am the princess on my throne!"

"Joney! You're not a princess!"

"I love my crown, and this cake."

"Jonah played with Jen and Dave, while I did my princess stuff."

"Ring-around-the-Rosey, princess style!"

"We played so many games at the party - I was exhausted!"

"Dad and Joney are boys, so they couldn't really participate."

"Wait, this party has to end? Boo."

Friends.

2011-01-26T14:13:00.004-06:00

We have been on playdates galore lately. It is really a wonderful thing, because little Maya is getting really great at playing with friends. She loves having people at the house, and she adores playing with toys at other kids' houses. I love to see her making friends. Jonah, of course, takes it all in stride, and really loves watching other kids and playing with his mommy and daddy. All in all, they are happily making friends.

"This is my friend Vanessa. We played on Sunday!"

"Like my princess costume? Vanessa loves it."

"We have fun together."

"My new friend Ainsley loves baby Joney. Her mommy is having a baby, too!"

"Jonah loves a good playdate."

"Ainsley thinks I'm so funny."

"I'm talking to Auntie Nora on the phone. I am ALWAYS talking to Auntie Nora on the phone."

"Ainsley and I are buds. I love her toys."

"Mommy made brownies for Tot Shabbat, and she let me do the licking."

"When you ask me if I helped Mommy bake the brownies, I'll tell you that I helped clean... with my tongue."

It's Cousin Time!

2011-01-20T14:21:00.006-06:00

Cousin Dave and Cousin Jen came to visit us last weekend, from Virginia Beach. We told Maya they were coming, and she was basically as excited as humanly possible. She couldn't wait to play with Cousin Jen. Well, let's just say, she was NOT let down at all. She played with Jen, nonstop, for the entire weekend. Even when Jen wasn't there, Maya talked about her. Some cute Maya-isms:

"Wait! I have an idea! Maybe I could show Cousin Jen my shows!"
"Maybe Jen should cuddle with me on the couch."
"Mommy, I don't want to walk on tip toes. I want Jen to wake up."
"Jen, you look beautiful."
"Where's Jen? Where's Jen? Where's Jen?"

We had a great time this weekend. On Sunday, we invited some of Kevin's family to come over and play. We had such a nice time with everyone. Now that the house is empty, it feels pretty quiet around here!

"Mommy says this is her favorite picture of Daddy and Jonny."

"Daddy and Jonny realized they had the same shirt, but Daddy's is red, and Jonny's is blue. They were very excited when they figured this out."

"Mommy says these are Back to the Future references. Whatever that means."

"They found this hilarious. I like seeing Daddy laugh."

"Daddy and Jonny were really into this."

"Nana and Heddy love our little Joney."

"Jonny is very silly."

"He loves Mommy's food. We all do."

"This is my best friend, Cousin Jen. Isn't she pretty?"

"Jonah loves Aunt Heddy. Who doesn't?"

Snow Everywhere.

2011-01-12T19:43:00.003-06:00

We got such an absurd amount of snow, in the past 24 hours. I mean, my deck is buried under several feet of snow, from both snowfall, and wind blown snow. It's amazing. Anyway, we've been keeping ourselves occupied this week. On Sunday, we visited Nora, Adam, and Shane, for a playdate. The kids had a great time together, despite the fact that Jonah seems to want to attack Shane. Don't worry - they love each other. Monday morning, after "Sticky Fingers," we had friends over to play. Maya, Sabrina, and Vanessa are a pretty cute little trio. Kevin and Maya also made it outside for a snowman-making fiesta. All in all, we are doing great. I hesitate to say this, but for the moment, both kiddos are healthy and happy. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but after about 6 weeks of on-and-off sick Maya and Jonah, I am certainly not taking these healthy moments for granted!

"I love Joney's silly alligator shirt."

"Like our snowman?"

"Daddy really made this snowman, because I can't really move or do much of anything when I'm bundled up in my mitts, hat, and snowpants."

"Good morning!"

"Sabrina and I had chicken nuggies for lunch, on our playdate. She likes the dino nuggies, just like Jonah and me."
"That's Shane and Nora. Shane is wearing Jonah's outfit. He's a cutie, huh?"

"Oh no! Jonah is about to eat Shane's face! Hurry and rescue Shane! Hurry!"

Poser.

2011-01-09T06:03:00.003-06:00

My little lady loves the camera. I think the cam loves her, too, don't you think?

I know I've been a blog slacker. My other interests have kind of taken hold of me. I love my kids to bits and pieces, but I am also enjoying focusing on my cooking/baking blog. It makes me feel so productive, outside my life as a mom.

We've had a nice week. We went to see Disney on Ice, courtesy of Dan's sis. It was so much fun. Maya and Jonah both loved it, even though they were up way past their bedtime. I love to see them having fun. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Today is a family day, and we are getting ready for our road trip to see Nora and Adam. Hopefully, I will remember to take a million photos!

"I loved Disney on Ice. We sat right next to my teacher, Miss Jill! What a shock!"
"Hi."

"Take more pics, Daddy!"

"After dinner, I play with my family, and I love it."

"This is the face I make, when I'm being fresh."

"But usually, I'm happy."

"Hey, everyone! Sorry we were MIA for a while. Mommy has been a slacker..."

Happy January!

2011-01-03T05:04:00.004-06:00

We have a nice holiday break. I call it that, because we didn't have school for a week. Instead, we had a sort of eventful, yet relaxing few days. One fun thing, is that it snowed about a foot, here in New England. Kevin and Maya went sledding in our new backyard, for the first time. They had fun, but sadly, it ended with a visit from the neighbor's dog. The dog is a pup, and nabbed Kevin's glove. This made Maya extremely upset, so they had to terminate their sledding mission after about 45 minutes. As soon as Maya came inside, she saw a Hanukkah gift from Bubbe, sitting on the counter, and her tears abruptly turned to, "I feel better now, and I want that." Hmph.

New Year's Eve was a bust. We went to Paul and Irina's house, about 35 minutes away. We picked up a bundle of Indian food on the way, and hung out with Paul, Irina, Baby Sophia (4 weeks old), Moshe, Christie, and Eve (17 months old). Jonah was acting a tad "off" during dinner. He was fussy, wouldn't eat, and he felt very warm to the touch. At 7:00, he managed to vomit all over the floor of Paul and Irina's lovely kitchen. I'm sure they were thrilled, considering they had a very tiny baby there. We cleaned up and high tailed it out of there. We didn't want to spread any viruses. Jonah felt better on New Year's Day, and even better the following day. He really took it like a champ. Anyway, so much for staying up until midnight, right?! Anyway, so far the New Year has been good to us, and it's back to the daily grind this morning. Sticky Fingers, here we come!

"Mommy, Jonah is playing with a tutu and a bottle of fake mustard! I keep telling him he looks beautiful, but he's only interested in playing with the bottle."

"I love to dress up like a princess, Mom."

"I think we need some of these princess dresses at our house. Coming to the JCC to play with them is fun, but I want to take this home."

"I woke up from my nap, and Mommy and Daddy whisked me into my snow clothes. I was really discombobulated, but I took it like a big girl."

"I really love Mommy."

"Jonah puked, only minutes later. Can you tell he's looking a little green?"

"Mommy! You need a ponytail! You're hiding!"

"That's Eve. She looks like she's making her 'mad face,' but Mommy says she just doesn't know how to pose yet."

"It's a good thing they were playing in the kitchen, and not on the carpet. You never know when Jonah might explode."

"Oh no! Time to go home already?! Joney! You aren't supposed to throw up at someone's house, when I'm busy having fun! Happy New Year to all, and to all, a good night!"

"Bye bye, Christie and Irina! Oh, and Sophia! You looked like a baby zebra there! I didn't realize that was you!"

Loving the Fam.

2010-12-29T20:03:00.003-06:00

Both of my kids love seeing family. They adore their grandparents and cousins, and it's such a delight to see them all playing together. Here are some photos from Christmas Day, when we had some family over, to partake in cookie baking and Chinese food eating.

Maya will narrate these photos, with some of her recent Maya-isms.

"Can I put that picture on Facebook?"

"When I get bigger, I can be a baby and go in this Jumperoo." (Confused much?)

"I love Goompy all the world and back again."

"Papa Burt can hold Joney, so he doesn't touch any of my toys."

"Good boy, Joney! Good laughing!"

"I love Shane. Shane, you are much cooler than Jonah, because you don't try to take my toys."

"Jonah is a big boy, and Shane is a baby."

"That's Auntie Nora. She is Shane's mom."

"I love the baby."

Just one more quick Maya-ism. Yesterday, we were leaving a restaurant, and it was late in the evening. I said to Maya, "When we get home, we have to go straight to bed." Maya replied, "Aye Aye, Captain!" Hahaha.

Make a Face!

