top ten days of 2008

(not in any particular order)

1. celebrating your 1st birthday with family and friends in Brooklyn
2. watching the squirrels and birds while eating breakfast at the rental house, upstate New York
3. apple picking in Warwick, New York
4. when Uncle Michael was bouncing you on the big blue bouncy ball at Mimi and Nonno's
5. winning Skip Hop's Cutest Baby contest
6. playing on the beach in Rhode Island with cousin Sammy
7. every weekend that you get to play with Daddy
8. friday night pizza parties with Brett, Hayden and Gael (or any playdate with them, really)
9. watching you play in the kiddie pool on Kate's deck on a hot July day
10. the big hug you gave Daddy when he got back from two weeks in Amsterdam
11. Christmas and New Years with family in Connecticut and Florida, where Daddy got to spend 10 straight days with you!
    

happy new year's eve!

We'll be celebrating by lighting sparklers in front of the river when it gets dark. Yay!

Daddy and buddy

When we were in Connecticut, Mimi made you a little table to go with the little red chair Nonno got you. On Christmas Eve I looked over and you and Daddy were drawing like peas in a pod. You look so sweet together. It reminded me of this picture from a while ago, you and Daddy reading together.

Florida

From this:


to this:

happy birthday, Mimi!

Happy Birthday Mimi! I love you thissssss much.

& when you are not here, I am looking for you:


Here are some of my favorite pictures of us together:







We love you, Mimi!

{birthday card from etsy}

holiday family portrait

This year, we decided to take a family photo in the style of formal black and white family portraits from the 1800s.

Jackson, you're really good at the serious face.

Christmas

I have lots of photos to post of your second ever Christmas, but we're in Florida right now and I'm a little behind.

Suffice it to say, we had a wonderful Christmas in Connecticut with Mimi and Nonno, Uncle Michael and Auntie Gwyn. You got some awesome gifts, we ate some awesome food, and you received lots of awesome love from everyone.

Now you're beside yourself with excitement over being with Cousin Sammy all day. We've only been here one day and you've gone swimming, went on walks, checked out the boats in the marina, seen lizards, blown bubbles*, opened presents, and in general have been having a blast.

{photo by kate}

*

Merry Christmas to all!

yesterday

Yesterday we watched two deer jumping through the snow in the back
yard. So pretty.

They weren't reindeer, just in case you were wondering.

clingy

Somebody was very clingy today. I hope it's just a phase.

I still love you though.

happy birthday, Nonno!

It's your Nonno's birthday today!

Your grandfather was born in 1916 in a cold-water flat in South Boston. He was a very studious kid and never got in trouble (unlike his brother Uncle Joe who once got in a buckle fight with Whitey Bulger, the notorious bank robber and murderer). He studied at Boston Latin, then went to Mass College of Art, RISD, NYU and Arizona State University. He served some time in Panama, driving Jeeps around and sharpshooting when they needed him to. He married your Mimi in 1965 at St. Edward's in New Fairfield, CT (when you were baptized and your dad and I were married too). He was a professor at Western Connecticut State University, teaching painting, drawing, watercolor & art history for a LONG TIME and still teaches there actually.

He's the most generous, loving Papa ever and I'm glad you got to spend his birthday with him today. Happy Birthday Nonno! We love you so much!

PS The fourth picture down is actually Al Pacino in The Godfather, but I had you there for a minute, didn't I?

bunny!

Remember this summer when we wanted you to wear the fake mustache. You weren't really into it, but it was funny.


Well, when Ruth saw this, she immediately thought of you...it's...... a........


BUNNY WITH A MUSTACHE!


Thank you, Ruth & John! xo

on our way

Yay!

let it snow

Big snowstorm in Brooklyn today. But you didn't go outside.

This picture was taken in Prospect Park in 1886.

baby's first handmade ornament

Jackson, on the advice of your Aunt Abigail, last week we made some salt dough ornaments. The picture above is of one you made (almost) all by yourself.

Ingredients

4 cups flour
2 cup salt
1-1/2 cups hot water (from tap)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (optional)

Mix the salt and flour together, then gradually add the water until the dough becomes elastic. (Some recipes call for 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil at this point.) If your mixture turns out too sticky, simply add more flour. If it turns out too crumbly, simply add more water. Knead the dough until it’s a good consistency—then get out rolling pins, cups, bowls, straws, cookie cutters, plastic utensils, and let the fun begin!

Bake in a 200 degree oven for a long time. Or just turn the oven off and let them stay in there for a day or two.

PS. Abigail, I hope you haven't left for Chicago, because there just might be something in the mail for you on its way.

stocking stuffer

If we let you eat lollipops, I would get this for your stocking.

{From Sweet Lollipop Shop}

paper pretties

Inspired by Abigail's gorgeous paper wreath, I got out my bin of leftover quilling paper (thank you Martha Stewart tag sale) and made some garlands for the tree. Jackson, you thought they were pretty neat when you woke up and saw them in the morning.

baby's first visit to the museum of natural history

Today was a big day. We took the subway into the city with Brett, Hayden, and Gael and went to the Museum of Natural History. It was great. It was actually what I thought life with you might be like, when I was pregnant with you, all fun filled days and trips to museums and carousel rides.

I think you liked the bears best of all.

happy birthday, Hayden!

Hayden's 4th birthday party was on Sunday ~ and although Jackson, you were a leee-tle cranky when we got there, you eventually warmed up and had a blast. The best part of the party - watching a dozen kids swing a broomstick around at the pinata. That, and the robot cake.

Happy birthday, Hayden! We love you!

good weekend

We had a really great weekend, which involved, among other things, napping, eating good food (sweet potato tempura), going to Hayden's 4th birthday party (fun!), getting rides in the wagon, and jumping on the bed.

a lovely seascape

I woke up from a nap this afternoon to find this very atmospheric drawing on the coffee table. I love it, Jon and Jackson.