Emme & Jack's First Frozen Yogurt Experience!

Holy WOW! This was a cool experience for all of us except Lauren who is a regular! Emme loved picking out her toppings and taste testing the flavors. Even Jack got in on the action. SO much fun and just as expensive as King Kone but better. Too bad it is so far. Thanks Lauren- it was great seeing you!

Child Labor???

I think not! This is merely a game of  "Pick the Peas and Throw Them in the Pot!" She had such a fun time. Well until I told her to stop eating them all!!

Jack's First Strawberry

Cortlandt Farm Market has delicious fresh fruit, vegetables.. (plants, Christmas trees etc) We make all our own baby food for the kids and we get almost everything fruit and vegetable here! They are super nice too. Oh yeah and another favorite thing is the delicious apple cider donuts!

Music Together

 Emme & Daddy singing along with Mr. Ernie.

 I see a future drummer here!

My Parents' New House!

This is the exciting news I couldn't wait to share. My parents just moved into their new house. NEXT DOOR TO ME! We are all so excited to have them so close. It will be so awesome for Emme and Jack to be able to walk next door to Grammy & Papa's house as they get older. AND my old neighbor used to be a piano tuner and he had an upright piano in the house which he sold to my parents. I am so super excited because we really want the kids to learn piano and now we don't have to figure out where to put one in our house!

Just Jack

 Jack is doing a good job with his fruit feeder thing. You cut up large chunks of fruit and pop them in the is neat mesh feeder and they can suck and chew on it but cannot choke! Ingenious. Emme loved it and Jack is doing a good job hanging onto it! He did end up needing help. He has to start lifting weights to strengthen up those arm muscles!

So stinking cute! Watch out ladies!

Peas and Piano

 THIS will be hers one day!!! Exciting news coming soon!

Not sure Jack was into the peas here. He was not digging the texture the first few bites but then was ok with it.

Keri & Bobby's New Kitchen

Babushka Emme

 Jack

 Making cookies with Aunt Keri

Breaking in the new oven and waiting and waiting for those yummy cookies!

Follow Up Cardiologist Appt

 Today Jack had his follow up appointment with Dr. Crowe. Jack was born with several small holes in his heart . After our initial visit several months ago, it was determined that these holes should close on their own and if they do not they will become smaller as Jack grows bigger and therefore will not hinder him in any way. I was basically told that this was the "best heart condition" anyone could ever ask for! There was also a fetal structure that was still present on our first visit which was also thought to disappear as Jack grew. So today his EKG looked awesome and Jack "helped" the doctor check his heart during the ultrasound. The fetal structure did indeed disappear and the holes are still there but much smaller that they can only be seen on contrast ultrasound. This was great news. We have another follow up after Jack's first birthday.

After our appointment we were on our way to picket with the Verizon workers and stopped in to visit Aunt Jeanine and new baby cousin Kaitlyn. Jack is only 5 months older and he looks gargantuan compared to Kaitlyn and she weighed more than him at birth!

Verizon Strike

Well Verizon finally did it. Paul and all the other workers are out on strike indefinitely because Verizon is being greedy and trying to strip away all the years of bargaining for rights that have been gained as well as eliminate health care plans. All the while the CEOs are making millions and have unlimited access to private planes and own multiple million dollar homes. Is it too much to ask for decent healthcare and a salary to survive???? Share the wealth Verizon. We are the ones who are making you so rich! So Emme, Jack and I will be hit the picket lines today with our signs to show our support.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

 Birthday Boy blew out all the candles!

 Daddy and Baby Jackie

 Jackie trying to steal chocolate dipping sauce and profiteroles from Uncle Bob!

Emme, Grandpa and Jack

Another Busy Saturday

 Emme's first time holding Kaitlin. Kaitlin is 10 days old.

 Emme working hard on her home depot workshop project. This month Pencil Boxes for back to school!

 Super paint job!

Nursing her baby doll Cinderella with her nursing shawl because you need privacy of course!

A Picture Says a Thousand Words....Or does it?

If I had you guess what was going on this photo I am certain the only thing you would guess right is that Emme is eating ice cream. This is an overdramatization (is that a word? if not it should be to describe this photo!) No one was crying, no one's legs were detached, not even ice cream spilled on any clothing. It was just one of those weird unexplainable moments.

Cousin's Day 2011

Each year my mother in law's cousins all have a gathering and many generations come together to celebrate family and good times. Each year a different part of the family hosts the "day." This year we are in Long Island. Unfortunately with the threat of Verizon striking, Paul had to attend a rally and I was on my own making the trip out to Long Island with the kiddies. They slept all the way there. We had a great visit with everyone and can't wait until next year which I hear may be in Charlotte.

 

 Sliding with Uncle Bob!

Aunt Lucille and Jackie.

Visiting Baby Kaitlin!

 Grammy & Kaitlin

 Uncle Paul & Kaitlin. She is checking him out!

 Hey wait a minute... How did you get in there Jackie? He had to see his cutie cousin for himself!

 Mixup!

Loving Aunt Jeanine!

Welcome to the World Kaitlin Summer McCarthy

 YEAH!!!! I'm an auntie. So excited to welcome Kaitlin Summer into the family.

 Emme snuck in to visit her new and first baby cousin! She was like we aren't taking this one home are we?? We had to reassure her that no Kaitlin was going home with Jeanine not us! Then she was ok with it all!

Baby Kaitlin and Jeanine are doing great! Kevin not so sure yet! Just kidding!

Bronx Zoo

 We are really getting good use out of our zoo pass! Two days in a row! Aquarium and then zoo. No wonder my kids sleep great. As always the kids had a great time.

 He's awake! Always asleep when we come by but today we arrived at park opening just after he had been fed. He was up and gave us our own private show!

 Mommy are you sure he isn't going to eat me. Those teeth look sharp!

So cool!

New York Aquarium

We love having the "zoo pass" that gets us into the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, New York Aquarium, and a few others for free. We always save the free parking passes for the aquarium because parking is ridiculous! $30. No one else was free and Jeanine at 9 months pregnant didn't want to chance driving to Brooklyn and going into labor so Emme, Jack and I trekked out on our own. We had a blast although Emme almost peed her pants during the Ice Age 4D experience. She did not like getting sprayed one bit. It rained a little but we were still able to see the show and catch all the exhibits. As we left Emme demanded we go on the Cyclone- yes the Cyclone the wooden coaster on the Boardwalk which we could see from the lot. I was glad it started to pour because she is too short to ride it and without a nap today she wouldn't have wanted to hear it!

Visit to Aunt Randy & Uncle Pat's

 We took the kids to visit my mom's sister and brother in law and got to see my cousin and goddaughter Katie and her husband Craig who is in the military.  They were up from Georgia visiting with their puppies. Katie and Craig had never met Jack yet so it was extra exciting. Emme absolutely loved Bailey. I think she just could've and would've stolen him had Katie looked the other way. We had a great visit and can't wait to see them again hopefully soon.

 I love you so much and just want to take you home.

Please Mommy, can I keep Bailey!

Feeding the Chickens

Emme and Natalie feeding Natalie's pet chickens corn on the cob. They are very timid around Emme as she is new to them but Natalie, Marianne and Dom all pet them and handle them. Very cool pets and they get yummy eggs too!

Swimming Fun

 Emme & Natalie playing in the sand box.

 Jackie snoozing in the sun.

 Swimming like a big girl!

 Emme & Natalie

Jackie, Aunt Jeanine and soon to be baby cousin!