2010-12-27T13:21:00.004-06:00

Maya has been really into making faces lately. She loves this game, where I tell her to make a "happy face," "silly face," "sad face," etc. She recently allowed me to do a photo shoot, while we were making faces.

"My mommy is the queen of self portraits."

"I love to give kisses."

"Mommy told me to make a happy face."

"This is my surprised face."

"Here is my sad face."

"Here is my excited face."

"You can tell I'm angry, right?"

"This is me being serious."

"This is my bored face."

"This is my sneaky face."

"This is just my regular old face."

Our Week...

2010-12-20T16:50:00.003-06:00

Let's see...

1. We got stuck in the house, due to ice in our driveway.
2. Maya got RSV.
3. Jonah got RSV.
4. We played with Goomy on her birthday.
5. We saw Debs and Dan, and we all took Goomy out to dinner for her birthday.

All in all, a bad week with a great ending. The kids are on the mend!
"Meet my nebulizer!"
"This is Freddy the Fish."

"Mommy took us to Stew Leonard's when we were sick. We loved it!"

"Joney and I loved the Chiquita Banana lady. She sings and dances, and we are mesmerized.:

"Happy Goomy Day!"

"I want that cupcake."

The Rest of the Trip...

2010-12-14T05:10:00.004-06:00

On the last day of our trip to Disney, we paid a visit to Animal Kingdom, which I believe is the newest of the Disney parks. It is truly an amazing park. I have to hand it to Disney - they have a way of making a park, that is pretty much a zoo, into a magical experience. You really have to see it for yourself. We went on a safari, saw amazing live shows (Nemo and Lion King), watched a parade, went on rides, ate great food... It was a terrific park. The kids were really spent that day, though. They were just ready to go home to their beds, and be normal again. It was a phenomenal trip. I want to do it every year, but I truly loved coming home.

"Look at the giant animals! I loved this parade!"

"I sat on Dad's shoulders during the parade, so I could wave to Mickey. It was so cool."

"At first, I was scared of the snake. Then I decided it was fake, because it didn't move. So, I touched it. I am the bravest! Even Mommy wouldn't touch it!"

"Well, I'm sort of brave, but Jiminy Cricket gives me the heebie jeebies."

"I can't remember this guy's name, but he's creepy, right?"

"I brushed the sheep, at the petting zoo at Animal Kingdom. Then, I brushed the dirt. Mommy said not to brush my own hair with the brush, and I didn't like that too much..."

"Mom says you can tell this is our last day, because Joney was sad, and I was tired. Here I am, talking on the phone, while we wait for Nemo to start."

"I adore my mommy."

"Look at me at the dino carnival!"

"I went on this ride with Daddy, but you can't see me because I'm too short! I protected Daddy for the whole ride!"

"We went on a safari in Africa. Well, at least they said it was Africa. Mommy said she was skeptical,, considering it wass only 50 degrees."

Magic Kingdom

2010-12-12T04:47:00.005-06:00

Well, we are home from vacation, and I have a lot of pics to share. It was a great trip. We partied very hard, and now that we're home, we have 2 very sleepy kiddos, with a lot of catching up to do. These photos are from our first couple of days in Florida. Unfortunately, we ended up down South, during a ridiculous cold front. In fact, it was so cold, we actually had to go to the outlets and buy winter clothes, on our second day! I ended up with 2 new winter coats though, so I guess all wasn't lost!

I think I'll give you a tour of these pics, so you know what we were doing...

Here we are at Magic Kingdom! Our first full day at Disney. We waited on line, so Maya could get her picture taken with Mickey and Minnie. I was worried that she'd be terrified, but she was great. While we waited on line, she waved feverishly at the characters, and though she was a little shy when we got up to the front, she loved it! In fact, she is still talk about it. she just couldn't believe that she got to hug Minnie. Well, she didn't really hug her, but she keeps saying, "I gave Minnie a hug!"

Maya loved having Goomy and Goomy there with us. As you can see, she is affectionate to the max.

We saw a 3-D show, called "Mickey's Phil-Har-Magic." Maya refused to wear the glasses during the show, but she still loved it. It ended with Donald, pretended to escape out the back of the theater. She is still talking about seeing Donald climb through the window. If you go to Disney, you should check out this show. It's great music, and tons of action for the kids.

Poor Jonah had a cold for most of the trip. He didn't look so good, but he had fun anyway. He needed more sleep than we gave him, as you can see. He was bleary eyed by day one!

Having shoulders to sit on, for the live shows, was invaluable!

Our second day, at Hollywood Studios, we were more prepared. Check out Jonah's awesome new hat!

We took the shuttle to the parks, because it was easier. Well, sort of easier...

Little bundled man, ready to roll.

We went to Downtown Disney on Day two...

Lego dogs, on display at Downtown Disney!
"Where's Minnie?"

I met up with my friend, Jen, from high school. We hadn't seen each other in 15 years, but she lives down in Florida, so she brought her family to Hollywood Studios. It was such a nice afternoon!

This is all of us, at the end of a long, cold day at Hollywood Studios.

Vacation!

2010-12-10T06:56:00.001-06:00

We are headed home from our Disney Vacation, today! Here is a teeny taste of our fun time! More photos will follow!

Thanks for Thanksgiving.

2010-12-02T14:10:00.005-06:00

The day after Thanksgiving, Maya and Goomy (my mom) were sitting at the kitchen table in their jammies. When my mom asked if Maya had a nice Thanksgiving, Maya answered, "Thanks for having Thanksgiving, so I could see you, Goomy." Is that sweet, or what??

Anyway, we spent Thanksgiving, doing our usual - bouncing back and forth between my parents' house, and Julie and Dave's house. It was a really nice day, and very busy!
The kids had a great time - especially Maya, who was able to dress up as Minnie Mouse, for the entirety of our visit with

"Joney! Mommy says don't talk with your mouth full!"

"Like my costume? I added the wings. Nice touch, eh?"

"Daddy, Cousin David, and Cousin Jonathan are very hansome boys. Well, not as hansome as Joney, but close."

"Mommy, I love this double jogging stroller for these dollies. Can we get one?"

"That's a silly face, Jonah."

"Jonah, as a fashionista, I must say, your socks don't match with your outfit. Just saying..."

"It's a good thing you're so cute..."

"I look serious here, but I was just mulling over whether or not to change costumes."

"Bubbe and Tyson are so sweet. Bubbe is going to have a baby like Jonah soon."

"The day after Thanksgiving, we visited with Hazel and Cal. I was tired, but playing with Hazel is always a good time."

"Jonah was tired and fussy at Jaime's house. He even slept in the car, in the driveway, for 40 minutes!"

Boys will be Boys

2010-12-01T05:19:00.003-06:00

Jonah is a giant, compared to little Shane (who, incidentally, turns 4 months today). Apparently, Jonah chose to take advantage of the size differential, and beat up his cousin. At first, he was just interested... Then he became a tad aggressive. Then he grabbed Shane's face and tried to tear it off. I wonder where this behavior came from... Maya, you say? Hmmmm...

"Jonah loves your shirt, Shane!"

"You know, Shane, that used to be my shirt, so Jonah wants to take it."

"Jonah thinks it's funny, so I think it's funny, too. I always side with my brother."

"Uh oh. I think Jonah might be planning on doing something naughty."

"Hahahaha! I love my brother and my cousin!"

"Seriously, I see that look in Jonah's eye. He's about to misbehave. You'd better keep an eye on him, Mommy!"

"Oh no. He has the nose. Here we go."

"No, Joney!!! Shaaaaaane!!!"

**No babies were really hurt, in the making of this blog post.**

Maya-Isms: TAKE TWO.

2010-11-29T05:21:00.005-06:00

"Jonah's first Thanksgiving weekend was a success! We are both tired, no, though..."

"When Mommy tells me to smile and say cheese, this is the goofy face I make."

"Joney got TWO teeth last week! He might bite me, now, but I'm not scared."

I will post about Thanksgiving, but first, an awesome Maya-ism:

Me (talking to Kevin): I wonder what Jonah will be like when he grows up.
Kevin: Yeah, I don't know...
Maya: Maybe he'll be a dinosaur.

"We love Mommy."

"Mommy and Daddy say it's easier to get Bobo to smile, than me. Hmph. I like being mysterious."

Maya-isms

2010-11-23T14:47:00.002-06:00

Did I mention that my little man has a tooth? It's the most adorable tooth I've ever seen, on a little boy. The second one is on the way, but we are very proud of the first one.

Maya cracks me up. She is just so funny. Yesterday, we had this conversation:

Me: "Maya, I love you so much. NO ONE loves you like I love you."
Maya: "No Mom. Goomy loves me that much."

Here's another one, from the car today:

Me: "Maya, I'm going to a party next week, and Nora and Adam are going to come stay with you and Jonah."
Maya: "Oh! Joney! Guess what? Nora and Adam are coming! Are you so excited?"

