He's here!

We are overjoyed to announce the arrival of Cade Everett Milott born July 2nd, 2009 2:05 pm 8 lbs, 11 oz 20 inches New York City, New York. He is healthy, beautiful and adored by Mama, Dada and big brother Jackson.

just waiting

We've got the bassinet set up in the bedroom, newborn diapers in the boys room, and I'm going to sterilize some pacifiers this afternoon.

Now we are just waiting. I am ready to have Baby. Jon is ready to hold his Baby.

Jackson? Well, we'll have to see if he's ready too.

{Bassinet here.}

2x the love!

Saturday afternoon we celebrated Baby No.2 at Kate and John's house here in Brooklyn.

Everything was perfect - babies, balloons, banners, best-ever-chocolate-cupcakes, and best friends.

Here are some pictures, which don't even begin to capture what a lovely, lovely time it was.

backyard movies

Our TV broke, which normally would not bother me, but this week has been hard for me to sit down and put my feet up at the end of the day, and I'm exhausted, so I really have kind of needed the TV. (I read all the books I had next to my bed).

Thankfully, Jon brought home the projector they had at work. We hung a sheet up between the windows and TA-DA.

I hope some day we can watch movies with the boys in the backyard, with blankets, tents, popcorn, s'mores (or maybe some s'mores cupcakes, mmm), ginger ale. When I told that to Jon he said, "Yeah, the latest Pixar movie!"

I can't wait.

{Picture from flickr.}

happy birthday, uncle michael

Uncle Michael is celebrating his birthday in Italy this year, lucky duck!

Buon compleanno, Michael.

We miss you!

{my favorite card ever from here}

SEVEN

old man cereal

I think it's funny that Jackson's cereal of choice right now is Cracklin' Oat Bran. We jokingly referred to it as Old Man Cereal a few times and now he points to it and says, "Man! Man! Cereal! Pease!"

arrival date

Jon's guessing July 1, but I'm guessing July 8th. Reasons:

1. I don't want to get my hopes up that baby comes early
2. Full moon July 7
3. Only three days before Mom and Dad return from Italy
4. birthdate of 07-08-09 would be pretty cool
5. my favorite midwife (of the two) is not on duty 4th of July weekend
6. don't want to be in Hospital over Holiday weekend

Any one want to take a guess? Winner may get a signed certificate like the one above.

baby!

9 days to go......

holy crow!

(picture from the old Martha Stewart Baby magazine)

starting early

When I asked Jackson what he was doing, he simply said, "Nonno."

(Nonno does this crossword puzzle ravenously every week.)

happy birthday, great-grammy!

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y
G R E A T G R A M M Y !
Here's a big birthday kiss
from Jackson ~

WE LOVE YOU!


and a pic from June 15th, 2007,
of Grammy with little little Jackson.

father's day crafting

Someone really likes glue.

Happy Father's Day Dada!

Dada,

You know how much I love you: you know it by the way I sit at the window and wait for you to come home, by the way I throw my little arms around you to give you a hug, then pull back and reassess you before I give you a big kiss (to make sure you're ready for it, I think), by the way I ONLY want to play with you in the morning, and if I don't, boy do I sure let Mama know that I am not happy about it, and by the way I squeal with delight when you do Robot Daddy, or pick me up and fly me around the playground, or run around and around and around the closet in the entry way over and over and over again with me.

I know you will be bringing a new baby home and I know you are going to be the best Daddy to him too. Just think of how well I prepared you for it! Just remember, I taught you everything you know. You don't have to thank me, but you know, just want you to remember.

Happy Father's Day Dada. I love you so incredibly much. More than last year, if that's even possible.

Love,
Jackson

baby No. 2's first present

Great Aunt Jane made Baby this beautiful cashmere blanket. I can't wait to wrap the new little guy up in it's yummy softness. And I just think the colors are beautiful.

Thank you, Aunt Jane!

monkeys on the brain

Someone's got a new fave - Jackson made Jon read his monkey book 5 times in a row this morning.

{images from here, via DesignMom}

missing Mimi and Nonno

Mimi and Nonno are in Italy now. And boy do I miss them. I'm going to get through this though. They'll be back before we know it, with a beautiful grandson waiting for them when they do.

I just hope they are eating lots of pasta, cheese, bread, olive oil, salami, olives, pesto, tomatoes, red wine and GELATO - as much as possible.

Hmm, maybe if we lived in Italy I would have more of an appetite this trimester.

exciting

Next weekend Baby's being feted with a little party at Kate's. I can't wait. & I love the invitation Brett designed.

town of...

Aunt Jane went for a drive and snapped this picture for you, Jackson.

nesting

Trying to maintain some sense of control in my life, at least I've got all the baby clothes and Jackson's clothes organized.....

if you looked up yum in the dictionary, you'd see this picture

How do you thank a friend who continuously goes above and beyond? You just can't!

Abigail made these gorgeous whoopie pies and shipped them to me so I could enjoy them in my 38th week of pregnancy! I mean, really! Who does that?!

Abigail, you've outdone yourself, AGAIN. Thank you. You are simply the best.

struggle!

We've been having a hard time finding the perfect name for Baby No. 2. Can you tell?

cutest outfit ever

Bebe's friend handmade this little outfit for Cousin Sammy and now it fits Jackson. I happen to think it's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

tired

Sorry for missing a few days. I've been really tired and uncomfortable these past few days.

Trying to enjoy this special time I have with Jackson as my only baby.

I love you Jackson.

oh, dear

Jackson likes to deliver clean laundry to each room after I have folded it. He also thinks that clean towels go in the bathtub. Which I only discovered after I turned the water on to take a shower.

