happy halloween!

This year's card, and some of the comments in response:

that is amazing!!!!!!! he looks so freakin' cute and i love the costume {from Kate}

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
that is the cutest face, the cutest wolf, the most amazing cotton ball sheep on the planet!!
xoxjonsara.

ummm...

you're very cute! he's very cute!

I"m continually impressed by the things you get done.

lotsa love, lady, B

Dear Chiara,

I can't tell you how much I love this card! Its funny and charming, just like Jackson. Told your mom to make me a member of the Jackson fan club. The kid's got personality and it comes through in all his photos.Lots of love,

Sylvia

Chiara: Thank you for the wonderful pictures of Jackson the "cotton ball wolf" -- too precious for words. Keep them coming. Happy Helloween to you three. Love,Charlotte

omg! soo adorable! {from uncle}

and here's last year's card. How much you have grown!

beware the wolf in sheep's clothing!

Four bags of cotton balls and many hot glue gun refills later, your second ever Halloween costume is compete! And might I say, you look awesome as a wolf in sheep's clothing!

Thank you, Mr. Aesop.

& Happy Halloween!

got the glue gun out

Sorry - I've been busy working on a little halloween project these days...let's just say there's lots of cotton balls involved. Can't wait to share the finished product soon!

the list

Last year, when I had to go back to work after being on maternity leave, I was a little sad. So I started keeping a list - of things that made me happy during the day, or things I was thankful for. One night I went to write something down and saw that Jon had added:

6. Jackson's hair is awesome.

slim pickins

On Sunday we finally made it upstate for some apple-picking. We went to Applewood Orchards in Warwick, NY. It was beautiful. There weren't that many apples left on the trees, but it was definitely worth the trip. You were pretty beat by the time we headed home, as you can see here:



Tonight: apple cranberry crisp.

message

Last night when I went to go brush my teeth, I saw that you had left me a message on the bathroom mirror.

In pink crayon.

That made me smile out loud.

birthday in a box - child's first birthday

I saw this birthday in a box from City Bird Designs on Design Mom and thought - brilliant! Ruth had actually suggested I do something like that after your first birthday party (pics here) but I don't think I could do such a good job! I love it. What a good idea and cute design.

hang tough

Considering your love of all things train these days, I thought you might like this wall hanging by Paul Smith from the Rug Company. Personally, I like his LOVE one more, but that's just me.

happy accident - shadow

Daddy took this picture on Sunday. Reminds me of Peter Pan's shadow!

sweet little message

I'm not usually one for political onesies, but this one is pretty cute.

your two top favorite foods

1. spaghetti (you are Italian!)
2. raspberries

giant springs

These springs were on my crib when I was little, and Mimi saved them all these years. When you first started sleeping in your crib, we would rock it back and forth like a giant cradle, rocking you to sleep. Once you started standing and walking around, the springs made you lurch around a bit. I finally took them off. I've never seen them for sale in any of the baby stores or online. I wonder if you would have fallen asleep so easily without them.

your bedroom

Check out this little mention on this blog! Sharon is from Australia and features many neat-looking nurseries......Thanks for writing about us, Sharon!

blocks

I love the illustrations on these blocks. You were loving them too the other day.

from Mimi

Jackson, Mimi sent you a Halloween message.

I think she created it herself on the computer!

saturday night, while you slept

point number 1:


point number 2:




point number 3:




point number 4:


point number 5:


point number 6:




point number 7:


Tonight Claricia came while we went to Matt's wedding. Might I say, it was so wonderful?

1. it was at Frankies on Court Street, and the food was amazing. I kept saying to Jon, 'why don't we go come here more often?!' I was full after the antipasti - and there were still four courses to come!

2. they decorated with beautiful arrangements and those HUGE balloons Oh Happy Day has posted about (which I LOVE).

3. the favors were the prettiest chocolates (Mast Brothers Chocolates, from Brooklyn), with the most wonderful packaging. AND sea salt on the dark chocolate! oh lordy!

4. i wore a new j crew dress (can't even find it on the website) and the designer of the dress (one of the bridesmaids) introduced herself and complimented me on my 'accessorizing' of the dress. the dress has pockets. and ruffles.

5. did I mention the food was delicious?

6. it all started with a beautifully addressed envelope arriving in the mail a few months ago. and the name cards were equally as beautiful ~ with a little sprig of eucalyptus tied on with velvet ribbon. i love white ink on chocolate brown background. someday i'll learn how to do calligraphy for real. sigh. {update February 6, 2009: in a Daily Candy email sent out today, the calligrapher was featured. Turns out our envelope is one she uses for her examples: look here.}

7. the cake toppers looked very much like the bride and groom.

& they had polaroid cameras, film, and these beautiful books for polaroids and writing messages to the bride and groom.

congratulations Matt & Karen! we wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

harvest treats

Yesterday Kate came over and we made the most delicious Fleur de Sel Caramel Apples (from scratch, natch) while you napped. When you woke up you wanted to sit next to Kate while she loaded film in her camera. I guess a call came in for her - here's a picture of you holding a phone up to her ear.



PS. I'm sure Kate's pictures will be WAY BETTER than mine above.

today

Today we were in the city and got to run in and see the Beatriz Milhazes exhibit at James Cohan. You liked this one (2nd picture):

Beatriz Milhazes
Brinquelandia, 2008
mixed media collage on paper
45 1/4 X 56 1/4 inches

I think because it reminded you of your Nano's collages a little bit:

Robert Alberetti
Past Present, 2000
oil on canvas
approx. 30 inches x 40 inches

{Mihazes photos from James Cohan Gallery}