And another:

Jonah: "Wahhhhhhh! Babababa!"
Maya: "Oh Joney! That's good talking! I knew you could do it!"

Lastly:

Me: "Maya, I bought a new dress today!"
Maya: "Can I see it?"
Me: "Sure. Here it is!"
Maya: "WaaaWaaaa... It has sprinkles!"
Me: "You mean sparkles?"
Maya: "No. Sprinkles."

"This is my angry face."

"Jonah, are you eating crackers with that spoon?"

"This is fun... I'm just PRETENDING to strangle Jonah."

"Yeeehawww!"

Take a Break?

2010-11-14T20:36:00.003-06:00

You may (or may not) have noticed, that I have a list of links, over to the right of the blog. They are my friends who have blogs for their babies or families. I have noticed recently, that most of my friends are no longer posting anything to their blogs. This makes me wonder - is anyone really reading our blog anymore? Perhaps I should be taking a break as well, or posting less often. Hmmmm. Maybe things will be more exciting, if I only post every couple of weeks or so. It's a thought, right? Anyway, my kids are cute, they're doing all kinds of sweet things, and I love them to pieces. Can you tell?

"I had a tea party at the Lutz Museum last week. Mommy thought the museum was a bit of a dump, but I had a great time."

"We made brownies, and I licked the spoon."

"Jonah and I love to share Ritz Crackers. Jonah is always holding one, these days."

"This is my happy brother."

"Mommy knows just how to make Jonah and me laugh."

Just Goofin' Around.

2010-11-10T06:23:00.002-06:00

We've been busy lately. Between our "Sticky Fingers" painting class on Mondays, and school on Tuesday and Thursday, our weeks are flying by! Maya and Jonah have been happy little campers lately, even despite the time change. I don't have many new things to share, but here are some recent highlights:

Maya got a new (giant) car seat, and Jonah also moved into a big boy car seat. They love to hold hands in the car, now. It is so sweet. Jonah thinks that holding hands or passing things back and forth is hilarious. I mean, he cracks up, every time Maya touches him from her seat. I love it.

We visited friends this past Friday, and Maya made a new friend - Aspen. She loves Aspen (who is 5) so much, she can barely contain herself.

Jonah is addicted to crackers.

Jonah is just on the cusp of popping out his first tooth. Congrats, Bobo!

"Mommy bought me these awesome Halloween 'guys' on clearance at Target. They dance and play music, and have become my new pets."

"I am really into using the camera lately, but Daddy took this picture - I can't take any credit."

"Momma took this pic. My parents are awesome self-photographers."

"Look at Joney!"

"When Jonah first wakes up from his nap, he make silly faces. I love Joney!"

Happy Belated Halloween, 2010

2010-11-02T14:51:00.003-05:00

I posted all the photos from Halloween, and then never wrote any text with them, so I've been saving this post all week, in the hopes that I'd have time to put it on the blog. Anyway... Halloween... It was fantastic this year. We prepped Maya for it, many weeks in advance. I don't think she really understood the concept (it is strange, let's be honest), but she was pretty excited to get out there and hunt for candy in a costume. She decided to be Uniqua, a Backyardigans character (totally super awesome show on Nick Jr.), and Jonah was set to be a little monkey in a giant costume that didn't fit him at all. It was funny, because Maya's costume was a tad too small, but oh well. Anyway, we decided to trick-or-treat in a subdivision that is about 5 minutes from our house, because our neighborhood has a lot of longer driveways and hills, and we didn't think we'd have the stamina to walk there in the cold all evening. We set out at around 5:45, thinking the kids would have about an hour before they melted down and wanted to go home. Well, Maya was tireless for close to 2 hours. The only thing that set her back a little, was the fact that some of the houses had some scary Halloween stuff on their doors and in their windows. That being said, she was SO into it, she actually ran from house to house, in between, saying, "MOMMY! I NEED MORE CANDY!" Here was the typical dialogue, when the people would open the door:

Maya (very excited): Trick or treat!
Person at Door: Happy Halloween!
Maya: Can I take one more, for my brother Joney?
Person at Door: Sure!
Maya: I'll just put it in my "bakset," and give it to him later.
Mommy: Maya, what do you say?
Maya (already walking to the next house): THANK YOU! Mommy, I need more candy!!!

Jonah sat in his stroller, going with the flow, as usual. Maya finally got home at 7:45. Surprisingly, throughout the whole evening, she never even asked for candy, until about 7:15, when I gave her a mini bag of Teddy Grahams, and a snack sized M&Ms. We have still been organizing and trading the candy every day, as all little girls should do, but she doesn't care all that much, about actually eating it.

This was one of my favorite Halloweens, to date. I can't wait until next year!

"This is me in my costume. I am preparing a small picnic, because my Papa Burt is coming to play with me before trick-or-treating."

"I am Uniqua. Uniqua is a unique species of Backyardigan. She is friends with Pablo, Tasha, Tyrone, and Austin."

"Papa should come soon, or I might eat this whole picnic myself."

"This is Jonah, my monkey brother."

"Clearly, I knocked him over."

"He's a happy boy."

"Can I take one, for my brother Joney? I'll just put it here in my bakset for later."

"I need more candy, Mommy!"

Playing Dress-Up

2010-11-01T19:08:00.002-05:00

I realize I have some catching up to do, but here are some photos from our visit with Aunt Nora, and Cousin Shane. They came into CT for a knitting convention this weekend, and stayed with us overnight. Maya and Jonah adored spending time with them. My mom met us for trick-or-treating at some of the local shops, on Friday. It was a great time. Some highlights to ponder:
1. Jonah is a giant, compared to Shane
2. Maya thinks our guest bed is Grammy's bed, so she graciously gave Nora permission to stay in it.
3. Maya is slightly terrified of life-sized characters, and keeps claiming that she didn't actually see the giant Elmo while trick-or-treating, because she was too busy "sleeping in Grammy's arms" (a.k.a. screaming and clinging to Grammy with her eyes closed in fear).

We loved Halloween weekend. More pics to follow.

"I love my little Jonah-monkey."

"Haaaaa!"

"Mommy, do NOT let Jonah take Shane's bottle!"

"Joney loves Cousin Shane."

"Awwwww. Hugs."

Have I mentioned...

2010-10-28T19:18:00.002-05:00

I really like to cook, and I've let this blog take a backseat to my cooking blog. I need to take more photos of the kids, and post them here. Apparently, I'm pre-occupied with my new hobby. Well, it's not new anymore. Anyway, I'll try harder. I will. I swear.

"This is the view from the porch at our new house."

"Hello, friends. Mommy will take more photos soon."

"I love playing with Jonah in the car."

School...

2010-10-21T13:57:00.001-05:00

I knew that Maya would have a hard time adjusting to school, but I truly did not think that it would be 7 weeks into school, and she'd still be crying for long periods of time throughout the school day. The funny thing is, she loves school... She just wishes I'd stay with her, and love it while standing right next to her. Sigh. I'm sure it'll get better. I want her to love every second of it - to listen, learn, play, make friends... But I guess these things take time. All that being said, I've been enjoying my time alone with Jonah, while Maya is at school. It is really nice getting some quality, one on one time with him. We'll continue to work on Miss Maya. I am already researching into school for next year, because I think we'll have to look for a place a bit closer to our new digs.

As you can see, we have a lot going on, here at Chez Maya. With preschool, potty training, a big girl bed, and a new house, Maya has grown into a kid overnight. Bye bye, toddler-hood!

"Jonah is eating his Cheerios, to fuel up for our drive to school."

"He's hip."

"Here's a sample of what we've been up to at school."

"On Tuesday, Mommy and I cut into a pumpkin after school. We toasted the seeds, too."

"I did the mixing, because the pumpkin goo looked like fun."

Entertaining Jonah.

2010-10-17T16:55:00.002-05:00

This kid loves to be entertained and held. Maya thought this hat looked downright hilarious on Jonah, and he didn't mind it, either. Gotta love a boy and his single dimple.
"Daddy held Jonah while he vacuumed after dinner. At first I thought Jonah might be scared of falling, but now I can see he just loves to be held."

"Joney, you are SO silly in that Nemo hat!"

"I'm off to look for other hats for Joney. This is fun."

I Will Live Here Forever.

2010-10-12T04:39:00.004-05:00

Did I mention, in previous blog entries, that we recently bought a house? Well, it was about 2 months ago, but we finally moved last Thursday. We love the house very much, but we are so busy and overwhelmed with unpacking, I've barely had time to take photos, much less update the blog. Here are some new photos, even though they aren't particularly exciting. The kids are loving the new house. Maya transitioned to a big girl bed as soon as we moved, and she is loving it. Every morning when I go to get her out of bed, she says, "Mommy, this bed is perfect for me!" I am so proud of her! Jonah is now sleeping in Maya's old crib, and he is a happy little camper as well. So, though we are a tad stressed, and feeling a little upside down, everyone is happy and we are so blessed to be together in a house we all love.

