Last week Cade was sick. He wrapped his Lemur up in a blanket and put him in the pot I had given him to throw up in.

Re: questionaire‏ jonathan milott 10/05/11 To: chiara alberetti

In 2011, I sent Jon an email asking these questions:

if there was one word to describe our family, what would it be?
what is the most surprising thing about being a father?
what is your most humbling parenting moment?
proudest moment (you can't say when they were born)? favorite thing to do as family?

and these were his answers:

1. LOVE
2. how fast time goes - they are not babies anymore
3. realizing that they are who they are and I can only be there and support them, rather than shape them. 4. The love the boys have toward me. The look on Cade's face when I get home from work expressing pure joy in seeing me. The genuine hugs Jackson give me.
5. Read. Draw. Rough house. Discover.

I'm stuck on #3. I love you Jon and miss you so much.

superheros

We went to a superhero party the other week for Cade's friend Eli. Jackson was Hulk and Cade was Spiderman.

Missing you, Dada.

Mother's Day, 2013

Mother's Day, cards from my sweet boys.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mama's out there - especially the ones that make my world go 'round.

happy birthday, scarlet!

On our way to a special birthday party ~ Happy Birthday, Scarlet!

good times

Over Easter, Jon took the boys to the Danbury Railway Museum, where they met the Easter Bunny, and generally tore all over the place, checked out the trains, and did rockstar poses. There were so many good pics it was hard to choose these few.

we've come a long way, baby

Can't believe this was almost three years ago exactly. Seems like another lifetime, seems like yesterday.

meet Kitty

 

Jackson was sad, so he asked me to make him a kitty, named Kitty. He liked the head, but promptly requested the body to go with it. Then he drew it for me, then he modeled it for me (hands on floor, crawling around), then he cried for it to be created immediately.

He'll wake up to a finished Kitty.

Myself, I like the whiskers. They are authentic whiskers for ceramic animals toys and novelties. They may be cut to proper length.

Dada, we miss you.

Counting the days.....

oh, nothing, just hanging out next to Mimi.....

Love how Cade just siddled on up next to Mimi, and was hanging out at the dinner table......

easter egg hunt + cascarones, 2013

All in all, an excellent Easter egg hunt. Until Uncle Michael hit Jackson in the head with a cascarone, and then, you know, the world fell apart. Until Jackson stopped crying long enough to throw an egg back at Uncle Michael, and felt vindicated. Then, all was right with the world again.

easter egg-dying, 2013

While we did that, Mimi did this - the best chocolate cake I ever did have:

Please make it again soon. :)

growing up

Cade at Mimi and Nonno's. Easter week.

church

Lately, I've been trying to take Jackson and Cade to Church with me Sunday mornings. It's down the block, so really....still not sure why we are late every single time.

They're usually really well-behaved (not so when I first started taking them, or maybe now I don't care so much what other people think if they whisper too loudly or Cade drives his truck across the person in front of us). Jackson usually reads a book or does a puzzle, but keeps to himself.

However, when it's time for the sign of peace (when everyone shakes hands and says, "Peace be with you," Jackson jumps up, ready for action. The church is pretty empty, so you have to lean over at least one vacant row to even shake hands with anyone.

For the past two weeks, he has strolled out of the pew, three rows back, over to the family in back of us, shakes all of their hands, CROSSES THE AISLE, shakes a few hands over there, then heads back to our row.

This morning I looked over and saw his upturned face, reaching up to give a kiss to a 95-year old (maybe older), shaky, very old, woman. His skin - so smooth, pure and innocent, against hers - really worn, wrinkled and wise.

Every time I think of this moment, my heart is warmed. I hope hers is too.

overheard in the bathtub

Jackson: Cade, when you're 22- that's a 2 and a 2, will you come to my rock star show?

Cade: Yes, where is it going to be?

Jackson: I don't know yet.

for the love of bunnies

Cade's having a thing for bunnies lately. I love this little night light, know he would too.

pre-circus party with Penn

Not sure if they were excited for the circus, or just excited to be together.

circus circus!

 A few weeks ago, we went to the circus - at Barclay's Center with Penn, Ruth and John. It was awesome. Cade just sat there, like he did at the Monster Truck Show. Jackson and Penn were totally into it. I was totally into the Human Cannonball. Jackson liked the poodles, tigers, and clowns, and Cade liked "the thing that spun around really fast and then the people walked on the top of it".

I did not like the $14 cotton candy.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Darin!

Happy Birthday, Uncle Darin! We love* you like you love fast cars.

*Loving you since 2009 (well, before then, but that was as far back as I could find).

'Captain America hair'

After his request for 'Wolverine hair'.

no explanation necessary

A few weeks ago, Cade was having some problems with potty training, prompting this chart. Happy to say the chart worked.

it's picture day at the Co-op School....

....and this is what Cade's hair looked like this morning.

a few weeks ago

When Abigail and Steven and Ezra last came to visit, we went to the Brooklyn Museum and saw this show of El Anatsui at the Brooklyn Museum. I like going anywhere with Abigail and Steven and Ezra.