Summer Is Here!

These days we've continued to play in (or with, in Lucas's case) the pool and stay cool in the shade. Here's Lucas investigating the hose and hanging out with his buddy Oliver, who preferred the bucket:

Boys... so easily distracted by the noise of passing trucks:

I'll point to Oliver when you ask, but I'm too engulfed in my work to look:

Celebrating afterwards with pizza!:

Beatin' The Heat

It took a few minutes and some comfort measures, but Lucas finally relaxed and seemed to enjoy being in a cold pool (after 19 months, he's only recently started to tolerate bathtime). . .

Then we joined the kids across the street who were playing with a hose, and Lucas was really able to let loose!

Stroller

For the last several months, Lucas has been interested in (other peoples') push toys, and more recently at home has begun creating push toys out of things that don't normally get pushed (like furniture). So we finally found his very own special stroller to satisfy the urge:

Needless to say, his stroller goes most everywhere that we do, along with his ball, Curious George, a sippy cup, or even his blankie, if that's what Lucas decides to tuck into the seat that day:

One morning we arrived at the park, and Lucas pulled George out of the stroller and shoved him through the leg hole into the swing. I helped George to get settled in for his very first ride:

Prospect Park Zoo

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at this small local zoo, where Lucas had a grand 'ole time. He mostly gave a nod to the animals; he loved running around a street- and traffic-free area and being able to feel the changing textures (gravel, wood, sand, grass) under his feet. And his latest favorite -- fish -- were sparse, so we're off to the aquarium on the next hot day!

Drums

Father's Day

Lucas and Papi at our church pool party yesterday:

Photos

Like his Mama and Papi, Lucas adores looking at photos of people and pointing them out as they're named, so we've placed plenty of framed pictures around the house at his eye level for him to visit with:

Video #2

Hope you don't get dizzy watching this video of Lucas on the swings. After a good five minutes of a silly spell from watching Mama make weird sounds and facial expressions, I decided to pull out the camera and catch him as he came off his high, so you'll still see a bit of his contagious laughter. I'm sorry that I didn't keep filming because a split second later, he stopped laughing cold turkey so that he could wave and say hi after noticing that a little girl was a few swings next to him.

Hugs All Around

Lucas has always been very affectionate but lately he'll hug most anyone and anything he comes across. . . Yesterday morning we received some hand-me-downs from friends, and of course, the Thomas toys were a hit. As we were saying goodbye to head out for the park, I noticed that Lucas was no longer behind me. I turned around to catch him saying goodbye and giving hugs to the puzzle:

Watering The Plants

For some reason, Lucas has decided that this activity includes singing as he pours the (empty) water jug.

Snack After A Romp Through The Sprinklers

David and Elsie

Here are some shots of us enjoying time together with our friends David and Elsie, who were in town visiting from Hotlanta for a few days this week:

Walking along the Brooklyn Heights promenade...

One of the best views of the bay and of the Manhattan skyline. . .
Hoping that a belly rub will help the twins (!) grow as big as possible. . .

Linus and his filthy blanket. Lately Lucas has decided that the subway is too loud and therefore scary, so blankie comes along on rides to help him cope (we're very proud of him -- recently he's gotten much better). . .

Lucas still doesn't understand that other people's food isn't necessarily his food, but David was nice enough to oblige. . .

New Game

For months at our park visits, Lucas was no longer showing interest in the swings, but it seems that recently he's grown somewhat tired of throwing/kicking/dribbling the soccer ball (yikes - and summer hasn't even begun!). Lately he's begun requesting to play the back-breaking (for us) game of tossing the ball while he swings and making us run after it. . . (Mama is getting a massage this Saturday.)

And here's yet another new pinwheel distraction we've found on our way home from the park. . .

Brooklyn Apartment, Complete With Indoor Pool (And Cute Kid)

A hard storm kept us inside all morning, and having exhausted all obvious indoor play possibilities, Mama and Papi were desperate...

Carnival

Our neighborhood is very Old School (we mean that lovingly) and its churches seem to love kitschy carnivals as fundraising strategies. Here's Lucas and Mama riding the spinning vehicles yesterday at a carnival on our street corner, although he seemed most interested in the towering, glittery ferris wheel one ride over...