"Jonah is 8 months now, and he's eating real food! I like to feed him applesauce and shredded cheese. We are buds lately."

"Mommy doesn't love when I feed Joney in the Jumperoo, because eating and jumping are apparently incompatible. Who knew?"
"I love my bed, because the whole family can lie in it! Well, Mommy is missing from the photo, but after she took it, she climbed in, too!"

"Mom says Jonah should try holding the spoon, so he can try to 'self-feed.' I say, let me hold the spoon, because it's more fun when everything is mine."

In Case you Missed us on Facebook...

2010-10-06T05:18:00.003-05:00

This is Maya's new hobby.

The transcript:

"Daddy is sleeping, and I'm feeding Joney the applesauce!"
"I make sure I never sleep while I'm eating applesauce."
"Ohhhh. He made a cough..."
"He likes big bites!"
"I hope I cannot drop it."
"This is a big bite."
"I want a bowl to put it in."
"Here!"
"He has a messy face!"

Good Choking!

2010-10-03T06:12:00.002-05:00

This morning, Maya asked for applesauce for breakfast. Jonah was in the Jumperoo, bouncing around, and Maya was sitting sweetly, eating her sauce. I went around the corner to refill my coffee, and I hear Maya say, "Mommy, Joney is doing his good choking!" She said it particularly happily. Hmph. I, of course, bolted around the corner, to see Maya feeding Jonah applesauce in the Jumperoo. He was not choking, though she was sticking the spoon so far back, he was gagging like crazy. Oy. After explaining to Maya that we don't put the entire spoon in Jonah's mouth, I watched her feed him essentially an entire meal. It was pretty adorable.

"I love to feed this kid. He's like my personal, living doll."

"Daddy accidentally packed us up in one of the boxes, since we're moving next week!"

"Dad, we're not supposed to go in a box!"

"Mommy, that's a silly hat!"

Happy Hazel Day!

2010-10-01T06:11:00.003-05:00

Hazel is the daughter of my dear, old friend, Jaime. She turned ONE on Saturday, and Jaime and Paul had a birthday party for her, on Sunday afternoon. It was a terrific BBQ, and Hazel is positively adorable. She had a great time, as did my kids. It was the day after Cassie's wedding, so we were all a tad sleepy that day, but we were able to pull it together for the party. Paul had hung a baby swing from the house, so Maya spent the better part of the BBQ, asking to be pushed. It was pretty annoying, but Kevin handled it like a champ. She wanted to be spun in circles, over and over again, and I had visions of her throwing up everywhere. Fortunately, she is her Daddy's daughter, and doesn't have her mom's motion sickness issues. Phew. Happy birthday, Hazel!

"Look at Hazel! She's so messy!"

"Mommy, who is that man with the balloon head?"

"Hazel, don't you know that fire is dangerous?"

"Mommy, please ask Jaime and Paul to give that to me."

"More cake, please."

"She's cute, Mommy."

"Look at Joney! He's playing piano!"

"Hazel got tons of loot for her birthday. Lucky lady!"

"Mommy says that Jonah and I slept in the car like this for almost an hour. When I woke up, we were parked in the driveway, and Gumpy was staring at me through the window. I was confused..."

Our Big Weekend

2010-09-29T05:49:00.005-05:00

We took the kids to Grammy and Grampy's house this weekend, because my friend, Cassie, was getting married in my hometown. We decided to stay overnight, because the following day was Hazel's first birthday (she's my friend Jaime's baby). We were also shooting to get to a BBQ at Juju and Dave's house on Sunday evening. It was a jam packed weekend, and we are tired. In fact, my babies are still sleeping, and it's already 7 a.m. Nice. Anyway, the wedding was beautiful. They had it in the most picturesque setting, and the weather was just beautiful. I will let the photos speak for themselves, but just want to add, that it was such a wonderful weekend, seeing my oldest, dearest friends, and their families. I will post photos from Hazel's party, in a different post, because this one is getting crowded. Congrats to Cassie and Tony. Here's to a beautiful future together!

"Hazel, come tear down this giant tent with me!"

"Mommy, she is wearing a beautiful dress."

"When will the real dance music come on?"

"Mommy, I thought we were going to a party! Where's the cake?" (She really kept saying this during the ceremony.)

"Pretty dress, Cassie!"

"Look at that hat!"

"Can I put my chocolatey s'mores hands on your dress, Cassie?"

"Mommy says these are her old friends, but I don't think Jonah counts as an old friend."

"That's Sarah. I like her."

"Joney loves graham crackers."

"We had such fun, dancing the day away!"

"This is my ice cream cone (a.k.a marshmallow on a stick)!"

"This little girl loved dancing, just like me!"

"Look at us!"

"I dig these tent poles."
"I loved the wedding!"
"Congrats, Cassie and Tony!"

"Jonah was so sleepy, he passed out on Mommy."

"I wore Grammy's 'Officially Retired' crown for most of the day."

"Bye!"

Sukkahrama!

2010-09-25T05:36:00.004-05:00

Seriously, that was the name of the Sukkah decorating party at the JCC. Maya now goes to school at the JCC, so when we brought her there, about 4 hours after school, she started to get upset, like we were going to drop her off and leave her. We took Kevin to see her classroom, and when we opened the door, Maya said, "Oh no! Where are all my friends??" Anyway, the edible sukkah decorating party was really cute. Well, it was messy and tasty, that's for sure. We tried building a sukkah, but as I constructed it, Maya deconstructed it and ate it. That was probably the most sugar she's ever had at one time, and she was loving it. I was a little worried she'd explode afterward, but she was okay. Jonah also had a great time, and he ate his first real solid food - a graham cracker! What a champ! It was a really nice time, and to top it off, we went out for Chinese food at Butterfly. Happy Sukkot! "This is my Grammy. I love her."

"I'm evil."

"I'm spreading frosting... on my tongue!"

"My mommy is a good builder."
"Jonah loves Sukkot."

"I just keep on destroying this thing. I would not have been a good person to hang out with during the exodus from Egypt."

"Hmmmm... What to eat next..."

"Joney ate his first cracker at Sukkahrama."

"We are so proud of our Sukkah!"

Accidents Happen...

2010-09-20T15:01:00.004-05:00

So, I took the kids for a walk the other day, and Maya had her first real "accident." To her credit, she told me she had to make a peepee, and I ran to the "clubhouse" to throw on the potty, but it was too late. It wasn't really that fun to take her home in the stroller with no pants or panties on. She was wearing my long sleeved shirt around her waist, just to cover up, and she kept saying, "Mommy, look at my beautiful skirt!" Anyway, I ended up throwing Maya and Jonah in the bathtub together, for the first time. Now, she keeps asking me if we can take a walk, so she can have an accident, so she can take another tubby with Jonah. I have been trying to explain to her, that she can take a bath without having an accident, but she's not quite getting it. She usually showers, so a bath is a rare treat. Anyway, 2 days later, she has now taken 3 baths with Jonah... No more accidents, though. Phew.

"Jonah cries in the tub, but then he plays, and that's good times."

"Mommy thinks we're adorable."

"When Joney gets tired of the tub, he gets into jammies, and plays my piano."

"I am happy now."

"The playground is a favorite of mine."

"See my playground dance?"

"I love revisiting my old toys. I don't really love Jonah taking them from me."

"Jonah keeps getting annoyed, because I don't share my stuff very well. Sorry, brother."

Exhaustion Rules the Week. All About the Princess.

2010-09-15T16:43:00.003-05:00

Here's what's happening:

Maya is having a tough time adjusting to school.
Maya is now potty trained.
Maya has decided that she doesn't want to take naps anymore.
Maya is tired.
Maya is SO tired.

Jonah is... Jonah. Happy and cool. He has found his voice, and is now shrieking constantly, but it's not really unhappiness. More like a new excitement about hearing his own sounds.

Anyway, it's been a long, tiring week for all of us. It's a good thing these kids are adorable.

"Mommy says Jonah is old enough to ride in the front with me! I love Target, because these carts rock. Jonah and I share a toy, and then Mommy puts it back. Awesome. Seriously."

"I can't remember life without this little guy."

"Haha! Nice hat, Joney!"

Happy Rosh, Happy Fall.

2010-09-12T07:11:00.002-05:00

We have had a really nice week. We spent some time as a family on Rosh HaShanah, though we didn't end up at services (for many reasons). We decided to take the kids to a Hibachi Steakhouse that evening, where we watched the cook do his cooking and comedy routine. It was really fun. Maya was a little scared, and Jonah loved it. Maya especially loved the food. She feasted on miso soup and teriyaki chicken. Yum. In other news, Maya is officially potty trained. Well, we are still working on little accidents here and there, but she's really doing a great job. I'm so proud of both my babes.