This was also the same batch of laundry where I found a giant piece of yellow chalk in one of his pockets.

Two morals of the story here: check the bathtub before you turn the water on, check little boys' pockets before you run a wash.

watch out, American Idol

Jackson's favorite song, more like an obsession: I've Been Working On The Railroad.

um, really?

I love this kids' room designed by John Derian in this month's Cookie magazine, but two things struck me as a little odd. 1. the antique glass dome on the bedside table of the bed on the left. Probably not the best idea with a 4 year old. 2. the $1,000 bedspreads. I don't know....is it just me? Or is that a little crazy. Thank you.

the best medicine

The other day Jackson was walking around laughing maniacally and I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized he was holding his "laugh" flashcard. It was pretty funny.

Monday night - Hospital & Dumplings

Yesterday we toured NY Downtown Hospital, where baby will be born. It seemed really nice, especially compared to NYU Tisch and LICH.

Then we went to New Yeah Shanghai where we enjoyed their tasty juicy pork buns, green beans and rice - or at least tried to before Jackson had a meltdown due to no nap and late dinner.

I think I could eat juicy pork buns every night. That and Rocky Road ice cream.

Maybe Jon will bring me some when I am recovering in the hospital.

the joy of a new toy

Jackson just pulled out his new Pinocchio drummer boy that he got from Aunt Lauraine for his birthday. He must really like the sound it makes on the wooden floor, because when he gets to the rug, he picks it up, crosses it, then puts the toy down when he gets to the wood floor again. Luckily we don't have any downstairs neighbors at the moment.

This pics are from a few weeks ago when he gleefully opened his presents.

Thank you, Aunt Lauraine!

jackson's scrapbook

I kept a lot of cards and stuff from Jackson's arrival. I wonder if this will happen for baby.

Will you be embarrassed when we pick you up from school in this?

Jackson, the subaru's clicker has a range of 240 feet. That's why we can lock and unlock the car from our window. Other cars only have a range of 40 feet. Let me tell you, this comes in handy when Mama leaves something in the car and Dada has to get it when he comes home from work.

Good thing we have a subaru! (Which is the first car you were able to correctly identify. Now you like Jeeps).

shhh. WHAT ARE THEY DOING UP THERE?

After an exciting morning into the city on the 'doot doot', we finally made it back home just in time for nap. Unfortunately, someone was so riled up about the 'doot doot' it took him quite a while to fall asleep.

Thankfully napping now, leaving me in a nice state of calm, when the upstairs neighbors decides to start rearranging the furniture. I MIGHT just pull my hair out. If my arms weren't so tired from pushing the stroller, in the rain, & trying to hold the umbrella at the same time.

Oh, just please keep sleeping.

pregnancy, cravings

What I look forward to more than anything, these days.

{Pic here. }

announcement ideas

Wouldn't these inspire somehow a great announcement. Somehow, not sure. I just love them. I also love this:



But maybe that's a little too girly.

tee pees

When we were little we had a little red tee pee. It was kept in the shed and it always smelled a little funny.

Someday we'll have one for the boys. Maybe like this one. So sweet.

photo cards/announcements

Jackson won a contest with some of his baby pictures - we've won 150 printed photocards from the Whitney English company. We have to choose from this selection , and I'm debating whether to use them for the new baby announcement or for Christmas 2009. I'd love to print a special one for the new baby, and this is just not what I had in mind.

belated birthday pics

Bebe got Jackson a Thomas the Train birthday cake - big hit! He loved it so much. How do we know? Because he started to cry when Auntie Nikki started to cut it.

another message

Another message Jon wrote to Jackson when I was about 5 months along. This baby is a kicking machine. And I thought Jackson was active.

bouncy fun!

Holy crow, did these boys have fun on the gi-nor-mous bouncy house that Bebe got them! You should have seen them. Jackson and Sammy would go up the ladder, down the slide, bounce around, and do it all again - quite possibly 75 times in a row. They got to the point where they were so tired but wouldn't stop, so they would just stand on the ladder and argue about who's turn was next. I've never seen them have SO MUCH FUN. We'll have to go back up soon for more bouncy time!

Thank you Bebe for the awesome Bouncy!

thank you, Jon

For my beautiful necklace. I love it. It makes me smile every time I see it in the mirror.

I love you.

birds and the alphabet

What could be better?

{Get it here, saw it here.}

play-doh

Procrastinating organizing birthday and Memorial Day weekend pictures, but in the meantime wanted to post these pics of Jackson playing with his new play-doh!

more wallpaper, please

If we ever have a summer beach cottage, I want a room with wallpaper like this.

happy birthday, baby!

Dear Jackson,

Two years ago you came into our lives and changed it forever for the better.

This past year feels like a whirlwind of watching you grow, filled with firsts. It gives me so much joy to look back and see what you've accomplished, and how you're really coming into your own.

That first year I could just sit there and look at you in wonder. This past year I haven't been able to sit as much, but I still look at you in wonder. I still can't believe how much love I have in my heart for you. I still think you are the cutest baby ever. But recently, I've been seeing a little boy in you, even though part of me wants to deny it.

And now that baby is due in 6 weeks, I wanted to tell you how special this time was, just you and me, how lucky I am to have had these two years with you, and how I will always look back on this time with so much joy and love for you.

Happy 2nd birthday, baby! We love you so very very much.

Love,
Mama

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY, LITTLE BUDDY!

Jackson, we had such a wonderful birthday weekend I don't even know where to start. I'm going to post pictures soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to wish you the happiest, funnest, bounciest birthday ever.

We love you so very much and can't wait to see what this year brings for you!