"Jonah is sweet in the morning."

"Look at us, all dressed up for the big Rosh!"

"My bro and I are BFF."

"I'm dancing for Joney."

"Fun times, Momma."

It's 6:03 a.m...

2010-09-05T05:05:00.004-05:00

...and my kids are still sleeping. I am watching Jonah on the monitor, and he is finally having a truly restful sleep, on his BELLY! Usually, he flips onto his tummy, wakes up, and freaks his beak, because he can't roll back. Anyway, I think this is a good thing, considering he hasn't woken up after 6 in a very, very long time. Anyway, the kids are so sleepy, because we had my whole family over yesterday, for a Labor Day/Debbie's birthday bonanza. Well... maybe it wasn't a bonanza, but it was a little get together, and we dined and played together, which was really nice. The kids had a blast, and got to see their new(ish) cousin, Shane, who is growing like a weed! By the way, if you want to "meet" Shane, his blog is up and running - just check my blog roll on the right side of the page! See you all later this week, and enjoy your holiday weekend. I think the baby just woke up... 6:10! Not too shabby!

"I'm working hard at pre-school."

"Mom had some issues getting us to smile at the same time, during this photo shoot."

"Joney is always grinning."

"I love pretending to do the shampoo in Joney's hair."

"Haha."

"Mommy is trying to make me laugh in the camera, but I'm just faking."

"Jonah, you're so sweet."

"I may look mean in this photo, but I'm really just a sweet girl."

My Big Kids!

2010-09-02T13:28:00.002-05:00

Jonah is sitting! Maya started pre-school today! I can't believe it. My kids are getting so big and strong, and they are doing things I just can't believe they're doing. I am so proud of Jonah. Just one week ago, he was toppling over, every time we put him down. Now, he supports himself without a problem. Maya had her first day of school this morning, and although it was a tough first half of the day, she ended up having a blast. She didn't even care, when I came to get her at the end of the day. I'm pretty sure her teachers like her. She cried for a long time in the beginning, but then, the teachers said that she turned to them and said, "Oh, I'm sorry I was crying! I'm happy now. I'm not crying anymore." I was really proud of her. Now, she's up in her room playing in her crib, instead of napping. I'm so proud of my babes. They are such sweet, happy kids. I feel lucky today.

"Look at my brother! Sometimes I can even give him hugs, while he's sitting! He is so good at it!"

"Jonah and I got sick this week. We both have colds, so Mommy let me watch a show under the Snuggie."

"We got this new sticker/coloring book at Christmas Tree Shops. It's HUGE!"

"I love decorating the floor with my stickers."

"Good boy, Joney!"

G'Bye, Summer Vacation...

2010-08-28T04:55:00.003-05:00

Hello, empty mall playground!!! Every time we've been to the play area at the mall, it's been insanely crowded. Yesterday, we tried again, and there were only a few kids there, which makes it much easier to play, without anyone getting hurt. Anyway, the thing I've noticed, is that Maya finally enjoys playing with other kids. She has started making friends wherever she goes, and I love it. Yesterday, at the mall, she found this little group of boys, and followed them everywhere, doing her little playground tricks, and saying (over and over), "Hey guys! Look at this!" They were a little older, and being boys, they were sort of blowing her off, but she didn't car. She laughed when they laughed, and watched them play with their toy car. It was so cute. Later on that day, we walked over to the outdoor playground, where Maya made another little girlfriend. She would stand at the bottom of the slide, and cheer the girl on, saying, "C'mon! That's good sliding! Let's do one more, then I'll go home and watch my show!" I was cracking up.

And Jonah? He's sitting on his own! Congrats, little man! He still sort of leans forward and puts a hand on the floor or a toy, for stability, but he's working on it. I was even able to sit him totally upright in the stroller, without using the 5-point harness. He loved watching Maya at the mall. I swear - he worships her. I guess that's the way it should be, right?

"We stand at the window and say 'G'bye' to Daddy every morning. Here we are, waiting to see his car."

"Bye, Daddy! Have a good day at work!"

"He'll be back later."

"I really want to wear these shoes, but Mommy says they're too small. I keep telling her that someday I'll fit into them, but she says it doesn't work that way."

"Jonah loved sitting up in the stroller at the mall."

"I told him not to eat the strap, but he didn't listen."

"He's watching me play."

"Hi, Mommy!"

"These 3 little boys are my new friends."

"I like this little guy at the play area."

Tummy Time.

2010-08-23T06:15:00.003-05:00

My little ones just love their Daddy. Jonah is such a happy baby, and it is so much fun to make him laugh. This photo shoot was just adorable. I have a million pics from it, but here are a few of my faves.

"Look at my bracelets! I call these my 'boy bracelets,' since they are really Jonah's toys."

n"There's no way I'd miss out on this action!"

"I love swinging on the tire at the playground. It scares Mommy, but she doesn't understand that I'm a big girl, and I know how to hold on tight."

We Have Another Jumper!

2010-08-20T06:04:00.002-05:00

You may remember Maya loving the Jumperoo. She spent many minutes of pure joy in there, during her first year of life. We've been putting Jonah in it for a couple of months now, but he seemed relatively disinterested. He would play for little bouts of time, but he never really jumped. Yesterday, he finally did it. He jumped like an old pro. It was very serious jumping, and I think he really exhausted himself, but he surely loved it. As an added bonus, Maya is in the background watching - and boy was she proud of him. "Look Daddums! He's jumping! Look at Joney!"

Dance Party.

2010-08-17T13:55:00.001-05:00

Now THIS was adorable. My kids really know how to rock out.

Dancing with Catty:

This one doesn't end well:

Party animal:

Gotta Love a Beatles Babe.

2010-08-15T06:24:00.002-05:00

Maya loves this Beatles album - it's little kids singing Beatles songs. She listened to this song ("All Together Now") so many times, that she knows the words. Here's a listen. It's not all that clear, but she loves singing it to Jonah. I love how in the end, she turns to him, and says, "I'm singing, Joney!"

6 Months!

2010-08-14T06:55:00.004-05:00

Jonah turned 6 months last week. It's amazing how quickly the time has gone by. He is quite possibly, the sweetest and happiest baby in the world. He is such a cuddly, snuggly, delicious little man. We took him to the pediatrician a few days ago, for his 6-month appointment. He weighed in at 16 pounds (19th percentile), 27 inches (40th percentile), and had a head circ in the 36th percentile. What a perfect specimen! He is doing all sorts of wonderful things. He eats tons of food (including toes), giggles like a crazy boy, and... HE SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT! We trained him this past week, and we have now had 3 blissful nights of Jonah sleeping from 8pm to 6am! We are thrilled. I love my little man, and my little girl isn't so bad either!

"Jonah tore up the table paper at the doctor's office. Oh well."

"Look at my happy brother!"

"Mommy says not every baby is this happy... You think?"

"Jonah cried when he got his shots, and I didn't like that at all."

"Mommy! Jonah is ready for sweet pots!"

Look at Jonah's Sweet Body!

2010-08-10T05:50:00.002-05:00

Maya clearly copies everything Kevin and I say. Watch what she does every morning when Jonah is relaxing after his "breakfast." She is such a "Mommy."

Sleepy Times.

2010-08-09T06:23:00.004-05:00

"My brother is going to start sleeping through the night. Mark my words!"

"I made castle with Jonah's food! Like it?"

Last night, we started sleep training Jonah. We went through this at 7 months with Maya, but we decided to get a head start last night (he is 6 months), because our nights have been straight up AWFUL. Jonah is the sweetest, calmest, happiest baby, but in the middle of the night, he really wants his mommy. Anyway, since he sleeps in our room (in his crib, NOT our bed), I decided to sleep in the family room, and let Kevin deal with the insanity, that I knew would ensue. Well, let's just say, Jonah was loud enough, that I've been up since 4:30 this morning, but it was well worth it. Jonah did great. Yes, he cried, screamed, fussed, etc., but he also figured it out. Kevin and I are both so thrilled. Tonight will be "Night 2," and I'll take my place on the Aerobed again, but after that, I think we should be all set... We are prepared for several tough days, but hopefully he'll adjust well. Keep your fingers crossed for us, please!

"I love corn. Did you know that?"

"This is us as Christmas Tree Shops, after Mommy bought me 2 beautiful bracelets. I love them."

"This is Jonah - so happy after his good rest."

"Did Jonah grow a beard, or is that just prunes and apples? You know, my Daddy gets a hairy face, so maybe it's true for Jonah, too..."

Everyone Needs a GOOMY, too.

2010-08-05T06:33:00.001-05:00

Maya had a very long conversation on the phone with Grammy (a.k.a. Goomy) the other day. She asked to speak to Grammy, talked for a few minutes, then hung up on her. Then, we called back a few minutes later, and it happened all over again. It was pretty funny. My favorite part, is when Maya, out of the blue, says, "It's a beautiful day!" We have a drama queen on our hands - that's for sure!

Everyone Needs a Goompy.

2010-08-04T05:59:00.001-05:00

Maya loves her grandparents with every fiber of her being. This was her favorite activity when we visited Nora on Saturday.

Baby Week!

2010-08-04T05:18:00.003-05:00

"Look! Jonah is in the cart with me, at Costco! Mommy says this isn't a great photo, but it still shows our big baby boy, right?"

"I love this baby."
"This is my, 'I'm going to pretend to hit you, but really be gentle' face."

This past Saturday, I met my family in Providence, so we could help Nora get ready for her baby. The mission was to organize her house, get the baby's nursery in order, etc. Nora isn't due for a few weeks, so it was a nice, relaxing day. That night, she went into labor. Shane was born the following morning, August 1st, at 7:25(ish). He is 5 pounds, 1 ounce, so he spent a couple of days, chillin' in the NICU, but now he's out and about, finally socializing, and flirting with the nurses. I saw him for a brief snippet on Sunday, but I'm going back on Friday, and can't wait!

"This is Shane. I didn't get to meet him, because kids aren't allowed in the NICU. What's that about??"

"We have a baby, too, but he's old now."

"I painted my toes at Nora's house!"

"Well, sort of. This polish was... old."

"I'm so girlie, it's ridic."

"Adam let me play with this old guitar. I felt just like a Wiggle."

"This is me, telling secrets to Auntie Nora. I was telling her to have a baby. It worked!"

The Great Mimic

2010-07-30T06:37:00.002-05:00

We were in the bookstore the other day, and Maya picked up this toy and... well... you'll see what she did. She must be watching her mommy. Note Jonah's totally relaxed state. He is so different from Maya...

Summer Fun.

2010-07-26T19:52:00.003-05:00

We haven't done much, since moving to CT, but the kids are still happy. Tomorrow is Maya's last day of summer school, so then we really need to work on finding more fun activities. I have been really exhausted, due to Jonah's decision to completely stop sleeping at night, so my motivation is seriously lacking. Anyway, I'm on the lookout for library activities, because I know it's a good place for meeting other mommies and babes. Anyway, here's a peek at our lazy days...
"Mommy always says, 'Gotta love a clean, naked baby!'"

"Jonah and I were mesmerized by the Rainforest Cafe at the mall."
"I love jumping off the turtle at the mall playground."

"Here I am, in action!"

"Yessss!"

"Look at meeee!"

"Jonah loves sweet potatoes, peas, and applesauce."

"I love popcorn and cookies. Yum."

"He's a happy Jonah."

Off to School.

2010-07-21T13:20:00.002-05:00

Maya is starting preschool in the Fall. Yes, there is actually preschool for kids this age. Maya will be attending school at the JCC, and she is quite excited to go by herself. This summer, the program is having a little transition class, so the kids can come in once a week to play and get to know each other. Maya loves this class, and she'll certainly be sad when it's her last day, next Tuesday. Her 2 favorite parts of school, so far, at the playground, where they take out baby dolls and little strollers, and snack, which is always Kix. The second we get there on Tuesdays, she says, "Ooooo, babies on the playground, and KIX!!!" I hope they still have Kix in the Fall. I'm sure they wouldn't be nearly as good if I bought them at Stop and Shop, right?

"We get Kix for snack, and water in a little cup. I think this is the best snack EVER."

"We get to wear big smocks when we paint at school. This protects my beautiful clothes."

"Like my picture?"

"Jonah comes to school, too! Mommy holds him the whole time, though, because he's too small to participate."

"I had a great day at school."

She has Enough Energy for Both of us, Right?

2010-07-20T05:53:00.003-05:00

Every morning, after we take a shower, Maya climbs into Jonah's crib to play with him. Yesterday, she decided to use the crib as a trampoline, so I removed Jonah from the scene. You probably won't be able to understand what she's saying, because there's a lot of commotion, but I will try to interpret some of the highlights. I don't remember the order, but here are some things you may hear:

"The Wiggles need a little break."
"Maybe I'll just take a little rest too."
"Wait! They aren't sleepy!"
(Chanting) "The Wiggles aren't sleepy! The Wiggles aren't sleepy!"
"The Wiggles are on the swings!"
"The Wiggles go down the slide!"
"Go on the trampoline!"
(Chanting) "Trampoline! Trampoline!"
"Oh, ouch."
"Well,maybe we'll just do a little more jumping."

Hmmmm. Now that I wrote that, I'm sensing a Wiggles theme...

Oh, and P.S. I have no idea why these are showing up in half-screen. I think it's because I'm recording them in widescreen on me camera. I need to fix that, apparently. I realize it's pretty annoying. Sorry, friends.

Oh, and P.P.S. You like Jonah's little "Hmmmmm, hmmmmm," in the background? Gotta love a little baby moaning to accompany Maya's burst of ridiculous energy.

How did I get so Behind?

2010-07-18T05:49:00.003-05:00

Again!!! I am still catching up on last week, for some reason. We traveled into Rhode Island last weekend for Uncle Adam's nephew's birthday. His name is Zack, and he turned 2 (so he's a few months younger than Maya). Grammy, Grampy, Uncle Adam, and Auntie Nora were going to be there, so it was a chance for us to spend time with everyone. Plus, we really enjoy being with Adam's family. Maya had a fabulous time, playing with the cat (a.k.a chasing), eating chips (she even tried a hot dog!), and loving on Grammy, Grampy, Adam, and Nora. It was very sweet. That morning, before the party, we went to a demo music class with Bubbe (Aunt Karen) and Tyson. It was a fantastic class, but unfortunately, it was on the second floor of an un-air conditioned building. It was 85 degrees that day. Um, we decided not to enroll in the class, based on the ridiculous heat. Oh well. We still had a grand old time.

"Mommy and Daddy say they don't have any photos of the two of them together anymore. Um, who cares, now that I'm alive?"

"Give me a juice box, and I will be happy."

"Jonah was sleepy at the party."

"Auntie Nora is having a baby, so she loves to hold Jonah, for practice."

"This kitty is named Oreo. I love catties."

"That's Zack. Mommy says we're the same age now, but I know I'm much much older (4 whole months)."

"Daddy and Grammy taught me how to pump my legs on the porch swing. They are hoping I won't continue to force them to push me for hours at the playground. Yeah right."

"I loved this swing. We can fit so many people on it! What a dream come true!"

"I play drums, now!"

"Tyson loved our class. I
was happy to go with him. Now, WE are the same age (well, I am 6 days older...)."

Lazy Days of Summer

2010-07-14T19:47:00.003-05:00

Maya has been begging to go to the playground lately, and I've been politely declining, since it isn't very easy with Jonah there. I finally caved last week, because I realized it wasn't quite fair of me to keep her away from her beloved swings. Well, I knew of exactly ONE playground, but I hadn't been there before. It was... in a word... disgusting. I will let Maya explain why, in her video below. Anyway, we lasted 15 minutes before I decided I couldn't take it anymore, so I brought the kids to the mall. Well, guess what?!? There happens to be a terrific play area there! It's very reminiscent of the playgrounds at our old St. Louis stomping grounds. I think we'll go back tomorrow. As you can see, Maya loved it.

"Before we go out in the mornings, I play with Jonah."

"Other times, I just get annoyed by Jonah."

"And sometimes, I take photos of Jonah with Mommy or Daddy's phone."

"The playground at the mall is awesome."
" I love sliding down this tree trunk. It is endless enjoyment for me."

"There is much climbing to be done at the mall."
"But the sliding is tops."

Cousins!

2010-07-10T19:00:00.005-05:00

One of the great things about moving back to Connecticut, is that Maya and Jonah will finally have a chance to get to know their cousins. We have spent a lot of time with family since we've been back in town, and last weekend, Julie, Dave, Jaden, and Aryella came to visit us and see our new apartment. Jacob was a camp, so he missed the visit. We ended up at Rein's Deli for dinner, where the kids had a blast. I am so happy to see Maya loving her time with her cousins. She has taken a really adorable liking to Jaden, and seems to follow him around everywhere. As for Aryella, the 2 of them played with their twin babies all evening. They were so adorable, and so serious with their playing. It's nice being back. So nice.
"Aryella got me this baby, named Lane. She has Lane's twin brother, Clinton. Aren't they sweet?"

"Aryella likes to make silly faces, just like me!"

"I let Jonah hold Lane's carrier, but then I took it back, since Jonah has a carrier of his own."

"Mommy says that Jaden is a kid, but I'm pretty sure he's a grown up, since he's bigger than me."

"Jonah had fun at dinner with us."

"I like to feed my new baby."

"I am very excited to live near my cousins and the rest of the fam. This is good stuff."

"Jonah clearly thinks Juju is comfy."

Burgers and Dogs.

2010-07-08T10:47:00.002-05:00

We had a terrific July 4th weekend. I can't even remember what we did last year, but I think it involved an incredibly hot house, and running back and forth to Wal Mart. Needless to say, this was spectacular in comparison! We spent the afternoon at Liz and Matt's house, mingling with friends, and eating good food. Liz and Matt have a beautiful new swingset, a water table, and a sandbox. Of course, our little lady was in heaven. Fortunately, she wanted nothing to do with the sandbox, which was great, considering the fact that I wasn't really excited about giving a 9pm bath that night! She also enjoyed feeding the 2 doggies, and running around in a bathing suit and her party shoes. Jonah and Mia, who are only 3 weeks apart, spent a good part of the afternoon flirting... Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but they certainly were sweet next to each other.

"Ryan and I both love shows. After we did tons of playing, our Mommies gave in and turned on Sesame Street."

"Jack the doggie likes beans, burgers, chicken, and quinoa. He doesn't like onions, though."

"Jonah and Mia are almost exactly the same age. Mia is 3 weeks older, so she's much wiser."

"Daddy and Matt are much bigger than their babies."

"Daddy loves babies, but I think he's glad these 2 aren't twins. Right, Daddy?"

I love her...

2010-07-06T10:55:00.003-05:00

I'm behind in my blogging, but here are some highlights...

"Mommy interviewed me!"

"This is the face I make when I say 'Hmmmmmm.'"

"Like my dress?"

"That's silly, Mommy!"

"Mommy and Daddy had a date night and left us kids with Grammy!"

"Look at that cool Cirque tent!"

Saying Bye Bye...

2010-06-30T20:03:00.005-05:00

Our last week in New Hamp was so nice. Maya and I hung out with friends, and did a lot of playing. It was sad to say good bye to Mary and Lisa, Kerry and Olivia, Amelia and Lucas, and a lot of others. I hope we all keep in touch. The move has been going really well, and I am just so happy that our sendoff was so positive. Maya and Jonah are adjusting well to our new place, so I guess you could say we've moved on!

"LOOK! We found this giant Minnie Mouse in a bathing suit at K Mart. Mom let me put it in the cart, but much to my chagrin, it was only temporary."

"Minnie gave my a piggy back ride in the cart."

"We both fit in front of the cart... but it was a little tight."

"Jonah and I have started playing together. Daddy and Mommy say he's becoming 'interactive,' whatever that means."

"Olivia and Mary met us at Allechante the day before we moved. Why is my chair empty?"

"Mommy, Lisa, and Kerry say it's very hard to get the three of us together for a photo. I don't know what they're talking about."

"Mary, Jonah and I played at the Montshire one last time. Mommy says we don't live near the Monty anymore, but I still think about it daily. Good thing there's a pool at our new place."

"I like holding as many things as I possibly can. It's tough when you are wet and slippery, though."

"I'll miss this place."

"Jonah doesn't know how to swim yet. Go figure."

"Mary is going to have a little brother soon. She'll be a good big sis."

Balloons! Balloons!

2010-06-29T12:08:00.004-05:00

Guess where we are??? Yes, that's right, we made our big move last Thursday, and we're now living in Connecticut, in our cozy little apartment. We just got internet and cable yesterday, so I'm finally ready to update the blog. Our last weekend in New Hampshire was absolutely wonderful - a great sendoff! There was a Hot Air Balloon Festival in Quechee, so we spent Saturday and Sunday playing at the fest, and my parents even came up to watch the babes on Saturday, so Kev and I could go to the graduation dinner for his fellowship. All in all, it was probably my favorite weekend in New Hamp. I guess it's great to leave on a high note!

"Look at all these balloons!"

"This teddy balloon is my favorite."
"So many balloons! Can we go on one?"

"There's my cowboy teddy again!"

"Did you know Jonah is ticklish now?"

"Mommy is always giving kisses."

"I love my Daddy. Does that make me a Daddy's girl?"

"Jonah, why are you looking so serious?"

"We bought a big cone of popcorn, and Daddy fed them to me one by one, so I wouldn't choke."

"So many things to see!"

"Mmmmmm. Popcorn..."

"Mom says I need to show my empty mouth before I take more popcorn."

"These are our friends - Baby Lucas, Baby Will, and all the parents. Everyone moved last week - Will went to Massachusetts, and Lucas went to New Orleans. We miss everyone!"

Grammy's Last Week!

2010-06-22T12:51:00.002-05:00

Part of the reason we stayed in CT last week, was because Grammy had her retirement party. She has been working as a speech pathologist at Middlebury Elementary School for 20 years, and has decided to call it quits. We had a great time at the dinner. It was at a country club, so there was a golf course right outside. Maya really enjoyed running around and collecting golf balls, and then throwing them into the parking lot. It was a really nice evening, with good food, great company, and very touching speeches directed at Grammy. Maya and Jonah were so proud!

"This is our family, minus Daddy, Uncle Adam, and Uncle Dan."

"Aunt Debsie held Jonah, while I sat on Grammy's lap."

"Jonah likes the exersaucer... next up - the Jumperoo!"

"I really like eating my food out of Jonah's empty baby food containers..."

Mazel Tov, Dave and Jen!

2010-06-16T19:45:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned, we spent last weekend in Virginia Beach, celebrating Cousin Dave and New-Cousin Jen's wedding. We had a wonderful time, though it was way too short! We didn't even have a chance to swim in the ocean or hang out on the beach. We took a long bike ride on the boardwalk, but spent most of our time partaking in wedding festivities. The wedding was beautiful, perfect, and joyous. There were 180 people there, which is truly amazing, since a vast majority of the guests were from way out of town. This is a testament to how much people love Dave, Jen, and both their families. We were blown away. My photos aren't great, but don't let it fool you - we had a really fun trip. We've been back a while, and I have a lot of catching up to do. Forgive my lack of blog posts. We are in the midst of moving, so there's a lot to do these days!

"Look at Daddy! He was a groomsman, so he was in charge of decorating the car."

"Aunt Heddy and Cousin David look so good!"

"Jen looked so beautiful. I wish Maya had been there to see her pretty dress!"

"Mommy gave me a piece of this cake... secondhand."

"I was really sleepy at the wedding, but I was a trooper!"

"Jaden entertained me during the wedding ceremony."

"This yamulke is huge on me!"

"Where's my sister? We miss you, Maya B.!"

"I love Daddy."

Missing Maya B.

2010-06-11T14:21:00.004-05:00

Maya! We miss you! This is our first weekend away from our little girl. We left her in CT with Grammy and Grampy, while we took Jonah down to Virginia Beach for Cousin David's wedding. Maya is sick with a yucky cold, and she enjoys her time with Grammy and Grampy, so we decided to spare her the 10 hour trip, and leave her in CT. Jonah definitely missed his backseat companion on the way down to VA, but now he's doing much better. We are only here until tomorrow (the wedding is tonight), and we have had a great day. This morning, we took Jacob and Jaden on a bike ride on a 4 person bike. Afterward, we met up with Julie and Dave for lunch. The weather is perfect, and this is a great town. Our hotel leaves something to be desired, but that's okay. Jonah is napping right now, and I am catching up on some things, so all is well in the world. In a couple of hours, we'll walk across the street to the wedding, and party all evening! I'll post photos later this weekend! Anyway, we definitely miss our little girl, and can't wait to love her up and down tomorrow night, when we get home!

"My big sis has a bad cold, so she's relaxing at Grammy and Grampy's house."

"Mommy let Maya watch TV in her bed while she was sick."

"Our hotel couldn't come up with a Pack n Play, so Mommy and I napped together yesterday. We have a Pack n Play now. Way to come through, Ramada..."

"Like our giant bicycle?"

"Jaden, Jacob, and Daddy took this self-portrait. I should be in it, too, since I'm one of the boys, but Mommy was holding me."

"Jaden loves me."

"Aryella is so much like Maya B.! She wouldn't sit still for a photo with us!"

"Papa Burt knows how to make me smile!"

"I wore my bib for lunch, even though I wasn't eating chicken nuggies with the boys."

Four Years.

2010-06-07T13:02:00.006-05:00

Kevin and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on Friday. I made Rachael Ray's Ultimate Chocolate Cake during the day, while Kevin was at work. Believe it or not, it was the first time I've ever made a chocolate cake from scratch. Well, my first mistake was buying disposable pans at the supermarket, because Kevin had already packed our round cake pans. The cakes were a tad uneven and funky looking, but that's okay. My second mistake was that I didn't let the frosting cool enough in the fridge, so when I frosted the cake, it just ran all over the place and created a giant pool of chocolate on the plate. So... there are worse things than your cake being in a pool of chocolate, right?

Anyway, that evening, we went to Claremont to eat at The Common Man. It was a perfect evening, so we decided to sit outside, which is usually not my favorite. This particular night, however, was so beautiful. The temperature was perfect, and the view was gorgeous. It's a huge patio, so Maya ran around without bothering anyone, and Jonah fell asleep in the sling. The food was delicious, and all of us came and left happy. It was definitely one of our best nights out. It was so nice to be able to say that our whole family celebrated our anniversary, and that it was a great success!

"My brother is crazy! Mommy tried to feed him oatmeal, and he didn't want any!"

"Mommy eventually got him to try it, but he was NOT a fan... Can you tell?"

"I am so lucky. Mommy made frosting, and I got to lick the spoon!"

"Mommy says a cake shouldn't be sitting in a puddle of chocolate, but I think it's yummy."

"Dinner at The Common Man was really good, but Jonah only drank milk."

"Jonah loves to rest on Mommy in the sling."

"The waitress gave me a big picture and crayons. Daddy did most of the coloring, but I made many comments about the colors, and how they were very similar to the Wiggles' shirts."

"These cloth napkins are very nice. I enjoyed using them as a head scarf."

"We are a nice family, don't you think?"

"This was a huge porch, so I did lots and lots of laps."

"I had a blast - can you tell?"

"Mommy and I played 'Around the corner peek-a-boo,' which was really really fun."

"BOO!"

"Best. Dinner. Ever."

A Theme-less Post...

2010-06-05T11:06:00.002-05:00

Here are some random shots from the past week. First, we took Kevin out for birthday #32. We met Dave, Jessica, Mo, Christie, and Eve for dinner at Toro. It was so nice to visit with friends. On Thursday, Jonah had his 4-month appointment with Dr. Turkey. He is 13 lbs., 6.5 ounces! He weighs in in the 40th percentile, and is in the 60th percentile for height. She also gave us the go-ahead to start cereal. So far, he has shown no interest whatsoever. This is the exact opposite of Starvin' Marvin Maya, who gobbled down every food imaginable at 4 months! Different strokes, right??

"Mommy says Jonah thinks this food is gross."

"Daddy is holding Eve, Christie has Jonah... so where am I?"

"Mom and Dad too us to a Memorial Day parade last week. It was no match for a Disney Parade, but it'll do."

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Debbie and Dan!

2010-06-03T05:46:00.008-05:00

It was a WONDERFUL wedding weekend. Deb and Dan were radiant, and had a blast. I went to CT with the kids on Tuesday, and Kevin came to meet us on Friday. Unfortunately, he came, accompanied by a nasty cold. He was really feeling terrible, just in time for the rehearsal dinner at Maggie's, and the Auf Ruf at the temple. Fortnately, he turned a corner just in time for the wedding. We had intended to keep Jonah at the wedding for the whole affair, and to send Maya home with Kevin's cousin, Jonathan, because we knew she'd never sleep at the wedding. Well, there must be something in the air, because Jonathan was sick, too. So... we had a 3 month old and a 2 year old at the wedding... until midnight. Yikes. They both did very well, actually, despite the fact that Maya spent the ceremony eating Ritz Crackers. She also has taken an extreme liking to chapstick, and spent the better part of Debbie's wedding day, smearing her face with waxy lip balm. Just before the ceremony, I gave her a brand new chapstick, so it kept her pacified for a big part of the ceremony. Anyway, despite having two exhausted kids at the party, we had a great time. We were all pretty beaten down at the brunch the next day, but besides that, we enjoyed the wedding weekend so much. I am so happy for Debbie and Dan.
"Daddy was sick this weekend. Poor guy."

"I love chapstick. I mean, seriously, love is in the air."

"Always happy at Grammy's house."

"Did you know that Grampy and Jonah are both boys? Whatever that means..."

"Aunt Debsie loves this book."

"This is my Mommy and me."

"Debsie is so pretty!"

"I am so pretty, too."

"Jonah wore a tux to the wedding!"

"Grampy and Jonah look so sweet..."

"Here are the girls, but where am I?"

"Aunt Debsie and Aunt Nora are like models!"

"My mommy is cute with her sisters."

"Hi Mom!"

"Mommy and I have matching toes!"

"Dan and Debs were so excited at the rehearsal dinner. We had fun."

"Did you know that Aunt nora and Uncle Adam are cooking up a cousin for me?"

"I ate chicken nuggets and corn at the rehearsal dinner. In fact, I pretty much ate chicken nuggets every day last week..."

"Nice 'do, Aunt Debs!"

"I wish I had a dress like that!"

"While Debbie and Dan danced, I danced with Mommy."

"This cake looked yummy, but by the time it came out, I was too tired to chew."

"Time for the "Day After Brunch!"

"We were all soooo sleepy."

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. G!"

Kids and their Tricks.

2010-06-01T19:37:00.004-05:00

I feel like I am constantly raving about Maya and Jonah's new tricks. Jonah is a laughing, smiley little man, and loves his Bumbo Seat. Maya is talking in hilarious sentences. This afternoon in the car, I heard her says, "I have a brother named Jonah Balogna!" They couldn't be sweeter and cuter. We got home today, after being in Connecticut for the week, for Debbie's wedding (pictures to be posted soon - I promise), and the kids had a great time. Maya is obsessed with Grammy and Grampy. If I say, "Maya, I love you!" Her response is, "I love Grammy, too! And The Wiggles!" Um, thanks. Anyway, we had a fun week. Maya played like crazy, stayed up late, and behaved like a little angel. Jonah was delicious as always.

"Jonah and I love playing on Mommy and Daddy's bed."

"Mommy and I both carry our babies in a sling."

"Cheeeeeeese."

"I am a giant compared to Jonah. Don't you think?"

We Love Spring!

2010-05-26T05:38:00.005-05:00

Sort of. We've been spending a lot of time outside lately, which is obviously wonderful, and extremely exhausting for the kids, but it has been awfully hot. In fact, Jonah room soared to 80 degrees the other night while he was sleeping, which did not make for a happy Jonah. Yesterday, after realizing that Jonah was simply going to refuse to sleep in such a hot house, we decided to come to CT, and enjoy the air conditioning at Grammy and Grampy's house. My little sis, Debbie, is getting married on Saturday, so we only came home a couple of days early. Anyway, now that we're here, Jonah is sleeping peacefully, and Maya is... well... being Maya. I'll try to take lots of photos while I'm here, but you know me... I get caught up in being away. Don't forget us while we're gone!

"Jonah has some cute hats. Mommy never puts me in hats... I refuse to wear them, anyway, so that's probably why."

"Recently, I decided that I love pistachios. I love them even more, when I'm on the porch, because I can throw the shells on the lawn!"

"Another hat?!"

"Mommy made these chocolate peanut butter sandwich cookies from Rachael Ray magazine. They look delicious, but were only medium."

"Like my sunglasses?"

"I'm cool, I know."

"Jonah liked wearing my sunglasses, too, but Mommy kept missing the photo, because I kept taking them off."

"Silly Daddy. Jonah is way too small for that!"

"I have recently been spending every possibly moment on the porch. I especially love the porch when it includes food, and Daddy. Jonah? Meh."

"We found this cute little playground. I like it, but there aren't any swings. What a bumnmer."

Ready to Hit the Road.

2010-05-21T06:29:00.003-05:00

So, we're moving back to Connecticut in a month. Well, a month from Sunday, actually. Anyway, things are starting to get hectic around here. We are trying to pack as much as we can, but it's tough. In excellent news, Maya and Jonah are starting to become very good playmates. Maya loves playing with him in her crib, and entertaining him in his swing. Jonah is starting to fall in love with her, too, which is sweet. I think she really wants attention from him, so this is a great thing. He laughs at her and watches her as she plays. Jonah even had his first experience in the Jumperoo the other day! Can you believe what a big boy we have?! I am loving my little family.

Oh, and one more HUGE piece of news... Kevin passed his oral board exam!!! This is amazing news, since it means he is now a board certified anesthesiologist, and he won't have to take another exam for a whopping 10 years! Congrats, Daddy! We love you!
"Mommy says Jonah needs his tummy time. I don't understand this, but whatev."

"Jonah, you can play with my Wiggles DVD."

"Fake out! NO ONE gets to play with my Wiggles DVD, but me!"

"Jonah thinks we are all so funny."

"Look at my brother in the Jumperoo! He didn't jump, but he was definitely interested...

"Doesn't Jonah look very cool in this hat? Mommy thinks so. I want to wear it, too, but it doesn't fit on my head..."

"My Daddy has the BEST ice cream ever."

"We put all this stuff at the end of our driveway, but we didn't think anyone would take it. Well, it was gone before we even walked away. Daddy was shocked! Mommy said, 'Told you so!'"